A typical Iranian carbonate matrix block surrounded by an open fracture was modeled in order to understand the fracture-matrix interaction and realize how to model the interaction best. The modeling was carried out by using a fine-scaled Eclipse model in the single porosity mode (the fractures were explicitly modeled). The model was extended to a stack of 6 matrix blocks to understand block-to-...

ABSTRACT- The crop water stress index (CWSI) is the most common index to monitor and assess crop water stress, based on canopy temperature. To calculate CWSI, upper and lower baselines adaptable to different environments are needed. In this study, empirical and theoretical limiting baseline equations were developed to determine eggplant CWSI values at different levels of water deficit and salin...

Leaf water content is one of the most common physiological parameters limiting efficiency of photosynthesis and biomass productivity in plants including Miscanthus. Therefore, it is of great significance to determine or predict the water content quickly and non-destructively. In this study, we explored the relationship between leaf water content and diffuse reflectance spectra in Miscanthus. Th...

The science of plant water transport is equal parts of physics and biology. Plants have evolved a complex wick system that harnesses the cohesive hydrogen bond energy of liquid water and suppresses the heterogeneous nucleation of caVitation. Trade-offs between making the wick safe against cavitation and implosion, yet efficient in moving water, result in the process being limiting to plant perf...

Apseudohomogeneous model of the nitrifying activated sludge process was developed to investigate the effects ofmass-transport resistance and heterotrophic/nitrifier competition on the apparent relationship between dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration and nitrification . The kinetics of both heterotrophic carbon oxidation and autotrophic ammonia oxidation within activated sludge flocs were descri...

Live coral is a key component of the Al Wajh marine reserve in the Red Sea. The management of this reserve is dependent on a sound understanding of the existing spatial distribution of live coral cover and the environmental factors influencing live coral at the landscape scale. This study uses remote-sensing techniques to develop ordinary least squares and spatially lagged autoregressive explan...

Climate change and energy security promote using renewable sources of such as biofuels. High woody biomass production achieved from short-rotation intensive plantations is a strategy that increasing in many parts the world. However, broad expansion bioenergy feedstock may have significant environmental consequences. This study investigates watershed-scale hydrological impacts Eucalyptus (E. gra...

Water scarcity is one of the factors limiting plant growth and development. More than onethird of the global terrestrial ecosystems is located in arid and semi-arid regions. The mostimportant limiting factor for plant growth is water shortage. Drought could significantlychange the natural vegetation cover. Rainfall reduction in Iraq, Turkey and Syria hasreduced vegetation cover so that dust sto...

A third generation water bath based black-body source has been designed and constructed in the Radiometric Physics Division at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD. The goal of this work was to design a large aperture blackbody source with improved temporal stability and reproducibility compared with earlier designs, as well as improved ease of use. These blackbo...