bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Water Surface Height Measurements with Sentinel-6 Fully-Focussed SAR Over Inland Targets
Authors: Molina Burgués Robert , Gibert Ferran , Gómez Adrià , Garcia-Mondéjar Albert , Roca i Aparici Mònica
Published: February 2023

The Sentinel-6 mission, launched in November 2020 is a satellite mission carrying an altimeter operating in open-burst, the Poseidon-4 altimeter. This altimeter has a PRF of approximately 9 kHz, able to perform focussing of whole target observation echoes in a totally coherent way. This means that not only we are obtaining measurements with very reduced contaminant contributions coming from along-track replicas, but also the along-track resolution can therefore be narrowed down to its theoretical limit (∼0.5 m) when processing the data with a Fully-Focussed SAR (FF-SAR) algorithm. The latter is what is of interest, especially when compared to the ∼300 m along-track resolution provided by other operational processors based on Unfocussed SAR algorithms, widely used in the bast majority of satellite missions with radar altimeters that operate with closed-burst (e.g. Sentinel-3).In this study, we apply this algorithm to perform measurements of the water surface height (WSH) over a series of inland targets including relatively small reservoirs and lakes, with typical sizes between 0.1 and 10 km. To do so, a FF-SAR Ground Prototype Processor (GPP) developed by isardSAT and based on the back projection algorithm [1] has been used to process the Sentinel-6’s altimetry data and generate FF-SAR L1B records of the nadir targets being evaluated. This study will present the methodology defined to obtain the WSH measurements using the FF-SAR products alongside the validation process, based on comparison of results with in situ water height measurements. [1] Egido, Alejandro and Walter H. F. Smith. “Fully Focused SAR Altimetry: Theory and Applications.” IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing 55 (2017): 392-406.
Influence of the MJO on extreme precipitation events over the Eastern Pacific Ocean
Authors: Lazcano Luis , Domínguez Christian
Published: February 2023

The Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) is the main mode of intraseasonal variability over the tropics. We aim to explore the MJO modulation on extreme precipitation events by analyzing atmospheric variables from ERA5 and oceanic variables from the NOAA and HYCOM reanalysis over the Eastern Pacific Ocean from May to November during the 1982-2018 period. The Real-time Multivariate MJO Index (RMM) is used to define the MJO phases. Only strong MJO phases are considered for this study. During MJO phases 3-7, the Eastern Pacific Ocean warm pool goes through a large expansion, but rainfall decreases near the Mexican Pacific coast. On the other hand, MJO phases 8, 1, and 2 induce an increase in precipitation over the continental part of the Middle Americas, making extreme precipitation events more frequent, but these phases decrease the warm pool extension near the Pacific coast. Additionally, the MJO compounds are classified according to El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) years. MJO phases under Neutral and El Niño years have similar patterns in the atmospheric variables. However, these patterns drastically change in MJO phases under La Niña years, as the warm pool expansion decreases and the decrease/increase in rainfall is more intense compared to Neutral and El Niño years. We also noticed that the warm pool expansion and extreme precipitation events do not occur simultaneously. There is a lag of 7 days, as previous studies found but for the Indian Ocean. We conclude that these results are important to understand the air-ocean coupling for MJO and its application for sub-seasonal forecasts.
Sulphur trace components in La Solfatara and Vulcano volcanic gases: searching for suitable new geo-indicators
Authors: Lelli Matteo , Caliro Stefano , Dallara Evelina , Chiodini Giovanni , Marini Luigi
Published: February 2023

Volcanic and/or geothermal gases provide essential information on the activity of a volcanic system, on magma degassing and on the origin and evolution of fluids. Their study represents one of the most powerful technique to understand the dynamics of systems and to monitor the volcanic activity (dormant state, but also unrest and/or eruption phase).
Volcanic/geothermal gases are complex mix of chemical elements and compounds. Starting from the study of their chemical composition, many equilibrium reactions in gas phase were introduced in the past as possible geothermometers and geobarometers, and they actually used to estimate the thermodynamic conditions in deep system (both in volcanic or geothermal area) and in volcanic surveillance. However, depending on the system, known geothermal-barometric reactions are not able to accurately describe the thermodynamic conditions of reservoirs, highlighting the need for new geothermometric reactions. Of course, the opportunity to develop new “geothermometers/geobarometers functions” depends to the availability of analytical techniques able to detect and quantify new chemical compounds of interest, often at low to very low concentration levels (ppb).
The GC-ICP-MS (gas chromatography-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry), one of the most useful hyphenated method (Michalski R. et al., 2006; Easter R.N. et al., 2010), combines the high separation capacity of the GC with the high sensitivity and specificity of the ICP-MS. Chemical compounds containing C, S and O are abundant in volcanic/geothermal gases and they can be detected at low levels via GC-ICP-MS technique. The development of new specific analytical methods for volcanic/geothermal gas analysis (in particular for what concern new compounds) may provide the chance to introduce new gas equilibrium as a “key” to better understand thermodynamic and redox conditions at depth.
Dry gas samples from fumaroles of the La Solfatara di Pozzuoli (Bocca Grande, Bocca Nuova and Pisciarelli) and for crater area in the Vulcano island were analysed, studying the distribution of sulphur-bearing species. The results obtained are very satisfactory in terms of chromatographic separation and detection limits, making the GC-ICP-MS method very promising in the study of volcanic/geothermal gases.
Constraining ECS and TCR for 21st century for temperature forecasts and risk assessments by comparing the CMIP6 GCM simulations versus global surface temperature records
Authors: Scafetta Nicola
Published: February 2023

Climatological risk assessments are currently based on simulations for the twenty-first century made using global climate models (GCMs) from the sixth Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phases (CMIP6) by adopting several hypothetical shared socioeconomic pathways (SSPs) emission scenarios. However, there are large differences in the climatic sensitivity to atmospheric CO2 increase amongst the available climate models: for example, for the CMIP6 GCM the ECS varies between 1.8°C and 5.7°C and the TCR varies from 1.2°C to 2.8°C. There is also mounting evidence that many GCMs are operating "too hot" and are therefore unreliable for informing climate change policy for the future. Here, we assess the performance of 41 CMIP6 GCMs by ranking and comparing them using their literature-provided estimates for the equilibrium climate sensitivity (ECS) and transient climate response (TCR). We discover that the GCM sub-ensemble that performs the best in hindcasting the warming from 1980 to 2021 is that made of the GCMs with ECS ranging between 1.8 and 3.0 °C and TCR ranging between 1.2 and 1.8 °C. A total of 17 models make up this GCM sub-ensemble. The predicted warming of these models for the mid-term (2041-2060) period is 1.5–2.5°C relative to the preindustrial period (1850-1900) according to various SSP scenarios. Thus, the global aggregated impact and risk assessments assuming low to no adaptation appear, therefore, moderate, which also implies that adaptation policies may be adequate to address any unfavorable effects of future climate changes. We also discuss the additional uncertainties surrounding the warming of the Earth's surface temperature by comparing several temperature reconstructions and the warming differences observed between land and ocean to discuss the possibility that ECS and TRC could be furtherly constrained.Main references:Scafetta N (2022) Advanced testing of low, medium, and high ECS CMIP6 GCM simulations versus ERA5-T2m. Geophys Res Lett 49:e2022GL097716. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL097716Scafetta, N. CMIP6 GCM ensemble members versus global surface temperatures. Clim Dyn (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-022-06493-w
Implications of statistical bias adjustment for uncertainties in regional model projections
Authors: Adakudlu Muralidhar , Xoplaki Elena , Luther Niklas
Published: February 2023

Regional climate models, due to their systematic biases, are not usable for impact assessment and policy-relevant applications. It is common to post-process the regional model outputs with appropriate bias correction methodologies to provide reliable climate change information. We apply a distribution-based, trend-preserving quantile mapping procedure to bias correct the projections of daily precipitation and temperature from an ensemble of 5 RCMs driven by 5 GCMs, each at a resolution of 0.11°, chosen from the EURO-CORDEX initiative. The gridded observations from the German Weather Service, DWD-HYRAS, has been used as a reference for the bias correction. The impact of the bias correction is found to be more pronounced on precipitation than on temperature, as the precipitation biases are larger. The models are wetter and underestimate (overestimate) the daily maximum (minimum) temperature. The correction method eliminates large parts of these biases and maps the distributions of both the variables well with that of observations. The bias adjustment also leads to the narrowing down of the uncertainties in the projected changes of both the variables. The decomposition of total variance into model uncertainty and internal variability suggests that the bias correction acts mostly on the former component. The internal variability component does not seem, however, to undergo considerable changes following the bias correction. Due to the reduction of the uncertainty, we find a slight improvement in the signal-to-noise ratio in the projections. 
Digital graphical user interface as a facilitator for the calibration of radiation monitoring instruments according to ISO 4037:2019 at the national secondary standard dosimetry laboratory of morocco
Authors: Belhaj Omaima Essaad , Boukhal Hamid , Belhaj Siham
Published: February 2023

current legislation requires the inspection and calibration of operational survey radiation monitoring instruments used in nuclear medicine and radiotherapy departments as well as in any field that uses ionizing radiation sources. As a result, Morocco's national secondary standard dosimetry laboratory provides reliable calibration results with high accuracy while adhering to national and international radiation protection standards and covering the various measurement ranges, using the attenuators offered by the automated Gamma G10 irradiator or the validated beam qualities produced by the X-ray irradiator type X80-320kV as required. The measurements’ reliability was demonstrated by participation in a comparison program launched by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).This work aims to develop a digital graphical user interface designed for the calibration of measuring instruments in radiation protection through the programming language Python, which serves to facilitate the establishment of all operations and calculations related to the determination of calibration factors and measurement uncertainties according to the ISO 4037 standard in a minimum time that allows to process several instruments during the day with high accuracy, while minimizing the sources of errors, this interface allows the recording of calculations as well as the establishment and electronic archiving of the calibration certificate in pdf format ported from PHP FPDF.
Permeability, alteration, and microstructure: A (hopefully) coupled rock physics and geochemical approach to how rock-fluid interactions change permeability
Authors: Kushnir Alexandra
Published: February 2023

Permeability is a key physical property across all spatial scales in the Earth’s crust and exerts significant control on the behaviour of Earth systems, with implications for natural hazards (e.g., earthquakes, slope instabilities, volcanic eruptions) and geo-resource management (e.g., geothermal energy, carbon capture and sequestration, ore deposit formation). Amongst other processes, rock-fluid interactions and the interplay between precipitation and dissolution complicates the microstructure of these materials, modifying the efficiency of fluid flow. For example, the permeability of volcanic rocks is generally controlled by the presence of pores and microfractures, but the continuum from pore-dominated to microfracture-dominated permeability is significantly perturbed by the introduction of alteration minerals that reduce the void space available to fluid flow over time. The propensity, extent, and timescales of rock alteration are therefore important factors influencing rock permeability. However, obtaining a systematic understanding of the intricate relationships between rock alteration and changes in permeability – including dissolution, transport, and redistribution of chemical compounds – is challenging. As a result, we do not fully understand how these processes modify the structure of permeable channels and over what timescales they may hamper fluid flow, limiting our ability to effectively model, for example, geothermal reservoirs or volcanic processes.The mission of the new Rock Physics and Geofluids (RPGL) group at EPFL is to address how secondary mineral precipitation – starting with silica (SiO2) - changes the permeability of rocks. Using a mix of rock physics, microstructural and geochemical characterization, and water-rock interaction experiments, we will quantify 1) the physical and chemical conditions promoting silica alteration under a wide range of crustal conditions, 2) how the geometry of fluid-flow pathways in rocks changes over time, 3) how these changes modify permeable flow, and 4) on what timescales these processes are active. Our goal is to establish the infrastructural, experimental, and analytical foundation needed to more broadly study the relationships between rock-fluid interactions and fluid flow, for potential application to natural hazard and geo-energy research.
ORCA (Observatorio de Rayos Cósmicos Antártico), current status and future perspectives
Authors: Blanco Juan José , García Tejedor Juan Ignacio , Ayuso de Gregorio Sindulfo , García Población Óscar , López-Comazzi Alejandro , Sanz Martín Diego , Vrublevskyy Ivan , Gonzalvo Ballano Laura , Regadío Alberto
Published: February 2023

ORCA (2.37 GV) is a suit of two neutron monitors and a muon telescope. It was installed at Juan Carlos I Antarctic Base on January 2019 being in operation since. Because the low level of the solar activity, only a few of solar events have been detected. The GLE 73 and three Forbush decreases. A new ORCA like detector (ICaRO, 11.5 GV) is being installed at 2200 m a.s.l in Izaña Atmospheric Observatory (Tenerife Island, Spain). On the other hand, CaLMa neutron monitor (6.95 GV) will be updated with a muon telescope made by eight 1 m2 scintillators arranged in two layers of four scintillators at some point during the next two years. These three detector will measure muons and neutrons from cosmic ray interaction with atmosphere at three different locations allowing to study the solar activity from a new perspective
Building a prepared community to volcanic risk: assessment of awareness raising tools for secondary school in Goma, (Eastern DR Congo)
Authors: Mafuko Nyandwi Blaise , Kervyn Matthieu , Muhashy Habiyaremye François , Kervyn François , Michellier Caroline
Published: February 2023

Disasters induced by natural hazards are increasing globally and have severe impacts. Some of these hazards, as volcanic eruptions, are related to the earth's interior mechanisms and cannot be prevented. Thereby, risk mitigation is the best strategy for reducing their impacts in densely populated areas, such as the city of Goma in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, exposed to volcanic threats from Nyiragongo. This requires the population to be prepared to respond to volcanic risk, by having a high state of awareness, anticipation, and readiness. “Living with a volcano” should be one of the life skills all Goma children acquire during their schooling, regardless of where they attend school. Therefore, this study used a mixed-method approach (questionnaire survey, focus group and written composition) to assess the awareness raising impact of two educational tools recently implemented in Goma for secondary students: the Hazagora serious game and the volcano museum. Several students (402 in total) from 12 schools participated in one of these risk awareness activities, while other students were assessed as controls. Results indicate that the tools have a positive impact on students’ volcanic disaster understanding, their risk perception, and their implication in DRR initiatives. Specifically, the volcano museum increases knowledge of volcanic process more than the Hazagora serious game; the latter increases more the perceived self-capacities and willingness of implementing protective measures. Risk perception raises almost identically with both tools. In general, participants indicate that they receive sufficient scientific information throughout the Hazagora serious game and the volcano museum visit to better understand the physical mechanisms of volcanic hazards and their impacts on human properties and livelihood. In addition, they claim to have received relevant information on protective measures and abilities, and to be willing to search for additional risk information. This study highlights that the two tools are complementary; thus, awareness raising through a diversity of tools can be more effective than a single and isolated activity.
Plasma mechanism of exoplanetary radio emissions
Authors: Khodachenko Maxim L. , Zaitsev Valery V. , Shaposhnikov Vladimir E. , Rumenskikh Marina S. , Shaikhislamov Ildar F.
Published: February 2023

As an alternative to the traditionally considered electron cyclotron maser (ECM) mechanism of exoplanetary radio emission (RE), we study plasma maser mechanism. The latter, contrary to ECM operates in dense and weakly magnetized plasmas, where electron cyclotron frequency fc is less than Langmuir frequency fL [1]. Similar mechanism is known to contribute the generation of RE in solar corona, as well as in magnetospheres of the Solar System planets [2,3]. It is a two-step process. At first, the plasma waves are excited due to Cherenkov instability in a weakly anisotropic background plasma by a small admixture of hot electrons with a loss-cone type non-equilibrium distribution function. Then, the electromagnetic radiation at fRE arises due to, e.g., plasma wave scattering on the background ions (Rayleigh scattering, fRE = fL), or nonlinear coupling of two plasma waves (Raman scattering, fRE = 2fL). In the first case, the maser effect at plasma frequency fL takes place under certain conditions, leading to an exponential grow of the RE intensity with the growing energy of plasma waves. In the case of Raman scattering of two plasma waves, resulting in generation of the RE at doubled plasma frequency, the maser effect is absent, but the collisional dissipation of RE is significantly reduced at the same time. This improves the requirements regarding the brightness temperature of the RE source, to provide a detectable on Earth radiation flux. In both cases the frequency band of the exoplanetary RE is defined not by magnetic field, but by the structure of planetary plasmasphere and density distribution there.We evaluate the efficiency of plasma mechanism of the RE generation and its detectability on Earth for the case of hot Jupiter HD189733b, for which the 3D structure of plasmasphere is simulated with the global multi-fluid self-consistent numerical model [4], taking into account the realistic stellar wind and radiation conditions. It is shown that the RE flux at doubled plasma frequency sharply increases from several mJy at 20MHz to several tens of Jy at 4 MHz. This means that the most favorable frequency range for detection of the RE from HD189733b falls into the decameter band in vicinity of the ionospheric cut-off.1. Zaitsev, V.V., Shaposhnikov, V.E., MNRAS, 2022, 513, 4082 (DOI:10.1093/mnras/stac1140)2. Zaitsev V. V., et al., A&A, 1986, 169, 345-354 (ISSN 0004-6361)3. Zlotnik E. Y., et al., JGR Space Physics, 2016, 121, 5307-5318 (DOI: 10.1002/2016JA02265)4. Rumenskikh, M. S., et al., ApJ, 2022, 927(2):238 (DOI: 10.3847/1538-4357/ac441d)
Green Energy Saves the Earth
Authors: Kaya Mutlu Cansu
Published: February 2023

"Erasmus+" is an international programme funded by the European Commission to promote cooperation and mutual understanding between schools, students and teachers within the European Union.   Green Energy Saves the Earth is a joint project for the years 2020 – 2023 in cooperation with 6 countries and 6 schools. The project brings scientific solutions in the context of climate change, pollution and other environmental problems.The aim of our project is to teach green energy, which are the advantages and possibilities of improving life on the planet using renewable energy.  The "Green Energy Saves the Earth" project is a much-needed project for a new generation that delivers a sustainable outcome for the future of the planet. It is a guide with practical information designed for students and teachers worldwide. In the context of climate change and environmental pollution, we aimed to inform students about the use of green renewable energy that does not harm the atmosphere and climate, to make them aware of the consequences of air pollution and how solutions can be produced with green energy.The target group is students aged 11-15 years, because at this age students are able to learn more actively and assimilate more the knowledge and practice available to them. Erasmus+ projects provide the opportunity to associate the learning experience with a strong emotional friendship context as well as scientific information.
GCIMS – Integration: Reproducible, robust, and scalable workflows for interoperable human-Earth system modeling
Authors: Khan Zarrar , Vernon Chris , Thompson Isaac , Patel Pralit
Published: February 2023

The number of models, as well as data inputs and outputs, are continuously growing as scientists continue to push the boundaries of spatial, temporal, and sectoral details being captured. This study presents the framework being developed to manage the Global Change Intersectoral Modeling System (GCIMS) eco-system of human-Earth system models. We discuss the challenges of ensuring continuous deployment and integration, reproducibility, interoperability, containerization, and data management for the growing suite of GCIMS models. We investigate the challenges of model version control and interoperability between models using different software, operating on different temporal and spatial scales, and focusing on different sectors. We also discuss managing transparency and accessibility to models and their corresponding data products throughout our integrated modeling lifecycle.
Assessing Stratosphere-troposphere Coupling of Extreme Stratospheric Wave Activity in CMIP6 Models
Authors: Ding Xiuyuan , Chen Gang
Published: February 2023

Recent studies have suggested that extreme stratospheric wave activity is connected to surface temperature anomalies, with a dynamical mechanism distinct from the canonical downward influence of stratospheric polar vortex events. However, some key processes regarding the underlying dynamics and timescales are not well understood. In this study, we show in observations that the stratospheric events featured by weaker-than-normal wave activity are associated with increased cold extreme risks over North America before and near the event onset, accompanied by less frequent atmospheric river (AR) events on the west coast of the U.S. Strong stratospheric wave events, on the other hand, exhibit a tropospheric weather regime transition. North American warm anomalies and increased AR frequency over the west coast are observed before strong wave events, while an increased risk of cold extremes over North America and north-shifted ARs over the Atlantic occurs after the events. Historical simulations from CMIP6 can capture the extreme stratospheric wave events and their overall tropospheric fingerprints, with evident uncertainties across different models.These links between the stratosphere and troposphere are attributed to the vertical structure of wave coupling. Weak wave events are accompanied by a wave structure tilting westwards with increasing altitude, while strong wave events show a shift from westward tilt to eastward tilt during the life cycle of events. This wave phase shift indicates vertical wave coupling and likely regional planetary wave reflection. Further examination shows that models with a degraded representation of stratospheric wave structure exhibit biases in the troposphere during strong wave events. More specifically, models with a stratospheric ridge weaker than the reanalysis exhibit a weaker tropospheric signal. Our findings suggest that the vertical coupling of extreme stratospheric wave activity should be evaluated in the model representation of stratosphere-troposphere coupling.  
How do mine rehabilitation strategies affects soil heterogeneity and structure in the long term?
Authors: Baumgartl Thomas , Bucka Franziska , Pihlap Evelin , Filipovic Vilim
Published: February 2023

Open-cast or surface mining present a site-specific and a temporary use of land that unavoidably involves the displacement of the fertile topsoil layer and overall environmental change. Following mine closure, rehabilitation of mining areas is essential to build sustainable and stable landforms. Reclamation of soils is particularly challenging as their construction needs to take into account broader land reclamation analysis including soils, water, vegetation, stability and biodiversity effects. The objective of this study was to assess development in soil properties of rehabilitated soils since construction (1980, 1998, 2009, 2016, 2017) focusing on hydraulic and mechanical soil properties. The study was performed at an open-cast lignite coal mine site in south-east Australia (Victoria) in 2021. Soil hydraulic properties (SHP) were determined using the extended evaporation method while the mechanical properties were assessed using in-situ vane shear tests. The study indicated the relevance of a consistent soil cover design and construction. The soil hydraulic properties results showed a shift in soil water retention curve characteristic (1980 vs 2017 site), together with a decrease in saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks), which can certainly influence soil water dynamics and increase surface runoff. The vane shear test showed large heterogeneity among the sites with rehabilitated sites indicating large internal variation compared to the reference site and generally higher shear resistance. Differences in soil hydraulic conductivity and higher SOC storage over time revealed developments in soil recovery, but the improvement in soil mechanical strength did not show any relation to soil properties affecting soil structural stability. Rather, the change was driven by the large variability in texturally affected pore size distribution among the sites. The observed small-scale heterogeneity of the rehabilitated soils is most likely explained by disturbance due to excavation activities and used rehabilitation methods as well as availability of the soil material. Closer monitoring of rehabilitated areas temporally and spatially as well as in improvement in topsoil cover design is recommended, as such heterogeneity leads to uncertainty in long-term sustainable landscape formation.
The Balta Alba Kurgan loess-paleosol sequence - Chronology and paleoclimate in the northern Lower Danube Basin, Romania
Authors: Nett Janina J. (Bösken) , Pötter Stephan , Hambach Ulrich , Scheidt Stephanie , Berg Sonja , Zeeden Christian , Lehmkuhl Frank , Veres Daniel
Published: February 2023

Loess-paleosol sequences are widely spread across central and southeastern Europe and are studied intensively, as they are important terrestrial archives that preserve paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic information. In the Lower Danube Basin large areas are covered by loess, loess derivates, sandy loess, and sand dunes (Lehmkuhl et al., 2021). The exposed loess deposits reach several decameters in thickness. In contrast to other well-studied sites in the Lower Danube area, the investigated Balta Alba Kurgan (BAK) sequence is located close to the forelands of the Eastern Carpathians, an area that is largely underrepresented in loess research. High-resolution geochemical analyses identified the Eastern Carpathians as a main source region of the loess at this site (Pötter et al., 2021). The BAK sequence consists of loess with several intercalated paleosols and weaker pedogenetic horizons, reflecting Late Pleistocene environmental conditions. Furthermore, the Campanian Ignimbrite/Y-5 tephra is preserved that serves as a chronological marker horizon and which had severe ecological impact in southeastern Europe. A robust age model was established for the upper 10 m using a multi-method approach (luminescence dating, radiocarbon dating, magnetic stratigraphy, and tephrochronology) which shows that this part of the sequence covers the MIS 3/2 transition up to present (Scheidt et al., 2021). Here, we present further geochronological data obtained from luminescence dating and more detailed paleoenvironmental proxy data, widening our understanding of Late Pleistocene climate and environmental conditions in the northern Lower Danube Basin. ReferencesLehmkuhl, F., Nett, J.J., Pötter, S., Schulte, P., Sprafke, T., Jary, Z., Antoine, P., Wacha, L., Wolf, D., Zerboni, A., Hošek, J., Marković, S.B., Obreht, I., Sümegi, P., Veres, D., Zeeden, C., Boemke, B., Schaubert, V., Viehweger, J., Hambach, U., 2021. Loess landscapes of Europe – Mapping, geomorphology, and zonal differentiation. Earth-Science Reviews 215, 103496. doi:10.1016/j.earscirev.2020.103496Pötter, S., Veres, D., Baykal, Y., Nett, J.J., Schulte, P., Hambach, U., Lehmkuhl, F., 2021. Disentangling sedimentary pathways for the Pleniglacial Lower Danube loess based on geochemical signatures. Frontiers in Earth Science 9, 1–25. doi:10.3389/feart.2021.600010Scheidt, S., Berg, S., Hambach, U., Klasen, N., Pötter, S., Stolz, A., Veres, D., Zeeden, C., Brill, D., Brückner, H., Kusch, S., Laag, C., Lehmkuhl, F., Melles, M., Monnens, F., Oppermann, L., Rethemeyer, J., Nett, J.J., 2021. Chronological Assessment of the Balta Alba Kurgan Loess-Paleosol Section (Romania) – A Comparative Study on Different Dating Methods for a Robust and Precise Age Model. Frontiers in Earth Science 8, 598448. doi:10.3389/feart.2020.598448
Climate change contributes to the record-shattering 2022 Pakistan rainfall
Authors: You Yujia , Ting Mingfang
Published: February 2023

From mid-June until the end of August 2022, a sequence of torrential rains and deluges pummeled Pakistan, displacing more than 30 million residents with a death toll of near 2000. The accumulated amount exceeds the centennial average of 126 mm by about 7 standard deviations (50 mm), reaching a value of 487 mm and breaking its record over a century. The extraordinary extremity underscores the urgency for understanding the physical drivers of the event and the relations with human-induced climate change.Here, we find that distinctive from the historical floods which tend to occur over the relatively wet northern mountains, the 2022 rainfall took place over arid southern Pakistan. Unlike the floods over northern mountains which had closer associations with extratropical westerly troughs, the heavy downpours in 2022 were primarily initiated by the synoptic low-pressure systems (LPS). The longevity and intensity of LPS were sustained and enhanced by the cross-equatorial monsoon flow, which has trended upward since the 1970s and is at a historical high. In combination with the zonal inflow of moisture induced by La Niña, a corridor of heavy rainfall extending from the Bay of Bengal toward southern Pakistan formed.The signal of greenhouse-gas-forced changes in the heavy rainfall over Pakistan and the cross-equatorial monsoon flow is detectable in climate models, confirming that the likelihood of such extreme events would increase under future warming.
Advanced Reconnaissance Missions Needed for Human Exploration of Mars
Authors: Valinia Azita
Published: February 2023

Planning is underway at NASA to return humans to the Moon by 2025 and from there to Mars in 2030-40s. This paper discusses some of the future Mars reconnaissance missions needed in advance of the first human landing on Mars to ensure astronaut safety and mission success. These include: 1) high resolution mapping of the Martian terrain for identifying optimum landing sites for scientific exploration and safe entry, descent, and landing of crewed missions and safe crew operations; 2) surface weather reconnaissance on Mars which could entail a network of orbital and on-surface meteorological assets; and 3) real-time space weather forecasting on Mars which could require positioning of radiation monitoring assets as well as computational capabilities in Mars orbit. Details regarding needed reconnaissance missions for safe crew operations and corresponding potential future mission concepts  will be discussed.
Evidence of late Mars geological activity on the floor of the Gusev and Jezero craters. Landing sites of NASA's Mars exploration missions.
Authors: Anangonó Tutasig Ronny Steveen , Fernández Menéndez Susana del Carmen , Fernández Calleja Javier , Díez Alonso Enrique , De Cos Juez Javier
Published: February 2023

The Gusev crater, landing site of the MER-A mission, and the Jezero crater, site of the Mars2020 mission, currently located near the Martian equator. They may have been two fluvial-lacustrine systems from the planet's wet past, Nevertheless, cortical fractures, ridges and basaltic flows are present in the bottom of both craters. These features are well preserved and not affected by large craters, which seems to indicate that could be young and contemporary forms. Mapping of both Gusev Crater and Jezero Crater has been carried out by remote sensing onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), of particular interest for Gusev Crater is the Context Camera (CTX)-based high-detail mapping, which improves the resolution of previous studies, and the High-Resolution Imaging Experiment (HiRISE). These are complemented by data from the Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) and Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA), the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) mission. CTX and HiRISE are visible images that provide information about the surface features of morphological units in detail. The MOLA data have made it possible to determine the stratigraphic position of the mapped units and to obtain information on the slopes and elevations of the units, as well as to estimate the fill of both craters. The combination and analysis of these data show possible evidence of geological activity on the surface of these craters in more recent periods of Mars' past (millions of years). Crater counts (crater frequency) have been used to determine a possible age for the ridges described in crater Gusev. These indications may be associated with volcanic activity and horizontal “strike-slip” movements affecting the ridges observed in Gusev crater, as well as crustal fracture and the presence of basaltic plains in Jezero crater.
SLR validation of the IGS Repro3 orbits for ITRF202
Authors: Zajdel Radosław , Sośnica Krzysztof , Masoumi Salim , Bury Grzegorz , Strugarek Dariusz
Published: February 2023

The International GNSS Service (IGS) analysis centers (ACs) for the third time issued the results of the reprocessing campaign (IGS Repro3) of all the GNSS network solutions backward starting from 1994. The Repro3 products provided the IGS contribution to the latest International Terrestrial Reference Frame realization ITRF2020. Unlike the previous reprocessing campaigns, the IGS Repro3 includes for the first time not only GPS and GLONASS but also the Galileo constellation. In this study, we show results from the GLONASS and Galileo orbit validation of different IGS ACs, as well as the combined orbits generated by the IGS Analysis Centre Coordinator (IGS ACC) at Geoscience Australia. Individual multi-GNSS orbit solutions were provided by Center for Orbit Determination in Europe (COD), European Space Agency (ESA), GeoForschungsZentrum (GFZ), Centre National d’Études Spatiales (GRG), Graz University of Technology (TUG) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Different IGS ACs use different orbit modeling strategies, e.g., estimating specific empirical orbit parameters and using or not using the a priori box-wing models for the Galileo satellites. The individual IGS Repro3 contributions have been combined by the IGS ACC combination software using a robust algorithm and a satellite-based weighting approach considering different qualities of GNSS orbits provided by different IGS ACs. We summarized the recent progress in GNSS precise orbit determination focusing on the impact of the orbit modeling aspects on the systematic effects in the SLR validation results, e.g., solar radiation pressure modeling and observable types.For all the defined Galileo and GLONASS satellite subtypes, the combined solutions do not perform worse (to the 1 mm level) than the best individual AC solutions for a specific satellite type. In terms of the standard deviation of SLR residuals, ESA, MIT, and TUG deliver the best Galileo-FOC orbits and ESA provides the best Galileo-IOV orbit solutions. Finally, ESA and TUG provide the best GLONASS products. Searching for patterns in SLR residuals for different satellite-Sun-Earth geometries reveals that some issues in the orbit modeling for the Galileo-FOC and IOV satellites still need to be fully diminished. The pattern dominates in COD, GFZ, and GRG solutions, and is mostly diminished in ESA and TUG solutions. The characteristic pattern is also noticeable in the combined solutions, but with a reduced magnitude. 
A Detection of the Sea Level Fingerprint of Greenland Ice Sheet Melt
Authors: Coulson Sophie , Dangendorf Sonke , Mitrovica Jerry X. , Tamisiea Mark , Pan Linda , Sandwell David
Published: February 2023

Rapid melting of ice sheets and glaciers drives a unique geometry, or fingerprint, of sea-level change, including a sea-level fall in the vicinity of the ice sheet that is an order of magnitude greater than the associated global mean sea-level rise of the melt event. The detection of individual fingerprints has been challenging due to sparse sea surface height measurements at high latitudes and the difficulty of disentangling ocean dynamic variability from the signal. Efforts to date have analyzed sea level records outside the zone of major sea-level fall, where the gradients and amplitudes of the fingerprint signal are significantly lower. We predict the fingerprint of Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) melt using new ice mass loss estimates from radar altimetry data and model reconstructions of nearby glaciers, and compare this prediction to an independent, altimetry-derived sea surface height trend corrected for ocean dynamic variability in the region adjacent to the ice sheet. The two fields show consistent gradients across the region, with the expected strong drawdown of the sea surface toward GrIS. A statistically significant correlation between the two fields (p < 0.001) provides the first unambiguous observational detection of the near-field sea level fingerprint of recent GrIS melting in our warming world. This detection provides a robust map of the impact of ice mass flux on global oceans since the early 1990s, and validates theoretical and numerical developments in the sea level modelling community.
How can atmospheric trends be explained by changes in frequency of short-term circulation regimes and what is the role of the Antarctic ozone?
Authors: Rudeva Irina , Boschat Ghyslaine , Lucas Chris
Published: February 2023

Global circulation patterns are analysed using the mean meridional circulation (MMC) from ERA-Interim for the period of 1979 – 2017. The global isentropic MMC consists of a single overturning cell in each hemisphere with net heat transport from the equator to the pole. Six clusters are identified from daily data that are associated with one of four seasons. Two solstitial MMC clusters represent either stronger or weaker circulation in the winter hemisphere. We show that long-term trends do not reflect a gradual change in the atmospheric circulation, but rather a change in the frequency of preferred short-term circulation regimes. Before the late 1990s the clusters showing a stronger (weaker) winter circulation are becoming less (more) frequent; from around year 2000 the trends have paused. These trends are in close agreement with the change in the low-stratospheric Antarctic ozone trends reported by earlier studies. Our findings also reveal a strong coupling between Southern and Northern Hemispheres during boreal winter. Following Hartmann et al. (2022), we hypothesize that anomalous polar vortex over Antarctica leads to anomalies in the sea surface temperatures (SST) in the tropical Pacific that impact the circulation in both hemispheres. Furthermore, we show that consecutive solstice season demonstrates coherent anomalies in the frequency of circulation regimes. We discuss possible reasons for such relationship.References:Hartmann, D. L., Kang, S., Polvani, L. & Xie, S.-P. The Antarctic ozone hole and the pattern effect on climate sensitivity. (2022) doi:10.1073/pnas.
Patterns of bacterial composition in global peatlands and their controlling variables
Authors: Kang Hojeong , Freeman Chris
Published: February 2023

Peatlands are a globally important carbon sink, storing up to 455 Pg C as soil organic carbon. One of the drivers of this immense storage relates to the extremely low rate of peat decomposition, which is ultimately regulated by the bacterial community of these peat soils. Previous studies note that vegetation type (e.g., bog vs. fen), depth of peat, water level and pH may determine bacterial composition in peatlands. However, in terms of global patterns, the key controlling variables remain elusive due to a lack of data synthesis and direct experimental evidence. To identify bacterial community composition in global peatlands and key controlling variables, we conducted a field survey of 7 peatland sites in Korea, a meta-analysis of published data from over 95 peatland sites, and pH-manipulation experiments in the UK, by employing NGS analysis targeting 16sRNA.Although immense variabilities in bacterial composition among sites were observed, pH appears to be a dominant controlling variable shaping bacterial community structure. For example, high pH is associated with higher relative abundance of Proteobacteria, while low pH appears to be related to the abundance of Acidobacteria. Variations of bacterial composition at different depths or vegetation types in a single site are smaller than those among different locations, suggesting that environmental changes in local conditions such as water level fluctuation and carbon availability may be less critical than the mean temperature or overall pH of a given site. Our study further suggests that the long-term changes in pH may have much greater implications than previously assumed, with peat decomposition likely to accelerate during the current recovery from acidification being experienced by peatlands across the world. 
Decline in the Mediterranean Etesian winds after large volcanic eruptions in the last millennium
Authors: Misios Stergios , Logothetis Ioannis , Knudsen Mads F. , Karoff Christoffer , Amiridis Vassilis , Tourpali Kleareti
Published: February 2023

The northerly Etesian winds are a stable summertime circulation system in the eastern Mediterranean, emerging from a steep pressure gradient between the central Europe and Balkans high-pressure and the Anatolian low pressure systems. Etesian winds are influenced by the variability in the Indian summer monsoon (ISM), but their sensitivity to external forcing on interannual and longer timescales is not well understood. Here we investigate the sensitivity of Etesian winds to large volcanic eruptions in a set of model simulations over the last millennium and reanalysis of the 20th century. We provide model evidence for significant volcanic signatures, manifested as a robust reduction in the wind speed and the total number of days with Etesian winds in July and August. These are robust responses to all strong eruptions in the last millennium, and in the extreme case of Samalas, the ensemble-mean response suggests a post-eruption summer without Etesians. The significant decline in the number of days with Etesian winds is attributed to the weakening of the ISM in the post-eruption summers, which is associated with a reduced large-scale subsidence and weakened surface pressure gradients in the eastern Mediterranean. Our analysis identifies a stronger sensitivity of Etesian winds to the Northern Hemisphere volcanic forcing, particularly for volcanoes before the 20th century, while for the latest large eruption of Pinatubo modelled and observed responses are insignificant. 
Heat transfer in pores and fractures – lessons learned from mechanical engineering
Authors: Heinze Thomas
Published: February 2023

The absence of an instantaneous local thermal equilibrium between rock and fluid has been observed multiple times in geoscientific, and especially geothermal, applications. The alternative, describing heat transfer between phases explicitly following Newton’s law of cooling, has been found essential to describe various processes, such as thermal stresses around wellbores or thermal breakthrough curves. While heat transfer founds growing interest in the geoscientific community, parameterization of the heat transfer coefficient and experimental data is still ambiguous. On the other hand, heat transfer has been studied extensively for decades in mechanical engineering for applications such as heat exchangers, chemical catalytic reactors, and thermal insulation.In this work, the lessons learned about heat transfer from mechanical engineering are presented and tested for validity and transferability to geoscientific applications. This includes the differentiation of several heat transfer mechanisms, various scale-dependent types of thermal non-equilibrium, and useful equations for the heat transfer coefficient. As will be pointed out, there are several key findings from mechanical engineering applications, that can be applied to geosciences almost directly. There are a few results that would require further verification, and there are substantial conceptual differences in the heat transfer between mechanical engineering and geosciences. This work will provide present key takeaways from mechanical engineering on heat transfer with a direct influence on geothermal projects and will point out future directions of required research in geosciences.