bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Students discover the rocks and minerals that are behind the chemical elements of the Periodic Table.
Authors: Detsika Natassa
Published: March 2020

This work is aimed at young people at the age of 14 to 15 years old.

The work is based on the study of the Periodic Table. Students show a great interest in learning about the history of the periodic table, as well as the details of each chemical element individually. They want to know how it was discovered, the scientist who did it, in which rock we can find it, where we use it, its properties, and much more.

Combining the two sciences, Geology and Chemistry, we make a blank Periodic Table with dimensions of 2m to 1,5m. We also make cards with the elements.

The aims are:

- To help students study the periodic table through various table games and learn not only the names of chemical elements but their inseparable relationship with the Earth and man.

- To make it clear that everything we need and use has its origins in the Earth.

- To emphasize the origins of the chemical elements in the minerals and the rocks.

For every element there are several cards. An example is Al (Aluminum). For Al, there is a card with the chemical symbol of Al, a card with the picture of Bauxite (the rock from which we get aluminum), a card with the materials made of Al, a card with a small quiz about some of its chemical or physical properties, etc. Τhe cards have colors depending on the group that the chemical elements belong to. There are also cards with the history behind a chemical element.

Students are divided into groups, in which they then pick up different cards and try to place the chemical elements in the correct box in the periodic table.

Another game they like to play is to pick a card with the element’s symbol on and try to guess the name of the element and to associate it with the suitable mineral or rock card.

In addition, the students are given atoms and bonds simulations, as well as the chemical type of a mineral and a picture or a real part of a rock, in which we find the mineral. Their goal is to construct the mineral using the simulations and the written directions. Ιn this way, they also recognize the rocks in which the chemical elements are found.

The most interesting in the above process is that students prepare the cards themselves. Thus, they are also actively involved in the process of creating their own periodic table.

In 2019, the scientific world celebrated the 150th anniversary since the creation of the periodic table. Our students, after playing such games as the above, decided to celebrate the International Year of P.T. by painting their own periodic table on canvas.

Their work is now hanging in a central school area.
Energetic Particle Environment near the Sun from Parker Solar Probe
Authors: Schwadron Nathan ,   PSP-ISʘIS Group
Published: March 2020

NASA’s Parker Solar Probe (PSP) mission recently plunged through the inner heliosphere to perihelia at ~24 million km (~35 solar radii), much closer to the Sun than any prior human made object. Onboard PSP, the Integrated Science Investigation of the Sun (ISʘIS) instrument suite made groundbreaking measurements of solar energetic particles (SEPs). Here we discuss the near-Sun energetic particle radiation environment over PSP’s first two orbits, which reveal where and how energetic particles are energized and transported. We find a great variety of energetic particle events accelerated both locally and remotely. These include co-rotating interaction regions (CIRs), “impulsive” SEP events driven by acceleration near the Sun, and events related to Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs). These ISʘIS observations made so close to the Sun provide critical information for investigating the near-Sun transport and energization of solar energetic particles that was difficult to resolve from prior observations. We discuss the physics of particle acceleration and transport in the context of various theories and models that have been developed over the past decades. This study marks a major milestone with humanity’s reconnaissance of the near-Sun environment and provides the first direct observations of the energetic particle radiation environment in the region just above the corona.
Fast analytical models for texture evolution in anisotropic polycrystals
Authors: Ribe Neil , Castelnau Olivier , Goulding Neil , Hielscher Ralf , Walker Andrew , Wookey James
Published: March 2020

To use observations of seismic anisotropy to constrain mantle flow patterns, we need a model for how progressive deformation of a rock leads to preferred orientation (CPO) of its constituent crystals. An important class of such models comprises so-called `self-consistent' (SC) models such as VPSC (viscoplastic SC) and SOSC (second-order SC). However, calculations based on SC models are far too costly for use in 3-D time-dependent convection simulations. To overcome this difficulty, we have developed two new analytical models that combine the accuracy of SC models with a greatly enhanced (by orders of magnitude) computational efficiency. The basis of our new models is the discovery that the crystallographic spin predicted by SC models as a function of crystal orientation is always a generalized spherical harmonic of degree 2, regardless of the CPO of the aggregate. This fact allows us to find an analytical expression for the spin to within an arbitrary amplitude, which we then determine by fitting to the predictions of the SOSC model.  Our first new model, ANPAR, uses the analytical expression for the spin to calculate evolving CPO in an aggregate comprising many (typically 2000) individual grains. The resulting CPO is visually indistinguishable from the SOSC predictions, but is ~ 50000 times faster to compute. Our second model, SBFTEX, is based on a more economical representation of CPO as a weighted sum of a small number of  analytical `structured basis functions' (SBFs), each of which represents the virtual CPO that would be produced by one intracrystalline slip system acting alone. The model consists of analytical expressions for the weighting coefficients of the SBFs as functions of the finite strain experienced by the aggregate. While somewhat less accurate than ANPAR, SBFTEX is ~ 2000 times faster, or ~ 108 times faster than SOSC. We will illustrate the predictions of ANPAR and SBFTEX for pure olivine polycrystals, a simple model for the upper 400 km of the mantle.
Effects of Training Teachers on the Topics Natural Resources and Natural Hazards on Academic Performance of Primary School Pupils in Kaduna Metropolis
Authors: Shuaibu Zainab Muhammad , Muhammad Binta  Asabe , Muazu Gambo Muhammad
Published: March 2020

Nigeria social and economic development is firmly rooted on the exploitation of natural resources that abound in the environment. These resources need to be conserved and exploited using modern exploration technologies in order to secure the lowest extraction cost and lowest waste of materials. The country is also faced with the challenges of natural and man-made environmental hazards which are potential threats to humans as they interact with the earth’s natural environment.

Natural resources and natural hazards are environmental education topics taught at all levels of education in Nigeria and the effective teaching and learning of these topics necessities for early learning activities in schools. The teaching materials for the topics that enhance pupils understanding are shaped by the role the teacher plays in pupils learning. Teachers need to be familiar with what the teach, they need to have appropriate teaching techniques, different strategies for motivating the pupils and their capacity need to be built for effective teaching and learning.  

This research is carried out to investigate the effect of training teachers on the topics natural resources and natural hazards on academic performance of primary school pupils in Kaduna metropolis. Two research questions and two null-hypotheses were stated for the study.  A pretest and posttest quasi-experimental and control design was employed. Six classes including 6 teachers and 240 pupils were randomly assigned into experimental and control groups. The data was collected using two instruments: i, Natural Resources and Natural Hazards Achievement Test (NRNHAT) ii, Classroom Lesson Observation Checklist (CLOC).

The data were analyzed using t-test statistical tool and Mann-Whitney U test.

The result indicates a significant improvement in lesson delivery skills of teachers trained on the topic “Natural Resources and Natural Hazards” compared to those in the control group. In addition, the pupils in the experimental group showed more commitment and higher academic performance in the concepts Natural Resources and Natural Hazards than their counterparts in the control group. Therefore, training and re-training of teachers in the aspect of environmental education is recommended to be adopted by head teachers and principals supported by the Federal Government of Nigeria and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) to foster positive attitudes, values and skills among young learners for the protection and improvement of the environment.
The karst and the furious – ways to keep calm when dealing with karst hydrology
Authors: Hartmann Andreas
Published: March 2020

The dissolution of carbonate rock ‘karstification’ creates pronounced surface and subsurface heterogeneity and results in complex flow and transport dynamics. Consequently, water resources managers face significant challenges keeping calm when dealing with karst water resources especially in times of environmental change. My lecture not only will provide an overview of the peculiarities of karst hydrology but it will also offer some approaches that facilitate the assessment of environmental changes on karst water resources. Using two case studies, one at the plot scale and the other at the scale of an entire continent, I will contrast the opportunities and challenges of dealing with karst across different scales and climatic regions. In particular, I will elaborate (1) how understanding on dominant karst processes can be obtained, (2) how this understanding can be incorporated into karst specific modelling approaches, and (3) how karst models developed at different scales can be used for water management and water governance. The presentation will conclude with some thoughts to facilitate less furious implementations of karst approaches for everyone.
Optical properties of atmospheric brown carbon (BrC) for photochemical and biomass burning-dominated aerosol regimes in India.
Authors: Rana Archita , Dey Supriya , Sarkar Sayantan
Published: March 2020

Black and brown carbon (BC and BrC) are potent climate forcing agents with pronounced effects on global climate and tropospheric chemistry. Given the large heterogeneities in BC emission inventories from India and the paucity of studies on BrC characteristics, field-based measurements of BC and BrC sources and optical properties are essential to understand their impacts on regional climate. To address this issue, we report the first ground-based measurements of BC and BrC from a rural location in the highly polluted eastern Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) during May-November 2018 encompassing the photochemistry-dominated summer (May-June) and regional biomass burning (BB)-dominated post-monsoon (October-November) periods. A 7-wavelength Aethalometer was used for time-resolved measurements of BC mass and was supplemented by UV-Vis and fluorescence measurements of time-integrated (24 h) aqueous and organic BrC fractions, and measurements of OC, EC, WSOC, and ionic species.
The daily averaged BC increased 4 times during the BB regime (12.3 ± 3.9 μg m-3) as compared to summer (4.2 ± 0.8 μg m-3), while aqueous and organic BrC fractions demonstrated light absorption (babs_365) enhancements of 3-5 times during BB. For aqueous BrC, the averaged AE of 5.9-6.2 and a prominent fluorescence peak at ~420 nm suggested the presence of humic-like substances (HULIS), potentially from secondary photochemical formation during summer and primary emission during BB periods. Fluorescence and UV-Vis spectra also indicated the presence of nitroaromatic compounds, presumably from OH oxidation in summer and nighttime NO3- oxidation in the presence of enhanced NOx and precursor emission during BB. The latter was supported by the strong association between water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC; a proxy for aqueous BrC) and aerosol NO3- (r=0.70, p<0.05). During BB, the fraction of water-insoluble (i.e., organic) BrC increased from 41% at 330 nm to 59 % at 550 nm while during the photochemistry-dominated summer period, the water-insoluble BrC fraction decreased from 73% at 400 nm to 41% at 530 nm, possibly due to photobleaching in the presence of OH. The BB-related BrC aerosol was also characterized by higher aromaticity and increased molecular weights of organic components as evidenced by mass absorption efficiency (MAE) ratios (MAE250/MAE365). Overall, this study established that BrC is a significant component of light-absorbing aerosol in the eastern IGP and that BrC optical properties may vary significantly in this region depending on the relative dominance of aerosol emissions and atmospheric processes.
Interstellar Probe: The Next Step
Authors: McNutt Ralph , Gruntman Mike , Krimigis Stamatios , Roelof Edmond , Brandt Pontus , Mandt Kathleen , Vernon Steven , Paul Michael , Stough Robert
Published: March 2020

An “Interstellar Probe” to the nearby interstellar medium has been discussed in the scientific community for almost 60 years. The key concept has always been to depart from the Sun outward “as fast as possible.” Scientific goals have principally focused on heliospheric topics throughout multiple studies, with potential “bonus science” in both astrophysics and planetary science. The passages of Voyagers 1 and 2 into that medium have only raised multiple new questions, rather than “solving” the outstanding question of the interaction of the solar wind with the nearby interstellar medium. In particular, solar activity apparently continues to have an effect on nearby interstellar space, magnetic field changes in crossing from the heliosheath into the local medium are only in magnitude and not direction, and the three-dimensional structure of the energetic neutral atom (ENA) “ribbon” remains unknown. The power levels on the Voyagers continue to decrease toward the operational floor which is likely to be reached within the next five years, limiting the extent of our exploration, and ending heliophysics deep-space measurements beyond the asteroid belt for the indefinite future. The salient question for a dedicated mission is “What can the Interstellar Probe do that no other mission can do?” The answer requires an in-depth look at current capabilities for such a mission, e.g., solar system escape speed, data downlink bandwidth, and mission lifetime with science topics, technological readiness of mission and instrument concepts, and realistic mission costs. To provide technical input to the upcoming Solar and Space Physics Decadal Survey, NASA has contracted with the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) to execute a “First Pragmatic Interstellar Probe Mission Study.” The effort focuses on near-term engineering readiness (ready for launch by 2030) but also includes input regarding compelling science and associated required measurements and instrumentation, assuming that such a mission would commence during the next Decadal time period. This is not a Science Definition Team (SDT) exercise, but rather an assessment of possibilities. In that spirit, we continue to seek input from across the international space science community regarding potential science goals, measurements, instruments, and their implementation readiness in order to help inform the engineering team in support of a concept mission. We provide a status report on this ongoing effort.
New Caledonia, a land of Nickel - Research and innovation acting for the sustainable development
Authors: Bailly France
Published: March 2020

New Caledonia, a French overseas territory, is located in the southwest of the Pacific Ocean, less than 2,000 km from both the Australian and New Zealand coasts. This small archipelago (18,575 km2) presents the third largest nickel deposit in the world and, according to recent estimates, would have more than 25% of the world's nickel resources and about 40% of the world's oxidized mineral resources, together with the presence of cobalt, chromium and manganese. The mining areas, spread over the whole ‘Grande Terre’ (mainland), comprise about 250,000 hectares of scattered concessions shared by French and international world scale mining and metallurgic companies and a few other local small-scale miners.

To face the challenges of a “better way of mining”, fit the new regulatory requirements and improve mining social acceptability, the mining sector stakeholders decided to create a dedicated resource agency devoted to applied research and technology development in New Caledonia’s mining industry. Created in 2007, this unique public and private organisation jointly involves all New Caledonian’s mining companies, political and administrative stakeholders and various scientific research bodies.

Research has focused on three identified areas (technology and mineral resources, natural environment and social issues) to fill on-going gaps in fundamental knowledge, offer and adapt new technology that is relevant to the industry, develop methodology aids, manage knowledge transfer and upgrade practices on the ground. If action of CNRT has effectively added value to New Caledonian research, at the same time it permanently keeps in touch with industry.

A presentation of some of the flagships scientific programs will give an overview of the main achievements in the three research areas with a focus concerning works on asbestos. CNRT started working on the environmental asbestos hazard in New Caledonia since 2010. This public health area is being examined alongside the New Caledonian Geological Survey and the various industry initiatives, such as the Inter-Mine Environmental Asbestos Committee.

 
Observation-based Ionization Rates during the Decade of IBEX Observations
Authors: Sokol Justyna M.
Published: March 2020

Solar wind and EUV flux are dominant ionization factors for the interstellar gas inside the heliosphere. They vary in time with the solar cycle and with heliographic latitude. The modulation of the solar ionizing factors affects the fluxes of interstellar neutral (ISN) gas and energetic neutral atoms (ENAs) on their way from heliospheric boundaries to IBEX in the Earth’s vicinity. IBEX has been measuring ISN gas of hydrogen, helium, neon, and oxygen, as well as hydrogen ENAs since the beginning of the solar cycle 24. Most of the ISN gas species observed by IBEX-Lo are prone to variations in time of the in-ecliptic ionization rates. In case of H ENAs, variations of the out-of-ecliptic solar wind are significant for data interpretation.

We present a model of ionization rates based on available observations of the solar wind and the solar EUV flux. We follow methodology discussed by Sokół et al. 2019 (ApJ 872:57), however with data selection revised according to recent data releases. We focus on ionization rates for various species in and out of the ecliptic during the decade of IBEX observations. We discuss similarities and differences in the dominant ionization processes, the latitudinal modulation, and the evolution in time.
Resistivity model for the Colima Volcanic Complex from magnetotelluric observations
Authors: Romo Lozano Héctor Manuel , Arzate Flores Jorge Arturo
Published: March 2020

The Colima Volcanic Complex is located within the central portion of the Colima Rift in the occidental part of Mexico. This volcanic structure is composed of two stratovolcanoes; the extinct Nevado de Colima and Volcán de Fuego. The latter is considered the most active volcano in the country which volcanism is related to the subduction of two oceanic plates with different slab angles that cause a gap between them just beneath the complex. Different methodologies have been carried out in this zone; seismic tomography and potential field data modelling to constraint a geophysical model that contributes the better understanding of the magmatic system and the geothermal energy potential.

 To reduce non-uniqueness of the previous models, a campaign was realized in September 2019 where 10 broadband magnetotelluric soundings were acquired and further process and inversion in conjunction with previous data was done. The distortion analysis for the data set presented a 1D behavior for the first kilometers and 2D and 3D behavior at higher depths suggesting the need of a 2D or 3D approach for the inversion. The electric strike calculation suggests the rotation of the impedance tensor so that the non-linear conjugated gradients algorithm of Rodi & Mackie (2001) was applied along three profiles perpendicular to the principal structures to obtain 2D resistivity models.

The inversion results range from 3.4 to 5.6 RMS error and show for all the profiles good correlation for the surface lithology, the principal normal faults which define the graben structures filled with pyroclastic deposits and alluvial sediments and a high resistive basement. For major depths, the northern profile shows a vertical extensive conductive body which connect to an upper conductive layer. So do the central profile, south the Volcán de Fuego vent but the superficial body is more conductive which can correlate with previous models as a magma reservoir approximately at a 2 km depth.

 
USDA UV-B Monitoring and Research Program
Authors: Gao Wei , Janson George , Corr Chelsea , Chen Maosi
Published: March 2020

Solar Ultraviolet (UV) radiation has significant impacts on human health (e.g., skin cancer) and the environment (e.g., agricultural production and plant litter decomposition). Reductions in UV-absorbing stratospheric ozone resulting from climate change and the anthropogenic emission of ozone depleting substances raised concerns regarding future levels of surface UV radiation. Responding to this potential threat, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) investigated the need for UV monitoring across the U.S. in 1991 and established the UV-B Monitoring and Research Program (UVMRP) headquartered in Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory at Colorado State University later in 1992. The UVMRP is tasked with providing information on the geographical distribution and temporal trends of UV radiation and studying the effects of UV radiation on a wealth of agricultural interests including crop plants, rangelands, and forests. The UVMRP currently consists of 37 climatological monitoring sites and 4 research sites, most of which are distributed across the U.S., with an additional site in Canada and another in New Zealand. Collectively, these sites encompass 20 ecoregions. Each UVMRP site is equipped with four primary irradiance instruments including the: 1) UV MultiFilter Rotating Shadowband Radiometer (UV-MFRSR), 2) visible MFRSR, 3) UVB-1 broadband meter, and 4) Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) sensor. The UV-MFRSR measures total horizontal, diffuse horizontal, and direct normal irradiance at nominal 300, 305, 311, 317, 325, 332, and 368 nm at 2 nm FWHM (full-width half-maximum). The VIS-MFRSR measures the same three irradiance components at nominal SiC, 415, 500, 610, 665, 860, and 940 nm at 10 nm FWHM. PAR and UVB-1 sensors measure broadband irradiances over the 400-700 nm and 280-320 nm ranges, respectively. All these observations are sampled every 15 or 20 seconds and stored as an average value every three minutes. The raw data measurements are processed following a variety of Quality Control (QC) and calibration procedures to ensure the quality of the data. The primary data products (i.e., irradiances) as well as the derived products (e.g., UV Index and weighted daily/hourly sums) are distributed through the UVMRP website (http://uvb.nrel.colostate.edu). In this poster, we present a UV climatology study that explores long-term trends of erythemal irradiance at eight locations across the U.S. derived from 8-11 years of UVMRP measurements.
Small-Scale Waves and Wave-Like Features in Jupiter’s Atmosphere Detected by JunoCam
Authors: Orton Glenn , Tabataba-Vakili Fachreddin , Eichstaedt Gerald , Rogers John , Hansen Candice , Momary Thomas , Ingersoll Andrew , Brueshaber Shawn , Wong Michael H. , Simon Amy , Fletcher Leigh , Ravine Michael , Caplinger Michael , Smith Dakota , Bolton Scott , Levin Steven , Sinclair James , Thepenier Chloe , Nicholson Hamish , Anthony Abigail
Published: March 2020

Within the first 26 orbits of the Juno spacecraft around Jupiter, we have identified a variety of wave-like features in images made by its public-outreach camera, JunoCam.  Because of Juno’s unprecedented and repeated proximity to Jupiter’s cloud tops during its close approaches, JunoCam has detected more wave structures than any previous surveys.  Most of the waves appear in long wave packets, oriented east-west and populated by narrow wave crests.  Spacing between crests were measured as small as ~30 km, shorter than any previously measured.  Some waves are associated with atmospheric features, but others are not ostensibly associated with any visible cloud phenomena and thus may be generated by dynamical forcing below the visible cloud tops.    Some waves also appear to be converging and others appear to be overlapping, possibly at different atmospheric levels.  Another type of wave has a series of fronts that appear to be radiating outward from the center of a cyclone.  Although we have detected wave-like phenomena covering latitudes between 20°S and 45°N, most appear within 5° of latitude from the equator. Most waves appear in regions associated with prograde motions of the mean zonal winds.   Although Juno was unable to measure the velocity of wave features to diagnose the wave types due to its close and rapid flybys, both by our own upper limits on wave motions and by analogy with previous measurements, we expect that the waves JunoCam detected near the equator are inertia-gravity waves.
Numerical study on evolution of an internal solitary wave over a horizontal cylinder at various topography
Authors: Cheng Ming Hung , Hsieh Chih-Min , Hwang Robert R.
Published: March 2020

In South China Sea, internal solitary waves (ISWs) exist in a density stratified flow and usually generated by the tide-topography. Due to its large amplitudes up to 170m and strong velocity difference exceeding 2.4 ms-1 between its upper and lower water layers, an ISW has significant ramification not only in marine ecology but also engineering works in the ocean. While an ISW propagates over continental shelf, the submarine cable or pipeline may be subjected to be damaged. Although the effect of surface waves on the submarine cable or pipeline has been studied in literature, the interaction between ISW and horizontal cylinder is still unclear. Hence, a series of numerical simulations about an ISW with depression ISW propagating over a horizontal cylinder on a trapezoidal obstacle are investigated in order to discuss the variations of flow field and forces.

In present investigation, the Improved Delayed Detached Eddy Simulation (IDDES) model based on the spatial filtering of Navier-Stokes equations is adopted to calculate the interaction on an ISW over a horizontal cylinder on a trapezoidal obstacle. Beyond, a depression ISW is generated by the so-called collapse mechanism and the different depth ratio between upper and lower layer are employed in order to generate like-elevated or original depression ISW on trapezoidal obstacle. Based on the numerical results, the waveform type causes different variations of vortices as the wave approaches the horizontal cylinder. As the depth in upper layer is larger than that in lower layer on the plateau, the like-elevated ISW encounters the horizontal cylinder and induces the vortices in the rear of the submarine cable; when the depth in upper layer is less than that in lower layer on the plateau, the depression ISW approaches the obstacle and the vortices are generated in front of submarine pipeline. Moreover, the height of submarine cable also affects the strength of the wave-obstacle interaction. Based on these numerical simulations, the mechanism of ISW-horizontal cylinder is further studied and may support the significant foundations for ocean engineering.
Application of Multiple-Temporal Satellite Imagery with UAV Technology to evaluate Post-typhoon Event Remediation Efficiency in Shihmen Reservoir Watershed
Authors: Chen Chun-Kai , Lin Bor-Shiun , Chen Chih-Hsien , Pai Chao-Chin
Published: March 2020

This study utilized multiple-temporal satellite imagery with UAV and IoT technology to evaluate and monitor the post-typhoon event remediation effectiveness of soil and water conservation of Shihmen Reservoir Watershed from 2015 to 2018.

A combination of the historical event-based landslide inventory and a collection and recent satellite imagery with coverage of the area pre- and post-typhoon MANGKHUT in 2018 were applied to evaluate landslide process, evolution and sediment environment change. In addition, two UAV operations were completed and captured over 160km2 in the 5 sub-watersheds to validate the remediation effectiveness and environmental change.

The results show that the landslide area within Shihmen Reservoir is less than that of the 1994 typhoon Aere and has no increased tendency. Effective conservation and remediation work can effectively reduce the sediment discharge of meteorological events and decrease the turbidity of the water at the storage point. In addition, the vegetation coverage rate of the entire Shihmen Reservoir watershed is close to 90%. Except for the occasional localized deforestation, the vegetation coverage has gradually stabilized.

Keywords: Shihmen reservoir, Remediation Efficiency, UAV and IoT Technology
EUV observation for Earth’s plasmasphere from EML2 by nano-spacecraft
Authors: Yoshioka Kazuo , Kuwabara Masaki , Hikida Reina , Yoshikawa Ichiro
Published: March 2020

The nano-spacecraft (6U) mission named EQUULEUS will be launched in 2020 as one of the sub-payloads of NASA’s Space Launch System. EQUULEUS will fly to a liberation orbit around the Earth-Moon L2 point and demonstrate trajectory control techniques within the Sun-Earth-Moon region for the first time as a nano-spacecraft. A small telescope for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) named PHOENIX will be boarded on the spacecraft. It consists of multilayer-coated mirror (diameter of 6 cm with Mo/Si coating), metallic thin filter, and photon counting device with microchannel plate and resistive anode. The reflectance of the mirror and transmittance of the filter are optimized for the emission line of ionic helium (wavelength of 30.4 nm) which is the important component of the plasmasphere of the Earth. By flying far from the Earth, the entire image of plasmasphere can be obtained. In this presentation, the mission concept and the design of the telescope, and the status of the latest development will be shown.
Regulation of dissolved phosphate through incorporation into schwertmannite
Authors: King Helen E. , Bakker Stan , Munnecom Gijs , Gomez Felipe
Published: March 2020

Phosphate is known to absorb strongly to schwertmannite (Fe8O8(OH)6(SO4)·nH2O)1 and as such, schwertmannite has been proposed to limit phosphate in solution in acid mine drainage (AMD) environments. This in turn will limit phosphate availability to the micro-organisms that live in and propagate AMD2. Here we have studied sediment samples from the Rio Tinto river in Spain collected during Europlanet field area visit to verify whether phosphate can be incorporated into sulphate-rich minerals in this river. The minerals were identified using X-ray diffraction. Our analyses show that the concentration of phosphate in the river is in the nM range. Digestion of modern sediments in nitric acid followed by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) analysis indicate that sites with sulphate-rich minerals are correlated with elevated phosphate concentrations. In addition, phosphate is also retained in ancient sediments that are dominated by goethite (FeO(OH)).

We have also conducted experiments to explore the competition between Fe3+, phosphate and sulphate ions in solution as well as the effect of this on schwertmannite nucleation. UV-Vis and Raman spectroscopy demonstrate that contact ion pairs form between Fe3+ and phosphate or sulphate in solution. Particularly, phosphate and sulphate compete for Fe3+ in solution consistent with predictions by the solution speciation modelling program PHREEQC. Our experiments also show that above a critical concentration, phosphate retards the nucleation of schwertmannite. As this critical concentration is above that found in Rio Tinto river fluids, phosphate is expected to have a limited role in schwertmannite precipitation, but, its concentration is regulated by its incorporation into schwertmannite and other sulphate-bearing phases in AMD systems.

References

1Eskandarpour et al. 2006, Material Transactions, 1832. 2Chen et al. 2015, ISME, 1579.
Diversity of multicellular magnetotactic prokaryotes in the intertidal zone of Huiquan Bay, Qingdao
Authors: Yicong Zhao , Wenyan Zhang , Hongmiao Pan , Kaixuan Cui , Si Chen , Tian Xiao
Published: March 2020

Multicellular magnetotactic prokaryotes (MMPs) are a group of aggregates composed of 10-100 gram-negative cells synthesizing intracellular magnetic crystals. Two morphotypes of MMPs have been identified, including several species of globally distributed spherical mulberry-like MMPs (sMMPs), and ellipsoidal pineapple-like MMPs (eMMPs). We recently collected MMPs from the intertidal zone of Huiquan Bay, Qingdao. Optical microscopy showed that there were two types of MMPs in the area, including sMMPs and eMMPs. We observed the size of eMMPs was 9.25 ± 0.79 × 7.48 ± 0.79 μm (n = 24), and the average diameter of sMMPs was 5 ± 0.66 μm (n = 24). Transmission electron microscopy showed that these MMPs contained three sizes of bullet-shaped crystals in parallel chains or clusters. The length and width ratios of the sizes of these magnetosomes were 4.16±0.64, 3.07±0.29 and 2.51±0.36 (n=44). The 16S rRNA gene of micromanipulation-purified sMMPs and eMMPs were cloned and sequenced. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that 565 sequences of MMPs belonged to 16 OTUs, affiliated with Deltaproteobacteria. Four OTUs displayed >3.48% sequence divergence and two OTUs displayed >7.26% sequence divergence with respect to previously reported MMPs. This result suggested that they represented six new species and two novel genera. These results indicated that the intertidal zone of Huiquan Bay has a high diversity of MMPs that bio-mineralize iron crystals and play an important role in iron cycling in such a complex environment. These observations provide a new perspective of the diversity of MMPs in general and expand knowledge of the occurrence of MMPs in the Huiquan Bay.

Keywords: Intertidal zone, Diversity, Multicellular magnetotactic prokaryotes (MMPs),  16S rRNA gene, Magnetosomes
Particle Acceleration and Transport in the Magnetotail
Authors: El-ALaoui Mostafa , Berchem Jean , Richard Robert L. , Schriver David , Lapenta Giovanni , Walker Raymond J.
Published: March 2020

An outstanding problem of magnetospheric physics is to determine the energization of particles transported from the nightside to the dayside. To address this research problem, we leverage our simulation capabilities by combining three different simulation techniques: global magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations, large-scale kinetic (LSK) particle tracing simulations, and large-scale particle in cell (PIC) simulations. First, we model a magnetotail reconnection event using an iPic3D simulation with initial and boundary conditions given by a global MHD simulation. The iPic3D simulation system includes the region of fast outflows emanating from the reconnection site that drives the formation of dipolarization fronts.Then, we follow millions of test particles that exit the iPic3D system using the electromagnetic fields from the MHD simulation as they convect to the dayside and quantify the different acceleration and transport mechanisms.
Intense Subsurface Upwelling Associated with Major Western Boundary Currents
Authors: Liao Fanglou , Liang Xinfeng , Li Yun , Thurnherr Andreas
Published: March 2020

Western boundary currents (WBC), fast flowing currents on the western side of ocean basins, transport a huge amount of warm water poleward, affect the atmospheric conditions along their paths, take up a large amount of carbon dioxide, and regulate the global climate (Minobe et al. 2008; Takahashi et al. 2009; Wu et al. 2012). In contrast to their widely examined horizontal motions, much less attention has been paid to the vertical motions associated with the WBC systems. Here, we examined the spatial and temporal characteristics of vertical motions associated with the major WBC systems by analyzing vertical velocity estimates from five ocean synthesis products and one eddy-permitting ocean simulation over an overlapping period from Jan 1992 to Dec 2009. Robust and intense subsurface upwelling occurs in the five major subtropical WBC systems. These upwelling systems together with the vast downwelling inside subtropical ocean basins form basin-scale zonal overturning circulations and play a crucial role in the vertical transport of ocean properties and tracers inside the global ocean. Also, the vertical motions in the Kuroshio Current and the Eastern Australian Current regions display robust interannual and decadal oscillations, which are well correlated with El Niño–Southern Oscillation and Pacific Decadal Oscillation, respectively. This study unveils an overlooked role of the WBCs in the subsurface oceanic vertical transport and is expected to be a starting point for more in-depth investigations on their dynamics and roles in the climate system.
An Overview of the First Year of the OCO-3 Mission
Authors: Eldering Annmarie , O’Dell Christopher , Somkuti Peter , Taylor Thomas , Kiel Matthäus , Nelson Robert , Spiers Gary , Fisher Brendan , Pavlick Ryan , Kurosu Thomas , Osterman Gregory , Laughner Joshua , Rosenberg Robert , Keller-Rodrigues Graziela , Yu Shanshan , Marchetti Yuliya , Crisp David , Wennberg Paul
Published: March 2020

The Orbiting Carbon Observatory 3 (OCO-3) was installed on the International Space Station (ISS) in May 2019 and will continue the observation of global CO2 and solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) observations using the flight spare instrument from OCO-2. This talk will focus on the science data products, early operations, abd a few highlights from early mission data.

The low-inclination ISS orbit lets OCO-3 sample the tropics and sub-tropics across the full range of daylight hours with dense observations at northern and southern mid-latitudes (+/- 52º). The combination of these dense CO2 and SIF measurements provides continuity of data for global flux estimates as well as a unique opportunity to address key deficiencies in our understanding of the global carbon cycle. The instrument utilizes an agile, 2-axis pointing mechanism (PMA), providing the capability to look towards the bright reflection from the ocean and validation targets. The PMA also allows for the collection of dense datasets over 80km by 80km areas called snapshot area maps (SAMs).

The in-orbit check out of the instrument was conducted through July 2019. In this phase the engineering team verified the performance of all systems, the calibration team began collecting the needed calibration data, and the mission operations team verified the performance of all measurement modes and the mission operations planning tools. Since August 2019, OCO-3 has been collecting routine nadir, glint, target, and SAM data.

Target mode observations over surface-based Total Carbon Column Observing Network (TCCON) sites help to identify and minimize potential instrument biases in the OCO-3 data. Other validation activities include direct comparisons to XCO2 estimates from OCO-2 and comparisons to predictions from near-real-time models. These comparisons will be discussed and early results will be presented. In addition, several hundred SAMs have been collected over (mega-)cities, powerplants, volcanos, and other terrestrial carbon focus areas.  The steadily growing number of SAM observations provides a unique dataset for scientific studies on local scales. We discuss the potential of these observations, alone and in conjunction with simultaneous observations from other space-based sensors, to yield greater insights into carbon cycle science.
Evaluation of Winter Precipitation Products over the Tibetan Plateau with the Sublimation derived from Remotely Sensed Snow Cover Data
Authors: Lu Hui , Zhou Junhua , Yang Kun
Published: March 2020

Many model results showed obvious wet biases during winter while the simulation was good during summer over the Tibetan Plateau (TP). Low gauge density and the limited capacity of snowfall may introduce dry biases into the observation and then exaggerate the overestimation of winter precipitation. To evaluate the winter precipitation products over the TP, we compared six precipitation products, including TRMM, ERA5, ERA-Interim, GLDAS, HAR, and the observation provided by China Meteorological Administration (CMA), against a sublimation dataset derived from remotely sensed snow cover data. The Kuzmin formula constrained with IMS snow cover product and land surface temperature was used to estimate sublimation. To ensure the reliability of the sublimation value, the accuracy of the simulated sublimation value was verified by the sublimation value observed at the pass area of Dadongshu Station and the consistency of two snow cover products was verified by using MODIS daily cloud-free snow cover products over the Tibetan Plateau.

The comparison revealed that the average underestimated area ratio of CMA on the TP and the Inner TP respectively were about 60% and 90%. CMA has an obvious underestimation (80% region showed underestimation and precipitation underestimation ratio mostly more than 100%) in the west of TP where lack of observation site. However, there was not obvious underestimation in East TP because of the dense stations available. It implies that the observation data has considerable dry biases (~200%) in winter precipitation over the Western TP where more ground stations are needed to get a reliable precipitation observation. For other precipitation products, HAR showed the smallest underestimation with a 12% region of precipitation underestimation. ERA5 and ERA-Interim are close behind HAR, but the underestimation area ratio of ERA5 was about 15% smaller than ERA-Interim in each statistical area of TP. TRMM and GLDAS show comparable underestimation and both are more apparent than ERA-interim. The underestimation phenomenon of TRMM shows little difference in the western and eastern TP and the underestimated area ratio of TRMM was 64.68% on the TP.
Attribution of the Tibetan Plateau to Northern Drought
Authors: Huang Jianping , Liu Yuzhi , Li Yaohui , Zhu Qingzhe , Wang Shanshan
Published: March 2020

The Tibetan Plateau (TP), which is located in Asia and has an average elevation of over 4000 m, acts as a raised source of heat and an isolated region of humidity in the atmosphere. The TP serves as a “world water tower” because it stores large amounts of water as glaciers, lakes, and rivers. Furthermore, previous studies have found that the easterly outflow of water vapor and clouds away from the TP contributes significantly to precipitation over downstream regions. However, the dynamic mechanism behind these observations is still unclear. It is known that the key driver in the transportation of air and water resources from the TP is the wind field. Under global warming, the pole ward expansion of the Hadley circulation and the thermal effect of the terrain over the TP forces the mid-latitude subtropical westerly jet(SWJ) to shift. However, the true effects of the SWJ are unclear.

Here, we propose a dynamic mechanism of the northern drought attributable to the TP in summer. The TP, similar to a very large engine, drives the nearby movement of water vapor, clouds, and aerosols. This “engine effect” controls precipitation near the TP and can trigger flooding or droughts in downstream regions. The northern drought is driven by the collocation of the subtropical westerly jet (SWJ) position and the TP engine effect. The meridional shift in the SWJ is the determining factor of the northern drought in summer. When the SWJ shifts northward, the upper-level westerly wind is weakened; thus, the water vapor, clouds or dusty clouds over the TP are transported to north less often, reducing precipitation and causing more frequent droughts. In contrast, when the SWJ shifts southward, the northern area of China experiences increased precipitation in summer.

 
granular effects in debris flows
Authors: Li Yong
Published: March 2020

Granular effects in debris flows are usually assessed by dimensionless numbers, such as numbers of Savage, Bagnold, and Iverson, which measure the relative significance of granular interaction, and the values indicate that the granular effects are generally ignorable. But observations suggest robust phenomena pertain to grain composition in many ways. This implies that the dimension analysis does not apply to the recognition of granular behaviors in debris flows, partly because we have not really a direct description of changes in grain compositions of debris flows. We have proposed and confirmed that for debris flows the material grain size distribution (GSD) satisfies a unified function, P(D) = C*power(D, – μ)*exp(–D/Dc), where P(D) is the exceedance percentage of grains beyond size D (mm), and C, μ, and Dc are parameters, with a semi-log relationship between C and μ. Then the grain composition is characterized by the GSD parameters μ, and Dc, respectively representing the fine and coarse content of the materials. In this study we present a variety of appearances to illustrate how grain compositions impact on the initiation, formation, motion, and deposition of debris flow. Results indicate that debris flow occurs through a selection mechanism in which soil or sediment blocks of different grain compositions initiate in different ways and form separate surges in different flow regimes. The flow properties (X), such as the speed, the discharge, the density, are all dependent on the GSD parameters in power laws: X ~ power(μ, –m) and X ~ power (Dc, n); and the power laws impose constraints on the fluctuation of the dynamical quantities. In particular, the GSD evolves from the randomly aggregated grains to the fluid with some self-organized constitute.

 