bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
 Just semantics?: CO2 fertilization is a disturbance leading to degradation of tropical forests
Authors: Lapola David , Blanco Carolina , Cardeli Barbara , Martinelli João , Quesada Carlos , Rius Bianca , Silva-Junior Celso
Published: March 2024

The effect of CO2 fertilization is listed as the main cause of the observed increase in net primary productivity and biomass stocks in “undisturbed” tropical forests. This is generally considered to provide greater resilience to tropical forests against disturbances that cause forest degradation such as extreme droughts and logging. Here, we discuss how this may be conceptually short-sighted, given that these forests are being pushed more quickly to their growth limits compared to a situation if atmospheric CO2 concentration was not rising. Once this growth limit is reached, this shift — from a phase dominated by the CO2 fertilization effect to a subsequent state marked by progressive saturation or a decrease in carbon sinks — will potentially render these forests more vulnerable to changing climate and other disturbances. In this presentation we will discuss that, in the long term, CO2 fertilization is a disturbance that leads to forest degradation, falling within the very definition of degradation, as it is human-caused and leads to transient or long-term deleterious change in forest condition (e.g. carbon storage, forest composition). Such a recognition of the CO2 fertilization affect as a disturbance causing degradation is politically and scientifically relevant in light of climate policies, such that the responsibility for protecting these forests from climate change and other human interventions is shared with countries other than just those that host these forests.
An integrated approach for generating rich city-wide air pollution data in growing Sub-Saharan African cities: Implementing transferable protocol in Kigali, Rwanda
Authors: Nimo James , R. Kubwimana Jean , Umutoni Chantal , Karekezi Pacifique , Gahungu Paterne , Ezzati Majid , Hughes Allison , E. Arku Raphael
Published: March 2024

Cities in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are undergoing significant economic and urban expansion. The rapid urban growth is shaping land use, housing, transportation, and energy for household and commercial use. Consequently, air pollution from diverse local and regional sources and with complex space-time patterns has emerged as a major environmental health concern for cities in SSA. Yet, limited city-scale data are a barrier to climate and health impact assessment as well as policy formulation and evaluation to reduce air pollution.  We are implementing and testing the transferability of Pathways to Equitable Health Cities measurement protocol for Accra in Kigali, Rwanda. The protocol is designed to generate rich environmental pollution data in SSA cities. Both Accra and Kigali are representative of the rapid urbanization and economic transformation that are happening across SSA. We have assembled and integrated multiple low-cost, low-power, lightweight sensors that have been validated in prior studies to measure integrated and real-time fine particulate matter (PM2.5), black carbon (BC), and oxides of nitrogen (NO2 and NO) concentrations at city-scale. Initiated in November 2022, our year-long measurement campaign utilizes a network and combination of ‘fixed’ (n=10) and ‘rotating’ (n =120) monitoring sites. The sites represent variety of land uses and emission sources, including background, road traffic, commercial, industrial and residential areas, and neighbourhood socioeconomic classes. The fixed sites are monitored continuously for one year to capture temporal (annual and seasonal) patterns, whereas the rotating sites are monitored for one week (in groups of four per week) to capture spatial variations in the pollutant concentrations. In addition to the air pollutants, we are also collecting data on environmental noise and weather variables (i.e. temperature, relative humidity and wind speed/direction) to aid in the analyses. The Kigali initiative is being implemented in partnership with AIMS-Rwanda and the Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA) to promote capacity building within the government.  Planned analyses involve the use state-of-the-art models, including spatial statistics, deep/machine learning approaches, to capture highly resolved temporal and spatial variations as well as socioeconomic inequalities in pollution levels across Kigali city and to identify sources and their relative contributions. The data form the basis of future climate change and air pollution forecasting and health impact assessment as well as policy evaluation and emission reduction scenarios in the city.
Predicting future windthrow susceptibility coupling forest growth and wind risk models: an application to a study area in the eastern Alps
Authors: Baggio Tommaso , Costa Maximiliano , Lingua Emanuele
Published: March 2024

Climate change will increase the frequency and magnitude of extreme meteorological events. Therefore, also windstorm events are expected to increase the amount of damages to natural and human resources. Regarding forests, windstorms are already the first cause of timber damages in Europe. In such sense, it is crucial to predict the vulnerability of forest stands and in this direction, different stochastic and statistical models have been developed and successfully tested on real events. To improve the resistance of forests against windstorms it is also necessary to forecast the future probability of damage (i.e. 100 years scenario) taking into account the changes in the characteristics of the forest cover as species composition, density, stand height, etc. In this way, forest managers can delineate specific silviculture operations in order to obtain more wind-resistant forests in a climate change context. In this study, we simulated the changes in the forest cover due to climate change and past natural events that affected the forest structure through the use of a dynamic vegetation model (e.g. TreeMig). The outcomes of the model are directly transferred to the wind susceptibility model in order to compute the probable critical wind speeds of overturning and breakage. The proposed methodology is applied to the municipality area of Rocca Pietore (74 km2 of which half covered by forest), north eastern Italian Alps. The input data for the forest model are semi-automatically generated by a LiDAR survey while for the climate data high resolution CHELSA dataset has been used. The outputs are post-processed and passed to the wind risk model ForestGALES. The outputs (derived at a fine scale) show the variation in wind vulnerability in accordance with the changes of the forest characteristics. The methodology proposed in this study produce future windthrow vulnerability maps. Consequently, forest managers could quickly identify areas that can be at high risk and test alternative scenarios to increase the stand resistance.
Deriving Nitrogen Oxide emissions from inland waterway vessels using MAX-DOAS and in-situ measurements: First results from Koblenz, Germany
Authors: Ripperger-Lukosiunaite Simona , Ziegler Steffen , Eger Philipp , Donner Sebastian , Hoor Peter , Wagner Thomas
Published: March 2024

Nitrogen oxides (NOx, i.e., NO and NO2) are a major contributor to urban air pollution. They have negative impacts on human health and play an important role in tropospheric chemistry. NO2 causes respiratory and cardiovascular problems and is a precursor of secondary particulate matter and tropospheric ozone, which are also associated with adverse effects on human health. Long-lasting diesel engines of inland waterway vessels operate at high temperatures and are strong NOx emitters. These emissions are concentrated in the vicinity of waterways and have the potential to be a significant source of local air pollution, affecting the air quality and health of people living near waterways. To assess the impact of inland ships on air quality, it is important to have a better understanding of their emission levels by obtaining real-world emission data.Remote sensing techniques, such as Multi-AXis Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (MAX-DOAS), offer several advantages in determining inland ship emissions. They can be directed to the emission plume from a distance (e.g., from the shore of the river) and provide integrative measurements, yielding the integrated trace gas concentration across the plume, which allows quantitative emission estimates. By using plume scans, the second across plume dimension can be captured, and when combined with wind information, total trace gas emissions can be calculated. The combination of MAX-DOAS and in-situ measurements could lead to more accurate estimates of ship emissions by providing important additional information on the composition of the plume and its chemical evolution. Here we present the first results retrieved from MAX-DOAS and in-situ observations conducted along the Rhine River in Koblenz, Germany.
The deployment of an integrated suite for wildfire prediction, near real-time fire monitoring and post-event mapping over Attica region, Greece.
Authors: Bartsotas Nikolaos S. , Girtsou Stella , Apostolakis Alexis , Herekakis Themistocles , Kontoes Charalampos
Published: March 2024

In a changing climate, the growing frequency and intensity of wildfires requires innovative services in order to efficiently remediate against their catastrophic socioeconomic threat. Under the framework of MedEWSa project, we capitalise upon the reliability of the FireHub platform to further enhance its capability and features along the full spectrum of pre-event to post-event time scales, catering: (i) prevention and preparedness, (ii) detection and response, as well as (iii) restoration and inducement of cascading effects.During the pre-event stage, the fire risk over Attica Region is denoted on a daily basis in 5 risk levels over a detailed 500m grid spacing through a combination of high resolution numerical weather predictions, advanced ML models that utilize historic wildfire record analysis as well as a number of associated atmospheric parameters (temperature, wind speed and direction, precipitation, dew point) and datasets (DEM, land use / land cover) from 2010 onwards. During the event, continuous monitoring is provided through MSG/SEVIRI image acquisitions every 5 minutes from NOA’s in-house antenna, while the spatiotemporal fire-spread information is simulated through a dynamic modelling of the evolving fire. This feature is currently being further developed in order to be capable of performing “hot” starts along the incident and re-estimate based upon new hotspot retrievals from VIIRS imagery. Finally, the procedure of post-event burnt-scar mapping is currently being automated, to provide rapid footprints of the affected areas by utilising MODIS, VIIRS and Sentinel imagery and examine potential cascading effects through hazard assessment maps on landslides, soil erosion and floods. The whole suite will be hosted on a brand new fully responsive user interface that will provide detailed yet straightforward and easy to adopt information in order to enhance the decision making of policy makers and public bodies.
3DFin: a software for 3D Forest Inventory in Terrestrial Point Clouds
Authors: Cabo Carlos , Laino Diego , Janvier Romain , Prendes Covadonga , Ordonez Celestino , Nikanovas Tadas , Doerr Stefan , Santin Cristina
Published: March 2024

Forest inventory, the systematic collection of data and information on a given forested area, is a key tool for sustainable forest management. Remote sensing technologies, especially terrestrial-based ones, are increasingly used to carry out these inventories, as they provide detailed and precise 3D measurements of the forest in the form of point clouds. Here we present ‘3DFin’, a recently developed software that automatically derives tree metrics from terrestrial point clouds. 3DFin automatically computes key forest inventory parameters, such as tree Total Height (TH), Diameter at Breast Height (DBH), and tree location. To maximize its reach, and make it accessible to wider audiences, 3DFin has been developed as a free, open-source program. It features an user-friendly graphical user interface and is available as a standalone software in Windows and, also, as a plugin in CloudCompare and QGIS. In this presentation we will show the performance of this software, presenting tests carried out in terrestrial, hand-held and photogrammetric point clouds across different forest conditions. 
Developing a 3.5-million-year benchmark record of Indian Ocean Dipole variability 
Authors: Kaboth-Bahr Stefanie , Kern Oliver , Bahr André
Published: March 2024

The Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) is the primary mode of interannual sea surface temperature variability (SST) in the tropical Indian Ocean. The climatic effects of the IOD are diverse and geographically widespread. Extreme flood events in eastern Africa, weakened summer monsoon intensity over India and Southeast Asia, and severe droughts in Australia are among the most significant societal consequences of IOD variability. These extreme climate events caused by the IOD are predicted to become more common as greenhouse gas emissions increase. However, despite its significance, surprisingly little is known about IOD variability during the geological past, which would allow for a better assessment of its sensitivity to atmospheric CO2 level changes in the future. This study presents the first insights into the spatio-temporal complexity of the IOD over the past 3.5 million years. We utilize geochemical proxy data (XRF core scanning, stable oxygen, and carbon isotopes, as well as Mg/Ca paleothermometry of planktonic foraminifera) derived from Site ODP 709, situated in the western equatorial Indian Ocean - a critical region for IOD forcing.
Ten Years of Low-Earth Orbit Observations from CASSIOPE/Swarm-Echo
Authors: Howarth Andrew , Yau Andrew , Bernhardt Paul , James Gordon , Knudsen David , Langley Richard , Miles David
Published: March 2024

From the vantage point of an elliptic, polar, low-earth orbit (81o inclination, 325 km x 1500 km initial apogee/perigee), CASSIOPE/Swarm-Echo has been observing the ionosphere-thermosphere system for over ten years. The Enhanced Polar Outflow Probe (e-POP) payload onboard collects data on space weather and related phenomena, including measurements of the local magnetic field, low-energy ion and electron energy distributions, high-frequency radio waves (natural and man-made), GPS signals, and aurora. These observations from a non-sun-synchronous orbit over a range of altitudes constitutes a unique data set that allows for investigation of the earth’s magnetic field and related current systems, upper atmospheric dynamics, auroral dynamics, and related coupling processes among the magnetosphere, ionosphere, thermosphere, and plasmasphere. This presentation will highlight the discoveries of the ten years of e-POP operation, including recent work on plasma waves generated by moving charged space objects and machine-learning techniques applied to analysis of magnetic field data and auroral images. We will also present some of the new Swarm-Echo data products and system tools available for use and look at the future direction of both the mission and the evolving data set.
Characterizing lava flows in offshore North Atlantic boreholes: a review with implications for basalt carbon storage
Authors: Millett John , Planke Sverre , Jolley David , Berndt Christian , Betlem Peter , Rosenqvist Marija , Zastrozhnov Dmitrii , Pierdominici Simona , Myklebust Reidun
Published: March 2024

Widespread and large-scale volcanism associated with the North Atlantic Igneous Province (NAIP) erupted during the Paleocene and Early Eocene and covers vast regions of the conjugate North Atlantic rifted margins. The majority of the preserved volume occurs in the offshore sequences of the continental shelves of Greenland, the Faroe Islands, UK, and Norway. These vast mafic igneous rock volumes in the offshore NAIP have been proposed as a potential area for permanent CO2 storage. However, a wide range of factors influence the suitability of mafic rock masses to act as fluid reservoirs including perhaps most importantly the volcanic facies (and associated pore structure, permeability, and distribution), along with alteration state, fracturing, and reactivity. In this contribution we focus on assessing the nature, distribution, and reservoir potential of sub-aerial lava flows from available borehole data across the NAIP. Lava flows are chosen for focus as they represent the most favorable reservoir target identified to date whilst also often constituting the dominant facies within much of the accessible NAIP offshore sequences.Over 50 offshore boreholes have penetrated the lava sequences of the NAIP including both industry and scientific boreholes drilled from the 1970’s onwards. Boreholes have encountered anything from a single lava flow through to several 10’s of lava flows in volcanic sequences reaching over 2 km in cumulative thickness in the deepest industry wells such as Brugdan (6104/21-1) and Lagavulin (217/15-1z) in the Faroese and UK sectors respectively.A summary of the lava flow nature (simple, compound, thickness, core-crust ratios) and physical property ranges (P-wave velocity, density, resistivity) of the penetrated lava flow sequences is presented utilizing available core, sidewall core, wireline and drill cuttings data to support the facies appraisal.Borehole data and the level of possible interpretation vary significantly depending on the age, purpose, and importantly the drilling operations of the individual boreholes. Some of the most robust and complete datasets are represented by modern hydrocarbon industry boreholes, for example those from the Rosebank Field in the UK sector, and cored boreholes from recent IODP Expedition 396 drilling Mid-Norway. Results from Expedition 396 are presented to highlight formation evaluation approaches for NAIP lava flow sequences including assessing the effects of different lava flow facies on Net to Gross calculations and the impact of alteration and secondary alteration on wireline log responses.This study presents important new constraints on the nature, variability, and distribution of NAIP lava flows from extensive available borehole ground truth data forming a foundational study for the development of reservoir appraisal techniques in the province going forward.
Disentangling the antagonistic effects of development and temperature on the autumn phenology of european beech using manipulative experiments
Authors: Rebindaine Dominic , Zohner Constantin , Crowther Thomas
Published: March 2024

Phenological shifts are crucial indicators of ecosystem responses to climate change. Complex feedbacks exist between the timing and length of temperate deciduous forest growing seasons and water, energy and carbon cycling. Understanding these feedbacks is essential for accurate future climate and forest productivity predictions. Despite knowing that warmer late-season temperatures postpone autumn senescence, extending the growing season, the specific drivers of autumn phenology remain unclear. Recent studies indicate that early-season warming may counteract these growing season extensions through developmental constraints. The compensatory point between these two antagonistic effects, i.e., the date when the effect of temperature on senescence reverses, may be governed by day length. However, the relative roles of early-season development and late-season temperature in driving autumn phenology need to be clarified. Our climate manipulation experiments on European beech (Fagus sylvatica) aimed to address this complexity. We show that cooling at different times of the day has inverse effects on beech's primary growth cessation, affirming that warming can either postpone bud set or advance it by speeding up development. By manipulating leaf-out timing we found that reduced early-season development delayed bud set (mean = 3.56 days, p = 0.002). The effect of cooling in July was more pronounced for the reduced-development (late-leafing) trees (mean = 5.27 days, p < 0.001). This indicates that the effects of temperature later in the season depend on early-season development, which, in turn, points to a flexible effect reversal date. However, cooling in August advanced bud set regardless of leaf-out timing (mean = -3.08 days, p < 0.001), indicating that temperature becomes increasingly important as a driver of autumn phenology as the late-season progresses. This study underscores the importance of accounting for both developmental and warming factors when predicting autumnal phenological shifts.
Speleothem sulfur spike confines timing and impact of late Glacial Laacher See eruption
Authors: Warken Sophie F , Schmitt Axel K , Scholz Denis , Hertwig Andreas , Weber Michael , Mertz-Kraus Regina , Reinig Frederick , Esper Jan , Sigl Michael
Published: March 2024

The Laacher See eruption (LSE) deposited a key tephra layer that synchronizes Late Glacial paleoclimate records across Europe, and thus provides the temporal framework to investigate the onset of the Younger Dryas cooling in the North Atlantic region. The absolute timing and climatic consequences of this event remain, however, still debated. Here, we present evidence from a high-resolution speleothem record from Herbstlabyrinth Cave, Central Germany, demonstrating distinct spikes in sulfur, fluorescent organic matter, and ash-leached trace elements assigned to the LSE and dating the event c. 13,047 BP1950, with an uncertainty of about 30–40 years. This age supports the recently published radiocarbon wiggle matching date of 13,006 ± 9 BP1950 (Reinig et al., 2021) and contradicts speculations about potential biases arising from volcanic CO2 emissions. The near-annually resolved speleothem calcite δ18O data further allows to assess the timing of the LSE and its impact on the regional climatology. Our findings exclude the LSE as a possible trigger of the Younger Dryas and indicate a regional climatic and environmental impact restricted to c. 20 years after the eruption. This unprecedented combination of stable isotopes, trace elements, annually resolved fluorescence, and radiometric dates for a single record provides independent evidence for the Late Glacial synchroneity of Atlantic-European climate relationships and opens new pathways toward a precise, absolutely dated time marker between European terrestrial and Greenland ice core records prior to the Holocene.ReferencesReinig F, Wacker L, Jöris O, et al. (2021) Precise date for the Laacher See eruption synchronizes the Younger Dryas. Nature 595(7865): 66-69. 
Developing a micro-scale population exposure model: insights from the Italian context
Authors: Rrokaj Sara , Molinari Daniela , Ballio Francesco , Gallazzi Alice , Annis Stefano , Badas Maria Grazia , Scorzini Anna Rita , Zazzeri Marco
Published: March 2024

The increasing impacts of climate change and urbanization underscore the critical importance of micro-scale population data for enhancing natural risk management and emergency preparedness. Access to high resolution population information enables better correlation with the spatial variability of hazards, leading to more accurate damage estimations. However, such data are typically available at macro and meso-scales. In the case of Italy, for example, population data from the National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) is provided at the census tract scale (meso-scale) for the entire country, despite the uneven distribution of residents within these areas. This study focuses on developing an exposure model for resident population in Italy at a finer spatial resolution than the currently available data. The model uses point data of resident population in the Emilia Romagna region, relating this information to residential building footprint area and volume, as well as land use features. The analysis reveals a notable portion of vacant residential buildings, with approximately 30% of Italian residential buildings reported as uninhabited by ISTAT. The study suggests that incorporating information on the type of residential buildings (main, secondary, or vacant) could significantly enhance the model's performance, especially in tourist-centric cities characterized by a high share of holiday houses. Additionally, the results of this study highlight the need for public entities to invest efforts in the development of a reliable and comprehensive spatial database that includes information on permanently inhabited properties.
Cross-Ventilation Strategies for Efficient Indoor Radon Reduction: Experimental Data and CFD Simulations
Authors: Altendorf Diana , Wienkenjohann Henning , Berger Florian , Dehnert Jörg , Duzynski Michal , Grünewald Hannes , Naumov Dmitri , Trabitzsch Ralf , Weiß Holger
Published: March 2024

Naturally occurring radon-222 (Rn) is a widespread indoor air pollutant, posing a potential health risk for humans, particularly elevating the risk of lung cancer in indoor living and working spaces. One highly promising solution for existing buildings, requiring relatively minimal technical effort to reduce indoor radon, is the installation of a ventilation system.As a proof of concept, a series of different ventilation experiments, utilising a decentralised ventilation system with heat recovery (inVENTer GmbH, Germany) were performed in an unoccupied ground-floor flat in Bad Schlema (Germany).The flat was divided into three individually controllable ventilation zones using strategically positioned ventilation devices, controlled by a novel real-time measurement system for indoor radon activity concentration [Rn] (Smart Radon Sensors by SARAD GmbH, Germany) in each room. This innovative approach to eliminate indoor radon by employing [Rn] as a control parameter enabled automated switching between different ventilation modes or the option to deactivate the system entirely.Over three years, the different ventilation experiments successfully reduced elevated indoor radon levels from up to 7000 Bq/m³ to 300 Bq/m³ and below. The effectiveness varied based on factors such as the initial room-specific radon levels before each experiment, the performance level of the fans and meteorological parameters.Furthermore, we developed a true-to-scale three-dimensional Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model based on the actual flat, enabling the quantitative interpretation of various ventilation experiments within a CFD environment. The CFD model utilised a stationary k-ε turbulent flow model to simulate ventilation-induced airflow inside the flat and was coupled with a transient transport model for radon simulation.For the development of the CFD model, the "Cross-Ventilation" experiment was chosen. This experiment successfully achieved a room-specific reduction of indoor radon levels from approximately 3,000 Bq/m³ to about 300 Bq/m³. To precisely capture the impact of ventilation on indoor radon, the initial radon values for each room were utilised as initial conditions for the transient radon transport model.Base case results showed an overestimation by the model in radon level reduction due to ventilation. Parameter adjustments of the inflowing radon and the airflow velocity at the inlet resulted in good agreement between experimental values and the CFD model's outcome.In summary, this study highlights CFD modeling as a versatile tool for evaluating and optimising ventilation systems, offering valuable insights into the mechanism of managing the air quality in complex real-world indoor environments with elevated radon levels.
Immersive Virtual Reality and numerical modelling application to study a dyke-induced asymmetric graben: the 1971 Mt. Etna (Italy) case
Authors: Bonali Fabio Luca , Corti Noemi , Pasquaré Mariotto Federico , De Beni Emanuela , Bressan Sofia , Cantarero Massimo , Russo Elena , Neri Marco , Tibaldi Alessandro
Published: March 2024

In the present study we integrated data collected using field and Immersive Virtual Reality surveys with numerical models, in order to characterise a unique dyke-induced graben system, exposed both in section and plan view, characterised by an unexpected asymmetric fault geometry. Such volcanotectonic feature was formed during the 1971 eruption and is located near the northern wall of the Valle del Bove, Mt. Etna, southern Italy.We firstly created a new structural map obtained from the analysis of historical aerial stereophotos encompassing a time interval from before to after the 1971 eruption; afterwards, we collected quantitative data on high-resolution drone-derived 3D models and field surveys carried out in the summer of 2022. Data collection on the vertical cliff was entirely carried out thanks to Immersive Virtual Reality techniques.In plan view, the graben is 2-km-long and its width ranges 27-143 m from the bottom to the upper part of the section view, with about 82 m of difference in elevation from top to bottom. Graben faults clearly show an asymmetric setting in terms of attitude, with one fault dipping 70° to the south, and the other one dipping 50° to the north. Vertical offset values are greater at higher elevations. We also ran a set of numerical models, aimed at investigating the distribution and orientation of stresses around the inferred dyke tip and within the host rock. Comparison between field data and numerical models suggests the key role played by the inclined topography, as shown in section view, in determining the orientation of dyke-induced σ1 and σ3 in the host rock. This, in turn, controls the geometry of the graben faults, resulting in the observed asymmetric setting. Additionally, dyke-induced stress concentrations and vertical offset values support the hypothesis of a downward propagation of the graben faults, from the surface down to the dyke tip.  
Investigating Submarine Groundwater Transmissivity in Svalbard Fjord Sediments through the Analyses of Physical Properties and Chemical Composition
Authors: Trisovic Zaga , O'Regan Matthew , ten Hietbrink Sophie , Szymczycha Beata , Sen Arunima , Lepland Aivo , Knies Jochen , Hong Wei-Li
Published: March 2024

We investigate submarine groundwater transmissivity within Svalbard fjord sediments, where offshore freshened groundwater (OFG) was confirmed through analyses of dissolved chloride concentration and water isotope signatures (δ18O and δ2H). The analyses are comprised of physical, mechanical, and chemical attributes of three cores recovered from Tempelfjorden and Hornsund fjords. Multi-Sensor Core Logger (MSCL) analyses provide high-resolution physical characteristics of the sediment cores, including bulk density, p-wave velocity, magnetic susceptibility, and electrical resistivity. These are integrated with X-ray computed tomography (CT) images, acquired with a Geotek rotating X-ray CT system (RXCT), to identify sedimentary facies, which are used to investigate internal core structures. Discrete measurements of grain density and grain size are used to calculate sediment porosity and to estimate the permeability. Our results indicate a heterogeneous sediment matrix with frequent drop stones and ice-rafted debris interlayered with finer-grained materials. We hypothesize that the sediment matrix packaging and configuration is an important control for the sediment permeability and thus for freshened groundwater transmissivity in the sediments of these fjords. This work is not only relevant for characterizing groundwater transmissivity in Svalbard's fjords but also will contribute to ongoing geological modeling efforts. Our findings pave the way for hydrogeological simulations, enhancing our understanding of OFG occurrence, emplacement mechanisms, and OFG volumes over successive glacial cycles.
Land surface changes in response to touristic activity in the fragile, high-mountain environment: a case study of Vinicunca (Rainbow Mountain) in Andes, Peru
Authors: Tomczyk Aleksandra , Ewertowski Marek
Published: March 2024

This study contributes to the topic of land surface degradation due to touristic activity by documenting examples of trail impacts related to initial trail development and high-intensity visitor usage. Our observations are based on a case study from the tropical Andes - Peru’s Rainbow Mountain (also named Vinicunca or Montaña de Siete Colores), which became a world-renowned tourist destination in recent years (after 2015/2016). The topic is important, as such high-mountain settings are very fragile, and degradation can occur rapidly – with long-term repercussions, as these landscapes tend not to recover quickly.The main objectives of the study were to: (1) characterise and map different types of impacts related to direct visitor pressure, (2) document and evaluate activities aimed at limiting degradation while enhancing visitors’ experience, and (3) propose a conceptual model of trail functioning in the tropical high-mountain environment. Data were collected using ground-based surveys, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and high-resolution satellite images.Eight processes were responsible for transformation of the land surface: (1) trampling, (2) abrasion/shearing by visitors and service animals, (3) transformation of water and sediment circulation, (4) water erosion, (5) freeze-thaw cycles, (6) dry-wet cycles, (7) aeolian activities, and (8) mass movements. The five main trail impacts clearly visible in the landscape just after 1–2 seasons of intensive recreational use were: trail widening, trail incision, formation of braided trail networks, development of muddy sections, and development of informal (visitor-created) trails.The hiking path was characterised by a width below 2 m and a low incision (
Towards Enhancing WaaS and Data Provenance over Reana
Authors: Klampanos Iraklis , Ganios Antonis , Troumpoukis Antonis
Published: March 2024

Interoperability and reproducibility are critical aspects of scientific computation. The data analysis platform Reana [1], developed by CERN, enhances the interoperability and reproducibility of scientific analyses by allowing researchers to describe, execute, and share their analyses. This is achieved via the execution of standardised scientific workflows, such as CWL, within reusable containers. Moreover, it allows execution to span different types of resources, such as Cloud and HPC. In this session we will present ongoing work to enhance Reana’s Workflows-as-a-Service (WaaS) functionality and also support Workflow registration and discoverability. Building upon the design goals and principles of the DARE platform [2], this work aims to enhance Reana by enabling users to register and discover available workflows within the system. In addition, we will present the integration of Data Provenance based on the W3C PROV-O standard [3] allowing the tracking and recording of data lineage in a systematic and dependable way across resource types. In summary, key aspects of this ongoing work include:Workflows-as-a-Service (WaaS): Extending Reana's service-oriented mode of operation, allowing users to register, discover, access, execute, and manage workflows by name or ID, via APIs, therefore enhancing the platform's accessibility and usability.
Data Provenance based on W3C PROV-O: Implementing support for recording and visualising data lineage information in compliance with the W3C PROV-O standard. This ensures transparency and traceability of data processing steps, aiding in reproducibility and understanding of scientific analyses.
This work aims to broaden Reana's functionality, aligning with best practices for reproducible and transparent scientific research. We aim to make use of the enhanced Reana-based system on the European AI-on-demand platform [4], currently under development, to address the requirements of AI innovators and researchers when studying and executing large-scale AI-infused workflows.References: [1] Simko et al., (2019). Reana: A system for reusable research data analyses. EPJ Web Conf., 214:06034, https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/201921406034[2] Klampanos et al., (2020). DARE Platform: a Developer-Friendly and Self-Optimising Workflows-as-a-Service Framework for e-Science on the Cloud. Journal of Open Source Software, 5(54), 2664, https://doi.org/10.21105/joss.02664[3] PROV-O: The PROV Ontology: https://www.w3.org/TR/prov-o/ (viewed 9 Jan 2024)[4] The European AI-on-Demand platform: https://aiod.eu (viewed 9 Jan 2024)This work has been has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No 101070000.
A very High-resolution Climate Dataset for a High-altitude Region in Southern Spain: Sierra Nevada (HighResClimNevada)
Authors: García-Valdecasas Ojeda Matilde , Donaire-Montaño David , Solano-Farias Feliciano , Rosa-Cánovas Juan José , Romero-Jiménez Emilio , Tacoronte Nicolás , Castro-Díez Yolanda , Esteban-Parra María Jesús , Gamiz-Fortis Sonia R.
Published: March 2024

High mountain regions are characterized by a high spatiotemporal variability in their climatic variables. Unfortunately, in these regions there is a lack of climatic information, mainly due to its difficult accessibility, and if any, it is usually short, sparse, or incomplete with numerous gaps and outliers. Sierra Nevada (SN), located in the southern Iberian Peninsula (IP), constitutes a double hot spot as it is a mountain region located in the Mediterranean, both of which are particularly vulnerable to climate change.To investigate the impact of climate change on mountainous ecosystems in SN, a high-resolution dataset for this region, HighResClimNevada, was created for the period from 2001 to 2020. For this purpose, the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model version 4.3.3 driven by ERA5 reanalysis was used as convection permitting model (CPM) with a two “one-way” configuration to achieve simulated climatic fields over SN with 1 km spatial resolution. Because SN is topographically complex, the parent domain (d01) was configured spanned the entire IP with 5 km spatial resolution, while the nested domain (d02) was centered in SN but covered the entire Andalusia region. Maximum and minimum temperatures, precipitation, wind speed, solar incoming radiation, relative humidity, and surface pressure available are available in HighResClimNevada.HighResClimNevada has been evaluated in terms of precipitation and maximum and minimum temperatures using bioclimatic and extreme indices, which are of special interest for ecologists and botanists. For this evaluation, we compared climatic fields from HighResClimNevada to observational gridded products from different sources (i.e., station-based products, satellite, and reanalysis), but also with in-situ weather stations located in the study region. In general, results indicate that HighResClimNevada has a good ability to represent the general climate characteristics in SN, making it a very useful tool for studying climate, its impact, and trends in this complex region.Data availability: HighResClimNevada is available on the World Data Center for Climate (WDCC) at DKRZ (https://doi.org/10.26050/WDCC/HighresolClimNevada_eval).Acknowledgements: This research has been carried out in the framework of the projects PID2021-126401OB-I00, funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/FEDER Una manera de hacer Europa, LifeWatch-2019-10-UGR-01 co-funded by the Ministry of Science and Innovation through the FEDER funds from the Spanish Pluriregional Operational Program 2014–2020 (POPE) LifeWatch-ERIC action line, and the project P20_00035 funded by FEDER/Junta de Andalucía-Consejería de Transformación Económica, Industria, Conocimiento y Universidades.
Forecasting of atmospheric variables based on ECMWF analysis data using Machine Learning approaches
Authors: Ghani Mahmud Hasan , Trotta Francesco , Pinardi Nadia
Published: March 2024

Recent advancements within the arena of Artificial Intelligence have widened the potential applications of Machine Learning (ML) frameworks in climate prediction and weather forecasting. For any modern forecasting system, a core objective is linked with handling uncertainty and scientists are interested in the accuracy of the forecasts.  The time series forecast of air temperature using ML approaches is available in the literature. But for this study, we have selected major atmospheric variables- air temperature, dew point temperature, wind components and mean sea-level pressure (MSL-P) retrieved from the ECMWF analysis system and which are to be used in perturbation of the ocean forecasting system. In our previous approach, we analysed the probability distributions of the selected atmospheric variables. In this study, we intend to forecast those atmospheric variables using machine learning algorithms to compare with the analysis dataset produced by ECMWF. Under the initial approach, a Convolution Neural Network (CNN) approach is built to predict the time series for the atmospheric variables. The predicted results from the forecasts have shown minimal differences in comparison to the observations.  Based on the results produced from the CNN, we would like to apply other ML approaches to compare the accuracy and in the process of selecting a better ML model.  
Secondary Organic Aerosol Generated from Biomass Burning Emitted Phenolic Compounds: Oxidative Potential, Reactive Oxygen Species and Cytotoxicity
Authors: Fang Zheng , Lai Alexandra , Cai Dongmei , Li Chunlin , Carmieli Raanan , Chen Jianmin , Wang Xinming , Rudich Yinon
Published: March 2024

Phenolic compounds are largely emitted from biomass burning (BB) and have significant potential to form SOA (Phc-SOA). However, the toxicological properties of Phc-SOA remain unclear. In this study, phenol and guaiacol were chosen as two representative phenolic gases in BB plumes, and the toxicological properties of their SOA generated under different photochemical ages and NOx levels were investigated. Across explored aging conditions, oxidative potentials (OP) of Phc-SOA measured by the dithiothreitol (DTT) assay were 41.3-83.9 pmol min-1 μg-1. OH-adducts of guaiacol (e.g., 2-methoxyhydroquinone) were identified as components of guaiacol SOA (GSOA) with high OP. The addition of nitro groups to 2,5-dimethyl-1,4-benzoquinone, a surrogate quinone compound in Phc-SOA, increased its OP. In pure water, H2O2 presented the main reactive oxygen species produced by Phc-SOA. The toxicity of both phenol SOA (PSOA) and GSOA in vitro in human alveolar epithelial cells decreased with aging in terms of both cell death and cellular ROS, possibly due to more ring-opening products with relatively low toxicity. The influence of NOx was consistent between cell death and cellular ROS for GSOA, but not for PSOA, indicating that cellular ROS production does not necessarily represent all processes contributing to cell death caused by PSOA.
Validation of the Radiometric Scales of GLAMR and Grande
Authors: Barsi Julia , McAndrew Brendan , Efremova Boryana , Sushkov Andrei , Kelley Nathan , Cairns Brian
Published: March 2024

The NASA/GSFC Code 618 Calibration Laboratories include the Radiometric Calibration Lab (RCL) and the Goddard Laser for Absolute Measurement of Radiance (GLAMR) facility.  Both have large integrating sphere sources with NIST-traceable radiometric calibration.The workhorse of the RCL is a 1-m integrating sphere with a 25.4-cm port, called Grande, illuminated by nine 150W halogen lamps, providing a broad-band radiance source (300 nm to 2400 nm).  The radiometric calibration of Grande is NIST-traceable through calibrated FEL lamps and a transfer spectroradiometer.GLAMR is a tunable-laser based system fiber coupled to a large integrating sphere, providing a full-aperture, uniform, monochromatic radiance source. The GLAMR system has two spheres; the one used for this study was a 50-cm sphere with a 20-cm port.  The radiometric calibration is NIST-traceable through a set of calibrated transfer radiometers.The Research Scanning Polarimeter was calibrated by both sources in 2023.  There was a 3% discrepancy in the absolute radiometric calibration between the two systems.  In order to investigate the discrepancy, a full wavelength scan of the GLAMR system was run, with the Grande spectroradiometer in front of the GLAMR sphere, along with two other spectoradiometers that are used to monitor Grande in real time.  The analysis of this dataset should establish the source of the discrepancy between the two systems and bring the two radiometric calibration systems, Grande and GLAMR, within the combined uncertainties of the methods and instruments.
The Ant and the Grasshopper: contrasting responses and behaviors to water stress of riparian trees along a hydroclimatic gradient
Authors: Lochin Pierre , Malherbe Pauline , Marteau Baptiste , Godfroy Julien , Bliss Singer Michael , Stella John , Piégay Hervé , Vernay Antoine
Published: March 2024

The increasing threat of forest decline and mortality associated with more severe and frequent droughts calls for a better understanding of the tree response mechanisms to water stress. Among forest ecosystems, riparian forests, despite their privileged location in lowlands, are particularly vulnerable to drought because they are highly dependent on soil water availability for survival. At the scale of a large river and along a hydroclimatic gradient, riparian tree species may respond differently to water stress and, therefore, may not be equally vulnerable to drought events outside their normal range. To analyze the responses of white poplar (Populus alba) to seasonal changes in drought along a hydroclimatic gradient, we conducted a multi-tool analysis combining multispectral and thermal infrared remote sensing with in-situ ecophysiological measurements at different temporal scales.Using this approach, we demonstrated that white poplars along the Rhône River (France) exhibit contrasting responses and behaviors during drought. We found that white poplars located downstream of the hydroclimatic gradient in a Mediterranean climate rapidly close their stomata during drought to reduce water loss and maintain high levels of minimum water potential (Ψm), but at the expense of leaf density and greenness. Conversely, white poplars located upstream in a temperate climate show high levels of transpiration and stable greenness, but lower Ψm and water content. These results demonstrate that white poplars along an aridity gradient can have two opposing responses to drought, with isohydric regulation on the one hand and anisohydric regulation on the other. These results indicate that trees located upstream in an area unaccustomed to drought are at a high risk of hydraulic failure during more intense and prolonged droughts.The combined use of different tools and metrics at different spatial and temporal scales is therefore essential to consider the full range of tree responses to drought. These two distinct behaviors remind us of Aesop's fable, where upstream trees behave like the grasshopper, not paying attention to their water consumption and jeopardizing their long-term survival. In contrast, downstream white poplars respond quickly to drought and show greater long-term resilience, just like the ant. These results are important in light of future climate conditions because they show that the same species can have different levels of resilience to drought, but they also raise the question of the ability of trees to switch from grasshopper to ant to adapt to these future conditions.