bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Addressing the challenges of making data, products, and services accessible: an EPOS perspective
Authors: Marti Michèle , Haslinger Florian , Silvia Peppoloni , Giuseppe Di Capua , Glaves Helen , Dallo Irina
Published: March 2022

Climate change, volcanic eruptions, pandemics, financial crises, or large earthquakes; the problems societies must deal with nowadays are often complex and multifaceted. In a data-driven world, providing access to comprehensive, multidisciplinary data repositories to tackle such wicked problems is indispensable. Frameworks allowing such data access are therefore of particular importance. EPOS, the European research infrastructure for the solid Earth domain, is such a framework. It is a multidisciplinary, distributed research infrastructure that facilitates the integrated use of data, data products and services, and facilities from the European solid Earth science community. Although the importance of this undertaking is obvious, its implementation bears many challenges. We focus in our contribution at the most pressing issues from when data, products, and services are made accessible, to access principles, ethical issues related to its collection and use as well as with respect to their promotion.
New development of a small customizable system for the measurement of volcanic gas concentrations with LTE data transfer
Authors: Weber Konradin , Fischer Christian , Amend Detlef
Published: March 2022

Volcanic areas frequently have diffuse gas emission of CO2, SO2, H2S and even more. Normally these diffuse emissions do not vary only by time but also with location. Therefore, the spatial variation of concentrations cannot be monitored with one measurement system alone. On the other hand, the strength of gaseous volcanic emissions is often correlated with volcanic activity and can potentially endanger population in the vicinity.

For this reason, we developed a light new low-cost unit for the parallel measurement of various gases like CO2, SO2 and H2S, which has the remarkable advantage of being able to transmit the measured data and GPS position with LTE to a remote server. Moreover, it can operate in an unattended way for days or even weeks, depending on the customizable operation modus of the unit and the capacity of the attached rechargeable battery. A solar-powered version is currently in development. The evaluation of the received data can be performed online on the server and the results are displayed continuously. The software is programmed by us in a way that alarms can be started in case that concentrations exceed predefined alarm thresholds also via email.

The electronic hardware unit is designed in a way that it can be equipped with low-cost NDIR sensors, electrochemical sensors or photoacoustic sensors (e.g. for CO2: Sensirion SCD41). There are 4 analog ports (selectable voltage or current).

The operation procedure of the sensors electronics is customizable as well: The operation can be changed from continuous running to following mode:

Measurement period,

low power sleep period,

sensor warm up-period,

measurement period etc.

The length of all these time periods of the operation procedure can be varied depending on the measurement needs. That means for long runtime of the measurement a long sleeping time between the measurement periods can be chosen. On the other hand, if low power consumption and long runtime are not necessary, short sleeping periods or even the continuous running mode can be chosen. The operation configuration, e.g. sleeping time, can be changed by remote firmware update.
Quantifying the impact of traffic emissions on PM2.5 over Delhi during the post-monsoon season
Authors: Mogno Caterina , Palmer Paul I. , Marvin Margaret R. , Sharma Sumit , Chen Ying , Wild Oliver
Published: March 2022

Every year during the post-monsoon season Delhi experiences levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution that far exceed the WHO air quality guidelines. This is due to unfavourable meteorological conditions and additional seasonal emissions. Much of the blame has been on emissions from seasonal burning of crop residue from upwind states of Punjab and Haryana, representing 20-40% of PM2.5 pollution in Delhi during this season. However, other sources still represent the majority of surface PM2.5 pollution. Local traffic emissions from the city of Delhi (National Capital Territory, NCT) are estimated to be one of the main contributors to PM2.5 pollution in Delhi, but trial strategies to control emissions that involved limiting the volume of local passenger cars failed to address poor air quality over the city during winter and pre-monsoon seasons, reducing PM2.5 maximum up to 10%. Previous studies have found that non-local anthropogenic sources from nearby states of the National Capital Region (NCR) also contribute substantially to air pollution over Delhi, emphasizing the need for the development of an integrated inter-sectoral and inter-state air pollution mitigation strategy. Here we use nested (4 km) WRF-Chem model simulations, driven by local inventories, to quantify the relative importance of the local (NCT) and non-local (NCR) transport sectors on PM2.5 in Delhi during the post-monsoon season, and compare them against local and non-local anthropogenic sectors.
Time derivative of the geomagnetic field has a short reset time
Authors: Kellinsalmi Mirjam , Viljanen Ari , Juusola Liisa , Käki Sebastian
Published: March 2022

Space weather, like solar eruptions, can be hazardous to Earth’s electric grids via geomagnetically induced currents (GIC). In worst cases they can even cause city-wide power outages. GIC is a complicated phenomenon, closely related to the time derivative of the geomagnetic field. However, behavior the time derivative is chaotic and has proven to be challenging to predict. In this study we look at the geomagnetic field orientations at different magnetometer stations in the Fennoscandian region during active space weather conditions.  We aim to characterize the magnetic field behavior, to better understand the drivers behind strong GIC events. One of our main findings is that the direction of time derivative of the geomagnetic field has a very short “reset time“, only a few minutes. We conclude that this result gives insight on the time scale of the ionospheric current systems, which are the primary driver behind the time derivative’s behavior.
Circulations driven by organization gradients in a cloud-resolving model
Authors: Mapes Brian , Tsai Wei-ming Willy
Published: March 2022

Multicellular conglomerations of deep convection are commonly observed, but what is the larger-scale importance of this nonrandom spatial structure? We hypothesize (based on the common meaning of the word “organization”) that more-agglomerated convection will out-compete spotty convection for scarce resources of convection’s ecology: instability and moisture. But how exactly? Can we quantify organization's advantages in scalar metrics, and further understand that issue in the vertical domain of convection’s depth? To address these questions, idealized simulations were devised in large-domain simulations with Cloud Model 1 (CM1). A double-periodic domain is uniformly destabilized with a homogeneous cooling of -4K/day, with corresponding surface fluxes to compensate for the cooling. To generate and separate isolated and agglomerated deep convection, we first modulate the “organization gradient” across the simulated domain with nondivergent nudging of a zonal wind shear belt. Other approaches for manipulating organization gradients are also tried, including the latent to sensible ratio of surface fluxes at constant buoyancy flux, and autoconversion rates in the microphyiscs (a crude proxy for aerosol effects). Domain-scale circulations are generated, roughly in proportion to the organization gradient. Measures of that gradient by in some conventional indices of horizontal pattern clumpiness are checked or calibrated against uniform-domain simulations with and without shear, suggesting that these measures are adequate to characterize the organization gradient. Vertical-plane streamfunctions of the ‘zonal' (belt) averaged overturning exhibit multiple vertical cells and counter-cells with interesting dependences on the shear profile or other org-gradient producing mechanisms.
March 2021 Thessaly, central Greece, seismic sequence:  domino effect of a complex normal fault system
Authors: Convertito Vincenzo , De Novellis Vincenzo , Reale Diego , Adinolfi Guido Maria , Sansosti Eugenio
Published: March 2022

The Thessaly seismic sequence (TSS) in Central Greece, started on 3 March 2021 with a Mw 6.3 event that struck an area located about 25 km WNW of the Larissa town. In the following days, TSS was affected by other two major events: An Mw 6.0 on March 4, localized about 7 km to the northwest of the first one, and a Mw 5.6 on March 12, located 12 km further towards the northwest of the second one. A large number of smaller events have been also recorded until mid-April when the sequence decreased in frequency and magnitude. The TSS represents the largest seismic sequence affecting a continental extensional domain in Greece that has been monitored by modern geodetic techniques. Thanks to the short satellite revisit time, InSAR measurements made it possible to isolate each contribution of the three major earthquakes of the sequence, thus allowing the study of their interactions. In addition, available geological data indicate that the northern sector of Thessaly represents a large seismic gap. This may be a direct consequence of the limited size of the faults (less than 20 km) and their intrinsic capability to originate earthquakes of small-to-moderate magnitude only. TSS, which finally filled the gap, confirmed this hypothesis.

We modelled the available InSAR deformation maps to retrieve the parameters characterizing some finite dislocation sources, which were used to perform a Coulomb stress transfer in order to investigate possible faults interactions. To constrain the geometry and location of the main fault structures involved during the TSS, we considered 1853 earthquakes occurred in the area from 28 February 2021 to 26 April 2021 with magnitude ranging between 0.2 and 6.3. Our model shows that the TSS has nucleated at shallow depths (<12 km) and is related to the activation of several blind, previously unknown, faults; moreover, the seismic sequence developed in a sort of domino effect involving a complex interaction among the normal faults within the activated crustal volume. As for the temporal evolution of the sequence, the delayed triggering of the Mw 6.0 earthquake can be explained by the distribution of the events occurred earlier, which encircle the asperities that will fail in the subsequent event together with a fluid diffusion in the seismogenic volume.

Finally, we highlight the key role played by the configuration of the Thessaly Basin characterized by blind faults interconnected at depth, particularly interesting from the neotectonics point of view. The used approach can help improving our knowledge on the seismic potential of the Thessaly region and refine the associated seismic hazard.
Impact of turbulence on CCN activation and early growth of cloud droplets 
Authors: Grabowski Wojciech W. , Thomas Lois , Kumar Bipin
Published: March 2022

Scaled-up DNS and implicit LES simulations are used to study turbulent cloud base CCN activation and early growth of cloud droplets. The simulation framework includes a triply periodic computational domain ~1,000 cubic meters filled with inertial-range homogeneous isotropic turbulence. The domain experiences decrease of the mean air temperature and reduction of the mean pressure, both mimicking the rise of an adiabatic air parcel through the cloud base. Results of turbulent simulations are compared to CCN activation and droplet growth within a classical nonturbulent rising parcel. The key difference is a blurriness of the separation between activated and nonactivated (haze) CCN, especially for weak mean ascent rates, when CCN activate and subsequently some deactivate instead of becoming cloud droplets above the cloud base. This leads to significantly larger spectral widths in turbulent parcel simulations compared to the adiabatic nonturbulent parcel once CCN activation is completed. Further increase of the spectral width in the turbulent parcel is similar to that for the initially-monodisperse droplets in the inertial-range homogeneous isotropic turbulence that we and others studied previously, with the standard deviation of the radius squared increasing approximately as the square root of time. This contrasts with the classical nonturbulent parcel framework for which the radius squared standard deviation above the cloud base remains constant because of the parabolic growth of cloud droplets once surface tension and dilute effects can be neglected.
Differential climate memory drives tree growth in ongoing forest dieback
Authors: Marques Laura , ogle kiona , Peltier Drew , Camarero Jesus Julio
Published: March 2022

Changing climatic conditions suggest that forests will be altered at unprecedented rates over the course of this century. In forests experiencing drought-induced dieback, declining trees may exhibit altered climate memory, likely reflecting their lower buffering capacity and shorter leaf lifespan. This study evaluates the effects of past climate conditions on tree growth in forests dominated either by gymnosperms or angiosperms showing different levels of vigor (crown defoliation). We applied the stochastic antecedent modeling (SAM) framework to understand the role of past climate on tree growth in declining and non-declining trees. The model allows us to elucidate the importance of past temperature and precipitation conditions for tree growth and the predisposition for forest dieback. Our results identified lower growth rates, reduced sensitivity to antecedent climate, and shifts in the seasonal importance of climate in declining compared to non-declining trees. We found that declining trees of some tree species were sensitive to recent temperature and precipitation conditions, whilst climatic conditions further into the past were more important for non-declining trees. Both vigor classes were also coupled to climate conditions during markedly different seasons, with dry summer conditions particularly affecting declining trees. Our results point to the importance of climatic sensitivity and memory on growth for understanding and forecasting forest dieback.
Attribution of extreme annual glacier mass loss to anthropogenic forcing
Authors: Vargo Lauren , Dadic Ruzica , Anderson Brian , Hock Regine , Horgan Huw , King Andrew , Mackintosh Andrew , Marzeion Ben
Published: March 2022

Glaciers in every region on Earth have lost mass over the past two decades as global temperature has risen 0.5C. Retreating glaciers symbolize climate change and present societal challenges across the globe. To better quantify the consequences of climate change, previous studies have established methods to calculate the anthropogenic component of extreme weather and climate events. Previously, we established a framework using existing event attribution methods together with glacier mass balance modeling to determine the increase in probability of extreme annual mass loss of New Zealand glaciers occurring with climate change. Here, we look to expand our developed attribution framework to calculate the change in probability and amount of extreme annual mass loss for glaciers around the world.

 

To do this, we simulate glacier mass balance using a degree-day model, driven with general circulation model (GCM) output from available CMIP6 models and ensemble members. Historical natural simulations define climate without anthropogenic forcing, and SSP5 8.5 simulations define climate with anthropogenic forcing. We use the two different climate forcings to produce scenarios of glacier mass change with and without climate change. The differences in these scenarios are compared with measurements from the highest annual glacier mass loss years.

 

We develop the attribution method though application to several glaciers around the world, including South Cascade Glacier (USA), Gries Glacier (Switzerland), and Brewster Glacier (New Zealand). Our initial results show large increases in probability and amount of annual glacier mass loss occurring due to climate change for all three glaciers. Difficulties in applying the attribution framework to glaciers globally include accessing modern glacier outlines and reconciling differences between glaciological and geodetic measurements of glacier mass change.
An assessment of tropopause characteristics of the ERA5 and ERA-Interim meteorological reanalyses
Authors: Hoffmann Lars , Spang Reinhold
Published: March 2022

The tropopause layer plays a key role in manifold processes in atmospheric chemistry and physics. Here we compare the representation and characteristics of the lapse rate tropopause according to the definition of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) as estimated from European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) reanalysis data.

Our study is based on ten-year records (2009 to 2018) of ECMWF's state-of-the-art reanalysis ERA5 and its predecessor ERA-Interim. The intercomparison reveals notable differences between ERA5 and ERA-Interim tropopause data, in particular on small spatiotemporal scales. The monthly mean differences of ERA5 minus ERA-Interim tropopause heights vary between -300 m at the transition from the tropics to the extratropics (near 30°S and 30°N) to 150 m around the equator. Mean tropopause temperatures are mostly lower in ERA5 than in ERA-Interim, with a maximum difference of up to -1.5 K in the tropics. Monthly standard deviations of tropopause heights of ERA5 are up to 350 m or 60 % larger than for ERA-Interim. Monthly standard deviations of tropopause temperatures of ERA5 exceed those of ERA-Interim by up to 1.5 K or 30 %. The occurrence frequencies of double tropopause events in ERA5 exceed those of ERA-Interim by up to 25 percentage points at mid latitudes.

We attribute the differences between the ERA5 and ERA-Interim tropopause data and the larger, more realistic variability of ERA5 to improved spatiotemporal resolution and better representation of geophysical processes in the forecast model as well as improvements in the data assimilation scheme and the utilization of additional observations in ERA5. The improved spatiotemporal resolution of ERA5 allows for a better representation of mesoscale features, in particular of gravity waves, which affect the temperature profiles in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere and thus the tropopause height estimates.

We evaluated the quality of the ERA5 and ERA-Interim reanalysis tropopause data by comparisons with COSMIC and MetOp Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite observations as well as high-resolution radiosonde profiles. The comparison indicates an uncertainty of the first tropopause for ERA5 (ERA-Interim) of about ±150 m to ±200 m (±250 m) based on radiosonde data and ±120 m to ±150 m (±170 m to ±200 m) based on the coarser resolution GPS data at different latitudes. Consequently, ERA5 will provide more accurate information than ERA-Interim for future tropopause-related studies.
Characterization of asbestos minerals in serpentinites quarries in the Pollino Massif (southern Apennines, Italy)
Authors: Rizzo Giovanna , Buccione Roberto , De Bonis Angela , Paternoster Michele , Mongelli Giovanni
Published: March 2022

In the Pollino Massif, in the southern Apennines, the asbestos minerals bearing serpentinites are widely exposed at several quarries (Pietrapica quarry, Timpa Castello quarry, Fagosa quarry and Ghiaia quarry), whose material was extracted and used as aggregates for construction, filling and embankments, and as ornamental stones. Airborne asbestos can be the result of extraction procedure as the stacking, storing and grinding of the serpentinites, so due to the environmental concerns the quarries have been abandoned. In the Pollino Massif serpentinites represent the lherzolitic to harzburgitic upper mantle basament of the Internal Liguride sequence of southern Apennines and can be classified as cataclastic and massive (Dichicco et al., 2015). Cataclastic serpentinites are fractured and deformed whereas those massive show a low fracturing and deformation. The serpentinites have homogeneous mineral compositions and are mainly composed by serpentine polimorphous, asbestiform tremolite, followed by actinolite, chlorite, magnetite and Cr-spinels, and subordinatly calcite, dolomite, and clay minerals. Further, edenite, currently not regulated by the Directive 2003/18/EC of the European Parliament and of the European Council of 27th March 2003, has been recently also detected for the first time (Dichicco et al., 2019). Serpentinite rocks can release significant amounts of fibers of hazardous minerals for the human health, into the air, water and soil, either through geogenic weathering processes or human activity. The observed fibers in the outcrops are of two types: 1) large and elongated fibers that occupy the entire surface of the rock; 2) tiny fibers forming a network throughout the rock.

The aim of this work is to characterize in a detailed way the asbestos minerals of representative serpentinite samples taken from the four quarries using the combination of different analytical techniques: field surveys, X-Ray powder diffraction (XRPD), scanning electron microscopy combined with energy dispersive spectrometry (SEM/EDS), µ-Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) in order to assess the impact on the environment and public health.

References:

Dichicco, M.C.; Laurita, S.; Paternoster, M.; Rizzo, G.; Sinisi, R.; Mongelli, G. Serpentinite Carbonation for CO2. Sequestration in the Southern Apennines: Preliminary Study. Energy Procedia 2015, 76, 477-486.

Dichicco, M.C.; Paternoster, M.; Rizzo, G.; Sinisi, R. Mineralogical Asbestos Assessment in the Southern Apennines (Italy): A Review. Fibers 2019, 7, 24.
Measuring neutron monitor multiplicities at SANAE
Authors: Strauss Du Toit
Published: March 2022

We present new results of the neutron monitor (NM) multiplicity, as measured by the SANAE NM with updated electronics, down to 10 microseconds. We identify the high-multiplicity component, formed when high-energy particles interact with the NM and produce multiple neutrons in the lead producer. This component is absent in the lead-free monitors and is absent when testing the leaded NM with a low-energy neutron source. We study the pressure dependence of both the high- and low-multiplicity components, as well as the ratio thereof. We show how this ratio, as a proxy for the energy spectrum of atmospheric particles incident on the NM, changes during a relatively small Forbush decrease observed in November 2021.
It's a match: increasing understanding of dissolved organic matter processing of Tibetan catchments by combining optical spectroscopy and ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry
Authors: Maurischat Philipp , Seidel Michael , Rinnan Åsmund , Dorji Tsechoe , Guggenberger Georg
Published: March 2022

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is an important carbon and nutrient source for biota in streams and lakes. The composition and bioavailability of DOM depends on the formation in the catchments as well as on the biogeochemical and photochemical processing during its fluvial transport. Our study aimed to understand how the chemical composition of DOM is shaped by its sources and how natural organic matter is modified by biogeochemical processes during the fluvial transport to the endorheic Lake Nam Co, Tibet. Three subcatchments of the Lake Nam Co watershed were selected, based on different biomes and various degrees of land degradation. Samples characterizing endmembers along the stream network were analysed for optical properties (UV/VIS, fluorescence matrices decomposed by parallel factor analysis). Solid phase extracted (SPE) DOM was further analysed on the molecular level using ultrahigh-resolution mass spectroscopy (FT ICR-MS).

FT ICR-MS analysis revealed that meltwater from glaciers was on the one hand relatively rich in polyphenols, potentially derived from atmospheric deposition. Optical properties on the other hand suggest a high biological lability together with mainly microbial DOM sources, probably from microbial primary production in the glaciers. DOM originating from peatlands and Kobresia pygmaea pastures showed a “terrestrial-like” optical DOM signature derived from plant litter and organic soil material and had a strong seasonal variability. Furthermore, grassland sites degraded by overgrazing released more organic compounds with higher molecular weight into the stream, likely due to hampered retention of water and organic matter in the disturbed topsoils. Molecular level data from FT ICR-MS analysis further revealed greater DOM processing in the terminal lake compared to the streams, which can be attributed to bio- and photooxidation in the lake water column. The analysis shows, that the use of complementary analytical techniques reveals matching indicators to unravel relevant biogeochemical processes in the catchment. This methodological approach allows novel, in-depth insights into the dynamics of DOM characteristics for the sensitive and threated environments of the Tibetan highlands.
The Precipitable Water Vapour GNSS monitors at the Canary Islands Astronomical Observatories: towards an optimization of the final accuracy
Authors: Castro-Almazán Julio A. , García-Lorenzo Begoña , Muñoz-Tuñón Casiana , Romero Ignacio
Published: March 2022

Since proposed by Bevis et al. in 1992, GNSS Meteorology has become a very competitive field, mainly because it provides a relatively cheap, extensive network of stations, with global and 365d/24h coverage. Therefore, the method has been widely validated by comparison with other reference techniques. A majority of the comparisons show both dry or wet bias for the PWV obtained from GNSS, depending on the particular station, as a consequence of such an heterogeneous network working on a vast set of atmospheric scenarios. Thus, most of the effort has been focused on getting the best possible global information, guarantying homogeneity. Instead, the goal of a PWV monitor for Astronomy is not homogeneity, but getting the most out of a particular station. In this work we aimed a high precision and high accuracy real-time monitor supporting IR and μW astronomical observations. We have reviewed the technique and identified the external factors impacting in the final error, including local barometric pressure and temperature measurements, weighted mean temperature based on local vertical profiles, and an independent calibration through a detailed comparison with high vertical resolution radiosondes. We discuss the final error and accuracy achieved, the lower detection limit of the technique, and possible new improvements.
The influence of cold SST anomalies surrounding the Maritime Continent on the El Niño-Indian monsoon teleconnection 
Authors: Webber Ben , Uppara Umakanth , Joshi Manoj , Turner Andrew
Published: March 2022

Indian Summer Monsoon (ISM) precipitation is known to be influenced by both the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD). El Niño events often coincide with droughts in the ISM region, yet there is considerable variability in the ISM response, partially due to coincident IOD events. However, it is unclear how SST patterns associated with different El Niño types combine with IOD-related SST anomalies to produce the ISM response. Here we use an atmospheric general circulation model forced by combinations of regional SST anomalies in both Pacific and Indian Oceans during the developing phase of El Niño (i.e., the ISM season prior to peak ENSO SST anomalies) to identify interactions in the teleconnection pathways. We find that the responses combine in a strongly non-linear manner. Consistent with previous studies, we find that IOD events largely counteract the influence of ENSO events, but also that this interaction depends on the pattern and magnitude of SST anomalies in the Indian Ocean. The impact on the ISM depends substantially on the details of the SST gradients, especially in the vicinity of the Maritime Continent where relatively minor differences in the pattern of cold SSTs and associated gradients generate regional circulation patterns that interfere with the large-scale teleconnection pathways. When combined with cold IOD SST anomalies, the influence of Eastern Pacific El Niño events on the ISM is smaller than the influence of Central Pacific El Niño events. Small differences in SST patterns and associated gradients can have substantial impacts on ISM precipitation anomalies, which may contribute to the observed variability in the ISM response to ENSO events, and as such are worthy of further research.
Variability of ionospheric plasma studied and modelled based on data from the Swarm satellites
Authors: Jin Yaqi , Miloch Wojciech J. , Alfonsi Lucilla , Spogli Luca , Urbář Jaroslav , Cesaroni Claudio , Cicone Antonio , Wood Alan G. , Rawlings James , Sahtahmassebi Golnaz , Clausen Lasse B.N. , Høeg Per , Redondo Jaime Muñoz , Brazal Aragón Maria José , Wojtkiewicz Paweł
Published: March 2022

The state of the Earth’s ionosphere is an important aspect of the Sun-Earth system. It reflects  dynamical coupling of the solar wind with the Earth’s magnetosphere. Its understanding has also an applied aspect in the context of the space weather effects. For example, ionospheric plasma irregularities impact the propagation of radio waves, and they can degrade radio communication or positioning with the Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). The European Space Agency’s Swarm+ 4DIonosphere initiative aims at advancing our understanding and characterisation of the processes in the ionosphere to better model and eventually predict the state of the ionosphere. Within this framework, through the project “Swarm Variability of Ionospheric Plasma” (Swarm-VIP), we analyse spatiotemporal characteristics of ionospheric plasma at different geomagnetic latitudes and uncover coupling between various scales in the ionosphere. Taking advantage of the orbital characteristics of the Swarm satellites and using complementary analysis techniques, such as wavelets or Fast Iterative Filtering, we ascertain the dominant scales at given geomagnetic conditions. The result of the study is a semi-empiric model of the ionosphere based on the generalised linear modeling approach. The model determines the probability of occurrence of different scales in ionospheric plasma with respect to geomagnetic conditions. It also gives insight into ionospheric structuring and related space weather effects. The Swarm-VIP model is provided globally, along the whole orbits of the Swarm satellites, and a special emphasis is put on the polar regions, Arctic and Antarctica, and the European sector, where the validation study is carried out with a network of the ground-based instruments.
Atmosphere-Ocean Coupled Variability in the Arabian/Persian Gulf
Authors: Al Senafi Fahad
Published: March 2022

The Arabian Gulf comprises one of the world’s most unique and fragile marine ecosystems; it is susceptible to the adverse effects of climate change due to its shallow depth and its location within an arid region that witnesses frequent severe atmospheric events. To reproduce these effects in numerical models, it is important to obtain a better understanding of the region’s sea surface temperature (SST) variability patterns, as SST is a major driver of circulation in shallow environments. To this end, here empirical orthogonal function (EOF) decomposition analysis was conducted to investigate interannual to multidecadal SST variability in the Gulf from 1982 to 2020, using daily Level 4 Group for High Resolution SST (GHRSST) data. In this way, three dominant EOF modes were identified to contribute the Gulf's SST variability. Significant spatial and temporal correlations were found suggesting that throughout the 39-year study period, SST variability could be attributed to atmospheric changes driven by the El Ni o-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO), and Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) climate modes. Spatial and temporal analyses of the dataset revealed that the average SST was 26.  C, and that the warming rate from 1982 to 2020 reached up to 0.59  C/decade. A detailed examination of SST changes associated with heat exchange at the air-sea interface was conducted using surface heat fluxes from fifth generation (ERA5) European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). Despite the SST warming trend, the accumulation of heat during the study period is suggesting that there was an overall loss of heat (cooling). This cooling reverted into heating in 2003 and has since been increasing.
Cultures of Fire Suppression: An ethnographic analysis of socio-ecological interactions on California firefighting crews
Authors: Thomas Jordan
Published: March 2022

Wildfires are growing more destructive around the world. California exemplifies this trend. Seventeen of the state’s largest recorded fires have burned since 2000; eleven since 2016; five in 2020, and three in 2021. The general global drivers of this increasingly extreme fire behavior can also be traced through California, where histories and cultures of fire suppression intersect with colonialism, corporate forest governance, and climate change to produce the industrial-scale suppression operations that meet megafires in the present. By conducting six months of ethnographic fieldwork on a “hotshot” crew, an elite branch of wildland firefighters who operate on the most extreme edges of the largest wildfires, I documented the socio-environmental interactions that occur in spaces of unprecedented fire behavior. The culture of wildland firefighting, I argue, can provide insight into the broader social imperative to suppress wildfires, as well as the current struggle to contain the megafires that have grown in their place.
A field study of nitrogen removal and N2O and CH4 fluxes from integrated buffer zones
Authors: Vodder Carstensen Mette , Zak Dominik , van't Veen Sofie , Wisniewska Kamila , Ovesen Niels , Kronvang Brian , Audet Joachim
Published: March 2022

We present a detailed field study on the dynamics between processes retaining nitrogen (denitrification, plant uptake) and processes producing greenhouse gasses (incomplete denitrification, methanogenesis) in integrated buffer zones (IBZ). Integrated buffer zones are novel systems designed to be integrated within the riparian zone to retain nitrogen and other pollutants that otherwise bypass the riparian buffer zone via drainpipes. However, the anaerobic conditions established within the IBZ to enhance denitrification, can lead to production of the greenhouse gasses N2O and CH4. We investigated both the atmospheric emission of N2O and CH4, and waterborne losses of dissolved nitrogen, N2O and CH4 from two IBZ sites in Denmark for one year. The study showed that the emission of N2O was relatively low, and that IBZ can even work as a sink of N2O. On the contrary, the IBZ were sources of CH4, although the emissions were comparable to those of natural wetlands and other drainage transport mitigation measures. The hydrology was identified as the key driver of emission pathways and their relative importance, as well as the nitrogen retention efficiency.
The impact of Se and Np on Calcite growth 
Authors: Zunftmeister Lukas , Schild Dieter , Soballa Eva , Frank Heberling
Published: March 2022

Calcite is an ubiquitous mineral in numerous natural settings as well as in potential host rocks for high level nuclear waste repositories. Its retention capacity for Se and Np is critical for the safety assessment of nuclear waste repositories.

If the waste containers come into contact with groundwater, tank failure due to corrosion will eventually lead to the release of radionuclides from the waste. In this case, the retention capacity of the surrounding host rock governs the mobility of radionuclides. The understanding of said retention processes and underlying KD values can be applied in preliminary saftey assessments of potential disposal sites. In natural geological systems, Calcite may be subjected to dynamic dissolution and re-precipitation processes (recrystallization). This study addresses the incorporation of Se and Np into Calcite and the complex interplay between ion uptake and recrystallization rates. The recrystallization from aragonite to calcite allows us to investigate the growth of calcite under relatively constant, low supersaturations. Long-term recrystallization experiments have been performed both under the presence of Np(V)O2+ and Se(IV)O32-. Both ions were observed to inhibit the recrystallization process in seperate long-term batch experiments. Under the presence of Se, growth on certain crystal faces is inhibited more strongly, leading to changes in the crystal habit, which have been observed through SEM and XRD. AFM studies have been conducted to get a better understanding on the mechanisms involved.

 

Funding acknowledgements:

This research was supported by the federal ministry of education and research (BMBF), grant agreement 02 NUK 056A (KRIMI)
Quantifying the roles of tide, wind, and density gradient on volume transports in the Persian Gulf
Authors: Hosseini Seyed Taleb , Stanev Emil , Pein Johannes , Jacob Benjamin , Schrum Corinna
Published: March 2022

This modeling study investigates how density gradient, wind and tide control water exchanges through the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf. The 3D model simulates the intraseasonal and interannual variability of the volume transports. Model results reveal a two-layer transport through the Strait of Hormuz mainly due to density gradients between the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean. Both wind and tides affect the exchange flow, however the tidal impacts dominate those from winds. Earlier estimates of the annually-averaged volume transports amounted to approximately 0.2 Sv. With the high-resolution model used in this study, volume transports increase by more than 2.5 times and reaching about 0.6 Sv. The dominant wind in the Persian Gulf is the northwesterly wind, which oppose the inflow from the Indian Ocean. A model experiment without wind confirms that annual mean inflow rates increase. On the other hand, the monthly net-transport (inflow rate - outflow rate) correlates with the wind magnitude when the model is run with complete forcing. Winds mostly affect extreme (maximum) daily flow rates but the flow rates driven by tides typically fluctuate around their annual mean values. Finally, this study reveals the seasonal cycle of the volume exchange with stronger exchange in early winter and summer than in spring and fall.
Soil carbon pools in forested areas affected by fires after the application of restoration measures
Authors: Gimeno-García Eugenia , Carbó Ester , Ruiz-Peinado Ricardo , López Senespleda Eduardo , Jalabert Stephanie , Chéry Philippe , Pétillon Thomas , Castro Rego Francisco , Marques Duarte Inês , Lerma-Arce Victoria
Published: March 2022

Wildfires can promote changes in soil organic carbon pools (SOCp) mainly as consequence of the input of ashes and charred materials from the scorched vegetation; and/or the removal of litter layer and organic matter from the upper soil centimetres affected by high temperatures. Moreover, post-fire management practices can also cause changes in the different forms of organic carbon in the soil (from the most labile to the most recalcitrant).

In the REMAS project, a methodology to study the different SOCp is proposed to assess the effects of the application of different management post-fire practices over the burned areas: (1) cut and remove burned trunks, (2) shrub clearing letting the masticated debris on the soil carried out 6-8 years after the fires and, (3) no intervention treatment. The SOCp analysed include hot-water extractable C, particulate organic C, associated to the mineral fraction and total organic C. The study areas include diverse forest ecosystems from France (Pinus pinaster Ait.), Portugal (Quercus suber L.) and Spain (Pinus halepensis Mill.and Pinus sylvestris L.). Results show variable effects of the management practices on the different organic C pools, mainly over the most labile ones.

Acknowledgements: The REMAS project SOE3/P4/E0954 is co-financed by the Interreg Sudoe Program through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
Velocity field reconstruction by Machine Learning during kinematic dynamo process
Authors: Mouhali Waleed , Jun Jae-Yun , Lehner Thierry
Published: March 2022

Generation and reversal of the Earth’s magnetic field have remained one of the most controversial topics.  It is well known that the Earth’s magnetic field is generated by dynamo action in the liquid iron outer core. This mechanism explains how a rotating, convecting, and electrically conducting fluid sustains a magnetic field.

In this study, we investigate the kinematic dynamo action associated with the well-known ABC-flow (see Dombre et al. [1986]). We focus on the “A = B = C = 1. Its dynamo properties have been assessed in 1981 by Arnold et al. [1981]. It belongs to fast dynamo action: a flow which achieves exponential magnetic field amplification over a typical time related to the advective timescale and not the ohmic diffusive timescale (in which case it is referred to as a “slow dynamo”).

We use DNS method for solving the kinematic dynamo problem, for which a solenoidal magnetic field evolution is governed under a prescribed flow by the induction equation.

In this work, we propose a deep learning method to solve the inverse dynamo problem by estimating the velocity field from the magnetic field. We train our deep learning algorithm from the velocity field and the magnetic field values obtained from the above flow model. Once the algorithm parameters are trained, the optimized algorithm is tested for the velocity field estimation from magnetic field. 
Influence of Wood Density on Backwater Rise due to Large Wood Accumulations
Authors: Mallqui Rebeca , Cabrera Juan , Lazóriga Arnold
Published: March 2022

The backwater caused by the accumulation of wood and large logs in rivers surrounded by tropical forests is determined by the characteristics of the floating material and the approaching flow. Density, as a characteristic of wood logs, determines their buoyancy and depends on the tree species, age, state of decomposition and water content, reaching values between 250 kg/m3 and over 900 kg/m3. Despite this apparent relationship, flood hazard studies in rivers with log transport usually do not consider the influence of density.

In the present study, the effect of wood density on the increase in backwater and the shape of the accumulation is evaluated by means of laboratory-scale simulation with pieces of artificial logs for different Froude numbers and approach flow heights. The pieces were manufactured on 3D printers to obtain certain density ranges (400 ±30, 600 ±30, 800 ±30 and 950 ±30 kg/m3), reduce the possible variation in the moisture content of the wood and facilitate its reuse. Backwater formation was forced by installing vertical steel rack in a control section installed downstream of the test channel. The results of the evaluation show a marked tendency in the increase of the backwater height with the increase of the density of the wood for each approach flow condition evaluated. Regarding the shape of the accumulations, the presence of a carpet form was observed only for the tests with subcritical approach flows, for the tests with supercritical flow, wedge or box shapes were observed for low densities and higher densities, respectively. Likewise, it was observed that the length of the carpet form decreases as the Froude number of the approach flow increases. On the other hand, it was observed that the percentage of retention of pieces of logs in the grid decreases when the density of the logs increases under subcritical flow conditions. The findings of the present investigation demonstrated the interaction between the density of the wood and the different forms of accumulations of logs and the relationship of the density of the wood with the increase in backwater.
Water circles: the secrets revealed drivers for the circular mindset in Belgium,  with examples in the industry
Authors: Hammenecker Jan
Published: March 2022

Since a few years, the effects of global warming are becoming more visible, also in Belgium: long heat periods in springtime or in summer (2018-2019-2020), irregular rainfall, leading to peak water demand. At the same time, the aquifers are not restored in wintertime; the surface waters are less reliable as a raw water resource. Belgium will be one of the more water-stressed countries in 2040. The mission of the water company “De Watergroep” reflects the willingness to solve the water stress issue in the future. The problem is complex, but the solutions are multiple: instead of making tap water from surface water of groundwater, alternative sources for making tap water are used as well, such as rainwater or low-quality water like brackish river water or effluent from a wastewater plant. This kind of solution can be realised even in the short term, and the beneficial environmental effect is part of the global aim to reduce the CO2 footprint. Today, industrial customers are not just looking for tap water for processing purposes; they expect public water companies to deliver a full-blown water service starting from an optimisation plan and a business case. Together with the client, the water company looks for other water sources to reduce costs, lower the CO2 footprint to avoid wastewater taxes and meet today’s socio-economic expectations in general.  To cover the industry’s water needs sustainably, De Watergroep offers several formats, but in most cases, the DBFO. The industry wants to eliminate the complex water processing themselves, leaving water specialists to focus on their own production processes. The next step is the field tests on a pilot scale to try out several treatment techniques and optimise them, for example, upgrading the effluent from a wastewater plant up to tap water or up to demineralised water for steam production and other uses. After that, the “water plant” is upscaled to “the real thing”. De Watergroep knows perfectly how to meet the needs of several sectors like the chemical industry, the potato industry, the milk industry, and even the micro-chips industry that uses massive volumes of 100% purified water. State of the art techniques are used, some of them being “not yet so common”: The plus value offered to the client is the specific water knowledge: everybody knows several techniques to clean or upgrade water to a certain quality, but dimensioning, tuning, running and managing these techniques, putting them together in the most efficient way, requests specialists’ work. Partnership from both industry and the public water company De Watergroep leads to innovative, holistic water solutions in Flanders today, saving water for future generations.