bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Floor heating and heat exchanger as an ammonia mitigation technique for broiler housing
Authors: Gfeller Stefan , Valach Alex C. , Häni Christoph , Bowald Simon , Kupper Thomas
Published: March 2024

Ammonia (NH3) volatilization from broiler housings is an increasing source of ammonia emissions due to the growing demand of chicken meat. Since modern broiler housings represent mostly larger operations with several thousands of animals, deposition of NH3 in nearby natural or semi-natural ecosystems can be significant and often exceeds critical levels for reactive nitrogen. Therefore, mitigation techniques for NH3 volatilization are crucial. Emissions are strongly influenced by the consistence and the moisture of the litter. Techniques which keep the litter dry such as floor heating and heat exchangers are promising options.We conducted a campaign over an entire production cycle at a farm with parallel emission measurements at two identical broiler housings with 9000 animals each. One building had no mitigation techniques and served as reference, while the other one was operated with floor heating and a heat exchanger (FH-HE). The production cycle in each housing was slightly offset with the Ref cycle lasting from 30th of October until 1st of December 2023 and the FH-HE cycle from 2nd of November until 6th of December 2023. We measured the inflow concentrations of NH3 and CO2 at each of the six air inlet channels and at all of the outlets (3 at the Ref and 4 at the FH-HE housings) using Dräger X-node sensors. The air exchange rate was determined with measuring fans placed at all of the outlets. After the measurement campaign, all sensors were exposed side by side in a nearby cattle barn during 20 days for intercomparison and subsequent correction of the individual sensors.In-house concentrations ranged up to 18 ppm for Ref housing and up to 5 ppm for the FH-HE housing. Highest concentrations and emissions were measured at the end of the production cycle. The emissions over the entire production cycle was 16.9 kg NH3 (Ref) and 1.8 kg for the FH-HE. The emissions were lower by a factor of approximately 9 for the FH-HE house as compared to the Ref. The litter was considerably drier in the FH-HE housing presumably due to the floor heating and the lower ventilation rate which was possible due the heat exchanger, which also led to a lower relative humidity. Additional measurement campaigns covering the winter and the summer seasons will include additional analyses of the moisture content and chemical composition of the litter to further elucidate the emission reduction achieved by the FH-HE. The absolute emission numbers of the present campaign will be evaluated based on an intercomparison with a wet chemical method. The ventilation rate based on a CO2 balance calculation will be compared with the ventilation rate determined from the measuring fans. It will also be analyzed whether a simpler measurement setup based on fewer sensors can be employed to optimize the acquisition of reliable measurement data at reduced costs.
Tools to unlock Palaeogene climate records from high-latitude coal seams
Authors: Jensen Maria Ansine , Malte Jochmann , Marshall Chris , Jelby Mads , Large David , Blok Carlette , Jahren Anne Hope , Jerrett Rhodri , Sanei Hamed
Published: March 2024

Terrestrial palaeoclimate records are generally challenging to obtain due to the dynamic changes of landscapes, and ubiquitous erosion on land. Deep-time palaeoclimate proxies are typically retrieved from marine sedimentary records of calm depositional environments; these, however, do not capture the land surface-atmosphere interaction, which forms a crucial component of the global carbon exchange. This is particularly true when using palaeoclimate analogues for the future climate state, where land surface temperature, hydrology and vegetation interaction will have direct impact on land surface conditions. The Palaeocene Firkanten Formation on Svalbard, Arctic Norway, holds up to 5 m thick coal seams, representing extensive peatlands in a Boreal climate, at c. 75 degrees N palaeolatitude. Deposition in the high Arctic in a high atmospheric CO2 hyperthermal world, makes this record a highly relevant analogue for the currently rapidly warming Arctic. Undisturbed coal samples from three different coal mines provide a high-resolution archive of C-isotopes, inorganic dust, pollen and coal macerals. In the Svalbard Warm Arctic Palaeoclimate (SWAP) field laboratory we are testing dC13 as a proxy for water stress in the peatland and comparing the potential palaeohydrology proxy to XRF data of inorganic particles as proxies for wind distribution and/or dry/wet conditions. Currently, our samples comprise the dC13 record, preliminary pollen analyses, XRF of inorganic particles, whereas future work will target coal macerals as indicators for the temperature of forest fires, and comparison with carbon exchange in modern Arctic records. We will discuss the robustness of these proxies for the deep-time peat record, and the implications for future climate models for the Arctic land surface in a warming world. 
Shallow water moment model for sediment transportation in coastal area
Authors: Parvin Afroja , Koellermeier Julian , Samaey Giovanni
Published: March 2024

Suspended and bedload sediment transport in shallow water environments is a critical factor influencing coastal morphology, ecosystem health, and infrastructure stability.  We present a new model for suspended and bedload sediment transport in shallow flows that takes into account vertically varying velocity profiles. We achieve this by using the recently developed shallow water moment model (SWME). The SWME employs a unified modeling framework that incorporates a polynomial expansion of the velocity profile in vertical direction, which represents a paradigm shift compared to the standard assumption of constant velocity profiles. The expansion coefficient equations constitute a hierarchical PDE system that improves accuracy when more equations are considered. The SWME model is then augmented by equations governing suspended sediment concentration and bedload transport. In this talk, we discuss the assumptions and general derivation of the 1D model, along with the theoretical analysis and the extension of this model to complex fluid phenomena. 
Quantifying and attributing pay-out and premia increases of parametric insurance to climate change – A framework for scalable, objective, transparent and pragmatic integration into a loss and damage finance architecture
Authors: Fabian Frederick
Published: March 2024

In the realm of finance for loss and damage, new funding mechanisms are emerging, yet the task of identifying and quantifying the losses and damages from extreme weather events attributable to climate change remains a complex challenge. Impact attribution, which extends beyond traditional attribution analyses of extreme weather events, is gaining more attention and methods are improving. However, their systematic integration into the loss and damage finance architecture will not be possible any time soon. With the rapidly escalating impacts of climate change, financial solutions designed to support affected communities and countries must align with the real-world necessity for predictability and swiftness of disaster risk finance.Insurance, while not a panacea, has traditionally been envisioned as an important player in the domain of loss and damage finance. Nonetheless, insurance premia become prohibitively expensive in many regions and specific risks inch towards becoming uninsurable. Increasing the uptake of insurance and making it more affordable, e.g. through subsidies, can relieve some of the impacts and support affected communities with reliable financial flows. Here, parametric insurance is posited as a generally suitable solution with advantages over traditional indemnity insurance. It provides transparent and quick financial responses after extreme weather events, is less exposed to moral hazard and adverse selection.  This research develops a scalable, objective, transparent, and pragmatic framework for the quantification and attribution of payout and premium increases of parametric insurance due to climate change. Apt for incorporation into new solutions such as the loss and damage fund and the Global Shield initiative, the framework would allow to mobilise substantial funding by blending public and private funds and leveraging the infrastructure of insurance companies. Employing this framework within a loss and damage finance architecture not only capitalizes on the inherent benefits of parametric insurance but also ensures that the allocation of resources is more closely aligned with changes in weather patterns, and therefore impacts, that are attributable to climate change.The framework is applied to the context of tropical cyclone parametric insurance in various locations, as well as to heatwave parametric insurance in India. The results illustrate the alterations in payouts and premia attributable to climate change and quantify the loss and damage finance required to compensate for the climate-change related risk increases, whether as direct payments to policyholders/insurance companies affected by the insured events or as subsidies for insurance premia.
Environmental Players in the Lifespan of Landslides
Authors: Hu Xie , Song Yuqi , Lin Yiling
Published: March 2024

Landslides can move at divergent rates on the terrestrial planets. The occurrence and evolution of landslides are strongly affected by the stochastic nature of environment. Landslide activities are complicated by climate change and the attendant escalating number of extreme precipitation events. Here we use multi-source geodetic and remote sensing data (e.g., SAR and optical scenes, as well as climate reanalysis products) and skillsets (e.g., InSAR, pixel offset tracking, and AI) to disentangle the role of environmental players (e.g., water, wind, temperature, and tectonics) in the lifespan of landslides. The perpetual slow-moving landslide in Colorado Plateau will be exemplified to highlight the importance of pore fluid water from rainwater and snowmelt in regulating landslide speeds. An analog landslide to those on Mars will be exemplified to demonstrate an appropriate orientation and layout of topography may help promote eolian abrasion and landslide reactivation. The growth in the area and number of retrogressive thaw slumps in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau will be exemplified to unveil the tragedy of permafrost degradation due to warming temperature and ice-rich permafrost thaw. The spatial proximity of landslides to tectonic faults in California will be exemplified to show exacerbated landslide hazards by occasional dynamic shaking and prolonged weakening of materials.
Empowering global methane policy through science: actionable data from the International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO) methane science studies 
Authors: Calcan Andreea , Zavala-Araiza Daniel , Caltagirone Manfredi , France James Lawrence , Schwietzke Stefan , Randles Cynthia , Baranski Marci , Field Robert , Harris Stephen , Lorente Alba , Irakulis Loitxate Itziar , Guanter Luis , Lunt Mark , Li Xuefei , Velandia Nataly , Lin Chenchen , Villadoma Maria , Volkmann-Carlsen Kari , Hamburg Steven P.
Published: March 2024

Accurate and measurement-based methane data is urgently needed by countries to support science-based policy for the achievement of their methane reduction ambitions. The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)’s International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO) is responding to this need by collecting and integrating diverse methane emissions data streams, one of which is data from Methane Science Studies funded by IMEO.  

IMEO’s Methane Science Studies (MSS) are making a difference through funding methane measurement studies and collaborating with scientists worldwide. The overarching aim of the MSS is to close the knowledge gaps and improve the understanding of the locations and magnitude of methane emissions across sectors, especially in regions where there is limited or no publicly available data. The studies have initially focused on the oil and gas sector but are now branching out into other anthropogenic sectors. By Jan 2024, IMEO has launched 35 studies around the world with 32 academic/research institutions and 22 peer-reviewed papers published so far. In Europe alone, IMEO has initiated 8 studies in countries including Romania, Poland, Germany, France, Netherlands, Norway, and the UK. 

In this presentation, we will provide an overview of i) the current scope of IMEO Methane Science Studies ii) key study achievements and findings of the completed studies, and iii) potential opportunities and resources for interested research institutes.
Securing climate finance for global mangroves blue carbon projects: Indications from the rate of return perspectives
Authors: Lee Huey-Lin
Published: March 2024

The social cost of carbon (SCC) can be used to indicate the benefits (or returns) of efforts in cutting a unit of carbon dioxide emissions to the atmosphere. SCC by design captures the global externality caused by climate change. However, the spatial heterogeneity of climate change damage creates inequality in the rates of return on investments for augmenting the natural capital of carbon sequestration potential in individual nations. In this study, we focus on the global mangroves blue carbon projects and compute the potential rates of return on such natural capital investments, for which we couple country-specific SCC with the unit cost of carbon sequestration via the potential mangroves blue carbon projects to be implemented in various countries. The disproportionalities in per-ton cost of carbon projects and the benefit sharing of the SCC among countries give nations differential incentives for conserving their domestic mangrove ecosystems, a highly potent global commons in mitigating climate change. In particular, developing countries with tropical coastal zones tend to possess extraordinary mangroves carbon sequestration potential yet lack domestic financial resources for conservation – to name a few from our results: Guyana, Solomon Islands, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Panama, Gabon, Cuba, Dominican Republic, and Ecuador. Our calculation of the rates of return to mangrove blue carbon projects helps identify countries that are in dire need of international funding to help secure this natural capital of global sustainability in the face of aggravating climate change.
The complexity of carbon flow of the terrestrial biosphere: challenging questions and new scale of observations
Authors: Valentini Riccardo , Boukhris Issam , Buonocore Luca , Yates Jim , Chiriaco Maria Vincenza
Published: March 2024

In recent years, we have increased dramatically our knowledge of the carbon cycle and its flow throughout the terrestrial ecosystems. During the 1990-2021 period terrestrial biosphere provided a net sink of about 21% of carbon dioxide emitted by fossil fuel burning with the major part occurring in forests. The notion of an active carbon sink of the terrestrial biosphere is driving the current debate of climate mitigation and its contribution to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 to limit global warming within 2°C as set out in the Paris Agreement. Current knowledge is based on an outstanding wealth of systematic observations from the atmospheric gaseous exchanges, space and aircraft observation of tropospheric CO2 concentration down to flux towers and soil and leaves respiratory and photosynthesis measurements. However, achieving a solid scientific background about the real effectiveness of terrestrial carbon to support policy targets require an in depth analysis of the capacity of the biosphere to sustain long term carbon sequestration throughout the century. Main challenges affecting flows of carbon are to what extent climate extremes in both space and time domain may pulse carbon emissions to become dominant compared to mean carbon uptake by the terrestrial biosphere, the role of disturbances by biotic events that are occurring at increasing temporal frequency and the role of forest management to substantially regulate the flow of carbon through the long living wood products and their fate (nature based solutions, material substitutions and renewable energy).The classic definitions of GPP, NPP, RE (ecosystem respiration) should be expanded to include the stochastic nature of abiotic and biotic disturbance and the human role on forest management to be able to provide a complete picture on the potential role of terrestrial ecosystems in supporting carbon neutrality targets. The presentation will address the complexity of carbon flows through the comprehensive chain, analyse research gaps and emerging monitoring technologies needed to better monitor the terrestrial biosphere.  
PlanetScope time series for the operational monitoring of large landslide terrain motion.
Authors: Wirtz Bastien , Provost Floriane , Malet Jean-Philippe , Méric Ombeline
Published: March 2024

PlanetScope imagery, with its high spatial resolution (3 m) and high revisit time (possibly 1 day, according to cloud cover) is a game changer for operational landslide monitoring especially for monitoring surface deformation using Optical Image Correlation (OIC) approaches. The high spatial resolution should allow to enhance both the sensitivity and the accuracy of the measurements with the possibility to obtain a theoretical deformation detection of 0.30 m. The high revisiting time ensures the completion of dense image time series, useful to increase the Signal-to-Noise ratio associated with multiple image pairing and to possibly construct deformation time series on daily temporal scales. These two aspects of PlanetScope imagery fill the gap of current optical constellations that usually offer either lower spatial resolution with regular and rather short revisit time (e.g. Sentinel-2, Landsat-8) or very high spatial resolution with irregular revisit time (e.g. Pléiades, Worldview). However, the specifications of the PlanetScope L3B data products do not meet the expected quality in terms of ortho-rectification and image time series co-registration and a specific workflow needs to be implemented. We propose a new workflow for -processing  PlanetScope L3B data products. The developed approach consists firstly in removing  clouds and water, using Fmask algorithm and PlanetScope Unusable Data Mask products delivered with the L3B products.Secondly, we observe that the misalignment between scenes  can go up to 8 pixels of difference (24 m on ground), varying highly within the images and from one image to another. To correct such errors, a co-registration process in two steps is applied. At first, using the AROSICS library (Scheffler et al., 2017), the misalignment errors at a local scale are computed by image correlation in the frequency domain on overlapping subwindows pinned on a grid covering the whole image. These offsets are used to correct the local scale co-registration errors. After this step, a global shift is still observed between scenes, leading to the second step of co-registration at global scale. The global shift is corresponding to the mean offsets between image tie points, and is corrected by applying these offsets directly on the product. These developments have been integrated within the  GDM-OPT-Slide service and have been tested on two sites: La Valette (South East France) and Aiguilles (South East France) landslides to retrieve the mean velocity and the ground displacement time series for each pixel. We validate the proposed workflow by comparing the results of the processing chain and in-situ dataset (GNSS, Lidar and photogrammetry). We show that the proposed methodology allows envisaging the operational use of Planetscope imagery to document and monitor the displacement of large landslides with velocity larger than 0.3 m/year.
PFAS variable transport behavior: insights from soil sorption experiments
Authors: Obeid Ali , Oudega Thomas James , Zoboli Ottavia , Gundacker Claudia , Blaschke Alfred Paul , Zessner Matthias , Saracevic Ernis , Devau Nicolas , Stevenson Margaret E. , Krlovic Nikola , Liu Meiqi , Derx Julia
Published: March 2024

Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) are extensively utilized chemicals owing to their desired physicochemical properties. Despite increasing efforts to limit their applications, they persist in the environment and pose a threat to drinking water production due to their persistence, mobility, and toxicity. Understanding their behavior in subsurface media is crucial for minimizing the risk of exposure in areas where groundwater is a significant source. Sorption is considered a pivotal mechanism in PFAS remediation. This study aims to explore the transport behavior of different PFAS groups in soil sorption experiments and establish a connection to field scenarios.Miscible displacement experiments were conducted on a mixture of PFAS. A 50 cm long glass column filled with sand was injected with a 2.5 µg/l PFAS solution. Subsequently, the column was flushed with a PFAS-free solution to examine the desorption process. A conservative tracer test was performed to determine hydrogeological properties. Samples were analyzed using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Breakthrough curves were then simulated using Hydrus 1D to obtain transport parameters.The results revealed that different PFAS groups exhibit varying orders of magnitude of sorption. Some were conservative, while others were entirely retained. In addition to functional groups and chain length, hydrophobicity played a crucial role in PFAS behavior. The desorption process was inversely proportional to sorption; less desorption occurred with an increased sorption level.To simulate these behaviors, different sorption modules in Hydrus were tested. Substances with higher sorption levels required more complex sorption terms and could not be accurately simulated by assuming equilibrium sorption.
Observing air pollution from satellite: EUMETSAT contribution to air quality monitoring at the global scale
Authors: Fierli Federico , Czyzewska Dominika , Basart Sara , Garland Rebecca , Clerbaux Cathy , Gabaglio Vincent , Sundstrom Anu-Maija
Published: March 2024

EUMETSAT’s (European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites) contribution to global air quality monitoring is multifaceted, encompassing technological advancements, long-term commitments, and a collaborative approach to address environmental challenges.The organization has been actively involved in satellite observations since 1990 through programs like Meteosat and Metop, and since 2015, it has been contributing to the Copernicus EU program. This effort is particularly significant for supporting air quality monitoring in developing countries, where reliable in-situ observatories are limited, and there is high vulnerability to pollutants and climate change impacts. The data provision is set to continue for the next two decades thanks to next-generation missions such as Meteosat Third Generation (MTG). These missions, along with instruments like Sentinel-4 and Sentinel-5 under the Copernicus EU program, are dedicated to air quality monitoring in specific regions, including North Africa and globally.Here, we will showcase how the atmospheric composition data obtained from EUMETSAT's satellites can be utilized for air quality analysis at the continental and local scale. Recent scientific applications based on datasets from Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) and Sentinel instruments will be reviewed. In addition, examples on how EUMETSAT's satellite data is used to monitor phenomena that have direct implications for health and security, such as desert dust storms and wildfire emissions. A critical part of the discussion will focus on the advantages and drawbacks of satellite data due to observational configurations. This may involve addressing challenges and limitations while highlighting the strengths of satellite observations for air quality monitoring. Finally, it will be shown the importance of data access and training for effective utilization of satellite data. Additional value can be derived from satellite information through techniques like data assimilation and the application of artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI-ML methods).
Recent advances in understanding secondary organic aerosol formation from ozonolysis of Δ3-carene and other monoterpenes
Authors: Glasius Marianne , Thomsen Ditte , Björgvinsdóttir Þuríður Nótt , Thomsen Lotte Dyrholm , Iversen Emil Mark , Skønager Jane Tygesen , Luo Yuanyuan , Li Linjie , Priestley Michael , Pedersen Henrik B. , Roldin Pontus , Elm Jonas , Hallquist Mattias , Ehn Mikael , Bilde Merete
Published: March 2024

It is important to investigate formation, composition and properties of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) from monoterpenes in order to develop an accurate understanding of their atmospheric chemistry, impact on the aerosol budget and the effects of climate change. Δ3-Carene is one of the monoterpenes emitted in highest amounts in the boreal forest, yet only few studies have investigated the atmospheric chemistry and aerosol formation of Δ3-carene.In this work, we have investigated aerosol formation and composition of SOA from ozonolysis of Δ3-carene at different concentration levels in the AURA atmospheric simulation chamber at Aarhus University, Denmark. At low concentrations of Δ3-carene (about 10 ppb), SOA formation shows minimal temperature dependence under dry conditions. This contrasts with results from studies of Δ3-carene at higher concentrations (about 50 ppb) and studies of the structurally quite similar monoterpene a-pinene. Furthermore, we observed increased particle nucleation at higher relative humidity (about 80% RH, 10°C). Chemical analysis of the SOA found a series of carboxylic acids, in line with previous studies, with different concentration profiles over time, depending on experiment temperature. In experiments with ozonolysis of mixtures of Δ3-carene and a-pinene, we were able to identify a mixed dimer composed of molecular units from each of the precursors.
The new planetary boundary for freshwater change: key findings and their potential to guide water management and policy
Authors: Porkka Miina , Virkki Vili , Wang-Erlandsson Lan , Kummu Matti
Published: March 2024

The recent third planetary boundary (PB) assessment replaced the original PB for ‘freshwater use’ with a new PB for ‘freshwater change’. The new PB is defined by the percentage of global land area experiencing streamflow (blue water component of the PB) and root-zone soil moisture (green water) deviations from pre-industrial baseline conditions. Here, we first present the spatiotemporally explicit results of the comprehensive analysis underlying the new PB, and then discuss possible applications of the approach and the challenges related to providing meaningful guidance for water management and policy across scales.We find a clear transgression of both the blue and green water components of the freshwater change PB already during the first half of the 20th century. Our spatiotemporally explicit analysis reveals a general pattern of drying across a significant portion of the tropics and subtropics, contrasting with wetting in temperate and subpolar regions as well as numerous highland areas. This overall pattern is likely attributed to alterations in precipitation patterns associated with global warming. Significant increases in streamflow and soil moisture deviations are also found in regions facing the highest direct human pressures, such as irrigation, flow regulation, and land use change. In many cases, both streamflow and soil moisture deviations have increased – underlining the influence of human impacts on the freshwater cycle as a whole.While our analysis highlights regions undergoing the most substantial freshwater changes and their potential drivers, using the results to guide water policy and management remains challenging. Key knowledge gaps include our limited understanding of the (quantitative) driver–freshwater change–Earth system response relationships, and the mismatches between spatiotemporal scales of 1) human drivers of freshwater change, 2) the Earth system impacts of freshwater change, and 3) water management and governance institutions. We conclude our presentation by proposing a research agenda to bridge these gaps, with a goal to provide policy-relevant information on freshwater change that would enable a stronger adoption of an  Earth system perspective in water management and governance.
On the Evapotranspiration estimates of two contrasting and Heterogenous Ecosystems in a Mediterranean region, Sardinia, under water limited conditions
Authors: Corona Roberto , Sirigu Serena , Montaldo Nicola , Katul Gabriel G.
Published: March 2024

Sardinia island is a reference for ecohydrological studies on past and future climate change effects, representing typical conditions of the western Mediterranean Sea basin. Ecosystems are heterogenous, and trees optimize the use of water through the root systems, uptaking water from the deep layers.Two micrometeorological towers have been installed in two different sites under different precipitation conditions. The first is installed in Orroli (annual precipitation of about 600 mm), a case study of the ALTOS European project, which is a patchy mixture of wild olive trees and C3 herbaceous that grow in a shallow under a rocky layer of basalt, partially fractured (soil depth 15 40 cm), with a tree cover percentage of 33% in the footprint. Instead, the second is in a mountainous forest site of Quercus ilex characterized by steeper slopes and rocky outcrops (mean annual precipitation of about 800 mm), and tree cover percentage of 68% in the footprint. In both sites land surface fluxes and CO2 fluxes are estimated using the eddy correlation technique, soil moisture was estimated with water content reflectometers, and periodically leaf area index (LAI) were estimated, while tree transpiration component is estimated using the sap flow sensors.The following objectives are addressed:1) pointing out the dynamics of land surface fluxes, soil moisture and CO2 for two contrasting sites; 2) assess the impact of vegetation dynamics and type on the CO2 and water balance dynamics; 3) evaluate the soil effect on water and energy budgets.The Orroli site is more controlled by rainfall seasonality, and vegetation species use the source of water stored in the deep rocky layer to sustain their physiological activity. In the Orroli site we found seasonal dynamics in the CO2 flux and in the evapotranspiration (ET) terms, which are higher when grass and woody vegetation species are present and lower when the grass component dies. Instead, we found a constant flux of ET in the Marganai highlighting the high efficiency of tree species in extract the deep sources of water. ET is higher in the Orroli site as long as the grass species are present in live form, and then LE is higher in the Marganai forest. The ET of Quercus ilex in the Marganai forest seems being not controlled by surface soil moisture, because the annual precipitation is enough for sustain the transpiration needs of that fraction of tree cover. The results confirm a threshold of 700 mm/year of rain, below which rain can restrict tree cover growth.
Development and Evaluation of Machine Learning Models for Vortex Tube Sediment Ejector
Authors: Kumar Sanjeev , Ojha Chandra Shekhar Prasad
Published: March 2024

The vortex tube silt ejector (VTSE) is an important hydraulic device for reducing sediment deposits in canals, providing a very effective alternative to manual sediment removal. The complex nature of the silt removal process occurs from the spatially varied flow (SVF) in the channel and the rotational flow within the tube. Conventional models often struggle to accurately predict silt removal efficiency due to these complexities. However, recent advancements in machine learning (ML) present robust alternatives for understanding and modelling such complex hydraulic processes. In this study, we explore the application of various ML models, i.e. Support vector machine (SVM), Random forest (RF), and Random tree (RT) to quantify the efficiency of vortex tube silt ejector using laboratory datasets. Comparative analysis are conducted with conventional models to predict the efficacy of ML based models. The findings of the study reveal that the RT model, exhibiting a Root Mean Square Error ( RMSE) of 2.165 and Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) of 0.98 outperforms the other applied ML models, demonstrating suppier accuracy with fewer errors. Sensitivity analysis focuses on the extraction ratio as a critical parameter in computing vortex tube silt ejector removal efficiency. The outcomes derived from the ML- based moldes presented in this study hold effective implications for hydraulic engineers and researchers involved in assessing the sediment removal efficiency of vortex tube silt ejectors. Nevertheless, to formulate a more universally application models for the comprehensive research, both within the same field and in related areas, may be imperative.
Origin and geochemical variability of massive sulfide veins in the Permian Kupferschiefer Formation: insights from the Fore-Sudetic Monocline, Poland 
Authors: Derkowska Katarzyna , Wojtulek Piotr , Lazarov Marina , Kierczak Jakub , Ciążela Jakub , Derkowski Paweł
Published: March 2024

The Fore-Sudetic Monocline, stretching from southwestern Poland to central Germany, hosts significant sediment-hosted copper deposits associated with the Kupferschiefer formation. While the Kupferschiefer generally displays dispersed mineralization in sandstone, black shale, and dolomite layers, massive mineralization is rare but noteworthy. Our investigation focuses on the Lubin district and aims to enhance understanding of the formation of massive sulfide veins and their setting in the complex stages of Kupferschiefer development.Four mineralogically distinct types: chalcopyrite-pyrite, chalcopyrite-galena, galena, and chalcocite veins are identified. Each forms complex structures with mineralogical overgrowths, replacements and minor occurrences of bornite, pyrite, sphalerite, tennantite, and tetrahedrite. The diversity extends to geochemistry, with observed variations in bulk trace element concentrations, where strong Hg, Co, and Mo enrichment in the chalcopyrite-galena zone (3500-7000 ppm, >2000 ppm, 25-50 ppm, respectively), Zn, Hg, and Cd in the galena zone (3-5 wt%, 0.5-1.5 wt%, 90-210 ppm, respectively), and Re in the chalcocite zone (200-1000 ppm) is observed. Chalcocite and galena veins show significantly stronger REE depletion, compared to the chalcopyrite-dominated ones. Finally, differences in Cu, As (pyrite), Pb, Ag, Co, Ga (pyrite and chalcopyrite), Zn (chalcopyrite), and Co (galena) concentrations are noted within the minerals from different mineralogical zones.The complex mineralogy of the veins exhibits isotope variations based on in-situ Cu isotope analyses. The δ65Cu in chalcopyrite, chalcocite, and bornite (chalcopyrite-pyrite and chalcocite veins) spans from approximately -1‰ to +~0.5‰, with lower δ65Cu in chalcopyrite compared to other minerals within a sample. This data suggests complex chalcopyrite formation and its subsequent alteration, mostly to secondary bornite. Relatively small differences between minerals within the sample result from the isotopic equilibration with the ambient fluid responsible for the vein’s origin. However, the disparity between various samples in their Cu isotope composition indicates differences in the ambient fluid origin, i.e. possible time-related separation in veins formation or the isotope fractionation process that took place after sulfides precipitation process.The study was funded by the National Science Centre grant to KD (2019/35/N/ST10/04524).
NATRISK: Enhancing risk management and resilience to natural hazards in India, Brazil and Norway through collaborative education, research and innovation 
Authors: Piciullo Luca , Gilbert Graham , Oen Amy
Published: March 2024

The NATRISK international partnership for enhancing risk management & resilience to natural hazards through collaboration in research, education and innovation connects expertise from Brazil, India, and Norway. The partnership focuses on excellence in education and research to reduce risk and increase societal resilience to natural hazards in steep terrain. NATRISK aims to develop new links and strengthen existing ties between key research institutes, universities, and public agencies from the partner countries. NATRISK also aims to facilitate the exchange of researchers, practitioners, managers, and students, disseminate knowledge and expertise to municipalities and the business sector, and foster international education and research on natural hazards, risk, resilience, and associated disciplines.The activities in NATRISK are based on four education packages for collective scientific advancement: 1. Understanding natural hazards, multihazards, & cascading effects, 2. Quantifying & assessing risk, 3. Mitigating, perceiving, & communicating risk, 4. Managing disaster risk & enhancing resilience. The target audience is graduate students, researchers and practitioners. Education packages consist of two components – an online module and an in-person research- and experience-based course. The online modules are standalone introductions to the scientific themes and are openly accessible to anyone. The modules promote international rapid accessibility, guiding interested parties towards an understanding of these complex topics in geohazards. The course is structured with both in-person lectures and field excursions.The NATRISK partnership consists of three research institutes, four universities, and three public agencies: (1) the Natural Hazards Division – Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI), (2) the Central Road Research Institute – Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CRRI, India), (3) National Early Warning and Monitoring Centre for Natural Disasters (CEMADEN, Brazil); (4) the Department of Earth Science – University of Bergen (UiB, Norway), (5) the Department of Civil Engineering – Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB), (6) the Department of Earthquake Engineering – Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IITR), (7) the Department of Civil Construction and the Department of Geography – Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ); and (8) Ullensvang municipality (Norway), (9) Nova Friburgo Municipality (Brazil), and (10) the Building Materials and Technology Promotion Council (BMTPC, India).The NATRISK partnership is financed by the Research Council of Norway (project number 337241) and is running from 2023 to 2028.
Degradation and composition of organic carbon in the flocculation layer on the Laptev, East Siberian, and Kara seas
Authors: Keskitalo Kirsi , Mann Paul , Tesi Tommaso , van Dongen Bart , Martens Jannik , Semiletov Igor , Dudarev Oleg , Gustafsson Örjan , Vonk Jorien
Published: March 2024

Rapidly rising temperatures in the Arctic cause thaw of permafrost and increase coastal erosion that mobilizes permafrost-derived organic carbon (OC) into coastal waters. In the water column, permafrost-OC may either degrade and thus, enhance climate warming by adding greenhouse gases to the atmosphere or settle on the seabed and be buried in the sediments. In this study, we focused on the composition and degradation of particulate OC (POC) within the flocculation (nepheloid) layer - a turbulent layer close to seabed that holds a high amount of suspended sediments/particles and transports them across the vast Siberian Arctic shelves. More importantly, previous studies have shown that permafrost-OC, exported to the Arctic Ocean via coastal erosion, is largely carried in the POC fraction of the flocculation layer.To study flocculation layer dynamics, sediment cores were collected using a multicorer device from the East Siberian Sea, Laptev Sea, and Kara Sea onboard R/V Akademik Mstistlav Keldysh in 2020. The overlying water of the sediment cores was stirred under controlled conditions to mimic sediment resuspension. The entrained suspended sediments were collected and incubated for two weeks (in the dark) to assess their susceptibility to degradation. During the incubation, dissolved O2, POC, dissolved OC (DOC), dissolved inorganic carbon and δ13C of each carbon pool were measured at set time points. Additionally, to better understand sediment entrainment and degradation, sediment physical properties, including grain size and mineral-specific surface area, and macromolecular composition were determined.Our preliminary results show that stirring largely entrains the smallest sediment particles, while it seems not to influence sediment macromolecular composition suggesting that none of the compound classes such as polysaccharides or aromatic compounds are preferentially entrained. Our incubation data show losses in dissolved O2 suggesting microbial degradation, however, instead of decreases in the OC pools, especially POC shows increases combined with increases or decreases in DOC. These carbon dynamics likely result from interactions between different carbon pools such as adsorption of DOC to particles and/or leaching of POC to the DOC pool. With accelerated coastal erosion and increase in storminess in the Arctic Ocean due to sea ice loss, understanding dynamics of the flocculation layer and degradation of permafrost-OC on the Arctic sea shelves is becoming even more important to better constrain their potential climate impact.  
A Lagrangian Stochastic Approach with Embedded Ornstein-Uhlenbeck Processes for Suspended Sediment Transport
Authors: Peng Yin-Yen , Tsai Christina W.
Published: March 2024

This study aims to develop a Lagrangian stochastic (LS) model for simulating suspended sediment transport in open channels. The model incorporates three physical levels, namely, position, velocity, and acceleration, to describe sediment movement precisely. Without using any approximations, this approach is intrinsically stochastic and differentiable. It can reproduce different scale motions in turbulent flow for any Reynolds number. We will introduce the Lagrangian turbulent velocity theory into the random term of the sediment transport force balance equation. The random term, describing random particle movements, is usually represented by the Weiner process (i.e., Brownian motion), which is nowhere differentiable. Building upon prior research on stochastic turbulence models, we adopt an 'embedded' Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process to replace the Weiner process in this study. This embedded structure is defined through a set of coupled stochastic ordinary differential equations (ODEs), resulting in a multi-layered equation system. These different levels are interconnected through differentials and integrals. We introduce specific time scales and parameters tailored to different flow conditions to enhance their applicability to sediment transport scenarios. After we build these LS models, we have to validate with data or even calibrate the parameters in the model. We usually use two types of data: DNS data and experimental data. We will extract the details of isotropic turbulent flow in DNS data (such as the Kolmogorov time scale and Lagrangian velocity). The mean flow velocity profile will be determined from the experimental data. One-way coupling might be a reasonable assumption for the suspended sediment transport. However, when the gravitational force acts on the particles, the inter-particle interactions dominate the bed region due to the high particle concentration. A more appropriate resuspension mechanism must be identified so the particle concentrations can be more accurately quantified.
Towards a Comprehensive Understanding: Unveiling the Impact of Trait Variation on Plant-Microbe Interactions in Estuarine Marsh Carbon Cycling Models
Authors: Saadaoui Youssef , Porada Philipp , Müller Peter
Published: March 2024

Estuarine marshes, essential and intricate ecosystems, provide crucial services such as carbon sequestration, coastal protection, and habitat support for diverse species. The role of plant-microbe interactions in the carbon cycling and storage of estuarine marshes is pivotal. Despite recent advancements in mechanistic understanding, there remains a research gap regarding the specific impacts of these biotic interactions compared to abiotic factors on carbon cycling within estuarine marsh ecosystems, hindering a comprehensive understanding.
Recent studies emphasize the usefulness of process-based models in representing dynamics between plants and microbes in estuarine marshes. Specifically, trait-based models prove instrumental in quantifying the influence of different plant functional types on carbon sequestration rates. While current models often use average trait values to parametrize plant functional types, emerging research suggests that incorporating a range of trait values, reflecting natural variation, could enhance predictive accuracy. To address this, we compare the predictions of a process-based model of soil organic matter decomposition that includes plant type-specific effects using average trait values versus trait ranges.
Based on this example, we propose an innovative process-based marsh ecosystem model that explicitly considers the influence of trait variation on complex interactions among plants, soil microbes, and abiotic factors.Our study outlines the systematic evaluation of this model against field observations spanning a salinity and water level gradient in estuarine marshes. The outcomes of this study contribute significantly to advancing our understanding of these dynamic ecosystems, addressing research gaps, and refining the predictive capabilities of ecosystem models in estuarine environments.
Climate Services Downscale (CSDownscale): A statistical downscaling tool for (sub)seasonal to decadal climate predictions
Authors: Duzenli Eren , Ramon Gamon Jaume , Llabres Alba , Torralba Verónica , Palma Garcia Lluis , Moreno Montes Sara , Delgado-Torres Carlos , Perez-Zanon Nuria , Corvillo Guerra Javier , Marcos Raul
Published: March 2024

Statistical downscaling is a technique that allows to obtain high-resolution climate information from the coarse-resolution Global Climate Model (GCM) outputs through the long-term relationship between the GCM output and a reference dataset such as in-situ observations. The key benefit of employing statistical downscaling (SD) methods over the dynamical approaches is their significantly less computational costs. The cost-effectiveness of these methods enables the processing of large hindcasts, including multi-model systems with numerous ensemble members, which is highly relevant for the users. Thus, a comprehensive tool that allows users to apply state-of-the-art statistical downscaling methods on climate variables is crucial. CSDownscale is a new generation R package that has been  developed to statistically downscale subseasonal to seasonal to decadal climate predictions in the context of climate services, including its use in operational applications. The tool produces a downscaled field or time series using several bias correction, regression (i.e., linear and logistic) and analogs methods. Additionally, the package contains various interpolation methods such as nearest neighbor or bilinear approaches, which are used for regridding purposes. Users can easily combine these with bias correction and regression methods to perform downscaling. When applying these combined operations, the GCM data is initially interpolated to the resolution of the reference dataset, then the selected bias correction or regression method is implemented on the regridded data. However, the package also incorporates a method that infers the high-resolution values using a multi-linear regression with the four closest coarse-scale grid points, which skips the step of interpolation. Furthermore, the CSDownscale package includes an analogs based method, which looks for fields with similar conditions to the one being predicted and returns the high-resolution outcome of past conditions that are most similar, a certain number of similar fields or a combination of them. Finally, the CSDownscale package allows for the GCM data to be downscaled to either a reference grid space or a specific point location. All the methods are conceived to be done in cross-validation, that is, by excluding data from the specific time step being post-processed to avoid overfitting and, consequently, the overestimation of the actual prediction skill.