276 research outputs found
Development of the VTUF-3D v1.0 urban micro-climate model to support assessment of urban vegetation influences on human thermal comfort
No full textNice, K. A., Coutts, A., and Tapper, N.J. (2018), Development of the VTUF-3D v1.0 urban micro-climate model to support assessment of urban vegetation influences on human thermal comfort. Urban Climate. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.uclim.2017.12.008.Preprint<br
Observed relationships between El Niño-Southern Oscillation, rainfall variability and vegetation and fire history on Halmahera, Maluku, Indonesia
No full textA temporally high-resolution palynological study of the uppermost section of core MD98-2180 from Kau Bay, Halmahera, Indonesia, provides a vegetation and fire record covering the last 250 years. The record is compared with the Maluku Rainfall Index, Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) and southern hemisphere winter sea surface temperatures (SST) for the central Pacific Ocean based on instrumental data, as well as reconstructions of the SOI and the central Pacific SST and historically recorded El Nino events. The results show that significant El Nino events are generally associated with increased representation of Dipterocarpaceae pollen, probably reflecting the mass-flowering of this taxon during El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) droughts, and elevated charcoal levels, reflecting a greater incidence of fires during these extremely dry periods, while humid phases show increased fern numbers. Our findings demonstrate that pollen records 'ecological' in scale can provide useful additional proxy records of ENSO events
Nigel Brown and New Zealand National Identity
No full textNew Zealand national identity has dominated the art of Nigel Brown, emerging in various guises throughout his career. This thesis examines his work from his school drawings through to his development into a mature, established and significant artist. The introduction reflects the role of New Zealand national identity within the context of Nigel Brown‟s oeuvre, providing an overview of his style and subject matter and concludes with a biographical summary. Chapter One considers Brown‟s origins: his upbringing, school-boy art and art school days, through to his first solo exhibition in 1972. This section of my thesis also includes a discussion of his key educators including Ray Ericson, Fred Graham, Garth Tapper, Pat Hanly, Colin McCahon and Robert Ellis. Chapter Two examines the artist‟s nationalist symbolism and draws attention to the way in which Brown‟s visual language speaks to a predominantly New Zealand audience. This chapter identifies and clarifies key symbols from his oeuvre: the fern, black dog, black-singlet-clad bloke, James K. Baxter as well as a cast of other disparate "characters", spiritual symbolism and McCahon. Chapter Three considers notions of belonging and explores living in Aotearoa, New Zealand, as a feature within Brown‟s art practice. Included is a discussion of his uncomfortable position within the New Zealand art scene where, despite the impediment of occasional cultural snobbery, the artist nevertheless achieved a significant reputation. The chapter also takes into account traditions of the figured landscape, the depiction of rural and suburban New Zealand, as well as this country‟s historical and cultural makeup from Pākehā, Māori and Pacific perspectives. In Chapter Four Brown‟s response to aspects of politics, social change and protest are considered. Brown is an artist with a strong social conscience and this chapter reflects on the diverse range of issues and events he tackled in his artwork such as the Vietnam War, suburban neurosis, The Springbok Tour rugby protests, pacifism, nuclear arms, feminism, human rights and environmentalism. When pulled together, the diverse threads of Brown‟s oeuvre explored in each of the above chapters, display an over-riding sense of New Zealand national identity
Nigel Brown and New Zealand National Identity
No full textNew Zealand national identity has dominated the art of Nigel Brown, emerging in various guises throughout his career. This thesis examines his work from his school drawings through to his development into a mature, established and significant artist. The introduction reflects the role of New Zealand national identity within the context of Nigel Brown‟s oeuvre, providing an overview of his style and subject matter and concludes with a biographical summary. Chapter One considers Brown‟s origins: his upbringing, school-boy art and art school days, through to his first solo exhibition in 1972. This section of my thesis also includes a discussion of his key educators including Ray Ericson, Fred Graham, Garth Tapper, Pat Hanly, Colin McCahon and Robert Ellis. Chapter Two examines the artist‟s nationalist symbolism and draws attention to the way in which Brown‟s visual language speaks to a predominantly New Zealand audience. This chapter identifies and clarifies key symbols from his oeuvre: the fern, black dog, black-singlet-clad bloke, James K. Baxter as well as a cast of other disparate "characters", spiritual symbolism and McCahon. Chapter Three considers notions of belonging and explores living in Aotearoa, New Zealand, as a feature within Brown‟s art practice. Included is a discussion of his uncomfortable position within the New Zealand art scene where, despite the impediment of occasional cultural snobbery, the artist nevertheless achieved a significant reputation. The chapter also takes into account traditions of the figured landscape, the depiction of rural and suburban New Zealand, as well as this country‟s historical and cultural makeup from Pākehā, Māori and Pacific perspectives. In Chapter Four Brown‟s response to aspects of politics, social change and protest are considered. Brown is an artist with a strong social conscience and this chapter reflects on the diverse range of issues and events he tackled in his artwork such as the Vietnam War, suburban neurosis, The Springbok Tour rugby protests, pacifism, nuclear arms, feminism, human rights and environmentalism. When pulled together, the diverse threads of Brown‟s oeuvre explored in each of the above chapters, display an over-riding sense of New Zealand national identity
The microscale cooling effects of water sensitive urban design and irrigation in a suburban environment
No full text© 2017, Springer-Verlag GmbH Austria. Prolonged drought has threatened traditional potable urban water supplies in Australian cities, reducing capability to adapt to climate change and mitigate against extreme. Integrated urban water management (IUWM) approaches, such as water sensitive urban design (WSUD), reduce the reliance on centralised potable water supply systems and provide a means for retaining water in the urban environment through stormwater harvesting and reuse. This study examines the potential for WSUD to provide cooling benefits and reduce human exposure and heat stress and thermal discomfort. A high-resolution observational field campaign, measuring surface level microclimate variables and remotely sensed land surface characteristics, was conducted in a mixed residential suburb containing WSUD in Adelaide, South Australia. Clear evidence was found that WSUD features and irrigation can reduce surface temperature (T s ) and air temperature (T a ) and improve human thermal comfort (HTC) in urban environments. The average 3 pm T a near water bodies was found to be up to 1.8 °C cooler than the domain maximum. Cooling was broadly observed in the area 50 m downwind of lakes and wetlands. Design and placement of water bodies were found to affect their cooling effectiveness. HTC was improved by proximity to WSUD features, but shading and ventilation were also effective at improving thermal comfort. This study demonstrates that WSUD can be used to cool urban microclimates, while simultaneously achieving other environmental benefits, such as improved stream ecology and flood mitigation.sponsorship: Ashley Broadbent was funded by the Cooperative Research Centre for Water Sensitive Cities. While at Arizona State University, Ashley Broadbent was supported by NSF Sustainability Research Network (SRN) Cooperative Agreement 1444758, NSF grant EAR-1204774, and NSF SES-1520803. Nigel Tapper and Andrew Coutts are funded by the Cooperative Research Centre for Water Sensitive Cities. The contribution of Matthias Demuzere is funded by the Flemish regional government through a contract as a FWO (Fund for Scientific Research) post-doctoral research fellow. We are indebted to all those who assisted during the Mawson Lakes field campaign: Darren Hocking, Emma White, Naim Daliri-Milani, Stephen Livesley, and Margaret Loughnan. Finally, a sincere thank you to the two anonymous reviewers who provided helpful suggestions and comments. (Cooperative Research Centre for Water Sensitive Cities, NSF Sustainability Research Network (SRN)|1444758, NSF|EAR-1204774, NSF|SES-1520803, Flemish regional government through a contract as a FWO (Fund for Scientific Research) post-doctoral research fellow, Directorate For Geosciences; Division Of Earth Sciences|1204774)status: Publishe
Airborne dust in Saudi Arabia : source areas, entrainment, simulation and composition
No full textSpatial and temporal characteristics of dust storm activity in Saudi Arabia has been established using coarse-particle (PM10) dust concentrations recorded by the KACST monitoring network during the 2000-2003 period, backward trajectory analysis and satellite imagery. Thirty three major dust episodes impacted Riyadh city during the 2000-2003 period. The majority of these intense dust episodes are experienced during the March-August period with interannual and monthly variability in both intensity and frequency. Using TOMS images in conjunction with the backward trajectories corresponding to these 33 major episodes, the dust source regions have been identified. The most vulnerable dust source areas within these identified source regions have also been determined by compiling satellite images of dusty days from the true color SeaWiFs and high resolution MODIS archives over a six-year period (2000-2005). In total 45 dust-source areas have been identified in 9 local source regions and 4 external ones. Furthermore, 38 episodes of high fine-particle (PM2.5) and PM10 dust concentrations were observed at Riyadh city and 16 and 6 episodes of elevated PM10 dust concentrations were observed at Dammam and Jeddah cities, respectively, during March-September 2006, corresponding to the dust season in Saudi Arabia. During these episodes, Riyadh city was significantly impacted by dust from the southern Iraqi source areas and the eastern source areas located to the north and to the northeast of the city, respectively. Moreover, Dammam city was also significantly impacted by dust from the southern Iraqi source areas whereas Jeddah city was evenly impacted by dust from northeastern-northwestern sources to the city, with somewhat higher PM10 concentrations from African dust source areas, located to the northwest of the city. Analysis of meteorological maps of surface pressure as well as upper air data associated with high airborne dust concentrations in Saudi Arabia was successfully performed. This analysis revealed seven common types of dust storms, triggered by a clear seasonal distribution of meteorological conditions: (1) frontal, (2) Haboob, (3) jets convergence, (4) jet streak, (5) Shamal, (6) cyclonic, and (7) gap. The majority of dust episodes that impacted Riyadh city during the study period were triggered by Haboob (~ 42 %) and Shamal (~ 37 %). Additional analyses, including elemental, ionic and biological analyses as well as model analyses were used to further characterize the airborne dust in Saudi Arabia
A Study of near-surface ozone concentrations in the city of Auckland, New Zealand
No full textRestricted Item. Print thesis available in the University of Auckland Library or may be available through Interlibrary Loan.This research provides insight into large-scale spatial variation of ozone (O3) distribution in the Auckland region and was designed to increase our understanding of O3 behaviour and distribution in a coastal-urban situation. The research was also carried out with a view to assisting regulatory agencies optimize future monitoring networks, and to help identify locations where human health and natural resources could be at risk in the future. Although the research was limited to one region, the results are valuable for improving the conceptual understanding of formation of high ozone concentrations in a more general sense in the New Zealand and Southern Hemisphere.
The work reported in this thesis is aimed at studying O3 concentrations and the influence of the most relevant meteorological variables on an average coastal New Zealand city where precursor emissions are mainly due to traffic exhaust. It deals with the use of Principal Component Analysis method for determining O3 concentrations as a function of meteorological parameters. The study region includes the entire Auckland isthmus, and extends from Whangaparaoa in the North to Pukekohe in the South. Surface O3 data from four sites (Whangaparaoa, Musick Point, the Sky Tower and Pukekohe) for a 4-year period(October 1997 to October 2001) for the Auckland region were examined. Ambient concentration of O3 was characterized in terms of diurnal, weekday/weekend, seasonal and spatial variations in concentration using O3 measurements from the four air quality sites.
The monthly average ambient background O3 concentrations at the monitoring sites during this study ranged from 16-30 ppb, much lower than those found in the Northern Hemisphere. The measured seasonal O3 record in the Auckland region, in common with many other remote sites in the Southern Hemisphere, exhibited a summer minimum and a winter maximum. Background concentrations of O3 (as seen in air of marine origin) made a significant contribution to the observed ambient concentrations. A unique feature of Auckland's air quality was the dilution of polluted city air due to the mixing of east coast air into the cleaner west coast circulation leading to overall lower average O3 concentrations in summer.
The magnitude, frequency and spatial extent of maximum O3 concentrations were identified, and the observed patterns linked to the prevailing meteorological, topographic, and emission characteristics of the region. However, at no time at any site or season did the O3 concentration exceed the l-hour New Zealand Ministry for the Environment guideline of 75 ppb. O3 depletion was observed to occur at the urban sites, with O3 scavenging by nitric oxide believed to be the dominant depletion mechanism. The seasonal cycle was characterized by elevated O3 concentrations in the winter (nighttime level >24 ppb) and low mixing ratios in the summer (nighttime levels in the range 14-20 ppb). The afternoon O3 maxima found at the three low elevation sites under the impact of "Auckland city" plume were on average, 1.5 to 1.7 times higher than those associated with the "marine sector".
A state of the art diagnostic meteorological model, namely CALMET, was used to generate wind fields for the Auckland region. These wind fields were then used to construct backward trajectories on days when high O3 concentrations (episodes up to 6l ppb) were observed. The un-even distribution of the meteorological monitoring sites provided justification for running the diagnostic model CALMET and exploring the utility of using such a model when topography/land use prohibits monitoring sites in certain sections of the domain. It was found that the high O3 events recorded at the monitoring sites during the study period coincided with transport episodes originating from Auckland's urban and industrial areas. For the occurrence of high O3 concentrations at downwind sites, it was found that not only wind direction from the urban areas of Auckland, but that high solar radiation was important as well. On four out of the five cases when photochemical production of O3 was found to occur, high O3 concentrations were associated with a particular type of diurnal evolution of wind direction wind fields associated with the sea breezes.
In addition to the analysis of ambient o3 concentrations and O3 episodes, field measurements were carried out in an attempt to detect and subsequently understand the interaction between particulate matter and O3 in the Auckland region, a multivariate statistical analysis approach was utilized. Particulate matter in the size range 2.75-6.25 μm accounted for over 70% of the total aerosol concentration at all sampling sites. Surface area of particulate matter variable (especially in the size class 2.75-4.25 μm) was statistically significant in explaining variation in O3 concentration. However, the net change in the adjusted R2 indicated that the effect of adding particulate matter in the multiple regression model for the present dataset was relatively minor except at Musick Point
Moral Notions, with Three Papers on Plato
No full textMorality is often thought of as non-rational or sub-rational. In Moral Notions, first published in 1967, Julius Kovesi argues that the rationality of morality is built into the way we construct moral concepts. In showing this he also resolves the old Humean conundrum of the relation between 'facts' and 'values'. And he puts forward a method of reasoning that might make 'applied ethics' (at present largely a hodge-podge of opinions) into a constructive discipline. Kovesi's general theory of concepts - important in its own right - is indebted to his interpretation of Plato, and his three papers on Plato, first published here, explain this debt. This new edition of Moral Notions also includes a foreward by Philippa Foot, a biography of the author, and a substantial afterword in which the editors, Robert Ewin and Alan Tapper, explain the signficance of Kovesi's work
VTA CRF neurons mediate the aversive effects of nicotine withdrawal and promote intake escalation
No full textFull author list omitted for brevity. For the full list of authors, see article.Dopaminergic neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) are well known for mediating the positive reinforcing effects of drugs of abuse. Here we identify in rodents and humans a population of VTA dopaminergic neurons expressing corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF). We provide further evidence in rodents that chronic nicotine exposure upregulates Crh mRNA (encoding CRF) in dopaminergic neurons of the posterior VTA, activates local CRF1 receptors and blocks nicotine-induced activation of transient GABAergic input to dopaminergic neurons. Local downregulation of Crh mRNA and specific pharmacological blockade of CRF1 receptors in the VTA reversed the effect of nicotine on GABAergic input to dopaminergic neurons, prevented the aversive effects of nicotine withdrawal and limited the escalation of nicotine intake. These results link the brain reward and stress systems in the same brain region to signaling of the negative motivational effects of nicotine withdrawal
Dynamic in vivo kinematics in an ovine stifle joint model of osteoarthritis
No full textBibliography: p. 283-305Some pages are in colour.Includes 2 DVD-R discs containing Appendix D.Includes copies of ethics and animal protocol approval. Original copies with original Partial Copyright Licence
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