TAMU-CC Repository

The Texas A&M University‐Corpus Christi (TAMU‐CC) repository is an open online site for storing and sharing digital content created or owned by the TAMU‐CC community. Content includes published and unpublished research and scholarship as well as archival materials. The service is managed by the Mary and Jeff Bell Library in cooperation with the Texas Digital Library. Learn more

 

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Assessment of the planetary boundary layer over the Northesatern Pacific Ocean: Impact of ducting and horizontal inhomogeneity on GNSS radio occultation measurements
(2023-12) Winning Jr., Thomas E.; Xie, Feiqin; Liu, Chuntao; Shinoda, Toshiaki; Starek, Michael; Spaniol, Frank
In the northeastern Pacific Ocean, strong free tropospheric subsidence and cooler sea surface temperatures due to upwelling result in a distinctive planetary boundary layer (PBL), marked by a sharp temperature inversion and moisture gradient. This distinct subtropical eastern ocean region showcases a unique transition from a shallow stratocumulus-topped PBL near the southern California coast to a deeper trade cumulus PBL regime closer to Hawaii. The shallow PBL coupled with frequent cloudiness poses significant challenges for conventional space-based observations and simulations in weather and climate models. The Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) radio occultation (RO) technique excels in sensing the PBL due to its superior vertical resolution, global coverage, and all-weather observation capability. This dissertation is comprised of three major tasks aimed at assessing the potential and limitation of GNSS RO for PBL sensing over the northeastern Pacific Ocean. First, the RO refractivity data from the first Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate (COSMIC-I) for the years 2007 to 2012 were used to derive the PBL height (PBLH) climatology over the Northeastern Pacific Ocean. The PBL in this region is characterized by pronounced temperature inversions and moisture gradients across the PBLH, leading to dominant ducting conditions that introduce significant negative biases in RO refractivity retrievals. Consequently, the second task examines the characteristics of the elevated ducting layer along the transect between Los Angeles, California and Honolulu, Hawaii with high-resolution radiosondes from the MAGIC field campaign and ERA5 global reanalysis data. A systematic negative refractivity bias (N-bias) below the ducting layer is observed throughout the transect, peaking approximately 70 meters below the PBL height (−5.42%), and gradually decreasing towards the surface (−0.5%). Third, the noticeable horizontal inhomogeneity, especially near the PBLH along the transect, may introduce additional RO retrieval errors, warranting further investigation. Using MAGIC radiosonde observations, a 2-dimensional (2D) model of atmospheric refractivity is created which integrates key PBL parameters. An asymmetry index is introduced to measure the extent of horizontal inhomogeneity. Then multiple phase screen (MPS) simulations were carried out to assess the impact of ducting and horizontal inhomogeneity on GNSS RO soundings. Preliminary findings highlight ducting as the primary cause of negative N-bias in RO retrieval, while horizontal inhomogeneity within the PBL contributes an additional −1% near the PBL top. This research enhances understanding of RO data quality within the PBL, paving the way for improved RO data assimilation and advancing weather and climate prediction capabilities.
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Burnout among all level principals in Texas
(2023-12) Vela, Enrique; Benedetti, Christopher; Cervantes, Bernadine; Elliff, D. Scott; Kim, Iltai
This quantitative, descriptive, nonexperimental study employed Maslach’s Burnout Inventory (MBI) to investigate the issue of principal turnover within high-poverty schools in Texas. The research question for this study is, "Is there a difference in a principal's feelings of burnout based on their years of experience?" The researcher used a cross-sectional design to collect data from the population sample of all level school principals in Texas with a wide range of experience levels. The Maslach’s Burnout Inventory was administered to survey participants' feelings of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment. Descriptive statistics were used to assess the burnout levels of principals at different stages of their careers. Although the mean scores suggested that some novice principals may experience higher levels of emotional exhaustion, principals with more experience managed to exhibit lesser levels of depersonalization and personal accomplishment. The findings of the one-way ANOVA and Welch ANOVA determined that there was no statistical significance between feelings of burnout and years of experience. These results hold significant implications for educational practices and leadership development programs.
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Spatial distribution and movement of Atlantic tarpon (Megalops atlanticus) in the northern Gulf of Mexico
(PLoS ONE, 2024-03-07) Shane Stephens; Michael Dance; Michelle Zapp Sluis; Richard Kline; Matthew Streich; Gregory Stunz; Aaron Adams; R.J. David Wells; Jay Rooker
Atlantic tarpon (Megalops atlanticus) are capable of long-distance migrations (hundreds of kilometers) but also exhibit resident behaviors in estuarine and coastal habitats. The aim of this study was to characterize the spatial distribution of juvenile tarpon and identify migration pathways of adult tarpon in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Spatial distribution of juvenile tarpon was investigated using gillnet data collected by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) over the past four decades. Generalized additive models (GAMs) indicated that salinity and water temperature played a significant role in tarpon presence, with tarpon occurrences peaking in the fall and increasing over the past four decades in this region. Adult tarpon caught off Texas (n = 40) and Louisiana (n = 4) were tagged with acoustic transmitters to characterize spatial and temporal trends in their movements and migrations. Of the 44 acoustic transmitters deployed, 18 of the individuals were detected (n = 16 west of the Mississippi River Delta and n = 2 east of the Mississippi River Delta). Tarpon tagged west of the Mississippi River Delta off Texas migrated south in the fall and winter into areas of south Texas and potentially into Mexico, while individuals tagged east of the delta migrated into Florida during the same time period, suggesting the presence of two unique migratory contingents or subpopulations in this region. An improved understanding of the habitat requirements and migratory patterns of tarpon inhabiting the Gulf of Mexico is critically needed by resource managers to assess the vulnerability of each contingent to fishing pressure, and this information will guide multi-state and multi-national conservation efforts to rebuild and sustain tarpon populations.