A multivariate semiparametric Bayesian spatial modeling framework for hurricane surface wind fields

Storm surge, the onshore rush of sea water caused by the high winds and low pressure associated with a hurricane, can compound the effects of inland flooding caused by rainfall, leading to loss of property and loss of life for residents of coastal areas. Numerical ocean models are essential for creating storm surge forecasts for coastal areas. These models are driven primarily by the surface wind forcings. Currently, the gridded wind fields used by ocean models are specified by deterministic formulas that are based on the central pressure and location of the storm center. While these equations incorporate important physical knowledge about the structure of hurricane surface wind fields, they cannot always capture the asymmetric and dynamic nature of a hurricane. A new Bayesian multivariate spatial statistical modeling framework is introduced combining data with physical knowledge about the wind fields to improve the estimation of the wind vectors. Many spatial models assume the data follow a Gaussian distribution. However, this may be overly-restrictive for wind fields data which often display erratic behavior, such as sudden changes in time or space. In this paper we develop a semiparametric multivariate spatial model for these data. Our model builds on the stick-breaking prior, which is frequently used in Bayesian modeling to capture uncertainty in the parametric form of an outcome. The stick-breaking prior is extended to the spatial setting by assigning each location a different, unknown distribution, and smoothing the distributions in space with a series of kernel functions. This semiparametric spatial model is shown to improve prediction compared to usual Bayesian Kriging methods for the wind field of Hurricane Ivan.Comment: Published at http://dx.doi.org/10.1214/07-AOAS108 in the Annals of Applied Statistics (http://www.imstat.org/aoas/) by the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (http://www.imstat.org

GENERAL DESCRIPTION PINNING SOT23 P-channel, enhancement mode, PIN DESCRIPTION

logic level, field-effect power transistor. This device has low 1 gate threshold voltage and extremely fast switching making it ideal for 2 source battery powered applications and high speed digital interfacing. 3 drain 3 Top view The BSH201 is supplied in the SOT23 subminiature surface mounting package

National Ambient Water Quality Criteria.................................................................... 7-9 Agricultural Water Quality Limits................................................................................. 7-9

US Geological Survey (USGS)........................................................................................ 7-1

Declaración medioambiental

EMASAnteriorment anomenada Vianova Resins, S.A. El desembre de 1999 és absorbida per la companyia Solutia Inc. i passa a anomenar-se Solutia Ibérica, S.L. El gener de 2003 és absorbida pel grup belga UCB i a partir del 2 d'abril de 2003 passa a anomenar-se Surface Specialities Ibérica, S.L. El març de 2005 és absorbida pel grup nordamericà CYTEC i al setembre del mateix any passa a anomenar-se CYTEC Surface Specialities Ibérica, S.L.Fabricació de resines sintètiques per a la indústria de l'automòbi

Identification of a transporter complex responsible for the cytosolic entry of nitrogen-containing bisphosphonates

Nitrogen-containing-bisphosphonates (N-BPs) are widely prescribed to treat osteoporosis and other bone-related diseases. Although previous studies established that N-BPs function by inhibiting the mevalonate pathway in osteoclasts, the mechanism by which N-BPs enter the cytosol from the extracellular space to reach their molecular target is not understood. Here we implemented a CRISPRi-mediated genome-wide screen and identified SLC37A3 (solute carrier family 37 member A3) as a gene required for the action of N-BPs in mammalian cells. We observed that SLC37A3 forms a complex with ATRAID (all-trans retinoic acid-induced differentiation factor), a previously identified genetic target of N-BPs. SLC37A3 and ATRAID localize to lysosomes and are required for releasing N-BP molecules that have trafficked to lysosomes through fluid-phase endocytosis into the cytosol. Our results elucidate the route by which N-BPs are delivered to their molecular target, addressing a key aspect of the mechanism of action of N-BPs that may have significant clinical relevance

Improving Free-Piston Stirling Engine Specific Power

This work uses analytical methods to demonstrate the potential benefits of optimizing piston and/or displacer motion in a Stirling Engine. Isothermal analysis was used to show the potential benefits of ideal motion in ideal Stirling engines. Nodal analysis is used to show that ideal piston and displacer waveforms are not optimal in real Stirling engines. Constrained optimization was used to identify piston and displacer waveforms that increase Stirling engine specific power

Evaluating a Four State Workforce Education Project: Questions of Investigative Interest and Impact

How can a large scale, multi-state, collaborative workforce development project be evaluated? This article describes the evaluation process of the Midwest Center for Information Technology (MCIT). The project uses “impact threads” to connect the outcomes of the project to strategic evaluation questions. The MCIT project, involving 10 public two-year colleges located in Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, and North Dakota, strives to assist partner colleges in enhancing information technology training and related degree programs. The MCIT was funded as a regional center within the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program of the National Science Foundation (NSF). This article details the evaluation plan for the center, including how selected data is systematically mapped to impact threads and further illustrates the evaluation process by providing some examples of MCIT\u27s progress

Method for Prioritizing Urban Pesticides for Monitoring

Environmental Monitoring Branch (EM) is to monitor pesticide residues in surface waters with urban runoff inputs. Recent monitoring efforts have identified urban runoff as a major contributor of pesticides to California surface waters (Ensminger et al., 2012). Pesticide use is i