bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Disentangling the long-term foliar 15N signal using a land surface model
Authors: Caldararu Silvia , Thum Tea , Nair Richard , Zaehle Sönke
Published: March 2020

Terrestrial vegetation growth is hypothesised to increase under elevated atmospheric CO2, a process known as the CO2 fertilisation effect. However, the magnitude of this effect and its long-term sustainability remains uncertain. One of the main limitations to the CO2  fertilisation effect is nutrient limitation to plant growth, in particular nitrogen (N) in temperate and boreal ecosystems. Recent studies have suggested that decreases in observed foliar N content (N%) and δ15N indicate widespread nitrogen limitation with increasing CO2  concentrations. However, the factors driving these two variables, and especially the foliar δ15N values, are complex and can be caused by a number of processes. On one hand, if the observed trends reflect nutrient limitation, this limitation can be caused by either CO2 or warming driven growth. On the other hand, it is possible that nutrient limitation does not occur to its full extent due to plant plastic responses to alleviate nutrient limitation, causing a decrease in N%, but changes in the anthropogenic N deposition 15N signal cause the observed δ15N trend. In reality, it is likely that all these factors contribute to the observed trends. To understand ecosystem dynamics it is important to disentangle the processes behind these signals which is very difficult based on observational datasets only.

We use a novel land surface model to explore the causes behind the observed trends in foliar N% and δ15N. The QUINCY (QUantifying Interactions between terrestrial Nutrient CYcles and the climate system) model  has the unique capacity to track ecologically relevant isotopic composition, including 15N in plant and soil pools. The model also includes a realistic representation of plant plastic acclimation processes, specifically a representation of nitrogen allocation to and inside the canopy in response to nitrogen availability, so implicitly to changes in CO2  concentrations. We test the different hypotheses above behind the observed changes in N% and δ15N separately and quantify the contribution of each of the factors towards the observed trend. We then test the different hypotheses against existing observations of N% and δ15N from the ICP Forests database and other published datasets such as the global dataset of Craine et al. 2018.

Our study showcases the use of an isotope-enabled land surface model in conjunction with long-term observations to strengthen our understanding of the ecosystem processes behind the observed trends.
Recent changes in hot and humid extreme over China
Authors: Freychet Nicolas , Tett Simon F. B. , Yan Zhongwei , Li Zhen
Published: March 2020

Extreme heat events are well identified as a climate threat for human health. Less studied but at least as important as heat waves, extreme hot and humid conditions can lead to conditions where human survivability is not possible because in such environments bodies cannot cool down (evaporation becomes impossible). Wet-bulb temperature (TW) is a combined measurement of dry-bulb temperature and relative humidity (RH) and can be used to study hot and humid conditions. TW summarizes the complex interaction between humidity and temperature and allows more easy analysis. Here we investigate how TW has changed in the recent decades over Eastern China, a region already identified as vulnerable to such conditions.

For any observational analysis, reliable datasets are needed. Temperature data have traditionally received a lot of attention from the community while humidity observation remains poorly evaluated. We used a dense network of Chinese observation and compared it with the new ERA5 reanalysis during the 1979-2017 period. A first analysis indicate a weak increase in TW in both dataset due to a sharp drop in RH around 2000s. However, a new homogenised RH data have revealed that this decrease was an artifact due to a change in Chinese observation network. Newly homogenised data show no drop in RH and consequently a much larger increase in TW. ERA5 has assimilated biased data over China and is not reliable to study TW without performing RH correction. We did so by using an independent model approach, and recalculated RH and TW in ERA5. After correction, increase in TW becomes much larger and we could identified several location with already dangerous TW levels.

 
Water cycling (pools and movement) through an enclosed tropical forest in response to drought.
Authors: van Haren Joost , Kuhnhammer Kathrin , Kuebert Angelika , Beyer Matthias , Tuller Markus , Babaeian Ebrahim , Hu Jia , Dubbert Maren , Meredith Laura , Werner Christiane
Published: March 2020

Tropical rain forests are greatly dependent on water supply and are highly efficient in water cycling. Soil infiltration rates as well as tree transpiration rates are high in these often seasonally dry ecosystems. Both deforestation and climate change have been shown to cause drought stress in tropical forests, the former through the increase of runoff and reduction in evapotranspiration, the latter mainly through the reduction in precipitation and transpiration.

Although great efforts have been made to determine the ecosystem and species responses to variable water supply, many processes determining how tree species in tropical ecosystems impact and are impacted by the water cycle (water uptake and redistribution, and stem storage) remain poorly understood. Water movement through trees, as measured by a D2O pulse label in the rainwater, was found to be high variable and species dependent in a previous experiment in the Biosphere 2 tropical rainforest (Evaristo et al. 2019). We hypothesized that differential rooting depth and/or stem water storage could be the main causes for the difference in water label transport through the trees.

Our study is part of a large-scale experiment in the Biosphere 2 tropical forest that uses isotope labeling (13C and D) to trace C- and water-cycle processes underpinning ecosystem responses to drought from a molecular to an ecosystem-scale level. Here, we focus on the water cycling of this ecosystem and how it is impacted by controlled drought and rewetting conditions. Detailed continuous measurements of both the water pools (soil and stem) and movement (stems, atmospheric fluxes) will be used to determine individual tree (including different species) and whole ecosystem responses to drought. These data will be presented in light of their implications for tropical forest water movement and drought vulnerability.

Reference

Evaristo J, Kim M, van Haren J, Pangle LA, Harman CJ, Troch PA, McDonnell JJ, (2019) Characterizing the fluxes and age distribution of soil water, plant water and deep percolation in a model tropical ecosystem. Water Resources Research, 55(4), 3307-3327.
Mitigation potential for increasing soil organic carbon of rice fields in Bangladesh – a case study
Authors: Walton Jack , Kuhnert Matthias , Begum Khadiza , Abdul Kader Mohammed , Dondini Marta , Hillier Jon , Wollenberg Lini , Smith Pete
Published: March 2020

In order to limit global warming to 2°C, a variety of mitigation measures are needed, including those that result in net negative emissions. Soil carbon sequestration (SCS) through changed land management practices has the potential to help meet this need, but it requires further study to represent a viable policy option. Rice cultivation plays a major role in South Asian agriculture, accounting for almost 40% of the crop’s harvested area worldwide. Its greenhouse gas (GHG) profile means it contributes disproportionately more than other crops to the region’s emissions. Adapting rice system management for SCS may therefore represent a compelling mitigation opportunity for the agricultural sectors of South Asian countries. This study uses a process-based modelling approach to compare the performance of two models, ECOSSE and DAYCENT, in assessing the mitigation potential of increasing soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks on a Bangladeshi test site under rice cultivation. A previous study using DAYCENT showed an increase in SOC stock as well as an overall GHG emissions reduction for several management practices relative to the baseline scenario. ECOSSE, calibrated to the same measurements, also showed an increase in SOC and net emissions reduction relative to the baseline. However, the models differed significantly in the extent of mitigation predicted as well as the GHG emissions profile. Given these differences, further analysis is needed to reduce error and uncertainty in these models. The results of this study form a basis for spatial model approaches to assess the mitigation potential of rice production in Bangladesh.
The 11 November 2018 Mayotte event was observed at the Iranian Broadband seismic stations
Authors: Sadeghi Hossein , Suzuki Sadaomi
Published: March 2020

The 11 November 2018 Mayotte event was first introduced in the media by Maya Wei-Haas (2018) on National Geographic Magazine as a strange earthquake of which seismic waves were recorded by instruments around the world, but unusually nobody felt them. The Mayotte event in the absence of body waves caused long-duration, long-period surface waves traveling around the globe. Cesca et al. (2020) by analyzing regional and global seismic and deformation data suggested drainage of a deep magma reservoir. Tono Research Institute of Earthquake Science recorded the data with the broadband seismometer (STS-1) and gravimeter (gPhone) installed in Mizunami, Japan (Murakami et al., 2019). The records by Iranian broadband stations clearly showed the long-period seismic signals around 10 (UTC) on November 11, 2018. We studied records by 26 stations distributed throughout the country. The stations are operated by National Center of Broadband Seismic Network of Iran, International Institute of Earthquake Engineering and Seismology (IIEES). Since the frequency content of Fourier amplitude spectra appeared the signal of the surface waves as a peak around 0.06 Hz, we applied a bandpass filter of 0.05-0.07 Hz to the waveform data. To separate Rayleigh from love in surface waves, the filtered horizontal components were rotated to the radial and transverse components based on an assumed epicenter location at the latitude of 12.7S and longitude of 45.4E degrees. The stations considered as an array and the investigation was carried out in two ways. First, the position of each station was taken as the reference point of the array coordinate, and arrival delay times at the other stations relative to the reference were calculated. The phase velocity and the back-azimuth of each station were estimated through the least-square regression method. The estimated back azimuths were within 13 degrees from the back azimuths from the assumed epicenter. The average phase velocity for Rayleigh and Love phases are calculated as 2.97 and 3.31 km/sec, respectively. Second, we applied semblance analysis to six stations with the shortest spacing distances. However, the distance between the adjacent stations relative to the signal wavelength was not enough short to prevent spatial aliasing. Nevertheless, the interesting was that the semblance results were different for radial and transverse components. We calculated surface-wave magnitude (Ms) for the event and a number of recorded earthquakes occurring in the Mayotte area from May 13 to June 1, 2018. Linear regression was used to define relationships between the calculated Ms and the USGS body-wave magnitude (mb) and the local magnitude by BRGM catalog (Bertil et al. , 2019), and the moment magnitude (Mw) from the CMT solutions of HRVD and USGS.
Sub-mesoscale observations of cold pools during FESSTVaL
Authors: Kirsch Bastian , Ament Felix , Hohenegger Cathy , Klocke Daniel
Published: March 2020

Cold pools are areas of cool downdraft air that form through evaporation underneath precipitating clouds and spread on the surface as density currents. Their importance for the development and maintenance of convection is long known. Modern Large-Eddy simulations with a grid spacing of 1 km or less are able to explicitly resolve cold pools, however, they lack reference data for an adequate validation. Available point measurements from operational networks are too coarse and, therefore, miss the horizontal structure and dynamics of cold pools.

The upcoming measurement campaign FESSTVaL (Field Experiment on Sub-mesocale Spatio-Temporal Variability in Lindenberg) aims to test novel measurement strategies for the observation of previously unresolved sub-mesoscale boundary layer structures and phenomena, such as cold pools. The key component of the experiment during this summer will be a dense network of ground-based measurements within 15 km around the Meteorological Observatory Lindenberg near Berlin. The network of 100 low-cost APOLLO (Autonomous cold POoL LOgger) stations allows to record air pressure and temperature with a spatial and temporal resolution of 100 m and 1 s, respectively. We present first results from a test campaign during last summer that successfully demonstrated the ability of the proposed network stations to observe cold pool dynamics on the sub-mesoscale.
Resolving spatial dynamics at polar latitudes using the GROMOS-C radiometer on Svalbard and the Nordic meteor radar cluster
Authors: Stober Gunter , Schranz Franziska , Hall Chris , Kozlovsky Alexander , Lester Mark , Tsutsumi Masaki , Nozawa Satonori , Belova Evgenia , Kero Johan , Hocke Klemens , Murk Axel
Published: March 2020

The middle polar atmosphere dynamics is driven by atmospheric waves from the planetary scale to small scale perturbation due to gravity waves. The different atmospheric waves are characterized by their temporal and spatial variability posing challenges to ground-based remote sensing techniques to disentangle and resolve the spatio-temporal ambiguity. Here we present two ground-based remote sensing techniques to resolving spatio-temporal variability at the polar middle atmosphere.

Since 2017 the GROMOS-C radiometer measures ozone and winds at NyÅlesund (78.9°N, 11.9°E) on Svalbard. The radiometer employs four beams in the cardinal directions at 22.5° elevation angle to retrieve ozone profiles and winds at altitudes between 30-75 km. the temporal resolution of the ozone retrievals is 30 minutes. Further, we obtain daily mean winds. Due to the high polar latitude the spatial separation between the beams at stratospheric altitudes covers several degrees in longitude to infer spatial gradients in the ozone densities and their perturbation due to planetary waves.

Another recently established ground-based remote sensing approach to retrieve the spatial characteristic at the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) is provided by the Nordic meteor radar cluster consisting of the meteor radars at Tromsø, Alta, Esrange, Sodankylä and on Svalbard. Since October 2019 horizontally resolved winds are obtained using a 3DVAR approach with a temporal resolution of 30 minutes and a vertical resolution of 2 km. Here we present preliminary results to infer horizontal wavelength spectra, the tidal variability as well as gravity activity of the winter season 2019/20.

Both datasets are of high value for data assimilation into weather forecast and reanalysis models or for cross-comparisons and validation of meteorological analysis systems (e.g. NAVGEM-HA).
The existential crisis of the Mekong delta: Impact of accelerating land subsidence
Authors: Minderhoud Philip S.J. , Erkens Gilles , Middelkoop Hans , Stouthamer Esther
Published: March 2020

Land subsidence is one of the slowest, natural processes faced by deltas throughout the world, yet it acts as an important catalyst which exacerbates all other threats associated with relative sea-level rise, such as increased flood vulnerability and salinization. This presentation summarizes the results of five years of research on land subsidence in the Mekong delta and highlights the major advances in approaches and insights gained in subsidence processes and rates of an entire mega-delta system.

The Mekong delta is heading towards an existential crisis as land subsidence rates are rapidly accelerating over the past decades up to ~5 cm/yr. As sediment starvation in the Mekong river greatly reduces the adaptive capacity to counterbalance subsidence, this results in wide-spread loss of delta elevation. With the Mekong delta having an average elevation of less than 1 meter above local mean sea level, these elevated rates of relative sea-level rise pose an imminent threat of land loss and permanent submersion in the coming decades.

Like in many densely populated and rapidly developing coastal-deltaic areas around the world, the main anthropogenic driver that causes accelerated subsidence is the overexploitation of groundwater. A range of future delta elevation projections, considering sea-level rise and simulated groundwater extraction-induced subsidence following extraction pathways, show the dire situation of the delta in spatial-temporal explicit maps of future elevation relative to local sea level.

Adequate (ground)water management aimed at strongly reducing current extractions is key in mitigating accelerating sinking rates and crucial to ensure the survival of the Mekong delta. The window of opportunity to act is swiftly closing as the delta is rapidly running out of elevation, and therefore time.
Codephase center corrections for multi GNSS signals and the impact of misoriented antennas
Authors: Breva Yannick , Kröger Johannes , Kersten Tobias , Schön Steffen
Published: March 2020

In absolute positioning approaches, e.g. Precise Point Positioning (PPP), antenna phase center corrections (PCC) have to be taking into account. Beside PCC for carrier phase measurements, also codephase center corrections (CPC) exist, which are antenna dependent delays of the code. The CPC can be split into a codephase center offset (PCO) and codephase center variations (CPV). These corrections can be applied in a Single Point Positioning (SPP) approach, to improve the accuracy in the positioning domain. The CPC vary with azimuth and elevation and are related to an antenna, which is oriented towards north. If the antenna is wrongly oriented, the effect cannot be compensated and wrong corrections will be added to the observations.

The Institut für Erdmessung (IfE) established a concept to determine CPC for multi GNSS signals, where a robot tilts and rotates an antenna under test precisely around a specific point. Afterwards time differenced single differences are calculated, which are the input to estimate the CPC by using spherical harmonics (8,8). First studies in our working group showed, that an improvement of the position in a SPP are possible, if antenna pattern for the codephase are considering and correctly applied.

In this contribution, we present the improvement of a SPP and PPP approach by considering CPC for different low cost antennas with multi GNSS signals. Beside the positioning domain, an analysis of the CPC in observation domain, by evaluating the deviations of single differences from zero mean, is performed. Furthermore, we quantify the impact of a disoriented antenna, e.g. oriented in east direction, in the positioning and observation domain by using north oriented CPC. We show, that this impact can be compensating in a post-processing by rotating the antenna pattern. Finally, we present some results of different calibrations, where the antennas are disoriented on the robot and compared to the estimated CPC pattern with the post-processing approach and discussed their impact on the positioning. 
Predicting heliospheric propagation of CMEs with probabilistic Drag-Based Ensemble Model (DBEM)
Authors: Čalogović Jaša , Dumbović Mateja , Vršnak Bojan , Sudar Davor , Temmer Manuela , Veronig Astrid
Published: March 2020

Understanding space weather driven by the solar activity is crucial as it can affect various human technologies, health as well as it can have important implications for the space environment near the Earth and the Earth’s atmosphere. In order to better asses space weather forecasts various empirical, drag-based and MHD models have been developed to predict the arrival time of CMEs. One of them is the analytical Drag-based Model (DBM) applying the equation of CME motion which is determined by the drag force from the background solar wind acting on the CME. DBM predictions depend on various initial parameters such as CME launch speed, background solar wind speed and empirically derived drag parameter as well CME’s angular half-width and longitude of CME source region for a DBM CME cone geometry. Since many of input parameters may be inaccurate or unreliable due to limited observations, the Drag-Based Ensemble Model (DBEM) was developed that considers the variability of model input parameters by making an ensemble of a number of different input parameters to calculate a distribution and significance of DBM results. DBM has the advantage of having very short computational time (< 0.01s) and DBEM ensemble runs with many thousand members can be performed within few seconds on a normal computer. Using such approach, DBEM can determine the most likely CME arrival times and speeds, quantify the prediction uncertainties and calculate the forecast confidence intervals. Recently, DBEM web interface was also integrated as one of the ESA Space Situational Awareness web portal space weather services (http://swe.ssa.esa.int/heliospheric-weather). We’ll present the recent DBEM developments together with the validation of its predictions using observations and other models as well as the input parameter sensitivity tests.
Variability of gas-trapping characteristics on the central Antarctic Plateau
Authors: Martinerie Patricia , Fourteau Kévin , Chappellaz Jérôme , Orsi Anaïs , Faïn Xavier , Lee Geoffrey , Landais Amaëlle , Sturges William
Published: March 2020

Central Antarctic Plateau sites display a strong contrast in deep firn gas ages with relatively high accumulation sites (South Pole, EPICA DML) showing very old (about a century) gas ages in the open porosity of deep firn on one side, and very young (few decades) gas ages and an absence of deep firn δ15N plateau (indicative of remaining gas transport) at low accumulation rate sites (Dome C, Dome F, Vostok) on the other side. Multi-tracer results from an intermediate accumulation site named "Lock-in" will be presented. At this fairly low accumulation rate site (~3.6 cm water equivalent / year), very old air ages were obtained in deep firn but the lock-in zone looks narrower than at South Pole. Analytical results, as well as gas transport and densification modelling results will be discussed in terms of variability of gas-trapping characteristics on the central Antarctic Plateau and degree of understanding of the underlying mechanisms.
Instability of surface quasigeostrophic spatially periodic flows
Authors: Kalashnik Maksim , Kurgansky Michael , Kostrykin Sergey
Published: March 2020

The surface quasigeostrophic (SQG) model is developed to describe the dynamics of flows with zero potential vorticity in the presence of one or two horizontal boundaries (Earth surface and tropopause). Within the framework of this model, the problems of linear and nonlinear stability of zonal spatially periodic flows are considered. To study the linear stability of flows with one boundary, two approaches are used. In the first approach, the solution is sought by decomposing into a trigonometric series, and the growth rate of the perturbations is found from the characteristic equation containing an infinite continued fraction. In the second approach, few-mode Galerkin approximations of the solution are constructed. It is shown that both approaches lead to the same dependence of the growth increment on the wavenumber of perturbations. The existence of instability with a preferred horizontal scale on the order of the wavelength of the main flow follows from this dependence. A similar result is obtained within the framework of the SQG model with two horizontal boundaries. The Galerkin method with three basis trigonometric functions is also used to study the nonlinear dynamics of perturbations, described by a system of three nonlinear differential equations similar to that describing the motion of a symmetric top in classical mechanics. An analysis of the solutions of this system shows that the exponential growth of disturbances at the linear stage is replaced by a stage of stable nonlinear oscillations (vacillations). The results of numerical integration of full nonlinear SQG equations confirm this analysis.

The work was supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (Project 18-05-00414) and the Russian Science Foundation (Project 19-17-00248).
Characterising river character, pattern and behaviour in the Bislak Catchment: towards a geomorphic template to inform river management in the Philippines
Authors: Tolentino Pamela Louise , Perez John Edward , Guardian Esmael , David Carlos Primo , Boothroyd Richard , Fryirs Kirstie , Brierley Gary , Hoey Trevor , Williams Richard
Published: March 2020

The design and implementation of water management strategies in the Philippines, where  precipitation is abundant and groundwater reserves are substantial, are compromised by extreme hydrometeorological events that create hazards such as flooding, bank erosion and landslides. Additionally, structural and institutional factors, such as responsibility for land and water management being divided among 38 agencies, inhibit integrated land and water management. Such a fragmented context threatens the sustainability of water resources and provide challenges for risk management. Integrated river basin management and master plans have been formulated to address catchment-related concerns which include water resources, disaster risk, biodiversity, mineral resources, and socio-economic development. These plans typically include assessment on physical variables such as hydrology and geology. One critical aspect that is missing is baseline understanding of dynamic river geomorphology. Such understanding of river character, behaviour and pattern is required to underpin scientific guidance from a rational evidence base that informs management applications. The Bislak Catchment (593 km2), north-western Luzon Island, is underlain by interbedded clastic sedimentary and volcanic rocks. It has a Type I climate which is described as having distinct dry and wet seasons. Early this year, the region suffered a prolonged drought which resulted to huge agricultural damage. In 2018, two severe tropical storms hit the area that caused destructive flooding to communities and infrastructure. In response, flooding and erosion are currently being mitigated by new and repaired defences such as gabion walls and concrete dikes. Satellite images from 1970 to 2019 show spatially variable channel change, in response to channel network and valley geometry. Here, the morphodynamic units throughout the catchment are described using the River Styles Framework which provides a geomorphic template to assess management trajectories. This approach is demonstrated for the Bislak Catchment, and is proposed as a template wider use in the Philippines.

 

 
Assessment of hydrological flows in the Po river basin in connection with the underground aquifer
Authors: Fuso Flavia , Righetti Chiara , Gorla Maurizio , Desdemona Oliva , Bocchiola Daniele
Published: March 2020

We present preliminary results in fulfilment of a Gruppo CAP funded project aiming to evaluate the contribution of the Ticino-Adda TA catchment surface runoff to aquifer recharge of the Lombardia region of Italy. The area of interest is nested within the Po river valley, largely snow/ice fed, and rich in both surface and underground waters, and management of groundwater resources requires thereby assessment of water exchanges between surface and subsurface bodies. Final purpose of this 3-year effort is the production of weather based (IPCC AR5/6) hydrological scenarios in the TA catchment, as boundary conditions for aquifer modeling during 21st century. Here, we report results from Project’s Phase 1, i.e. data based set up of a weather driven, semi distributed hydrological model Poli-Hydro, usable to mimic hydrology of high-altitude catchments watering the Po Valley. The adopted model simulates water budget, including dynamics of glaciers, snow melt, evapotranspiration, and subsequently provides routing time of overland and underground flow at any river section of the river network. In regulated catchments proper operation rules are developed to account for modified flows downstream. We demonstrate model accuracy against historical hydrological information. Modeled daily flows, underground flows, and the contribution of the irrigation systems within the TA can be used as inputs for aquifer dynamics models, to assess control of surface water budget upon aquifer dynamics. Projected hydrological scenarios will be also usable to mimic future hydrogeological dynamics of the area.
Methane Source Finder: A web-based data portal for exploring methane data
Authors: Thorpe Andrew , Duren Riley , Tapella Robert , Bue Brian , Foster Kelsey , Yadav Vineet , Rafiq Talha , Hopkins Francesca , Gill Kevin , Rodriguez Joshua , Plave Aaron , Cusworth Daniel , Miller Charles
Published: March 2020

The Methane Source Finder is a web-based data portal developed under NASA’s CMS and ACCESS programs for exploring methane data in the state of California. This open access interactive map allows users to discover, analyze, and download data across a range of spatial scales derived from remote-sensing, surface monitoring, and bottom-up infrastructure information. This includes methane plume images and associated emission estimates derived from the 2016-2018 California Methane Survey using the airborne imaging spectrometer AVIRIS-NG. The fine spatial resolution (typically 3 m) AVIRIS-NG products when combined with the Vista infrastructure database of over 270,000 components statewide permits direct attribution of emissions to individual point source locations. These point source products have benefited from evaluation and feedback from state and local agencies and private sector companies and in some cases were used to directly guide leak detection and repair efforts. Additional data layers at local and regional scales provide context for point source emissions. These include methane flux inversions for the Los Angeles basin derived from surface observations and tracer transport modeling (3 km, 4 day resolution) as well as the CMS US methane gridded inventory (10 km, monthly resolution) over the state of California.
Visualizing anthropogenic methane plumes from the California Methane Survey
Authors: Thorpe Andrew , Duren Riley , Tapella Robert , Bue Brian , Foster Kelsey , Yadav Vineet , Rafiq Talha , Hopkins Francesca , Gill Kevin , Rodriguez Joshua , Plave Aaron , Cusworth Daniel , Miller Charles
Published: March 2020

The 2016-2018 California Methane Survey used the airborne imaging spectrometer AVIRIS-NG to survey approximately 59,000 km2 and 272,000 individual facilities and infrastructure components. Over 500 strong methane point sources spanning the waste management, agriculture, and energy sectors were detected, geolocated, and quantified. In order to facilitate communication of results with scientists, stakeholder agencies in California, private sector companies, and the public, we developed the Methane Source Finder web-based data portal. This state of the art Earth science data visualization tool allows users to discover, analyze, and download data across a range of spatial scales derived from remote-sensing, surface monitoring, and bottom-up infrastructure information. In this presentation, we will highlight our overall science findings from the California Methane Survey and provide a number of examples where observed methane plumes were used to directly guide leak detection and repair efforts. Future plans include expanding the data portal beyond California and incorporating regional scale flux inversions derived from satellite observations. Methane Source Finder supports methane research (e.g., multi-scale synthesis), enables facility-scale mitigation, and improves public awareness of greenhouse gas emissions.
A Systematic Review of Linkages and Trends in Water-Food-Energy/Urban Nexus Research
Authors: Huang Tailin , Hu Min-Che , Tsai I-Chun
Published: March 2020

The water-food-energy (WFE) nexus are intertwined with urbanization, land use, and population growth and is rapidly expanding in scholarly literature and research projects as a novel way to address complex resource and development challenges. The nexus-related research aims to identify tradeoffs and synergies of water, energy, and food systems, internalize mutual impacts between the nexus and the urban systems, and guide the development of sustainable solutions. However, while the WFE nexus offers a promising conceptual approach, limited research focuses on systematically mapping the water, food, and energy interlinkages and evaluate the research trends and issues that we are facing in this field.
Water, food, and energy are the basis for human livelihoods and economic activities; they are also closely interrelated: Agriculture, forestry, and the energy sector simultaneously depend heavily on and affect water resources. Energy is essential for water management, but also agricultural production, processing, and marketing. Land is needed for the production of food, fodder, and renewable energy, as well as for water resource protection. Demographic trends – such as population growth, progressive urbanization, and globalization, changing lifestyles and consumer habits – are increasing pressure on already limited natural resources. A sustainable urban system requires the achievement of mitigating human impact on natural ecosystems while fulfilling our need for development.
Previous studies have discussed the research trends and nexus assessment tools (e.g., Endo et al. 2015;2017). Despite the increasing use of the WFE nexus in scholarly literature and research projects, few studies have systematically reviewed the broad range of linkages in the body of nexus literature. There is a need for a comprehensive review of, and critical reflection on, existing nexus linkages and issues to gain the big picture, improve clarity, and promote further advances in research for WFE nexus.
This paper reviews current WFE nexus linkages and issues to promote further development of tools and methods that align with nexus thinking and address the complexity of multi-sectoral resource interactions. As a conceptual framework, the nexus approach leverages an understanding of WEF linkages to promote coherence in policy-making and enhance sustainability. A summary of the most frequently used nexus linkages, issues, and keywords obtained from journal articles provides the clues to discover the current research emphases. Findings will provide a better understanding of trends in this line of research, which will serve as a useful reference for future studies.
Correlation between the variations of cosmic ray geomagnetic thresholds and interplanetary parameters during various phases of solar disturbance in November 2004
Authors: Vernova Elena , Ptitsyna Natalia , Danilova Olga , Tyasto Marta
Published: March 2020

The geomagnetic cutoff rigidity R (momentum per unit charge) is the threshold rigidity below which the particle flux becomes zero due to geomagnetic shielding. The properties of the geomagnetic screen vary greatly during magnetic storms, depending on the dynamic interaction of the solar wind (SW) magnetic fields with the magnetospheric fields and currents. The correlation between the variations of geomagnetic cutoff rigidity ΔR and interplanetary parameters and geomagnetic activity indexes during various phases of the superstorm on November 7 – 8, 2004 has been calculated. On the scale of the entire storm the most geoeffеctive parameters were Dst, Kp, and SW speed, while other parameters, including total interplanetary magnetic field B and Bz component, were effective at different phases of the storm.
Impacts of land use change and elevated CO2 on the interannual variations and seasonal cycles of gross primary productivity in China
Authors: Jia Binghao , Luo Xin , Cai Ximing , Jain Atul , Huntzinger Deborah N. , Xie Zhenghui , Zeng Ning , Mao Jiafu , Shi Xiaoying , Ito Akihiko , Wei Yaxing , Tian Hanqin , Poulter Benjamin , Hayes Dan , Schaefer Kevin
Published: March 2020

Abstract. Climate change, rising CO2 concentration, and land
use and land cover change (LULCC) are primary driving forces for terrestrial
gross primary productivity (GPP), but their impacts on the temporal changes
in GPP are uncertain. In this study, the effects of the three main factors
on the interannual variation (IAV) and seasonal cycle amplitude (SCA) of GPP
in China were investigated using 12 terrestrial biosphere models from the
Multi-scale Synthesis and Terrestrial Model Intercomparison Project. The
simulated ensemble mean value of China's GPP between 1981 and 2010, driven
by common climate forcing, LULCC and CO2 data, was found to be
7.4±1.8 Pg C yr−1. In general, climate was the dominant control
factor of the annual trends, IAV and seasonality of China's GPP. The
overall rising CO2 led to enhanced plant photosynthesis, thus
increasing annual mean and IAV of China's total GPP, especially in
northeastern and southern China, where vegetation is dense. LULCC decreased
the IAV of China's total GPP by ∼7 %, whereas rising
CO2 induced an increase of 8 %. Compared to climate change and
elevated CO2, LULCC showed less contributions to GPP's temporal
variation, and its impact acted locally, mainly in southwestern China.
Furthermore, this study also examined subregional contributions to the
temporal changes in China's total GPP. Southern and southeastern China
showed higher contributions to China's annual GPP, whereas southwestern and
central parts of China explained larger fractions of the IAV in China's GPP.
Oceanic and atmospheric methane cycling in the cGENIE Earth system model
Authors: Reinhard Christopher T. , Olson Stephanie , Kirtland Turner Sandra , Pälike Cecily , Kanzaki Yoshiki , Ridgwell Andy
Published: March 2020

Abstract. The methane (CH4) cycle is a key component of the Earth system that links planetary climate, biological metabolism, and the global biogeochemical cycles of carbon, oxygen, sulfur, and hydrogen. However, currently lacking is a numerical model capable of simulating a diversity of environments in the ocean where CH4 can be produced and destroyed, and with the flexibility to be able to explore not only relatively recent perturbations to Earth’s CH4 cycle but also to probe CH4 cycling and associated climate impacts under the very low-O2 conditions characteristic of most of Earth history and likely widespread on other Earth-like planets. Here, we present a refinement and expansion of the ocean-atmosphere CH4 cycle in the intermediate-complexity Earth system model cGENIE, including parameterized atmospheric O2-O3-CH4 photochemistry and schemes for microbial methanogenesis, aerobic methanotrophy, and anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM). We describe the model framework, compare model parameterizations against modern observations, and illustrate the flexibility of the model through a series of example simulations. Though we make no attempt to rigorously tune default model parameters, we find that simulated atmospheric CH4 levels and marine dissolved CH4 distributions are generally in good agreement with empirical constraints for the modern and recent Earth. Finally, we illustrate the model’s utility in understanding the time-dependent behavior of the CH4 cycle resulting from transient carbon injection into the atmosphere, and present model ensembles that examine the effects of atmospheric pO2, oceanic dissolved SO42− and the thermodynamics of microbial metabolism on steady-state atmospheric CH4 abundance. Future model developments will address the sources and sinks of CH4 associated with the terrestrial biosphere and marine CH4 gas hydrates, both of which will be essential for comprehensive treatment of Earth’s CH4 cycle during geologically recent time periods.
The Protection of LGBT Youth
Authors: Konnoth Craig
Published: March 2020

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A Lifetime for Someone Else’s Crime: The Cruelty of Pennsylvania’s Felony Murder Doctrine
Authors: Prabhu Dolly
Published: March 2020

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Estilos de Aprendizaje y Actitudes hacia la Matemática en estudiantes del POLISAL de la UNAN-Managua
Authors: Rojas Rojas Jony Alexander
Published: March 2020

El propósito de esta investigación ha sido el análisis de la relación entre estilos de aprendizaje y actitudes hacia la matemática en estudiantes del Instituto Politécnico de la salud (POLISAL) de la UNAN-Managua. El estudio fue descriptivo–correlacional, con una población de 427 estudiantes de los primeros años de las carreras ofertadas por el POLISAL y una muestra de 203 distribuida proporcionalmente por turno y carrera. A cada participante se le aplicó el cuestionario CHAEA simplificado y la escala de actitud hacia la matemática. Los resultados indican que el estilo predominante en la muestra es el reflexivo y, en general, la actitud hacia la matemática es favorable. Además, el método no paramétrico de la chi-cuadrada muestra que no existe relación entre las variables de estudio, es decir, el estilo de aprendizaje de un estudiante no tiene efecto en la actitud que él tenga hacia la matemática.
Análisis de requerimiento y desarrollo de sistema de información gerencial de las variedades disponibles de granos básicos georreferenciadas, en el Departamento de Carazo (SIGITEC), en el periodo 2007-2015
Authors: Mejía Quiroz Álvaro Antonio
Published: March 2020

Se presenta la creación de un sistema de información gerencial de las variedades disponibles de granos básicos georreferenciadas en Carazo liberadas por el Instituto Nicaragüense de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), entre los años 2007 y 2015, que contribuye en gran medida a la gestión de información de estas. Desarrollado por la Unidad de Investigación y Desarrollo Tecnológico de la Facultad Regional Multidisciplinaria de Carazo (FAREM-Carazo), con apoyo de los Fondos para Investigación (FPI) de la UNAN-Managua; que permite ingresar información de las características, ubicación geográfica y análisis de idoneidad de las parcelas con respecto a las variedades de granos básicos. La investigación dio como resultados: el análisis de los requisitos del sistema, las alternativas para la digitalización de los mapas de temperatura, precipitación, altitud y tipo de suelos del departamento de Carazo, también la disposición de los mapas, así como la elección de una alternativa de tecnología de análisis, diseño, desarrollo e implementación con componentes sólidamente estructurados. Este producto permite la gestión eficiente de las variedades y el análisis en tiempo real de las condiciones biofísicas de las parcelas para la determinación de cuales variedades de granos básicos son adaptables a dichas, haciendo uso del Lenguaje de Programación C# y la plataforma ArcGis Online para el manejo y administración de mapas de manera automática.
Collaborative Learning Practices by Gender: A Case of a Community School in Nepal
Authors: Acharya Kamal Prasad , Acharya Milan , Shrestha Madhav Kumar
Published: March 2020

This study explores the situation of basic level community school boy and girl students’ science and health learning through collaborative culture. Fifth, sixth and seventh-grade students (both boys and girls) took part in this study. As per the aim of this study, a set of questionnaire was developed and administered to the sampled students. Two hundred and fifty-eight students were selected from the sampled school using the census sampling technique. All the students were involved in collaborative learning activities such as building trust and open communication, establishing group interaction, respect diversity and sharing creative ideas based on the basic level science and health curriculum aiming at promoting inquiry learning through collaboration. A quantitative analysis involving the use of the Chi-square test at 0.05 level of significance, Likelihood ratio and Somer’s symmetric was conducted to see the association between the variables. The results showed that science and health collaborative learning activities by gender were not associated significantly. There was no statistically significant difference (α=0.05) between the variables studied. The findings showed a weak association with gender and collaborative science and health learning activities in the classrooms.
ESTIMATES OF SOCIAL MINIMUM BASKETS FOR THE THIRD QUARTER OF 2019
Authors: Kurowski PIotr
Published: March 2020

The article presents estimates of social minimum baskets – defined as a model allowing the minimum level for social integration of households – in the third quarter of 2019. The dynamics of basket values was slightly higher than the growth of inflation. In relation to the 2nd quarter, for single-person and forur-person households the increase was of 0.8 and 0.7% respectively, while the inflation rate was 0,3%. The increase in social minimum baskets was largely influenced by food prices. They increased by 1.4%, twice as fast as the inflation for this group of needs (0.7%). The prices of fruit (by 3.3%) and vegetables other than potatoes (by 3.1%) and cereal products (by 1.1%) increased the most. The increase in food prices was reinforced by drought.
On Zero Waste in Art and the Reproduction of Capitalism with 'Human Face'
Authors: Schneiderbauer Nadine
Published: March 2020

A student essay for the Special Student Issue of the Journal of Extreme Anthropology accompanying the art exhibition 'Artist's Waste, Wasted Artists', which opened in Vienna on the 19th of September 2017 and was curated by the students of social anthropology at the University of Vienna. This essay engages with the increasingly popular trend of 'zero waste', one more and more shaping the art world itself. It argues that the devotion to ethical consumption, to recycling, and especially to upcycling and production of artworks for the consumption of the rich falls within the currently dominant ideology of capitalism with a human face. The author also discusses zero waste with the artist Lavinia Lanner.
Extracts and Essential Oils from Medicinal Plants and Their Neuroprotective Effect
Authors: Mendonça da Costa Ianara , Cristina Gurgel Andrade Pedrosa Elaine , Paula de Carvalho Bezerra Ana , Cristina Borges Fernandes Luciana , Rodolfo Lopes de Paiva Cavalcanti José , Aurélio Moura Freire Marco , Pessoa de Araújo Dayane , Cinthia Meneses do Rego Amália , Araujo Filho Irami , Irochima Pinheiro Francisco , Pierdoná Guzen Fausto
Published: March 2020

Current therapies for neurodegenerative diseases offer only limited benefits to their clinical symptoms and do not prevent the degeneration of neuronal cells. Neurological diseases affect millions of people around the world, and the economic impact of treatment is high, given that health care resources are scarce. Thus, many therapeutic strategies to delay or prevent neurodegeneration have been the subject of research for treatment. One strategy for this is the use of herbal and essential oils of different species of medicinal plants because they have several bioactive compounds and phytochemicals with neuroprotective capacity. In addition, they respond positively to neurological disorders, such as dementia, oxidative stress, anxiety, cerebral ischemia, and oxidative toxicity, suggesting their use as complementary treatment agents in the treatment of neurological disorders.