Evaluation and Improvement of a SVD-Based Empirical Atmospheric Model

T An empirical atmospheric model (EAM) based on the singular value decomposition (SVD) method is evaluated using the composite El Nino/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) patterns of sea surface temperature (SST) and wind anomalies as the target scenario. Two versions of the SVD-based EAM were presented for comparisons. The first version estimates the wind anomalies in response to SST variations based on modes that were calculated from a pair of global wind and SST fields (i.e., conventional EAM or CEAM). The second version utilizes the same model design but is based on modes that were calculated in a region-wise manner by separating the tropical domain from the remaining extratropical regions (i.e., region-wise EAM or REAM). Our study shows that, while CEAM has shown successful model performance over some tropical areas, such as the equatorial eastern Pacific (EEP), the western North Pacific (WNP), and the tropical Indian Ocean (TIO), its performance over the North Pacific (NP) seems poor. When REAM is used to estimate the wind anomalies instead of CEAM, a marked improvement over NP readily emerges. Analyses of coupled modes indicate that such an improvement can be attributed to a much stronger coupled variability captured by the first region-wise SVD mode at higher latitudes compared with that captured by the conventional one. The newly proposed way of constructing the EAM (i.e., REAM) can be very useful in the coupled studies because it gives the model a wider application beyond the commonly accepted tropical domain.     

Simulation of Extreme Climate Events over China with Different Regional Climate Models

During phase Ⅱ of the Regional Climate Model Inter-comparison Project (RMIP) for Asia, the Asian climate was estimated from July 1988 to December 1998 using six climate models. In this paper, the abilities of six climate models to simulate several important extreme climate events in China during the last years of the last century were analyzed. The modeled results for the intensity of the precipitation anomaly over the Yangtze-Huaihe Valley during the summers of 1991 and 1998were weaker than the observed values. The positive precipitation anomaly responsible for a catastrophic flood in 1991 was well reproduced in almost all simulation results,but the intensity and range of the precipitation anomaly in 1998 were weaker in the modeled results. The spatial distribution of extreme climate events in 1997, when severe drought affected North China and flood impacted South China, was reproduced by most of the regional models because the anomaly of the large-scale background field was well-simulated, despite poor simulation of high temperature areas in the north during the summer by all models.     

The Role of Warm North Atlantic SST in the Formation of Positive Height Anomalies over the Ural Mountains during January 2008

The most severe snowstorm and freezing-rain event in the past 50 years hit central and southern China in January 2008. One of the main reasons for the anomalous climate event was the occurrence of atmospheric circulation anomalies over middle and high latitudes, particularly the persistent blocking that occurred over the Ural Mountains. Along with atmospheric anomalies, a strong La Nina event in the Pacific and warm sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTAs) in the North Atlantic were the most significant in the lower boundary. Since a brief analysis suggests that La Nina exerts no significant impact on the Urals, the key point of focus in this study is on the role of the warmer SSTAs in the North Atlantic. Based on an observational composite, North Atlantic SSTAs pattern when the height anomaly over the Urals is strongly positive is found similar to that in January 2008, but no significant SSTAs occurred elsewhere, such as the Pacific. Using an atmospheric general circulation model, ECHAM5, the impact of North Atlantic SSTAs on the extratropical atmosphere circulation in the event was investigated. The results show that the warm SSTAs strengthened the blocking high over the Urals, through anomalous transient eddies. The consistency between the study model and the observational composite indicates that the warm SSTAs in the North Atlantic were indeed an important factor in the formation of the snowstorm disaster of January 2008.     

Analysis of Atmospheric Boundary Layer Height Characteristics over the Arctic Ocean Using the Aircraft and GPS Soundings

Utilizing aircraft sounding data collected from the Surface Heat Budget of the Arctic Ocean (SHEBA, 1998) campaign, the authors evaluated commonly-used profile methods for Arctic ABL height estimation by validating against the 'true' ABL height from aircraft sounding profiles, where ABL height is defined as the top of the layer with significant turbulence. Furthermore, the best performing method was used to estimate ABL height from the one-year GPS soundings obtained during SHEBA (October 1997-October 1998). It was found that the temperature gradient method produces a reliable estimate of ABL height. Additionally, the authors determined optimal threshold values of temperature gradient for stable boundary layer (SBL) and convective boundary layer (CBL) to be 6.5 K/100 m and 1.0 K/100 m, respectively. The maximum ABL height during the year was 1150m occurred in May. Median values of Arctic ABL height in May, June, July, and August were 400 m, 430 m, 180 m, and 320 m, respectively. Arctic ABL heights are clearly higher in the spring than in the summer.     

Anomalous Midsummer Rainfall in Yangtze River-Huaihe River Valleys and Its Association with the East Asia Westerly Jet

In this study, the interannual and interdecadal relationship between midsummer Yangtze River-Huaihe River valley (YHRV) rainfall and the position of the East Asia westerly jet (EAWJ) were investigated. The midsummer YHRV rainfall was found to significantly increase after the 1980s. Moreover, the location of the EAWJ was found abnormally south of the climatic mean during 1980-2008 (ID2) compared to 1951-1979 (ID1). During ID2, associated with the southward movement of the EAWJ, an anomalous upper-level convergence occurred over middle-high latitudes (35°-55°N) and divergence occurred over lower latitudes (~30°N) of East Asia. Correspondingly, anomalous descending and ascending motion was observed in middle-high and lower latitudes along 90°-130°E, respectively, favoring more precipitation over YHRV. On an interannual time scale, the EAWJ and YHRV rainfall exhibited similar relationships during the two periods. When the EAWJ was centered abnormally southward, rainfall over YHRV tended to increase. However, EAWJ-related circulations were significantly different during the two periods. During ID1, the circulation of the southward-moving EAWJ exhibited alternating positive-negative-positive distributions from low to middlehigh latitudes along the East Asian coast; the most significant anomaly appeared west of the Okhotsk Sea. However, during ID2 the EAWJ was more closely correlated with the tropical and subtropical circulations. Significant differences between ID1 and ID2 were also recorded sea surface temperatures (SSTs). During ID1, the EAWJ was influenced by the extratropical SST over the northern Pacific; however, the EAWJ was more significantly affected by the SST of the tropical western Pacific during ID2.     

A Study of the Relationship between Air Pollutants and Inversion in the ABL over the City of Lanzhou

By analyzing the pollutant concentrations over the urban area and over the rural area of the city of Lanzhou,Gansu Province,China,the relationships between the daytime inversion intensity and the pollutant concentration in the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) are studied with the consideration of wind speed and direction,potential temperature,specific humidity profiles,pollutant concentration in the ABL,the surface temperature,and global radiation on the ground.It was shown that the daytime inversion is a key factor in controlling air pollution concentration.A clear and positive feedback process between the daytime inversion intensity and the air pollutants over the city was found through the analysis of influences of climatic and environmental factors.The mechanisms by which the terrain and air pollutants affect the formation of the daytime inversion are discussed.The solar radiation as the essential energy source to maintain the inversion is analyzed,as are various out-forcing factors affecting the inversion and air pollutants.At last,a physical frame of relationships of air pollution with daytime inversion and the local and out-forcing factors over Lanzhou is built.     

Global assessment of El Ni?o's disaster burden

BACKGROUND: Natural disasters have profound effects on health and require medical intervention as part of relief operations. The world's populations are becoming increasingly vulnerable to extreme weather events, which are responsible for most natural disasters. The El Ni?o Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is the most prominent global climate system associated with year-to-year weather variability and extreme events. We have estimated the burden on human health of natural disasters associated with ENSO. METHODS: We used time-series regression analysis of the relation between El Ni?o years and the annual rates of persons affected by natural disasters per 1000 population during 1964-93, globally and also by region and disaster type. Correlations between sea-surface temperature (SST) anomalies (index of ENSO) and the rates of persons affected by natural disasters per 1000 population were determined globally, by region and by disaster type. FINDINGS: The rate of persons affected by natural disasters worldwide is strongly associated with ENSO; rates are greater during the first El Ni?o year (p = 0.05) and the following year (p = 0.01) than in the pre-Ni?o year. The correlation between rates of persons affected by natural disasters and SST anomalies in the Eastern Pacific (a key ENSO indicator) is highest in the last quarter of the previous year (r = 0.53, p < 0.01). These associations are strongest in South Asia, the region where more than 50% of all disaster victims live. Worldwide, rates of persons affected by drought/famine (half of all disaster victims) and by volcanic eruptions show significant associations with the ENSO cycle, being highest in the post-Ni?o year and El Ni?o year, respectively, and being significantly associated with SST anomalies. INTERPRETATION: The strong relation between ENSO and populations affected by natural disasters can be described as a "natural disaster cycle". Determining the phase in this cycle, using SST from the Eastern Equatorial Pacific, could benefit disaster preparedness on a global scale, for South Asia in particular, and for all populations affected by drought/famine and volcanic disasters.     

A New Precipitation Index for the Spatiotemporal Distribution of Drought and Flooding in the Reaches of the Yangtze and Huaihe Rivers and Related Characteristics of Atmospheric Circulation

Characteristics of the spatiotemporal distributions of precipitation anomalies in the reaches of the Yangtze River and Huaihe River (YHR) were studied using EOF method. Four main precipitation patterns for the YHR in summer identified by the first two modes: a region-wide flood over the entire YHR (RWF); a region-wide drought over the entire YHR (RWD); a flood in the south with a drought in the northern region of the Yangtze River (FS-DN); and a drought in the south with a flood in the northern region of the Yangtze River (DS-FN). Based on the first two modes and the actual precipitation departure percentage, a new precipitation index is defined in this paper. The typical flood/drought years associated with the various rainfall patterns defined by this precipitation index are more representative and closer to reality compared to some existing precipitation indexes which just use the area-mean precipitation or the EOF time components individually. The characteristics of atmospheric circulation in summer corresponding to the four main precipitation patterns over the YHR in summer show the features of atmospheric circulation differ in different precipitation pattern years. Although the different patterns share a common main influential circulation system, such as the blocking high over northeastern Asia, the low trough of westerly flows in the mid latitudes, the West Pacific Subtropical High (WPSH), and the high ridge over the Tibet Plateau, the difference in location and intensity of these systems can lead to different distributions of precipitation anomalies.     

The Significant Relationship between the Arctic Oscillation (AO) in December and the January Climate over South China

Using NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data, the China rainfall and surface temperature data of the China Meteorological Administration, and the Arctic Oscillation (AO) indices of NOAA, the author investigates relationships between the AO and the precipitation and temperature over China. There exists a good relationship between the AO index in December and the succeeding January precipitation over South China, indicating that when the December AO index is positive (negative), the January precipitation over South China increases (decreases). A remarkable negative correlation between the December AO index and the January surface temperature also exists over South China, indicating that when the December AO index is positive (negative), the January temperature over South China drops (rises). The occurrence of this anomalous climate is related to the anomalies of the atmospheric circulation systems. The December AO greatly influences circulation anomalies in January. A positive phase of the AO is found to lead to a stronger subtropical jet over the south side from the Iran Plateau to the Tibetan Plateau. Consequently, it results in a deepening pressure trough around the Bay of Bengal, which transports the warm and wet air to South China continuously. The Siberian High in January is stronger and extends farther southeastward. It results in continual cold air at 1000 hPa pouring into South China, inducing low temperature. Cooperating with the trough of the Bay of Bengal, anomalous precipitation occurs over South China. For the negative phase of the December AO, the opposite situation is observed.     

The Construction of SCM in GRAPES and Its Applications in Two Field Experiment Simulations

T A Single Column Model (SCM) for Global and Regional Atmospheric Prediction Enhanced System (GRAPES) is constructed for the purpose of evaluating physical process parameterizations. Two observational datasets including Wangara and the third Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment Atmospheric Boundary Layer Study (GABLS-3) SCM field observations have been applied to evaluate this SCM. By these two numerical experiments, the GRAPES_SCM is verified to be correctly constructed. Furthermore, the interaction between the land surface process and atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) is discussed through the second experiment. It is found that CASE3 (CoLM land surface scheme coupled with ABL scheme) simulates less sensible heat fluxes and smaller surface temperature which corresponds with its lower potential temperature at the bottom of the ABL. Moreover, CASE3 simulates turbulence that is weaker during the daytime and stronger during nighttime, corresponding with its wind speed at 200 m which is bigger during daytime and smaller during nighttime. However, they are generally opposite in CASE2 (SLAB coupled with ABL). The initial profile of the water vapor mixing ratio is artificially increased by the experiment setup which results in the simulated water vapor mixing becoming wetter than actually observed. CASE1 (observed surface temperature taken as lower thermal forcing) and CASE2 have no soil moisture prediction and simulate a similar water vapor mixing ratio, while CASE3 has a soil moisture prediction and simulates wetter. It is also shown that the time step may affect the stabilization of the ABL when the vertical levels of the SCM are fixed.     

Ecology of flea groups of the species conformis (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae: Xenopsylla) of the fauna of Russia and adjacent countries (review)

Within the boundaries of the former USSR, the northern part of the conformis group distribution is located. It spreads over the arid regions of the Trans-Cacucasus, Pricaspijckaja lowland, Kazakhstan and Middle Asia. In this area 10 species and subspecies occur. They are mainly parasites of gerbillins. Unlike many other Siphonaptera the conformis fleas, when in the host's home, do not concentrate in the nest but inhabit the passages of burrow and food chambers throughout the year. On this reason the preimaginal development and existence of the adults take place not at the temperature of the habitable nest, which is heated by the host body, but at the temperature of the soil at a depth of burrow. The temperature threshold for preimaginal development of conformis fleas is reported to be 10-12 degrees. Temperature below the threshold is fatal for all immature instars. On the contrary the imago can survive at freezing temperature. The annual cycle of the conformis fleas is characterized by the presence of adults throughout the year. They breed in the warmer season and overwinter in the state of reproductive diapause. In this state the fleas are able to attack the host and to feed but do not deposit eggs. In the north deserts the reproduction begins at the early April and terminates at the early September. Southern, the reproductive period is longer. Furthermore, the complete interruption of the reproduction in the autumn-winter time may be absent as it was observed in X. gerbilli gerbilli and X. hirtipes in the south of the Middle Asia. On the other hand it is noted that in southern deserts the rate of oviposition falls in the most hot time. The number of generation per year in the conformis fleas varies from 2-3 in north deserts to 6-7 in south ones. The flea populations peak in late autumn when the insects cease to bread. The high abundance is maintained until springtime. After the diapause is ceased and the fleas begin breeding their abundance declines. In the late spring and early summer the emergence of adults begins and the populations increase. In a mild of summer the second fall takes place and then the fall is replaced by the autumnal peak. On their main hosts the conformis fleas prevail over all other species of Siphonaptera especially for warmer time when their quota among other fleas does not descend as a rule below 90% but more oftently it approaches to 100%. The fleas of this group and especially species parasitizing Rhombomys opimus are remarkable for the high level of their abundance. In the northern deserts in the periods of the most high abundance (late autumn, winter and early spring) the number of fleas per burrow occupied by family of Rh. opimus exceeds usually 1000 specimens and sometimes it can reach several thousands. In the southern deserts the abundance of the fleas is lower but the period of their active parasitizing is longer. In the species parasitizing Rh. opimus it is shown that in a complex burrow only some part of fleas has the possibility to feed regularly. In the spring and summer the percentage of fleas daily attacking the host varied from 17 to 86% and from 10 to 150 ectoparasites feed daily on one animal depending on the quantity of fleas and of hosts in the burrow. The number of attacking fleas is regulated by behaviour of the hosts, which change the used parts of burrow when the fleas are crowded there.     

Robust GEFA Assessment of Climate Feedback to SST EOF Modes

Atmospheric response to SST variability was estimated using generalized equilibrium feedback analysis (GEFA) in the SST EOF space with synthesis data from an idealized climate model.Results show that the GEFA atmospheric response to the leading SST EOF modes is much more accurate and robust than the GEFA feedback matrix in physical space.Therefore,GEFA provides a practical method for assessing atmospheric response to large-scale SST anomalies in terms of the leading EOFs.     

Crystallization of a Ti-based Bulk Metallic Glass Induced by Electropulsing Treatment

The effect of electropulsing treatment (EPT)on the microstructure of a Ti-based bulk metallic glass (BMG)has been studied.The maximum current density applied during EPT can exert a crucial role on tuning the microstructure of the BMG.When the maximum current density is no more than 2 720 A/mm2 ,the samples retains amorphous nature,whereas,beyond that,crystalline phases precipitate from the glassy matrix.During EPT,the maximum temperature within the samples EPTed at the maximum current densities larger than 2 720 A/mm2 is higher than the crystallization temperature of the BMG,leading to the crystallization event.     

Mortality as a function of temperature. A study in Valencia, Spain, 1991-1993

BACKGROUND: Increased mortality is associated with both very low and very high ambient temperatures. This study assesses the relationship between daily numbers of deaths and variations in ambient temperature within the city of Valencia. METHODS: The daily number of deaths from all causes (total deaths and only those occurring in people aged over 70), as well as those deaths from specific causes (e.g. cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, malignant tumours and all causes except external ones) occurring within the city of Valencia were related to the average daily temperature using autoregressive Poisson regression controlling for seasonality, day of the week, holidays, air pollution, influenza incidence, and humidity. Temperature was measured within the regression model as two complementary variables: 'Heat' and 'Cold'; also taken into account were their delayed effects up to 2 weeks after measurement. RESULTS: Graphical analysis revealed a relationship between temperature and mortality according to the time of year. For the cooler months (November-April), the temperature at which mortality was lowest was the 'minimum' (i.e. around 15 degrees C), while for the warmer months (May-October), it occurred at around 24 degrees C. Because of this, a stratified analysis was undertaken with different values for the 'Heat' and 'Cold' variables according to which of the two seasons was involved. During the colder months of the year, higher temperatures tended to exert a rapid influence on mortality and the lower temperatures a more delayed relation. During the hot season it is the heat variable which more clearly manifests an effect, and this is prolonged over the two following weeks. Variations also occur according to age and cause of death. The effect of temperature is greater in persons aged over 70 years of age, and it is also greater in cases of circulatory and respiratory diseases. CONCLUSIONS: A statistically significant association has been found between temperature and mortality. This relationship is not monotonic, but mortality increases in proportion to the variance in ambient temperature from a range of temperatures that varies from winter to summer.     

Indirect Radiative and Climatic Effects of Sulfate and Organic Carbon Aerosols over East Asia Investigated by RIEMS

The indirect radiative and climatic effects of sulfate and organic carbon aerosols over East Asia were investigated using a Regional Integrated Environment Model System (RIEMS) with an empirical aerosol-cloud parameterization. The first indirect radiative forcing was negative and ranged from -9-0 W m-2 in the domain. The maximum cooling, up to -9 W m-E, occurred in the Chongqing District in winter, whereas the cooling areas were larger during summer than in winter. Organic carbon (OC) aerosols were more abundant in winter than in summer, whereas the sulfate concentration during summer was much higher than during winter. The concentrations of sulfate and OC were comparable in winter, and sulfate played a dominant role in determining indirect radiative forcing in summer, whereas in winter, both sulfate and OC were important. The regional mean indirect radiative forcings were -0.73 W m-2 and -0.41 W m-2 in summer and winter, respectively. The surface cooling caused by indirect effects was more obvious in winter than that in summer. The ground temperature decreased by ～1.2 K in most areas of eastern China in winter, whereas in summer,the temperature decreased (～ -1.5 K) in some regions,such as the Yangtze River region, but increased (～0.9 K)in the areas between the Yellow and Yangtze Rivers. In winter, the precipitation decreased by 0-6 mm in most areas of eastern China, but in summer, alternating bands of increasing (up to 80 mm) and decreasing (～ -80 mm)precipitation appeared in eastern China.     

A Comparative Study on the Static Recrystallization Behavior of Cold-Rolled Mg-3Al-1Zn Alloy Stimulated by Electropulse Treatment and Conventional Heat Treatment

Cold-rolled AZ31 Mg alloy strips, with a reduction of 33 pct, were subjected to electropulse treatment (EPT) and conventional heat treatment (HT) to evaluate the respective influences of electropulses and temperature on the recrystallization behavior of AZ31. The highest measured temperature during the EPT (543 K) was used in HT. The electron backscattered diffraction results demonstrated that the EPT-stimulated recrystallization was completed within 8 seconds, whereas for HT, recrystallization was still far from completion even after 240 seconds. It was found that both the nucleation and grain growth of these two processes were totally different. In the EPT samples, nucleation tended to occur preferentially near extension twin boundaries and grain boundaries by continuous recrystallization, whereas in the HT samples, nucleation occurred mainly by grain boundaries bulging via discontinuous recrystallization. As grain growth proceeded, the texture intensities of the EPT samples decreased gradually and finally evolved into an obvious transverse-direction-split texture. This is likely attributable to the impact of electropulses on the boundary energy and the contribution of nonbasal dislocations; however, the basal-type textures of the HT samples were notably strengthened, which is associated with a 30 deg〈0001〉 orientation with respect to the deformed texture.     

Application of ionospheric tomography inversion to GPS data to study ionospheric electron-density distribution over China

Temporal variations of ionospheric electron-density (IED) distributions over China are inversed by applying the computerized ionospheric tomography (CIT) technique to dual-frequency GPS data of the Crustal Movement Observation Network of China (CMONOC) in 2003. Characteristics of the diurnal variations of IED, especially the development and disappearance of the equatorial anomaly structure and the variations of the ionospheric vertical structure, are investigated. The result shows that it is feasible to sound and investigate the temporal-spatial variations of IED by using CIT technique and the high-accuracy GPS data, but the accuracy and reliability are limited by insufficiency of GPS data, reconstruction methods, and CIT models.     

Impacts of Vegetation on the Intraseasonal Oscillation Simulated by the Community Atmosphere Model (CAM3)

The influences of vegetation on intraseasonal oscillation (ISO) were examined using the Community Atmosphere Model version 3 (CAM3). Two 15-year numerical experiments were completed: the first was performed with a realistic vegetation distribution (VEG run),and the second was identical to the VEG run except without land vegetation (NOVEG run). Generally speaking, CAM3 was able to reproduce the spatial distribution of the ISO, but the ISO intensity in the simulation was much weaker than that observed in nature: the ISO has a relatively much stronger signal. A comparison of the VEG run with the NOVEG run revealed that the presence of vegetation usually produces a weak ISO. The vegetation effects on ISO intensity were significant over West Africa and South Asia, especially in the summer half-year.Vegetation also plays an important role in modulating ISO propagation. The eastward propagation of the ISO in the VEG run was clearer than that in the NOVEG run over the West African and Maritime Continent regions. The northward propagation of the ISO in the VEG run was more consistent with observation than that in the NOVEG run.     

Pathologic classification of prostate carcinoma: the impact of margin status

Analysis of experimental data demonstrates that cosmic ray enhancement stimulates an increase of atmospheric aerosols and cloudiness. The study of solar proton events (SPE) has shown that during SPE one can observe increase in aerosol density by 1.2-1.4 times at 12-18 km altitudes. Such variations of aerosol density can be detected on global scale. Aerosol variations cause changes in integral atmospheric transparency which during disturbed periods can reach 5-6%. The atmospheric integral transparency variations are not less during the solar cycle on account of galactic cosmic ray variations. Atmospheric transparency variations creating the so-called "grey filter" for solar radiation should lead to surface temperature variations. During the periods of low solar activity under the influence of enhanced galactic cosmic ray fluxes, the density of the "grey filter" should increase and cause a decrease in surface temperatures, correspondingly. In frame of the physical mechanism considered the connection between solar cycle durations and surface temperature variations can be explained. In addition, one can understand the physical reason for the "Little Ice Age" appearance during Maunder minimum of solar activity, 2400 years periodicity of climatic processes, strong influence of the decrease in main geomagnetic field intensity on the development of Ice Age and Global Cooling.     

Regional Analysis of Nonmethane Volatile Organic Compounds in the Lower Troposphere of the Southeast United States

Nonmethane organic compounds (NMOCs) along with ozone as well as other trace gas and meteorological parameters were measured at eight rural sites located in the Southeast United States, as part of the Southern Oxidants Study. Fifty-four C2–C10 NMOCs were collected from 1,200–1,300 local time, once every six days from September 1992 through October 1993 and intermittently during 1994. This study was undertaken to characterize the nonmethane hydrocarbons in the rural areas of Southeast United States with respect to their concentrations, reactivities, and relative importance of natural and anthropogenic abundances of NMOCs. Though the sites are well removed from large urban source regions, the observations show a clear anthropogenic influence on the hydrocarbon levels at these rural sites. The data for the sites show similar seasonal patterns for total NMOC with summer maxima (average concentrations of 198 ppbC at the Long Creek, South Carolina, site to 47 ppbC at the Candor, North Carolina site) and fall minima (average concentrations of 73 ppbC at the Long Creek site to 31 ppbC at the Centreville, Alabama site). A secondary maximum is observed during the winter. A seasonal trend was observed in the concentrations of light molecular weight C2–C4 NMOCs (ethane, ethene, acetylene, propane, i-butane, and n-butane) with a winter maximum and a summer minimum. An analysis of changes in C2–C4 hydrocarbon ratios over a period of one year indicates that the variation is most likely due to seasonal changes in OH concentrations. A seasonal trend was also observed for the biogenically emitted NMOC, isoprene, with summer maxima (average concentrations of 37 ppbC at the Long Creek, South Carolina, site to 8.6 ppbC at the Giles County, Tennessee and Metter, Georgia, sites) and winter minima with winter seasonal values below the level of detection. Isoprene was observed to be the most dominant NMOC at most sites during the summer. The ambient concentrations of isoprene measured during the summer were found to be dependent on the ambient temperature. The monoterpenes a-pinene, b-pinene, and d-limonene also peaked during the summer with averages ranging between 3.19 ppbC (Centreville, Alabama) and 6.38 ppbC (Oak Grove, Missouri), and a background concentration of 1.25 to 1.9 ppbC for all the sites during the winter.