bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Traditional livestock enclosures are greenhouse gas hotspots in the African savanna landscape: The case of a rangeland in Kenya
Authors: Leitner Sonja , Carbonell Victoria , Butterbach-Bahl Klaus , Barthel Matti , Mhindu Rangarirayi Lucia , Mutuo Paul , Buchmann Nina , Merbold Lutz
Published: February 2023

There is hot debate about whether grassland-based livestock production can be climate-smart or not. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from livestock (primarily from enteric methane [CH4] and manure CH4 and nitrous oxide [N2O]) stand vis-à-vis vegetation CO2 uptake and soil carbon sequestration. In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), livestock are a precious good that ensures the livelihoods of millions of people, which often belong to marginalized groups such as pastoralists. To protect their animals from predation and theft, livestock are secured in overnight enclosures (“bomas” in Kiswahili), which form the center of many pastoral settlements. However, in these enclosures manure accumulates for months or even years, making them a potential hotspot for GHG emissions. Here, we present the first year-long measurements of GHG emissions from active and inactive (abandoned) bomas from an African rangeland at the ILRI Kapiti Research Station in Kenya.We found that active bomas were continuous sources for CO2, CH4 and N2O emissions, with flux peaks of up to 1940 mg CO2-C m‑2 h‑1, 1600 μg N2O-N m‑2 h‑1 , and 6690 μg CH4-C m‑2 h‑1. Even after their abandonment, fluxes from bomas continued to be elevated compared to savanna soil background emissions for all GHGs. When calculated over a full year and put in context with manure deposition rates into the bomas (GHG emission factors), we found that 12.6 ± 5.3 % manure-C was emitted as CO2, 2.4 ± 0.4 % manure-N was emitted as N2O, and 0.5 ± 0.1 % manure-C was emitted as CH4. GHG emissions from active bomas were not affected by rainfall seasonality or temperature, presumably because the moisture content of the fresh manure was always high due to urine input, and because temperature did not vary much during the year. In abandoned bomas, GHG emissions were driven by rainfall events that triggered emission pulses, leading to higher emissions during the wet season.The high N2O and CH4 emissions we found have implications for global GHG inventories, which currently do not have a category for overnight livestock enclosures and therefore do not account for these emissions. Furthermore, hotspots for GHG emissions such as these livestock enclosures need to be included to assess the full GHG budget of pastoral livestock systems and to develop management interventions for low-emission livestock production in developing countries.
Combinations of CML wet/dry corrections based on MSG SEVIRI data in Germany
Authors: Wagner Andreas , Wiegels Rebecca , Graf Maximilian , Polz Julius , Chwala Christian
Published: February 2023

Data from commercial microwave links (CML) operated by mobile network providers is attenuated by precipitation. The line integral of the precipitation intensity can be calculated from this attenuation and is used as a complement to common precipitation measurements. A major issue in CML signal processing is the distinction between dry and wet time steps. In addition to time series-based methods, precipitation patterns based on weather radar or satellite are also used.One aim of our work is to evaluate the suitability of MSG SEVIRI data as a wet/dry indicator. The advantage of SEVIRI is the almost global coverage with a resolution of about 4x6 km in the middle latitudes, every 15 minutes. We apply two products from NWCSAF that derive the probability of precipitation from a combination of SEVIRI channels. Our study is based on 3901 CMLs in Germany for the summer of 2021. We evaluate the performance differences at various precipitation intensities as well as between daytime and nighttime since fewer SEVIRI channels are available at night. Another aim of our work is to investigate the possibilities of improvements by a combination of time series and SEVIRI-based wet/dry detections.Our results show at least equivalent performance of SEVIRI compared to common time-series-based methods. The Matthews Correlation Coefficient (MCC) values for combinations are even better. This is especially the case for light precipitation. In addition, there are also no deteriorations for individual CMLs compared to common methods.
Probabilistic regionalization of soil moisture data measured by Rail-based cosmic ray neutron sensing
Authors: Altdorff Daniel , Dega Ségolène , Schrön Martin , Oswald Sascha , Zacharias Steffen , Dietrich Peter , Attinger Sabine , Paasche Hendrik
Published: February 2023

Information about soil water content (SWC) in adequate spatial and temporal resolution is highly desired for a variety of scientific and practical applications. Cosmic-Ray Neutron Sensing (CRNS) has become an established method for passive SWC data collection, providing SWC information over several hectares, either by stationary CRNS sensors (local continuous measurements) or by mobile CRNS roving (expanding the footprint on certain field campaign days). Recent approaches of automatic rail-based CRNS roving (Rail-CRNS) allowed to expand the monitored areas further up to the kilometer scale in high temporal resolution. While a pilot study on Rail-CRNS provided promising results along the railway track, currently in daily resolution, it also raised the question of how transferable these SWC data are for areas not directly adjacent to the footprints along the railway. In this study, we have tested the performance of SWC regionalization by probabilistic predictions based on Rail-CRNS derived SWC data. A Monte Carlo approach was applied in regression random forest, using static (e.g. topographical indices, soil properties) and dynamic (precipitation) predictors and quantified their impact on the prediction accuracy. Using daily SWC values from a ~ 9 km long railway at the Harz mountain, Germany, recorded by the Rail-CRNS between September 2021 and July 2022, we predicted the daily spatial SWC variation for an area of ~ 85 km² and a period of 300 days on a 250 x 250 m grid. The resulting maps of gravimetric soil moisture showed realistic pattern for both, spatial and temporal SWC variation. The maps resolved spatial variation as related to land cover, seasonal SWC dynamics and individual responses of single areas to wetting and drying periods. As the demonstrated data represented the outcome of a relatively narrow area as given by the limited training Rail-CRNS data, the extension of the proposed approach by expanding the railway networks, by future technical improvements and by the automatization of the workflow has the clear potential to offer near real time SWC products for the large scale (> 100 km). 
Mechanical behavior of porous carbonates as a function of pressure, temperature, and fluid content from laboratory experiments and correlation with larger scale structures
Authors: Trippetta Fabio , Ruggieri Roberta , Motra Hem B. , Collettini Cristiano
Published: February 2023

Pressure, temperature, and infilling fluids influence the petrophysical properties and the associated damaging processes of rocks at all scales. Moreover, each fluid-rock system possesses peculiar mechanical behaviours being these particularly complex in carbonate rocks hosting fluids. In this work, we analyze the laboratory results of deformed clean and hydrocarbon-filled limestones under varying pressure and temperature, providing links between recorded physical properties (seismic velocity), fluid behavior, and damaging. We focus on carbonate-bearing reservoir (Bolognano Formation) rocks, sampled in the Majella massif (Central Italy) that represents a very good analogue for buried carbonate reservoirs. This reservoir is composed by calcarenites with connected porosity of about 20% saturated by hydrocarbon in the solid state at the outcrop conditions. We performed hydrostatic, triaxial and true-triaxial deformation tests up to a temperature of 100º C and a confining pressure up to 100 MPa on both clean and naturally hydrocarbon-filled limestone samples. Results show increasing seismic velocity and Young’s modulus with increasing confining pressures for both clean and saturated samples as expected. However, different results are observed when the temperature is increased. At low temperatures saturated samples show larger seismic velocity and rigidity with respect to clean samples whilst at higher temperatures the opposite occurs. In particular, when temperature is rised up to 100º C the Young’s modulus of the saturated samples dramatically decreases, being this coupled by a clear volume reduction even during hydrostatic tests (no differential stress applied). Accordingly, microstructural observations highlight grain crushing related to a large amount of randomly distributed cracks within saturated samples. On the contrary, clean samples are characterized by few microfractures, pointing out the primary role played by liquid hydrocarbons. These observations are in good agreement with meso and microstructural features observed on outcropping hydrocarbon-filled carbonate-bearing faults. The presence of fluid hydrocarbons (high temperature) severely weakens the rock promoting fracturing whilst at lower temperature the presence of solid hydrocarbons increases the mechanical properties of hydrocarbon-bearing rocks. These observations have a large impact for the petrophysical characterization of reservoirs and for the understanding microscale to mesoscale mechanisms of deformation and fluids movement along deformed rock volumes.
PANAME – Project synergy of atmospheric research in the Paris region
Authors: Haeffelin Martial , Kotthaus Simone , Bastin Sophie , Bouffies-Cloché Sophie , Cantrell Chris , Christen Andreas , Dupont Jean-Charles , Foret Gilles , Gros Valérie , Lemonsu Aude , Leymarie Juliette , Lohou Fabienne , Madelin Malika , Masson Valéry , Michoud Vincent , Price Jeremy , Ramonet Michel , Ribaud Jean-Francois , Sartelet Karine , Wurtz Jean ,   PANAME team
Published: February 2023

The Paris region (France) is increasingly the focus of urban atmospheric research. Numerous national and international research projects have chosen Europe’s largest metropolitan region as their study area to better understand and predict critical hazards (incl. heat, air pollution, thunderstorms) in the context of a changing climate. Located on rather flat terrain in continental, mid-latitude climates, the densely populated Paris region is very suitable for the evaluation of urban processes in numerical simulations at different scales. The European research infrastructures ACTRIS and ICOS are developing strategies for the improved operational monitoring of air pollution and greenhouse gas budgets, respectively. Various research projects are conducting fundamental process studies and model developments to investigate the dynamics and chemistry of the urban atmosphere and its interactions with the rural surroundings and regional-scale flow to better quantify associated health risks and inform sustainable planning.In addition to numerous modelling activities (chemistry-transport, numerical weather prediction, climate projections), diverse atmospheric observations are collected. These include dense surface station networks, turbulent flux towers, and ground-based atmospheric remote sensing to monitor the atmospheric boundary layer. This multi-project context motivates the pooling of resources.To facilitate efficient project synergy and to optimise the coordination of the individual experimental campaigns, the PANAME initiative (https://paname.aeris-data.fr/) was established. PANAME provides a framework to optimise the design of the Paris region measurement network and helps to standardise the operations. A professional, multi-disciplinary data portal is developed at the French AERIS atmospheric data centre to host the PANAME observations and model results. Here, data are collected and formatted, standardised advanced products are derived from the diverse sensor networks and high-quality visualisations are generated in near real-time. The presentation will provide an overview on the scientific objectives of the on-going projects, the deployment of measurements and simulation tools, and the data portal design. 
Small aperture infrasound array in the Antarctic Peninsula region - the first observations experience
Authors: Liashchuk Oleksandr , Andrushchenko Yurii , Otruba Yurii
Published: February 2023

At the Ukrainian Antarctic Akademik Vernadsky station deployed a significant multidisciplinary complex of equipment, some of which has been providing data to the scientific community for more than half a century. In addition to existing measuring instruments, a small aperture infrasound array was installed at the Vernadsky Station in 2021. The distance between the Chaparral Physics Model 64Vx sensors is 100 meters. The shape of the array is in the form of a triangle with a central element. The signal from the sensor goes by wire to a four-channel 24-bit ADC and then to the SeisComP server, where the data archive is formed in the miniSEED format. Since 2022, data has been transmitted in real time via the SeedLink protocol via satellite internet to the National Data Center, where it is processed.During the observation, a large number of interesting regional and global signals associated with the calving of icebergs, avalanches, tsunamis, and storm processes were recorded by the array. At the beginning of 2022, together with the global infrasound network, signals from the eruption of the Hunga volcano, Tonga, were also recorded at the infrasound array of the Vernadsky station.During registration, some technical issues were discovered that need to be upgraded, in particular, to improve the noise reduction and power systems. It is also necessary to increase the aperture of the array.In general, the infrasonic array showed good survivability and the ability to record a wide range of phenomena in the Antarctic Peninsula region. Processing of its data in combination with data from neighboring infrasound arrays of the International Monitoring System CTBTO in a number of cases makes it possible to locate and identify the source of the signal. In addition, the current observational experience can be used in the installation of the IMS infrasound station in the Antarctic Peninsula region, as previously planned.
Anthropogenic intensification of life-threatening rainfall extremes: Implications for flash floods in urban areas
Authors: Fowler Hayley , Blenkinsop Stephen , Chan Steven , Kahraman Abdullah , Ali Haider , Kendon Elizabeth , Lenderink Geert
Published: February 2023

Short-duration (1 to 3 hour) rainfall extremes can cause serious damage to infrastructure and ecosystems and can result in loss of life through rapidly developing (flash) flooding. Short-duration rainfall extremes are intensifying with warming at a rate consistent with atmospheric moisture increase (~7%/K) that also drives intensification of longer-duration extremes (1day+). Evidence from some regions indicates stronger increases to short-duration extreme rainfall intensities related to convective cloud feedbacks but their relevance to climate change is uncertain. This intensification has likely increased the incidence of flash flooding at local scales, particularly in urban areas, and this can further compound with an increased storm spatial footprint to significantly increase total event rainfall. These findings call for urgent climate-change adaptation measures to manage increasing flood risks, including rethinking the way climate change is incorporated into flood estimation guidance.
How PostgreSQL and QField Cloud can streamline data collection and improve data security: experience from a collaborative, interdisciplinary water reuse project in Flanders, Belgium.
Authors: Zawadzki Mateusz , Huysmans Marijke
Published: February 2023

Data is at the heart of every project, and its quality determines the reliability of research outcomes. In ever more collaborative geoscientific research, where data comes from many sources and in various formats, the right tools must be used to ensure data integrity and seamless access for all involved.Since 2019, in the project Grow, we routinely monitored groundwater quality and levels within an agricultural field where water is reused for irrigation and groundwater recharge. With multiple participants and analysis factors and fine temporal resolution of the monitoring, problems were encountered with a large volume of unstructured data with poor version control. Standard tools for collaborative research, such as cloud-based Excel spreadsheets, proved ineffective and threatened data integrity. A more robust data management system was urgently needed.Here we provide an overview of a framework based on a popular, open-source PostgreSQL relational database management system deployed in Amazon Web Services that helps to overcome data management issues in groundwater monitoring projects. Among main features are user-based, minimum privilege access which protects the data from, e.g., accidental deletions, and a hardcoded set of data correctness checks decreasing the likeliness of data input errors. Field data is collected using QField Cloud mobile application running a preconfigured QGIS project, sending the data directly to the database. Users also have access to all historical records, helping them detect anomalies on the spot. Laboratory analysis results and data from automatic data loggers without Internet of Things (IoT) modules are processed and uploaded to the database using custom-developed, open-source Python software, providing full transparency. Several IoT devices upload data directly to the database.So far, the new management system has proved a far superior platform for collaborative data analysis compared to existing tools. It significantly improved fieldwork efficiency and provided assurance of the data quality by improving the collection and handling process transparency. Thanks to the hard work of the QGIS and QField communities, as well as the developers and maintainers of PostgreSQL, we are better equipped for the future of geodata analysis.
Monitoring land deformation through PSI technique for Einstein Telescope site characterization of Sos Enattos (Sardinia, Italy)
Authors: Dessì Francesco , Melis Maria Teresa , Da Pelo Stefania , Funedda Antonio
Published: February 2023

The Einstein Telescope (ET) is a proposed underground infrastructure to host a third-generation, gravitational-wave observatory. There are currently two candidate sites to host it: one of this is located in Sardinia region (Italy), in a favourable geological context, the other one in the Meuse-Rhine Euregion. Site-characterization studies are under way towards the site selection, which is expected for 2024. The scope work of this research is to evaluate the surface deformation of this site by integration of remote sensing techniques with geological and geophysical data. In this framework the PSI (Persistent Scattered Interferometry) technique with SAR data is the proposed approach for the analysis of a long time-series imagery. Although recent crustal movements in the study area are supposed to be very small (≃ - 0.5 mm/years from 2014 as measured by EUREF Permanent Network https://epnd.sgo-penc.hu), ESA Sentinel-1 data from Copernicus program, represents an effective tool to update this knowledge and monitor the phenomenon. A first analysis has been performed in the study area using the Snap2Stamps methodology. During the first assessment of this research, this methodology has been tested to a dataset of 94 images from Sentinel-1. The radar data (SLC, Single Looking complex) acquired from January 2021 to July 2022 for both descending and ascending orbits on an area of 250 sq km has been managed. The applied methodology requires a long-time for the processing in order to derive vertical velocities, and we considered the opportunity to use a cloud service. So, we exploited the possibility offered by SNAPPING service provided by Terradue (https://www.terradue.com/portal/), a cloud on-demand computing service for Sentinel-1 Multi-Temporal DInSAR processing, based on integrated SNAP and StaMPS chain. In this service, the dataset can be improved, considering a longer time of acquisition, exploiting the complete Sentinel revisiting time, starting from 2014.The first results of this analysis have been calibrated with the existing GNSS measures provided by EUREF using the data of the Nuoro station. The ground vertical displacement calculations, composing data from both acquisition orbits, confirm the existing evaluations and extend the current information to the whole study area. Moreover, it will be possible to consider also future acquisition with a continuous monitoring process.These results can be considered an important value for the proposed Italian site and the ET infrastructure realization. 
Roots mechanical effects on hydraulic riverbanks erosion and on shallow landslides: modelling tools for forest management along alpine streams
Authors: Vuaridel Marceline , Schwarz Massimiliano , Cohen Denis , Perona Paolo , Hollard Niels , Ruiz-Villanueva Virginia
Published: February 2023

Floods, shallow landslides and surface runoff are recurring processes known for mobilizing sediments and large wood in alpine catchments leading to on-site and off-site hazards such as hydraulic bank erosion, debris flows, increased suspended sediment concentration and instream large wood (LW) transport. All these hazards are exacerbated by extreme precipitation events, and can cause important damages to forests, agriculture, civil structures and settlements. Because plant roots may significantly increase the stability of riverbanks as well as of vegetated slopes, forests can be considered an alternative protection against such processes with respect to other civil engineering measures. However, root reinforcement effectiveness depends on many factors such as roots density, soil properties, and soil thickness, which implies that some vegetated areas have a more significant effect than others.

In this work, we present the application of BankforMAP and SlideforMAP, two physically-based probabilistic models, for the prioritization of silviculture measures along channels aiming to mitigate risks. The first model simulates expected hydraulic bank erosion by considering channel morphology, bank sediment material, tree roots distribution, and a certain discharge scenario. The second model simulates expected precipitation-triggered shallow landslides by analyzing slope stability and takes the spatial distribution of lateral and basal root reinforcement into account. In this study, these models are further used to quantify the protection effect of the forest against these two processes. In addition, we propose a methodology for using these models to quantify the volume of recruited and transported LW considering different triggering event and vegetation scenarios. Furthermore, we propose an approach for assessing the risk related to LW and its spatial distribution in a catchment area.

These tools and methods have been tested in a catchment of 29 km2 in NW Switzerland, allowing the identification of forested areas with high protection effect, the estimation of the volume of LW expected to be supplied by both hydraulic bank erosion and shallow landslides, as well as the volume of wood transported by the stream considering different triggering event and vegetation scenarios. These results were then used to assign spatially-distributed values of risk to LW.

Altogether, these results highlight areas where the forest has an important protection effect and where it might pose a risk. Ultimately, the results of this study can be used by decision makers to prioritize the role of protection forest in a catchment and to support the definition of silvicultural measures to mitigate the risks due to LW transport.
A study on seasonal forecasting of air quality in East Asia using statistical-dynamical methods
Authors: Choi Jahyun , Jeong Jee-Hoon , Woo Sung-Ho , Jeong Ji-Yoon , Park Sanghyuk , Yoon JIn-Ho
Published: February 2023

In this study, we developed a statistical-dynamical model that predicts the concentration of particulate matter in Korea 2-3 months in advance using the correlation between meteorological and climate factors and presented its performance. Temperature and atmospheric circulation around the Arctic Ocean considering the predictive performance of the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) climate forecast system version 2 (CFSv2), the concentration of particulate matter in winter in Korea, and the correlation between meteorological and climate factors, potential predictors such as sea surface temperature in the Bering Sea region and sea level pressure in the Atlantic region were discovered. Using this, a multiple linear regression model was constructed between the average concentration of particulate matter during the winter of that year and latent factors for the second half of October and the first half of November in NCEP CFSv2, respectively. Seasonal predictions were made for the concentration of particulate matter in winter for a total of 20 years from 2001 to 2020. The result of the winter predicted in the second half of October showed r=0.49. And the result predicted in the first half of November showed a predictive performance of r=0.45. Considering the linear trend of particulate matter reduction, which was strong during the study period, r=0.72 in the second half of October and r=0.71 in the first half of November. This is judged to be the result of maximizing climate prediction performance considering the relatively long time scale of seasonal forecasting. In addition, additional forecasting ability can be expected through improved predictability of climate prediction models such as multi-model ensemble technology. However, although the results of the dynamical model were reflected, there are still limitations of the statistical model, and additional research is needed, such as problems due to limitations in observational data.
Post-tin-mining agricultural soil regeneration using local organic amendments improve nitrogen fixation in legume-cassava cropping system on Bangka Island, Indonesia
Authors: Maftukhah Rizki , Keiblinger Katharina M , Mentler Axel , Ngadisih Ngadisih , Murtiningrum Murtiningrum , Gartner Michael , Kral Rosana M , Hood-Nowotny Rebecca
Published: February 2023

Post-tin mining soil in Bangka Island shows poor fertility and hence limited suitability for agricultural production. Previously, we found that organic amendments like compost, charcoal, and their combination improve the yield of intercropping cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) and legume species (Centrosema pubescens). We hypothesize that N-fixation by centrosema in combination with the application of organic amendments has a highly beneficial effect on crop production via improved the nitrogen content from both, the soil amendment and plant's atmospheric nitrogen fixation.To evaluate the amount of nitrogen fixed by centrosema in post-tin mining soil; soil and crop samples were taken from different soil amendments treatments: (1) dolomite (10 t ha-1); (2) compost (10 t ha-1); (3) charcoal (10 t ha-1); combined treatment of (4) charcoal+compost (10 t ha-1 for each); and (5) charcoal+sawdust (10 t ha-1 for each); and a control for intercropping system of local crops (Cassava and Centrosema) in July 2018. The centrosema was harvested twice during the first and second season (December 2018 and July 2019). The 15N natural abundance method was used to estimate nitrogen fixation (N2-fixation) in centrosema at harvest time.Comparing season and treatment, the proportion of nitrogen derived from N2-fixation (%Ndfa) was comparable. However, the amount of N2-fixation was significantly different due to biomass accumulation. Soil amended with compost increased N2-fixation in centrosema by 6-fold compared to control (50 kg ha-1), while combined treatment of charcoal and compost increased this value by 8-fold (73 kg ha-1). When comparing the seasons, the average N2-fixation in the first season was roughly ten times greater than in the second season (30 and 3.17 kg ha-1, respectively). In terms of total nitrogen uptake by centrosema across seasons, soil amended with compost or charcoal+compost significantly improved total N uptake in centrosema (61 and 111 kg ha-1, respectively). Accordingly, organic amendments, in particular in charcoal + compost treatment, significantly increased ammonium in the soil at harvest time (6.71±0.29 µg g-1).Our findings suggest that organic amendments, particularly combined application of charcoal and compost in post-tin mining soils can increase N2-fixation of intercrop centrosema as well as nitrogen availability in the soil, which is of crucial importance in infertile post-mining soils.Keywords: legume, mining, soil amendment, intercropping, nitrogen fixation
Spatio-temporal assessment of groundwater drought risk in the Souss-Massa aquifer: Impacts of climate variability and anthropogenic activity
Authors: Gouahi Soumia , Hssaisoune Mohammed , Nehmadou Mohammed , Bouaakkaz Brahim , Boudhair Hicham , Bouchaou Lhoussaine
Published: February 2023

Although the several studies carried out in the Souss Massa region, in terms of water resources, the assessment of the drought is still understudied, particularly groundwater drought which remains a gap in the previous studies. In this work, meteorological drought is investigated by using the standardized precipitation index (SPI) to shed light on its impact on groundwater drought occurrence. Thereafter, a combination of reliability analysis and standardized water level index (SWI) is used for groundwater risk modeling. Reliability analysis accounts for the safety and the failure of a system regarding loads, which take into account the external effects (withdrawals and recharge), and resistance which accounts for the system's capacity, thereafter values of Groundwater Drought Risk (GDR) and Environmental Hazard Index (EHI) are generated and then spatially distributed to assess groundwater risk for mild, moderate, severe, and extreme droughts for the whole region of Souss-Massa. Results showed a wavering between short dry and wet periods based on SPI, and demonstrated a weak correlation between the SPI and the SWI, hence the upward trend in the SWI is explained by the anthropogenic overexploitation of the aquifer. Furthermore, groundwater drought risk (GDR) values are low in the upper Souss and increase in the middle part and in the Massa basin, where significant effects are potentially expected. Based on the EHI results, it is confirmed that the Massa basin and the middle Souss are susceptible to groundwater drought and its environmental impact and need immediate intervention to properly manage the groundwater resources. This model could be helpful for the policymakers for better planning of water supply by providing useful information about the expected frequency and severity of water shortage in the studied area.Keywords:Groundwater drought, Reliability analysis, meteorological drought, anthropogenic activities, Souss Massa basin. 
Microscale oxygen distribution to predict denitrification in structured soil
Authors: Lucas Maik , Rohe Lena , Vogel Hans-Jörg , Well Reinhard , Schlüter Steffen
Published: February 2023

Different microbial species are capable of producing N2O through multiple pathways, and these can coexist within short distances due to different microenvironmental conditions in the heterogeneous soil structure. Denitrification in soil occurs predominantly in microbial hotspots where denitrifiers use nitrate as an alternative electron acceptor. Soil water content has a profound influence on denitrification because it determines the diffusion lengths of oxygen through air- and water-filled pores, as well as the diffusion of denitrification products from the source in the soil to the atmosphere. Predicting N2O emissions resulting from denitrification, however, is notoriously difficult without quantifying microscale hotspots.In this experiment we evaluated results from an incubation experiment with undisturbed cores from two different soils having contrasting structures (cropland vs. meadow) at three different water contents. In addition to high-resolution gas chromatography, 15N-labeled nitrate solution allowed information on denitrification and its product ratios to be gained through IRMS measurements at selected time points. On the other hand, 7 needle-type optodes per core in combination with image analysis of images derived by X-ray tomography are used to quantify small scale diffusion distances and hotspots around POM. Last, a previous experiment, with the same but sieved soil and without particulate organic matter (POM), is used as a comparison to further investigate the influence local structure heterogeneity and POM on denitrification.First results indicate that the reduction of diffusion pathways during sieving in the arable soil resulted in significantly lower emissions after sieving compared to the structured soil, while N2O+N2 emissions in the meadow soil were only slightly affected by sieving. For the first time, we were able to generate 3D images of O2 saturation by combining image-derived diffusion length information with the measured O2 concentrations. These allowed to explain high variabilities of N2O+N2 emissions from the field structured cores.
Soil moisture products underestimated plant-relevant dry-down during the recent drought in Germany
Authors: Schmidt Toni , Schrön Martin , Li Zhan , Francke Till , Zacharias Steffen , Hildebrandt Anke , Peng Jian
Published: February 2023

In the last decades, a variety of soil moisture products from remote sensing and process-based modeling have been created to study the terrestrial water cycle on a large scale. While satellite-based products are only representative of the water content at the topmost soil surface, model-based products aim at overcoming this limitation by estimating the water content in the deeper soil. In order to map the water content in the course of droughts and to analyze plant water absorption and transpiration, the water content in their rooting depths is of particular interest but out of scope for satellite-based products. Ground-based cosmic-ray neutron sensors are able to estimate soil water content at depths from 0 to 20 or 70 cm, depending on the soil water content. Their data offer a promising reference for the vertical extrapolation of satellite-based soil moisture products. In most soil moisture product assessment studies, assessment metrics are usually provided as single values over a certain period of time. However, this disregards the temporal dynamics of the metrics and the underlying processes. Here, we analyze the temporal dynamics of biases of cutting-edge soil moisture products from remote sensing and process-based modeling, in order to assess their potential to monitor plant-available soil water content. As a reference, we use soil moisture estimations from different sites of the Cosmic-Ray Soil Moisture Observation System (COSMOS) in Germany, covering a six-year time span (2015–2020) that includes the drought of 2018. We found that the biases have an annual frequency with a peak in summer for all selected products. Distinct peaks in 2018 and 2019 are outstanding and show the underestimation of the dry-down in subsurface soil layers caused by the drought. Additionally, there is a positive trend of the biases, even across different depths of multi-layer model-based products. The results suggest that the biases during the 2018 drought and subsequent years are due to soil drying at depths that are both below the coverage of the satellite sensors and not captured by the models. This demonstrates that the dry-down during droughts cannot be replicated by the chosen satellite- and model-based soil moisture products. For the accurate estimation of plant-relevant soil water content during droughts, a careful assessment of soil moisture products along with ground-based measurements is necessary. Our findings serve as a basis for improving current soil moisture products.
A framework for assessing the space needed for dune-based coastal adaption at multiple time scales.
Authors: Romero-Martín Rut , Valdemoro Herminia , Ranasinghe Rosh , Jiménez Jose A.
Published: February 2023

Under current conditions, the Spanish Mediterranean coast is already presenting hotspots of extreme exposure to coastal hazards and recurrent damage, making it necessary to adopt disruptive adaptation strategies as opposed to the classic expectation of full protection. This situation is expected to worsen under the effect of sea level rise, which will increase existing erosion rates, with some areas being fully eroded due to the lack of accommodation space to allow natural adaptation to the new conditions.In this context, nature-based solutions (NBS) are becoming one of the main type of measures to be favored in order to be more climate-resilient and thus support EU policy priorities. Although research on the effectiveness of most nature-based coastal protection methods is still limited, some of them such as dune systems and sand banks have been classified as essential for future coastal defense.In highly-developed coastal zones, which are the most at risk, the lack of the sufficient space limits the viability of using NBS as they cannot be accommodated. Thus, the existence of accommodation space is the required condition to permit the beach migration and rebuilding under SLR, otherwise will progressively decline and ultimately disappear. It has to be stressed that the accommodation space is a relative concept, being related to the expected magnitude of the shoreline retreat at a given time horizon under a given climate forcing scenario. Within this context, this work presents a regional-scale framework to assess the accommodation space needed to adopt dune-based NBS planning as a coastal adaptation strategy, by integrating predictions of accommodation space needed to cope with coastal hazards under current and IPCC AR6 climate scenarios and for different time horizons relevant for planning purposes (up to 2100), and to enable dune development. The hazards considered are (i) long-term (decadal scale) coastline evolution; (ii) storm-induced erosion; (iii) SLR-induced erosion; (iv) permanent inundation due to SLR; and (v) storm-induced flooding. The framework applies to the Catalan coast, a 600 km long stretch of the Spanish Mediterranean coastline.This work was supported by the Spanish Agency of Research in the framework of the CoastSpace project, TED2021-130001B-C21 (MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033).
Collaborative Implementation of the Polar Star Project Toolkits, using science to inspire students' interest in how the world works
Authors: Mavrodieva Svetla
Published: February 2023

Collaborative Implementation of the Polar Star Project Toolkits, using science to inspire students’ interest in how the world works  Marieta Gigova(Principal), and a Team of teachers: Evdokia Cholakova, Nina Krumova, Todor Grigorov, Kamelia Andronova, Julia Nikolova, Svetla Mavrodieva, Radostina Georgieva and Miroslava MilushevaOur school became a coordinator for Bulgaria by the Polar Star Project  https://polar-star.ea.gr/, and a team of teachers became part of the Polar Star Advisors Team. While, in my country, there is not a particular subject ‘’ Geoscience’’ included in the official curriculum, some toolkits, developed by this Project, were collaboratively implemented, using science to inspire students’ interest in how the world works.In this talk, we present and describe a sample of a practical experience of the collaborative implementation of the STEAM Activity ‘’Permafrost’’ Toolkit or ‘’ Why thawing permafrost accelerates climate change and becomes dangerous for the Planet?’’A good comprehension of Earth’s ecosystems/cycles of matter and energy transfer in ecosystems/materials and structure/atmosphere/surface (ocean and continents) with the 14-17 years old students is important for further understanding of Earth dynamics. Students also experimented with the "Surviving the Arctic" Toolkit to observe how permafrost affects an active layer. It was quite recently that we got the Polar Star Activities and Kits in the Bulgarian language, for the benefit of Bulgarian teachers.
Smart cobbles and boulders for monitoring movement in rivers and on hillslopes
Authors: Roskilly Kyle , Bennett Georgina , Clark Miles , Franco Aldina , Egedusevic Martina , Curtis Robin , Jones Joshua , Whitworth Michael , Luo Chunbo , Manzella Irene
Published: February 2023

Constraining the initiation of bedload sediment transport in rivers is of fundamental importance to understanding a range of geomorphic processes. Likewise, on hillslopes, identifying the initiation of movement is a vital first step towards developing early warning systems for hazards such as landslides. Several studies have previously experimented with embedding sensors within cobbles and boulders to capture and characterise their initiation and subsequent movement in the laboratory and in the field (both for hillslopes and riverbeds). However, these sensors have been limited by their battery life and/or lack of wireless sensor communication in their ability to monitor movement in natural settings over extended time periods. Accelerometers have been most widely applied, e.g. to detect bedload movement on a river bed, but can only measure vibrations and partial changes in orientation between stationary periods, which can occur simply during shaking of a cobble in its pocket on the bed. Gyroscopes, which can assist in continuous orientation tracking and therefore identification of actual transport (e.g. rolling of a cobble along a riverbed), have higher power consumption.On SENSUM (smart SENSing of landscapes Undergoing hazardous hydrogeomorphic Movement), we have leveraged advances in micro-electronics and Internet of Things technologies to develop a low-power inertial measurement sensor that communicates in near real-time via Long Range Wide Area Network (LoRaWAN). The sensor includes accelerometers, gyroscopes and magnetometers and laboratory experiments have already shown their potential to differentiate between sliding and rolling behaviour. We have embedded sensors in natural and manmade boulders (SlideCubes), cobbles and wood debris within several landslide and flood prone sites across the UK. The sensors form part of Wireless Sensor Networks that also consist of LoRaWAN gateways and other sensors such as discharge gauges.We present field data captured from smart cobbles installed in upland rivers on Dartmoor and Cumbria that demonstrate the potential of SENSUM sensors to detect initiation of bedload transport, i.e. the transition from shaking of a cobble in its pocket to downstream transport by rolling and/or saltation. We also present preliminary data of landslide movement captured by sensors installed in SlideCubes at Lyme Regis and Isle of Wight. Moving forwards, we will use machine learning methods to analyse sensor data on the server in near real-time in order to characterise and alert of hazardous movement.
Microplasic measurements at the Danube river using a multi-level approach
Authors: Liedermann Marcel , Pessenlehner Sebastian , Gmeiner Philipp , Mayerhofer Johannes , Procop Ionut , Habersack Helmut
Published: February 2023

Microplastics are already part of our environment - even in the most inaccessible and remote places we find plastic particles that also remain there due to their longevity. The finer the scale at which we analyse samples, the more particles we find. It also became clear in the recent years, that rivers transport microplastics and that they also represent a principal pathway for plastic transport from land to the sea.Initial measurements with benthic nets on the Austrian Danube have shown that the plastic particles are not only found on the surface, but are distributed unevenly with maximum concentrations partly near the bottom, partly on the surface and partly concentrated on one side of the river. Given the spatial and temporal distribution, a multipoint method seems inevitable and was chosen for further measurements, in which three measuring points each are distributed over the depths of several measuring verticals along a cross-section. Furthermore, it was found that the microplastic concentration also strongly depends on the discharge conditions and that by far the largest quantities of microplastics are mobilized and then transported during flood events.After the first comprehensive measurements on the Austrian Danube between 2014 and 2015, further samplings were carried out in Hungary, Serbia and at 3 locations in Romania over the recent years. Despite the limitations of the data set, regarding the longitudinal, cross-sectional and hydrological representation of the micro plastic transport in the Danube River, an attempt is made to describe its characteristics on a basin wide scale. The measurements, reaching from impounded sections in the Upper Danube all the way down to the Danube delta, have shown, that the concentrations fluctuate strongly longitudinally according also to the discharge level. Therefore, at least at certain times, the Danube – and river systems with their inundation areas in general – are not only pathways, but can also be regarded as a microplastic sink. However, to increases process understanding and derive reliable statements, more data are needed.
Enabling the comparison of high-resolution precipitation observations with numerical weather prediction model simulations at every model time-step
Authors: Steinslid Mari , Sodemann Harald , Kähnert Marvin
Published: February 2023

Precipitation characteristics are expected to change in the future as a consequence of global climate change. For example, high-intensity precipitation is expected to become more frequent in some areas of the world. The short time scales and small spatial scales of intense precipitation events pose challenges for numerical weather prediction (NWP) models. Measurements of precipitation characteristics from in-situ and remote sensing instrumentation are often available at much higher time resolution than common NWP model output, and need to be aggregated for validation studies. Here we present a methodology to enable the comparison of precipitation observations and model output at the time scale of the model time steps. Our analysis is focused on an extreme, convective precipitation event during 30th July 2019 in Bergen, Norway (60.38ºN, 5.33ºE, 12 m a.s.l.). We use high-resolution measurements of precipitation characteristics from a Micro Rain Radar Metek MRR-2, an Ott Parsivel2 Disdrometer, and a TPS-3100 Hotplate Pluviometer. Model precipitation was extracted from the operational NWP model MetCoOp that uses a horizontal grid spacing of 2.5 km and 65 vertical levels as part of the HARMONIE AROME model configuration. Using DDH (Diagnostics par Domaines Horizontaux), a novel tool for extracting prognostic variables from the model at a time-step resolution, we extracted a detailed dataset from a NWP model reforecast at every time step (75s), for a 62.5 by 62.5 km subdomain centred around the measurement site. We characterised precipitation by investigating five parameters, namely rain rate, liquid water content, mean volume diameter, the normalised intercept parameter, and terminal fall velocity. The newly developed methodology enabled a direct comparison of the observed precipitation characteristics with corresponding parameters from the model prediction for the convective rainfall event. Despite a generally reasonable correspondence between all parameters in the model and observations, the model struggled with underestimation of rainfall intensity during the high-intensity periods. The onset and intensity of precipitation depended strongly on location for the investigated event. Higher time resolution provided more detailed insight into intensity, timing and spatial variability of the modelled precipitation compared to the more commonly used hourly interval. Our new methodology can be easily applied to other precipitation events, such as frontal rainfall events, and thus provide process-level understanding of precipitation characteristics simulated by high-resolution NWP models. 