bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Predicting the spatial distribution of C stock in Swedish boreal forest using remotely sensed and site-specific variables
Authors: Hounkpatin Ozias , Stendahl Johan , Lundblad Mattias , Karltun Erik
Published: March 2020

The status of the Cstock at any position in the landscape is subject to a complex interplay of soil-state factors operating at different scale and regulating conflicting processes resulting either in soils acting as sink or source of carbon.  Since spatial variability is characteristic of large landscape, key drivers of C stock might be specific for subareas compared to those influencing the whole landscape. Consequently, calibrating separately models for subareas (local models) that collectively cover a target area can result in different prediction accuracy and Cstock drivers compared to a single model (global model) that covers the whole area. The goal of this study was therefore to (1) assess how global and local models differ in predicting the litter, mineral soil and total Cstock in Sweden boreal forest, (2) identify  the key variables  in  forest  Cstock prediction and their scale of influence. We here use the Swedish National Forest Soil Inventory (NFSI) database and the digital soil mapping approach to evaluate the prediction performance of the random forest  that is calibrated locally for the northern (N-SE), central (C-SE) and southern (S-SE) Sweden and for the whole Sweden (global model). Models were built by considering (1) only site characteristics which are direct record on plot during NFSI, (2) remotely sensed variables and (3) both site characteristics and remotely sensed variables. Local models are generally more effective for predicting Cstock after testing on independent validation data. Using remotely sensed variables with soil inventory indicates that such covariates have limited predictive strength but that site specific covariates show better explanatory strength for C stocks. The latter also were the main drivers for Cstock both locally and globally. Investment could focus in mapping these influential site covariates which have potential for future Cstock prediction  models.

 
An improved representation of the land surface temperature including the effects of vegetation in the COSMO model
Authors: Schulz Jan-Peter , Vogel Gerd
Published: March 2020

Land surface processes have a significant impact on near-surface atmospheric phenomena. They determine, among others, near-surface sensible and latent heat fluxes and the radiation budget, and thus influence atmosphere and land characteristics, such as temperature and humidity, the structure of the planetary boundary layer, and even cloud formation processes. It is therefore important to simulate the land surface processes in atmospheric models as realistically as possible.

Verifications have shown that the amplitude of the diurnal cycle of the surface temperature simulated by the land surface scheme TERRA of the COSMO atmospheric model is systematically underestimated. In contrast, the diurnal cycles of the temperatures in the soil are overestimated, instead. This means that the other components of the surface energy balance are biased as well, for instance, the surface turbulent heat fluxes or the ground heat flux.

Data from the Meteorological Observatory Lindenberg of the German Meteorological Service (DWD) were used to analyse this model behaviour. In the standard model configuration of TERRA, there is no representation of the vegetation in the surface energy balance. This means, there is no energy budget including a temperature for the vegetation layer. Furthermore, the insulating effects by the vegetation at the sub-canopy level are missing as well. In this work, a scheme providing both of these missing model characteristics was implemented in TERRA. As a result, the simulated diurnal amplitude of the surface temperature is increased and the one of the soil temperature is reduced, both leading to better agreements with the measurements. These improvements are found in TERRA in offline mode, using Lindenberg observations, as well as in coupled mode in the atmospheric models of DWD, i.e. the limited-area COSMO model and the global ICON model.
Results From the Insight Mission After a Year and a Half on Mars
Authors: Pike William T. , Banerdt William , Smrekar Suzanne , Lognonné Philippe , Giardini Domenico , Banfield Don , Dehant Véronique , Folkner William , Golombek Matthew , Johnson Catherine , Russell Christopher , Spiga Aymeric , Spohn Tilman
Published: March 2020

The InSight mission landed on Mars in November of 2018 and completed installation of a seismometer (SEIS) on the surface about two months later. In addition to SEIS, InSight carries a diverse geophysical observatory including a heat flow and sub-surface physical properties experiment (HP3), a geodesy (planetary rotation dynamics) experiment (RISE), and a suite of environmental sensors measuring the magnetic field and atmospheric temperature, pressure and wind (APSS). For more than a year, SEIS has been providing near-continuous seismic monitoring of Mars, with background noise levels orders of magnitude lower than that achievable on the Earth. Since installation was completed, the SEIS team has identified more than 400 events that we have not attributed to the local environment or spacecraft activity, and dozens that appear to be marsquakes of tectonic origin. We present an overview of observations by the SEIS instrument as well as a summary of other geophysical observations made by InSight during the past year and a half.
Assessment of shallow seated landslide size and magnitude characteristics: An example from Northeastern Turkey
Authors: Tezel Kübra , Akgün Aykut , Alizadeh Ehsan
Published: March 2020

Landslides occurred in the Northeastern part of Turkey are generally classified to be shallow seated landslides or earthflow type based on Varnes (1984) classification. These landslides are occasionally seen in the weathered  Eocene or Upper Crateceous aged volcanic and volcano-clastic rocks. Although there are considerable studies both directly on these landslides in point of mapping and hazard assessment, there is no any studies concerning size and magnitude characteristics of them. By considering this point, an assessment of size and magnitude characteristics of shallow seated type landslides at an area where is one of most landslide prone area of Turkey was carried out.

The investigation area is totaly covered by Eocene aged volcano-clastic lithology, and the weathering is widespread due to the climatical conditions in the area. The extend of the area is 140 square kilometers. In the area, 120 landslides were mapped by a multiple image interpretation that is from the years of 2000 to 2019. To do this, Google Earth images were used. In the area, the area (AL) of the landslide mapped differs from 53.28 m2 to 902,809 m2. The length and width of these landslide were also determined and these characteristics were taken into account for an assessment of relationship between the size and topographical features such as slope gradient, curvature, topographical wetness index and stream power index. The approximate volumes of these landslides were calculated by considering direct depth observations in the field surveys, and then assessed by different relations proposed by different studies. Magnitude (M) of these landslides were also assessed by taken into account of the area (AL) and volume (VL) values.
Seismic velocity-depth relation in foreland basins: the case study of the Central Adriatic Sea
Authors: Scisciani Vittorio , Mancinelli Paolo
Published: March 2020

In the frame of the geological characterization of the subsurface, the multidisciplinary approach is key to fully understand the geological and geophysical processes. Seismic data analysis and interpretation would result in a mere exercise without constraints provided by geological, geophysical and petrophysical data. These constraints may be provided by borehole data, surface geology or laboratory measurements on samples. In this work, to support geological understanding of foreland basins we integrate reprocessed seismic profiles and borehole data in the Central Adriatic Sea to investigate the velocity-depth trend of the Pliocene-Quaternary turbiditic siliciclastic deposits. These deposits play a key role in the reconstruction of the geodynamic and stratigraphic evolution of the foreland basin, as well as on the hydrocarbon exploration and gas storage in central Adriatic. Relying on independent approaches to map two way time (TWT) thickness of the PH deposits, we converge on testing linear and exponential functions to predict VP depth trend. Results suggest that for large (> 1500 m) thicknesses of the PH deposits best fit is achieved by the exponential function VP(z) = c z(1-n) while for thinner deposits, a linear function like VP(z) = V0 + k z provides best fitting estimates. We also investigate anomalies in velocity trend with depth and suggest that velocity drops observed in deep (2500-3500 m) PH sequences may reflect overpressure of these deposits. An hypothesis supported by the high sedimentation rates in central Adriatic during Pliocene. Finally, we stress the importance of considering vertical-component phenomena and their time evolution when modelling foreland basins.
Characterizing diatoms and their correlation with the distribution of macrophytes and parasitic Fungi using sedimentary genetic records from lake Constance, Germany
Authors: Ibrahim Anan , Epp Laura , Meyer Axel , schleheck David
Published: March 2020

Algae and macrophytes are two of the main primary producers that interact with higher trophic levels by providing food and habitat.  Their distribution thereby affect the physical and chemical characteristics of the ecosystem and hence act as its bioindicators. The use of multiple molecular markers to capture DNA signals in sediments allow for the reconstruction of their historical communities. We here use metabarcoding of different primers to illustrate the trophic history and the interactions between diatoms, macrophytes and microbial eukaryotes and their response to anthropogenic impacts. Sediment samples were taken from a large deep lake representing different regions of different chemical and physical characteristics. Preliminary data suggest a congruent trophic history using each of the molecular markers and an interaction between the presence of fungal parasites and the prevalence of diatoms.  

 
Ruskeala underground laboratory for the study of natural waters (Karelia, Russia)
Authors: Borodulina Galina
Published: March 2020

Ruskeala underground laboratory was organized jointly by the Karelian Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences (KarRC RAS) and Kolmas Karelia company as an experimental innovative facility for the study of underground spaces. KarRC RAS is a partner in the Baltic Sea Underground Innovation Network (BSUIN) project of the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme. Ruskeala quarries can act as a showcase of the transformation of the chemical composition of groundwater formed in Proterozoic calcareous rocks of the Fennoscandian Shield and exposed by open mining. Drillholes reveal weakly alkaline fresh (0.4 g/l) bicarbonate calcium-magnesium groundwater, which, when discharged in quarries, loses dissolved gases (CO2, He, Rn), becomes more alkaline and fresher due to atmospheric precipitation. Since the biota in the man-made reservoirs is poor, nitrates, as the final product of the transformation of nitrogen compounds brought in by surface runoff, can accumulate in the quarry water. The mine network provides a unique opportunity for studying the hydrodynamics and geochemistry of groundwater and its interaction with surface waters.

The study was supported by BSUIN project of the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme
Integrating acoustics and photogrammetry-based 3D point clouds for the generation of a continuous bathymetric model in coral reef environment.
Authors: Savini Alessandra , Marchese Fabio , Fallati Luca , Corselli Cesare , Galli Paolo
Published: March 2020

Digital terrain model (DTM) reconstruction in coral reef environments through traditional mapping methods, using either singlebeam or multibeam echosounder systems, often presents difficulties in obtaining a continuous 3-dimensional representation, due to the complex topography and the considerable extension of very shallow areas (i.e. reef flat areas). The present-day most advanced techniques used to collect high-resolution elevation data both for land surface and the seafloor, in coral reef environments, include the use of satellite-derived bathymetry, LIDAR technology, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles coupled with photogrammetry and traditional bathymetric surveys. Data processing represents in all the cases a fundamental step for ensuring the accuracy and reliability of obtained measurements, especially for allowing a precise integration of all data sources into a continuous DTM. In our work, we present a tested methodological protocol for the generation of a continuous fine-scale digital terrain model (DTM) in coral reef environments. A portion of an atoll reef (Magoodhoo reef located in the Maldivian archipelago, the southern part of Faafu atoll) has been remotely mapped from the reef flat area to the connected and deeper lagoon environment, collecting elevation data by different sources according to the surveyed depths. In particular, we acquired acoustic depth measurements using a multibeam echosounder and 3D point clouds applying the Structure from Motion (SfM) technique to RGB images, collected using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). All obtained data were calibrated and validated with RTK-GNSS measurements and successfully integrated in order to generate a harmonized DTM for the surveyed sector of the Magoodhoo reef.
Estimating soil moisture from COSMO-SkyMed data at an active landslide site in North Yorkshire, UK
Authors: Bliss Clare , Wainwright John , Donoghue Danny , Jordan Colm
Published: March 2020

Surface soil moisture is recognised as an important measurement for use in the assessment of potential slope instability in hydraulically driven landslides.  In this poster we present a nine month time series of surface soil moisture estimates derived from ESA’s Cosmo SkyMed Synthetic Aperture RADAR (SAR) product at the Hollin Hill Landslide Observatory in North Yorkshire, UK.   

We show the relationship between these SAR-derived SM values and ground-truthed surface soil moisture data, explore spatial relationships between areas of high soil moisture and landslide activity and briefly discuss the potential of SAR data as an input for Landslide Early Warning systems.
Evidence of pressure jump signatures linked to fast air-water displacement dynamics in macropores
Authors: López Periago Jose Eugenio , Soto Gomez Diego , Paradelo Marcos
Published: March 2020

We present a method to identify the characteristics of pressure jumps in repeated pump-driven saturation and drainage cycles in packed sand columns, i.e.,  pore pressure from zero to -80 hPa. This method is based on the registration of pore pressure oscillations using high sensitivity and rapid response tensiometers. The pressure signals were processed to identify and extract the pressure waveforms read by two tensiometers simultaneously.  Then, the waveforms were classified by k-means clustering algorithms and principal component analysis. We obtained a classification of different types of pressure waveforms that are consistent throughout successive cycles of wetting and drainage cycles. This consistency can be associated with patterns of fast capillary displacements in macropores, and ultimately, to hydrodynamic features of the structure.
Monsoon dynamics in past and future climates: the Holocene is not an analogue of future projections
Authors: D'Agostino Roberta , Bader Juergen , Brown Josephine , Bordoni Simona , Ferreira David , Moise Aurel , Nguyen Hanh , Silva-Dias Pedro , Jungclaus Johann
Published: March 2020

In recent decades the paleo-modelling community has sought to identify past warm climates that could provide analogues for greenhouse induced warming. In spite of some similarities in temperature distributions (e.g. Pliocene, Eocene, Cretaceous and summertime Northern Hemisphere mid-Holocene), however, it is unlikely that any past epoch can provide detailed insight into future warming, especially in terms of changes in the hydrological cycle. Reviewing recent work, we show that changes in the atmospheric circulation can dramatically alter the relationship between temperature and precipitation, weakening the possibility for useful climate analogs as envisioned in the literature. We present results of moisture budget decomposition from mid-Holocene and Representative Pathways Scenario RCP8.5, two climates in which monsoons are stronger and wider than the pre-Industrial era. We find that Northern Hemisphere monsoons are much stronger and wider during the Holocene than what projected for the end of the 21st century. This is because the thermodynamic (i.e. moisture changes) and dynamic responses (i.e. mean-flow changes) reinforce each other in the mid-Holocene while they partially cancel out in the future climate. Therefore, the Holocene does not represent an analogue of the future given the opposite dynamical responses in the two climates. Consistent with other studies, our work highlights that changes in atmospheric circulation are the major source of uncertainty for future projection of hydrological cycle, especially at regional scales.
U–Pb–Hf–O–Nd isotopes and geochemistry of the Neoarchean granitoid gneisses in Eastern Hebei, North China Craton: Implications for crustal growth
Authors: Li Zhuang , Zhang Wei
Published: March 2020

Neoarchean granitoid gneisses are widely distributed throughout Eastern Hebei, eastern North China Craton, and are dominated by deformed and metamorphosed tonalite–trondhjemite–granodiorite (TTG), diorite, and granite. This study presents the results of systematic zircon U–Pb geochronological, whole-rock geochemical and Sm–Nd isotopic analyses of the Neoarchean granitoid gneisses in Eastern Hebei. These data provide insights into the Archean–Paleoproterozoic multiple tectonothermal events and the petrogenesis of the gneisses in this area. U–Pb ages and cathodoluminescence images of zircons from the granitoid gneisses using laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA–ICP–MS) indicate that their magmatic precursors were contemporaneously emplaced between 2546 ± 10 and 2510 ± 10 Ma, reflecting a giant Neoarchean igneous event throughout Eastern Hebei. Subsequently these rocks were subjected to regional amphibolite facies metamorphism at 2.48 – 2.45 Ga. The close spatial and temporal relationships between magmatism and metamorphism at ca. 2.5 Ga suggest a uniform tectonothermal evolution of Eastern Hebei. The granitic gneisses are considered to have mainly originated from the partial melting of juvenile metamorphosed greywackes, with minor involvement of basalts. The large geochemical and isotopic variations within the dioritic and TTG gneisses both provide evidence for the mixing of mafic and felsic magmas, coupled with fractional crystallization. However, the chemical differences between the dioritic and TTG gneisses might be because they originated from different mafic magma sources, viz., basaltic and high-Mg melts. The mafic magma may have also formed the metamorphosed basalt or komatiite within the greenstone belt or evolved via fractional crystallization prior to the magma mixing. Large-scale granitoid activities were possibly related to mafic magma underplating. The combined geochronological, geochemical, and geological data support an Archean proto-mantle plume model for interpreting the geodynamics of the eastern North China Craton during the Neoarchean.

Acknowledgements Our work was supported financially by Beijing Natural Science Foundation (Grant Number: 8194073), the Science Foundation of China University of Petroleum, Beijing (Grant Number: 2462017YJRC032) and the Science Foundation of State Key Laboratory of Petroleum Resources and Prospecting, China University of Petroleum, Beijing (Grant Number: PRP/indep-4-1702).
Co-localization of iron and aluminum with organic matter across a range of soils: a density-based approach
Authors: Wagai Rota , Kajiura Masako , Asano Maki
Published: March 2020

Recent studies suggest significant control on pedogenic iron (Fe) and aluminum (Al) on organic matter (OM) storage and stability across a wide range of soils around the world. This information would be useful to improve or replace existing SOM models. On the other hand, metal extraction studies have shown that only minor portions of soil OM are directly bound to pedogenic Fe and Al. How can these metals control OM storage and stability without direct binding with bulk of OM? To answer this, an important step is to understand the location of the metals and OM within bulk soils. Sequential density fractionation is useful to examine their localizations because pure OM (e.g., plant detritus) and pure mineral particles (e.g., quartz, clay, Fe oxide) are the two endmembers along particle density gradient. We tested if Fe and Al released by chemical weathering are mainly present in association with OM using 22 soil samples from 11 sites spanning 5 climate zones, 5 soil orders (Andisols, Spodosols, Inceptisols, Mollisols, Ultisols), and including several subsurface horizons and both natural and managed (upland and paddy) soils. Across all the studied soil samples, meso-density fractions (1.8-2.4 g cm-3) accounted for major portions of OM and the metals extractable by pyrophosphate, acid oxalate, and dithionite. We also found a strong stoichiometric relationship between the extractable metals and co-dissolved OM. We discuss the biogeochemical processes that may cause the co-localization of the metals and OM at the mesodensity across the soils from a wide range of pedogenic environments.
The influence of canopy disturbances on landslide susceptibility in mountain forests
Authors: Rossmann Maximilian , Schiffer Michael , Scheidl Christian
Published: March 2020

The Bannwald Hallstatt in the Upper Austrian Salzkammergut, is one of the oldest measures to protect the people, the settlement area, the energy supply of the community Hallstatt, as well as important infrastructure facilities in the region. In particular, the Hallstatt World Cultural Heritage Site with its settlements and access roads, which is strongly influenced by tourism, is protected.

A new project planned for 2020 will extend the area of the Bannwald forest, which has existed since 1879, in a south-westerly direction, thus protecting the permanent settlement area of the Echerntal Valley from gravitational natural hazards. As a result, the project area, which currently covers 270 hectares, will almost double to 489 hectares. 20 million euros have been budgeted for the implementation of the project, for the next 30 years. In order to be able to use these funds in an optimal and targeted manner, it is extremely important to know the protection performance of the existing forest. In the present study a model was developed to show the protective effect against rockfall and avalanches. For this purpose, an evaluation matrix with differently weighted influencing variables was developed, which was presented as a thematic map in the form of a traffic light system ("ideal"/green, "minimal"/orange, "not fulfilled"/red.). In order to be able to better illustrate the tendencies of the achieved protection effect, a “protective-forestometer” was developed. This visualizes the protection performance of the observed partial area with a pointer and a percentage indication.

However, the aim of this work was to derive the protective performance of the individual forest areas from a purely economically oriented forest management system. Hence, the data basis for this work was the 2017 forest inventory of the Austrian Federal Forestry Company (Österreichische Bundesforste AG).
Sulfamethoxazole mobility and risk of contamination of water resources at the catchment scale (Katari - Titicaca Lake, Bolivia)
Authors: Archundia Peralta Denisse , Duwig Céline , Spadini Lorenzo , Morel Marie-Christine , Prado Blanca , Orsac Vladimir , Martins Jean M.F.
Published: March 2020

Sulfamethoxazole (SMX) is one of the antibiotics most commonly detected in aquatic and terrestrial environments and is still widely used, especially in low income countries. The Katari watershed encompassing the biggest city in the Altiplano and having its outlet in the Titicaca lake was studied:  ten soils having contrasting properties were collected throughout the watershed. SMX displacement experiments were carried out in repacked soil columns to explore SMX reactive transfer and to assess the contamination risk of water resources in the Bolivian Altiplano. Relevant sorption processes were identified by inverse modelling of experimental breakthrough curves. Different processes were identified depending on the soil type:  irreversible sorption, instantaneous and rate-limited reversible sorption. SMX mobility was lower in soils located upstream of the watershed (organic and acidic soils - Regosol) and was related with a higher adsorption capacity compared to the soils located downstream (lower organic carbon content - Cambisol). SMX was be classified as a moderately to highly mobile compound in the studied watershed, linked to soil properties such as pH, OC and soil texture. Sulfamethoxazole can potentially threaten the quality of surface and groundwater pollution in the lower part of the studied catchment, threatening Lake Titicaca water quality.
Ice load-bedrock uplift feedback leads to self-sustained oscillations in the Greenland Ice Sheet on long time scales
Authors: Zeitz Maria , Haacker Jan , Winkelmann Ricarda
Published: March 2020

The Greenland ice sheet loses substantial amounts of mass, due to accelerating outlet glaciers and longer melting periods. Different positive feedback mechanisms, as the melt-elevation feedback and the ice-albedo feedback, introduce a non-linear evolution and may further accelerate mass loss. Negative feedbacks, such as the feedback between receding ice load and subsequent bedrock uplift, might counteract the accelerating positive feedbacks on long timescales. Roughly, the bedrock uplift amounts to 1/3 of the change in the ice sheet thickness on a timescale of millennia.

To explore the interplay of those feedbacks, we use simulations of the Greenland Ice Sheet with the Parallel Ice Sheet Model (PISM) including an Elastic Lithosphere Relaxing Asthenosphere (ELRA) model in an idealized warming scenario. In particular, we observe that depending on the temperature anomaly (and thus the retreat time) and the asthenosphere viscosity, three distinct responses of the ice sheet are possible:

The full or partial retreat of the ice sheet.

The full or partial recovery of the ice sheet after an initial retreat.

Large-scale self-sustained oscillations of the volume of the ice sheet on multi-millennial timescales.
Rain-enhanced/induced bioecological resuspension of radiocaesium in a polluted forest in Fukushima
Authors: Igarashi Yasuhito , Kita Kazuyuki , Kinase Takashi , Hayashi Naho , Ishizuka Masahide , Adachi Kouji , Koitabashi Motoo , Onda Yuichi
Published: March 2020

It is the conventional understanding that rain removes aerosols from the atmosphere. However, the question of whether rain plays a role in releasing aerosols to the atmosphere has recently been posed by several researchers. In the present study, we show the additional evidence for rain-enhanced/induced aerosol emissions in a forest environment: the occurrence of radiocaesium-bearing aerosols in a Fukushima forest due to rain. We carried out general radioactive aerosol observations in a typical mountainous village area within the exclusion zone in Fukushima Prefecture to determine the impacts and major players of the resuspension of radiocaesium originally from the nuclear accident in March 2011. We also conducted sampling according to the weather (with and without rain conditions) inside a forest to clarify the atmospheric radiocaesium source from the polluted forest. Thus, we found that rain enhances/induces bursts of radiocaesium-bearing aerosols in forests in Fukushima. With further investigations, we found that the fungal spore sources of resuspended radiocaesium under rainy weather seemed to differ from those under nonrainy weather. Larger fungal particles (possibly conidia-ascospore) are probably emitted during rainy conditions than during nonrainy weather, suggesting that the splash generation by rain droplets is the major mechanism of the suspension of radiocaesium-bearing mould-like fungi. Fungal spores can function as ice and cloud condensation nuclei and cause allergies, and fungal inocula may have a significant impact on agriculture. Therefore, the present findings indicate that radiocaesium could be used as a tracer in research fields such as forest ecology, meteorology, climatology, public hygiene and agriculture.
Subseasonal Forecasting of Aedes-borne Disease Transmission
Authors: DiSera Laurel , Munoz Angel , Chourio Xandre
Published: March 2020

Aedes-borne diseases, such as dengue and chikungunya, are responsible for more than 50 million infections worldwide every year, with an overall increase of 30-fold in the last 50 years, mainly due to city population growth and more frequent travels. In the United States of America, the vast majority of Aedes-borne infections are imported from endemic regions by travelers, who can become new sources of mosquito infection once they are back in the country if the exposed population is susceptible to the disease, and if suitable environmental conditions for the mosquitoes and the virus are present. Since the susceptibility of the human population can be determined via periodic monitoring campaigns, environmental suitability for presence of mosquitoes and viruses becomes one of the most important pieces of information for decision makers in the health sector. Here, we develop a subseasonal to seasonal monitoring and forecasting system for environmental suitability of transmission of Aedes-borne diseases for the US, Central America, the Caribbean and northern South America, using multiple calibrated ento-epidemiological models, climate models, and quality-controlled temperature observations. We show that the predictive skill of this new system is higher than that of any of the individual models, and illustrate how a combination of deterministic and probabilistic forecasts can inform key prevention and control strategies.
Constraints on magma ascent and pressurisation prior to explosive paroxysms on Stromboli
Authors: Burton Mike , Hayer Catherine , La Spina Giuseppe
Published: March 2020

The paroxysmal eruptions of Stromboli in July and August 2019 highlighted with stark clarity the risks associated with visiting the summit of this remarkable volcano. It is an imperative for the volcanological community to recognise signals which precede such paroxysms, with the aim of maximising the warning time before an eruption. The common interpretation of the process driving paroxysms is that a volume of buoyant magma rises from depth, degassing in closed-system. The ascent is rapid, from 10 km depth to the surface in a few hours. This rapid ascent produces a kinetic limit to crystal growth, reflected in the ‘blonde’ colour of the eruption products. Closed-system degassing leads to an overpressure in the rising slug, which helps lift magma in the conduit, pressurising also the shallow system.

The gas plume produced by the 28 August 2019 eruption was observed approximately 2 hours after eruption by the orbiting TROPOMI imaging spectrometer aboard Sentinel-5P. Using the Plume Trajectory modelling approach, we have reconstructed a time series of SO2 flux associated with the explosion.  This reveals no clear precursor in SO2 emissions, but our temporal resolution is limited to 20-30 minutes. A total SO2 mass of 360 tonnes was quantified.

We can use this SO2 mass together with previously measured gas compositions of explosive gas emissions to quantify the total mass of gas at explosion and an estimate of the magma mass required to produce this SO2 mass. Together, these provide the initial conditions required to apply a magma ascent model in which we calculate the overpressure of the slug during its ascent. This provides a basis for determining the shallow deformation produced by both the increase in magma level and over-pressurised gas slug, and this may be helpful in constraining the timescales of precursory deformation.

 

 
(Green) Planets in a Room
Authors: Giacomini Livia , Aloisi Francesco , De Angelis Ilaria , Capretti Stefano
Published: March 2020

Planets in a room (PIAR) is a DIY kit to build a small, lowcost spherical planet simulator and planetarium projector. Teachers, science communicators that run a small museum or planetarium, planetary scientists, geologists and other individuals can easily build it and use it on their own, to show and teach the Earth and other planets and to develop and share material with a growing online community. (http://www.planetsinaroom.net/)

The project is being developed by the italian non-profit association Speak Science, with the collaboration of the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF) and the Roma Tre University, Dipartimento di Matematica e Fisica. 
It was funded by the Europlanet Outreach Funding Scheme  and  was presented to the scientific community at EPSC (European Planetary Science Congress) in 2017 and 2018. Today it is being distributed to an increasing number of schools, science museum and research institutions from all over Europe. PIAR is also one of the projects selected by the new-born Europlanet Society for education and public outreach of planetary science.

At EGU2020, we will present an improved, new version of the project. Having started with 3d-printed technology,  PIAR is today going green,  with a new wooden, plastic-free version of the kit that will be presented for the first time. 
To help you engage a larger audience, we will also present a selection of educational material and projects that have been developed for PIAR by scientists, teachers and communicators  and that are focused on Earth and on planetary habitability inside and outside the Solar System.
Post-Wildfire Numerical Modeling for Flood Risk Management
Authors: Floyd Ian , Gibson Stanford , Savant Gaurav , Sanchez Alejandro , Heath Ronald
Published: March 2020

The number and intensity of large wildfires in is a growing concern in the United States.  Over the past decade, the National Interagency Fire Centre (NSTC, 2015) reported increases of large fires in every western state in the arid and semi-arid western U.S.  Wildfires, remove vegetation, reduce organic soil horizons to ash, extirpate microbial communities, alters soil structure, and potential development of hydrophobic soils.  These processes all increase water and sediment runoff. Post-wildfire environments can cause a spectrum of hydrologic and sedimentation responses ranging from no response to catastrophic floods and deadly debris flows. Numerical modellers have developed a variety of Newtonian and non-Newtonian shallow-water algorithms to simulate each of these physical processes – making it difficult to model the range of post-wildfire flood conditions and understand model assumption and limitations. This makes a modular non-Newtonian computation library advantageous. This work presents a flexible, numerical model, library framework ‘DebrisLib’ to simulate large-scale, post-wildfire non-Newtonian flows using diverse shallow-water parents code architecture. This work presents the non-Newtonian model framework effectiveness by linking it with two different modelling frameworks, specifically the diffusive-wave one-dimensional and two-dimensional Hydrologic Engineering Center River Analysis System (HEC-RAS), and shallow-water two-dimensional Adaptive Hydraulics (AdH) numerical models. The model library was verified and validated using three flume experiments for mud flows, hyperconcentrated flows, and debris flows under steady and unsteady flow conditions. Additionally the shallow-water model library framework linked with the 1D Hydrologic Engineering Centre Hydrologic Modelling System (HEC-HMS) successfully predicted the 2018 post-wildfire flooding and debris flows following the 2017 Thomas Fire near Santa Barbara, California.
SWx TREC: Further Developments on an Integrative Space Weather (SWx) Data Portal
Authors: Baltzer Tom , Lucas Greg , Pankratz Chris , Knuth Jennifer , Lindholm Doug
Published: March 2020

Working under the Space Weather Technology, Research and Education Center (SWx-TREC https://www.colorado.edu/spaceweather/).  The Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) is developing a Space Weather (SWx) Data Portal to provide unified access to disparate datasets to help close the Research to Operations (R2O) and Operations to Research (O2R) gap. 

LASP is building the SWx Portal leveraging technologies developed in support of spacecraft operations (WEBTCAD), Irradiance Dataset viewing and downloading (LISIRD: http://lasp.colorado.edu/lisird/ ) and the MAVEN and MMS Science Data Portals.  The primary technologies include a data model and software library that enables data interoperability known as LaTiS (https://github.com/latis-data) and the LASP Extended Metadata Repository (LEMR) which is developed as ontologies that not only represent the datasets, but also the front-end elements which are used to display them.  Additionally, we have developed a JavaScript science data display technology that leverages off LaTiS server instances to allow for consistent and straightforward display of datasets.  These technologies together facilitate a common interface to myriad datasets and formats which will enable us to expand the offerings quickly and provide consistent visualization, access to metadata, and download capabilities across them.

This presentation will discuss advancements in the portal development in the last year to both in terms of available datasets and in terms of new functionality.  We will also provide a demonstration of the released system that will include datasets demonstrating a solar event, its progression toward Earth and its Earth affect perspective of Space Weather Data centering on the 2015 St. Patrick’s day storm.
1-D photochemical model predicts oxygen isotope anomalies in early Earth atmospheres
Authors: Gregory Bethan , Claire Mark , Rugheimer Sarah
Published: March 2020

Atmospheric oxygen and ozone over geological time have been constrained using various geochemical proxies and modelling studies, but ambiguity remains. Triple oxygen isotope measurements from Phanerozoic and Proterozoic rocks (e.g. Crockford et al., 2019) provide a direct record of ancient atmospheric composition, and as such are an exciting novel proxy. The only known source of mass-independent fractionation of oxygen isotopes (O-MIF) on Earth is in the formation of stratospheric ozone. A large positive O-MIF signal is imparted to ozone, while the larger reservoir of oxygen gains a much smaller negative O-MIF signal. These species interact with other gases in the atmosphere, and oxidised end products including nitrate, sulphate and perchlorate can persist in various geological archives such as ice, arid desert soil, and marine evaporites. As a result, the magnitude of the O-MIF signature detected in the geological record could be used to quantify levels of atmospheric ozone (and closely-related molecular oxygen) over certain time intervals. Here we develop a one-dimensional photochemical model to incorporate the three isotopes of oxygen, in order to trace oxygen isotope anomalies from stratospheric ozone through other atmospheric species, and into the geological record. This model, ‘Atmos,’ has been calibrated over 40 years to provide credible estimates of atmospheric composition deviating from the modern. We use the model to show the lowest oxygen levels at which the anomaly can be produced and transferred, putting a potential lower limit on oxygen levels for parts of the Phanerozoic and mid-Proterozoic.

Reference:

Crockford, P.W., Kunzmann, M., Bekker, A., Hayles, J., Bao, H., Halverson, G.P., Peng, Y., Bui, T.H., Cox, G.M., Gibson, T.M. and Wörndle, S., 2019. Claypool continued: Extending the isotopic record of sedimentary sulfate. Chemical Geology.
QERT - Quadrupole Electrical Resistivity Tomography
Authors: Nawa Viktor , Junge Andreas
Published: March 2020

The quadrupole technique for geoelectrics yields the apparent resistivity in a tensorial form in contrast to the scalar apparent resistivity obtained from classical geoelectrics. The quadrupole method in geoelectrics has been applied in the past only for long offsets between transmitter and receiver. We scaled down the method to profile-style and grid-style short offset applications. Analysis of the invariants of the apparent resistivity tensor and its representation as ellipse can be used to obtain an estimate of the dimensionality of the subsurface conductivity distribution. We present the basic theory of the quadrupole ERT technique along with numerical and field examples highlighting the advantages over classic geoelectrical survey methods.
Visualizing resource dependencies of the urban system at multiple scales: a hydrological case study
Authors: Angarita Héctor , Mehta Vishal , Dominguez Efraín
Published: March 2020

Freshwater is one key component of the resource dependency of urban areas, linking concentrated population centers to geophysical and ecosystem processes operating at regional and global scales. Resources like water, food, biofuels, fibers or energy that sustain cities directly depend on the productive or assimilative capacities of the hydrological system, operating at multiple nested scales (from catchment to river basins) —areas orders of magnitude greater than the extent of the built-up urban areas.

Although the freshwater systems–urban population relationship has a broad regional and sectorial scope, the quantification of the extent of regional and global impacts of cities’ resource demands, and more importantly, their integration into decision-support frameworks continues to be overlooked in water-management and urban planning practice. A key limitation of understanding the scope of impacts of urban systems is the characterization of the distributed and non-linear nature of the regional relationship of water and cities, wherein a given region can simultaneously supply resources to—or be affected by—multiple urban areas (and vice-versa), and the heterogeneity of physical and biotic processes of freshwater systems.

Here we introduce a novel approach to assess and visualize the interactions between urban resource demands and the freshwater system. We propose a set of indicators that make use of freshwater drainage structure to incorporate the cumulative effects and concurrent resource dependency of urban areas across multiple nested scales. The cumulative character of the proposed indexes aims to replace the fixed control boundary (i.e. basin, sub-basin, etc -the current practice in water resources appraisals), with the (topological) integral of the process across the multiple nested scales present in a river basin. This approach allows: (i) visualizing how factors like patterns of size, spatial distribution and interconnection of urban resource demands or the nested and hierarchical character of freshwater systems, influence the cumulative pressure exerted or a urban system on the freshwater system, (ii) mapping the spatial patterns of resource import and export across different scales and regions of a freshwater system, and (iii) quantifying the scales of the process required to sustain the resource supply of the multiple cities sharing the same provisioning freshwater system. The presented advances can inform regional urban planning to determine options to avoid, minimize or offset regional impacts of urban populations. An example of this proposed approach is presented for the Magdalena River Basin (Colombia).
Wind Erosion Contribution to Pesticide Transport
Authors: Csányi Katalin , Barta Károly , Szatmári József , Farsang Andrea
Published: March 2020

Although 40% of Hungary's territory is very sensitive to deflation, few studies have been conducted on wind-eroded sediment as an environmental pathway for pesticide transport.

Three experiment were conducted on loam soil and an other in sandy soil near Szeged (Hungarian Great Plain) in 2017, 2018, 2019, to examine wind-eroded sediment as a transport mechanism for two surface-applied pesticides [chlorpyrifos and pendimethalin].

For the experiments we used a portable 12 m long wind tunnel and a Wet Active Sediment Trap (WAST). WAST is a horizontal, isokinetic active wet trap that is patterned at different heights to collect the suspended soil fractions. Trap inlets are 5-10 cm, 20-25 cm, 50-55 cm high. Rolling soil samples (sediments) were also collected in a recessed tray at the end of the wind tunnel with a clean brush.

Before the experiment, a part of the sample area was treated with chlorpyrifos (2l/ha) and pendimethalin (5l/ha). A control area was also selected. Samples were taken before and after the wind event at 3 different places in the wind tunnel.

In the laboratory we analyzed the topsoil samples (pH (H2O), CaCO3 (%), Arany yarn test, OM %, total salt content (%), humidity (%), pesticide contents) and the collected sediments (chlorpyrifos, pendimethalin concentrations) according to hungarian standard procedures.

We calculated the enrichment ratios (ER) of concentrations in the rolling and suspended samples.

Our measurements showed that the enrichment of chlorpyrifos and pendimethalin can be clearly indicated in the sediments. The mean value of chlorpyrifos ER in 2017 is 3,4. In 2018 the mean value of chlorpyrifos ER is 2,9 and of pendimethalin ER is 13,7. Pendimethalin ER is much higher in the rolled fraction than chlorpyrifos. Measurements of 2019 showed us that the analyzed pesticides were enriched in the rolling soil fraction. There were no pesticides enrichment in the suspended fraction.

 

The research was funded by the ‘Thematic Network for the Sustainable Use of Resources – RING2017’ project (program code: EFOP-3.6.2-16-201700010) and by the support of OTKA 1K 116981, "In situ wind channel experimentation based on in situ wind channel experiments on different soil types, on site and off site effects" and supported by the ÚNKP-19-3 New National Excellence Program of the Ministry for Innovation and Technology”.
Investigation of the Climate Change Effects on the Mediterranean Region with the Hypothetical inclusion of the Istanbul Isthmus
Authors: Tan Elcin
Published: March 2020

A debate on the probable Istanbul Isthmus Project that may have catastrophic impacts on our ecosystem has been recently accelerated in public, due to the fact that the approved environmental impact assessment (EIA) report of the hypothetical Istanbul Isthmus (HII) Project has recently been announced. The EIA report indicates that the assessment covers only the current conditions and the conditions that may arise during the construction of the HII. Unfortunately, The EIA report did not evaluate the climate change impact on either the Istanbul Area or Mediterranean Region after the inclusion of the HII, only the current conditions were evaluated. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the impact of HII on the climate of the Mediterranean Region. The climate version of the WRF Model is utilized with 9 km resolution for the Region 12: Mediterranean (CORDEX) for the historical conditions and RCP8.5 scenarios of available climate model results from CMIP5 and CMIP6 projects. Land surface and land use maps are prepared by following the EIA report if the necessary information is included, otherwise, the current conditions are applied. The atmospheric conditions were not coupled to an Ocean Model, only the Sea Surface Temperature (SST) values of the Ocean Models are coupled to the WRF model during both historical and future simulations. The model results are evaluated in terms of temperature, precipitation, and sea-level changes. Consequently, the results indicate that the HII may decrease the resilience of the Mediterranean Region to Climate Change.