bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring Trends, Patterns, and Drivers of African Surface Water Dynamics
Authors: Sogno Patrick , Klein Igor , Uereyen Soner , Bachofer Felix , Kuenzer Claudia
Published: March 2024

Water, a fundamental resource for both ecosystems and human populations, faces escalating challenges in Africa due to water stress and changes in climate, demography, and socioeconomics. Because these changes are happening at a rapid pace, it is essential to understand the dynamics of water bodies and the factors that impact them to ensure sustainable usage strategies. Our research aims to analyze the long-term trends of surface water availability in Africa, identify the causal impacts on major water bodies, and explore the similarities between different lakes.We use daily time series based on Earth observation, including the MODIS-based Global WaterPack for a daily uninterrupted time series of the continent's surface water area. Furthermore, we incorporate daily time series of hydrologically relevant variables such as precipitation, total evapotranspiration, groundwater, soil moisture, and Gross Primary Productivity (GPP) to analyze their impact on surface water dynamics of major African lakes. For this, we employ the Peter and Clark Momentary Conditional Independence causal identification algorithm. Our findings reveal subbasin-wide surface water and GPP to be the dominant drivers of surface water dynamics in most cases. We further find that dynamically similar lakes often share common drivers, allowing the generation of regional lake clusters. Understanding the drivers of African lakes may significantly help in the formulation of sustainable development strategies.In conclusion, our continent-wide analysis provides valuable insights, particularly beneficial for stakeholders engaged in international development and ecosystem protection and restoration. As we deal with the challenges of water resource management in Africa, our research aims to contribute substantively to the formulation of strategies that foster sustainability and resilience in the face of evolving environmental and socio-economic conditions.
Improved assessment of OVOC sources and sinks over Reunion Island through WRF-Chem model evaluation against PTR-MS data and satellite retrievals
Authors: Poraicu Catalina , Müller Jean-François , Stavrakou Trissevgeni , Amelynck Crist , Verreyken Bert , Schoon Niels , Mouchel-Vallon Camille , Tulet Pierre , Brioude Jérôme
Published: March 2024

Oxygenated volatile organic (OVOCs) are important compounds in atmospheric processes. They have been seen to contribute largely to ROx and ozone formation and in remote marine regions, they contribute to diminishing the oxidative capacity of the atmosphere by reacting with OH. OVOCs are directly emitted from biogenic sources and are produced from the oxidation of hydrocarbons in the atmosphere. However, their budget remains poorly understood, due to incomplete representation of photochemical OVOC production and uncertainties in terrestrial emissions and ocean/atmosphere exchanges.In this work, we compared model simulations with OVOC remote high-altitude measurements conducted in 2019 at Reunion Island, a subtropical French territory in the Indian Ocean. We exploit a 2-year high-temporal resolution dataset of mass spectrometry (PTR-MS) measurements of OVOC compounds at a remote high-altitude tropical site, the Maïdo Observatory (2155m asl) on Reunion Island. More precisely, the Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled with Chemistry (WRF-Chem) is used to provide an updated evaluation of the budget of OVOCs over Reunion Island, based on the PTR-MS dataset complemented with meteorological measurements and satellite (TROPOMI) retrievals of relevant compounds. The model is configured to include two domains centred on Reunion Island. The finest resolution (2.5km) in the nested domain is needed to resolve the complex orography of the island and the spatially heterogeneous distribution of reactive species. For computational reasons, the focus is on two one-month simulations in January and July 2019, allowing analysis of seasonal differences and their impacts on model performance and chemical budget.The WRF-simulated meteorology is first evaluated against meteorological measurements at a remote site (Maïdo) and two urban sites (Saint Denis and Saint Pierre). A high-resolution (1km2) anthropogenic emission inventory for Reunion is implemented, complemented with information from global inventories. Biogenic VOC emissions (primarily isoprene) are calculated on-line using the MEGAN algorithm and amended high-resolution distributions of standard emission factors and plant functional types (PFTs). The MOZART chemical mechanism is adopted with updates to the chemistry. The chemical simulations are evaluated against (1) NO2 and HCHO vertical columns from TROPOMI, (2) the PTR-MS OVOC dataset at Maïdo, (3) an FTIR column dataset, also at Maïdo, and (4) network air quality measurements at several sites. Those comparisons will provide new constraints on the emissions of NOx and VOCs, and will result in recommendations for further refinements. This work will lead to a better appraisal of OVOC sources and sinks over the island. The main unknowns and potential issues will be discussed.
A Comparative Study of Energy Conversions Associated with Collisionless Shocks and Magnetic Reconnection in the near-Earth Environment
Authors: Dahani Souhail , Lavraud Benoit , Génot Vincent , Toledo-Redondo Sergio , Kieokaew Rungployphan , Fargette Naïs , Gershman Daniel , Giles Barbara , Torbert Roy , Burch James
Published: March 2024

Collisionless shocks are ubiquitous in space plasmas. The mechanisms responsible for energy conversion and particle acceleration in collisionless shocks remain elusive and central to many astrophysical problems. Here we propose to analyze and compare terms of the energy equation during Earth bow shock and magnetopause Electron Diffusion Region (EDR) crossings using the high-resolution, multi-spacecraft Magnetospheric MultiScale (MMS) mission. Direct derivations from the Vlasov-Maxwell equation provide the equation that describes the temporal evolution of the kinetic energy. In this study, we investigate, in a multifluid framework, the terms that quantify the acceleration or deceleration of ions and electrons, i.e., pressure-gradient force term, and the electromagnetic energy term. The former accounts for plasma acceleration/deceleration from a pressure-gradient, while the latter accounts for plasma acceleration/deceleration from an electric field. While global average balance between the terms is expected, deviations from zero are sources of accelerations or decelerations. We use in-situ observations from MMS to determine statistically the dominant terms responsible for electrons and ions acceleration in association with these two key phenomena: shocks and reconnection. In this ongoing work, we present the probability distribution functions of the relevant terms. We classify our results with respect to the Alfvènic Mach number and the plasma beta. We discuss the role of each term in accelerating, heating the plasma and producing or annihilating magnetic energy.
Measuring δ17O and Δ′17O in precipitation across various spatial and temporal scales: spanning from global to local and from multi-year to sub-hourly resolutions
Authors: Terzer-Wassmuth Stefan , Araguas-Araguas Luis , Wassenaar Leonard I. , Monteiro Lucilena R. , Stumpp Christine
Published: March 2024

During the past decade, the rare O isotope 17O and the 17O-excess became attractive for potential new applications in hydrology, climatology, and broader oxygen isotope research. Although laser-based analysers are technologically capable of the needed Δ′17O assays, progress was hindered by the metrological challenges and the absence of fundamental spatiotemporal data on precipitation inputs. Uncertainties surrounding the input function of the water cycle complicate advancements of 17O as a tracer. This “emerging tracer dilemma” is a potential obstacle for further triple-O isotope research.In this work, >3500 archived water samples from the Global Network of Precipitation (GNIP) sample archives (2015-2021) were re-analysed for  for δ17O and Δ′17O. For >60 GNIP stations, four or more years’ of samples were analysed, assessing the seasonality of Δ′17O, and constructing δ17O/ δ18O Local Meteoric Water Lines (LMWL). This global dataset allowed for a first-ever comprehensive assessment of the spatial patterns of δ17O/ δ18O LMWLs, and to devise a first-ever precipitation-weighted Global Meteoric Water Line (GMWL): δ′17O = 0.5280 ± 0.0002 δ′18O + 0.0153 ± 0.0013. This GMWL definition is similar to previous efforts albeit with a lower ordinate intercept.We further analysed the Δ′17O of a 6-year daily/fortnightly precipitation sampling in Vienna as an example of seasonal isotopic variations at synoptic weather patterns’ resolution. Air moisture sources were determined by backwards trajectory analysis and corroborated with synoptic weather data from Austria’s meteorological service. The Δ′17O values correlated with δ18O seasonality. A comparison with the deuterium excess patterns (stemming from the Atlantic and Mediterranean domains) demonstrated that the “two excesses” carried different signals. While elevated d-excessesmainly came from the central/eastern Mediterranean Sea or easterly continental sources during all seasons, we found elevated Δ′17O precipitation originated only from northerly or north-easterly sources, and predominantly during the winter season.Finally, we present pilot Vienna precipitation events sampled at sub-hourly (to 5-minute) resolution, which included both cyclonic and convective rainfall events, which demonstrate the interplay of moisture sources using triple oxygen isotopes and deuterium excess. This work will help to shape our understanding of δ17O and Δ′17O in Earth’s precipitation, despite the ongoing metrological challenges faced, and promote discussion regarding the scientific value of routine measurements for triple-oxygen isotopes in precipitation.
Greening mediates climate and CO2 induced water use efficiency effects on freshwater yield
Authors: Hwang Taehee , Band Lawrence , Creed Irena , Green Mark
Published: March 2024

Forests are crucial for the production of high-quality freshwater resources. Complex interactions between climate change and forest processes can result in uncertainty in the availability of freshwater to downstream communities and the environment. Previous studies reported consistent increasing trends in global river discharge during the last century, which has been explained by either climate factors (usually called “hydrological intensification”) or suppressed transpiration due to CO2-induced stomatal closure. In this study, we study long-term changes in hydrological partitioning of precipitation between evapotranspiration and runoff generation (as mm per year) along a gradient of forested watershed along the eastern temperate forest biome. The precipitation is increasing at faster rates than runoff at most of these study catchments, which suggests long-term increases in evapotranspiration. These divergent trends in precipitation versus runoff rates are significantly correlated to long-term trends in NDVI and growing season length at the watershed scale, while climate variables cannot provided significant explanation. These findings suggest that the combined effect of increased temperatures and CO2 fertilization have led to increased leaf area and lengthened growing season, which may counteract the effect of the CO2-induced stomatal closure across the eastern US. This study emphasizes the importance of understanding vegetation responses to climate change to predict future flow regimes in forested watersheds.
Embedded research into collaborative multi-scale water resources planning in England and Wales
Authors: Leonard Ali , Amezaga Jaime , Blackwell Richard , Lewis Elizabeth , Kilsby Chris
Published: March 2024

My PhD research project is titled ‘Multi-scale water resources planning in England and Wales’. Proposed by an industry leader, it evaluates the importance of scale in water resources planning since the recent establishment of regional and national planning alongside continuing company scale planning. The project is part of the Water and Infrastructure Resilience Centre of Doctoral Training (WIRe CDT). The WIRe CDT’s close ties with industrial partners allows research projects such as mine to be applied in a real life setting which helps increase the impact and allows for skills development across industry and academia. Through this academic-industrial partnership I can benefit from observing the multi-scale planning process in practice. Firstly, observations of the planning process draw from placements embedded in the national reconciliation processes (focused on aligning inter-regional schemes) and regional and company planning. Secondly, semi-structured interviews are being conducted with participants from across the water industry including regional planning leads, regulators, government officials, and water resources planners from water companies and consultancies. Thirdly, lessons learned workshops are being carried out with leads of the five regional planning groups (WRW, WRSE, WRE, WReN, & WCWRG) and regulators, with findings being presented to a national planning coordination group (RCG). Finally, policy and planning documents and academic literature are reviewed and analysed. The data is collated and organised thematically to identify successes, failures, and recommendations in an iterative and collaborative way that follows the planning cycle as it evolves. Lessons learned through this transition to a multi-scale approach have been fed-back in real time to decision makers involved in strategic water resources planning in England and Wales. The recommendations acknowledge the existing gaps and aim to start framing a collaborative, multi-scale model of planning that starts the process of building a better understanding of water requirements and strategies and managing issues as they arise, recognising that time and resourcing is needed to start building the relationships and levels of trust and confidence required for the long term goal of truly integrated management. The emerging governance frameworks are attempting to establish and integrate multiple scales for the first time since the sixties in England and Wales, and ultimately will be judged to have succeeded if there is confidence and trust that the process delivered aligned plans across scales that meet long term water supply needs. Success or failure, lessons learned from this transition to a multi-scale approach may provide wider insight for decision makers involved in complex, long-term, multi-stakeholder decision making under uncertainty.
Evolution of Hydro-Meteorological Whiplash Events (Compound Floods and Droughts) over India
Authors: Bhattacharjee Debankana , Dhanya Chandrika Thulaseedharan
Published: March 2024

In recent decades, the heightened frequency of extreme hydro-meteorological events such as floods and droughts has emerged as a global concern. These events not only pose a significant threat to individual societies but also exert lasting impacts on entire ecosystems. Of particular concern is the occurrence of whiplash events, where rapid transitions from wet to dry spells or vice versa amplify the already substantial impacts on various spatial and temporal scales. This study delves into the potential risks associated with the immediate succession of dry spells following wet spells and the heightened likelihood of intense compound occurrences fueled by concentrated rainfall distribution. Spanning 7 decades from 1951 to 2019, this research employs Event Coincidence Analysis or ECA to examine the aggregated whiplash behaviour in the Indian subcontinent. Our investigation focuses on the frequency of compound whiplash events, specifically dry spells followed by wet spells. Intriguingly, the findings reveal that, on average, 45 to 60% of dry spells across the majority of India are followed by wet spells within a 3-month window or 90 days. Moreover, our analysis demonstrates that the rate of wet spells triggering subsequent dry spells surpasses the reverse scenario. Consistent with the overall trend, compound flash floods and droughts, categorised by high intensity but brief duration, have been notably prevalent from 1951 to 2019. Although the spatial coverage of these events remains relatively small, recent decades have witnessed a discernible increase of 7–9%, primarily in arid, semi-arid, and tropical monsoon regions. Limited occurrences in tropical savannahs and humid subtropical regions were also noted. While the spatial structures associated with increased whiplash frequency appear less organised compared to individual dry and wet spells, the study underscores significantly higher ratios. This suggests that, despite the modest spatial coverage, whiplash events have experienced a notable increase in frequency over the past three decades. This comprehensive analysis contributes valuable insights into the evolving landscape of hydro-meteorological extremes, emphasising the growing importance of understanding compound events for effective climate resilience and adaptation strategies.
Statistical Analysis of EMIC waves and Particle Fluxes using POES and Van Allen Probes
Authors: Esman Teresa , Halford Alexa , Pettit Joshua , Bhanu Remya , Elliot Sadie
Published: March 2024

Electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves are waves generated through cyclotron instability and propagate at frequencies near the ion cyclotron frequency. These waves are frequent during geomagnetic storms and significantly impact the dynamics of particles in the magnetosphere. Wave-particle interaction can lead to the acceleration and scattering of charged particles. Therefore, the presence of these precipitating particles may indicate the presence of EMIC waves. However, other processes are known to also cause precipitation, such as ULF waves. By examining in situ data during POES and Van Allen Probe conjunctions, characteristics of the plasmasphere, magnetosphere, particle fluxes, and EMIC waves are investigated. We conduct a statistical analysis of particle flux under varying conditional limitations associated with the presence or lack of EMIC waves and geomagnetic storms. We use the two sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov test to check multiple null hypotheses and aim to answer increasingly more complex questions as we test our methods and follow assumptions. Preliminary results showed a statistical difference between the particle flux observed when there are EMIC waves and when there are no EMIC waves during storm times. We discuss new results, possible implications, and next steps.
From climate to weather reconstruction with inexpensive neural networks
Authors: Wegmann Martin , Jaume-Santero Fernando
Published: March 2024

Understanding atmospheric variability is essential for adapting to future climate extremes. Key ways to do this are through analysing climate field reconstructions and reanalyses. However, producing such reconstructions can be limited by high production costs, unrealistic linearity assumptions, or uneven distribution of local climate records. Here, we present a machine learning-based non-linear climate variability reconstruction method using a Recurrent Neural Network that is able to learn from existing model outputs and reanalysis data. As a proof-of-concept, we reconstructed more than 400 years of global, monthly temperature anomalies based on sparse, realistically distributed pseudo-station data.Our reconstructions show realistic temperature patterns and magnitude reproduction costing about 1 hour on a middle-class laptop. We highlight the method’s capability in terms of mean statistics compared to more established methods and find that it is also suited to reconstruct specific climate events. This approach can easily be adapted for a wide range of regions, periods and variables. As additional work-in-progress we show output of this approach for reconstructing European weather in 1807, including the extreme summer heatwave of that year.
Discriminators of Antarctic Atmospheric River Environments            
Authors: Baiman Rebecca , Winters Andrew C. , Pohl Benjamin , Favier Vincent , Wille Jonathan D. , Clem Kyle R.
Published: March 2024

Although rare, atmospheric rivers (ARs) substantially influence the interannual variability of Antarctic surface mass balance. We identify characteristics unique to AR environments by comparing (1) AR, (2) Analog (environments that feature high-low pressure couplets, similar to AR environments, but no AR), and (3) Top AR (high-precipitation AR timesteps) during 1980–2019 around Antarctica. We find significant differences between AR and Analog environments including more intense and poleward-shifted mid-tropospheric geopotential height couplets as well as larger atmospheric moisture anomalies. We find similar significant enhancement in synoptic-scale dynamic drivers of Top ARs compared to AR environments, but no significant difference in local integrated water vapor anomalies. Instead, our results highlight the importance of large-scale dynamic drivers of Top AR timesteps, including connections between high-precipitation ARs and Rossby waves excited by tropical convection. This deeper understanding of Antarctic AR environments provides context for interpreting future changes to the Antarctic surface mass balance.
Flood plain inundation modeling with explicit description of land surface macrotopography
Authors: Pizzileo Simone , Moretti Giovanni , Orlandini Stefano
Published: March 2024

Land surface topography plays an essential role in flood plain inundation modeling. High-resolution digital surface models (DSMs) based on LiDAR surveys have become increasingly accessible in various geographical areas. Nevertheless, common practice involves filtering out land surface macrostructures, such as trees and buildings, by using obtained digital terrain models (DTMs) to represent the land surface hydraulic geometry. This is done by letting resistance coefficients represent the effects of both micro and macrostructures on surface flow propagation. In addition, significant information loss is observed when digital terrain models are coarsened for computational efficiency.In the present study, physically meaningful unstructured meshes are automatically extracted from high-resolution digital surface models to explicitly describe land surface macrostructures. This is achieved by extracting relevant ridges at a selected level of representation without applying any coarsening or depression filling pre-processing. The effects of these macrostructures on floodwater propagation are evaluated by comparing simulations obtained by using digital terrain models and related Manning coefficients, simulations obtained by using digital surface models representing land surface macrostructures and related Manning coefficients, and observations for a real flood inundation event occurred after a levee failure in the lowlands adjoining the Panaro River in Northern Italy in 2020.The explicit description of land surface macrostructures based on a 1-m digital surface model is found to yield a 42% improvement in the prediction of flooded area extent, a 36% improvement in the prediction of flooded areal position, and a 24% improvement in the prediction of flood plain inundation travel time with respect to the case in which resistance coefficients representing both land surface micro and macrostructures are used. Unstructured meshing of land surface macrostructures based on extracted ridge networks is essential for achieving a detailed description of land surface hydraulic geometry without altering the original topographic data, while also preserving computational efficiency. The obtained results highlight the role of natural and human-made macrotopographic structures in delineating flood plain inundation models and generating flood hazard mapping. These tools represent valuable assets in the context of Emergency Action Planning (EAP) and prevention strategies.
The Impact of Gulf Stream Moisture Flux Suppression on Atmospheric Blocks
Authors: Mathews Jamie , Czaja Arnaud , Vitart Frederic , Roberts Christopher
Published: March 2024

In this study, we explore the impact of oceanic moisture fluxes on atmospheric blocks using the ECMWF Integrated Forecast System (IFS). Artificially suppressing surface latent heat flux over the Gulf Stream region leads to a significant reduction (up to 30%) in atmospheric blocking frequency across the northern hemisphere. Affected blocks show a shorter lifespan (-6%), smaller spatial extent (-10%), and reduced intensity (-0.4%), with an increased detection rate (+14%). These findings are robust across various blocking detection thresholds. Analysis indicates a resolution-dependent response, with resolutions lower than Tco639 (∼18km) showing no significant change in blocking characteristics. Exploring the broader Rossby wave pattern, we observe that diminished moisture flux favors eastward propagation and higher zonal wavenumbers, while oceanic influence promotes stationary and westward-propagating waves with zonal wavenumber 3. This study underscores the critical role of western boundary current’s moisture fluxes in modulating atmospheric blocking and associated Rossby wave dynamics.
Homeopathy in Greece: A critical evaluation of institutional support versus scientific evidence
Authors: Archontis Stamos , Koutroumpelis Andronikos
Published: March 2024

Our investigation presents a comprehensive fact-checking analysis of the standing of homeopathy in Greece, juxtaposing the support it receives from some official institutions with the prevailing scientific consensus. This work was prompted by a recent controversy surrounding the sponsorship of a homeopathic conference by the Ministry of Health and the Athens Medical Association. Notably, the official website of the organization hosting the event published articles making bold assertions about the effectiveness of homeopathy in treating COVID-19 and casting doubts on the safety of mRNA vaccines. Furthermore, the event highlighted a presentation claiming to treat a supposed case of vaccine-induced autism with homeopathy.To address these claims, we conducted a detailed inquiry involving requests for official statements from relevant Greek authorities and professional associations. Our approach included a thorough review of national regulations, an extensive examination of medical literature, and an analysis of international medical recommendations regarding homeopathy. The findings revealed a stark contrast between institutional endorsements and the lack of empirical evidence supporting homeopathy’s efficacy in treating diseases.Our work discusses the consequences of such a disparity between institutional support and scientific validation. The findings highlight the necessity of aligning health policies and endorsements with scientifically validated practices to maintain public trust and ensure the credibility of medical recommendations.
Sensors and citizen sciences : What contributions for environmental sciences? The OZCAR Community's case
Authors: Kouadio Sekedoua , Rodriguez Fabrice , Lutoff Celine , Morel Camille , Cornet Nicolas
Published: March 2024

The development of participatory science and research projects using sensors (measurement of temperature, relative humidity, pollutants in the air, vibrations in the ground, radiation, etc.) represents an unprecedented opportunity to deal with the societal and environmental challenges. In an ever-renewed perspective of co-construction, sharing and enhancement of scientific knowledge, science and participatory research continue to open the way to increasingly broad possibilities for dialogue and rapprochement between “science and society”. The scales of the actors' participation nevertheless remain to be questioned in order to grasp what is being built, according to a gradient that runs from manipulation to possible citizen control.However, despite their origins dating back to the 17th century (in Europe), many theoretical, methodological and practical obstacles still remain to this day with regard to participatory sciences and more particularly when they involve the use of sensors. First of all, the provision of a "general public" version of these devices necessarily involves choices in the way of presenting the functionalities and the associated documents and therefore the non-presentation of certain others. In addition, although these tools are theoretically accessible to everyone, it can be noted that a part of the population still lives in indifference or even ignorance of the local and regional environmental issues that surround them ( Guermond, 2011 - https://www.cairn-int.info/article.php?ID_ARTICLE=E_EG_402_0097 )Is it enough to make new data and tools available to generate enthusiasm and a real change in citizen practices around environmental issues by relying solely on a democratization of access to information?This presentation aims to provide some answers to this question by discussing around three points:Between citizen training in the use of sensors, effective cognitive capacity of the citizen to seize the relevant information that he can produce concerning his territory in order to bring it to the public debate, several difficulties remain. What are they?
The presentation proposes also to discuss theoretically and methodologically the sciences and participatory research mobilizing the use of sensors. It will be about knowledge production on these aspects, by looking at them in a fairly detailed way. 
We will conclude by sharing an experience of how citizen science is considered and envisioned in a community that was not used to working with citizens until recently: OZCAR (Critical Zone Observatories: Research and Application), a national distributed research infrastructure associating most of the French observation sites dedicated to the observation and monitoring of the Critical Zone.
Storylines of Hurricane Sandy under climate change to assess compound coastal flooding impacts in New York City
Authors: Moreno Dumont Goulart Henrique , Benito Lazaro Irene , van der Wiel Karin , gavras-van Garderen Linda , Le Bars Dewi , Koks Elco , van den Hurk Bart
Published: March 2024

While high impact weather events pose considerable challenges to society, we have limited understanding of their risks and potential impacts due to their rare nature. Climate change, in combination with internal climate variability, increases the uncertainty around these events and their impacts in the future. Storylines offer a non-probabilistic approach into estimating and understanding such events and their impacts conditioned on specific assumptions and scenarios, such as climate change and internal climate variability. Our study presents storylines of Hurricane Sandy (2012) to assess compound coastal flooding's impact on New York City's critical infrastructure under different scenarios. These include the effects of climate change, such as changes in storm dynamics and sea-level rise, as well as internal climate variability, accounting for variations in storm intensity and location. We use a comprehensive modelling framework, spanning from the driving climatological conditions to compound flooding and societal impacts. Our findings indicate that a 1m sea level rise could increase flood volumes by an average of 4.2 times, while internal climate variability could lead to a 2.5-fold increase in flood volumes. We find that impacts on critical infrastructure depend not only on flood volume, but also on the predominant flood hazard in each storyline, like storm surge or local precipitation. This study highlights the importance of developing societal-relevant scenarios that consider both climate change and internal variability. Such scenarios, coupled with a comprehensive modelling framework, provide useful information for decision making when preparing for high impact events in the future.
The Zn-Pb(-Cu-Fe) mineralization in the northern Sila Massif (Calabria, southern Italy): Genetic constrains from trace element concentrations in sphalerite
Authors: Ciccolella Antonio , Festa Vincenzo , Ruggieri Giovanni , Schingaro Emanuela , Tursi Fabrizio , Ventruti Gennaro , Fregola Rosa Anna
Published: March 2024

The occurrence of Zn-Pb(-Cu-Fe) mineralization in the northern Sila Massif (Calabria), primarily in Longobucco (LGB) and Fonte Argentila (FAR) areas, is not a novelty (e.g., Fregola et al., 2023). However, the genesis of this mineralization and its relation to the geological evolution of the Sila Massif are still unknown. These issues are addressed in the present study. Detailed mineralogical and geochemical analyses were carried out on ore-samples collected from mineralized faulted bodies within the granodiorite of the Sila batholith. The mineral association, common to both areas, consists of sphalerite (Sp), as main ore-mineral, galena (Gn), quartz (Qz) and calcite (Cal). Samples from the FAR site also contain chalcopyrite (Ccp), pyrite (Py), and fluorite (Flr). Mineral composition and microstructures were characterized using SEM, EPMA and m-Raman spectroscopy techniques. In addition, trace element distribution in sphalerite and chalcopyrite were determined with LA-ICP-MS. The sphalerite is Fe-poor (Fe up to 11.3 wt%; 0.21 mol% FeS) and shows the associated color and chemical zonings mainly due to variations in Fe concentrations. The following trace elements have been identified in sphalerite: Mn, Co, Cu, Ga, Ge, Ag, Cd, In, Sn, Sb, Hg, Tl, Pb, Bi. The reconstructed paragenetic sequence comprises five growth stages for both areas. During stage-1, precipitation of massive, light-colored and Fe-poorer Sp1 occurred, whereas in stage-2 a darker, Fe-richer Sp2 formed in association with euhedral Qz1. The latter shows color and chemical zonings related to variations in Al, Na, K, Ca content. Fracturing characterized stage-3, along with precipitation of massive Cal (in LGB) and Flr (in FAR). The calcite in LGB hosts synchysite, with grain sizes between 20 and 60 µm, and ΣREE (Ce, La, Y, Nd, Sm, Pr, Gd, Dy) ranging from 2.40 to 42.6 wt%. Stage-4 was characterized by diffuse recrystallization of colorless Sp3 and Qz2. During the stage-5 an almost pure Gn, Ccp and Py formed at the expense of the previous minerals. Formation temperatures ranging between 150 and 200°C were derived for Sp1 and Sp2 using the GGIMFis sphalerite geothermometer (Frenzel et al., 2016). These predicted values will be compared with those obtained from ongoing fluid inclusion analyses. Anyway, such low formation temperatures are also supported by the Zn/Cd (195–267), Ga/In (190–596), and In/Ge (0.24–1.20) average ratios in the sphalerite, indicative of a low-temperature ore-forming fluid. Our mineralogical and geochemical results are comparable with those of either the vein-type or the MVT deposits, although the examined mineralization in the northern Sila Massif occur in a different geological context and registers slightly higher temperatures than those typical of the MVT deposits (that is, 100–150°C).
Source investigation and risk assessment of air toxics in an environmental justice community 
Authors: Hsieh Hsin-Cheng , Wang Chieh-Heng , Chang Chih-Chung , Wang Jia-Lin
Published: March 2024

Toxic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are part of the hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) or air toxics that affect public health. An approach comprising both online and offline measurement techniques was conducted in a community near an industrial complex for method evaluation and risk assessment. During a month-long field test in this environmental justice community, the instrument of thermal desorption (TD) - gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS) targeting 86 air toxics was intercompared with two other techniques: direct inlet mass spectrometry (proton transfer reaction quadrupole mass spectrometry or PTR-QMS) and flask sampling for evaluating method suitability. TD-GCMS gathering hourly data was deemed the most suitable online device for source investigation and health risk assessment due to its superior accuracy, species coverage, and data continuity.The sensitive detection of plumes as spikes near real-time by TD-GCMS established a strong link between source and receptor, which has proven to be effective for tracing the origins of the plumes. Compared to online measurements, random flask sampling tends to miss most of the emission plumes. The concentration spikes in the TD-GCMS data were further aimed for backward trajectory analysis to guide offline sampling in suspected source areas to confirm emission origins.Although both the online PTR-QMS and TD-GCMS were effective in detecting non-chlorinated species, TD-GCMS proved to be more versatile in detecting both chlorinated and non-chlorinated air toxics with irreplaceable accuracy pivotal for robust hazard assessment resulting from the acute effects, chronic effects, and cancer risks induced by long-term exposure to ambient air toxics.
Antarctic Atmospheric Rivers in Present and Future Climates
Authors: Maclennan Michelle , Winters Andrew , Shields Christine , Barthelemy Léonard , Thaker Rudradutt , Wille Jonathan
Published: March 2024

Atmospheric rivers (ARs) are long, narrow bands of moisture that propagate poleward from the midlatitudes and occasionally reach the Antarctic Ice Sheet. Despite occurring only ~1% of the time, Antarctic ARs contribute 10% of the annual precipitation and are major drivers for heatwaves, foehn events, and surface melting on ice shelves. While snowfall is currently the dominant impact of ARs over the grounded Antarctic Ice Sheet, the relative contribution of ARs to snowfall, rainfall, and surface melt may change in a warming climate, along with the frequency and intensity of AR events themselves. Here, we use the Community Earth System Model version 2 (CESM2) Large Ensemble to detect ARs during the current period (1980–2014) and future climate (2015–2100) under the SSP370 radiative forcing scenario. We use an AR detection threshold for the current period based on the 98th percentile of the meridional component of integrated vapor transport (vIVT). To account for projected future increases in atmospheric moisture content (Clausius-Clapeyron effect) and its impacts on vIVT, we scale our AR detection threshold for the future period by the relative change in integrated water vapor compared to the present-day climatology. We then describe how the frequency, intensity, and year-to-year variability in Antarctic ARs changes by the end of the 21st century by region, with links to changes in the large-scale atmospheric circulation accompanying ARs. Finally, we quantify AR-attributed precipitation, precipitation variability, and trends in the future climate, ultimately providing an early assessment of future AR-driven changes to Antarctic surface mass balance.
Lithodeme El Pitayo, a Palaeozoic meta-volcanosedimentary unit of the Acatlán Complex, southern Mexico and its importance in pre- and post-Pangea tectonic evolution.
Authors: González-Ixta Yessica , Elías-Herrera Mariano
Published: March 2024

The pre-Pennsylvanian metasedimentary units (Cosoltepec Formation) of the Acatlán Complex in southern Mexico represent 70-90% of the exposed surface of this complex. The metasedimentary units mainly consist of metapelites, metapsammites and quartzites, as well as sparse pillow basalts and doleritic dikes (Ortega-Gutiérrez et al., 1978). The tectonostratigraphic evolution of these rocks remains a controversial issue in the pre- and post-Orogenic tectonics of the Acatlán Complex. As part of these units, this paper analyses El Pitayo Lithodeme, a low-grade metamorphic unit exposed at Guadalupe Allende (formerly El Pitayo) area, 20-25 km SE of Izúcar de Matamoros, Puebla State, which up to now has not been described in detail.El Pitayo Lithodeme, located in the westernmost sector of the Complex, consists of fine-grained metapelites and metapsammites, quartzites, radiolarites, sericite-chlorite schist and interbedded metabasalts, which together suggest a deep-water depositional basin. Structurally, the sequence has a predominant N-S trending and penetrative axial plane foliation, associated with isoclinal folding, and it is bordered by faults. El Pitayo Lithodeme is overthrusted by blue schists (Casitas Lithodeme) and apparently it is juxtaposed by lateral faults with the eclogitic rocks of the Piaxtla Suite, in the westernmost sector of the Acatlán Complex.By U-Pb geochronology of detrital zircons from metasediments, a maximal age of middle Cambrian (ca. 513 Ma, major peak age of the younger zircon grains) for the refilling of the “El Pitayo” basin was estimated, with detrital materials from Pan-African (ca. 500-605 Ma) and Grenvillian orogens (ca. 910-1325 Ma). On the other hand, a K-Ar (laser ablation) age of 234 ± 3 Ma was obtained for white micas from metasedimentary rocks, which can be interpreted as the age of low-grade metamorphism, or as a cooling age related to exhumation processes linked to the Late Triassic tectonic event during the break-up of western Pangea. Furthermore, thermobarometric analyses (chlorite geothermometer and pseudosection modelling) suggest that the greenschist facies metamorphism occurred at P-T conditions, for which no quantitative values have been estimated previously for the low-grade metamorphic rocks of the Acatlán Complex.Thus, the El Pitayo Lithodeme, by its lithology and the structural position between high-pressure Mississippian rocks of the Piaxtla Suite at the westernmost sector the Acatlán Complex, is considered a key unit that with more detailed information will surely allow more robust correlations with other low-grade metamorphic units and will undoubtedly help to better understand about the pre- and post-Pangea tectonic evolution of the Acatlán Complex, southern Mexico.
Effects of windbreak on soil conservation: Serving as a potential reference for quantifying soil erosion
Authors: Zhang Zhuodong , Luo Jianyong , Chen Bo
Published: March 2024

Windbreak plays an important role in soil conservation in arid and semiarid areas. Owing to its protective effects on soil, windbreak could potentially serve as a reference of no erosion to identify the soil erosion rates in the nearby croplands. To testify the applicability, a case study was implemented in a wind and water eroded agro-pastoral transition zone in North China. A Real Time Kinematic Global Positioning System (RTK GPS) was applied for a series of croplands to quantify the total soil erosion induced by both wind and water over a period of 44 years. By comparing the elevation of the eroded croplands and the windbreaks without erosion, the total soil erosion modulus and its spatial variation were determined. Results showed that the erosion moduli of the six croplands ranged from 1.09 to 45.34 Mg ha−1 y−1 with an average modulus of 17.02 Mg ha−1 y−1. The croplands in the west suffered from more intense wind erosion compared to the middle and eastern areas, which was a result of the effects of the windbreaks. The reliability and uncertainty of this approach were discussed in terms of the equipment precision, results accuracy, and possible deposition in the windbreaks. This study confirms that windbreak can be a feasible reference for quantifying soil erosion. Furthermore, such quantification is a direct measurement of total soil erosion, which is essential for assessing the contributions of wind erosion and water erosion as well as the interaction between them.
High precision positioning and navigation technology for unmanned aerial vehicles in high-risk environments
Authors: Wu Junli , Wang xiaoqing , Zhang qinglan
Published: March 2024

Abstract:In high-risk and complex mountainous environmental conditions, geological hazard bodies are often located in high mountain and canyon areas, with problems such as poor observation environment, large altitude differences, frequent extreme weather, and poor data communication. When deploying GNSS monitoring equipment using drones, they face difficulties in safe flight and precise navigation and positioning.This article studies the performance enhancement technology of multi-sensor integrated navigation. Based on the low-cost MEMS and GNSS tight combination algorithm, a comprehensive filtering technology integrating unscented Kalman filtering (UKF) and particle filtering (PF) is proposed. Two parallel running UKF and PF predictors are used to alternately use the information received by the fusion filter through input interaction, model filtering, and adaptive filtering optimization, in order to improve the reliability and accuracy of filtering, Simultaneously combining the advantages of Fuzzy Inference System (FIS) and Sparse Random Gaussian Model (SRG), the SRG model is used to estimate the initial state vector, and then FIS is used to update all current states to obtain the optimal predicted state vector. During the interruption of GNSS signal, the measurement data trained by FIS is jointly provided by INS and GNSS. In order to improve the required prediction accuracy, time sliding is used to control the data flow generated by INS and GNSS, Fully utilize the linear velocity and angular velocity increments output by INS to update the attitude, velocity, and position of unmanned aerial vehicles, improve the filtering convergence speed, navigation positioning accuracy, and reliability in the event of GNSS signal interruption. This article designs a multi-source fusion positioning system framework and integration scheme for unmanned aerial vehicle applications, and develops a high-precision fusion positioning software system, mainly including GNSS real-time data reception, GNSS data preprocessing, GNSS/INS integrated navigation data processing, real-time positioning result forwarding and other modules. The test results show that the positioning accuracy of complex environment integrated navigation is better than 0.5 meters.Key words:Geological disasters;Unmanned Aerial Vehicle;Integrated navigation;High precision