bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Next Generation Intersatellite Laser Ranging Interferometry for Mars Gravity Research
Authors: Koch Alexander , Bergmann Gerald , Fock Moritz , Grossel Kévin , van den Toren Julia
Published: March 2024

The Laser Ranging Interferometer (LRI) technology demonstrator on-board the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment Follow-On (GRACE-FO) mission has proved an unmatched sub-nanometer per square root of Hertz ranging performance above 100 mHz surpassing the noise floor of the until then state-of-the-art K/Ka-band ranging instrument by orders of magnitude. The LRI’s reliability and its outstanding performance have led to the decision of implementing LRI-like systems as primary instruments for the measurement of the intersatellite range in all currently planned NASA, DLR and ESA Earth gravity missions.Interferometric laser ranging has proven to be an indispensable technique for the long-term monitoring of Earth’s gravitational field and its spatial and temporal variations, enabling in-depth analyses of many Essential Climate Variables (ECVs). We propose to bring this proven technology to an application in a constellation of satellites dedicated to Mars gravity research as outlined in the paper titled “MaQuIs—Concept for a Mars Quantum Gravity Mission”.In this talk we will give an overview of the architecture of the LRI as it is currently flying on GRACE-FO as well as the measurement principle and its consequences for the overall mission design. Additionally, we are going to highlight a few of the following development activities, which could be applied for a mission around Mars: enhancement of the long-term stability of the laser frequency, improved redundancy schemes as well as a novel sensor type for the acquisition and maintenance of the constellation. Progress with respect to these aspects will yield a next generation of intersatellite laser interferometers with improved performance and enhanced reliability.
Underlying models for the European Digital Twin Ocean, a demonstration of three Focus Applications
Authors: Mészáros Lőrinc , Lucas Dols Felix , Staneva Joanna , Benjamin Jacob , Pein Johannes , Chen Wei , Coppini Giovanni , Mannarini Gianandrea , Federico Ivan , Leonardo Salinas Mario , Butenschön Momme , Murawski Jens , She Jun , Pinardi Nadia , Alessandri Jacopo , Seracini Marco , El Serafy Ghada
Published: March 2024

The EDITO-Model Lab project is aiming to develop the next generation of ocean and coastal models, combining artificial intelligence and high-performance computing, to be integrated into the EDITO public infrastructure, providing access to Focus applications. The improved core model suite together with automated model builders and downscaling tools, as well as high-resolution data sources from both numerical simulations and machine learning approaches will be published in an interactive manner on the EDITO platform.In this work we demonstrate the capabilities of the European Digital Twin Ocean in so called Focus Applications, designed for intermediate users that are interested in ocean and coastal management. The Focus Applications cover three areas in line with the EU Mission "Restore our Ocean and Waters". Biodiversity: Optimizing Marine Protected Areas by simulating biodiversity indicators and habitat suitability; Zero Carbon: Reducing carbon emissions of the marine transportation industry by including waves and currents in optimizing ship routing; and Zero Pollution: Reducing marine pollution by simulating the transport of oil spills and marine plastics, assessing hazards and backtracking to the source.By developing these Focus Applications and deploying them in the EDITO public infrastructure, the EDITO Model Lab consortium hopes to showcase the value of the next generation of ocean models (DTO engine), moreover contribute to a fruitful discussion with intermediate users around observing, simulating, forecasting and projecting coastal and ocean processes. This work includes interactive demonstrations.
Heat waves and health impacts in the northern part of Senegal: implementation of an early warning system to support Health National Adaptation Plan (HNAP)
Authors: Sy Ibrahima , Cissé Birane , Ndao Babacar , Touré Mory , Diouf Abdoul Aziz , Sarr Mamadou Adama , Ndiaye Ousmane
Published: March 2024

The Sahelian zone of Senegal experienced heat waves in the previous decades, such as 2013, 2016 and 2018 that were characterised by temperatures exceeding 45°C for up to 3 successive days. The health impacts of these heat waves are not yet analysed in Senegal although their negative efects have been shown in many countries. This study analyses the health impacts of observed extreme temperatures in the Sahelian zone of the country, focusing on morbidity and mortality by com[1]bining data from station observation, climate model projections, and household survey to investigate heat wave detection, occurrence of climate-sensitive diseases and risk factors for exposure. To do this, a set of climatic (temperatures) and health (morbidity, mortality) data were collected for the months of April, May and June from 2009 to 2019. These data have been completed with 1246 households’ surveys on risk factor exposure. Statistical methods were used to carry out univariate and bivariate analyses while cartographic techniques allowed mapping of the main climatic and health indicators. The results show an increase in temperatures compared to seasonal normal for the 1971–2000 reference period with threshold exceed[1]ances of the 90th percentiles (42°C) for the maxima and (27°C) the minima and higher temperatures during the months of May and June. From health perspective, it was noted an increase in cases of consultation in health facilities as well as a rise in declared morbidity by households especially in the departments of Kanel (17.7%), Ranérou (16.1 %), Matam (13.7%) and Bakel (13.7%). The heat waves of May 2013 were also associated with cases of death with a reported mortality (observed by medical staf) of 12.4% unequally distributed according to the departments with a higher number of deaths in Matam (25, 2%) and in Bakel (23.5%) than in Podor (8.4%) and Kanel (0.8%). The morbidity and mortality distribution according to gender shows that women (57%) were more afected than men (43%). These health risks have been associated with a number of factors including age, access to drinkable water, type of fuel, type of housing and construction materials, existence of fan and an air conditioner, and health history.The heat wave recurrence has led to a frequency in certain diseases sensitive to rising temperatures, which is increasingly a public health issue in the Sahelian zone of Senegal. The main scientific evidence and findings generated from this research initiative support the adaptation options of health national adaptation plan (HNAP) with the implementation of an early warning system for local communities and health system workers.Keywords: Climate · Temperature · Heat waves · Diseases · Health risks, adaptation, Senegal
Investigation of atmospheric drag effect on the trajectory of identified LEO objects and its implication on ISS safety during the 25th solar cycle
Authors: Nwankwo Victor , Berdermann Jens , Heymann Frank , Kodikara Timothy , Yuan Liangliang , Fernandez-Gomez Isabel
Published: March 2024

In the recent years we have witnessed unprecedented increase in both active and expired space missions (debris) – a scenario, if continued, that can lead to generation of even more debris through possible ‘satellite-satellite’ collision, ‘satellite-debris’ collision and/or ‘debris-debris’ collision (Kessler effect), especially in the heavily used low Earth orbit (LEO). Consequently, the possibility of a risk-free utilization and sustainability of space is significantly threatened because of the predisposed risk to both manned (e.g., the ISS) and unmanned active spacecrafts in this region of space. Space weather-enhanced atmospheric drag (and consequent increase in the rate of orbit decay) makes the risk even more worrisome. In this work, we investigate atmospheric drag effect on the trajectory of identified LEO objects (debris) during the 25th solar cycle and perform collision risk analysis for the International Space Station (ISS) operating at h≈415 km. We present relevant results and observations from this effort that are beneficial for orbit sustainability in LEO.
Lagrangian modelling of plastic transport in marine waters. 
Authors: Alendal Guttorm , Madduri Prithvinath , Oleynik Anna , Avlesen Helge , R. Clark James
Published: March 2024

We will report on two studies we have done related to Lagrangian transport of plastic particle in marine waters.In the first study, we investigate the particle dynamics of tyre-wear microplastics that come from road traffic across two major bridges in Byfjorden, namely the Nordhordland Bridge and the Askøy Bridge. We employ a Lagrangian particle tracking framework, OpenDrift, with background horizontal velocities from Bergen Ocean Model (BOM), paired with a vertical sinking velocity obtained from Stokes law to track individual particle paths along the flow field until they reach the seafloor. The sinking velocity is picked from a distribution that is designed based on results from point source experiments, enabling us to cover the particle dynamics for a spectrum of sinking velocities. The basis of this study lies in using the variability in local currents, by conducting multiple experiments with distinct initial locations and release times to understand the similarities and differences in the footprint. In the particle simulation, the horizontal velocity experienced by individual particles depends on release time which is related to when in the tidal cycle the particle is released. We seek insights to discover potential aggregation zones and their corresponding gradients along the bottom of the fjord. We plan to shed light on ‘how particle dynamics change when we vary the sinking velocity’. These results could be applicable in identifying the mechanisms behind particle transport in fjords and can assist in designing sampling campaigns.In the second, we assess the amount of transboundary plastic coming along the coast of western Norway, employing a nested modelling approach. We utilize emissions data of buoyant plastics from major European rivers (Meijer et al., 2021), as an input to our Lagrangian particle tracking model simulated using OpenDrift. The background currents are provided by the nested model which includes surface currents from three grids: A 4km model of the North Atlantic - Nordic4K (Lein et al., 2013), An 800m model covering Norway’s coastline - Norkyst800 (Albertsen et al., 2011), and 160m hydrodynamical model - NorFjords160 (Dalsøren et al., 2020). As particles transit through these nested grids, we precisely track the plastic pathways into the western Norwegian fjords around the city of Bergen. Employing this nested grid setup addresses problems with boundary conditions and mass balance. We present the estimates for the fraction of plastic moving into the fjord with focus on relative influence of wind and ocean currents on the transboundary movement of plastic. This study sheds light on processes responsible for near and far field transport, providing valuable insights for agencies working on trans-national pollution laws and implementing ocean clean-up strategies.
Constraining projections of future freshwater fluxes from Antarctica 
Authors: Coulon Violaine , Blasco Javier , Qin Qing , De Rydt Jan , Pattyn Frank
Published: March 2024

As global temperatures rise, Antarctica's grounded ice sheet and floating ice shelves are experiencing accelerated mass loss, releasing meltwater into the Southern Ocean. This increasing freshwater discharge poses significant implications for global climate change. Despite these consequences, interactive ice sheets and ice shelves have generally not been included in coupled climate model simulations, such as those in CMIP6. Consequently, CMIP6 projections lack a detailed representation of spatiotemporal trends in ice-sheet freshwater fluxes and their impact on the global climate system, introducing major uncertainties in future climate and sea-level projections. To address this, we provide future Antarctic freshwater forcing data and uncertainty estimates for climate models. These are derived from an ensemble of historically calibrated standalone ice sheet model projections, produced with the Kori-ULB ice flow model, under different climate scenarios up to 2300. Here, we analyse spatiotemporal trends in calving rates, ice shelf basal melt and surface mass balance for all Antarctic ice shelves. 
Inverse and Forward Alfvenic Kármán Vortex and Magnetospheric Coherent Turbulent Structures in 3D Global MHD Simulations
Authors: Cai DongSheng , Fujita Shigeru , Lembege Bertrand
Published: March 2024

Magnetospheric coherent structures related to the dynamics of the dayside magnetopause frontier for a northward IMF configuration, are analyzed using global 3D MHD simulations. The main goal is to reach a synthetic scenario on the formation of 3D unstable/stable structures developed in different steps from the dayside to the night side. They are: (i) the Kelvin-Helmholtz (K-H) vortexes are generated along and outside the magnetopause near the dayside region, while other K-H vortexes are generated along and inside the magnetopause;  (ii) Those vortexes frozen to the magnetic field  at the inner sides of the magnetopause at both dusk/dawn sides extend towards the north and south.  They face each other near the north and south ionosphere with counter inverse rotation to form the so-called “inverse” Karman vortexes; (iii) both rows of vortexes are shed off soon from the magnetopause; (iii) these vortexes are unstable in one each row, adjust, and evolve into a marginal stable Kármán vortex street; (iv) these Kármán vortexes soon are reformed into stable longitudinal (stream-wise) coherent vortexes and survive for long time over large distances x~-130 to -140Re in the magnetotail. All these processes lead to the formation of magnetospheric coherent turbulent structures. 
Comprehensive Study of Emerging Pollutants in El Hierro Island: A Showcase of Good Practices with Zero Pesticide Impact
Authors: Gasco Cavero Samanta , Marazuela Miguel Ángel , Cruz-Pérez Noelia , Martín Rodríguez Luis Fernando , Laspidou Chrysi , Contreras-Llin Albert , Quintana Gerard , Díaz-Cruz Silvia , Santamarta Juan C. , García Gil Alejandro
Published: March 2024

The present study focuses on emerging pollutants (EPs) in groundwater, an understudied category with unclear regulatory guidelines regarding their impact on water resources. Regions heavily reliant on groundwater, crucial for agriculture, drinking, and other purposes, face heightened risks of EP contamination. The case study focuses on El Hierro (Canary Islands), a UNESCO-designated biosphere reserve largely powered by renewable energies. Employing high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, the concentrations of 70 EPs at 19 locations on El Hierro were assessed.
The findings revealed an absence of pesticides in groundwater, and diverse levels of ultraviolet (UV) filters, UV stabilizers/blockers, and pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs), with La Frontera emerging as the most contaminated municipality. Piezometers and wells exhibited the highest EP concentrations among the different installation types. Notably, sampling depth demonstrated a positive correlation with EP concentration, revealing four distinct clusters dividing the island based on EP presence.
Further research is essential to understand the factors contributing to the elevated concentrations of certain EPs at different depths. The results underscore the necessity to, not only implement remediation measures post-EP infiltration into soil and aquifers, but also prevent their introduction into the water cycle through homes, animal husbandry, agriculture, industry, and wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs).

 
 

 

 
Modelling of soil water regime in forested areas: potential benefits of seasonally variable soil hydraulic properties
Authors: Šípek Václav , Vlček Lukáš , Hnilica Jan , Tesař Miroslav
Published: March 2024

Soil moisture plays a key role in the hydrological cycle by partitioning of precipitation between evapotranspiration and deep infiltration. The ongoing climate change is causing an increase in air temperatures, changes in precipitation patterns and decrease in winter snow cover. It simultaneously shifts spring snowmelt towards winter months. Both air temperature and precipitation patterns are suspected to be one of the influential factors affecting changes in soil hydraulic properties. Thus, the ongoing climate change can alter soil hydraulic properties, commonly considered time-invariant, and the prediction of future soil moisture regime can therefore be more uncertain than originally thought.We measured a saturated hydraulic conductivity using an automatic single-ring infiltrometer thorough one entire year in a monthly time-step in the spruce covered site. Higher infiltration rates were regularly observed in the middle of a vegetation season compared to lower rates observed in a dormant season. Based on this finding we implemented a new function, enabling the seasonal variation of the saturated hydraulic conductivity, into the simple bucket-type soil moisture model. The root-mean square error of soil moisture prediction decreased by one-third and Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency increased significantly indicating possible benefits of a new concept. Main reasons behind the seasonal variability of soil hydraulic properties in uncultivated sites can be numerous (encompassing biological activity, changes in the root architecture, wetting/drying and freezing/thawing cycles altering the pore space) and deserve further investigation.The major outcome is represented by the concept enabling a more efficient prediction of soil moisture regime outside the vegetation season, which is increasingly more important as the onset of soil drought can often be observed at the end of the dormant season. Furthermore, modelling of a climate change impact on the availability of water resources will also benefit from a better prediction of the soil moisture by considering regular structural changes of soil.
Response of carbon accumulation dynamics in the peatlands of Changbai Mountain to climate change over the past 2000 years
Authors: Zhao Hongyan , Liu Xue , Li Hongkai
Published: March 2024

Peatlands occupy only 3% of the land area, but store nearly 30% of soil organic carbon (Yu et al., 2010; 2014). Thus, peatlands are one of the most important carbon reservoirs on land. Whether peatlands will become a carbon source or sink as the climate warms varies in different study regions (Gallego-Sala et al., 2018). In order to answer this question, it is necessary to select the past typical warm period as the "historical similarity" to explore the relationship between the carbon accumulation in peatland and climate change during this period. The past 2000 years includes the Roman Period, the Medieval Warm Period, the Little Ice Age and the Global Warming Period, which are the focus of the International Program on Past Global Changes (PAGES). A study of the relationship between peatlands and climate change in the last millennium on a global scale shows that the carbon sink of peatlands in northern regions is increased after rising temperature, while the opposite is true for peatlands in low latitudes (Galleau-Sala et al., 2018). Where is the latitude limit?The Changbai Mountain is located between the northern peatlands and low-latitude peatlands. The peatlands distribute widely in the Changbai Mountain and are less affected by human activities. Thus, the Changbai Mountain is one of the ideal regions to explore the response of peatland development to climate change (Hong et al., 2000; Zhou et al., 2010; Zheng et al., 2018). In this paper, four peatlands (Jinchuan, Baijianghe, Lushuihe and Laolike) were selected from west to east around the main peak of Changbai Mountain, and six peat profiles were drilled in total. With the support of AMS14C and 210Pb/137Cs techniques, the dynamics of carbon accumulation in peatlands and its response to climate in this area in the past 2000 years were discussed. The results show that the carbon accumulation rate of the four peatlands with similar latitudes was higher during the warm and wet period of the Roman Period and the Medieval Warm Period, and lower during the Little Ice Age, which is consistent with the northern peatlands. But the carbon accumulation rate showed a downward trend during the global warming period, which is similar to the low-latitude peatlands. This suggests that the carbon accumulation rate of peatland in Changbai Mountain may increase with the increase of temperature within a certain range. But the rate of carbon accumulation will decrease when the temperature rises beyond the limit. It also suggests that if the climate continues to warm in the future, the carbon sink function of peatlands in the region will be weakened. Exploring the response of carbon accumulation dynamics to climate change in peatland of Changbai Mountain is helpful to clarify the latitude limit of carbon accumulation change in peatland and predict the trend of carbon accumulation change in peatland after climate warming.
Individual and interactive effects of warming and nitrogen supply on CO2 fluxes and carbon allocation in subarctic grassland
Authors: Meeran Kathiravan , Verbrigghe Niel , Ingrisch Johannes , Fuchslueger Lucia , Müller Lena , Sigurðsson Páll , Sigurdsson Bjarni D. , Wachter Herbert , Watzka Margarete , Soong Jennifer L. , Vicca Sara , Janssens Ivan A. , Bahn Michael
Published: March 2024

Climate warming has been suggested to impact high latitude grasslands severely, potentially causing considerable carbon (C) losses from soil. Warming can also stimulate nitrogen (N) turnover, but it is largely unclear whether and how altered N availability impacts belowground C dynamics. Even less is known about the individual and interactive effects of warming and N availability on the fate of recently photosynthesized C in soil. On a 10-year geothermal warming gradient in Iceland, we studied the effects of soil warming and N addition on CO2 fluxes and the fate of recently photosynthesized C through CO2 flux measurements and a 13CO2 pulse-labeling experiment. Under warming, ecosystem respiration exceeded maximum gross primary productivity, causing increased net CO2 emissions. N addition treatments revealed that, surprisingly, the plants in the warmed soil were N limited, which constrained primary productivity and decreased recently assimilated C in shoots and roots. In soil, microbes were increasingly C limited under warming and increased microbial uptake of recent C. Soil respiration was increased by warming and was fueled by increased belowground inputs and turnover of recently photosynthesized C. Our findings suggest that a decade of warming seemed to have induced a N limitation in plants and a C limitation by soil microbes. This caused a decrease in net ecosystem CO2 uptake and accelerated the respiratory release of photosynthesized C, which decreased the C sequestration potential of the grassland. Our study highlights the importance of belowground C allocation and C-N interactions in the C dynamics of subarctic ecosystems in a warmer world.
A Knowledge Graph-Driven Question Answering System for Mineral Resource Survey 
Authors: Wang Chengbin
Published: March 2024

Geoscience data associated with mineral resource surveys have become essential digital assets for governments and mining companies. The rapid increase in the volume of geoscience data makes it challenging to acquire knowledge quickly. In this study, we proposed and built a workflow that employs knowledge graph techniques, deep learning, question templates, and matching algorithms to provide a question-answering service for geologists involved in mineral resource surveys. Initially, we utilized deep-learning-based geological entities and their semantic relation reorganization, along with relational data mapping, to construct the mineral resource survey knowledge graph based on the ontology model. We then employed question template matching, a geological entity recognition model, and a sentence transformer to determine the optimal question template and generate a query statement for knowledge acquisition from a knowledge graph based on the Cypher language. Subsequently, we utilized a subgraph and a short abstract to express the results. This study demonstrates the utility of workflows for providing knowledge services in the field of mineral resource surveys. The results also suggest that further studies on geoscience pre-trained models, an informative library of question templates, and multimodal knowledge graphs are necessary to improve the performance of the knowledge graph-driven question-answering system.
Fluid pathways and metamorphic evolution in the northern part of the Bergen Arcs: the island of Krossøy
Authors: Hernández Filiberto Lorena , Austrheim Håkon , Putnis Andrew
Published: March 2024

Fluid migration within the Earth's crust significantly influences the development of shear zones. The Bergen Arcs have been a focal point for investigating the localization of rheologically weaker zones that facilitate shear zone formation, with various hypotheses proposed (Jamtveit et al. 2019; Incel et al. 2022). These zones may originate from seismic events, inducing brittle fracturing and creating pathways for mineral re-equilibration and ductile deformation.This research concentrates on the island of Krossøy, located in the northernmost part of the Bergen Arcs, Western Norway, offering a unique perspective on deformation, textural evolution, and metamorphism compared to the extensively studied southern regions of Holsnøy and Radøy (Austrheim 1987; Mukai et al. 2014; Moore et al. 2020). Krossøy exposes anorthosites from the old granulitic basement, intruded by a series of subparallel mafic granulitic dykes forming a distinctive "dyke swarm," not documented elsewhere in the Bergen Arcs. We present our results on microstructural analysis through Electron Backscattered Diffraction (EBSD) and, mineral and chemical evolution using Electron Microprobe analysis (EMPA).Given the plagioclase-rich nature of anorthosites, our results delineate the chemical and textural evolution of feldspars, tracing their journey from early-stage granulitic anorthosite formation approximately 930 Ma ago to the development of Caledonian mylonite (440-420 Ma) during shear zone activity under amphibolite facies conditions. By examining the fluid pathways, we seek to determine their relationship with the formation of rheologically weaker areas in the crust and how the dynamic interplay between fluid infiltration and deformation mechanisms may play an important role by changing the metamorphic conditions, textures and mineral assemblages in the rocks.Austrheim, H. (1987). Eclogitization of lower crustal granulites by fluid migration through shear zones. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 81(2–3), 221-232.Incel, S., Labrousse, L., Hilairet, N. et al. (2022). Reaction-induced embrittlement of the lower continental crust. Geology, 47(3).Jamtveit, B., Petley‐Ragan, A. et al. (2019). The Effects of Earthquakes and Fluids on the Metamorphism of the Lower Continental Crust. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 124(8), 7725-7755.Moore J., Beinlich A., Piazolo S., Austrheim H. and Putnis A. Metamorphic differentiation via enhanced dissolution along high permeability zones. Journal of Petrology 61, 10, egaa096 (2020)Mukai, H., Austrheim, H., Putnis, C. V., and Putnis, A. (2014). Textural Evolution of Plagioclase Feldspar across a Shear Zone: Implications for Deformation Mechanism and Rock Strength Journal of Petrology, 55(8), 1457-1477.
Conclusions from an IAEA Meeting on the sample preparation and measurement of radio sulfur in natural water samples
Authors: Kamau Stephen , Mostafa Amghar El , Bibby Richard , Copia Lorenzo , Coulson Laura , Damatto Sandra , Harjung Astrid , Kopitz Juergen , Kralik Martin , McGuire Bradley , Schubert Michael , Terzer-Wassmuth Stefan
Published: March 2024

Research on groundwater residence times is essential for evaluating groundwater abstraction rates and aquifer vulnerabilities, and hence, for sustainable water resources management. Naturally occurring radionuclides are suitable tools for related investigations. While the applicability of several long-lived radionuclides for the investigation of long-term processes has been demonstrated frequently, tracer-based approaches for studying residence times of less than one year have not been fully exploited. That is due to the rather small number of applicable radionuclides that show adequately short half-lives. A promising approach for investigating sub-yearly residence times applies radioactive Sulphur (35S). Radio-Sulphur is naturally produced by high-energy cosmic radiation in the upper atmosphere from where it is transferred with precipitation to the groundwater. As soon as the meteoric water enters the subsurface its 35S activity concentration decreases with an 87.4-day half-life. This makes 35S suitable for investigating sub-yearly groundwater residence times. However, the low 35S activities in natural waters require sulphate pre-concentration for 35S detection by means of liquid scintillation counting. This is done by sulphate extraction from large water samples with anion-exchange resins or/and precipitation as BaSO4. The resulting samples are usually associated with background interferences and quenching. The presented experiments aim at (i) optimizing the sample preparation procedure by simplifying the pre-concentration of sulphate to make it applicable for field sampling and at (ii) reducing quench and background during measurement. We will discuss the different sample preparation methods and lessons learned for the detection and quantification of 35S pre-concentrated from natural water samples that contain a wide range of SO42− concentrations.
Modeling crop water demand to support adaptation strategies in Mediterranean environment under climate change
Authors: Aslam Muhammad Faizan , Masia Sara , Spano Donatella , Mereu Valentina , Debolini Marta , Snyder Richard L. , Borgo Andrea , Trabucco Antonio
Published: March 2024

Water scarcity is arguably a pressing issue for the 21st century in Mediterranean areas, due to limited water resources, expansion of irrigated area to sustain food security and climate change. Water extraction for agriculture sector account about to 70% of global water use, and this demand peaks to 80% of total water withdrawal in several southern Mediterranean countries. In this study, the impact of climate change on evapotranspiration demand, crop water requirements, and crop yield losses due to water shortage, were assessed by using the Simulation of Evapotranspiration of Applied Water (SIMETAW_GIS) model. This crop-soil-water model was implemented over the Sardinia island, a region with a typical Mediterranean climate and agriculture characteristics, assuming impact of climate change for a whole range of relevant Mediterranean crops (Wheat, Barley, Sugar beet, Potato, Lentil, Almond, Maize, Wine Grape, Table Grape, Tomato, Rice, Artichoke, Alfalfa, Olives, Improved Pasture and Orange). Under present analysis, daily climate data from five Earth System Models dynamically downscaled to a spatial resolution of 0.11-degrees (~11 km) from the  EURO-CORDEX project domain and available from the Copernicus Climate Data service (https://climate.copernicus.eu/) were retrieved and ensembled. The impact of climate change on crop water requirements was evaluated under historical (1976-2005) and future (2036-2065) climate conditions following different Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs: 2.6, 4.5 and 8.5), representing alternative mitigation policies and future emission scenarios.In the Sardinia region, results show a variegated increase of crop water demand between future (2036-2065) and historical conditions (1976-2005) for different crops, which may pose a challenge for water resource management, especially considering water use conflicts among different sectors. On average wheat and barley will foresee the most significant increase of crop water requirements, ranging on average by 12 to 14% under different RCPs. Other crops (e.g. almond, maize, wine grape, and pasture) are projected to foresee still significant increases of crop water demand, varying between 4-8%.  This work provides information that can support farmers and decision managers to evaluate climate change adaptation strategies linked to different cropping patterns to increase use efficiency of water resources for a more sustainable agriculture production under climate change.
The stagnation of low percentage of female scientists in Japan and JpGU's initiatives
Authors: Hori Rie , Oguchi Chiaki
Published: March 2024

The percentage of female scientists in Japan is 17.5% in the 2021 survey. This percentage is the lowest among OECD countries. The percentages of female doctoral students in science and engineering graduate programs nationwide are 21.0% and 19.2%, indicating a gap between the percentage of female prospective researchers and the percentage of women actually employed. It is pointed out that this is due to gender bias at the time of recruitment. On the other hand, the percentage of female members of JpGU remains around 20%, which is higher than the average in Japan, but still low compared to the percentage of female geoscientists in EGU and AGU. One of the reasons for the low number of female scientists in Japan is the low percentage of female students entering science and engineering fields in Japan (27% in science and 16% in engineering). The Science Council of Japan's Subcommittee on Gender and Diversity in Science and Engineering analyzed this problem and pointed out that its cause lies in the environment of education system during elementary and junior high schools (Opinion of SCJ, 2023). In Japan, the following factors are considered to have contributed to the decline in the number of female students going on to study science and engineering, even though surveys such as PISA (2018) and TIMSS (2019) show that both male and female 15-year-olds have equal academic achievement and interested in science and mathematics in the early education stage. (1) The percentage of female science teachers in junior high school and above is significantly lower than in the OECD countries → Few role models. (2) Often exposed to obvious “implicit bias” that has no evidence to support it (for example, girls are not good at mathematics. Science and engineering professions are not suitable for girls).JpGU and Japanese universities actively conduct outreach programs for female junior igh and high school students every year to foster future female scientists. However, only a small percentage of them in whole Japan participate in such events, and these initiatives does not give us a full solution.
The 2022 European Drought Needs to be a Turning Point for Drought Risk Management: An Overview from Drivers to Impact and Management
Authors: Biella Riccardo , Shyrokaya Anastasiya , Ionita Monica ,   Drought in the Anthropocene (DitA) working group - Panta Rhei/HELPING
Published: March 2024

The summer of 2022 marked a turning point for Europe as the largest drought in centuries unfolded, with dire consequences for livelihoods and ecosystems all across the continent. High temperatures and prolonged record-low precipitation underscored the event. The ensuing heatwaves in May, June, and July intensified water uptake, exacerbating conditions all across the continent, and causing secondary hazards, such as wildfires and landslides.This research offers a comprehensive overview of the 2022 European drought, reconnecting the physical drivers of the drought, to its societal and ecological impacts, and the drought risk management measures implemented by water managers across the continent. To do so, this study relies on a survey submitted to water managers all across the continent. The survey gathered 487 responses from 30 European countries, predominantly from public and governmental organizations, making it one of the largest datasets on response to this event to date. The study shows that while Southwestern Europe bore the initial brunt, the whole continent endured protracted effects. Water managers across Europe almost unanimously acknowledged that the risk of drought is increasing and that its management is becoming more crucial year after year.Based on the collected data we identified a correlation between increased awareness and improved preparedness post 2018-2019 drought. Yet, while awareness of drought risk is growing rapidly, preparedness lags. Additionally, despite the upward trajectory of drought preparedness, challenges persist in managing large-scale events. Differences among countries are significant, underscoring the need for European-wide coordination.The type of measures taken varied by region and sector. In particular, water managers in Southern Europe, where agriculture is more prevalent, focussed on water supply-side measures, showing an imperative to preserve business-as-usual operations even in the face of water scarcity. On the other hand, water demand management was more common in Central and Western Europe. Long-term and transformative measures and ecosystem-based measures remain underused, underscoring how drought risk management remains largely responsive and event-focused. As droughts transcend borders, pan-European coordination is paramount to ensure effective drought risk management and address disparities in capacity across countries.
Projected Increases in fire weather days even when the Paris Agreement targets are met: an exploration of fire risk uncertainty with a perturbed physics ensemble of climate models 
Authors: Taylor Inika , Kelley Douglas , Mathison Camilla , Williams Karina , Hartley Andy , Betts Richard , Burton Chantelle
Published: March 2024

Large destructive fires can cause extensive damage to ecosystems, and infrastructure, and loss of life. Understanding how these ‘wildfires’ are likely to change as the world warms is vital for effective fire management planning. This study provides information on likely future change and associated uncertainty in fire weather, relevant for fire management planning, including periods and extent of extreme fire weather and length of control burn season. We use the McArthur Forest Fire Danger Index (FFDI) to investigate the effect of human-caused climate change on fire weather. We use a large, perturbed physics ensemble to explore the uncertainty at three Global Warming Levels (GWLs); 1.5°C, 2.0°C and 4.0°C above pre-industrial temperatures, for two emissions scenarios, RCP2.6 (a mitigation scenario), and RCP8.5, (a high-end scenario). We look globally, and focus on three regions: Australia, Brazil and the USA.  The frequency and severity of fire weather increases at all GWLs. The amount of land with more fire weather days increases with GWL, as does the uncertainty. Limiting warming to 1.5°C limits increases in future fire weather. However, even at 1.5°C, there is still a 31% (25% – 36%) increase in the land surface with more fire weather. Our analysis shows a substantial increase in fire weather and shortened control burn season even under the best-case scenario of meeting the 1.5°C Paris Agreement temperature target. However, exceeding the Paris Agreement target will see a much more substantial increase in both the fire season length and the amount of the land surface exposed to a greater risk of wildfires. These potential changes in fire weather have important implications for planning appropriate responses, such as the controlled burning season length, resourcing and training of fire managers and first responders, and the development of fire management plans. 
Assessment of blue carbon sequestration potential in the Basque estuaries: insights for climate change mitigation
Authors: Valle Mireia , Garmendia Joxe Mikel , Franco Javier , Chust Guillem
Published: March 2024

Blue carbon ecosystems (BCEs) such as saltmarshes and seagrass meadows, have been recently found to importantly contribute to global regulation services through their ability to sequester and store carbon. They also support a key set of services such as habitat provision, flood and coastal protection, enhancement of water quality and various tangible and intangible cultural services. These multiple co-benefits associated with BCEs underscores the importance of integrating nature-based solutions into climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies. This research aims to assess blue carbon sequestration potential in the Basque estuaries by estimating current blue carbon stock and provide insights for climate change mitigation management strategies involving conservation and restoration of BCEs. To do so, we performed a field campaign in summer 2022 where we sampled 3 BCEs habitat types (saltmarshes, Zostera noltei seagrass meadows and non-vegetated intertidal flats) in 3 different estuaries. In each estuary, we sampled 3 plots for each habitat type. In the plots, we collected 3 sediment cores to estimate total organic carbon (TOC), organic matter and grain size of the sediment; and 3 vegetation quadrants (in vegetated plots of saltmarshes and seagrass) to estimate TOC stored in above- and below-ground biomass. Additionally, we performed a literature review to determine BCEs mean organic carbon value and be able to compare it to that found in our assessment. Existing cartography of BCEs was also compiled to be able to make spatial estimations and identify BCEs hotspots. In the case of Zostera noltei seagrass, a spatio-temporal analysis was performed examining the trends in its distribution. We compared available detailed cartographies from 2008, 2012 and 2021 and a significant increase of the area was detected. Results showed that BCEs from the Basque estuaries might play an important role in mitigating residual anthropogenic carbon emissions.
FRAME – a Fast Response Aftershock network for the Moroccan Earthquake (Mw 6.9, 08.09.2023)
Authors: Zeckra Martin , El Moudnib Lahcen , Nouyati Abderrahime , Carrasco Sebastián
Published: March 2024

The 2023 Mw 6.9 Al Haouz Earthquake in the Moroccan High Atlas mountains is the most recent example of a destructive event in an intraplate setting under the absence of a causative plate boundary. Their large inter-event times in such seismotectonic regimes hinders the study of single focus regions and apparently underestimates their larger seismic hazard potential, leaving local communities unaware of the scale of their exposure to these risks. One major shortcoming in the immediate scientific analysis of this unprecedented earthquake is the lack of (publicly) available seismic waveform recordings in the source area.An immediate impact is displayed in the source location uncertainty, including a high variability in focal depth estimations. Associating the earthquake origin to a causative fault remains puzzling, bearing in mind the deeper-than-average focal depth of around 32 km. The complex tectonic history of the Atlas mountain chains is depicted in a plethora of active, reactivated and abandoned faults. In addition, prior studies noticed a lithospheric anomaly underneath the High Atlas mountain range, that lacks a classical mountain root. Thus, this event raise questions on the thermo-elastic parameters at depth in order to support a large seismogenic thickness of the crust.In the immediate aftermath of the Al Haouz, we initiated a rapid-response task force for setting up a temporal seismic network in the High Atlas. Within two weeks, six autonomous seismological stations have been installed between 20 and 80 km from the estimated epicenter. Due to the large degree of destruction, problematic access and absence of major infrastructure in the epicentral region, we relied on autarkic and robust sensors. As a novelty, the stations consisted of SmartSolo® three component 5 Hz geophone sensors. These industrial-level instruments are light-weight and easy to deploy in any terrain. In a compact casing, the passive sensors host digitizer, data storage, GPS and battery life-time of up to 30 days.Here, we present the first data of this 2 months temporary network. Based on preliminary analysis, we could obtain more than 1000 events recorded on all stations of the network during the 54 recording days. The largest recorded events had an assigned magnitude of ML 4.5. Considering single stations detections as well, we estimate more than 10,000 earthquake detections overall. This catalog will greatly expand the scientific insight into the mechanisms of this exceptional earthquake in the near-future.Further, through the use of simple geophone sensors this study presents a proof of concept for rapid response installations of temporary aftershock network. These sensor types strongly outperform the fully elaborated counterparts in installation speed, transportability and external requirements for potential installation sites without large drawbacks in data quality.
Submesoscale air-sea interactions: atmospheric response and impacts on the ocean dynamics
Authors: Renault Lionel
Published: March 2024

Current Feedback (CFB) and Thermal Feedback (TFB) strongly influence atmospheric and oceanic dynamics at the oceanic mesoscale (O(10-250) km). At smaller scales, oceanic submesoscale currents (O(0.1-10 km)) play a major role in the ocean's energy budget, variability, and ecosystems. However, air-sea interactions at the submesoscale are not well understood due to observational and modeling limitations related to their scales.  This talk addresses this gap by using submesoscale coupled ocean-atmosphere models.  These models are implemented over diverse regions characterized by distinct physical properties. The findings provide compelling evidence that submesoscale modulation affects both the atmosphere and oceanic dynamics. Both TFB and CFB significantly modulate low-level wind curl and divergence as well as momentum and heat fluxes between the ocean and the atmosphere, with a direct impact on the oceanic submesoscale energy budget.
Effects of drought and disturbance on the CO2 and CH4 fluxes in a mixed forest and spruce monoculture
Authors: Bosela Michal , Tupek Boris , Marcis Peter , Poltak Dominik , Rybar Jergus , Vido Jaroslav , Nalevanková Paulína , Lehtonen Aleksi , Makipaa Raisa
Published: March 2024

Spruce monocultures have been intensively planted across a wide area of Europe to increase timber production and meet the demand from society. However, evidence suggests that species monocultures may not be as resilient to drought spells and heat waves compared to mixtures of two or more species. The advantage of mixed forests over monocultures is particularly evident when the mixed species occupy different niches, reducing inter-specific competition and enabling better growth and increased carbon sequestration. However, it remains unclear how drought events and heat waves affect carbon sequestration in the soil and how this differs between mixed forests and species monocultures. In this study, we conducted two years of intensive monitoring of soil CO2 and CH4 fluxes, measured soil microbial diversity, and assessed long-term (tree ring) and seasonal tree growth to quantify carbon sequestration in a mixed forest and a spruce monoculture. Results showed that severe drought in 2022 significantly reduced the growth of Norway spruce stand and its' forest floor and soil CO2 fluxes but at lesser intensity impacted C fluxes of European beech and silver fir stand. The bark beetle outbreak in 2023 caused rapid tree infestation and die-back only in the spruce stand (followed by salvage clear-cut harvesting) which subsequently increased soil CO2 emissions via a sudden increase in litter input from dead trees, soil temperature and water content from reduction of shade and evapotranspiration.