bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The importance of sea ice biota for the ecosystem in the northwestern Weddell Sea
Authors: Peeken Ilka , Arndt Stefanie , Janout Markus , Krumpen Thomas , Haas Christian
Published: March 2020

The western Weddell Sea along the northward branch of the Weddell Gyre is a region of major outflow of various water masses, thick sea ice, and biogeochemical matter, linking the Antarctic continent to the world oceans. It features a deep shelf and the second largest ice shelf (Larsen C) in the WS, and its perennial sea ice cover is among the thickest on earth. This region is undergoing dramatic changes due to the breakup of ice shelves along the Antarctic Peninsula, which results in oceanographic conditions unprecedented in the past 10,000 years. Since this region is difficult to access, comprehensive physical and biogeochemical information is still lacking. During the interdisciplinary Weddell Sea Ice (WedIce) expedition to the northwestern Weddell Sea on board the German icebreaker RV Polarstern in spring 2019, oceanographic and biogeochemical studies were conducted together with in-situ snow and ice sampling. Most stations visited contained second- and third-year ice. Additional airborne ice-thickness surveys revealed a mean ice thicknesses between 2.6 and 5.4 m, increasing from the Antarctic Sound towards the Larsen B region. Usually rotten ice was present below a solid, ~30 cm thick surface-ice layer, however, pronounced gap layers, typical for late summer ice in the marginal ice zone, were rare. The associated high algal biomass was only found north of the Antarctic Sound. Nevertheless, diatom-dominated standing stocks of integrated sea ice algae biomass were among the highest, previously described in Antarctic waters. In contrast, despite overall high macro-nutrient concentrations in the water, the biomass of the flagellate dominated phytoplankton was negligible for primary production in the entire region. Overall, it seems that despite changing light conditions for the phytoplankton due to the loss of ice shelves, the sea ice-derived carbon represents an important control variable for higher trophic levels in the western Weddell Sea.
Landslide Monitoring by Integrating Multi-Sensor InSAR Time Series Datasets and Corner Reflectors in the Three Gorges Area
Authors: Xia Zhuge , Motagh Mahdi , Li Tao
Published: March 2020

Landslide is one of the major geohazards in the Three Gorges area as a result of steep valley-side slopes and environmental conditions, e.g., high precipitation. To monitor and detect the landslides and rock falls at a regional scale as Three Gorges area, the differential Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometry (D-InSAR) technology could be more effective and efficient than other conventional geological and geodetic measurements that can be performed only at a few sites with proper accessibility and conditions.

Over the past few decades, InSAR technology and advanced SAR Interferometry techniques such as Persistent Scatterer Interferometry (PSI) and Small Baseline Subsets (SBAS) have been developed to derive ground displacement over large areas with high-resolution measurement points and acceptable accuracy (cm to mm level). Both PSI and SBAS methods are based on a network of coherent pixels, including natural persistent scatterer (NPS) and artificial corner reflector (CR). NPSs can be easily found in urban areas or rocky regions. However, for landslide monitoring, the NPSs are usually difficult to be identified due to the steepness, vegetated and vulnerable moisture content among the high-risk locations. In this work, multiple SAR datasets including C-band Sentinel-1, L-band ALOS-2 and X-band TerraSAR-X (TSX) are exploited for landslide monitoring along the Yangtze River in the Three Gorges area in China.  Both PSI and SBAS methods are utilized. Besides, stable artificial CRs are deployed on selected sites to evaluate their performance in deriving landslide kinematics. Results are presented and discussed for a better assessment of landslide hazards in the Three Gorges region.
Spatial distribution and geophysical characterization of natural pipes in Ultisols
Authors: Cooper Miguel , Bovi Renata Cristina , Moreira Cesar Augusto , Stucchi Boschi Raquel , Moreira Furlan Lucas , Teles Gomes Rosa Fernanda
Published: March 2020

Piping is a type of subsurface erosion caused by subsurface water and is considered one of the most difficult erosive processes to study. The nature of this erosion process makes it very difficult to study and quantify.  The aim of this study was to characterize the surface and subsurface distribution of the pipes and to understand the network architecture of pipe systems in tropical forested areas.The study area is situated at the Experimental Station of Tupi, state of São Paulo, Brazil. We conducted a Digital Elevation Model allied to a superficial pipe mapping, and 2D and 3D geophysical surveys. The subsurface erosion identified by surface mapping and geophysical surveys appeared at two depths: one more superficial, in the upper part of the study area, and one at greater depth, in the lower part of the study area. The higher topographical positions presented the pipes at less developed stages (closed depressions and simple sinkholes), while the lower topographical positions showed the most advanced features (multiple sinkholes and blind gullies). The method of electroresistivity showed zones where low resistivity values correspond to water saturation (~ 70 omh m) and high values (> 4040 ohm m) that define the pipe; this method was efficient in detecting the presence of collapsed and non-collapsed pipes. We concluded that the use of different methods (superficial and subsuperficial) was essential for the characterization of pipe systems. The integrated analysis of the results obtained from the superficial and 2D subsurface mapping allowed us to infer the spatial continuity of the pipes. The 3D geophysical survey was efficient in mapping soil pipe and the connectivity in situ. The 3D modeling of the pipes revealed the connection and connectivity of the pipe network’s complexity and morphology.
A new mechanism for the triggering of turbidity currents offshore tropical river deltas
Authors: Porcile Gaetano , Bolla Pittaluga Michele , Frascati Alessandro , Sequeiros Octavio
Published: March 2020

When narrow continental shelves are stressed by extreme weather events, nearshore currents dominate the coastal circulation leading to complex flow patterns that can result in previously unforeseen cross-shelf exchange of water and sediment. Here we present a series of detailed studies carried out to investigate the nature of turbidity currents that impacted upon a submarine pipeline offshore Philippines, nearby tropical river deltas, after the landfall of intense typhoons. These rivers debouch into a shelf only a few hundreds of meters wide that is interrupted by steeper continental slopes carved by multiple submarine canyons. Turbidity currents were detected through regular pipeline monitoring, which showed lateral displacements and sea-floor erosion where the pipeline crosses some of these canyons. Seabed assessments indicated signatures of the occurrence of turbidity currents as opposed to landslides or ground motion due to earthquakes. Particularly, the submarine canyons were covered with regular sediment patterns that indicated the passage of deep-water turbulent flows, suggesting the local occurrence of turbidity currents. Meteorological data pointed at river floods and meteocean conditions, and associated fluvial sediment delivery and coastal sediment transport, as the most likely leading mechanisms for the triggering of turbidity currents. Hydrological modelling and related sediment transport calculations show these rivers were not capable to debouch into the sea with sediment concentrations high enough to generate hyperpycnal flows. Nevertheless, river plumes played an active role as source of sediment available on the shelf. Conversely, the role of the coastal circulation was found to be crucial for the triggering of turbidity currents. Our simulations show the development of exceptional rip currents (megarips) that flush out water and sediment from the inner shelf in the cross-shore direction towards the canyons’ heads, ultimately triggering turbidity currents into deep ocean waters. Such extreme nearshore circulations require the passage of intense typhoons in proximity to the trigger area inducing shore-normal incoming waves at peak conditions that in association with shoreline concavity at the river deltas favour the formation of erosional megarips, whose dynamics strongly depends on typhoon's approach latitude. The turbidity current modelling confirmed such an interpretation, matching field observations in the form of pipeline displacements. These evidences support our hypothesis that typhoon-induced megarip circulations could be responsible for the triggering of turbidity currents in submarine canyon systems offshore tropical river deltas. This newly identified mechanism has wide implications on the threatening of seafloor infrastructures and the assessment of frequency and duration of turbidity currents.
COSMIC-2 Precise Orbit Determination Results
Authors: Weiss Jan-Peter , Hunt Doug , Schreiner William , VanHove Teresa , Arnold Daniel , Jaeggi Adrian
Published: March 2020

We present results for GNSS orbit estimation strategies implemented for the FORMOSAT-7/COSMIC-2 (Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate) constellation. The six COSMIC-2 satellites launched on June 25, 2019 into a 24 deg inclination, ~725 km circular orbit. Over time, all satellites will be lowered to an operational altitude of ~520 km. The primary COSMIC-2 science payload is the JPL designed Tri-GNSS Radio-occultation Receiver System (TGRS), which tracks GPS and GLONASS signals on two upward looking choke-ring precise orbit determination antennas facing the forward- and anti-velocity directions. We evaluate recently implemented post-processed orbit determination strategies. These include single antenna GPS-only and GPS+GLONASS solutions, as well as experimental dual-antenna GPS-only processing applying different approaches for the handling of receiver clock parameters (e.g. dual clocks, single clock plus bias). Evaluation metrics include data volume and tracking arc coverage, postfit residuals, internal orbit overlaps, and stability of the receiver clock estimates. We furthermore compare the performance of the six orbiters, and look for differences in quality metrics at the higher and lower orbit altitudes.
Safety issues when using a museums in unused mining workings
Authors: Ivanov Andrei , Shekov Kirill , Shekov Vitali , Fuławka Krzysztof , Pytel Witold
Published: March 2020

The underground space, which is not used for mining purposes, now serves more like a room for storing various goods, for organizing the production of goods, as mining museums, etc.

Using such space creates some dualism in its maintenance. On the one hand, it is simply an underground space, used as a storage, on the other hand the characteristics of this space are completely dependent on the natural conditions and properties of the rocks surrounding the mining workings. This is especially true for mining space used as mining museums, where it is unacceptable to cover mining workings walls with solid concrete support that will simply destroy the authenticity of the object. Whether it is necessary to have a mining engineer in the staff of such a museum?

The authors hold to the concept that regulations for the use of each underground space for use as a museum must be developed by professionals, but this space should be managed by ordinary museum workers, just as it is not necessary to be a professional mechanic to drive a car.

Besides the air conditioning, removing the water one of the most serious problems in the use of unsupported underground space is the control of the stability of the roof and walls of the workings to provide safety for visiting this museum people.

The authors propose some solutions to control the stability of mining workings using instrumental observation methods developed specifically for unprofessional workers in such underground museums.
Accelerating recent mass loss from debris-covered Khumbu Glacier in Nepal, and projected response to climate change by 2200 CE
Authors: Rowan Ann , Egholm David , Quincey Duncan , Hubbard Bryn , Miles Evan , Miles Katie , King Owen
Published: March 2020

Thick supraglacial debris covers the ablation areas of many large Himalayan glaciers, particularly those in the Everest region where debris is typically several metres thick. Sustained mass loss from these high-elevation debris-covered glaciers is causing supraglacial debris layers to expand and thicken. However, at the same time, regional satellite observations have demonstrated that debris-covered glaciers in High Mountain Asia are currently losing mass at the same rate as clean-ice glaciers. This greater than expected mass loss—sometimes referred to as the “debris-cover anomaly”—could be due to surface processes that locally enhance ablation, including the formation and decay of ice cliffs and supraglacial ponds.

We tested the hypothesis that the presence of ice cliffs and supraglacial ponds is responsible for the rapid decay of debris-covered Himalayan glaciers, using a numerical glacier model that includes the feedbacks between debris transport, mass balance and ice flow. We show that parameterising differential ablation processes in our higher-order ice flow model of Khumbu Glacier in Nepal does increase glacier-wide mass loss, but is not sufficient to match the observed glacier surface elevation change between 1984 and 2015 CE. Additional mass balance forcing is required to simulate the remaining mass balance change, which may represent the impact of rising air temperatures on englacial and supraglacial hydrology or englacial ice temperatures. Under a moderate future warming scenario (RCP4.5), Khumbu Glacier is projected to lose 59% of ice volume by 2100 CE, and 94% by 2200 CE accompanied by a dynamic shutdown that causes the death of this iconic glacier by 2160 CE.
The effects of socio-environmental constraints on Norway’s renewable energy potential
Authors: Zeyringer Marianne , Price James , Mannino Eline
Published: March 2020

The decarbonisation of power production is key to achieving the Paris Agreement goal. Wind and solar energy have matured and decreased in cost rapidly into cost-effective decarbonisation solutions. However, the location of renewables effects the impact on the environment and the communities they are sited. Thus, socio-environmental constraints can strongly limit the overall capacity potential affecting the technology choices, resulting costs and political feasibilities of reaching the national emission reduction targets. Nevertheless, socio-environmental acceptance is usually not considered when studying the transition to a net-zero energy system.

Norway has one of the best wind energy potentials in Europe and a large scale deployment in combination with increased interconnection could have effects on the rest of the European power system. However, recent projects have been facing large opposition. This may be surprising as Norway has very low population density but the right to unspoilt nature is strongly anchored in the Norwegian culture and Sami reindeer herding could be disturbed by wind projects.  In 2019 the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE) proposed a national framework for wind energy which defined the most suitable areas for wind energy development. After massive protests the framework was recently withdrawn by the government. Offshore wind energy is often seen as a potential solution as socio-environmental opposition is expected to be lower but it is more expensive. However, it is as socio-political decision to choose a more expensive technology, site or mitigation option. A spatially-dependent capacity assessment under different socio-environmental scenarios and their effect on energy system design is missing to allow for such discussion.

Here, we close this gap by analysing the NVE framework, previous concessions and related opinions, literature, newspaper articles and perform interviews with key stakeholders to design three scenarios of socio-environmental acceptability for onshore/offshore wind and solar energy. Based on the here developed scenarios we then conduct a GIS analysis to determine the spatially dependent capacity potential per technology and scenario. Finally, we implement these geospatial capacity scenarios into a high spatial and temporal resolution electricity system model for Europe (“highRES Europe”) to analyse the effects on the Norwegian and European electricity system design in 2050.  
The TRY Plant Trait Database - enhanced coverage and open access
Authors: Kattge Jens , Boenisch Gerhard , Diaz Sandra , Lavorel Sandra , Prentice Colin , Leadley Paul , Wirth Christian , Consortium the TRY
Published: March 2020

Plant traits – the morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical and phenological characteristics of plants – determine how plants respond to environmental factors, affect other trophic levels, and influence ecosystems properties and derived benefits and detriments to people. Plant trait data thus represent the essential basis for a vast area of research spanning evolutionary biology, community and functional ecology, biodiversity conservation, ecosystem and landscape management and restoration, biogeography to earth system modeling. Since its foundation in 2007, the TRY database of plant traits has grown continuously. It now provides unprecedented data coverage under an open access data policy and is the main plant trait database used by the research community. Increasingly the TRY database also supports new frontiers of trait-based research, including identi:cation of data gaps and subsequent mobilization or measurement of new data. To support this development, in this article we take stock of trait data compiled in TRY and analyze emerging patterns of data coverage, representativeness, and gaps. Best species coverage is achieved for categorical traits (stable within species) relevant to determine plant functional types commonly used in global vegetation models. For the trait ‘plant growth form’ complete species coverage is within reach. However, most traits relevant for ecology and vegetation modeling are characterized by intraspecific variation and trait-environmental relationships. These traits have to be measured on individual plants in their respective environment: completeness at global scale is impossible and representativeness challenging. Due to the sheer amount of data in the TRY database, machine learning for trait prediction is promising - but does not add new data. We therefore conclude that reducing data gaps and biases by further and more systematic mobilization of trait data and new in-situ trait measurements must continue to be a high priority. This can only be achieved by a community effort in collaboration with other initiatives.
Classifying Global Low-Cloud Morphology with a Deep Learning Model: Results and Potential Use
Authors: Yuan Tianle
Published: March 2020

Marine low clouds display rich mesoscale morphological types, distinct spatial patterns of cloud fields. Being able to differentiate low cloud morphology offers a tool for the research community to go one step beyond bulk cloud statistics such as cloud fraction and advance the understanding of low clouds. Here we report the progress of a NASA funded project that aims to create an observational record of low cloud mesoscale morphology at a near-global (60S-60N) scale. First, a training set is created by our team members manually labeling thousands of mesoscale (128x128) MODIS scenes into six different categories: stratus, closed cellular convection, disorganized convection, open cellular convection, clustered cumulus convection, and suppressed cumulus convection. Then we train a deep convolutional neural network model using this training set to classify individual MODIS scenes at 128x128 resolution, and test it on a test set. The trained model achieves a cross-type average precision of about 93%. We apply the trained model to 16 years of data over the Southeast Pacific. The resulting climatological distribution of low cloud morphology types show both expected and unexpected features and suggest promising potential for low cloud studies as a data product.
Criteria of fault selection for geomechanical models
Authors: Röckel Luisa , Ahlers Steffen , Morawietz Sophia , Reiter Karsten , Müller Birgit ,   The SpannEnD Team
Published: March 2020

Numerical modelling is an important method in the improvement of the understanding of a variety of geological processes such as the reactivation of faults and seismicity, orogeny or volcanism. Furthermore, it can be crucial for geotechnical activities such as geothermal use of the underground, oil and gas production or the use of dams. Geomechanical models enable stress predictions even in areas without stress data and can therefore greatly contribute to the long-term safety and productivity of underground activities.

As computational power is limited the geology of geomechanical models often needs to be simplified, especially for larger scale models. This is true not only for the resolution of the implemented stratigraphy but also for the implementation of faults as they severely increase the amount of required elements and influence the model stability. Furthermore, the implementation of faults often leads to artifacts and can therefore reduce the accuracy of the model results. Due to these limitations it is frequently necessary to distinguish between faults that are crucial for the model as they influence the stresses in magnitude and orientation on a large scale and faults that will only influence the model on a local scale and may therefore be neglected on a regional perspective. The impact of faults on a geomechanical model depends on various different factors such as geometry and mechanical properties of the fault itself, the tectonic regime or the scale of the model. As the relevance of a fault for a geomechanical model is not necessarily identical to its relevance in other geoscientific fields it can be challenging to identify relevant faults.

The SpannEnD project focuses on the generation of a 3-D geomechanical model of Germany and adjacent areas in the context of the disposal of nuclear waste in order to predict the tectonic stresses in areas without stress data. There is a multitude of faults known in the modelling area but due to their sheer amount not all faults can be incorporated. Criteria have to be found that drastically reduce the number of faults while keeping the change in the geomechanical stress pattern to a minimum. We will present different criteria that can be used for the fault selection which have being worked out in the framework of the SpannEnD project.
The GeoCarb Mission
Authors: Crowell Sean , Moore Berrien
Published: March 2020

The community has been measuring greenhouse gases from space for two decades, starting with SCIAMACHY and proceeding through GOSAT, OCO-2, TROPOMI, GOSAT-2, OCO-3, with many more to come in the future. The GeoCarb mission was selected in 2016 under the Earth Venture Mission program by NASA.  GeoCarb will measure CO2, CH4, and CO from geostationary orbit aboard a commercial communications satellite as a hosted payload starting in 2023.  In this presentation, we will discuss mission technical progress and program updates, including the recent passage into Phase C on Jan 1, 2020 and plans moving forward with integration and test and eventual launch.    Additionally, we will discuss plans for how best to proceed in this brave new world of a true constellation of greenhouse gas sensors, including cross-calibration and use of the data for flux determination.
Linking slopes to the wetland: The relevance of interflow processes for water and nutrient input to an inland valley wetland in Uganda
Authors: Schepp Claudia , Diekkrüger Bernd , Becker Mathias
Published: March 2020

Due to their prolonged water availability wetlands are of increasing importance for small scale agriculture in East Africa. In the inundating landscape of central Uganda, inland valley wetlands are a common landscape unit with high potential for crop cultivation year-round. Yet little is known about the hydrological processes which bring out these favourable conditions. This study focusses on the relevance of interflow processes from the slopes into the wetland regarding water and nutrient delivery from different land use types. Hereby special attention is given to water pathways at the transition from upland geology to valley sediments and to nutrient relocation along the slopes.

Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) was used as a non-invasive method to characterise interflow pathways in the highly variable saprolite geology and for subsurface delineation of the valley sediments. The measurements were complimented by a drilling campaign and infiltration experiments in different depths. Interflow collection pits were installed at the slope toe in order to quantify water and nutrient fluxes towards the wetland during two consecutive years. Additionally, soil moisture and nitrate content in the soil water were quantified at various positions along the slope.

ERT-imaging supports the hypothesis of a separation between a confined shallow aquifer and the soil water in the wetland sediments. Drilling results and hydrogeochemical analysis of the interflow and this shallow groundwater indicate a connection of the two components via macropores in the upper saprolite at the slope toe. At the same time interflow is transferred to the soil water of the wetland via a sandy loam layer which is found on top of the confining clay-loam layer of the wetland sediments. Both processes are active even during the dry season and therefore water from the interflow is relevant for water storage (shallow aquifer) and agricultural production (soil water) in the wetland.

Interflow volume and nitrate content both show a fast reaction to rainfall events, while the amount of water and nutrients delivered to the wetland is related to the land-use on the slope. Nitrate content in the soil water on the slopes suggests a relocation of nutrients in the upper soil horizons towards the slope toe. As infiltration capacity of the soil’s A-horizon is higher compared to the B-horizon a second  lateral flow component appears to be present close to the soil surface.

The results of this study emphasize the relevance of subsurface flow for wetland hydrology and give first explanations of wetland-upland connectivity in a complex saprolite geology.
Assessing the viability of using GEOS-Forecast Product for Landslides Forecasting−A step toward Early Warning Systems
Authors: Khan Sana , Kirschbaum Dalia B. , Stanley Thomas
Published: March 2020

Landslides across the globe are mostly triggered by extreme rainfall events affecting infrastructure, transportation and livelihoods. The risks are rarely quantified due to lack of data, analytical skills and limited modeling techniques. Knowledge of local to global scale landslide risks provides communities and national agencies the ability to adapt disaster management practices to mitigate and recover from these hazards. In order to minimize the risks and improve characterization of community resilience to landslides, it is vital to have reliable information about the factors triggering landslides such as rainfall, well ahead in time.

Forecasting potential landslide activity and impacts can be achieved through reliable precipitation forecast models. However, it is challenging because of the temporal and spatial variability of precipitation, an important factor in triggering landslides. Evaluation of the precipitation field, associated errors, and sampling uncertainties is integral for development of efficient and reliable landslide forecasting and early warning system.

This study develops a methodology to assess the viability of using a precipitation field provided by a global model and its potential integration in the landslide forecasting system. The study focuses on the comparison between the IMERG (Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for Global Precipitation Mission) and GEOS (NASA Goddard Earth Observing System)-Forecast product over contiguous United States (CONUS).  GEOS model assimilates new observations every 6 hours, at 00, 06, 12, and 18 UTC. The framework is tested on the GEOS-Forecast Model initialized at 00 UTC using daily IMERG early product as reference using both categorical and continuous statistics. The categorical statistics includes the probability of detection (POD), success ratio (SR), critical success index (CSI), and the hit bias. Continuous statistics such as correlation, normalized standard deviation, and root-mean-square error are also evaluated. Overall, GEOS-Forecast precipitation field over the analysis period (~1 year) show underestimation with respect to IMERG early for the daily accumulated rainfall. However, the probability distribution function and cumulative distribution function of both show similar patterns. In terms of correlations, POD, SR, CSI, hit bias, the performance varies with respect to the rainfall threshold used.
Extending the CM SAF global satellite-based climate data record of cloud properties
Authors: Solodovnik Irina , Stein Diana , Meirink Jan Fokke , Karlsson Karl-Göran , Stengel Martin
Published: March 2020

Global data records of cloud properties are an important part for the analysis of the Earth's climate system and its variability. One of the few sources facilitating such records are the measurements of the satellite-based Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) sensor that provides spatially homogeneous and high resolved information in multiple spectral bands. This information can be used to retrieve global cloud properties covering multiple decades, as, for example, composed as part of the CM SAF Cloud, Albedo, Radiation data record based on AVHRR (CLARA) series.

In this presentation we introduce the edition 2.1 (CLARA-A2.1) of this record series, which is the temporally extended version of CLARA-A2. This extension includes three and a half more years at the end of the data record, which now covers the time period January 1982 to June 2019 (37.5 years). CLARA-A2.1 includes a comprehensive set of cloud parameters: fractional cloud cover, cloud top products, cloud thermodynamic phase and cloud physical properties, such as cloud optical thickness, particle effective radius and cloud water path. Cloud products are available as daily and monthly averages and histograms (Level 3) on a regular 0.25°×0.25° global grid and as daily, global composite products (Level 2b) with a spatial resolution of 0.05°×0.05°. Time series analyses of the CLARA-A2.1 cloud products show the homogeneity and stability of the extension.

In addition to the general characteristics of the CLARA-A2.1 record, we will summarize the results of the thorough evaluation efforts that were conducted by validation against reference observations (e.g. SYNOP, DARDAR, CALIOP) and by comparisons to similar well established data records (e.g. Patmos-X, ISCCP-H and MODIS C6.1). CLARA-A2.1 cloud products show generally a very good agreement with all the compared data sets and fulfil CM SAF's accuracy, precision and decadal stability requirements. As an additional aspect, we will touch upon the CLARA Interim Climate Data Record (ICDR) concept that will soon be used for extending CLARA-A2.1 in near-real-time mode.
Hydraulic fracture propagation in high porosity media
Authors: Tairova Aliya , Belyakov Georgy , Iudochkin Nikita , Molokoedov Aleksandr
Published: March 2020

        In the present work, a foam rubber sheet installed between two transparent thick flat glasses was used as a physical model of a permeable oil reservoir. The elastic properties of foam rubber and its coefficient of friction on glass are supposed to be measured in separate experiments. In the center of the foam sheet there is a round hole, which is a model of the end face of the well in the oil reservoir. Before the experiment, cuts are made from the hole in opposite directions and to a certain length, simulating a previously closed crack. Using a vacuum pump it is possible to change the pressure of glasses per layer and thereby simulate the increase in "rock pressure" on a productive oil reservoir . A fluid is pumped through the hole in the end of the well. Under the action of fluid filtration, the surface of the walls along the cut of the foam layer are moved apart, forming a gap.The dependence of the pressure gradient on the length of the crack formed was obtained. The overall picture of the growth of hydraulic fracturing is recorded by camera. Continuous physical observations of the formation of a fracture in time allow subsequently predict the optimal fracture geometry.

The reported study was funded by RFBR, project number №. 20-35-80028 and state task 0146-2019-0007
Landslide susceptibility prediction by supervised Kohonen network on classic and spectral geomorphometric variables (case study of the Krasnaya Polyana resort, Russia)
Authors: Shvarev Sergey , Golosov Valentin , Kharchenko Sergey
Published: March 2020

Landslides are an important component in the formation of the slope sediment flux of the sediment discharges of mountain rivers. In this regard, assessing the likelihood of their formation is an important task. The territory of the Russian ski resort Krasnaya Polyana (the Mzymta River basin) is subject to active landslide processes, including due to increased anthropogenic activity during the preparations for the 2014 Winter Olympics. The resort continues to develop actively after the Winter Olympics. The construction of new facilities continues recently including on potentially landslide slopes. When designing objects, the engineering and geological substantiation of the project is carried out. However, modeling of the landslide risk is not performed at all. We undertaken such a simulation on an area of ​​1,500 square kilometers, including the villages of Krasnaya Polyana and Estosadok and the resort of Rosa Khutor. The study area covers the Mzymta River Valley, the Laura River and their small tributaries, as well as the slopes of the Aibga and Psekhako Ranges. For forecasting, we used the landslide distribution scheme (part of the geomorphological map of the territory with landslide destruction walls) created by one of the co-authors in 2008. Various “classic” morphometric variables (calculated by SAGA GIS) were applied for prediction. In total, 66 different variables were used, both standard for such forecasting (bias, aspect, flow accumulation), and less commonly used (topographic openness, etc. ). In addition, the spectral characteristics of the terrain were used: the result of DEM decomposition into a two-dimensional Fourier series on a moving window. These variables characterize the topographic pattern within a sliding window of different sizes minus the linear trend of elevation. The prediction of the danger of a landslide was made for three variants: only by “classical” variables, only by spectral variables and by all variables combined. Due to the small amount of input data, the accuracy of the obtained models was estimated by cross-checking without dividing the data into training and test samples. The final accuracy in the first case was 64%, in the second case - 69%, in the third case - 73%. The spectral characteristics of the terrain can enhance the predicted potential of landslide susceptibility models using DEM.

This study was funded by the Russian Science Foundation, project no. 19-17-00181.
EDGAR v5.0: a tool to evaluate the influence of technology incorporation and regulatory frameworks on global greenhouse gases and air pollutant emissions.
Authors: Oreggioni Gabriel David , Monforti-Ferraio Fabio , Crippa Monica , Schaaf Edwin , Guizzardi Diego , Muntean Marilena , Duerr Marlene , Vignati Elisabetta
Published: March 2020

During the last 30 years, the global energy sector has undergone through significant transformation, delivering a considerably larger electricity output whilst attempting to reduce air pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions. The international community has tackled this challenging dilemma by implementing different kind of policies and by encouraging several types of technological changes; including the partial replacement of coal and liquid fossil fuels by low carbon energy vectors (natural gas and renewable sources), the incorporation of more efficient power trains (natural gas fired combined cycles and supercritical coal fired plants) and the deployment of primary and secondary treatment processes for limiting air pollutant concentration in flue gases.
EDGAR is a unique global emission database due to its high sectorial, technological and geographical coverage; reporting greenhouse and air pollutant emission time series (1970-nowadays) in a very detailed way. Research is currently being conducted, aimed at updating the energy conversion and end of pipe processes so that the quantified emissions can better reflect the latest global and regional changes. By using EDGAR new data, it is possible to evaluate the impact of technology and regulatory frameworks on air pollutant emissions as well as to identify possible co-benefits and trade off associated with climate change mitigation policies for the energy industries.
This work is intended to study the drivers for greenhouse and air pollutant emission trends within this sector - both in large emitting developed and developing economies; by focusing on the role of  demand increase, on the penetration of non-fossil sources and specially on the incorporation of more efficient power islands, combustion and air pollutant abatement units.
On the significance of global greening trends with multiple testing – an application to five data products
Authors: Cortés José , Mahecha Miguel , Reichstein Markus , Brenning Alexander
Published: March 2020

The statistical analysis of environmental data from remote sensing and Earth system simulations often entails the analysis of gridded spatio-temporal data, where a hypothesis test is performed for each grid cell. When the whole image or set of grid cells is analyzed for a global effect, the problem of multiple testing arises – this applies to the study of global greening trends, which have been widely reported. Although there is a consensus on the greening patterns, there is still much debate about the attribution to CO2 fertilization, temperature rise, and land use intensification. We argue that none of the studies uses a proper statistical methodology and hence fail to identify the hotspots of “real greening". To perform statistical inference, we need to account for this multiplicity of hypothesis tests. In this work, we demonstrate how to address this issue with a permutation method based on clustering, which allows us to make robust inference on regions or patterns, using the Mann-Kendall Test as the basis. The method is illustrated by comparing global greening trends derived from five different data products which contain global data for Leaf Area Index and/or Fraction of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation: GIMMS 3g, NOAA CDR, Land Long Term Data Record, LTDR MOD15A2, and SPOT/PROBA-V data. We find that many greening trends detected in earlier studies do not withstand our rigorous significance testing. Yet we do find consistent greening trends in South East China. Our results show substantial differences in statistically significant patterns of greening and browning among the products used, but greatly reduce the focal areas of greening that should be investigated in detail with proper trend-attribution methods. 
Global network of underground research – Literature metadata analysis by Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
Authors: Kotavaara Ossi , Joutsenvaara Jari , Niinikoski Eija-Riitta , Martinmäki Pertti , Heinikoski Ursula
Published: March 2020

Globally there are various underground facilities or laboratories, which are commonly located in active or closed mines, in tunnel systems or they are built for this specific purpose. There are also a vast number of study groups and researches within several disciplines utilising resources of these facilities. The Baltic Sea Underground Innovation Network (BSUIN) develops six such facilities, all having unique characteristics and operational settings. In developing underground laboratories, understanding characteristics, needs and accessibility of research communities applying these facilities is crucial. Aim of this study is to product new knowledge in this field, by analysing research published by this community. Geographic information systems (GIS) is applied to scrutinise the metadata of scientific literature databases. There is a great deal of published research having connection to underground facilities. For example, between years 2009-2018, Scopus database covers over 13,000 articles by over 40,000 authors. Preliminary analysis indicates that a wide variety of disciplines, such as engineering, earth and planet sciences, environmental sciences, physics and astronomy, as well as energy, material, computer and social sciences, are active within underground themes. In the analysis, publication specific data are compiled from literature databases, research units located globally by geocoding and data is organised for geographic and temporal analysis. By discipline information and indexed research fields and themes, patterns of global research trends within underground studies are explored. Results will indicate how distribution of study fields is organised, visualise the strength and activity of different disciplines and show the key temporal elements in development of research. This data enables also to extend the analysis to cover also the networked characteristics of research and researchers within underground laboratories.
Connecting science, operations and decision-making when communicating uncertainty in hydro-meteorological forecasting
Authors: Ramos Maria-Helena , Pappenberger Florian
Published: March 2020

Almost ten years ago, we published a paper where we raised the question whether effective communication of uncertainty in hydro-meteorological forecasts was an impossible mission (Ramos et al. Meteorol. Appl. 17: 223–235, 2010, DOI: 10.1002/met.202). We wanted to understand if the multiple ways of interpreting uncertainty, as well as the multiple users and forecasting situations affecting forecast display and confidence, could hamper probabilistic forecast communication in operational hydrological forecasting. We looked at the main general interconnections present in a typical flood forecasting and alert chain, the challenges of extracting meaningful information from probabilistic forecasts and the way ensemble forecasts were effectively used in flood warning and decision-making. At the end, we were optimistic to say that the “mission is not impossible, although the tasks to be executed might be difficult to accomplish.” Here, we discuss a follow-up question: what have we accomplished in terms of communicating uncertainty in hydrological forecasts in practice, and contributing to better inform decision-making? The impact of forecasts, in terms of, for instance, anticipation of extreme events and crisis management, depends on how good they are but also on how they are understood and used in practice. This requires connecting science, operations and decision-making through the forecasting chain. We present some experiments with role-play games and benchmarking skilful streamflow forecasts developed to better understand the way probabilistic predictions can support decisions, and discuss where successes were achieved and challenges remain.
Urban soil ecosystem services: contributing to sustainable urban development
Authors: Davies Jessica , O'Riordan Roisin , Stevens Carly , Quinton John , Boyko Chris
Published: March 2020

Soil in urban areas has largely been left out of traditional soil research, however, there is now a growing interest in its importance due to the key role that cities will play in a more sustainable future. Soil provides vital ecosystem services, and these are becoming more pertinent for cities as the population of urban areas continues to grow. Services such as flood regulation, urban food growing, urban heat island mitigation and carbon storage, as well as cultural and recreational services, are unpinned by the healthy functioning of soils.

The role of urban soil in providing ecosystem services in urban areas is understudied, and the complexities of understanding and quantifying soil ecosystem services has yet to be translated to the varied and highly heterogeneous context of cities. In this work, we will review the literature on soil ecosystem services in cities and present a state-of-the-art picture of current knowledge.

We will discuss the variation of urban soils, their treatment and management in urban areas, and the associated difficulty in investigating and classifying them. The trends of urban soil ecosystem services research will be presented, considering which services have been most commonly studied across supporting, provisioning, regulating and cultural categories; and in which countries. A co-occurrence analysis of key terms in the literature will also be presented, highlighting further patterns and gaps in knowledge. This will also lead to a discussion on the key drivers behind the soil threats in urban areas, such as soil compaction, sealing with impervious surfaces and contamination.

The most studied services will be investigated further to allow a more detailed discussion into what we know about these services, and the impacts of urbanisation on their provision. This presentation will bring together the growing body of work on this relatively new research area, will identify gaps in our knowledge, and will highlight the impacts of urbanisation for urban soils. This will inform the way we treat and manage soil in urban areas, helping to optimise the provision of urban soil ecosystem services and contributing to more sustainable urban development for the future.
A new parameterization of gravity waves for atmospheric circulation models based on the radiative transfer equation
Authors: Mai Matthäus , Becker Erich
Published: March 2020

Gravity waves play an important role in the momentum and heat budgets of the middle atmosphere. Global circulation models used for long-term simulations need to parameterize the transport of wave momentum and energy from the lower to the middle atmosphere and the associated wave-mean flow interaction. This gravity wave-mean flow interaction is usually due to dynamical instability triggered by wave refraction and amplitude growth, giving rise to wave dissipation. In addition, gravity waves can interact with the mean flow through the passage of finite wave packets without dissipation. Conventional gravity wave parameterizations cannot describe this effect; nor can they account for wave sources being continuous in space and time, for the finite duration of vertical propagation, or wave acceleration induced by a temporally varying mean flow.
All these effects are accommodated when the wave field is described by the wave-energy density in wave number and physical space, and its evolution is computed by the radiative transfer equation for the wave field. A corresponding parameterization called IDEMIX has successfully been applied in ocean models. Here we present a corresponding parameterization for atmosphere models in single-column approximation. The new scheme is validated in off-line simulations. Results show that the evolution of wave packets forced in the troposphere and propagating upward into stratospheric and mesospheric jets is simulated consistently with theoretical expectations. This includes wave reflection and critical layers. Furthermore, an explicit diffusion scheme was added to account for wave dissipation due to dynamical instability.