bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Climate-driven redox changes in the Antarctic region: New insights from sedimentary sulfur isotopes 
Authors: Kim Jihun , Lim Dhongil , Yoo Kyu-cheul
Published: March 2024

Reconstruction of the history of bottom-water redox conditions in the climatically sensitive Southern Ocean can provide comprehensive information regarding oceanic circulation, global carbon cycling, and global climate changes. Here we present high-resolution sedimentary redox records over the last ~35 ka in the deep Protector Basin (~4,100 m water depth) of the southern Scotia Sea. Sedimentary δ34S and redox-sensitive trace metals were comprehensively analyzed and compared with 230Th-normalized Ba- and opal-based export fluxes to constrain bottom-water or sedimentary redox and bottom-water oxygenation conditions. The results demonstrate tight coupling of redox state proxies (sulfur isotopes and trace metals) over the glacial–interglacial cycle; the presence of oxidizing conditions during glacial periods rapidly transitions to reducing conditions during interglacial periods. Our findings indicate that absolute control of sedimentary redox variability in the study area involves climate-forced primary production, rather than the deep circulation and ventilation dynamics previously highlighted in the Antarctic Zone. Signs of climate-driven redox changes are also evident in two episodic cold events superimposed on the warm Holocene climate. The glacial–interglacial pattern of redox changes observed in this study contrasts with previous observations in the Southern Ocean, including the Antarctic Zone, suggesting spatial heterogeneity of bottom-water and sediment conditions during orbital-scale climate cycles. This study may help to elucidate paleoenvironmental changes in the Southern Ocean, such as changes in the dynamics of Antarctic Bottom Water production and Holocene climate instability.
Human health risks and bioaccessibility of As and Pb in urban soils in the mining district of Riotinto (SW Spain)
Authors: Parviainen Annika , Martín-Peinado Francisco José
Published: March 2024

Urban soils in the mining district of Riotinto in SW Spain contain high levels of As and Pb, in many cases surpassing the threshold values of polluted soils. Up to 84% of the soils have a Contamination Factor higher than 1 for As and 70 % for Pb, with maximum values of 432 for As and 373 for Pb. Natural soil forming processes from mineralized bedrock in the vicinity of the ore deposits, that are currently being exploited, influence the soil chemistry (Vázquez-Arias et al., 2023). On the contrary, calcareous aggregate pavements used as artificial soils covering public parks do not generally present risk for As and Pb. However, these soils may be influenced by deposition of atmospheric pollution derived from the mining activities (Vázquez-Arias et al., 2023).The bioaccessibility tests simulating gastric fluids (using
Techno-economic Analysis of Geothermal Operations Utilizing Carbon Dioxide
Authors: Onishi Tsubasa , Esmaeilpour Morteza , Leal Allan , Huang Powei , Saar Martin
Published: March 2024

Sustainable geo-energy technologies, including geothermal energy, hydrogen/carbon dioxide capture, utilization, and storage, and aquifer thermal energy storage, have received significant attention from the global scientific community and industry due to their pivotal roles in achieving international decarbonization targets. While numerous stand-alone simulation tools to assess the feasibility of these geo-energy systems have been developed, existing tools often focus on simulating individual components, such as subsurface, wellbore, surface, and economic. Relying solely on such tools tends to overlook the comprehensive techno-economic evaluation of these integrated geo-energy systems. Although some simulation tools with integrated modeling capabilities exist, their flexibility and extendibility to various geo-energy systems remain limited. We present TANGO, an acronym for Techno-economic ANalysis of Geo-energy Operations, which is a newly developed integrated techno-economic simulation tool designed to offer flexibility, allowing for a comprehensive evaluation of various geo-energy operations across different fidelity levels. The applications of TANGO to a series of numerical examples of geothermal systems utilizing carbon dioxide (e.g. CO2 Plume Geothermal – CPG), ranging from rapid site screening with the low fidelity modeling capability to detailed simulation studies using the high-fidelity modeling capability, will be presented to demonstrate TANGO’s distinctive features and capabilities.
Machine learning based metamodels for geochemical calculations in reactive transport models: Benchmark within the EURAD Joint Project
Authors: Laloy Eric , Montoya Vanessa ,   EURAD-DONUT Team
Published: March 2024

Thanks to the recent progress in numerical methods, the application fields of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning methods (ML) are growing at a very fast pace. The EURAD (European Joint Programme on Radioactive Waste Management) community has recently started using ML for a) acceleration of numerical simulations, b) improvement of multiscale and multiphysics couplings efficiency, c) uncertainty quantification and sensitivity analysis. A number of case studies indicate that use of ML based approaches leads to overall acceleration of geochemical and reactive transport simulations from one to four orders of magnitude. The achieved speed-up depends on the chemical system, simulation code, problem formulation and the research question to be answered. Within EURAD-DONUT (Development and Improvement Of Numerical methods and Tools for modelling coupled processes), a benchmark is on-going to coordinate the relevant activities and to test a variety of ML techniques for geochemistry and reactive transport simulations in the framework of radioactive waste disposal. It aims at benchmarking several widely used geochemical codes, at generating high-quality geochemical data for training/validation of existing/new methodologies, and at providing basic guidelines about the benefits, drawbacks, and current limitations of using ML techniques.A joint effort has resulted in the definition of benchmarks of which one is presented here. The benchmark system is relevant to the sorption of U in claystone formations (e.g. Callovo-Oxfordian, Opalinus or Boom clay). Regarding the chemical complexity, a system containing Na-Cl-U-H-O is considered as the base case, and a more complex system with the addition of calcium and carbonate (CO2) to change aqueous speciation of U. Parameters of interest, among others, are the resulting concentrations of U sorbed on edges (surface complexes), of U on ion exchange sites, and the amount of metaSchoepite, with the resulting Kd’s. Following aspects are discussed: (i) Streamline the production of high-quality consistent training datasets, using the most popular geochemical solvers (PHREEQC, ORCHESTRA and GEMS). (ii) The use of different methods (e.g. Deep Neural Networks, Polynomial Chaos Expansion, Gaussian Processes, Active Learning, and other techniques to learn from the generated data. (iii) Setup appropriate metrics for the critical evaluation of the accuracy of ML models. (iv) Testing the accuracy of predictions for geochemical and reactive transport calculations. 
Analysis of Wellbore Integrity using DTS Monitoring and Numerical Modelling in the Practice of ATES
Authors: Blöcher Guido , Pei Liang , Kranz Stefan , Cunow Christian , Virchow Lioba , Saadat Ali
Published: March 2024

Surplus heat as stored in an ATES (Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage) system in summer could partly meet the increasing demand of energy in winter. Better assessment on the wellbore integrity permits sustainable operation of such systems. Therefore, an artesian flow test was conducted in a research well located in Berlin, Germany. In this test, artesian flow of 16.8°C from Jurassic sand at depths from 220 m to 230 m was produced at 14°C and at a flow rate of 3.6m3/h from the annular space between the production casing and the anchor casing. The depth-resolved temperature at the production casing as monitored using the distributed temperature sensing (DTS) technique manifested the depths of the artesian aquifer. A hydro-thermal coupled numerical model for the artesian flow was calibrated by matching the simulated flow rate to the wellhead-measured values. The simulated and the DTS-monitored temperatures suggested that the heating-up in the near-wellbore materials by the artesian flow was hindered by the deployment-related inclusion of water behind the anchor casing, and the cooling in these materials in the shut-in test stage was enhanced by such inclusion. 
Sulfur isotope compositions of the NEEM ice core reveal glacial-interglacial and millennial-scale variability in the sources of sulfate aerosols 
Authors: Pryer Helena , Hansson Margareta , Fischer Hubertus , Rhodes Rachael , Burke Andrea , Rae James , Újvári Gabor , Turchyn Alexandra , Mulvaney Robert , Wolff Eric
Published: March 2024

The sulfur (S) isotope composition of ice cores represents a novel proxy to quantify variability in the sources of atmospheric sulfate. Sulfate aerosols exert a crucial but highly uncertain feedback on the climate system, acting as cloud condensation nuclei and scattering incoming solar radiation. Ice cores from Antarctica indicate that the majority of sulfate aerosols are sourced from marine biogenic activity, with little variability in emissions between glacial and interglacial periods. However, there are currently no published S isotope studies from the Arctic extending beyond the Common Era, and it is unclear how processes could differ between hemispheres. We present a high-resolution S isotope record of the NEEM ice core from Greenland, covering an entire glacial cycle from 0-128 ka BP. S isotope values appear to co-vary with the climate, exhibiting far lighter isotopic compositions during the Last Glacial compared to the Holocene or Last Interglacial. Systematic variability of S isotope values across Dansgaard–Oeschger events and strong linear relationships with water isotope compositions and calcium concentrations of the ice are also observed. We interpret these trends to show climatically controlled changes in the key sources of sulfate reaching the NEEM ice core site. During peak glacial conditions, the budget is dominated by sulfate sourced from terrestrial dust and volcanic emissions, with a negligible marine biogenic component. This finding suggests that we can use S isotopes to identify time periods when the source region for marine biogenic emissions reaching Greenland may have been completely ice-covered. Overall, this study provides new insights into the processes controlling sulfate aerosols in the Arctic and how the S cycle interacts with the climate.
Does everyone speak English?
Authors: Mühle Julian , Ewald Julie Ann , Kenward Robert Eyres
Published: March 2024

Now, more than ever, the ‘eye-in-the-sky’ needs to work with the ‘grunt-on-the-ground’. This isnot just a matter of ground-truth checks on accuracy of remote mapping. For biodiversityforecasts, of abundance, threats and restoration for species and systems, one needs to map notonly ground cover, but soil and water quality and content, not to mention individuals of smallspecies. Beneficial activities at local community and citizen level are needed too, as well asguidance and motivation from above. This will require engagement and love of nature as well asthe support of governments that enable services from nature and do not ignore climate change.Encouraging benefits at local level, and linkage with guidance or imagery from above, requiressimple communication and for conservation chores to become fun. It requires conservationcommunication networks for the 80% in the world who do not speak English. Ideas fortransacting local knowledge as an enjoyable engagement were developed in a Framework 7project to design a Transactional Environmental Support System but considered too challengingsocially. This verdict stimulated multilingual networking in the civic sector, leading to 10-language www.sakernet.org (2014) and 23-language www.perdixnet.org (2017) for UNEP andNGOs, before 43-language www.naturalliance.org was launched for IUCN in 2019. A newHorizon project is now addressing issues of social motivation for engagement with such systemsin a project for A PROactive approach for COmmunities to enAble Societal Transformation whichis running from November 2023 for 3 years. PRO-COAST (project 101082327) brings together 20partners from 14 countries to develop, apply and validate an innovative socio-ecologicalframework for the study of coastal ecosystem dynamics for the benefit of the people mostexposed to risk deriving from biodiversity loss. Starting in 9 case studies across Europe, it willdevelop scaled-up multilingual networking for much wider areas along coasts and inland, usingthe global-with-local information networking developed by European Sustainable Use Group.
Imaging of the West Indian Ocean Subsurface using Compliance from Ocean-Bottom Stations 
Authors: Aminian Mohammad-Amin , Stutzmann Eleonore , Crawford Wayne C , Montagner Jean-Paul
Published: March 2024

This research focuses on deriving the compliance function from data collected by broadband ocean-bottom stations (OBS) during the RHUM- RUM experiment in the Indian Ocean. The primary objective is to determine the shear velocity structure beneath the ocean floor, a task essential for understanding the geological features of regions where data is sparse. The methodology revolves around analyzing the compliance function, a measure of the seafloor’s deformation in response to infra-gravity pressure signals at low frequencies (0.003 to 0.04 Hz). The compliance function, which represents the transfer function between vertical displacement and pressure, is greatly influenced by the shear velocity of the oceanic sub-structure beneath the station.
Our approach included several processing steps applied to the OBS data. These steps encompassed the removal of glitches, filtering out global and local seismic events, minimizing tilt effects, calibrating pressure gauges, and performing a linear search in the frequency and coherence domains to identify the optimal data window. The compliance function was computed using data recorded over 13 months in 2012 by the RHUM-RUM experiment’s broadband OBS near La Reunion Island, strategically placed at depths ranging from 3 to 5 km, predominantly over the central and southwest Indian Ridge.
Subsequently, we performed depth-velocity inversion of the compliance function using the Metropolis-Hastings algorithm and determined the oceanic crustal shear velocity structure up to a depth of 8 km.
This inversion process verified the compliance function’s stability and reliability throughout the observation period. Additionally, we developed specialized software, ’Compy’ designed to automate the processing steps required for this study, thereby enhancing efficiency and accuracy in seafloor compliance analysis. This research contributes significantly to our understanding of subsurface structures in marine environments, particularly in regions with limited data availability.
Co-production could improve the science-policy-practice nexus in hydrology: lessons from co-producing knowledge on flood risk in Tamale, Ghana
Authors: Howard Ben , Awuni Cynthia , Berkhout Frans , Agyei-Mensah Sam , Buytaert Wouter
Published: March 2024

Understanding of hydrological risk is increasing but much of it remains non-actionable. Consequently, interventions are seldom informed by the latest insights, limiting their effectiveness and resilience, especially in a non-stationary world. The co-production of knowledge in hydrology can result in more salient, useful, and usable outcomes that are used to directly inform decisions. Co-production is an interactive and complex process founded on relationships between science, society, practice, and policy. We are applying this approach to generate locally relevant understanding, evidence, and action on flood risk in Tamale, a city of ~500,000 people in northern Ghana. A team of citizens, practitioners, policy makers, and researchers from a range of disciplines are working together to understand the drivers and distribution of flood risk, as well as the effects of top-down and citizen-led adaptation. Knowledge is generated and validated in a series of stages and cycles and operationalized in different modes for different users. Whilst this is an ongoing process which continues to evolve, in this talk I will share lessons and experiences from the co-production approach in Tamale that may be translatable to other contexts. Co-production approaches represent tangible frameworks to improve the science-policy-practice nexus in hydrology and water resources management, and sharing good examples can expedite adoption.
A novel method for reforestation of desertified areas using composites for encapsulating moisture
Authors: Shanskiy Merrit , Liiv Jüri , Kuu Annely , Escuer Gatius Jordi , Githuku Catherine , Mwai Marclus
Published: March 2024

Soil has stored organic carbon in the form of humus for thousands years. One of the main problems in the near future is agricultural land degradation due to excessively intensive farming. The aric and semi-arid lands in Kenya constitues about 80% (467,200 sq.km) of total land mass. Thus, the arid and semiarid land hosts 35% of Kenyas population (13 million people). The objective of the project was to explore the feasibility of restoring vegetation in desertified areas by implementing individual, isolated moisture reservoirs for each plant, filled with a water-binding composite material. The ultimate goal of this study includes the rapid reforestation of desertified areas, accompanied by the restoration of the region's moisture regime to mitigate climate change. Additionally, it aims at carbon dioxide sequestration in emerging forest areas, as well as C binding in a solidifying composite material. The study also seeks to create conditions for the regeneration of the natural ecosystem and reduce the pressure on the remaining forests by providing additional wood resources.It is essential to acknowledge that the experimental plantation, situated at Kenyatta University, would remain part of the permanent landscaping according to the university's agreement. The eucalyptus sp. was excluded, and more widely used plant species for the region were chosen. After careful deliberation —Grevillea robusta, Casuarina equisetifolia, and Jacaranda mimosifolia—were chosen as commonly used species for local agroforestry systems. The plantation was established after dry season in september, 2023. The local resource based biomaterials were used for composites mixtures and planting materials were created. For some variants hydroinsulation with bioplymer designed biofilm was used.
Plants, microorganisms and soil minerals, how the persistence of soil organic carbon is regulated at microscale interfaces
Authors: Mueller Carsten W.
Published: March 2024

Plant derived organic matter (OM), entering soils either as aboveground plant litter or via belowground rhizodeposition or dead roots, undergoes microbial mineralization and transformation and finally ends up in various soil OM (SOM) pools. With two major solid SOM pools besides dissolved OM, namely particulate OM (POM) and mineral-associated OM (MAOM), the initially plant dominated OM is progressively transformed into microbial OM during decomposition. However, as mineral soils comprise highly heterogeneous systems over a wide range of spatial and temporal scales, the microbial transformation of plant OM and the formation of SOM is highly variable in time and space as well. Processes controlling the persistence of SOM are especially determined at nm to µm scales at biological highly active biogeochemical interfaces. Thus, plant litter and roots form distinct soil hot spots for interactions between microbiota, OM and mineral particles that are thought to control the long-term fate of soil carbon. The detritusphere and rhizosphere thus represent soil volumes that host the complex interplay of biological, chemical and physical soil processes that determine the fate of SOM. We will highlight the intricate connection between the transformation of plant derived OM via microbial processing and soil structure formation that lead to the build-up of persistent SOM.   
Efficiency of Azolla pinnata in Purifying Treated Wastewater in Lebanon via Phytoremediation as a Nature-Based Solution
Authors: Kamaleddine Farah , Mohtar Rabi , Yanni Sandra , Keniar Imad , Said Rania Bou
Published: March 2024

Irresponsible wastewater management has caused water pollution to increase to alarming levels in Lebanon. This is compounded by the economic hardships that have forced several wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) to either shut down their operations or be inconsistent with the treatment level. Given the unsustainable performance of centralized WWTPs andtheir vulnerability to economic shocks, integrating nature-based solutions such as phytoremediation has become essential. As such, this study evaluates the potential of growing Azolla pinnata, a floating fern (macrophyte), for the purification of primary,secondary and tertiary TWW through phytoremediation. Two seasons of experiments were conducted to study the temporal variation in the physicochemical properties of water, nutrient removal efficiency, sediment composition, biomass composition and economic feasibility. All nutrients that were considered in this study were reduced in the presence of A. pinnata in TWW, except for nitrates and sodium. The highest nutrient removal efficiencies were observed in the primary TWW, with an average of 97% for ammonium, 88% for orthophosphates and 90% for potassium. Additionally, chemical oxygen demand (COD)decreased between 66-86% in the three TWW types. This reduction has been negatively correlated with dissolved oxygen (R= -0.683, p-value=0.000). The results of the phosphorus (P) mass balance have shown that 74% of the P was fixed by Azolla in primary TWW, out of 84% P removal efficiency. In contrast, only an average of 60% and 64% P was absorbed by Azolla in STWW and TTWW out of 100% and 95% P removal efficiency, respectively. Although Azolla has a rich nutritional value, the economic assessment has shown little economic savings from its use in animal feed. Further studies on the expansion of thistechnique, microbial and heavy metals contamination in Azolla, palatability of Azolla by different animals, disposal of sediments and the utilization of the Azolla biomass are needed.
Land subsidence monitoring based on SBAS-InSAR and prediction using ARIMA-BP model in typical oil exploitation areas
Authors: Wang Fengyan , Wu Xiang , Zhou Kai , Yu Qingbo , Chen Jianping , Wang Qing
Published: March 2024

The Songnen Plain is a major base for commodity grain production and oil and gas exploitation in China, playing a crucial role in ensuring China's grain production, the development of oil and gas resources, and economic construction. However, the long-term and extensive exploitation of resources such as oil, gas, and groundwater has led to large-scale surface deformation in the Songnen Plain. To investigate the impact of oil and gas exploitation on land subsidence in the Songnen Plain, a study on land subsidence and its prediction models was conducted in the oil and gas exploitation areas of the Songnen Plain. This study used the Small Baseline Subset Interferometry Synthetic Aperture Radar (SBAS-InSAR) to obtain the time-series land subsidence data of the oil and gas exploitation areas for a total of 40 periods during June 2015 to September 2020, and found that the study area showed a trend of subsidence during the monitoring period, and the rate of subsidence was -2.4 mm/year. And analyzed the surface deformation of the study area by combining five factors, such as oil exploitation, water-soil structure environment, groundwater, meteorology, and earthquake, and found that oil exploitation, water-soil structure environment, groundwater level, and cumulative precipitation were all significantly negatively correlated with cumulative deformation in the study area, while the correlation between air temperature and earthquakes and cumulative subsidence in the study area was not obvious. Subsequently, leveraging the advantages of the Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average model (ARIMA) and Back Propagation (BP) neural network, an ARIMA-BP model was proposed to prediction overall ground deformation trends in the study area. Comparing the predictions of the ARIMA-BP model with those of single models such as ARIMA, BP neural network, random forest (RF), support vector machine (SVM), and eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBOOST), it was found that the proposed model can accurately prediction the overall surface deformation trend in the study area. The model's performance metrics, including Mean Absolute Error 6(MAE), Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE), and R-squared (R2), were superior, with values of 0.489 mm, 0.73 mm, 20%, and 0.964, respectively, outperforming other single models. This study can provide decision support for the analysis of land subsidence in typical oil exploitation areas of Songnen Plain and its disaster prevention and control.
Reduction in soil moisture dominates progressive tree mortality in semiarid areas
Authors: Wan Yanfang , Yu Pengtao , Wang Yanhui , Bai Yushi , Yu Yipeng , Li Jiamei
Published: March 2024

Increasing drought stress has triggered various negative impacts on forests worldwide, including growth reduction, defoliation, crown dieback, and even tree mortality, with unavoidable consequences for forest ecosystems. However, how reductions in both precipitation and soil moisture progressively lead to tree mortality remains largely unknown. Here, we define relative soil water (RSW) as the ratio of the actual soil moisture to the field capacity, which can reflect the fraction of water in the root zone, to reveal how soil moisture reduction leads to progressive tree mortality. Based on field measurements of tree behaviors, including transpiration, tree growth, defoliation, crown dieback and other behaviors, before, during and after an extreme drought in the Larix principis-rupprechtti plantations in 2021, we found that the variability in precipitation and soil moisture affect tree behaviors, but soil moisture is the dominant driver of drought stress on progressive tree mortality, with prolonged and severe soil moisture reduction leading to widespread tree mortality. RSW thresholds for different stages of progressive tree mortality and drought stress levels are identified as follows: Level I (RSW > 0.7), no detectable hydraulic limitations; level II (0.7 to 0.45), persistent stem shrinkage and onset of transpiration reduction; level III (0.45 to 0.35), onset of slight discoloration and defoliation; level IV (0.35 to 0.25), onset of crown dieback and tree mortality; and level V (< 0.25), severe defoliation, 20% crown dieback and tree mortality. Our results shed light on predicting tree mortality and distribution in forests under increasing climate warming, particularly in semiarid areas with warming-induced tree mortality.
FAIR Convergence using FAIR Implementation Profiles and the FAIR evolution pathways concept: lessons learned from the WorldFAIR Geochemistry Work Package 
Authors: Prent Alexander , Farrington Rebecca
Published: March 2024

Interdisciplinary science missions rely on the ability to combine data from across many research domains. Convergence of data can be achieved through adoption of the FAIR principles for data assets, making them Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable. In order to make data FAIR beyond a limited number of researchers, a broader research community has to declare which schemas, data standards, protocols and other resources are used for metadata and data. These resources, when published, are FAIR Enabling Resources (FERs). Listing which FERs are used to make a dataset FAIR helps the community towards interoperability between datasets. FAIR Implementation Profiles (FIPs) list FERs for each FAIR principle through a systematic question and answer based form and can be the basis for comparing FERs used in different data assets.Through comparison of different communities’ FIPs, mappings and crosswalks can be developed between datasets, resulting in interoperability between datasets. Employing a FIP comparison strategy enables a group to grow the FAIR data asset size. Comparing FIPs with regards to a specific community can help grow it in both size and complexity, adding additional community members and their related interoperable datasets. FAIRness here evolves both on data asset size as on the community complexity level.Elaborating on this; intercommunity agreement on FER usage, or the development of mappings and crosswalks between FERs, increases the communities FAIRness, growing its complexity and size. Growth of FAIR data assets can be achieved when multiple datasets use the same FERs and become a FAIR data collection. Additionally, complexity of the FAIR community goes hand in hand with growth of the FAIR data asset as multiple groups are generally involved in the collation of multiple datasets. FAIRness also increases if FERs are aligned for data types from different instruments, resulting in their various methodologies also becoming interoperable. With FAIRness increasing between methodologies the community complexity generally increases as for the combining of datasets.Here we will present key outcomes from the WorldFAIR Geochemistry Work Package on how FAIRness of a community and its constituent data assets can evolve along three pathways.  FAIRness can be increased for the community (complexity), for data assets (size) and between methodologies or (sub)disciplines with FIPs as a means to document FERs used for community, data or methodologies in a structured manner, the comparative FIPs approach can form the basis for convergence and FAIR evolution on either of the three pathways.
SWAP 50 year: Advances in modelling soil-water-atmosphere-plant interactions
Authors: Heinen Marius , Mulder Martin , van Dam Jos , Bartholomeus Ruud , de Jong van Lier Quirijn , de Wit Janine , de Wit Allard , Hack-ten Broeke Mirjam
Published: March 2024

Modelling soil-water-atmosphere-plant interactions and the modelling of processes in the unsaturated zone is performed in research and engineering projects worldwide, often extended to practical applications by stakeholders. The hydrological model SWAP stands out as a frequently used tool in this context. We consider the SWAP model and its predecessors like SWATR and SWACROP to have been initiated half a century ago, in 1974, in an article by Feddes, Bresler and Neuman in Water Resources Research entitled ‘Field test of a modified numerical model for water uptake by root systems’. Over the years, the evolution to the present version of SWAP went through a great number of alterations, additions and improvements. In this contribution we will provide an overview on these developments, especially those from most recent years. This will include, amongst others, root growth dynamics, root water uptake and links to crop growth modelling. We aim on further improvements given new challenges like those resulting from climate change, extreme weather events, aspects of environmental sustainability, model parameterization, and model structure. 
Thickness of the shear band of silty clay–concrete interface: a case study of Songnen Plain, China
Authors: Wang Boxin , Pan Jingjing , Wang Qing , Liu Jiaqi , Chen Huie
Published: March 2024

The shear phenomenon between soil and foundation structure is common in foundation engineering. Thickness of the shear band of silty clay–concrete interface affects the shear behavior of soil and structure inevitably, especially in the region of cohesive soil with complex hydro-physical properties. In this paper, the silty clay in the Songnen Plain was used as a case study to reveal the shear failure mechanism of silty clay–structure interface under different Thickness of the shear band from multiple scales. Direct shear tests of the silty clay–concrete interface under different moisture contents and freeze–thaw (F–T) cycles were conducted to study the mechanical and deformation characteristics of the silty clay–concrete interface under the action of F–T cycles. The change rule of shear band thickness under F–T cycles were analyzed based on particle image velocimetry technology. The microstructure changes of the damaged specimens were observed combined with scanning electron microscopy. Experimental results show that the shear strength of the silty clay–concrete interface is negatively correlated with the F–T cycles and moisture content. The moisture content increases from 12.7% to 20.7%, and the shear strength of the shear band decreases by 7.6%, 7.5%, 7.5%, 12.3%, and 10.5% after 9 F–T cycles, respectively. The shear strength of the shear band decreases obviously after 3 F–T cycles, and tends to be stable after 7 F–T cycles. The successive F–T cycles increases the thickness of the shear band until it stabilizes after 3 F–T cycles. The length and width of cracks inside the specimen increase as the number of F–T cycles rises. The orientation of particles in the shear band is weakened, but the orientation of particles in the shear band is always stronger than that outside the shear band. The change in soil particle and pore content is the most obvious in 3 F–T cycles, and it is the reason for the change in shear band.
Geolocation accuracy and precision for InSAR point positioning; validation using the Dutch IGRS network
Authors: Hanssen Ramon , Bazzocchi Paolo
Published: March 2024

Precise and accurate geolocation of (point) scatterers is crucial for the correct interpretation of InSAR time series in the built environment, since this allows the scatterers to be linked to physical objects. The precision and accuracy of the geolocation is dependent on orbit precision, sub-pixel scatterer localization within the SAR images, as well as a range of geophysical, SAR processor, and instrument-related corrections. Focusing on the abundantly available Sentinel-1 SAR acquisitions, previous studies on 40 corner reflectors in  Australia, with 30 acquisitions aligned towards ascending orbits (Garthwaite et al., 2015), and georeferenced using annual GNSS campaigns, yielded a positioning dispersion (1sigma) of 6~cm in range and 26~cm in azimuth, and residual offsets of 3~cm (range) and 18~cm (azimuth) (Gisinger et al., 2021).   Here we report on new results applied on the network of Integrated Geodetic Reference Stations (IGRS) in the Netherlands, which currently consists of 80 corner reflectors on 40 stations (i.e., ascending and descending) on the same physical construction, equipped with permanent GNSS stations.   The already developed end-to-end methodology for SAR geolocation is revised, and applied to Sentinel-1 interferometric wide swath (IW) data from 257 ascending and 263 descending acquisitions.  Our results confirm the validity of the applied corrections.
Modelling the impact of antecedent conditions on flood forecasting
Authors: Tsaknias Dimosthenis , Yu Dapeng
Published: March 2024

Antecedent conditions play a crucial role in flooding, and hence it is essential to simulate them when floods are forecasted. Wet antecedent conditions can lead to significant flooding even if the rainfall during an event is not very intense, prolonged or widespread. An example of this type of flooding is the European floods in the summer of 2013, which affected Germany, Czech Republic and Austria; leading to 25 fatalities and financial losses amounting to 16 billion USD (Munich Re, 2013).This study presents a modelling framework aimed focusing on the interplay between antecedent conditions and flood events. Our approach integrates a new component related to antecedent conditions to Previsico’s proprietary FloodMap Live by leveraging geospatial datasets as well as past precipitation data. The ground parameters are modified automatically without the need of manual intervention.In this study we discuss the data processing spatially and temporally, and the impact of antecedent conditions for various events by showcasing different scenarios in the United Kingdom. Moreover, we investigate the model sensitivity and performance when compared with observation points which were flooded.This research investigates the importance of antecedent conditions on flood modelling and  contributes to our understanding of how scenario-based events should be modelled in order to improve forecast performance. These improvements improve the accuracy of Previsico’s flood forecasts as they add a new component related to how the ground conditions changed a few days before a flood event.Reference:Munich Re, 2013. Floods dominate natural catastrophe statistics in first half of 2013. Available at: https://web.archive.org/web/20130714234357/http://www.munichre.com/en/media_relations/press_releases/2013/2013_07_09_press_release.aspx 
Combined high-and low-latitude forcing of orbital East Asian hydroclimate
Authors: Zhang Hongbin , Griffiths Michael L. , Cheng Hai , Dai Gaowen , Ruan Jiaoyang , Sun Yunping , Lu Ling , Guo Wei , Huang Junhua , Xie Shucheng
Published: March 2024

Speleothem oxygen isotope records from China have provided the most detailed insights into the past Asian summer monsoon variability of any paleoclimate archive (“proxy”) to date in the past 640 ka, showing the dominance of the orbital precession rhythm. However, fundamental disagreement exists on what the oxygen isotope records represent in terms of the hydroclimate changes, in particular on the orbital scale. Based on the oxygen isotope records and other hydroclimate proxies from 15 speleothems at Haozhu Cave in central-eastern China, as well as the model simulations for the periods of Marine Isotope Stages 6 and 11, we show the orbital-scale ‘dipole’ hydroclimate in monsoonal eastern China, with wetter (drier) conditions in the central but drier (wet) conditions in the north when summer insolation was low (high) and East Asian summer monsoon was weak (strong). Of significance is the finding that the hydroclimate contrast in East China was greatly enhanced during glacial-interglacial transitions, with the wettest hydroclimate in the north but widespread drought in the central, when the heat content of both the global ocean and the Indo-Pacific Warm Pool upper ocean reached the maximum. We propose that the orbital-scale westerly jet transition affects the East Asian summer rainband position and thus the orbital hydroclimate pattern in eastern China, and the low latitude tropical Indo-Pacific ocean moisture transport amplifies the hydroclimate contrast during glacial-interglacial transitions
Large Language Models for Causal Discovery in the Earth Sciences
Authors: Camps-Valls Gustau , Cohrs Kai-Hendrik , Diaz Emiliano , Sitokonstantinou Vasileios , Varando Gherardo
Published: March 2024

Causality is essential for understanding complex systems like the Earth and climate, where a plethora of intertwined variables and processes happen in the wild. Constructing causal graphs often relies on either data-driven or expert-driven approaches, both fraught with challenges. The former methods, like the celebrated Peter-Clark (PC) algorithm, face issues with data requirements and assumptions of causal sufficiency, while the latter demand substantial time and expertise.This work explores the capabilities of Large Language Models (LLMs) as an alternative to domain experts for causal graph generation. We frame conditional independence queries as prompts to LLMs and employ the PC algorithm with the answers. The performances of the LLM-based conditional independence oracle on systems with known causal graphs show a high degree of variability. We improve the performance through a proposed statistical-inspired voting schema that allows control over false-positives and false-negatives rates. We apply our chatPC algorithm to understand the causal relations between complex sets of variables (social, economic, conflicts, environmental, and climatic factors) in two pressing problems: population displacement and food insecurity in Africa. We find plausible graphs as corroborated by experts in the humanitarian sector, finding traces of causal reasoning in the model's answers. We posit that LLM-based causality is a new, promising, alternative avenue for automated causality, especially indicated for rapid response and data-scarce regimes.
New technologies applied to modelling taphonomic alterations of human origins
Authors: Maté González Miguel Ángel
Published: March 2024

Taphonomy is a discipline dedicated to the analysis of the different processes that influence the mechanisms of fossilization, affecting both fossils and their environment. In this sense, this research is focused on the premortem and postmortem processes affecting animal bones found in archaeological sites. Studies related to human evolution can be approached from different perspectives, being paleontological analyses the best procedure for identifying ancestors through fossils. Paleo-environmental studies explore the past environment and climate, conditioning human evolution and adaptation. On the other hand, archaeological studies (the area of this research), examine the material culture and behaviour of ancient populations. Sites can be exclusively paleontological, with no human intervention, or archaeological, with evidence of human activity. In the latter, bones may have been altered by humans, carnivores, or natural processes. In this context, taphonomy allows to classify the origin of this alteration, being even possible to define the intervention of several agents on the same animal, such as humans, carnivores, and rodents, and the order of such intervention. Evidence of human intervention on animals from the past is found in the marks left when processing meat or marrow. The analysis of cut and percussion marks is used to reveal the applied tools and methods. The research here presented is based on the implementation of technologies such as photogrammetry and geometric morphometry to document these marks in a three-dimensional way. Machine learning, deep learning, and advanced statistics are then applied to answer specific questions. In particular, three main key questions about human behaviour in past populations have been addressed: What tools were used to process animal meat, and were there any preferences in raw materials? Three-dimensional reconstructions are applied to identify the morphology of cut marks and, through repeated experiments, determine which materials, such as flint, quartz, or volcanic rock, were used in the past. Which carnivores occupied the sites after they were abandoned by humans, and how does this affect the paleoecology? Tooth marks on bones are analysed to differentiate with high reliability which carnivore handled a bone, providing relevant information on the paleoecological implications depending on the specific carnivore. How does trampling affect bones exposed at sites, and what relevant information does it provide? Through trampling analysis, it is possible to determine when this occurred, providing important data on how long the bones were exposed before burial and the degree of site disturbance. All the previous lines of research enable to assess site integrity, identify the carnivores involved, and understand human behavioural strategies in the processing of animal carcasses.
Measuring Induced Polarization signals from deep seated magma chamber – preliminary results from a pilot survey in Finland
Authors: Kim Bitnarae , Deparis Jacques , Darnet Mathieu , Bretaudeau Francois , Vedrine Simon , Gance Julien , Kamm Jochen , Autio Uula , Patzer Cedric , Heinonen Suvi
Published: March 2024

In this study, we conducted an extensive geophysical survey to explore the potential of electrical resistivity methods in delineating deep ore deposits within between Koillismaa Intrusion and Näränkävaara intrusion, northeastern Finland. Preliminary investigations in 2022, including magnetic, gravity and audio-magnetotelluric (AMT) methods, along with drilling, uncovered significant anomalous structures in the survey area. Subsequent drilling of an exploration well provided positive lithological indications of a ultramafic igneous rock at more than 1.5 km depth, which are very likely of the same age as the layered intrusions in the area. Borehole data indeed revealed that the Archaean basement gneiss extends down to approximately 510 m, underlain by a granite dyke with interspersed thin layers of pyroxenite and peridotite. Notably, peridotite layers around 1500 m depth exhibited distinct magnetic and IP responses in core data.We employed electrical methods at the site, including electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and induced polarization (IP). To cover a large-scale area, 25 transmitter dipoles, each 1 km long and using three different transmitter systems, were deployed and data were recorded at 119 receiver stations. This work presents the acquisition and preliminary results from the ERT-IP surveys. During the processing of ERT and IP data, we utilized full time-series data recorded across the four lowest main frequencies (from 0.0625 Hz to 8Hz) to capture voltage data in a steady state. Apparent resistivity data were derived from the stacked voltage data, while IP data were initially extracted from these decay curves of these stacked voltage data and subsequently processed in the frequency domain (outphasing). Analysis of the resistivity and IP responses revealed notable IP signals at depths exceeding 1.5 km. Meanwhile, the resistivity data indicated generally very high values, around 10,000 ohm-m, with complex variations observed near the surface. This study demonstrates the efficacy of ERT and IP methods in delineating deep-seated mineral deposits, with the deep-depths IP responses being particularly noteworthy.
High resolution monitoring of active faulting at the instable flank of Mt. Etna
Authors: Victor Pia , Crosetto Silvia , Azzaro Raffaele , Bonforte Alessandro , Urlaub Morelia
Published: March 2024

Etna-Creep monitors fault displacement at localized site along active faults on the instable SE flank of Mt. Etna. Currently two instruments are installed across the Macchia Fault in the S. Leonardello - Macchia Graben System close to the coastline. Creepmeters can capture fault creep, slow slip events as well as triggered slip events from near field or far field sources, and allow us to detect signals of volcano-tectonic interactions. Our instruments monitor continuous slip with a resolution of 1 micrometer and a sampling rate of 2/min. These installations complement the GEOSEA array (https://www.geomar.de/en/news/article/geosea-array-records-sliding-of-mount-etnas-southeastern-flank) offshore Catania and strongly link research on flank instability processes onshore with the offshore GEOMAR activities.
Installed in 2022, these instruments already recorded several triggered slip events, characterised also by sudden acceleration episodes of slip. This dataset enables us to study how extensional faulting at the SE flank of Mt. Etna contributes to the slow sliding of the flank into the Ionian Sea. With the high temporal resolution of this network, we also retrieve information about potential triggering sources reflected in the stress regime change allowing the unclamping of the monitored fault.
Dynamic triggering caused a slip event on the Macchia fault during the passage of surface waves during the February 6th 2023, M7.8 Kahramanmaras earthquake in Turkey. Additional slip events were triggered after an earthquake offshore Catania (M4.5) and by other earthquakes in the Mediterranean. Shallow micro-seismicity along the Acicatena fault, located close to the monitored fault, is synchronous with events at the monitored Macchia fault showing elastic unclamping with no permanent slip. These events demonstrate the susceptibility of the extensional fault system to external perturbation (i.e. triggering). With Etna-Creep we hope to be able to better understand the contribution of these faults to the SE-ward motion of the Etna’s eastern flank as well as its driving processes, but also insights into the basic process of tectonic loading on earthquake faults.