12 research outputs found
Super-Resolution Microscopy Opens New Doors to Life at the Nanoscale
No full textSuper-resolution fluorescence microscopy holds tremendous potential for discovery in neuroscience. Much of the molecular machinery and anatomic specializations that give rise to the unique and bewildering electrochemical activity of neurons are nanoscale by design, ranging somewhere between 1 nm and 1 μm. It is at this scale where most of the unknown and exciting action is and where cell biologists flock to in their dreams, but it was off limits for light microscopy until recently. While the optical principles of super-resolution microscopy are firmly established by now, the technology continues to advance rapidly in many crucial areas, enhancing its performance and reliability, and making it more accessible and user-friendly, which is sorely needed. Indeed, super-resolution microscopy techniques are nowadays widely used for visualizing immunolabeled protein distributions in fixed or living cells. However, a great potential of super-resolution microscopy for neuroscience lies in shining light on the nanoscale structures and biochemical activities in live-tissue settings, which should be developed and harnessed much more fully. In this review, we will present several vivid examples based on STED and RESOLFT super-resolution microscopy, illustrating the possibilities and challenges of nano-imaging in vivo to pique the interest of tech-developers and neurobiologists alike. We will cover recent technical progress that is facilitating in vivo applications, and share new biological insights into the nanoscale mechanisms of cellular communication between neurons and glia
Changes of cooling near mesopause under global warming from observations and model simulations
No full textThe influence of ocean heat transport in the Barents Sea on the regional sea ice and the atmospheric static stability
Get PDFThe influence of the oceanic heat inflow into the Barents Sea on the sea ice concentration and atmospheric characteristics, including the atmospheric static stability during winter months, is investigated on the basis of the results of ensemble simulations with the regional climate model HIRHAM/NAOSIM for the Arctic. The static stability of the atmosphere is the important indicator of the spatial and temporal variability of polar mesocyclones in the Arctic region. The results of the HIRHAM/NAOSIM regional climate model ensemble simulations (RCM) for the period from 1979 to 2016 were used for the analysis. The initial and lateral boundary conditions for RCM in the atmosphere were set in accordance with the ERA-Interim reanalysis data. An analysis of 10 ensemble simulations with identical boundary conditions and the same radiation forcing for the Arctic was performed. Various realizations of ensemble simulations with RCM were obtained by changing the initial conditions for integrating the oceanic block of the model. Different realizations of ensemble simulations with RCM are obtained by changing the initial conditions of the model oceanic block integration. The composites method was used for the analysis, i.e. the difference between the mean values for years with the maximum and minimum inflow of oceanic water into the Barents Sea. The statistical significance of the results (at a significance level of p < 0.05) was estimated using Student's t-test. In general, the regional climate model reproduces the seasonal changes in the inflow of the oceanic water and heat into the Barents Sea reasonably well. There is a strong relationship between the changes in the oceanic water and ocean heat inflow, sea ice concentration, and surface air temperature in the Barents Sea. Herewith, the increase in the oceanic water inflow into the Barents Sea in winter leads to a decrease in static stability, which contributes to changes in regional cyclonic activity. The decrease of the static stability is most pronounced in the southern part of the Barents Sea and also to the west of Svalbard
Future projections of cyclone activity in the Arctic for the 21st century from regional climate models (Arctic-CORDEX)
Get PDFpeer reviewedChanges in the characteristics of cyclone activity (frequency, depth and size) in the Arctic are analyzed based on simulations with state-of-the-art regional climate models (RCMs) from the Arctic-CORDEX initiative and global climate models (GCMs) from CMIP5 under the Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 8.5 scenario. Most of RCMs show an increase of cyclone frequency in winter (DJF) and a decrease in summer (JJA) to the end of the 21st century. However, in one half of the RCMs, cyclones become weaker and substantially smaller in winter and deeper and larger in summer. RCMs as well as GCMs show an increase of cyclone frequency over the Baffin Bay, Barents Sea, north of Greenland, Canadian Archipelago, and a decrease over the Nordic Seas, Kara and Beaufort Seas and over the sub-arctic continental regions in winter. In summer, the models simulate an increase of cyclone frequency over the Central Arctic and Greenland Sea and a decrease over the Norwegian and Kara Seas by the end of the 21st century. The decrease is also found over the high-latitude continental areas, in particular, over east Siberia and Alaska. The sensitivity of the RCMs' projections to the boundary conditions and model physics is estimated. In general, different lateral boundary conditions from the GCMs have larger effects on the simulated RCM projections than the differences in RCMs' setup and/or physics
Водный, тепловой и солевой баланс юго-восточной части Баренцева моря
Get PDFThe south-eastern part of the Barents Sea is located away from the main currents, with a combination of climatic, hydrological and oceanological processes creating conditions that make the region different from the rest of the Barents Sea such that it is seen as a separate region and called sometimes the Pechora Sea. Despite the intensive economic activity in the south-eastern part of the Barents Sea, it is not yet clear to what extent the general Atlantic water transport in the Barents Sea and, consequently, the transport of heat and salt, affects this region. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess advective flows at open boundaries, as well as other components of the water, heat and salt balances of the south-eastern part of the Barents Sea. Based on monthly average data from the MERCATOR GLORYS12V1 reanalysis for the period 1993–2018, we calculated water transport, heat and salt flows at the boundaries of the south-eastern part of the Barents Sea (at 50° E in the west, at 71° N in the north and in the Kara Gate Strait); to close the balances, an assessment was made of sea-atmosphere interaction characteristics on the sea surface based on ECMWF ERA5 reanalysis data. Water, heat and salt balances were combined with a residual not exceeding 1.6 %. Linear trends for the characteristics obtained were calculated. It is revealed that the average long-term resulting water transport in the south-eastern part of the Barents Sea is directed from the north-west of the region to the Kara Gate Strait (0.40 Sv). This current is associated with the Atlantic waters and also carries heat and salt. The resulting heat input (5.92 TW) creates a heat excess in the water area, which is compensated for by interaction with the atmosphere (1.86 TW). The salt flow through the region is estimated at 13.98 t/s. During the study period, all the main flows have a statistically significant positive trend in the incoming and outgoing parts of the balances: water transport — 0.005 Sv per year; salt flow — 0.18 t/s per year. This indicates an increase in the transit of Atlantic waters through the south-eastern part of the Barents Sea. An increase in the advective heat flux (0.15 TW per year) across the western border is accompanied by an increase in its release into the atmosphere (0.07 TW per year) and an increase in evaporation of 6.9 mm per year. Sea levels are also rising at a rate of 0.27 cm per year. Thus, the increasing dynamics of the processes in the region is a factor to take into account in conducting economic activities.В статье представлены оценки адвективных потоков на открытых границах, а также других компонентов водного, теплового и солевого балансов юго-восточной части Баренцева моря (иногда называемой Печорским морем). По среднемесячным данным реанализов MERCATOR GLORYS12V1 и ECMWF ERA5 за период 1993–2018 гг. рассчитаны объемный расход воды, потоки тепла и соли на границах юго-восточной части Баренцева моря (западная граница по 50° в. д., северная граница по 71° с. ш. и разрез в проливе Карские Ворота); потоки тепла и влаги на поверхности моря. Балансы воды, тепла и соли собраны с невязкой, не превышающей 1,6 %. Выявлено, что адвекция через границы акватории играет главную роль в формировании всех балансов. Основной поток вод направлен с северо-запада акватории транзитом через пролив Карские Ворота в Карское море. На основании анализа линейных трендов показано, что все основные потоки имеют значимый положительный тренд. Это указывает на рост транзита атлантических вод через юго-восточную часть Баренцева моря. Также отмечен рост испарения и теплоотдачи с поверхности моря, связанный с ростом температуры воды
Trends of intense cyclone activity in the Arctic from reanalyses data and regional climate models (Arctic-CORDEX)
Get PDFThe ability of state-of-the-art regional climate models (RCMs) to simulate the trends of intense cyclone activity in the Arctic is assessed based on an ensemble of 13 simulations from 11 models from the Arctic-CORDEX initiative. Some models employ large-scale spectral nudging techniques. Cyclone characteristics simulated by the ensemble in winter and summer are compared with the results from four reanalyses (ERA-Interim, NCEP-CFSR, NASA-MERRA2 and JMA-JRA55) in winter and summer for 1981-2010 period
Future project¡ons of wind energy potentials in the Arctic for the 21st century under the RCP8.5 scenario from regional climate models (Arctic-CORDEX)
No full textCyclone Activity in the Arctic From an Ensemble of Regional Climate Models (Arctic CORDEX)
Get PDFThe ability of state-of-the-art regional climate models to simulate cyclone activity in the Arctic is assessed based on an ensemble of 13 simulations from 11 models from the Arctic-CORDEX initiative. Some models employ large-scale spectral nudging techniques. Cyclone characteristics simulated by the ensemble are compared with the results forced by four reanalyses (ERA-Interim, National Centers for Environmental Prediction-Climate Forecast System Reanalysis, National Aeronautics and Space Administration-Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications Version 2, and Japan Meteorological Agency-Japanese 55-year reanalysis) in winter and summer for 1981-2010 period. In addition, we compare cyclone statistics between ERA-Interim and the Arctic System Reanalysis reanalyses for 2000-2010. Biases in cyclone frequency, intensity, and size over the Arctic are also quantified. Variations in cyclone frequency across the models are partly attributed to the differences in cyclone frequency over land. The variations across the models are largest for small and shallow cyclones for both seasons. A connection between biases in the zonal wind at 200 hPa and cyclone characteristics is found for both seasons. Most models underestimate zonal wind speed in both seasons, which likely leads to underestimation of cyclone mean depth and deep cyclone frequency in the Arctic. In general, the regional climate models are able to represent the spatial distribution of cyclone characteristics in the Arctic but models that employ large-scale spectral nudging show a better agreement with ERA-Interim reanalysis than the rest of the models. Trends also exhibit the benefits of nudging. Models with spectral nudging are able to reproduce the cyclone trends, whereas most of the nonnudged models fail to do so. However, the cyclone characteristics and trends are sensitive to the choice of nudged variables
Влияние океанического притока тепла в Баренцево море на региональные изменения ледовитости и статической устойчивости атмосферы
Get PDFThe influence of the oceanic heat inflow into the Barents Sea on the sea ice concentration and atmospheric characteristics, including the atmospheric static stability during winter months, is investigated on the basis of the results of ensemble simulations with the regional climate model HIRHAM/NAOSIM for the Arctic. The static stability of the atmosphere is the important indicator of the spatial and temporal variability of polar mesocyclones in the Arctic region. The results of the HIRHAM/NAOSIM regional climate model ensemble simulations (RCM) for the period from 1979 to 2016 were used for the analysis. The initial and lateral boundary conditions for RCM in the atmosphere were set in accordance with the ERA-Interim reanalysis data. An analysis of 10 ensemble simulations with identical boundary conditions and the same radiation forcing for the Arctic was performed. Various realizations of ensemble simulations with RCM were obtained by changing the initial conditions for integrating the oceanic block of the model. Different realizations of ensemble simulations with RCM are obtained by changing the initial conditions of the model oceanic block integration. The composites method was used for the analysis, i.e. the difference between the mean values for years with the maximum and minimum inflow of oceanic water into the Barents Sea. The statistical significance of the results (at a significance level of p < 0.05) was estimated using Student's t-test. In general, the regional climate model reproduces the seasonal changes in the inflow of the oceanic water and heat into the Barents Sea reasonably well. There is a strong relationship between the changes in the oceanic water and ocean heat inflow, sea ice concentration, and surface air temperature in the Barents Sea. Herewith, the increase in the oceanic water inflow into the Barents Sea in winter leads to a decrease in static stability, which contributes to changes in regional cyclonic activity. The decrease of the static stability is most pronounced in the southern part of the Barents Sea and also to the west of Svalbard.На основе результатов ансамблевых расчётов с использованием региональной климатической модели HIRHAM/NAOSIM для Арктики исследовано влияние притока океанических вод в Баренцево море на концентрацию морских льдов и характеристики атмосферы в зимние месяцы. Показана определяющая роль вариаций притока океанических вод в Баренцево море на режим морских льдов и приповерхностной температуры воздуха, а также статическую устойчивость атмосферы в зимний период
