bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Geology mapping with an emphasis on the Quaternary in the Swiss Prealps and Molasse Plateau
Authors: Baumann Valérie , Derron Marc-Henri , Epard Jean-Luc , Jaboyedoff Michel
Published: March 2020

The main goal of this project is to harmonise the different geological maps (scale 1:25.000) and to improve the Quaternary mapping of the region of “canton de Vaud” in Switzerland using a high resolution LiDAR digital elevation model, and geophysical or boreholes data. We present here the results for the geologic mapping of two test areas: one in the Prealps and the second in the Molasse Plateau.

Detailed geological maps (scale 1:25.000) have been produced during the XX century for the whole region. During the last Late Glacial Maximum (LGM) the canton de Vaud area was covered by ice sheets, then soils and loose rock deposits were formed toward the end of ice age, however the Quaternary formations are sometimes not represented especially when their thickness is only of a few meters and the interpretation of geomorphologic features with aerial photographs was difficult in areas covered by forest.  

In recent years, the high-resolution digital elevation model derived from high resolution LiDAR data with the possibility to remove the trees in the forested areas offers the possibility to detect and interpret new morphologies.

In this study, different LIDAR-derived hillshade maps have been used to improve the delimitation of bedrock and Quaternary formation through morphological feature analyse. Borehole data gave us fundamental data about geology and stratigraphy and field surveys were performed for selected places. Additionally, a terrain classification system first developed in Canada (Cruden and Thomson, 1987) was used to add information for each polygon like genetic material, surface expression, modifying processes and stratigraphic data. All the mapping was performed in a GIS (Geographic system information) environment.

Detailed bedrock and Quaternary mapping will provide very good information for the management of the resources, land planning and geo-hazards. The additional information (terrain classification) for each polygon allow us to create different thematic maps starting from the geological map.

 

Reference:

 Cruden, D. M., and S. Thomson. Exercises in terrain analysis. Pica Pica Press, 1987.

 
A review of spatial downscaling of satellite precipitation products
Authors: Duan Zheng , Chen Cheng , Gao Hongkai , Peng Jian
Published: March 2020

Precipitation is an important component of the water cycle. Precipitation is characterized with high temporal and spatial variability. Accurate measurements of precipitation at high spatiotemporal resolution are essential for many applications in the fields of hydrology, meteorology and ecology. The traditional rain gauge stations provide direct measurements of rainfall at the surface but at a limited scale; rain gauge measurements are often considered as point-based measurements that are insufficient to represent the spatial variability of rainfall over a certain region, especially in the case of sparse rain gauge network. Satellite remote sensing has been developing with great ability of being used for estimating various water cycle components at different temporal and spatial scales. Considerable efforts have been made to develop satellite precipitation products at different spatial and temporal resolutions over the global or quasi-global scale. The majority of global/quasi-global precipitation products are at the spatial resolution of 0.25° (~25 km) with very few products at 0.05°-0.10° resolution. The usefulness of satellite precipitation products has been increasingly recognized but the relative coarse spatial resolution is still a limitation for many applications such as hydrological modelling at basin scales that generally require precipitation data at a desirable higher spatial resolution (e.g. 1 km). Over recent years, numerous spatial downscaling procedures/methods have been proposed to obtain precipitation products at higher spatial resolution. The relationships between precipitation and various auxiliary land-surface variables were explored and incorporated into spatial downscaling procedures using a large range of regression algorithms. Advanced machine learning and geostatistical methods have also been innovatively used to develop spatial downscaling procedures.

 

The aim of this study is to present a comprehensive review of studies on spatial downscaling of satellite precipitation products over the recent years. We will summarize the proposed spatial downscaling methods, investigated auxiliary land-surface variables and the evaluation strategy. The performance of spatial downscaling methods in studied regions and their applications will be compared and discussed in terms of advantages and limitations. Finally, we will conclude this paper with outlook on future research needs and associated challenges about spatial downscaling of satellite precipitation products.
Discrete cascade disaggregation of climate models for high resolution rainfall estimation in urban environment
Authors: Brochet Clément , Gires Auguste , Schertzer Daniel , Tchiguirinskaia Ioulia
Published: March 2020

Extreme rainfalls have strong consequences in urban area. Their knowledge is required to properly handle storm water management systems and avoid urban flooding as well as optimize depollution capabilities. Hence improving understanding of future rainfall extreme in a changing climate is of paramount interest to adapt the cities and increase their resilience.      

In this paper future rainfall extremes are quantified through the universal multifractal (UM) framework. This is a parsimonious framework that has been widely used to characterize and simulate geophysical, extremely variable fields, such as rainfall, across wide range of scales. It has also been used for statistical downscaling of geophysical fields.

Here, we apply this formalism to analyse output data from Regional Climate Models CNRM-CM5 and SMHI-RCA4 over the European-Mediterranean domain EUR-11 of the CORDEX Project. We first use the multifractal analysis techniques to characterize the scaling behaviour of future rainfall .  The three UM parameters are then assessed. The notion of maximum observable singularity is then used to quantify extremes across the available scales  (12.5 km and 1 hour resolution at maximum)

Finally, initial work using discrete cascades, to generate realistic rainfall series at higher resolution with very light parametrization will be presented. Basically the underlying cascade process retrieved on the available scales is continued down to the scales required for urban hydrology applications. Both spatial and temporal downscaling are carried out, allowing to get new insights on how to model seasonal effects using multifractal formalism.
New insights into the gas-phase oxidation of isoprene by the nitrate radical from experiments in the atmospheric simulation chamber SAPHIR
Authors: Carlsson Philip , Dewald Patrick , Shenolikar Justin , Friedrich Nils , Crowley John , Brown Steven , Bernard François , Zhou Li , Fry Juliane , Brownwood Bellamy , Hallquist Mattias , Tsiligiannis Epameinondas , Kangmin Xu , Holzinger Rupert , Fuchs Hendrik , Vereecken Luc , Novelli Anna , Bohn Birger , Rohrer Franz , Mentel Thomas ,   NO3-Isoprene Campaign at Saphir
Published: March 2020

Experiments at a set of atmospherically relevant conditions were performed in the simulation chamber SAPHIR, investigating the oxidation of isoprene by the nitrate radical (NO3). An extremely comprehensive set of instruments detected trace gases, radicals, aerosol properties and hydroxyl (OH) and NO3 radical reactivity. The chemical conditions in the chamber were varied to change the fate of the peroxy radicals (RO2) formed after the reaction between NO3 and isoprene from either mainly recombining with other RO2 or mainly reacting with hydroperoxyl radicals (HO2). These major atmospheric pathways for RO2 radicals lead to the formation of organic nitrate compounds which then have different atmospheric fates. The experimental concentration profiles are compared to box model calculations using both the current Master Chemical Mechanism (MCM) as well as recently available literature data alongside new quantum chemical calculations. The discussion here focusses on the resulting RO2 distribution and deviations in the predictions of early products and total alkyl nitrate yields for the different chemical conditions. Preliminary results for instance show too high night time losses of alkyl nitrates due to ozonolysis in the current MCM. 
Scarce population of malacofauna from MIS8/L3, at Titel loess plateau, Serbia
Authors: Radaković Milica , Gavrilović Bojan , Bosnić Luka , Gavrilov Milivoj , Sümegi Pal , Molnár David , Marković Slobodan
Published: March 2020

We present our preliminary findings from the survey of malacofauna of the Titel loess plateau – Mošorin site (Serbia), conducted during 2018/2019. Titel loess plateau is situated near the confluence of Tisa and Danube rivers, in the southern central part of the Vojvodina province, the region known for having valuable continental climate record for the past million years. The study aims to gather palaeoenvironmental data and discern patterns of environmental changes during the Pleistocene in the loess domain. Previous surveys were done at the loess sites in Batajnica, Zemun, Crvenka and Irig. The exposed part of the Mošorin loess-paleosol section is 30 m high and covers the last three glacial periods. It is the first time we carried out a malacological analysis on the L3 segment of the profile. A total of 26 samples were collected from 5.2 m long cleaned profile section (ending of S3 to the beginning of S2). Nine species of snails were present in this horizon, including Chondrula tridens, Granaria frumentum, Helicopsis striata, Pupilla muscorum, Pupilla triplicata, Punctum pygmaeum, Succinella oblonga, Vallonia costata, Vitrina pellucida, and certain as-yet-unidentified slug taxa (Limacidae, Agriolimacidae, Milacidae). Greatest diversity and abundance was found near the S3 paleosol. Samples with no snail shells are continuous, and they are situated in the middle and upper part of the studied profile section. The first three samples that are closest to S3 include 65% of all snails shells found in the profile. The number of snail taxa and their abundance gradually increases again toward the S2 paleosol. Based on ecological preferences of discovered species (mostly thermophilous and xerophilous) we deduced that the environment during the L3 time period was an opened grassland, while the climate was mild and mostly dry.
Back-analysis of rockfalls for the definition of an empirical vulnerability function for buildings
Authors: Melzner Sandra , Frattini Paolo , Agliardi Federico , Crosta Giovanni Battista
Published: March 2020

The vulnerability of buildings to the impact of rockfalls is a key component of Quantitative Risk Assessment for rockfall phenomena. Only a few attempts to quantitatively assess vulnerability have been presented in the literature due to the lack of high-quality rockfall and damage data. For processes such as debris flows, snow avalanches or earthquakes, well-established methods for the estimation of physical vulnerability are already available.

The present work aims to develop an empirical rockfall vulnerability function by coupling rockfall back-analysis modelling of several damaging events occurred in different lithological and geomorphological settings. A sound database of damage to specific categories of structures impacted by rockfalls is build up by archive research of historical events and high-quality field observations of recent events. Damages are classified according to four damage types: superficial (degree of loss: 0.1-0.2) to structural (degree of loss: 1.0). The back-analysis of rockfalls and the interaction with element at risk is performed with the 3D numerical model Hy- STONE. The code uses a hybrid modelling approach and random sampling of input parameters from different probability density distributions (uniform, normal, exponential) to account for the complexity of the rockfall process and influencing factors. The elements at risk are integrated as lines to the model, impact points being able to be displayed and extracted as point vector data. This enables a precise analysis of simulated energies and observed damage for each building impacted in the past to define an empirical vulnerability function. The empirical vulnerability function is established by fitting damage-energy data through a sigmoidal function. This empirical vulnerability function for buildings is fundamental to compute the expected degree of loss for each element of risk, especially in areas where no detailed rockfall or damage data is available.
Recent evolution of stratospheric aerosol load from ground-based lidars and satellites: impact of volcanic eruptions and wildfires.
Authors: Khaykin Sergey , Godin-Beekmann Sophie , Taha Ghassan , Feofilov Artem , Bourassa Adam , Rieger Landon , Hauchecorne Alain
Published: March 2020

    During the last 2 years (2018-2019) a series of volcanic eruptions led to remarkable enhancements in stratospheric aerosol load. These are eruptions of Ambae (July 2018, Vanuatu), Raikoke (June 2019, Russia) and Ulawun (July 2019, Papua New Guinea). In this study we examine the evolution of the stratospheric aerosol bulk optical properties following these events in consideration of large-scale stratospheric circulation. We use long-term aerosol records by ground-based lidars in both hemispheres together with global observations by various satellite missions (OMPS-LP, SAGE III, OSIRIS, CALIOP) and discuss the consistency between these datasets.  In addition, we evaluate the preliminary lower stratosphere aerosol product by ESA Aeolus mission through intercomparison with ground-based lidars.

   The 28-yr Observatoire de Haute Provence (OHP) lidar record shows that Raikoke eruption has led to the strongest enhancement of stratospheric aerosol optical depth (SAOD) in the northern extratropics since Pinatubo eruption. Satellite observations suggest that the stratospheric plume of Raikoke has dispersed throughout the entire Northern hemisphere and ascended up to 27 km altitude. The eruption of Ulawun in the tropics has further boosted the stratospheric aerosol load and by Fall 2019, the global mean SAOD was a factor of 2.5 higher than its background level.

    At the turn of the year 2020, while both Raikoke and Ulawun aerosols were still present in the stratosphere, a dramatic bushfire event accompanied by vigorous fire-induced thunderstorms (PyroCb) in eastern Australia caused a massive injection of smoke into the stratosphere. The early detections of stratospheric smoke by OMPS-LP suggest that the zonal-mean SAOD perturbation caused by this event exceeds the previous record-breaking PyroCb-related perturbation after the British Columbia fires in August 2017. We use satellite observations of aerosol and trace gases (H2O, CO) to characterize the stratospheric impact of the wildfires and contrast it with that of volcanic eruptions.
Deep reinforcement learning in World-Earth system models to discover sustainable management strategies
Authors: Strnad Felix , Barfuss Wolfram , Donges Jonathan , Heitzig Jobst
Published: March 2020

The identification of pathways leading to robust mitigation of dangerous anthropogenic climate change is nowadays of particular interest 
not only to the scientific community but also to policy makers and the wider public. 

Increasingly complex, non-linear World-Earth system models are used for describing the dynamics of the biophysical Earth system and the socio-economic and socio-cultural World of human societies and their interactions. Identifying pathways towards a sustainable future in these models is a challenging and widely investigated task in the field of climate research and broader Earth system science.  This problem is especially difficult when caring for both environmental limits and social foundations need to be taken into account.

In this work, we propose to combine recently developed machine learning techniques, namely deep reinforcement learning (DRL), with classical analysis of trajectories in the World-Earth system as an approach to extend the field of Earth system analysis by a new method. Based on the concept of the agent-environment interface, we develop a method for using a DRL-agent that is able to act and learn in variable manageable environment models of the Earth system in order to discover management strategies for sustainable development.

We demonstrate the potential of our framework by applying DRL algorithms to stylized World-Earth system models. The agent can apply management options to an environment, an Earth system model, and learn by rewards provided by the environment. We train our agent with a deep Q-neural network extended by current state-of-the-art algorithms. Conceptually, we thereby explore the feasibility of finding novel global governance policies leading into a safe and just operating space constrained by certain planetary and socio-economic boundaries.  

We find that the agent is able to learn novel, previously undiscovered policies that navigate the system into sustainable regions of the underlying conceptual models of the World-Earth system. In particular, the artificially intelligent agent learns that the timing of a specific mix of taxing carbon emissions and subsidies on renewables is of crucial relevance for finding World-Earth system trajectories that are sustainable in the long term. Overall, we show in this work how concepts and tools from artificial intelligence can help to address the current challenges on the way towards sustainable development.

Underlying publication

[1] Strnad, F. M.; Barfuss, W.; Donges, J. F. & Heitzig, J. Deep reinforcement learning in World-Earth system models to discover sustainable management strategies Chaos: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Nonlinear Science, AIP Publishing LLC, 2019, 29, 123122
Application of stochastic fractal surface rupture on non-planar faults in tsunami simulation
Authors: Murphy Shane , Herrero Andrè , Romano Fabrizio , Lorito Stefano
Published: March 2020

Non-planar faults and surface reached rupture are seldom considered in the source modelling of subduction zone earthquakes. Here we present a new method for accounting for both phenomena in the generation of stochastic slip distribution while still maintaining self similar properties. To do this, we use the composite source model, which involves the placement of numerous circular dislocations on the fault plane. The fault plane is described by an unstructured mesh allowing for a non-planar surface while surface rupture is correctly accounted for by reflecting the slip from circular dislocations that intersect with the fault trace.

In a case study we demonstrate that the inclusion of rupture at the surface alters the ground or seafloor deformation both in terms of the magnitude (between 60%-20% in 5km zone near the fault trace) and the orientation of the deformation vectors (i.e. by up to 5 degrees). Such changes can have a significant effect on tsunami source and subsequent wave.

Additionally, with a prescribed rupture velocity model, complex source time functions can also be calculated for each element on the fault plane. Generally, rise time is assumed to be instantaneous in tsunami simulation.

We will also present preliminary results focused on comparing the tsunami wave height observed along nearby coastlines generated by the different source models (i.e. with/without surface reached rupture and variable source time functions).    
YOPPsiteMIP: Year of Polar Prediction site Model Inter-comparison Project
Authors: Svensson Gunilla
Published: March 2020

YOPPsiteMIP is a coordinated process-based model evaluation projects using based on high-frequency multi-variate observations at some selected Arctic and Antarctic supersites, during the Year of Polar Prediction (YOPP). The aim of YOPPsiteMIP is to deepen our understanding on the representation of environmental prediction systems of polar processes, both in the atmosphere, land, sea-ice or ocean components, and in the coupling at their interfaces. Both Arctic and Antarctic sites are selected at key location which host multiple multiple systems deployed for long-term monitoring and suites of instruments (such as lidars, radars, ceilometers, radiometers), that provide detailed measurements characterizing the vertical column of the atmosphere as well as the surface conditions and energy fluxes. These observations extend far beyond the traditional synoptic surface and upper-air observations, and offer the opportunity for deepening our understanding of the physical processes governing the polar environment weather and climate.

The unique open dataset of paired model -output and multi-variate observations enables detailed process-based diagnostics, where the target processes include: the vertical representation of cloud and hydrometeors microphysics, low level (mix-phase) clouds; the representation radiation, turbulence, energy and momentum fluxes; stable boundary layer; atmosphere-snow interaction and ocean-sea ice-atmosphere coupling; ocean mixing; etc.

Several numerical weather prediction and climate model centers participate in the activities and some multimodel evaluation results will be presented and common biases are identified. Activities ongoing and planned for the MOSAiC observational site will also be presented.
The structure of the Southeastern part of the Yano-Kolyma Fold Belt by the results of interpretation of various scale magnetic data
Authors: Zubov Denis , Antashchuk Kseniia , Atakov Alexey , Mazurkevich Kirill , Petrova Marina
Published: March 2020

The wide range of anomalies caused by different geological structures from local to regional are studied by the heterogeneous datasets. They usually include the surveys of highly variable scales, resolution and quality. These parameters determine the methodology and technique used in further interpretation. The absence of detail and high quality surveys of geomagnetic field for large areas does not allow the implementation of the system analysis approach to full spectra of anomalies of magnetic field. The possibilities of system analysis using for various scale magnetic surveys to clarify of the tectonic settings and geological structure of the southeastern part of the Yano-Kolyma fold belt are considered. The geological structure of this area was studied earlier by the seismic and magnetotelluric investigations along 2DV regional profile. The tectonic settings are represented by several folded areas and cratons which are covered and knit together by Late Mesozoic bends and volcanic belt. The system interpretation of various scale magnetic surveys allowed us to obtain the geological and tectonic models of this area that include the following principal components: the deep structure of joint zones of different tectonic blocks; the structure and thickness of Paleozoic – Mesozoic deposits of sedimentary cover, crystalline basement and bends; the structure of volcanic belt deposits.
Non-radiative heat dissipation across scales in a water stressed pine forest: from the leaf to the planetary boundary layer
Authors: Yakir Dan , Muller Jonathan , Tatatrinov Fyodor , Mauder Mathias , Rotenberg Eyal
Published: March 2020

Warming, drying, and intensified water stress is expected in many ecosystems over the next century. In dry environments, evaporative cooling becomes increasingly limited and must be replaced with alternative means of heat dissipation if canopy and leaf temperature are to be maintained within the physiological range and mortality avoided. We have shown that in dry environments when latent heat flux is minimal, net radiation is high, and thermal radiation emission is suppressed, pine forest canopies can efficiently cool through a massive sensible heat flux, facilitated by the low aerodynamic resistance of the open canopy (a so-called ‘Convector Effect’). Using novel methodology, we also show that this phenomenon may originate at the leaf-scale, associated with needle properties, changes in heat transport characteristics across the canopy profile, and propagating across scales can ultimately influence the boundary layer, the local atmospheric dynamics, and potentially regional climate.
Biogeochemistry of macrophytes, sediments and porewaters in thermokarst lakes of western Siberia in the discontinuous and continuous permafrost zone
Authors: Manasypov Rinat , Pokrovsky Oleg , Shirokova Liudmila
Published: March 2020

Despite high importance of macrophytes in shallow thaw lakes for control of major and trace nutrients in lake water, the chemical composition of different aquatic plants and trace element (TE) partitioning between macrophytes and lake water and sediments in the permafrost regions remain totally unknown. Here we sampled dominant macrophytes of thermokarst (thaw) lakes of discontinuous and continuous permafrost zones in Western Siberia Lowland (WSL) and we measured major and trace elements in plant biomass, lake water, lake sediments and sediment porewater. All 6 studies plants (Hippuris vulgaris L., Glyceria maxima (Hartm.) Holmb., Comarum palustre L., Ranunculus spitzbergensis Hadac, Carex aquatilis Wahlenb s. str., Menyanthes trifoliata L.), sizably accumulate macronutrients (Na, Mg, Ca), micronutrients (B, Mo, Nu, Cu, Zn, Co) and toxicants (As, Cd) relative to lake sediments. The accumulation of other trace elements including rare earth elements (REE) in macrophytes relative to pore waters and sediments was strongly species-specific. Under climate warmings scenario and the propagation of southern species northward, the accumulation of trace metals in aquatic plants of thermokarst lakes will produce preferential uptake of Cd, Pb, Ba from thermokarst lake water and sediments by the biomass of aquatic macrophytes. This may eventually diminish the transport of metal micronutrients from lakes to rivers and further to the Arctic Ocean.

Support from the RSF (RNF) grant 19-77-00073 “Experimental modeling of the formation mechanisms for elemental composition of water in thermokarst lakes of Western Siberia: vegetation effect”.
Identifying factors leading to hurricane induced landslide dam flood risk in Dominica
Authors: Trigg Mark , Carr Andrew , Trigg Stephanie
Published: March 2020

Landslide dams occur when the debris from a landslide blocks, fully or partially, a river channel or floodplain. The landslide event often occurs during periods of heavy, intense rainfall, for example during hurricanes and tropical storms. This means that the blocked river is usually at high flow when the dam occurs, resulting in large volumes of water building up behind the dam. Due to the unconsolidated nature of the material blocking the river and large volumes of water behind it, it often does not take long for the dam to fail, releasing an enormous pulse of flood water down the river system. This flood pulse can cause enormous damage and modelling estimates show it can result in a flood peak from a catchment in the order of 3 to 4 times the flood peak that might be expected from the catchment under none-landside conditions. The island of Dominica in the Caribbean has suffered recently from two major catastrophic events, 2015 Tropical Storm Erica and 2017 Hurricane Maria. During these events there were many such landslide dam burst that brought significant damage to infrastructure such as bridges, housing as well as loss of lives.

We report on current research into understanding landslide dam risk on the island, funded by the World Bank as part of efforts to increase resilience of the islands infrastructure to hurricane induced hazards. The island has over one hundred main river systems, all of which are relatively steep due to the volcanic nature of the island and have therefore have significant landslide risk. We are aiming to answer the following questions with our research: (i) Which river catchments are most at risk from these dam-burst events and why; (ii) What evidence is available for landslides that blocked rivers during the last two major events; (iii) What are the scale of these events. We are carrying out geospatial analysis using a combination of landslide susceptibility mapping, river proximity analysis and LiDAR data recently collected for the island as well as landslide inventories for validation.

We will be using the understanding gained from this research to identify catchments most at risk, what infrastructure is exposed to this risk, what mitigation might be effective in reducing the risk, and finally what design changes to the infrastructure could be made to make it more resilient to these hazards.
Field Intensity changes during the past 40 ka
Authors: Valet Jean-Pierre , Bassinot Franck , Egli Ramon , Thevarasan Anojh
Published: March 2020

The period encompassing the past 40 ka is crucial to constrain the characteristic time of the axial dipole, which is computed so far from the historical period and still fails to be tested against long-term field changes. The past 7 kyr of geomagnetic history are primarily documented from archeological artefacts, yet the last 4 kyr remain relatively poorly constrained. Beyond this period, we are dealing with long-term changes of the dipole field that are relatively poorly documented by sedimentary records or by volcanic lava flows. Many measurements of absolute paleointensity do not incorporate directional information, while it is crucial to document the entire field vector and consequently can only be analyzed in terms of virtual axial dipole moments (VADM). In summary, no high resolution dataset covers the field changes which followed the Laschamp event and therefore we have poor knowledge of the pattern of fluctuations and the rate of the changes that were associated with the field recovery after the Laschamp. We have selected a set of marine sedimentary cores based on the quality of their oxygen isotope records. Their deposition rates are comprised between 10 and 20 cm/ka and therefore offer a great potential to constrain the filed intensity changes with a resolution of the order of 100 ka. during this period. We will present the results obtained from 7 marine core records and investigate their common and their discrepant features in order to identify the true paleointensity signal.

 
Kinematic reconstructions of the Western Mediterranean area since Triassic time: possible scenarios and their implications for the Apennines
Authors: Le Breton Eline
Published: March 2020

The Western Mediterranean-Alpine belt is remarkable for its tectonic complexity, i.e. strong arcuation of plate boundaries, fast trench retreat, upper-plate extension and switch of subduction/collision polarity around the Adriatic plate (Adria). The kinematic evolution of the Western Mediterranean area is enigmatic due to the intermittently motion of small continental plates (Adria, Iberia and Sardinia-Corsica) that are caught between two major plates (Africa and Europe), converging since Cretaceous time. Reconstructing the past motion of these micro-plates is challenging due to the strong deformation of their boundaries but is key to understand the geodynamic evolution of the whole area.

The Neogene tectonic evolution is well constrained using magnetic anomalies and transform zones in the Atlantic Ocean for the motion of Europe, Iberia and Africa, and by reconstructing the amount of convergence along fold-and-thrust belts (Apennines, Alps, Dinarides, Provence) and coeval divergence along extensional basins (Liguro-Provencal and Tyrrhenian basins, Sicily Channel Rift Zone) for the motion of Adria and Sardinia-Corsica. Those reconstructions show that Adria had a slight independent motion from Africa and rotated counter-clockwise of about 5º relative to Europe since 20 Ma. However, uncertainties increase and debates arise as one goes back in time. The main debates concern the past motion of Iberia and where its motion relative to Europe is being accommodated in Mesozoic time. Different kinematic scenarios have been proposed depending on the interpretation of paleomagnetic dataset of Iberia, magnetic anomalies in the North Atlantic, and geological-geophysical record of deformation in the Pyrenees and between Iberia and Sardinia-Corsica. Those scenarios have different implications for the tectonic evolution of the Apennines, especially for the Permian-Triassic paleo-tectonic setting of Sardinia, Calabria and Adria, and for the extent and timing of closure of the Liguro-Piemont Ocean. It is important to discuss those implications to better understand subduction processes in the Apennines and their driving forces.
Shortwave Heating Rate at the Cloud-Aerosol Transition Zone from Radiative Parameterizations in the Weather Research and Forecasting Model (WRF)
Authors: Calbó Josep , Jahani Babak , González Josep-Abel
Published: March 2020

The conditions between cloudy and cloud-free air, named “Transition (or twilight) Zone”, are a major source of uncertainty in the climate and meteorological studies. The transition zone involves microphysical and radiative characteristics which lay on the border between those corresponding to a pure cloud and those corresponding to pure atmospheric aerosols. Several studies show that a notable proportion of cloudless sky at any time may correspond to this phase. However, as the information available about radiative effects of this phase is still very limited in most meteorological and climate studies the condition of sky is assumed to be either cloudy (fully developed cloud) or cloud-free (dry aerosol), neglecting the transition zone. This implies that these models consider the area/layer corresponding to the transition zone as either cloud or aerosol. The authors of the current communication have shown in a previous work that there are substantial uncertainties associated with modeling the surface shortwave irradiances under this assumption [Jahani et al. (2019) JGR: Atmospheres, 124. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JD031064]. The present communication aims to show the uncertainties in modeling the heating rate in the atmosphere (due to shortwave solar radiation) driven from different treatments of the transition zone. For this purpose, the relatively detailed shortwave radiation parameterizations included in the Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF) version 4.0, which allow users to consider different treatments of aerosols and clouds (RRTMG, NewGoddard and FLG), were isolated from the whole model. These parameterizations were then utilized to perform a number of simulations under ideal “cloud” and “aerosol” modes, for different values of (i) cloud optical thicknesses resulting from different sizes of ice crystals or liquid droplets, cloud height, mixing ratios; and (ii) different aerosol optical thicknesses combined with various aerosol types. The optical thickness under both aerosol and cloud modes was considered to vary between 0.01 and 2.00. The differences in the resulting atmosphere column averaged heating rate were analyzed. The results showed (i) the simplified assumption about the state of the sky leads to a large difference among the atmospheric shortwave heating rate, (ii) magnitude of these uncertainties is higher when parameterizations which cope with the Radiative Transfer Equation in more detail (RRTMG and NewGoddard) are used.
The cost of undisturbed landscapes: on the valuation of wind turbines in Austria
Authors: Wehrle Sebastian , Schmidt Johannes
Published: March 2020

In Europe, the system cost minimizing highly renewable power system set-up predominantly relies on wind energy, with minor shares of photovoltaics.

Yet, minimizing system cost neglects negative externalities of wind turbines, such as their impact on wildlife, noise emissions, landscape aesthetics, manifesting in local economic impacts such as a decline of house prices in the vicinity of wind turbines.

To better understand the trade-off between electricity system cost and the negative externalities from wind turbines, we quantify the increase in electricity system cost when the system cost minimizing deployment of wind turbines is reduced in the favor of photovoltaics.

Methodologically, we rely on the power system model medea, an open, techno-economic, numerical model of hourly dispatch and investment, set up to resemble the electricity market in Austria and its largest electricity trading partner Germany in 2030, when Austria aims to generate 90% of its electricity consumption from domestic renewable sources on annual balance.

Depending on the capital cost of renewable energy technologies, the marginal system cost from displaced wind turbines can reach up to 40.000 EUR per MW and year or approximately 20 EUR per MWh. Moreover, CO2 emissions can increase by up to 1.2 million tons per year when wind energy is fully displaced. Producer surplus could increase by up to 220 million EUR per annum at intermediate wind energy displacement but falls back towards initial levels when wind energy is fully displaced.

These numbers compare to estimates of property price declines between 2% and 16% caused by wind turbines, depending on the proximity to, and the visibility of the turbine. For illustration, adding a 3.5 MW wind turbine to a total installed wind power capacity of 12.6 GW in Austria over its lifetime (assuming a 3% discount rate) would generate sufficient social value to compensate affected property worth between 0.8 and 6.7 million EUR.
The Earth Is Out There: Attitudes Of Irish Secondary Students Towards Earth Science
Authors: Neenan Emer Emily , Roche Joseph
Published: March 2020

The world is facing a future where geoscience issues with significant social impact are increasingly central, including climate change, clean water, energy and resource management (e.g. mining, fracking), and natural disasters. The disposition of the next generation of citizens, as future voters and as future scientists, is vital if the world is to meet the challenges of rising temperatures, rising sea levels, and rising incidences of natural disasters. This paper arises from ongoing educational research undertaken in Irish secondary schools, examining student engagement with and understanding of geoscientific topics. Earth Science is included in the new Science syllabus in Ireland for 12 - 15 year old students (lower secondary level), but so far, no one has studied Irish students’ attitudes towards Earth Science. This is a mixed-methods study involving a survey of secondary schools in Ireland, including urban and rural, and mixed- and single-gender schools. Students representative in age and demographics of the participants are included as consultant voices at multiple stages in the study. Preliminary results from this study will be discussed in detail, focusing on student attitudes towards Earth Science as global and Irish citizens; how they conceptualise human interdependence with and on the planet; and how they consider themselves in different ways connected to or independent from the Earth, the study of Earth Science, and students or children their age elsewhere on the planet facing similar challenges in the era of climate change. 
On mapping and monitoring geodiversity and benthic habitats in a dynamic shallow water coastal environment: example from Rødsand lagoon, western Baltic Sea
Authors: Ernstsen Verner Brandbyge , Hansen Signe Schilling , Hansen Lars Øbro , Niederwieser Manfred , Baran Ramona , Steinbacher Frank , Al-Hamdani Zyad , Kroon Aart
Published: March 2020

Shallow water coastal environments can be highly dynamic and comprise a range of dynamic geodiversity variables as well as a range of benthic habitats. It is challenging to map such dynamic shallow water coastal environments and their geodiversity variables and benthic habitats in high-resolution, high precision and full coverage, which is necessary in order to evaluate impact on the seabed and the benthic habitats from e.g. climate change (e.g. changing wind climate) or human disturbance (e.g. construction of wind parks, pipelines, etc.).

We have conducted successive high-resolution, high-precision airborne topobathymetric lidar surveys in combination with seabed groundtruthing (e.g. seabed sampling and diver observations) along existing monitoring lines in Rødsand lagoon, Denmark, in the western Baltic Sea. The coastal lagoon is a Natura 2000 site, located near the planned fixed connection between Germany and Denmark.

Here, we present high-resolution, high-precision mapping of geodiversity variables with a focus on seabed morphology and seabed sediments that constitute the abiotic structures of the benthic habitats. We demonstrate the role of the interaction between the dynamic coastal processes and the drowned underlying glacial landscape in relation to the spatial distribution of the seabed morphology and sediments as well as the benthic habitats. Finally, we discuss how to optimise the monitoring of dynamic geodiversity variables and abiotic benthic habitat structures in such dynamic shallow water coastal environments.

 

Acknowledgements

This work was carried out as part of “WP4 – In situ remote sensing of geodiversity for habitat mapping” within the project “ECOMAP – Baltic Sea environmental assessments by opto-acoustic remote sensing, mapping, and monitoring” funded by the BONUS EEIG and the Innovation Fund Denmark.
Mercury fluxes from the abandoned Monte Amiata mining district in the Paglia and Tiber river catchments, Central Italy: preliminary estimates
Authors: Lattanzi Pierfranco , Benvenuti Marco , Chiarantini Laura , Colica Antonella , Costagliola Pilario
Published: March 2020

Mercury dispersion in the Paglia and Tiber river catchments (Central Italy) from the abandoned Monte Amiata mining district has long been documented (Rimondi et al., 2019, and references therein). However, there are comparatively fewer data on fluxes of the metal across the basin to the Tyrrhenian sea. The only published estimates (Rimondi et al., 2014) refer to the first 40 km of the Paglia River between Abbadia San Salvatore and Allerona Scalo. They reported highly variable total (dissolved + suspended particulate) Hg loads, up to 34 g/day, strongly depending on river discharge. We report here unpublished data from a sampling campaign of September 2014 (Millacci, 2016), that included three samples along the Tiber river. The data refer to low flow conditions at the end of the dry season. As expected, loads progressively increase with discharge from 1-5 g/day near the source of the Paglia river to about 100 g/day in the city of Rome. There is an anomalous value of 220 g/day just south of the Alviano dam (near Orvieto): a possible explanation is a release of Hg-rich sediments from the dam during maintenance operations.

Millacci G. (2016) – Unpublished thesis (Laurea magistrale) in Geological sciences, Università di Firenze

Rimondi V., et al. (2014) – Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 21:5575–5585

Rimondi V., et al. (2019) - Environmental Pollution 255, 113191
An Integrated Nowcasting Approach with Machine Learning for Applying Global Sensing Datasets to Forecast Precipitation Extremes in Data-scarce Nile Delta
Authors: Chen Chien-Nien , Rico-Ramirez Miguel , Han Dawei , Abdelhalim Ahmed
Published: March 2020

This research is part of the ongoing research project Climate Change Adaptation to ManagE the Risks of Extreme HydrologicaL and Weather Events for Food Security in Vulnerable West Nile Delta (CAMEL). The study area−West Nile Delta−is an important region in Egypt in terms of agricultural and industrial productions, whilst it is a vulnerable area facing extreme weather and environmental crises (e.g. flooding, soil salinization, and sea level rise), as well as in socio-economic respect. In the latest decades, the region suffered more weather extremes due to climate change; the severe rainfall events resulted in flooding causing heavy casualties and economic loss. Therefore, the project aims to build an integrated flood early warning system for Egypt. However, in order to tackle the issue of data scarcity of ground observation, this research seeks to apply satellite precipitation observation and numerical weather prediction (NWP) as the substitution (i.e. GPM, MPE and ECMWF data) and to develop an approach with the integration of Nowcasting and NWP for precipitation forecasting.

Generally known that Nowcasting method and NWP both have limitations in performing local convective and formative precipitations, whilst in different reasons. The research seeks to improve this effect in Nowcasting as it has advantage in short term performance (i.e. a few hours) whilst NWP has advantage in long term performance (i.e. a few days). The findings from the vector field of Nowcasting indicate that the relativity between shift speed and shape changing speed of precipitation is the key for accurate prediction, which is the disadvantage of the optical flow approach of the Lagrangian method that Nowcasting applies as the main stream core. The research hence applies a machine learning approach−support vector machine (SVM)−to figure out the relativity aforementioned to identify disadvantage data that needs to be pre-treated prior to the Lagrangian Nowcasting. Meanwhile, by applying a phase-based frame interpolation method based on the Eulerian method to downscale the temporal resolution, it can improve these disadvantage data identified by machine learning so as to better perform in the Lagrangian Nowcasting. The integrated Nowcasting approach is expected to have better performance in forecasting and still retains low computational resource consumption.
Forecasting Seasonal Streamflow Using a Stacked Recurrent Neural Network
Authors: Lambl David , Katz Dan , Hale Eliza , Sampson Alden
Published: March 2020

Providing accurate seasonal (1-6 months) forecasts of streamflow is critical for applications ranging from optimizing water management to hydropower generation. In this study we evaluate the performance of stacked Long Short Term Memory (LSTM) neural networks, which maintain an internal set of states and are therefore well-suited to modeling dynamical processes.

Existing LSTM models applied to hydrological modeling use all available historical information to forecast contemporaneous output. This modeling approach breaks down for long-term forecasts because some of the observations used as input are not available in the future (e.g., from remote sensing and in situ sensors). To solve this deficiency we train a stacked LSTM model where the first network encodes the historical information in its hidden states and cells. These states and cells are then used to initialize the second LSTM which uses meteorological forecasts to create streamflow forecasts at various horizons. This method allows the model to learn general hydrological relationships in the temporal domain across different catchment types and project them into the future up to 6 months ahead.

Using meteorological time series from NOAA’s Climate Forecast System (CFS), remote sensing data including snow cover, vegetation and surface temperature from NASA’s MODIS sensors, SNOTEL sensor data, static catchment attributes, and streamflow data from USGS we train a stacked LSTM model on 100 basins, and evaluate predictions on out-of-sample periods from these same basins. We perform sensitivity analysis on the effects of remote sensing data, in-situ sensors, and static catchment attributes to understand the informational content of these various inputs under various model architectures. Finally, we benchmark our model to forecasts derived from simple climatological averages and to forecasts created by a single LSTM that excludes all inputs without forecasts.

 