bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Robust hotspot origin far from LLSVP margins
Authors: Tarduno John
Published: March 2024

W. Jason Morgan’s seminal development of plate tectonic theory set the foundation for current investigations of mantle convection and the nature of deep mantle plumes. More recently, hotspots have been proposed to occur at the edges of stationary African and Pacific large low shear velocity provinces (LLSVPs) and that this has a special significance in terms of plume/hotspot generation. The basis for this proposed global correlation has in turn been challenged, and whether LLSVPs edges are the sites of initial mantle plume formation debated. A different approach is to consider hotspots with the greatest buoyancy flux because to be successful, any global model should be able to explain their origin. In all analyses of buoyancy flux, the Pacific’s Hawaiian hotspot, which figured prominently in Jason’s early papers, stands out above all others. However, paleomagnetic and age-distance relationships indicate that the Hawaiian hotspot originated >1500 km N of the Pacific LLSVP and subsequently drifted to its edge where it may have become anchored. The hotspot with the highest buoyancy flux in the Atlantic is Iceland, which is far from the African LLSVP. Iceland represents the youngest of three past episodes of extraordinary volcanism affecting the North Atlantic-Arctic region, namely the North Atlantic Tertiary Volcanic Province, the High Arctic Large Igneous Province, and the Siberian Traps. This recurrent volcanism spanning more than 250 million years requires either drift of a single pulsing plume, or separate plumes, generated far from the edge of the proposed stationary African LLSVP. Thus, the nature and histories of these robust hotspots in the Pacific and Atlantic imply an origin distinct from stationary LLSVPs.  
In situ estimation of hydrogen isotope fractionation associated with sucrose and cellulose synthesis from leaves to roots
Authors: Baan Jochem , Holloway-Phillips Meisha , Nelson Daniel B. , Kahmen Ansgar
Published: March 2024

Plant cellulose hydrogen (H) stable isotope compositions (δ2H) integrate hydrological and biochemical information, and therefore measurements from archives such as tree rings can be valuable for understanding past climate and plant metabolic responses to environmental change. Although the hydrological component that is integrated into cellulose δ2H values is relatively well understood, the biochemical reactions that can alter δ2H values of metabolites used for cellulose biosynthesis remain cryptic. Attempts at establishing models to simplify the interpretation of cellulose δ2H values have been made, like the widely used cellulose δ2H model by Roden et al. (2000) using the terms quantified by Yakir & DeNiro (1990). However, independent quantification of the parameters in this model, and assessment of their variability with respect to plant C metabolism, has been limited.The cellulose δ2H model uses the δ2H compositions of leaf water and source water, autotrophic and heterotrophic 2H-fractionation (εA and εH, respectively), and the proportion of carbon (C) bound H that exchanges with xylem water during cellulose biosynthesis (ƒ) to explain variation in cellulose δ2H values. By growing plants along a gradient of source water δ2H values under autotrophic and heterotrophic conditions, the original, εA, εH, and ƒ were determined for the aquatic plant Lemna gibba L.. One drawback of this approach is that it assumes these terms are the same when plants are grown in the light vs the dark. We recently reassessed the model for terrestrial plants by measuring δ2H values of leaf sucrose and found species variation in εA (Holloway-Phillips et al., 2022), but were unable to resolve variation associated with ƒ and εH.In the present experiment we assessed a new experimental approach to quantify all model parameters for autotrophically grown plants using regression analysis. This required growing plants with variation in the isotopic offset between xylem water and leaf water (∆LW) and measuring sucrose and cellulose δ2H values from leaves and roots. In a previous study we determined that mutation-induced inhibition of starch synthesis in leaves resulted in higher cellulose δ2H values compared with the wildtype, which was hypothesized to occur preceding sucrose synthesis in the leaves (Baan et al., 2023). Using this new approach, we tested whether this effect was indeed mostly established in source cells during de novo sucrose synthesis (εA), or was a result of 2H-fractionating processes in sink cells prior to cellulose synthesis (εH and ƒ). Preliminary analyses show an increase in leaf sucrose δ2H values in the mutant relative to the wild type, implying that εA is also dependent on plant C metabolism within a given species.
Monitoring Condensation Flow on Mars with Landed X-ray Spectrometers: A Summary of 11,000 Sols Across Three Landing Sites
Authors: VanBommel Scott , Gellert Ralf , Berger Jeff , Christian John , Knight Abigail , McCraig Michael , O'Connell-Cooper Cat , Thompson Lucy , Yen Albert , Boyd Nick
Published: March 2024

Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometers (APXS) were an integral component of the science payload that flew on the twin Mars Exploration Rovers (MER) Spirit and Opportunity. An updated version of the MER APXS instrument, further optimized for in situ geochemical analyses on Mars, is currently operational within Gale crater onboard the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover Curiosity. APXS on MER and MSL were designed and calibrated for high-precision in situ analyses of geologic materials on Mars. The use of curium-244 sources provides high sensitivity to lower-Z elements. This low-Z sensitivity is important for characterizing the abundance of rock forming elements such as Na, but also enables analyses of Ar, which makes up ~2% of the Martian atmosphere, and thus ~40% all non-condensable gas species.Atmospheric dynamics on Mars are driven in large part by condensation flow. The temperature and pressure at the winter pole leads to the deposition of carbon dioxide (which makes up ~95% of the atmosphere) onto the polar cap. The following spring, carbon dioxide sublimates from the cap, a cycle which creates a pressure gradient across the planet. Non-condensable gases, such as Ar, are not deposited on the polar cap and become enriched relative to carbon dioxide. Most environmental monitoring hardware flown to Mars can measure the absolute pressure of the atmosphere, but not specifically the abundance of non-condensable species. In the case of the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument on MSL, atmospheric constituents can be deduced with great accuracy, but not with a high frequency.We summarize efforts on MER and MSL to characterize variability in non-condensable gas density on Mars using instruments designed to measure the composition of rocks and regolith. Analyses by Spirit enabled calibration of the MER APXS for atmospheric analyses. The Opportunity mission, spanning ~5000 sols, acquired around 2250 hours of atmospheric data with its APXS. This data set revealed an annual short-lived Ar enrichment occurring around Ls 150, previously unreported in the literature and not present in climate models at that time. This phenomenon has since been regularly targeted on MSL with APXS (and SAM), with ~800 hours of atmospheric analyses conducted by APXS thus far. We report recent findings from Mars Year 37, where dedicated high-frequency APXS atmospheric campaigns were conducted, coinciding with solar conjunction and extended holiday plans, significantly improved constraints on the timing of this short-lived enrichment at Gale crater, and compare the observed results to those from Opportunity.
Impact of burn severity of the July 2022 forest fire on soil hydrophobicity in the Elbe Sandstone temperate forest
Authors: Weis Linda Emily , Dietze Michael , Eltner Anette , Schwindt Daniel , Beetz Kristina , Wolf Daniel , Busse Annika , Dietze Elisabeth
Published: March 2024

Soil water repellency is a common phenomenon often associated with wild fires, which leads to a temporal change of forest ecosystems, for example, by enhanced overland flow, soil erosion and limited plant growth. Forest fires are expected to play an increasingly larger role due to climate change, resulting in more frequent droughts, higher temperatures, heatwaves, and landcover changes in temperate latitudes. Despite that importance, only a few studies have been published concerning soil water repellency in temperate European forests, and relatively little is known about soil hydrophobicity associated with so far rare forest fires in Central European spruce and beech forests.In this study, we examine the impact of different burn severities on soil hydrophobicity down to 15 cm below the surface in the National Park “Sächsische Schweiz” after the forest fire in summer 2022, using the Water Drop Penetration Time (WDPT) test. Measurements were limited to the conductivity or non-conductivity of the water, with the test terminated at a time of 900 s. Various parameters, that could control water conductivity were examined, including burn severity from drone data, ground vegetation, duff layer, slope angle, slope aspect, and elevation of the site. In addition, soil properties such as soil type, carbon and nitrogen contents were analysed. We find a high spatial variability of hydrophobic plots in the studied area. The most hydrophobic plots were found in low severity sites rather than in moderate-high to high severity sites. Plots lacking a duff layer were more likely to exhibit hydrophobic layers. Soil water repellency was also found in unburnt sites. No distinct correlation was found between slope angle, slope aspect, elevation and the occurrence of hydrophobic plots. Plots located in coniferous forests exhibited higher frequencies of hydrophobicity compared to deciduous forests. That large variability and non-agreement with typically formulated relationships argue for a need to rethink the transferability of assumptions from traditional fire regions such as the Mediterranean or the boreal zone to the emerging fire regimes of temperate forests under climate change, requiring more empirical data.
A systematic review on climate change, trending outcomes for the care of older adults, and financial expenditure
Authors: Katsaros Keriin , Huang-Lachmann Jo-Ting
Published: March 2024

As global populations age, life expectancy increases, and the impacts of climate change intensify, there is a corresponding rise in financial expenditure associated with both extreme climate events and a growing demand for long-term healthcare. There is a gap in research showing how climate change, the care of aging populations, and financial expenditure are interconnected.  A systematic review of literature is carried out to identify the interrelationships and to explore existing trends and evidence on senior care during the time of climate change. This work is important to identify barriers and priority action areas for adaptation, mitigation, and future planning to increase health gain and achieve positive economic outcomes.The systematic review of existing peer-reviewed publications is carried out by following PRISMA guidelines.  The methodology is guided by recommendations from Cochrane and in the WHO Guidance on Research Methods for Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management. Three electronic databases have been searched (PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus) to assess available literature on climate change, the care of older persons, and financial expenditure. A risk of bias assessment is completed using CASP checklists.Initial results of this review have identified significant adverse impacts for older society members including decreased physical and mental health during extreme weather events resulting in increased medical and care costs. Preliminary results also highlight a need for energy-efficient built environments, clean and affordable energy sources to overcome energy poverty, and a new way of rethinking how we care for senior society members, including increased support from families and communities.This research aims to contribute to increasing transdisciplinary knowledge from the fields of health and care, energy, and climate change to create societies for older people that are friendly, affordable, and resilient to the adverse effects of climate change. The results aim to advance the transdisciplinary knowledge of climate services, health, and energy economics; co-creating synergies and actionable solutions; and working with societal actors for implementation, transfer, and upscaling of research.
Machine learning approach for prediction of groundwater levels based on ERA5 reanalysis
Authors: Żurek Anna J. , Szostak Radosław , Wachniew Przemysław , Zimnoch Mirosław
Published: March 2024

We have examined the feasibility of ECMWF Reanalysis (ERA5) data for groundwater level prediction for 19 groundwater wells from two neighboring Groundwater Bodies (GWB) comprising around 4000 km2. Groundwater level data were retrieved from monitoring wells operated within the framework of the Polish Hydrogeological Survey.  ERA5 reanalysis data  were averaged for all grid points within the modelling area. Predictions were made using various machine learning regression algorithms incorporating autoregression and exogeneous variables derived from ERA5 reanalysis (precipitation amount, evapotranspiration, runoff, snowmelt). Training sets were extracted from time series of data representing period from November 2001 to November 2022. The applied approach allows for predicting groundwater levels based on current meteorological conditions.This research was funded by National Science Centre, Poland, project WATERLINE (2020/02/Y/ST10/00065), under the CHISTERA IV programme of the EU Horizon 2020 (Grant no 857925).
Three ways to validate the XCO2 product from the Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 
Authors: Das Saswati , Kiel Matthäus , Laughner Joshua , Osterman Gregory
Published: March 2024

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the primary greenhouse gas emitted into the atmosphere due to anthropogenic activities. While it is naturally present as a part of Earth’s carbon cycle, human activities impact the ability of natural sinks to reduce CO2 from the atmosphere and thus alter the carbon cycle. It thus becomes pertinent to focus on the long-term monitoring of atmospheric CO2 and the ability to make precise, accurate, and continuous CO2 measurements.The Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2) was launched in 2014. It is NASA’s first Earth-orbiting satellite dedicated to making observations of CO2 in the atmosphere and measuring its column-averaged dry-air mole fraction (XCO2). The primary goal of the OCO-2 mission is to provide XCO2 measurements with sufficient precision and accuracy alongside quantifying its seasonal and interannual variability. While OCO-2 provides global coverage and consistently measures at high latitudes, the remote sensing measurement of CO2 from space can be challenging. This is because the goal is to resolve inter-annual CO2 deviations to subcontinental scales, alongside capturing the known seasonal cycle and trends. Further, the XCO2 data is susceptible to location- and surface-property-dependent biases that must be corrected. Thus, validation of the XCO2 data from OCO-2 becomes necessary to ensure a high degree of retrieval accuracy on a global scale.This study uses the new and improved OCO-2 V11.1 dataset and compares coincident XCO2 measurements against three independent datasets. The Total Carbon Column Observing Network (TCCON) is a network of solar-viewing ground-based Fourier Transform Spectrometers and the primary validation source for XCO2 from OCO-2. TCCON measurements are unaffected by surface properties and are minimally sensitive to aerosols. The COllaborative Carbon Column Observing Network (COCCON) is a network of portable ground-based Fourier Transform Infrared spectrometers that are less expensive than full TCCON sites and have lower spectral resolution, but are similarly insensitive to surface properties and aerosols. Comparison of coincident OCO-2 measurements against selected TCCON and COCCON sites indicate that the absolute average bias values are close to 0 ppm for TCCON and less than 0.7 ppm for COCCON in the Land Nadir/Glint and Target mode observations.Finally, we compare coincident OCO-2 measurements to the airborne Atmospheric Tomography Mission (ATom) when ATom conducted around-the-world flights in each of the four seasons between 2016 and 2018. This study bridges the gap between satellite, ground-based, and airborne XCO2 measurements and aids the improvement of the OCO-2 XCO2 data product. Further, it provides the latest validation analysis for OCO-2, providing the most up-to-date information on biases and uncertainty in the OCO-2 data.
Skilful probabilistic forecasts of UK floods months ahead using a hybrid approach
Authors: Moulds Simon , Slater Louise , Arnal Louise , Wood Andrew
Published: March 2024

Streamflow forecasts months ahead are an important component of flood risk management. Hybrid methods that predict seasonal streamflow quantiles using ML/AI models driven by climate model outputs are currently underexplored, yet have some important advantages over traditional approaches based on hydrological models. For example, they are computational efficient, can incorporate a wide variety of input data, and may avoid the need for spatial downscaling and/or bias correction. Here we develop a hybrid subseasonal to seasonal streamflow forecasting system to predict the monthly maximum daily streamflow up to four months ahead. We train a machine learning model on dynamical precipitation and temperature forecasts from a large ensemble from the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S). We show that multi-site ML models trained on pooled catchment data together with static catchment attributes are significantly more skilful compared to single-site ML models that are trained on data from each catchment individually. Overall, we find 99.8% of stations show positive skill relative to climatology in the first month after initialization, 90.7% in the second month, 57.9% in the third month and 35% in the fourth month.
On the influence of ambient atmospheric pressure on multi-component, direct observations of rotational ground motion
Authors: Brotzer Andreas , Widmer-Schnidrig Rudolf , Igel Heiner
Published: March 2024

A high-sensitive, large-scale ring laser gyroscope provides access to direct observations of local rotational ground motions. A tetrahedral configuration of ring laser gyroscopes, such as ROMY (ROtational Motions in seismologY), located in a Geophysical Observatory near Munich, Germany, enables to redundantly observe all three components of the rotation vector.For seismic accelerations below 30 mHz, the separation of low noise background levels between vertical and horizontal component are well established and understood to result from local tilts driven by atmospheric pressure variations. The promise of multi-component rotational observations is that ideally they can be used to decontaminate a co-located horizontal component acceleration sensor from contributions of ground tilt. Moreover, knowing and understanding the background levels for vertical and horizontal rotational ground motions at long periods is essential as benchmarks for instrument development towards higher sensitivity.We use several months of multi-component data of vertical and horizontal rotation rates by ROMY and a co-located atmospheric pressure sensor to derive the pressure compliance for both vertical and horizontal rotational motions. Focusing on frequencies below 20 mHz, we find that time windows with energetic weather patterns consistently lead to high coherence of atmospheric pressure and horizontal rotations, but only little coherence between the atmospheric pressure and vertical rotation. We consider this as a first indication that atmospheric pressure induced ground tilts are detected by the ROMY horizontal components. Different effects of ambient atmospheric pressure changes on the optical gyroscope itself, such as cavity deformation, are discussed. A small aperture barometer array surrounding ROMY to detect lateral pressure gradients is currently being deployed to provide additional constraints on ground deformations from atmospheric pressure waves.Here we focus on a detailed analysis of ROMY gyroscope data, while accelerometer data are analyzed in a companion poster by Widmer-Schnidrig et al. in this same session SM3.3.
Irrigation Scheduling Based on Wireless Sensors Output and Soil-Water Characteristic Curve in Two Soils 
Authors: Jabro Jay , Stevens William
Published: March 2024

Data-driven irrigation planning can optimize crop yield and reduce adverse impacts on surface and ground water quality. We evaluated an irrigation scheduling strategy based on soil matric potentials recorded by wireless Watermark (WM) sensors installed in sandy loam and clay loam soils and soil-water characteristic curve data. Five wireless WM nodes (IRROmesh) were installed at each location, where each node consisted of three WM sensors that were installed at 15, 30, and 60 cm depths in the crop rows. Soil moisture contents, at field capacity and permanent wilting points, were determined from soil-water characteristic curves and were approximately 23% and 11% for a sandy loam, and 35% and 17% for a clay loam, respectively. The field capacity level which occurs shortly after an irrigation event was considered the upper point of soil moisture content, and the lower point was the maximum soil water depletion level at 50% of plant available water capacity in the root zone. The lower thresholds of soil moisture content to trigger an irrigation event were 17% and 26% in the sandy loam and clay loam soils, respectively. The corresponding soil water potential readings from the WM sensors to initiate irrigation events were approximately 60 kPa and 105 kPa for sandy loam, and clay loam soils, respectively. Watermark sensors can be successfully used for irrigation scheduling by simply setting two levels of moisture content using soil-water characteristic curve data. Further, the wireless system can help farmers and irrigators monitor real-time moisture content in the soil root zone of their crops and determine irrigation scheduling remotely without time consuming, manual data logging and frequent visits to the field.
The importance of calving in ice sheet models: A sensitivity study of ice front retreat in the Amundsen Sea Embayment
Authors: Barnes Jowan , Gudmundsson G. Hilmar , Goldberg Daniel , Sun Sainan
Published: March 2024

Calving is a key process in the dynamics of marine-terminating glaciers with large ice shelves, such as those in West Antarctica. However, this process is currently not included in most predictive models, due to its difficulty to implement in a general form which can reliably reproduce rates of calving over a range of scenarios. We set out to investigate how important it is to develop such representation of calving for future modelling.In this study, we quantify the sensitivity of modelled future mass loss to ice front retreat in the Amundsen Sea Embayment, including Pine Island and Thwaites Glaciers. We find that prescribing constant frontal retreat rates from 0.1 to 1 km a­­-1 progressively increases the contribution to sea level rise when compared to experiments with a fixed ice front. The result is up to 80% more loss of ice by 2100, and more than triple the ice loss in projections beyond 2200 with the higher rates of retreat. The spatial pattern of ice loss is non-uniformly distributed, with some regions thinning and others thickening as an initial response to the calving front retreat. We identify specific thresholds in the geometry of the system, which have clear effects on the ice flow and are reached at different times depending on the retreat rate.We compare variability in the range of our results using different retreat rates to that in the range of ISMIP6 ocean forcing products, as ocean-induced melt is known to be a major factor in determining the future evolution of the Antarctic ice sheet. We find that the variability due to these two factors is initially similar, and that variability due to ice front retreat becomes comparatively greater over time. Our results demonstrate the high importance of accurately representing calving processes in models, showing that they are at least as important as ocean forcing and deserve a similar amount of attention in future model development work.
The importance of citizens’ engagement in the implementation of civil works for the mitigation of natural disasters with focus on flood risk in Attica Region (Greece).
Authors: Dimitrakopoulou Dimitra , Ioannidis Romanos , Dimitriadis Panayiotis , Sargentis G.-Fivos , Chardavellas Efthymios , Alexopoulos Marcos Julien , Pagana Vasiliki , Tsouni Alexia , Sigourou Stavroula , Kontoes Charalampos (Haris) , Mamassis Nikos , Koutsoyiannis Demetris
Published: March 2024

Ιn the framework of the Programming Agreement between the Prefecture of Attica and the Operational Unit BEYOND Centre of EO Research and Satellite Remote Sensing of the Institute of Astronomy, Astrophysics, Space Applications Remote Sensing (IAASARS) of the National Observatory of Athens (NOA), in cooperation with the Research Group ITIA of the Department of Water Resources and Environmental Engineering of the School of Civil Engineering of the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), a rather innovative approach is applied for the purpose of flood risk assessment, regarding the contribution of citizens to the identification of the areas which are vulnerable to flood. It is highlighted how the experience of residents can lead to the identification of areas prone to flood, which could not be easily located otherwise, especially through large-scale flood risk maps. Moreover, it is demonstrated how the knowledge of residents can be used as a validation tool for the flood risk assessment results. Consequently, it is argued that the residents must play an active role in the conception, design and implementation of flood protection works in any infrastructure project within their area of interest. Such implementations of any mitigation measures should have as a prerequisite their acceptance by the residents. Their understanding is also important, on the one hand, to deal with possible reactions, appeals, and conflicts throughout the execution of the project, and, on the other hand, to ensure that residents are properly informed about the utility of such works and projects.
Investigating the GIC index levels in the Mediterranean region during the strongest magnetic storms of solar cycle 25
Authors: Boutsi Adamantia Zoe , Balasis Georgios , Dimitrakoudis Stavros , Daglis Ioannis A. , Tsinganos Kanaris , Papadimitriou Constantinos , Giannakis Omiros
Published: March 2024

Geomagnetically Induced Currents (GICs) flowing along electrically conductive infrastructure, such as power transmission lines, are produced by a naturally induced geoelectric field during geomagnetic disturbances, such as magnetic storms. GICs can cause widespread blackouts across power grids, resulting in the loss of electric power. Although GIC intensity is greater in high latitudes, recent studies highlight the importance of considering GIC risks for countries located in the low and middle latitudes, including the Mediterranean region. GIC index is a proxy of the geoelectric field calculated entirely from geomagnetic field variations. Following a recent study where we investigated the GIC index levels for the Mediterranean (i.e., Greece, Italy, France, Spain, Algeria, and Turkey) for the most intense magnetic storms of solar cycle 24 (2008–2019), here we expand the analysis to encompass solar cycle 25. From the beginning of solar cycle 25 six major magnetic storms occurred with Dst index ≤ -100 nT. The three most intense magnetic storms (-163 nT < Dst < -212 nT) occurred in March, April and November 2023. We focus on those to compare with previous results showing that GIC index increases are well correlated with Storm Sudden Commencements (SSCs) and shed more light upon the expected GIC activity levels in the Mediterranean region during extreme events.
Forecasting smoke and dust in NOAA’s next-generation high-resolution coupled numerical weather prediction model
Authors: Ahmadov Ravan , Li Haiqin , Romero-Alvarez Johana , Schnell Jordan , Bhimireddy Sudheer , James Eric , Wong Ka Yee , Hu Ming , Carley Jacob , Bhattacharjee Partha , Baker Barry , Grell Georg , Xu Chuanyu , Kondragunta Shobha , Li Fangjun , Trahan Samuel , Marvin Margaret
Published: March 2024

NOAA’s Global Systems Laboratory (GSL), in collaboration with other laboratories, is developing and testing a new high-resolution weather model known as the Rapid-Refresh Forecasting System (RRFS). This model, which uses the Finite Volume Cubed-Sphere Dynamical Core, features a grid covering all of North and Central America at 3 km horizontal resolution, with 65 vertical layers. The RRFS is initialized every hour through assimilation of the latest weather observations. It incorporates primary aerosol emissions from wildland fires and dust sources. The coupled RRFS-Smoke-Dust (RRFS-SD) model simulates 3D concentrations of smoke, fine and coarse dust aerosol species concurrently with the meteorology, and includes the aerosol radiative feedback. Hourly fire radiative power data from the Regional ABI and VIIRS fire Emissions (RAVE) product is ingested into RRFS to estimate biomass burning emissions and fire heat fluxes. Windblown dust emissions are parameterized by using the FENGSHA scheme. An experimental version of the RRFS-SD model is being tested by NOAA Environmental Modeling Center (EMC) in real time:  https://rapidrefresh.noaa.gov/RRFS-SD/We will present an evaluation of the RRFS-SD model  for several fire and dust case studies. Ground and aircraft-based in-situ and remote sensing data are extensively utilized to evaluate the model simulations of meteorology, smoke and dust fields. Additionally, we will present the radiative feedback of smoke and dust on the meteorological simulations in RRFS. The challenges and uncertainties affecting the smoke and dust forecasting will be discussed as well. 
A plea for first-principles radiative models in solar energetic events
Authors: Lazar Marian , Lopez Rodrigo A , Shaaban Shaaban M , Poedts Stefaan
Published: March 2024

Radio emissions have a wide exploitation potential both in the remote diagnosis of their plasma sources, often impossible to explore in-situ, but also in the context of space weather for developing realistic forecasting models for the effects of energetic solar events, such as coronal plasma ejections (CMEs) on modern technologies on ground and in space. Here we discuss the importance of first-principle radiative models, not only for these applications but especially for developing realistic models for type-II and type-III radio emissions whose plasma sources are likely to be explored in situ by different satellites and spacecraft. At this early stage, first-principle radiative models combine a fundamental kinetic theory for describing wave instabilities in plasma sources, with numerical simulations of their saturation by nonlinear processes that generate free-propagating radio waves. We also discuss a series of further additions, in particular with nonlinear theories of the various wave-wave couplings responsible for the generation of radio emissions.
Potential lithium enrichment above Hercynian migmatite terrains in Europe
Authors: Kriegsman Leo , da Costa Elisa , Kunz Barbara
Published: March 2024

Partial melting is a key factor in the transfer of many critical metals from the deep continental crust to mid-crustal levels via granitoids. The transition zone between these crustal levels is characterized by migmatite-rich domains that record melt production, melt loss and melt crystallization. Migmatites are also affected by melt influx from deeper levels, and they release massive amounts of fluid during cooling. Such fluids invade and modify adjacent metasedimentary units - as will be highlighted by examples from Hercynian Europe -, but are also partly transferred to shallower levels, carrying elements like lithium, the key commodity on which we focus in this work.
Several processes may act in tandem to enrich Li concentrations by a factor of up to ~100: protolith enichment, partial melting, and fractional crystallization [1]. At a late, magmatic-hydrothermal, stage of the latter process, supercritical fluids unmix from the last silicate melt and can transfer up to 50% of the available Li [calculated after 2]. Where the fluids invade overlying medium-grade domains, the commonly observed retrogression of cordierite and biotite enrich the fluids even further in Li [3]. This may eventually lead to epigenetic Li enrichment, and deposits, without the need for directly underlying granite intrusions, although granites are likely to co-exist in migmatite terrains and overlying medium- to high-temperature metamorphic domains at low to medium pressures [4].
An even more exciting scenario is when the Li-enriched fluids infiltrate closed basins that are forming evaporites, such as the Permian Zechstein deposits. In that case, salar deposits like those in Bolivia and Chile are possible. In conclusion, we believe that the late-Hercynian period in Europe with its large-scale mid-crustal melting and its extensive overlying salt deposits may harbour significant Li deposits that could help Europe to develop sustainable mining on its own territory.
references
[1] da Costa E.O., Kriegsman L.M., Kunz B.E., Warren C.J. and Argles T.W. Submitted to Geology.
[2] Yuan Y., Chen B., Shang L., Sendula E. and Chou I.-M., 2023. Ore Geology Reviews 162: 105685
[3] da Costa, E.O., Warren C.J., Kunz B.E., Kriegsman L.M. and Argles T.W. Metamorphic Studies Group - Research in Progress meeting, University of Oxford, 4-5 April, 2023. Programme & abstracts, p. 20.
[4] Pesquera A., Roda‑Robles E., Gil‑Crespo P.P., Valls D. & Torres Ruiz J., 2020. Nature Sci. Rep. 10: 10828.
 
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement no. 956125.
Fire effects on soil structure and hydraulic conductivity
Authors: Berli Markus , Shillito Rose M. , Or Dani , Giovando Jeremy J. , Pak Jay , Pradhan Nawa , Vermeeren René A. , Floyd Ian E. , McKenna Sean
Published: March 2024

Fire-induced changes in soil structure and hydraulic conductivity reduce infiltration and increase the likelihood for post-fire flooding and debris flows. Current post-fire hydrology models, however, cannot take fire-induced soil structure changes into account. The goal of this study was to review current understanding of fire-induced changes in soil structure and their post-fire persistence. Specifically, we seek to quantify how fire-induced soil structure changes affect soil hydraulic conductivity.Changes in soil structure vary widely with the definition of structure. We focused on literature describing fire-induced changes to soil aggregate stability and onset of loss of aggregation followed by formation of surface crust. Generally, aggregate stability tends to increase with increasing soil temperature up to approximately 200°C. Beyond 200˚C, aggregate stability decreases due to changes or loss of soil organic matter (the main binding agent). Evidence suggests that aggregate stability may decrease for soil temperatures as low as 100˚C due to rupture doe to rapid water evaporation within the aggregates. The loss of soil aggregation can promote erosion or formation of surface crust from fine soil particles. Often, fire-induced soil crusts are related to high soil surface temperatures. Literature data show that fire-induced changes in soil structure may persist for a decade after the burn. We developed a conceptual model to describe soil surface structure life cycle in fire-prone ecosystems.The effects of aggregate deterioration (and recovery) on saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) of the soil can be captured by the model of Bonetti et al. (2021). Calculations show that aggregate deterioration leads to a decrease in Ks by a few orders of magnitude (depending on soil texture). Additionally, post-fire soil crusting effects on infiltration were captured by calculating an effective hydraulic conductivity (Rawls et al.,1990) showing a decrease in hydraulic conductivity by one to two orders of magnitude. Moreover, results suggest that fire-induced aggregate deterioration combined with crust formation can reduce the hydraulic conductivity of a soil surface by three to four orders of magnitude. Even without explicit consideration of documented effects of wildfire on soil hydrophobicity, we illustrate the important impact of fire-induced changes in soil structure on infiltration, flooding and debris flow.
Geophysical investigation of active subglacial lake dynamics in West Greenland
Authors: Doyle Samuel , Livingstone Stephen , Sole Andrew , Storrar Robert , Young Tun Jan , Ing Ryan , Ross Neil , Bagshaw Liz , Clason Caroline , Edwards Laura , Prior-Jones Mike , Bianchi Gianluca , Buzzard Sammie , Le Bris Tifenn , Barruol Guilhem , Gimbert Florent , Gilbert Adrien , Peacey Matthew , Booth Adam
Published: March 2024

Hydrologically active subglacial lakes modulate subglacial hydrology, ice motion, microbial habitats, biogeochemical fluxes, and subglacial and proglacial geomorphic activity. The recent potential identification of active subglacial lakes beneath the ablation area of the Greenland Ice Sheet from repeat satellite altimetry data suggests that they are a significant yet poorly constrained component of the ice sheet hydrological system. These subglacial lakes, which are presumably fed by both supraglacial and subglacial water inputs, appear to be highly dynamic features that fill gradually (i.e. over years) but drain rapidly (i.e. hours to days), causing high discharge flood events observed in the proglacial area. While remote sensing observations constrain lake dynamics to a coarse temporal and spatial resolution the precise timing of lake filling and drainage and the detailed effect on ice dynamics can only be determined from field-based measurements. Here we present initial results from a comprehensive geophysical investigation of subglacial lake dynamics beginning in April 2023. We report measurements of horizontal and vertical ice surface motion together with horizontal strain rates from an array of 11 GNSS receivers installed across three juxtaposed subglacial lakes on Isunnguata Sermia — an ~6 km wide land-terminating outlet glacier in West Greenland. We combine these GNSS data with autonomous phase-sensitive radio echo sounding measurements of ice thickness and vertical strain to construct a time series of lake filling and drainage spanning the 2023 melt season. To investigate inter-relationships between subglacial lake hydrology and ice dynamics at both short (hourly) and seasonal timescales, we supplement these time series with data from an array of seismometers installed in between two of the lakes and at the glacier terminus, together with several kilometres of radio echo sounding measurements of ice thickness. 
Impacts of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai Eruption: Insights from the SOCOLv4 ESM about past and future
Authors: Kuchar Ales , Sukhodolov Timofei , Chiodo Gabriel , Rieder Harald , Kult-Herdin Jessica , Stenke Andrea , Rozanov Eugene
Published: March 2024

We utilized the Earth System model SOCOLv4 to assess the impacts of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai eruption comprehensively. To accurately estimate the model's performance in terms of water vapour and aerosol plume transport during the initial year, we conducted a multi-member ensemble of free-running simulations and additional simulations employing atmospheric dynamics specified to the ERA5 reanalysis data. These simulations were compared with satellite and reanalysis products. The free-running ensemble simulations with only SO2 (no additional H2O) emissions showed the importance of the two species interaction for the resulting sulphate aerosol evolution, in agreement with previous studies. Furthermore, our primary free-running ensemble simulations, comparing scenarios with and without the eruption event, unravelled a negative response in polar stratospheric ozone levels and temperature. Importantly, these changes were found to be coupled to polar vortex dynamics confirming a larger ozone hole during the austral winter and spring of 2023.
Geochemical behavior of gold and critical metals in the Goongarrie Ni-laterites, Western Australia
Authors: Salama Walid , Schoneveld Louise , Verrall Michael
Published: March 2024

The Goongarrie South, situated northwest of Kalgoorlie in Western Australia, hosts a global resource (60Mt) of lateritic Ni-Co deposits at 1% Ni and 0.07% Co. The Goongarrie lateritic Ni-Co deposit extends over a strike length of 7.5 km and averages approximately 800m in width and 40m in thickness. These deposits originated from the weathering of serpentinized dunite. The lateritic profile is subdivided into lower saprolite, dominated by carbonate, talc, serpentine, chlorite, and mica, and upper ferruginous saprolite, representing the economic Ni-Co laterite, and dominated by goethite and hematite. The ultramafic index of alteration (100 x [(Al2O3+Fe2O3(T)/(SiO2+MgO+Al2O3+Fe2O3(T)]) for the Ni-Co laterite is >60, contrasting with
Hydrological implications of future tree cover change and climate change
Authors: Benedict Imme , Engel Freek , Roebroek Caspar T. J. , Hoek van Dijke Anne J.
Published: March 2024

The availability of fresh water over land may become increasingly scarce under climate change. Future large scale tree cover changes can either enhance or mitigate this water scarcity. Previous work focused mostly on the impact of tree cover change in our current climate. Instead, we investigate the impact of climate change and future global tree cover change on precipitation, evapotranspiration, and runoff (water availability) in a future climate. To do so, multiple datasets and methodologies are combined; data from five CMIP6 models, a future tree cover change dataset, six Budyko models and a moisture recycling dataset. With this interdisciplinary data-driven approach the separate and combined effects of future climate change and future large-scale tree cover change can be quantified. The changes in water availability are studied on grid cell level (1 by 1 degrees), averaged over the globe, and aggregated for selected river basins (Yukon, Mississippi, Amazon, Danube and Murray-Darling).Globally averaged, future climate change results in an increase in runoff where future tree cover change decreases the runoff. Both effects are of similar magnitude and lead to a limited net effect in water availability compared to the present climate. However, locally, the effects of tree cover change and climate change can be substantial, resulting in changes in water availability of more than 100 mm/year, either positive or negative. For the five selected river basins different responses in direction and magnitude of water availability are found due to future tree cover change under climate change. In all catchments, except the Mississippi basin, the climate change signal dominates over the tree cover change signal. For the Mississippi basin we find a dominant impact of tree cover change, opposite to the climate change signal, resulting in reduced water availability.
Variation in fluorescent biological aerosol particles over the urban area during Asian dust events
Authors: Maki Teruya , Sano Itaru , Mizuno Hiroki , Gallagher Martin , Zhang Hao , Crawford Ian , Song Congbo , Topping David
Published: March 2024

Dust events over East Asia carry bioaerosols, such as bacteria, fungi, pollen, and plant-animal cell debris, as well as mineral and sea salt. The long-distance dispersion of bioaerosols have possibilities to damage human health due to pathogenic diseases and allergy induction. The microbial communities and biological components in bioaerosols have been investigated using offline analysis, such as DNA sequencing and chromatograph mass-spectrometry, but the contrast of offline databases are insufficiently used for establishing of bioaerosol models offline with chemical and physical database.Recently, wideband integrated bioaerosol sensors (WIBSs), which detecting autofluorescence emitted from amino acids, proteins, and coenzymes, is focused as online analysis of bioaerosols. However, during the WIBSs monitoring, the interference from other types of fluorescent particles (e.g. polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) hardly identify the biological molecular species in bioaerosols. Here, for identifying the bioaerosol composition detected by the WIBSs, the bioaerosol surveys during Asian dust events at Osaka city, Japan, were performed by combining online (WIBS) and offline (DNA-sequencing and microscopic observation) techniques. The comparisons between online and offline data revealed that some types of fluorescent spectrum can determine the concentrations of pollen and fungal cells, which vary in correspondence to dust events as well as seasonal changes and wind directions.
Enhanced understanding of water cycling processes of dwarf shrubs using high-precision lysimeters and climate manipulations
Authors: Leitinger Georg , Tello-García Elena , Laorden-Camacho Lucía , Ambrosi Lisa , Grigulis Karl , Mouhamadou Bello , Gallet Christiane , Peintner Ursula , Tappeiner Ulrike , Lavorel Sandra
Published: March 2024

Throughout European mountains, changes in livestock production systems since the 1950s have resulted in the gradual segregation between more accessible, flatter, and productive grasslands with intensified fodder production, and more remote, steeper, and less productive meadows used for extensive grazing, and some abandoned. After cessation of grazing in subalpine grasslands, secondary succession promotes the gradual colonization of species and functionally diverse herbaceous communities by shrubs. Although shrub encroachment is considered a ‘Plant Functional Type transformation’, our knowledge about the impact of climate change on shrub encroached ecosystems is still limited. Mechanistic analyses of alpine grassland responses to drought have focused on carbon fluxes, and a few studies have targeted components of the ecosystem water budget or nutrient cycling. However, these studies are focused on herbaceous functional groups, and shrubs are usually neglected. Moreover, despite the prevalence of this original climate change driver in mountains, snow manipulations are still rare.To improve understanding of nitrogen and water cycling processes of shrubs with expected increased drought and advanced snowmelt, small high-precision lysimeters (SFL®, Meter Group AG, Munich, Germany) were used to analyze the effects and mechanisms of climate change on shrub species. In a garden experiment in the LTSER-site Stubai Valley (970 m a.s.l.), Tyrol Austria, two congeneric shrubs contrasting a deciduous (Vaccinium myrtillus) and evergreen (Vaccinium vitis-idaea) were planted into 16 lysimeters. In a split-plot design of 3.5m x 3.5m each, two plots were subject to either (1) control, (2) earlier snowmelt, or (3) summer drought treatments.The manipulative experiments indicate that a shortening of the period with snow cover at the end of winter affects soil freezing and hence, soil nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) availability. Results further highlight the interacting effects of climate manipulations on key plant traits, and their consequences for N- and water availability. Furthermore, summer drought seems to additionally affect biogeochemical cycling and evapotranspiration for both investigated shrub types. This study's results reveal the importance of addressing the impact of shrub encroachment not only from a land management perspective but also to increasingly raise awareness about climate change effects on shrubs. Moreover, it provides valuable insights into challenges and chances of growing shrubs in lysimeters, being a promising approach for future climate impact studies. The study was conducted as part of the LUCSES project, ANR-FWF (ANR-20-CE91-0009 and FWF-I 4969-B).