FLUXNET2015 AU-GWW Great Western Woodlands, Western Australia, Australia
This is the FLUXNET2015 version of the carbon flux data for the site AU-GWW Great Western Woodlands, Western Australia, Australia.
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This is the FLUXNET2015 version of the carbon flux data for the site AU-GWW Great Western Woodlands, Western Australia, Australia.
The variability of rainfall and drop size distributions (DSDs) as a function of large-scale atmospheric conditions and storm characteristics is investigated using measurements from the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) program facility at Darwin, Australia. Observations are obtained from an impact disdrometer with a near continuous record of operation over five consecutive wet seasons (2006-2011). We partition bulk rainfall characteristics according to diurnal accumulation, convective and stratiform precipitation classifications, objective monsoonal regime and MJO phase. Our findings support previous Darwin studies suggesting a significant diurnal and DSD parameter signal associated with both convective-stratiform and wet season monsoonal regime classification. Negligible MJO phase influence is determined for cumulative disdrometric statistics over the Darwin location.
To understand the microphysical processes that impact diabatic heating and cloud lifetimes in convection, we need to characterize the spatial distribution of supercooled liquid water. To address this observational challenge, vertically pointing active sensors at the Darwin Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) site are used to classify cloud phase within a deep convective cloud in a shallow to deep convection transitional case. The cloud cannot be fully observed by a lidar due to signal attenuation. Thus we develop an objective method for identifying hydrometeor classes, including mixed-phase conditions, using k-means clustering on parameters that describe the shape of the Doppler spectra from vertically pointing Ka band cloud radar. This approach shows that multiple, overlapping mixed-phase layers exist within the cloud, rather than a single region of supercooled liquid, indicating complexity to how ice growth and diabatic heating occurs in the vertical structure of the cloud.
A substantial decline in anthropogenic aerosols in China has been observed since the initiation of clean air actions in 2013. This study reveals a linkage between aerosol reductions in China and drier and warmer conditions in Australia. Aerosol decline in China trigger alterations in temperature and pressure gradients between the two hemispheres, leading to intensified outflow from Asia towards the South Indian Ocean, strengthening the Southern Indian Subtropical High and its related Southern Trade Winds. Consequently, this atmospheric pattern results in a moisture divergence over Australia. The reduction in surface moisture further results in more surface energy being converted into sensible heat instead of evaporating as latent heat, warming the near-surface air. The intensified dry and warm climate conditions further cause the increase in wildfire risks during fire seasons in Australia. Our study illuminates the potential impact of distant aerosols on precipitation and temperature variations in Australia, offering valuable insights for drought and wildfire risk mitigation in Australia.
This article provides an overview of Health Impact Assessment (HIA) within Australia. We discuss the development and current position of HIA and offer some directions for HIA's progression. Since the early 1990s HIA activity in Australia has increased and diversified in application and practice. This article first highlights the emergent streams of HIA practice across environmental, policy and health equity foci, and how these have developed within Australia. The article then provides summaries of current practice provided by each Australian state and territory. We then offer some insight into current issues that require further progression or resolution if HIA is to progress effectively in Australia. This progress rests both on developing broad system support for HIA across government, led by the health sector, and developing system capacity to undertake, commission or review HIAs. We argue that a unified and clear HIA approach is required as a prerequisite to gaining the understanding and support for HIA in the public and private sectors and the wider community.
This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of radiographers’ screen-reading mammograms. Currently, radiologist workforce shortages may be compromising the BreastScreen Australia screening program goal to detect early breast cancer. The solution to a similar problem in the United Kingdom has successfully encouraged radiographers to take on the role as one of two screen-readers. Prior to consideration of this strategy in Australia, educational and experiential differences between radiographers in the United Kingdom and Australia emphasise the need for an investigation of Australian radiographers’ screen-reading accuracy. Ten radiographers employed by the Westmead Breast Cancer Institute with a range of radiographic (median = 28 years), mammographic (median = 13 years) and BreastScreen (median = 8 years) experience were recruited to blindly and independently screen-read an image test set of 500 mammograms, without formal training. The radiographers indicated the presence of an abnormality using BI-RADS®. Accuracy was determined by comparison with the gold standard of known outcomes of pathology results, interval matching and client 6-year follow-up. Individual sensitivity and specificity levels ranged between 76.0% and 92.0%, and 74.8% and 96.2% respectively. Pooled screen-reader accuracy across the radiographers estimated sensitivity as 82.2% and specificity as 89.5%. Areas under the reading operating characteristic curve ranged between 0.842 and 0.923. This sample of radiographers in an Australian setting have adequate accuracy levels when screen-reading mammograms. It is expected that with formal screen-reading training, accuracy levels will improve, and with support, radiographers have the potential to be one of the two screen-readers in the BreastScreen Australia program, contributing to timeliness and improved program outcomes.
The purpose of this study was to explore the factors influencing the implementation or the lack of implementation of advanced practitioner role in Australia. This study uses an interpretative phenomenological approach to explore the in-depth real life issues, which surround the advanced practitioner as a solution to radiologist workforce shortages in Australia. Research participants are radiographers, radiation therapists and health managers registered with the Australian Institute of Radiography (AIR) and holding senior professional and AIR Board positions with knowledge of current advanced practice. In total, seven interviews were conducted revealing education, governance, technical, people issues, change management, government, costs and timing as critical factors influencing advanced practice in Australia. Seven participants in this study perceived an advanced practice role might have major benefits and a positive impact on the immediate and long-term management of patients. Another finding is the greater respect and appreciation of each other's roles and expertise within the multidisciplinary healthcare team. Engagement is required of the critical stakeholders that have been identified as ‘blockers’ (radiologists, health departments) as well as identified allies (e.g. emergency clinicians, supportive radiologists, patient advocacy groups). The research supports that the AIR has a role to play for the professional identity of radiographers and shaping the advanced practice role in Australia.
As a result of climate change warmer temperatures are projected through the 21st century and are already increasing above modelled predictions. Apart from increases in the mean, warm/hot temperature extremes are expected to become more prevalent in the future, along with an increase in the frequency of droughts. It is crucial to better understand the response of terrestrial ecosystems to such temperature extremes for predicting land-surface feedbacks in a changing climate. While land-surface feedbacks in drought conditions and during heat waves have been reported from Europe and the US, direct observations of the impact of such extremes on the carbon and water cycles in Australia have been lacking. During the 2012/2013 summer, Australia experienced a record-breaking heat wave with an exceptional spatial extent that lasted for several weeks. In this study we synthesised eddy-covariance measurements from seven woodlands and one forest site across three biogeographic regions in southern Australia. These observations were combined with model results from BIOS2 to investigate the effect of the summer heat wave on the carbon and water exchange of terrestrial ecosystems which are known for their resilience toward hot and dry conditions. We found that water-limited woodland and energy-limited forest ecosystems responded differently to the heat wave. During the most intense part of the heat wave, the woodlands experienced decreased latent heat flux (23 % of background value), increased Bowen ratio (154 %) and reduced carbon uptake (60 %). At the same time the forest ecosystem showed increased latent heat flux (151 %), reduced Bowen ratio (19 %) and increased carbon uptake (112 %). Higher temperatures caused increased ecosystem respiration at all sites (up to 139 %). During daytime all ecosystems remained carbon sinks, but carbon uptake was reduced in magnitude. The number of hours during which the ecosystem acted as a carbon sink was also reduced, which switched the woodlands into a carbon source on a daily average. Precipitation occurred after the first, most intense part of the heat wave, and the subsequent cooler temperatures in the temperate woodlands led to recovery of the carbon sink, decreased the Bowen ratio (65 %) and hence increased evaporative cooling. Gross primary productivity in the woodlands recovered quickly with precipitation and cooler temperatures but respiration remained high. While the forest proved relatively resilient to this short-term heat extreme the response of the woodlands is the first direct evidence that the carbon sinks of large areas of Australia may not be sustainable in a future climate with an increased number, intensity and duration of heat waves.
Hendra virus (HeV) was discovered in 1994 in Australia. Limited genomic data have hindered comprehensive understanding of HeV’s evolutionary dynamics. Here, in this work, we recovered 48 HeV genomes from bats and 9 from horses from Australia between 2016 and 2020, revealing four distinct clades. Each clade was distributed over a large spatial area with multiple clades co-circulating within a single bat roost on the same day and over consecutive years. The diversity and temporal stability of co-circulating clades suggest that viral dynamics are driven by episodic shedding of existing lineages maintained at the population level, rather than immune-driven strain-replacement dynamics. HeV isolates of different clades displayed variation in phenotypic properties but minimal antigenic differences. We provide an overview of evolutionary dynamics, phenotypic properties and assessment of countermeasures for HeV, and provide insights into the processes that maintain virus diversity in bats and influence the potential for viral emergence.
Australia first put categorical energy efficiency labels on residential appliances in the mid-1980s, and the first Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) for refrigerators was implemented in 1999. Updated in 2005, these MEPS were aligned with US 2001 levels. Considered together, these actions set Australia apart as having one of the most aggressive appliance efficiency programs in the world. For these reasons, together with good data on product sales over time, Australia represents a potentially fruitful case study for understanding the dynamics energy efficiency standards and labeling (EES&L) programs impacts on appliance markets. This analysis attempts to distinguish between the impacts of labeling alone as opposed to MEPS, and to probe the time-dependency of such impacts. Fortunately, in the Australian case, detailed market sales data and a comprehensive registration system provides a solid basis for the empirical evaluation of these questions. This paper analyzes Australian refrigerator efficiency data covering the years 1993-2009. Sales data was purchased from a commercial market research organization (in this case, the GfK Group) and includes sales and average price in each year for each appliance model; this can be used to understand broader trends by product class and star rating category, even where data is aggregated. Statistical regression analysis is used to model market introduction and adoption of high efficiency refrigerators according to logistic adoption model formalism, and parameterizes the way in which the Australian programs accelerated adoption of high-efficiency products and phased out others. Through this analysis, the paper presents a detailed, robust and quantitative picture of the impacts of EES&L in the Australian case, but also demonstrates a methodology of the evaluation of program impacts that could form the basis of an international evaluation framework for similar programs in other countries.
Australia first put categorical energy efficiency labels on residential appliances in the mid-1980s, and the first Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) for refrigerators was implemented in 1999. Updated in 2005, these MEPS were aligned with US 2001 levels. Considered together, these actions set Australia apart as having one of the most aggressive appliance efficiency programs in the world. For these reasons, together with good data on product sales over time, Australia represents a potentially fruitful case study for understanding the dynamics energy efficiency standards and labeling (EES and L) programs impacts on appliance markets. This analysis attempts to distinguish between the impacts of labeling alone as opposed to MEPS, and to probe the time-dependency of such impacts. Fortunately, in the Australian case, detailed market sales data and a comprehensive registration system provides a solid basis for the empirical evaluation of these questions. This paper analyzes Australian refrigerator efficiency data covering the years 1993-2009. Sales data was purchased from a commercial market research organization (in this case, the GfK Group) and includes sales and average price in each year for each appliance model – this can be used to understand broader trends by product class and star rating category, even where data is aggregated. Statistical regression analysis is used to model market introduction and adoption of high efficiency refrigerators according to logistic adoption model formalism, and parameterizes the way in which the Australian programs accelerated adoption of high-efficiency products and phased out others. Through this analysis, the paper presents a detailed, robust and quantitative picture of the impacts of EES and L in the Australian case, but also demonstrates a methodology of the evaluation of program impacts that could form the basis of an international evaluation framework for similar programs in other countries.
Highlights: • The first comparative study on temperature impacts on EDV between different settings. • Significant associations of EDV with heat and cold in both China and Australia. • Higher heat and cold trigger points in Australia than in China. • For heat effects, higher RR in Australia, but similar AF between two countries. • For cold effects, similar RR between two countries, but higher AF in China. Non-optimal ambient temperature has detrimental impacts on mortality worldwide, but little is known about the difference in population vulnerability to non-optimal temperature and temperature-related morbidity burden between developing and developed countries.
Barrier layers in the tropics trap heat in a shallow and stable near-surface layer and limit entrainment of cooler water from below. Both processes act to increase sea surface temperature and enhance atmospheric convection. The high resolution fully coupled pre-industrial Energy Exascale Earth System Model version 0 (E3SMv0) is used to investigate the relationship between barrier layers in the eastern Indian Ocean during the wet season with local atmospheric convection and remote rainfall. A partial least squares regression reveals a significant relationship between Australasian rainfall and the barrier layer thickness (BLT) west of Sumatra, occurring one month earlier. Furthermore, the largest positive regression coefficients are over northern Australia. The region west of Sumatra is strategically located where the East-Asian monsoon moisture flows toward northern Australia. Thickening of the west Sumatra BLT intensifies evaporation and local convection and amplifies the moisture transported to Australia acting to increase the terrestrial rainfall.
Leading patterns of observed monthly extreme rainfall variability in Australia are examined using an empirical orthogonal teleconnection (EOT) method. Extreme rainfall variability is more closely related to mean rainfall variability during austral summer than in winter. The leading EOT patterns of extreme rainfall explain less variance in Australia-wide extreme rainfall than is the case for mean rainfall EOTs. The authors illustrate that, as with mean rainfall, the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) has the strongest association with warm-season extreme rainfall variability, while in the cool season the primary drivers are atmospheric blocking and the subtropical ridge. The Indian Ocean dipole and southern annular mode also have significant relationships with patterns of variability during austral winter and spring. Leading patterns of summer extreme rainfall variability have predictability several months ahead from Pacific sea surface temperatures (SSTs) and as much as a year in advance from Indian Ocean SSTs. Predictability from the Pacific is greater for wetter-than-average summer months than for months that are drier than average, whereas for the Indian Ocean the relationship has greater linearity. Several cool-season EOTs are associated with midlatitude synoptic-scale patterns along the south and east coasts. These patterns have common atmospheric signatures denoting moist onshore flow and strong cyclonic anomalies often to the north of a blocking anticyclone. Tropical cyclone activity is observed to have significant relationships with some warm-season EOTs. This analysis shows that extreme rainfall variability in Australia can be related to remote drivers and local synoptic-scale patterns throughout the year.
Highlights: • We assessed how well a year-2006 satellite-based LUR model captures historical NO{sub 2}. • We used three methods to estimate annual mean NO{sub 2} during 1990–2005. • We measured their performance using standard LUR validation techniques. • Back-extrapolated 2006 levels captured up to 76% of spatial variability (90–05). Assessing historical exposure to air pollution in epidemiological studies is often problematic because of limited spatial and temporal measurement coverage. Several methods for modelling historical exposures have been described, including land-use regression (LUR). Satellite-based LUR is a recent technique that seeks to improve predictive ability and spatial coverage of traditional LUR models by using satellite observations of pollutants as inputs to LUR. Few studies have explored its validity for assessing historical exposures, reflecting the absence of historical observations from popular satellite platforms like Aura (launched mid-2004). We investigated whether contemporary satellite-based LUR models for Australia, developed longitudinally for 2006–2011, could capture nitrogen dioxide (NO{sub 2}) concentrations during 1990–2005 at 89 sites around the country. We assessed three methods to back-extrapolate year-2006 NO{sub 2} predictions: (1) ‘do nothing’ (i.e., use the year-2006 estimates directly, for prior years); (2) change the independent variable ‘year’ in our LUR models to match the years of interest (i.e., assume a linear trend prior to year-2006, following national average patterns in 2006–2011), and; (3) adjust year-2006 predictions using selected historical measurements. We evaluated prediction error and bias, and the correlation and absolute agreement of measurements and predictions using R{sup 2} and mean-square error R{sup 2} (MSE-R{sup 2}), respectively. We found that changing the year variable led to best performance; predictions captured between 41% (1991; MSE-R{sup 2} = 31%) and 80% (2003; MSE-R{sup 2} = 78%) of spatial variability in NO{sub 2} in a given year, and 76% (MSE-R{sup 2} = 72%) averaged over 1990–2005. We conclude that simple methods for back-extrapolating prior to year-2006 yield valid historical NO{sub 2} estimates for Australia during 1990–2005. These results suggest that for the time scales considered here, satellite-based LUR has a potential role to play in long-term exposure assessment, even in the absence of historical predictor data.
Kapundaite, ideally (Na,Ca){sub 2}Fe{sub 4}{sup 3+}(PO{sub 4}){sub 4}(OH){sub 3}{center_dot}5H{sub 2}O, is a new mineral (IMA2009-047) from Toms phosphate quarry, Kapunda, South Australia, Australia. The new mineral occurs as cavernous aggregates of fibers up to several centimeters across, associated with leucophosphite, natrodufrenite, and meurigite-Na crystals and amorphous brown, black, and/or greenish coatings. Individual kapundaite crystals are very thin flattened fibers up to a few millimeters in length, but typically no more than a few micrometers in thickness. The main form observed is {l_brace}100{r_brace}; other forms in the [010] zone are present, but cannot be measured. Crystals of kapundaite are pale to golden yellow, transparent to translucent, have a yellow streak and silky luster, and are non-fluorescent. Mohs hardness is estimated to be about 3; no twinning or cleavage was observed. Kapundaite is biaxial (+), with indices of refraction = 1.717(3), {beta} = 1.737(3), and {gamma} = 1.790(3). 2V could not be measured; 2V{sub calc} is 64.7{sup o}. The optical orientation is Z = b, Y {approx} c with weak pleochroism: X = nearly colorless, Y = light brown, Z = pale brown; absorption: Y > Z > X. No dispersion was observed. The empirical chemical formula (mean of seven electron microprobe analyses) calculated on the basis of 24 O is (Ca{sub 1.13}Na{sub 0.95}){sub {Sigma}2.08}(Fe{sub 3.83}{sup 3+}Mn{sub 0.03}Al{sub 0.02}Mg{sub 0.01}){sub {Sigma}3.89}P{sub 3.92}O{sub 16}(OH){sub 3}{center_dot}5H{sub 2.11}O. Kapundaite is triclinic, space group P{sub {bar 1}}, a = 6.317(5), b = 7.698(6), c = 9.768(7) {angstrom}, {alpha} = 105.53(1){sup o}, {beta} = 99.24(2){sup o}, {gamma} = 90.09(2){sup o}, V = 451.2(6) {angstrom}{sup 3}, and Z = 1. The five strongest lines in the powder X-ray diffraction pattern are [d{sub obs} in {angstrom} (I) (hkl)]: 9.338 (100) (001), 2.753 (64) (2{sub {bar 1}}1), 5.173 (52) (011), 2.417 (48) ({sub {ovr 21}}3, 202, 0{sub {bar 1}}4), and 3.828 (45) (0{sub {bar 2}}1). The crystal structure was solved from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data using synchrotron radiation and refined to R{sub 1} = 0.1382 on the basis of 816 unique reflections with F{sub o} > 4{sub {sigma}}F. The structure of kapundaite is based on a unique corrugated octahedral-tetrahedral sheet, which is composed of two types of chains parallel to a. Kapundaite is structurally related to melonjosephite. The mineral is named for the nearest town to the quarry.
Highlights: • Eight OPFRs and eleven metabolites were measured in the urine of Australian kids. • Age was positively associated with BBOEP and negatively associated with BCIPP. • Mouthing activities were associated with higher concentrations of TBOEP, and TPHP. • Children living with window AC units had higher concentrations of BCIPHIPP and DBP. In recent years, the production and usage volumes of organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) has increased substantially. Certain OPFRs are suspected reproductive toxins, carcinogenic, and neurotoxic. Insufficient information is available on human exposure pathways to these chemicals, particularly in Australia. We aim to assess the association between OPFR concentrations in the urine of children to environmental and behavioural risk factors. Concentrations of eight OPFRs and eleven metabolites were measured in the urine of 51 children, aged 3–29 months, in Southeast Queensland, Australia and compared to their behavioural and environmental risk factor data obtained by an online questionnaire. Of the 11 OPFR metabolites analysed, 55% were frequently detected in the majority (> 80%) of samples. The most frequently detected metabolite was bis(1,3-dichloroisopropyl) phosphate (BDCIPP) (detected in 100% of samples), followed by 1-hydroxy-2-propyl bis(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (BCIPHIPP) (96%), diphenyl phosphate (DPHP) (94%) and bis(1-chloroisopropyl) phosphate (BCIPP) (86%). In multivariable modelling, age was positively associated with concentrations of bis(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate (BBOEP) and negatively associated with concentrations of BCIPP and BCIPHIPP. Other non-age related factors, including vacuuming frequency, hand-washing frequency and presence and number of some electrical appliances in the home were also associated with concentrations of OPFR metabolites.
Nuclear forensic analysis was conducted on two uranium samples confiscated during a police investigation in Victoria, Australia. The first sample, designated NSR-F-270409-1, was a depleted uranium powder of moderate purity (~1000 μg/g total elemental impurities). The chemical form of the uranium was a compound similar to K 2 (UO 2 ) 3 O 4 ·4H 2 O. While aliquoting NSR-F-270409-1 for analysis, the body and head of a Tineid moth was discovered in the sample. The second sample, designated NSR-F-270409-2, was also a depleted uranium powder. It was of reasonably high purity (~380 μg/g total elemental impurities). The chemical form of the uranium was primarily UO 3 ·2H 2 O, with minor phases of U 3 O 8 and UO 2 . While aliquoting NSR-F-270409-2 for analysis, a metal staple of unknown origin was discovered in the sample. The presence of 236 U and 232 U in both samples indicates that the uranium feed stocks for these samples experienced a neutron flux at some point in their history. The reactor burn-up calculated from the isotopic composition of the uranium is consistent with that of spent fuel from natural uranium (NU) fueled Pu production. These nuclear forensic conclusions allow us to categorically exclude Australia as the origin of the material and greatly reduce the number of candidate sources.