Showing papers by "Stanley A. Changnon published in 1990"

Regional Climate Centers: New Institutions for Climate Services and Climate-Impact Research

Abstract: In response to the need to improve climate services at the local, state, and regional levels, a national network of regional climate centers has developed. This paper provides the background to this development, and outlines the functions of the centers and identifies their benefits and beneficiaries. The centers are a source of climate expertise and maintain multifaceted interfaces with the public and private sectors. Each center a) performs services, including the management of the basic data for its region and the delivery of specialized products; b) conducts applied climate studies, including the monitoring of anomalous conditions and the promoting of regional research; and c) acquires and maintains specialized regional datasets. Examples are given for each function. The paper concludes by elaborating on the potential for focused, applied research to enhance the services provided by the regional centers. This includes reference to the current irrigation scheduling information service operated by the H...

A real-time climate information system for the midwestern United States

Abstract: The Midwestern Climate Information System (MICIS) is a near real-time system which provides access to a wide variety of climate information products. These include current temperature and precipitation data for several hundred midwestern United States stations, historical temperature, and precipitation for about 1500 stations, climate summaries, long-range predictions, regional soil moisture estimates, and crop yield risk assessments. The region covered includes the states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Because agriculture is a major sector of the Midwestern economy and is sensitive to climate fluctuations, some products have been oriented to the needs of agriculture. However, many other products have generalj applicability. Users of this system include agri-businesses and researchers. MICIS has several unique features: a) regional coverage provides climatic information for a major part of the United States corn and soybean belt: b) daily...

Use of Climatological Data in Weather Insurance

Abstract: There are three major types of crop-related weather insurance: hail, all perlis, and rain insurance. The development of rates is an exercise in applied climatology, and the importance of the historical data selected for assessing risk (and developing rates) is revealed by the problems encountered by firms insuring against deficient summer rainfall during the drought of 1988. Extensive purchase of premiums costing $9 million for coverage ($400 million) in the Midwest occurred with buyers (farmers) apparently aware during May and June 1988 that an unusually dry event was in progress. The levels of loss (50% or less of average June-August rainfall) offered by insurance firms were exceeded throughout the Midwest. The firms attempted to refund the record number of premiums accepted in June, and in turn, 8000 farmers filed a class-action suit against the firms for failure to accept premiums and to provide coverage. The insurance firms ultimately settled by agreeing to pay $48 million in claims. The cov...

Experimentation Involving Controversial Scientific and Technological Issues: Weather Modification as a Case Illustration

Abstract: The development of weather modification requires resolution of a number of scientific questions. To resolve them necessitates field experiments that frequently extend over many years and cost millions of dollars. These projects usually are highly visible to the scientific community and, often, to the public as well. Weather modification and similarly risky technical efforts requiring field research typically involve a large number of scientists with varying interests and incentives. As they seek to resolve certain scientific controversies, the projects also generate other conflicts that are organizational, budgetary, and sometimes public. The scientific conflicts cannot be separated from these controversies in their environment. Solving the one kind requires dealing with the others. To learn how such projects should be designed, conducted, and evaluated, we studied four major weather-modification projects and determined the origin and resolution of their scientific, management, and policy controversies. T...

Economic Effects of Precipitation Enhancement in the Corn Belt

Abstract: Policy formulation in weather modification requires an understanding of the economic effects from altered weather. The focus of this study is to provide insight into the beneficiaries of a functioning weather modification technology when applied at various spatial and temporal levels. An econometric model which links the corn/scybean production to U.S. cattle, hog and poultry sectors is used to determine the effects of precipitation enhancement in the U.S. Corn Belt, a humid climatic region. A regional supply formulation permits assessment of weather modification on production, prices, revenues to producers, and savings in consumers expenditures on meat. The results provide insight into the distribution of economic effects, emphasize the importance of careful planning in the use of weather modification technology, and provide useful information on the roles of local, state, and federal governments in the support of weather modification.

Crop Yield Results from Simulated Rain Applications to Agricultural Plots in Illinois

Abstract: Ten different levels of rainfall were applied (during 1987, 1988, and 1989) to agricultural plots in central Illinois to discern effects on corn and soybean yields. Increases in rainfall during a hot dry summer (June-August 1988) revealed sizable yield gains. For one inch of added rainfall, the yields increased 10 bu/acre for corn and 4 bu/acre for soybeans. In a summer of near average rain (1989), the increases were less, about 5 bu/acre for corn and 3 bu/acre for soybeans. When summer rainfall exceeded 14 inches, yields of both crops were decreased. The various rainfall tests revealed that rain increases done only on days when natural rainfall was 1.0 inch of rain.