International Day of Forests 2022

Picture of Tropical Forest at Grand-Étang, Capesterre Belle-Eau

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has declared March 21st as the International Day of Forests.

Official poster of the International Day of Forests 2022

The forest as an ecological system is the basis of life and determines the supply of water, plant and animal resources, but also energy via wood, coal and peat for certain regions.

The forest performs many other missions, particularly in extreme environments such as in tropical areas with high rainfall where the stability of the soil is entirely their responsibility.

Few forest areas are preserved from the action of men, agriculture, logging and urbanization constitute the most visible threats, but the generalized use of pesticides and other chemical products weaken the components of these systems and push to their transformation.

New exotic species is also a major risk, globalization, the ease of the transport of goods with stowaways such as insects and snails, the desire to grow new plant species disturb forest systems with more or less serious and more or less lasting effects.

On the climate side, the role of the forest in the capture of atmospheric carbon is known but its role in rainfall is less so. Evaporation above forest areas allows a large number of microorganisms present on the leaves of trees to be found in the atmosphere and constitute as many condensation points for water vapour facilitating precipitation. A forest needs water to grow and facilitates rainfall.

The forest is a complex system, they all have their specificity and uniqueness, dry, wet, maritime. To enter a forest is to enter a full universe that deserves respect and protection like the oceans. Forests are essential to our life on this planet.

On this international day, ask yourself the question of the last time you went to the forest. If it’s been too long, plan a visit to reconnect with the biological reality of our planet and adapt our lifestyle.

#Forest #FAO #InternationalDay #Complex #Biology #Protection #Future #TCGNRG

Poster of the selected theme of the International Day of Forest: Sustainable wood

Read More : https://www.fao.org/international-day-of-forests/en/

International Education Day (2022)

Education (and access to knowledge) without being a guarantee of social justice is one more chance to live in health, in peace and to avoid exploitation and this at all ages.

It is important for everyone to question the state of our education systems and the future we want in order to improve them.

Education also includes all the knowledge and human know-how developed, including the knowledge from our cultures. Globalization and access to knowledge on an industrial scale via the Internet classify knowledge, making the life of the knowledgeable unsuited to their environments.

On this international day, it is important to question an education at all ages that values and respects all knowledge, know-how and interpersonal skills.

TCGNRG’s essence is to make knowledge and understanding tools available to all, in particular for phenomena at the ocean-atmosphere interface. For this, respect for ancestral cultures and knowledge is essential because although the last hundred years have seen a progression in observation and modeling methods, they have only made it possible to directly characterize the last hundred (100) years of what is small compared to the history of mankind (7 million years).

#InternationalDay #Education #Knowledge #KnowHow #InterpersonalSkill #Respect #Cultures #UNSECO #TCGNRG

Read more on : https://en.unesco.org/commemorations/educationday

World Wetland Day 2021

Wetland area are essential are for the biodiversity and the availability of water for environment. Too often, in the tropical area, these areas are confused with mangle swamp which is composed them. But there are more extensive and got many shades which made them zones too little known and studied

#WWD2021 #WetLand2021

A New MPhil in Applied Physic

The Jamaican Green Desalination Project is glad to announce that the MPhil associated with the project was validated, in September 2020, by the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus. The thesis is entitled “RENEWABLE ENERGY FOR DESALINATION PROCESS: EFFICIENCY AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS IN A TROPICAL ISLAND USING DIGITAL TOOLS

Title page of the Williams MPhil thesis

It is an initial project of three years, fruit of collaboration of the TCG•NRG and UWI Mona. This research is innovative for Jamaica and proposes the use of the Reverse Osmosis process to be run with Renewable Energy. The work done took a snapshot of the freshwater and Renewable Energy resource based on up to 50 years of data. Maps of the best locations to produce freshwater based on the Renewable Energy resource (i.e., wind, solar and wave), freshwater need and the impact of the waste aka by-product (i.e., brine) on the coastal environment have been produced for Jamaica. The impacts of a desalination plant powered by Renewable Energy have been evaluated in equivalent carbon dioxide tons saved and volume of sea water needed to dilute the brine produced by the desalination process.

Jamaica has a new Master of philosophy in Applied physics named Zachary Williams. The Thesis will be available for download in the couple of months.

These three years of research set methodology to select:

  • the type of Desalination process based on the environmental conditions.
  • the Renewable Energy hybrid farm based on the available resources.

The study allows the conception of a numerical simulator, using among other GIS methods, to evaluate the Renewable Energy production based on historical data. Those tools allow for evaluation of the production of freshwater and waste for the next decades.

One of the main output is the generation of map of the best location a Green Powering Desalination plant (see figure)

Le Cahier de la Ressource en Eau

The Caribbean Geophysical and Numerical Research Group (Le Groupe de Recherche Caribéen en Géophysique et Systèmes Numériques) est fier de vous annoncer la parution du premier cahier sur la ressource en eau de la Guadeloupe édité par l’OREC Guadeloupe intitulé : « LA RESSOURCE EN EAU ET LE CHANGEMENT CLIMATIQUE »

Ce document est le fruit d’un travail collaboratif du comité technique sur la ressource en eau du Groupe Régional d’Expert du Climat (GREC) Guadeloupe composé d’une dizaine de membre provenant de l’Université des Antilles, du BRGM, de l’IPGP-OBSERA, l’INRAe, Flè Kawbon, Office de l’Eau Guadeloupe, de TCGNRG et encadré par l’OREC Guadeloupe (Mesdames Cynthia Bonine et Amélie Belfort).

La rédaction du document a été confiée à Jean-François Dorville et Romain Rochette qui n’a malheureusement pas pu aller au bout du projet par manque de temps.

Le document est destiné aux institutions et au grand public. Il fait un inventaire de la ressource disponible, présente les projections climatiques et leurs effets attendus mais aussi les actions possibles pour les atténuer.

Le document est composé de 40 pages, 22 illustrations, 4 tableaux et 20 photographies. Il est organisé en quatre grandes parties :

  • Une présentation du climat de la Guadeloupe et ses principales caractéristiques
  • Un inventaire de la ressource en eau, principalement celles qui bénéficient d’un suivi administratif
  • Une présentation des prévisions climatiques, essentiellement provenant des projections à l’horizon 2080 du projet C3AF (scénario GIEC RCP8.5) et ces effets attendus sur la ressource et les usages de l’eau
  • Une présentation des leviers d’action, les moyens et les méthodes disponibles pour atténuer les effets avenir.

Le document est librement téléchargeable sur le lien suivant : Cahier_de_l_eau

TCGNRG espère qu’il deviendra un document de référence pour la grande région Caraïbe. Nous restons disponibles pour répondre à toutes questions sur ce sujet (contact@tcgnrg.com).

Lien YouTube de présentation de la vidéo sous-titré

Lien vers article dans la presse

RCI Guadeloupe (13/11/2020) : https://www.rci.fm/guadeloupe/infos/Environnement/Un-cahier-pour-comprendre-la-ressource-en-eau-et-le-changement-climatique-en

France Antilles Guadeloupe (11/11/2020) : https://www.guadeloupe.franceantilles.fr/actualite/environnement/un-webinaire-sur-la-ressource-en-eau-en-guadeloupe-et-le-changement-climatique-580152.php

France Antilles Guadeloupe (17/11/2020): https://www.guadeloupe.franceantilles.fr/actualite/environnement/nos-enfants-devront-apprendre-a-economiser-l-eau-580483.php

Water Resource Notebook of Guadeloupe

The Caribbean Geophysical and Numerical Research Group is proud to announce the publication of the first notebook on the water resource of Guadeloupe edited by OREC Guadeloupe (Regional Energy & Climate Observatory) named « LA RESSOURCE EN EAU ET LE CHANGEMENT CLIMATIQUE » (WATER RESOURCE AND CLIMATE CHANGE)

This document is the fruit of the collaborative work of the technical committee of the water resource of the Regional Climate Expert Group of Guadeloupe composed by ten members form University of Antilles, BRGM (French Geological and Mining Research Office), IPGP-OBSERA (Earth Physic Institute of Paris – Observatory of water and erosion in the French West Indies), INRAe (French National Institute of Agronomic Research and Environment), Flè Kawbon (Carbon Flower -Design Office-), Office de l’Eau Guadeloupe (Water Office of Guadeloupe), TCGNRG and supervised by OREC Guadeloupe (Mrs Cynthia Bonine and Amélie Belfort).

The writing of the document has been committed to Jean-François Dorville et Romain Rochette who could not go to the end of this project by lack of time.

The document is intended for institutions and the general public. It inventors the available resource, presents the climatic projections and theirs expected effects but also the possible actions to mitigate them.

The document is composed of 40 pages, 22 illustrations, 4 tables and 20 pictures. It is organized in four parts:

  • A presentation of climate of Guadeloupe and its main features
  • An inventory of the water resource, mainly those which benefit from an administrative following.
  • A presentation of the climate prevision, mainly those which come from C3AF up to 2080 (IPPC RCP8.5 scenario), and their expected effects on the water resource and their usage.
  • A presentation of levers of action, means and methods available to mitigate the future effects

The document if freely downloadable in French on that link : Cahier_de_l_eau

A long abstract will be available soon

TCGNRG hopes that it will become a reference in the Caribbean area. We still available to answer to any questions on the field (contact@tcgnrg.com)

YouTube link of the video of presentation (in French with subtitle) : YouTube

Link to press article

RCI Guadeloupe (13/11/2020) : https://www.rci.fm/guadeloupe/infos/Environnement/Un-cahier-pour-comprendre-la-ressource-en-eau-et-le-changement-climatique-en

France Antilles Guadeloupe (11/11/2020) : https://www.guadeloupe.franceantilles.fr/actualite/environnement/un-webinaire-sur-la-ressource-en-eau-en-guadeloupe-et-le-changement-climatique-580152.php

France Antilles Guadeloupe (17/11/2020): https://www.guadeloupe.franceantilles.fr/actualite/environnement/nos-enfants-devront-apprendre-a-economiser-l-eau-580483.php

Meilleurs vœux 2020

Toute l’équipe de TCGNRG vous souhaite une excellente année 2020 à vous et vos proches !

Dans un environnement où tout semble s’accélérer au point de vue physique l’Humain doit rester au centre du problème en interaction forte avec son milieu (l’eau, la terre, l’air et la vie).

Nos peurs ne proviennent que de nos manques de compréhension ou de l’absence de vérité…The Caribbean Geophysical and Numerical Research Group (Le Groupe de Recherche Caribéen en Géophysique et Systèmes Numériques) aide à la compréhension, l’acquisition et la maîtrise des savoirs à l’échelle du globe ou de la ville.

TCGNRG propose des solutions dans des domaines allant de la production eau douce, l’évaluation des énergies renouvelables, la gestion des échouages de sargasses, la pollution marine et atmosphérique et l’atténuation des risques naturelles.

Best wishes for 2020

All TCG•NRG wish you and your relatives a Happy New Year 2020!

In an environment where everything seems to be accelerating from a Physical point of view, Human being must remain at the centre in strong interaction with her / his environment (i.e., water, earth, air and life)

Our fears only come from lack of understanding or absence of truth… The Caribbean Geophysical and Numerical Research Group helps to understand, acquire and master knowledge at the scale of the earth or a city

TCG•NRG offers solutions in areas ranging from freshwater production, renewable energy assessment, management of sargassum stranding, marine and atmospheric pollution and natural hazards mitigation.

CARISCIENCE 2019 – Guadeloupe

From October 20th to October 22th 2019 University of Antilles at the Fouillole Campus in Guadeloupe hold the annual meeting of the CAS (Caribbean Academia of Science) and of CARISCIENCE.

The conference CARISCIENCE 2019 “CARIBBEAN SCIENCE AND INNOVATION MEETING” was the opportunity to award Dr. S. Haque for important work she done in Astrophysics, research of life in the Universe and popularization of science through action for youth and scientific TV show.

It was also the opportunity for Pr E. Calais of the ENS France (French Higher National School) to reaffirmed the high utility and need of the Geoscience in the Caribbean. By his presentation “Research, Training and Innovation in Earth Science: a Caribbean perspective?” Professor Calais list main applications can be done by the geoscience to the community. One can regret that his presentation was essentially focused on Natural Hazard and did not mention utility for every day and life quality. In any case The Caribbean Geophysical and Numerical Research Group policy and aim was indirectly confirmed by this presentation. He validated again the project defended by TCG•NRG at the scale of the Caribbean region.

The two days of conference was focus on four main themes : Biodiversity; Health; Agronomy; Risk and Chemistry.

The session organized are listed bellow:

  • Biodiversity & Health;
  • Biodiversity-Chemistry;
  • Risk;
  • Chemistry;
  • Biodiversity & Agronomy.

The large diversity of theme present during this conference was the opportunity for the TCGNRG to present part of two studies done in collaboration with students of UWI Mona and the Physics Department at the Faculty of Science and Technology.

A poster on wave energy potential around Jamaica by Alton Daley : “The First Steps Towards The Realization Of Energy From Oceanic Waves In Jamaica”. Alton present in this poster some interesting result of his Mphil study, particularly sea state around Jamaica. The poster is accessible on this link.

The second work is an oral presentation on a first LoRa experimentation for sensor network in Jamaica. This work is part of the Zachary William Mphil and #JamGreenDesal project : Using LoRa P2P NetworkforAutonomous Seawater Quality Monitor for Green Powering Desalination Plant

Initial poster which should presented before change by organizer in oral presentation is available on this link.

The work presented during this conference were of good quality with many interesting subject focused on the Caribbean area one can site the presentation on conch of Dr. Dalila Aldana-Aranda : “Scientific Cooperation in the Caribbean: Queen conch (Mollusca) as indicator of Climatic Change.”

National French Air Quality Day (9/18/2019)

France is celebrating its National Air Quality Day on 18 September under the auspices of the Ministry of Ecological and Solidarity Transition.

The quality of the air to a minimum of three essential elements :

  • we live permanently in the atmosphere, apart from short passages in liquid media, between 0 and 15km above the surface of the water (atmospheric boundary layer), our skin and most of our mucous membranes are in permanent contact with the air and these compounds;
  • we must inhale at least 10 to 30 thousand litres of air in a day to produce the energy needed for life using available oxygen;
  • High concentration and diversity of fine particles and airborne molecules in air mostly composed by nitrogen (78%), oxygen (21%) and other gas.
Sketch of Atmospheric Boundary Layer

Human activities, geological (volcanism), meteorological (sand haze) and biological (fermentation of wet packed algae) in amount of other can perturb air quality over more or less long period.
In order to qualitatively and quantitatively assess quality of the air in which we move and we breathe, index have been put in place.
It is based on the determination of a value or a colour indicating the quality compared to a normal air or the risk related to particular particles or molecules.

In front of the considerable number of particle, the indices group several sees all the pollutants.
The atmospheric index (ATMO index) used in France takes into account Ozone (O3), Sulphur dioxide (SO2), Nitrogen dioxide NO2 and PM10 (particle up to 10 micrometres in diameter). Future evolutions predict the use of PM25.

Value of pollutants concentration used to compute ATMO Index

The information of the air quality must be correlated with our behaviour.
Placed in a rubbish bin all aware human being will seek to extract itself quickly, except special mission. An atmosphere of poor quality should be avoided.

It is therefore unfortunate that the information on atmospheric indices is not clearly required to avoid immediate risk behaviours such as smoky plumes from charcoal smokers (a large producer of fine particles) or run along roads and motorways at the end of the day at busy times.
Talking about situations that are not palpable enough (i.e., not visible or too far away) does not allow the conceptualization of pollution, makes the notion too abstract and does not allow the acceptance of behaviour that has a strong impact on lifestyles and the economy. But ensures a better, healthier, more peaceful and less violent life.

Information, especially the one which was worked to produce index, means something and must be understood and accepted. TCGNRG participates in this understanding and awareness with the help of adapted training, advices and atmospheric modelling and human behaviour, do not hesitate to contact us for more information.

Atmospheric Index at worldwide scale  : https://waqi.info/fr/