http://hdl.handle.net/1842/1629 Wed, 22 May 2013 04:39:49 GMT 2013-05-22T04:39:49Z http://hdl.handle.net/1842/3011 Title: Developing a Fire Danger Rating System for the UK: FireBeaters Phase I final report. Report to the Scottish Wildfire Forum. Authors: Legg, Colin J; Davies, Gwilym Matthew; Kitchen, Karl; Marno, Penny Abstract: Introduction and objectives The objective of this research is to develop a predictive tool for the management of wildfire in the UK and for facilitating good practice by those who work with fire in semi-natural vegetation. This will include a comprehensive system for predicting the weather conditions that control fire frequency and severity. We will publish tools using weather data to predict fire behaviour across a range of vegetation types and environmental conditions. Phase I of the project ran from January – May 2006 and from October 2006 – May 2007. The objectives for Phase I were to extend the current five-day prediction of severity of fire weather conditions in England and Wales to cover Scotland and to develop a web-based tool for predicting the behaviour of management fires in heather moorland. The work was funded by the Scottish Executive and Scottish Natural Heritage. Work was guided by the Steering Committee comprising representatives from the Scottish Wildfire Forum (chair), the Scottish Executive, The Fire & Rescue Services and Scottish Natural Heritage.; The deliverables for Phase I, as itemised in the initial proposal, were as follows: • A five-point Fire Weather Index published daily on the Web for Scotland providing five-day predictions at 10-km resolution. • Fully monitored experimental fires in heather moorland at several sites throughout Scotland to extend the current knowledge base. • Web-based system for collecting validation data for heathland management fires and for recording wildfires in all vegetation types throughout the UK. • A fuel moisture model for heather relating fuel moisture to weather and site conditions. • Review of end user requirements and recommendations on implementing these. • Fire behaviour prediction for muirburn published on the Web. Implementation of a cutdown version as pocket ‘slide-rule’ or nomographs. Predictions to include estimates of rates of spread, flame length and minimum firebreak width for a range of heather-dominated fuels. • Magazine and newsletter articles publicising the project and requesting information. • Phase I Report for external peer review; Methods • Fully instrumented experimental ‘management’ fires were conducted on two sites, two large burns under ‘wildfire’ conditions on two sites and twelve small ignition tests at a fifth site. • A database has been constructed for recording experimental fires, normal management fires and wildfires. • Heathland fuel moisture data have been collected for all fires conducted as part of this project and from a variety of other sources. • Simple models have been developed for the prediction of rate of spread and intensity (and hence flame length and ease of control) for heather fires based on fuel characteristics, wind speed and fuel moisture. • The Met Office has supplied weather records and forecast (National Weather Prediction – NWP) data for the UK from 2003 onwards. Various weather indices including the Canadian Fire Weather Indices have been calculated for all fire records and fuel moisture measurements for which data are available.; Achievements • Twelve full experimental fires, twelve ignition tests and two wildfire-type fires were fully instrumented and the data added to existing information on heathland fires. • The database now contains detailed information for 39 fully instrumented experimental fires and basic records for 134 management fires and 6699 wildfires occurring from 2000 onwards. • Simple models have been developed for the prediction of rate of spread and intensity (and hence flame length and ease of control) for heather fires based on fuel characteristics and wind speed. • Fuel moisture data have been collected for 1541 samples on 84 independent days and have been related to various weather indices. • A web site for the dissemination to the general public of information about managed burning and wildfire has been created at http://firebeaters.org.uk • A five-point fire weather index (the Met Office Fire Severity Index - MOFSI) for Scotland has been published on the FireBeaters Web site. This provides a five-day forecast of exceptional weather conditions on a 10-km grid-square basis. Exceptional conditions are those where fires are likely to be frequent, difficult to control and to have severe environmental effects. Description: This report summarises the research completed during the first phase of the FireBeaters project (2006-2007). It includes an overview of the Met Office Fire Severity Index, a study of fire behaviour on heather moorlands, testing of existing fire behaviour models and fire danger prediction systems and an analysis of the timing of wildfires in Scotland. Some of the fire behaviour work has since been published in a number of peer reviewed journal articles. The report itself was peer reviewed by Dr. Wendy Anderson of the School of Physical, Environmental and Mathematical Sciences at the University of New South Wales. Mon, 01 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/1842/3011 2007-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/1842/2976 Title: Incorporation of particulates into accreted ice above subglacial Vostok lake, Antarctica Authors: Siegert, M. J.; Royston-Bishop, G.; Priscu, J. C.; Tranter, M.; Christner, B.; Lee, V. Abstract: The nature of microscopic particulates in meteoric and accreted ice from the Vostok (Antarctica) ice core is assessed in conjunction with existing ice-core data to investigate the mechanism by which particulates are incorporated into refrozen lake water. Melted ice samples from a range of icecore depths were filtered through 0.2 μm polycarbonate membranes, and secondary electron images were collected at ×500 magnification using a scanning electron microscope. Image analysis software was used to characterize the size and shape of particulates. Similar distributions of major-axis lengths, surface areas and shape factors (aspect ratio and compactness) for particulates in all accreted ice samples suggest that a single process may be responsible for incorporating the vast majority of particulates for all depths. Calculation of Stokes settling velocities for particulates of various sizes implies that 98% of particulates observed could 'float' to the ice water interface with upward water velocities of 0.0003 m s-1 where they could be incorporated by growing ice crystals, or by rising frazil ice crystals. The presence of particulates that are expected to sink in the water column (2%) and the uneven distribution of particulates in the ice core further implies that periodic perturbations to the lake's circulation, involving increased velocities, may have occurred in the past. Sat, 01 Jan 2005 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/1842/2976 2005-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/1842/2975 Title: Accidents and opportunities: a history of the radio echo-sounding of Antarctica, 1958-79 Authors: Siegert, Martin; Turchetti, S.; Dean, K.; Naylor, S. Abstract: This paper explores the history of radio echo-sounding (RES), a technique of glaciological surveying that from the late 1960s has been used to examine Antarctica's sub-glacial morphology. Although the origins of RES can be traced back to two accidental findings, its development relied upon the establishment of new geopolitical conditions, which in the 1960s typified Antarctica as a continent devoted to scientific exploration. These conditions extended the influence of prominent glaciologists promoting RES and helped them gather sufficient support to test its efficiency. The organization and implementation of a large-scale research programme of RES in Antarctica followed these developments. The paper also examines the deployment of RES in Antarctic explorations, showing that its completion depended on the availability of technological systems of which RES was an integral part. Tue, 01 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/1842/2975 2008-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/1842/2974 Title: Lakes beneath the ice sheet: The occurrence, analysis, and future exploration of Lake Vostok and other Antarctic subglacial lakes Authors: Siegert, M. J. Abstract: Airborne geophysics has been used to identify more than 100 lakes beneath the ice sheets of Antarctica. The largest, Lake Vostok, is more than 250 km in length and 1 km deep. Subglacial lakes occur because the ice base is kept warm by geothermal heating, and generated meltwater collects in topographic hollows. For lake water to be in equilibrium with the ice sheet, its roof must slope ten times more than the ice sheet surface. This slope causes differential temperatures and melting/freezing rates across the lake ceiling, which excites water circulation. The exploration of subglacial lakes has two goals: to find and understand the life that may inhabit these unique environments and to measure the climate records that occur in sediments on lake floors. The technological developments required for in situ measurements mean, however, that direct studies of subglacial lakes may take several years to happen. Sat, 01 Jan 2005 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/1842/2974 2005-01-01T00:00:00Z