bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Poseidon’s seismic breadcrumbs: ultracataclasite vein evolution within a granodiorite along the Naxos Detachment System
Authors: Rolfe Olivia , Dubosq Renelle , Schneider David , Grasemann Bernhard
Published: March 2024

Ultracataclasites and pseudotachylytes often reflect localized deformation due to coseismic slip and the temporal evolution of seismogenic fault zones. Interaction of these structures and their mechanisms of nucleation and propagation into crustal rocks remain poorly constrained. Herein we conducted a microstructural analysis on a series of ultracataclasitic veins within a deformed granodiorite on Naxos, Greece. The island is a classical Miocene Cycladic metamorphic core complex, with migmatites and the granodiorite at its core. The Naxos detachment dissects the granodiorite, producing a strong N-S stretching lineation and SCC’ fabric indicating top-to-N kinematics. The granitoid cooled rapidly from crystallization (650-680°C) at c. 12 Ma to
Low-latency forecasting framework for assessing ENSO impacts on terrestrial carbon cycle
Authors: Quinn Colin , Colligan Thomas , Calle Leonardo , Poulter Benjamin
Published: March 2024

Increasing wetland CH4 emissions are projected to have significant implications for keeping global warming below 2 °C. However, to better understand the future dynamics of wetland CH4 emissions, improved deployment of observational systems (e.g., aircraft and flux towers) is required. One avenue to allow targeted field observations is to improve subseasonal-to-seasonal (S2S) CH4 forecasting. Here, we present a workflow that enables low-latency (
Long-term monitoring of eco-hydrological effects of Live Pole Drains in large open-air test facility at TUDelft campus
Authors: Cahill Linnaea , van der Werf Job Augustijn , Gonzalez-Ollauri Alejandro , Bogaard Thomas Adrianus
Published: March 2024

Live Pole Drains (LPDs) are a plant-based drainage system used to drain natural slopes and prevent shallow gully erosion. LPDs are a Nature-based Solution built by placing a live fascine in a shallow ditch or gully along the slope direction, allowing moderate fluxes of surface runoff or seepage to infiltrate and high water fluxes to be conveyed along the fascine without further eroding the slope. Despite their practical implementation, the transient and long-term eco-hydrological behaviour of LPDs is not well understood. We aim to better understand the LPD’s water balance, the seasonal and life-span changes in hydrological behaviour, as well as the impact of an LPD on surface runoff water quality. To this end, we built and instrumented an artificial slope with full-scale LPDs in an open-air lab (OAL) at TUD. The design of the setup and the monitoring plan of the LPDs were developed in collaboration with Glasgow Caledonia University with insights from the construction and monitoring of three LPDs at different growth stages in their OAL on the east coast of Scotland. Herein, we present the design and possible research experiments that can be performed over the next 5 years, generating a data set to further develop and validate conceptual hydrological modelling of LPDs. We expect this long-term demonstrative setup to generate interest and facilitate a more comprehensive understanding of LPD functions, ultimately leading to the incorporation of LPD design and maintenance standards in engineering toolboxes for slope and gully stabilization.
How did the Largest Oceanic Plateau modify the Normal Oceanic Lithosphere?
Authors: Zhang Ziqi , Olugboji Tolulope
Published: March 2024

The Ontong Java Plateau (OJP), formed around 120 Ma, represents a significant event in the Earth’s geologic history. It is the largest preserved Large Igneous Province (LIP) by volume on the Earth. The voluminous and rapid magmatism placed a thick 30-40 km crust on a normal oceanic lithosphere in submarine conditions. The lithosphere has since experienced low subsidence suggesting only modest thermal perturbation. Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain the unique emplacement history, including a hot mantle plume, meteorite impact, or passive mantle upwelling close to a fast-spreading ridge. In this study, we image the crust and upper mantle structure beneath the OJP using body waves and surface waves. A challenge of body wave imaging in submarine environments is the severe reverberations generated in the water column and seafloor sediments. Additionally, multiple reflections from shallow interfaces (e.g., Moho and intra-crustal layers) may interfere with deeper upper mantle phases, making interpretation ambiguous. In this work, we obtain high-resolution Ps-RFs at 17 OBS (ocean bottom seismometer) stations in the OJP region using a transdimensional hierarchical Bayesian deconvolution approach. We then take advantage of two recently developed techniques: (1) FADER (Fast Automated Detection and Elimination of Echoes and Reverberations), which uses autocorrelation and cepstral analysis to identify and remove water and sediment reverberations, and (2) CRISP-RF (Clean Receiver function Imaging with SParse Radon Filters), which uses sparse Radon transforms to eliminate multiples and incoherent noise. We anticipate applying our novel ideas to traditional seismic imaging will provide robust constraints on the discontinuities detected beneath the OJP, shedding new light on its lithospheric structure and origin.
Modeling the San Francisco Bay Estuary to Inform Nature-Based Sediment and Baylands Management 
Authors: Savant Gaurav
Published: March 2024

Nearshore strategic placement—in addition to direct placement—has been proposed as a nature-based solution to reuse dredged sediment in support of mitigating the effects of sea level rise in the San Francisco Bay Area. The success of nearshore strategic placement relies on hydrodynamic forces moving sediment from the placement site to mudflats and marshes over time. Sediment transport and pathway models can be used to evaluate and prioritize potential placement sites, placement methods, transport rates (informing amount and frequency of sediment placement), sediment fate, and longevity. Models can also be used to predict the evolution of sites after initial placement and as sea level and sediment supply conditions evolve. This model-based information is needed to design wetland restoration and maintenance operations, inform the permitting approval process, and evaluate the costs and benefits of using strategic placement techniques to restore and maintain Bayland habitats in San Francisco Bay. This talk will focus on the estuarine process modeling as well as in-situ observation efforts that are being undertaken to assess sediment fate, sediment transport rates and sediment transport dynamics associated with nearshore strategic placement.
Investigating the impact of emission reductions and traffic sector emissions on ambient PAH and nitrated PAH concentrations
Authors: Meng Jun , Galarneau Elisabeth , Wen Deyong , Toyota Kenjiro , Zhang Junhua
Published: March 2024

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) pose a health risk as hazardous air pollutants, with nitrated PAHs (nitro-PAHs) being notably more toxic. However, limited research has explored how spatial PAH and nitro-PAH concentrations have evolve over time and the specific impact of traffic emissions on ambient PAH and nitro-PAH levels.This study investigates the effects of decreasing anthropogenic emissions and traffic-related emissions on both PAH and nitro-PAH concentrations using a high-resolution regional chemical transport model. The research introduces a new nitro-PAH species, 2-Nitrofluoranthene (2-NFLT), into the Global Environmental Multiscale model – Modelling Air quality and CHemistry (GEM-MACH), enhancing our understanding of regional air quality trends. By simulating 2-NFLT concentrations for varying emission levels over three decades, we aim to identify the changes in 2-NFLT concentrations compared to primary PAH concentrations. Additionally, we quantify the contribution from traffic sector to ambient PAH concentrations by conducting sensitivity simulations under a traffic-free scenario.This work underscores the significance of fine spatial resolution in nitro-PAH modeling and provides critical insights into the co-benefits of reducing primary PAH and NOX emissions over the past two decades. The findings have implications for informing policies aimed at improving air quality and safeguarding public health.
High-Resolution Inversion Modeling of Carbon Dioxide and Methane Emissions in Europe: Assessing Accuracy and  Dynamics
Authors: Mengistu Anteneh Getachew , Tsuruta Aki , Tenkanen Maria , Markkanen Tiina , Raivonen Maarit , Leppänen Antti , Berchet Antoine , Thompson Rona , Lindqvist Hannakaisa , Aalto Tuula
Published: March 2024

Accurate estimation of critical greenhouse gas fluxes, particularly carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4), is vital for shaping effective climate change policies. Leveraging the state-of-the-art Community Inversion Framework (CIF), we estimate high-resolution emissions across Europe (-12°E to 37°E, 35°N to 73°N). Using the Lagrangian Particle Dispersion Model (FLEXPART) with ECMWF meteorological data, we calculate surface flux footprints at 0.2° × 0.2° resolution, enhancing comparisons with national inventories. Assimilating data from 40+ in-situ observations, including ICOS and non-ICOS stations, our 4-dimensional variational optimization refines prior high-resolution flux estimates. Diverse sources contribute to the total flux, including fossil fuel emissions, biomass burning, land emissions, air-sea exchange. Flux corrections enhance accuracy, yielding posterior estimates with reduced bias and heightened correlation. Major CH4 emitters (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Poland, and the UK) collectively contribute 72% of total emissions. The EU27 + UK average is 16.47 ± 1.33 Tg CH4/yr. Posterior anthropogenic emissions reveal a regional mean reduction of > 5 gC/m2/month in summer compared to prior estimates, highlighting seasonal emission dynamics.
Dynamic Adaptive Policy Pathways for Flood Adaptation in Shanghai under Deep Uncertainty
Authors: Shan Xinmeng , Aerts Jeroen C.J.H , Wang Jun , Wen Jiahong , Yin Jie , Yang Yuhan , Qiu Fengyue , Scussolini Paolo
Published: March 2024

Decisions on coastal cities flood adaptation are complicated by deep uncertainty about sea level rise, subsidence and socioeconomic trends, increasing the chance of under- or over-investment. Frameworks have been proposed to plan coastal adaptation in urban settings. In this study, we expand those frameworks to include elements critical to rational decision-making in coastal cities under deep uncertainty. Our framework, trained on the city of Shanghai, includes compound flood modeling, flood risk analysis, design and quantitative simulation of adaptation strategies, cost-benefit analysis, trade-off analysis and formulation of dynamic adaptive policy pathways (DAPP). We include land subsidence in modeling flood scenarios; we compute a diverse set of flood impacts on multiple sectors; we evaluate several techniques of cost-benefit analysis; and we include multiple adaptive strategies against compound flooding (i.e., pluvial, fluvial, coastal). We show that the hard adaptation strategies (e.g., storm-surge barriers and storage tank) can successfully reduce future increase in risk generated by sea level rise, land subsidence and socioeconomic development, by 58%~94%. In contrast, soft adaptation only generate considerable benefits when integrated with hard adaptation into hybrid strategies. A hybrid strategy that combines storm-surge barrier and wetland creation most effectively reduces flood damages and casualties, and yields promising co-benefits. We formulate DAPP for robust and flexible decision-making over time for the coming decades, which open up the decision-making space and help overcome policy paralysis due to deep uncertainty.
Quantifying the response of rivers to Holocene sea level rise in Southern England
Authors: Towers Anya , Attal Mikael , Mudd Simon , Clubb Fiona
Published: March 2024

Southern England has been undergoing subsidence since the end of the Last Glacial Maximum due to the Glacial Isostatic Adjustment of the British Isles. Rivers typically respond to subsidence by aggrading, however many rivers along the coast of Southern England incise at their outlet and exhibit river profile convexities typical of systems experiencing a drop in base level. Studies have suggested that coastal erosion could result in such river morphology. Specifically, numerical modelling studies (Leyland and Darby, 2009; Hackney et al., 2014) have shown that it was only in the Late Holocene when small basins experienced significant channel incision at their outlets.  They demonstrated that this was due to the reduction in the rates of sea level rise which enabled knickpoint recession rates to exceed cliff retreat rates.  Observations and understanding of the geomorphic controls, including both climatic and topographic drivers, on coastal river outlets remain limited, however. For the first time, we examine the spatial distributions of river outlets in Southern England through digital topographic analysis. In regions with similar lithologies and coastal exposure, we find that channels with the smallest basins incise at their mouth while rivers with the largest basins experience aggradation. This signal aligns to model predictions, assuming that the slope of rivers at the coast decreases with increasing basin size. We further explore the role of lithology on knickpoint magnitude and retreat by testing whether more resistant lithologies slow knickpoint retreat rates. Moreover, we investigate the influence of spatial variations in coastal erosion rates on knickpoint morphology, with greater wave heights and subsidence rates documented in the South West. Finally, we examine whether realistic estimates of coastal erosion can be made by reconstructing river profiles before the initiation of subsidence.  This contribution will enhance our understanding of how rivers respond to rising base levels, which is particularly important given the projected sea level rise in Southern England.
Raising awareness of global climate change through a school eco-team
Authors: Veselsky Roman
Published: March 2024

The importance of the topic of global climate change is on the rise, so nowadays in most schools in the world we try to implement topics related to this change into our school curricula. Other means of raising awareness of this topic can be school activities that do not take place directly in the classroom. Undoubtedly, the work of the school's eco team ranks among them.We founded the eco team at our school two years ago. Since its establishment, our eco team organized many interesting activities for students and teachers of our school, which are connected with concepts such as sustainability, ecology and, last but not least, global climate change.We are aware that the creation and systematic work of a school eco-team must be well thought out. With this presentation, we want to point out the pitfalls of ecoteam work and introduce colleagues to the concept for managing and cooperation within an ecoteam. We will also present the activities that the eco team can offer to the school and from which both students and teachers can profit in their subjects. The work of a high-quality eco-team certainly has a positive impact on the knowledge, skills and attitudes of pupils in matters of environmental protection.
Higher Temporal Resolution Global GRACE/GRACE-FO Total Water Storage Products for Assimilation in Hydrology Models
Authors: Save Himanshu , Tamisiea Mark , Pie Nadege , Bettadpur Srinivas
Published: March 2024

The Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) and its Follow-On (GRACE-FO) missions have provided near continuous and unique measurement of total water storage  (TWS) since 2002. These international partnership missions have provided valuable insights in the fields of Hydrology, Oceanography, Ocean dynamics, Cryosphere Sciences, Solid Earth etc. These data from GRACE/GRACE-FO have improved our understanding of the Earth’s water cycle since launch and have become indispensable for climate related studies.The spatial resolution of the data products from GRACE/GRACE-FO are roughly 300km and they typically have a temporal resolution of a month. These products provide the unique measurement of the total water storage of the entire water column and can provide a constraint for hydrological and ocean models. Several studies have used GRACE products for assimilation into the hydrological models for improved assessment of the reality on the ground and for downscaling the information to a higher spatial resolution using data assimilation. This paper will introduce the techniques that improve of temporal resolution of GRACE/GRACE-FO products from month to shorter than 5 days. That includes production of global 5-day TWS solution and the daily TWS product from GRACE that is estimated as a “swath” over the daily satellite ground-track.  The paper will discuss the analysis results over hydrological and ocean basins and validate the higher frequency signals captured by this product.  The goal for the production of this higher temporal resolution GRACE/GRACE-FO product is to be able to use these signals with a latency of a few days for ingestion into machine learning algorithms for early flood detection applications and for daily assimilation into hydrological models at short latency.
Building a community of practice to produce hydrological evidence: the iMHEA example
Authors: Buytaert Wouter ,   iMHEA network
Published: March 2024

The IAHS HELPING decade aims to foster a stronger connection and interaction between scientists, practitioners, policy makers, and end-users towards the goal of global water security. This is a formidable challenge. Despite increasing and highly valuable efforts of scientists to reach out beyond their own discipline and working environment, the ultimate goal of co-creating actionable knowledge is still a long way off in most contexts. Establishing communities of practice has been posited as an approach to creating inter- and transdisciplinary environments that enable cross-learning, pooling of expertise, and collaborative working towards a common goal. However, establishing such communities of practice is very hard, and the conditions and driving factors that allow them to emerge and be productive are poorly understood. It is therefore informative to analyse existing case studies to gain a better understanding of how they can be created and made sustainable. Here I analyse the case of the Initiative for the Hydrological Monitoring of Andean Ecosystems (iMHEA), which is a grassroots initiative that emerged 15 years ago as a collaborative attempt to generate a solid scientific evidence base to support water management in the upper Andes.It started as a small network of 4 partners operating 6 catchments in Ecuador and Peru, using a common monitoring protocol. Since then, it has grown into a network of 22 partners, monitoring 51 catchments at 24 sites along the Andes. Partners represent academia, civil society, and local, regional, and national governments. Originally focused on sharing technical expertise, iMHEA has evolved into a more holistic knowledge co-creation community with a strong focus on community involvement, knowledge exchange, and supporting decision making at various levels.We attribute the success of iMHEA to several factors, of which we believe the following are key. The members’ ability to raise funding, both at the start and at various stages of its development has certainly been a major factor. At the same time, its nature as an informal network has allowed it grow organically and bridge periods of very limited resource availability. Another identified factor is the clear common goal and mission statement, which gave it a clear sense of purpose, direction, and transparency for existing and future members. Lastly, the active approach to multidirectional knowledge exchange, allowed it to create value for all its members, creating a strong motivation to participate and contribute actively.
A study of the near-surface vertical distribution and chemistry of pollutants in cold-climate urban areas with the novel PACT-1D model
Authors: Kuhn Jonas , Stutz Jochen , Cesler-Maloney Meeta , Simpson William R. , Bartels-Rausch Thorsten , Roberts Tjarda J. , Thomas Jennie L. , Dibb Jack , Heinlein Laura , Sunday Michael O. , Anastasio Cort , Fahey Kathleen , Flynn James H. , Guo Fangzhou
Published: March 2024

Cold-climate urban areas often face severe air pollution events in wintertime because of residential heating and vehicle emissions into shallow surface inversion layers. Many state-of-the-art regional chemistry-transport models cannot capture the small spatio-temporal scale of the transport and chemical processes occurring in these environments.Here we introduce a new version of our one-dimensional atmospheric chemistry and transport model, PACT-1D that includes continuous exchange of atmospheric air with the interstitial air of a snow layer and a kinetic treatment of multi-phase chemical processes in air and snow. PACT-1D allows modeling and assessment of the interaction of transport, chemistry, and emissions on the time and length scales relevant to polluted wintertime environments.We use the model to analyze observations made during the ALPACA campaign (Jan. and Feb. 2022 in Fairbanks, AK, USA). Many atmospheric and snow parameters were recorded, including measurements of the vertical distribution of trace species in the atmosphere and snow. The near surface transport is constrained by a passive tracer method, using reported sulfur dioxide emissions and respective profile measurements. We present preliminary model results and analyze sources of oxidants in the snow and the influence of the snow layer on the near-surface atmospheric compositions.
Carbon Cycling and Nutrient Storage in Supraglacial Environments on the western margin of the Greenland Ice sheet
Authors: Faber Quincy , Flint Madison , Palmer Katelyn , Salinas Tatiana , Shin Yuseung , Cohen Matthew , Martin Ellen , Martin Jonathan , Pain Andrea , Christner Brent
Published: March 2024

During summer, exposed ice on the surface of glaciers becomes weathered by solar radiation, creating a ~1 m water-saturated layer of porous ice referred to as the weathering crust aquifer. Here we present results from a hydrological, biogeochemical, and microbiological study of supraglacial waters from the Greenland Ice Sheet margin in proximity to Kangerlussuaq. Through comparisons with supraglacial streams with relatively shorter water residence times, we demonstrate the weathering crust aquifer contains a distinct geochemical composition and unique community of microorganisms that is actively cycling carbon and nutrients. This evidence includes changes in the abundance of organic nutrients and compositional changes in the fluorescent dissolved organic matter properties over the melt season. Sources of organic matter production include photosynthesis, which was indicated by changes in the natural abundance of δ13C in inorganic carbon as well as in experiments where added 13CO2 was incorporated into biomass. Our results show there were relatively high dissolved concentrations of solute in the weathering crust aquifer in relation to supraglacial streams, implying water-sediment interactions occurring in the weathering crust affected the meltwater chemistry. Solutes enriched in the meltwater included trace elements (e.g., Zn, Ni, and Cu) and phosphorus, the latter of which could be due to the presence of apatite, an easily weatherable phosphorus-bearing mineral. Processes affecting the availability of phosphorus in supraglacial waters are significant considering results from nutrient addition experiments that demonstrated the supraglacial phototrophic communities were phosphorus limited. Cell and Chlorophyll a concentrations initially increased with progression of the melt season but decreased the late season, suggesting that much of the new biomass accumulating in the weathering crust aquifer during the summer months was subsequently transported downstream with meltwater. The study site is a component of a ~3000 km2  supraglacial catchment estimated to store ~0.5 km3 of meltwater per season that is discharged to the Akuliarusiarsuup Kuua, highlighting the scale of hydrological and biogeochemical processes influencing ecosystems near the ice sheet margin. Consequently, a better understanding of microbial processes cycling carbon and contributing to nutrient availability in the weathering crust aquifer is needed to decipher the biogeochemical effects on Arctic supraglacial and proglacial systems that are undergoing rapid changes.  
Advancing hydrological monitoring: Terrestrial gravimetry surveys in the Selke Catchment, Germany
Authors: Sayyadi Sara , Rasche Daniel , Reich Marvin , Blume Theresa , Güntner Andreas
Published: March 2024

In this study, spatial and temporal variations of soil moisture and water storage were monitored with two complementary methods: terrestrial gravimetry and cosmic ray neutron sensing (CRNS). CRNS monitors near-surface soil moisture by measuring low-energy neutron abundance in the near-surface atmosphere, which inversely correlates with soil moisture in the top decimeters of the soil. Terrestrial gravimetry monitors water storage variations in an integrative way over the entire unsaturated zone and the groundwater. Both methods allow for non-invasive spatially integrated field-scale monitoring around the instruments.The study area is the Selke catchment in Central Germany with an area of 456 km². It has notable variations in topography, land use, and meteorology from the lowlands to the low mountain ranges. A combined approach was applied for terrestrial gravimetry: continuous stationary and time-lapse network surveys. We deployed a gPhone in a container-based housing (SolarCube) which serves as a base station for the relative gravity campaigns. Using two CG-6 gravimeters, the campaigns were conducted at six sites within the catchment area with co-located CRNS installations. In total five relative gravity surveys were carried out from July to October 2023. Each of them consisted of a two-day campaign where each survey point was visited three times by the two gravimeters. In order to ensure a high quality of the gravity data, capable of resolving a signal in the magnitude typical for hydrological processes in the area, a network adjustment of the repeated survey data was carried out. This included device-specific drift estimations. The results are combined with the continuous time series of the gPhone and analyzed jointly in a spatio-temporal approach with CRNS and in-situ soil moisture observations. Temporal dynamics of storage dynamics are assessed and spatial differences between the upland and the lowland areas are analyzed.
Carbon assimilation limitations during and after the European 2022 drought and heat wave
Authors: Joetzjer Emilie , Lafont Sebastien , Cuntz Matthias , Loubet Benjamin , Herig Coimbra Pedro , Delpierre Nicolas , Limousin Jean Marc , Domec Jean Christophe , Simioni Guillaume
Published: March 2024

In 2022, Europe experienced a widespread severe summer edaphic drought and heat event. We explore how the gross primary productivity (GPP) was affected by this dry spell by contrasting 2022 with previous years, using high-frequency Eddy-Covariance and meteorological monitoring from 16 ICOS forest stations spanning across Europe. With the exception of Scandinavian forests, all monitored stations experienced a reduction of GPP ranging from 5 to 60% and a reduction of evapotranspiration ranging from 10 to 62% during summer. GPP reduction was predominantly attributed to a decrease in the maximum apparent carboxylation rate rather than a direct effect of soil water content limitation on stomatal aperture at the canopy scale. Some sites showed more GPP than usual after the drought due to abnormally hot and wet autumn conditions. However, most severely affected sites did not fully recover to normal GPP levels after the drought, suggesting a potential lagged effect of the adverse summer conditions.
A model for the formation and propagation of faults from the coalescence of smaller-scale systems of cracks: Finite Element Method-based numerical approach
Authors: Manna Ludovico , Toscani Giovanni , Maino Matteo , Casini Leonardo , Dabrowski Marcin
Published: March 2024

The 2D, plane strain, Finite Element Method-based linear elastic model that I present aims to assess the differential stress response to variations in the geometric configuration of a system of multiple collinear elliptic cracks intercepting a body of rock undergoing elastic deformation. The assumption underlying this simulation is that a collection of thin voids in a continuum medium can replicate the features observed in a system consisting of rough fault profiles in partial contact subjected to shear. The linear elastic model is designed to reproduce the stress and displacement fields around a rough fault, with a specific focus on stress concentration around its contact asperities. The model also allows to record the principal stress field on the domain for a wide range of scales and geometric properties of the system of collinear cracks embedded in the deforming rock. Analyzing the dependence of differential stress on parameters describing the geometry of rough fractures allows for considerations on the primary factors influencing brittle failure. Additionally, the examination of principal stresses around the tips of the cracks helps evaluate the potential orientation of new fracture patterns that may emerge when the yield strength of the deforming material is locally exceeded. The magnitude and orientation of the principal stresses are also crucial for the understanding of fracture coalescence and frictional reactivation of shear cracks in an elastic rock, which in turn is one of the main factors that govern the seismic cycle of natural faults. Furthermore, a comparison of the results of the present model with recent wing crack models of brittle creep suggest that our code may also be useful to obtain estimates of the critical distance between cracks for their interaction to coalesce into larger fractures. The process is assumed to indefinitely continue at greater scales, which offers the chance to propose a model for fault formation and propagation.
Bridging the Soil Health Data Gap: informing prioritization of soil data collection efforts
Authors: Miglio Ester , Albanito Fabrizio , Sala Simone , Smith Pete
Published: March 2024

The sampling and analysis or visual examination of soil to assess its health status are widely practiced from plot to national scales. However, available data are often not made easily accessible and new data are not always shared with the wider public, creating a partial understanding of soil processes and health status across different geographies, as well as a misuse of resources.To address these challenges, Varda has created an interactive digital soil platform, named SoilHive, which provides an overview of existing soil data across the globe, facilitates the identification of soil data gaps across regions, and supports soil data sharing and interoperability.To facilitate the identification of functional soil data gaps, Varda created a visualization tool to enable users to identify the extent to which the data available in their selected regions of interest allow them to characterize key soil characteristics and functions, starting with soil health. To this end, Varda collaborated with a team at the Aberdeen University to define a minimum set of indicators and associated soil properties, covering diverse soil degradation processes and ecosystem services, to describe soil health at the local level with a focus on agricultural settings. SoilHive users will be able to select a region of interest and verify how many of those indicators are available to characterize soil health: the gap between the available data and the required data will be marked as the "Soil Health Data Gap" and described as the percentage of data over the total number of indicators.This Soil Health Data Gap could facilitate the identification of those regions where data collection efforts should be intensified, informing the prioritization of actions aimed at bridging existing gaps while expanding the availability of soil data. Several proposed activities to address this gap include targeted soil mining activities to collect historical and non-digitized soil data, advocating for data-sharing collaborations among diverse stakeholders, and organizing brand-new soil sampling campaigns. Moreover, additional soil health definitions could be used to provide the user with different representations of soil health data gaps, in line with these definitions.Closing the existing Soil Health Data Gaps bears significant importance, as it empowers us to deepen our comprehension of soil health dynamics. By expanding soil data transparency across all sectors and stakeholders, we would gain the ability to make well-informed decisions regarding optimal soil management practices, efficiently allocate resources, and strive to enhance soil health for the betterment of both present and future generations.
Climate adaptive urban extreme weather risk assessment and management
Authors: Kang Lingyan , Wu Jiang , Li Fengting
Published: March 2024

Climate change, an escalating global predicament, is intricately linked with the uncertainties surrounding urban development, a process that is intricately tied to economic growth and social progress. This interconnectedness gives rise to new interconnected risks that present significant social and economic challenges, threatening the sustainability of our urban centers. This study takes into account climate change risk mitigation and adaptation strategies, focuses on urban climate risk identification and establishment of climate adaptive city risk assessment index system. Through the sorting of historical data, the improvement of disaster statistics and other interconnection to clarify regional risks in different fields, and discusses methods to achieve efficient risk management and governance of climate-resilient cities under the dual background of urbanization and climate change. By adopting a perspective centered on climate risk management, this research provides forward-thinking guidance for long-term perspectives on urban planning and construction.
Multi-basin calibration of the ECMWF land-surface model ECLand
Authors: Thober Stephan , Mai Juliane , Mazzetti Cinzia , Balsamo Gianpaolo , Prudhomme Christel , Schweppe Robert , Kelbling Matthias , Müller Sebastian , Samaniego Luis
Published: March 2024

Accurately and efficiently estimating parameters for spatially distributed environmental models is impossible without proper regularization of the parameter space. The Multiscale Parameter Regionalization (MPR, Samaniego et al. 2010) makes use of high-resolution physiographic data (i.e., physiographic data such as soil maps and land cover information) to translate local land surface properties into model parameters. MPR consists of two steps: first, the high-resolution model parameters are derived from physiographic data via transfer functions at the native resolution. Second, the model parameters are upscaled to the target resolution the environmental model is applied on. MPR has already been successfully applied to the mesoscale hydrologic model (mHM, Samaniego et al. 2010, Kumar et al. 2013). An agnostic, stand-alone version implementation of MPR (Schweppe et al., 2022) allows applying this technique to any land-surface model or hydrological model.In this study, we apply MPR to optimize parameters for the land-surface model ECLand (Boussetta et al. 2021) of the ECMWF Integrated Forecasting System. ECLand is calibrated at multiple locations simultaneously to provide an improved representation of river discharge at a global scale. We demonstrate the flexibility of the MPR approach by optimizing different transfer functions including the default one used in ECLand. In particular, we will discuss how specific choices in the calibration setting (i.e., chosen model parameters and ranges, basin locations, transfer function) affect the obtained ECLand model performance. References:Samaniego L., Kumar, R., and Attinger, S.: “Multiscale parameter regionalization of a grid-based hydrologic model at the mesoscale”, Water Resour. Res., 46, 2010.Kumar, R., Samaniego, L., and Attinger, S.: “Implications of distributed hydrologic model parameterization on water fluxes at multiple scales and locations”, Water Resources Res, 2013Schweppe, R., Thober, S., Müller, S., Kelbling, M., Kumar, R., Attinger, S., and Samaniego, L.: MPR 1.0: a stand-alone multiscale parameter regionalization tool for improved parameter estimation of land surface models, Geosci. Model Dev., 15, 859–882, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-859-2022, 2022Boussetta S, Balsamo G, Arduini G, Dutra E, McNorton J, Choulga M, Agustí-Panareda A, Beljaars A, Wedi N, Munõz-Sabater J, de Rosnay P, Sandu I, Hadade I, Carver G, Mazzetti C, Prudhomme C, Yamazaki D, Zsoter E. ECLand: The ECMWF Land Surface Modelling System. Atmosphere. 2021; 12(6):723. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos12060723
Slip localization on multiple fault splays accommodating distributed deformation across normal fault complexities.
Authors: Iezzi Francesco , Francescone Marco , Pizzi Alberto , Blumetti Anna Maria , Boncio Paolo , Di Manna Pio , Pace Bruno , Piacentini Tommaso , Papasodaro Felicia , Morelli Francesco , Caciagli Marco , Chiappini Massimo , D’Ajello Caracciolo Francesca , Materni Valerio , Nicolosi Iacopo , Sapia Vincenzo , Urbini Stefano
Published: March 2024

Features such as fault geometry and slip-rates are key inputs to assess the seismic hazard imposed by either ground motion or fault displacement. However, complexities in the geology of faults, such as relay zones and along-strike fault bends, could lead to settings characterized by high segmentation, with multiple splays arranged both along and across strike. In order to assess the seismic hazard associated with such fault sectors, it is necessary to establish whether the 3D shallow deformation is equally spread over the multiple fault splays or the activity tends to localise on specific splays. This problem is enhanced when these faults are located within urban areas, and therefore their surface expression is altered by intense anthropic activity.Within the framework of a work on the mitigation of the fault displacement hazard associated with the Mt. Marine active normal fault (Central Italy), we have performed two paleoseismological surveys within the town of Pizzoli (about 10 km NW of L’Aquila), where the fault is expressed with several splays arranged both along and across-strike. The trenches were planned to explore (i) potential fault scarps altered by human activity, identified through aerial photographs, LiDAR and fieldwork analysis, and (ii) discontinuities in the stratigraphic record highlighted by geophysical investigations (ERT, GPR) and borehole data.The paleoseismological surveys intercepted five fault splays arranged across-strike, three synthetic and two antithetic to the main Mt. Marine fault. The fault splays show evidence of multiple Late Pleistocene/Holocene surface-rupturing seismic events, marked by colluvial wedges and infilled fractures. Moreover, we constrained the Late Pleistocene slip-rate of the Mt. Marine fault splays by dating and correlating Late-Pleistocene paleosols found (1) outcropping in the footwall of one of the inner fault splay and (2) in a borehole located just at the hangingwall of the outermost splay.Our results show that the fault splays exhibit different and variable activity rates, suggesting that fault activity is localized on specific fault splays through space and time with the potential to rupture simultaneously during large earthquakes. Our findings have strong implications on fault-based seismic hazard assessments, as they imply that data collected on one splay may not be representative of the behaviour of the entire fault.
Spectral analysis as proxy for lineament spatial distribution: validation and case study
Authors: Dichiarante Anna Maria , Redfield Tim , Torgersen Espen , Svendby Anne Kathrine , Oye Volker
Published: March 2024

Spectral analysis (SA) is a technique commonly used in signal and image processing that makes use of the Fast Fourier Transform to compute the 2D power spectrum, which is a representation of the magnitude of each frequency component of the signal or image. SA can be similarly performed on a topographic map, and the orientation, frequency and magnitude (or power) of general topographic trends can be automatically retrieved and displayed in the 2D power spectrum. Recent studies have shown that spectral analysis can be successfully used to characterize repetitive and spatially homogeneous features or landforms, such as ridge and valley or glacial lineations. However, although these repetitive features dominate the 2D power spectrum, all the topographic information of the map is still present. Therefore, SA can be used on heterogenous and complex topographic map as a proxy for lineament analysis.Lineament analysis is broadly used in a wide number of applications which include tectonic studies, exploration for groundwater, hazard evaluation for tunnel excavation, rockfalls or waste repository etc. Here, we propose a new methodology for lineament analysis based on spectral analysis and we demonstrate that this is a fast and effective way to derive lineament spatial distribution from images that can be visualized as rose diagrams. To validate our methodology, we stochastically generated 1000 synthetic lineament networks and numerically compared the rose diagrams derived from the power spectra to known lineament distribution. The comparison held a similarity of 94%.The methodology was also applied to the Oslo region and compared to automatically extracted lineaments from OttoDetect software (developed by the Geological Survey of Norway). Results on three pre-selected areas characterized by different topographic patterns showed similarity of 97%, 95%, and 90%, respectively.One of the pitfalls of spectral analysis is the lack of positioning on the original map of the signatures in the power spectrum. To locate the main signature on the map, we used the orientation of the main signatures from the power spectrum and used cross-correlation and clustering methods on topographic profiles.
Biomonitoring of emerging contaminants in a river in southern Brazil
Authors: Clasen Barbara , Storck Tamiris , Tiecher Tadeu , Silveira Andressa
Published: March 2024

The Brazilian biomes degradation puts the quality and integrity of aquatic ecosystems at risk. The disorderly advancement of human activities such as industry, livestock and agriculture make water resources vulnerable to contamination. In this way, the use and occupation of land in the river catchment directly reflects the possible contaminants that may be detected in surface waters. The Uruguay River catchment comprises the Pampa and Atlantic Forest Biomes in southern Brazil, in addition to parts of Argentina and Uruguay. It is estimated that there is a small portion of vegetation remaining in relation to the initial vegetation cover in this catchment, with a high fragmentation degree, due to intense degradation. Therefore, the objective of this study is to evaluate the emerging contaminants presence in the Uruguay River and biomarkers in fish Astyanax sp. exposed to the mixture of these contaminants in situ. To this end, samples of water, sediment and fish were collected over a year in 5 locations distributed along the Uruguay River (around 300km). The occurrence of metals, pesticides, medicines for human and animal use and hormones in water samples was analyzed, and the presence of pesticides in sediments and fish muscles. The presence of 14 active pesticide ingredients was detected, the insecticide imidacloprid being the most common, 13 medicines, 1 female hormone and 7 metals in the water. The presence of 4 pesticides and 3 pesticides bioaccumulated in the fish muscles were detected in the sediments. The results obtained in this study are extremely important for evaluating the contamination of a river basin of international importance. With this, it is possible to determine the possible river contamination sources, and, thus, define or propose improvements in management and mitigation measures aimed at improving environmental quality.
Land subsidence induced by urbanization: towards building damage predictions
Authors: Maoret Valentina , Candela Thibault , van Dinther Ylona , Koster Kay , Teatini Pietro , van Wees Jan Diederik , Zoccarato Claudia
Published: March 2024

Here, the outline of a new research project focused on predicting land subsidence in urban areas in the Netherlands is presented. The need for subsidence predictions at a scale comparable to building size and the potential additional effect due to the presence of building are the key points of the present contribution. The final objective is to disentangle the relative subsidence contribution of the presence of building in one selected urban area in the Netherlands.Land subsidence induced by human activities is a well-known issue. In the Netherlands, as well as worldwide, multiple subsurface activities covering a wide spectrum of depths (such as hydrocarbon extraction, salt mining, groundwater withdrawal) can lead to subsidence. In urban areas this inflicts damage to buildings and infrastructure, leading to high costs and hazardous situations. A complicating factor in urban areas  is that the presence of the built environment also itself influences the processes of subsidence. To address these challenges, we intend to fill out two big knowledge gaps.The first challenge in predicting subsidence in urban areas is the relatively small spatial-scale of the subsidence processes, i.e. scale smaller than buildings. This requires the spatial downscaling of existing modelling approaches. Since damages to buildings are driven by small-scale spatial subsidence fluctuations, our current large-scale subsidence predictions are almost meaningless for urban areas.The second one consists of assessing the effect of urbanization itself on land subsidence. Our current subsidence models disregard the presence of the build environment and thus this potential additional effect in urban areas, like the presence of buildings, needs to be implemented. To achieve our goal we plan to combine multiple data sources (building locations/weights/years of construction, InSAR, LiDAR, and Cone Penetration Tests) with physics-based and ML-based models.