bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The interTwin DTE: supporting the development of extreme weather events applications
Authors: Franck Gwen , Elia Donatello
Published: March 2024

The Horizon Europe interTwin project is developing a highly generic yet powerful Digital Twin Engine (DTE) to support interdisciplinary Digital Twins (DT). Comprising thirty-one high-profile scientific partner institutions, the project brings together infrastructure providers, technology providers, and DT use cases from Climate Research and Environmental Monitoring, High Energy and AstroParticle Physics, and Radio Astronomy. This group of experts enables the co-design of the DTE Blueprint Architecture and the prototype platform; benefiting end users like scientists and policymakers but also DT developers. It achieves this by significantly simplifying the process of creating and managing complex Digital Twins workflows.In the context of the project, among others, Digital Twin (DT) applications for extreme events (such as tropical cyclones and wildfires) on climate projections are being implemented. Understanding how climate change affects extreme events is crucial since such events can have a significant impact on ecosystems, and cause economic losses and casualties. In particular, the DT applications are based on Machine Learning (ML) approaches for the detection and prediction of the events exploiting climate/environmental variables. The interTwin DTE is aimed at providing the software and computing infrastructure for handling these complex applications in terms of AI model, data processing and workflow management. The contribution will cover the use cases concerning extreme weather events, supported by project partner CMCC. interTwin is funded by the European Union (Horizon Europe) under grant agreement No 101058386.
Quantitative vulnerability assessment of buildings susceptible to slow-kinematic landslides
Authors: Poggi Francesco , Caleca Francesco , Festa Davide , Nardini Olga , Barbadori Francesco , Del Soldato Matteo , De Luca Claudio , Casu Francesco , Lanari Riccardo , Casagli Nicola , Raspini Federico
Published: March 2024

An approach for assessing the quantitative vulnerability, through empirical fragility and vulnerability curves, of masonry buildings exposed to slow-kinematic landslides is described. More in detail, the fragility curves express the probability of exceeding a given level of damage for a range of landslide intensity values. Starting from these ones, the vulnerability curve provides the mean level of damage severity to a given building (or aggregate of buildings) in relation to the landslide intensity value. The application of the vulnerability curve is exploited in the quantitative risk analysis (QRA), that quantifies the probability of a given level of loss.The Department of Earth Sciences of the University of Florence has catalogued the severity damage landslide-induced to over four thousand masonry buildings gathered from in situ surveys in the northern Apennines. Moreover, to retrieve the fragility and, consequently, the vulnerability curves for buildings, the proposed method exploits the results of spaceborne Advanced Differential Interferometry SAR (A-DInSAR) analysis. In particular, such a method considers the landslide intensity value equal to the module of the vertical (up-down) and horizontal (east-west) deformation velocity obtained by properly combining ascending and descending Sentinel-1 DInSAR products, retrieved through the P-SBAS (Parallel-Small Baseline Subset) method developed at IREA-CNR.This approach to assess the vulnerability has been integrated within the well-known QRA procedure, which is based on the application of the risk equation (R=H*V*E), where:R is the landslide risk in terms of economic loss;H is the hazard retrieved from the susceptibility map available for the entire Italian territory;V is the vulnerability obtained directly from the equation of the vulnerability curve;E is the exposure of buildings assessed from average real estate market parameters reported in the OMI (Osservatorio Mercato Immobliare).The effectiveness of the proposed procedure has been tested over the municipality of Zeri (Massa-Carrara, Italy), where a large-scale landslide risk map has been produced. In particular, for each building of the study area, the hazard, the vulnerability, the exposure and the risk associated with it, are presented. The analysis estimates a total risk of 33.2 million euro for the Zeri municipality and the identification of specific buildings at highest risk. The provided result can be useful for the civil protection activities of the local administrator identifying areas with higher potentiality of damage on structures.
Temperature Influence on Proton Pumping and Mg-Incorporation in Foraminifera
Authors: Do Nascimento Silva Daniel Francois , de Nooijer Lennart , Reichart Gert-Jan
Published: March 2024

The Mg/Ca ratio in foraminiferal shells is commonly used as a proxy for reconstructing sea surface and bottom water temperatures. However, its incorporation results from complex interactions between seawater conditions and biologically regulated factors. While the former effects are well-constrained, poorly understood biological factors contribute to interspecies variations in Mg/Ca-temperature calibrations and a notable difference in Mg sensitivity compared to inorganically precipitated calcium carbonates. Here we show that temperature significantly influences cellular ion modulation in low-Mg species, leading to elevated enzymatic reaction rates that enhance H+ removal (J = 0.67 to 5.00 nmol-s) during calcification, and boost the precipitation rate. On high-Mg species, on the other hand, a similar fivefold increase in H+ local flux was observed (J = 0.08 to 0.40 nmol-s), but its impact on the calcification rate was mild. In both cases, H+ pumping rates align with Mg uptake, indicating a potential (indirect) link between temperature-sensitive behavior of transporters and Mg partitioning.
Water stable isotope approaches for estimating water ages in the hydrological cycle
Authors: Stumpp Christine , Türk Hatice , Hajric Selma , Stockinger Michael
Published: March 2024

Water stable isotopes provide a tracer signal input into the hydrological cycle with every precipitation event over a certain area. Tracking this signal, its seasonal distribution, and its relative changes since that water fell as snow or rain, can provide information about water flow and transport processes in the critical zone or integrative information about them within catchments. Water stable isotopes combined with other approaches can also be used to estimate water ages, such as the transit or residence time of water. Knowing the distribution of transit or residence times and how they vary over time and space can further inform about flow paths and hydrological processes as well as time scales of solute transport and hydrochemical processes. In this talk, an overview of the importance of water ages in hydrology will be provided, and different methods will be introduced for estimating water transit or residence times based on water stable isotope data. Several examples will be shown where we used experimental data-based methods and hydrological modelling for estimating water ages in soils and in catchments. The importance of high-resolution isotope data will be emphasized for uncovering hydrological processes, their dynamics, and controlling factors.
Impact of sewage treatment discharges on the water quality of receiving rivers
Authors: Yang Zihan , Worrall Fred , Knapp Julia L.A.
Published: March 2024

Most modern societies rely on rivers for both water supply and for disposal of waste. With increasing population there is increasing pressure on receiving rivers, and therefore, the aim of this study was to assess whether discharges from sewage treatments works (STWs) detrimentally impact the water quality of receiving rivers. The approach of this study was to consider any sewage treatment works in England where there was a monitoring point above and below the STW discharge without any other input between these monitoring points. Any determinand could be expected to change downstream with or without the presence of a sewage works discharge, and therefore, the result from river reaches with a sewage discharge were compared to results from control river reaches where there was no sewage discharge present. Downstream changes were assessed relative to date factors; type of reach (control vs. sewage discharge reach); and individual river reach. In addition, for each river reach a series of covariates were also considered – distance between monitoring points; percentile river flow at time of sampling; and upstream altitude. Where significant, results for each sewage treatment works were compared to characteristics of the sewage treatment works to see whether particular treatment processes contributed to, or mitigated, any water quality impact on the receiving rivers. The determinands considered were stream temperature; nitrate; phosphate; biochemical oxygen demand (BOD); chemical oxygen demand (COD); pH; suspended solids. The results show that:Discharge from sewage treatment work significantly altered the temperature, BOD, COD, suspended solids, pH, nitrate, phosphate and specific conductance of the receiving river.
Comparing impact on water quality to the nature of the sewage treatment works showed that only stream temperature was significantly altered by the nature of the secondary treatment present at any works.
The size of the sewage treatment works, as judged by population equivalence and dry weather flow, had a significant impact on the magnitude of effect for all except nitrate.
principal component analysis showed that sewage treatment works grouped together according to their COD or according to their nutrient behaviours.
 The study shows that the impact of sewage treatment works is widespread, independent of the range of technologies used. At the same time, that the results show that works were rarely a problem for both suspended solids or nutrients.
Rivers as Conduits: A Comprehensive Model of Microplastic Fate and Transport
Authors: Portillo De Arbeloa Nerea , Marzadri Alessandra
Published: March 2024

The surge in plastic production and its widespread usage in modern society have escalated the generation of plastic waste, resulting in the prevalent presence of microplastics (MP) in various ecosystems. Their stability and resistance to degradation promotes their persistence and accumulation in the environment, posing significant threats to ecological and human health. River systems acting as connection pathways between lands and oceans, play an important role in controlling the movement of MP. Therefore, understanding which are the main transport mechanisms that control the fate of MP in fluvial settings remains an important challenge.To this end, we developed a process-based model that solves the advection-dispersion-reaction equation (ADRE)  to predict how the amount of MP changes along the river network. The model considers MP inputs from anthropogenic sources and characterizes the transport and removal mechanisms (i.e. sedimentation, burial, resuspension, and bank removal) according to the different hydro-geomorphological conditions of the reaches that compose the fluvial network. The capability of the model to capture observed concentrations of MP was tested by using available literature data. Comparison between observed and modeled concentration of MP confirm the robustness of the proposed tool  and its versatility to dynamically represent the MP transport-removal processes. Model results  can be helpful to understand and address the challenges posed by MP pollution in riverine systems. 
Co-eruptive crustal deformation changes associated with the 2021 Fagradalsfjall eruption (SW-Iceland)
Authors: Lanzi Chiara , Geirsson Halldór , Sigmundsson Freysteinn , Parks Michelle Maree , Drouin Vincent
Published: March 2024

Ground deformation during an eruption may help to interpret physical processes related to the plumbing system. Here, we report the co-eruptive deformation of the Fagradalsfjall (SW-Iceland) eruption in 2021, that occurred in an oblique rift zone. The eruption lasted six months, 19 March - 21 September, following several weeks of intense seismic activity. The spatial and temporal analysis of Global Navigation Satellite System, GNSS, and Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar, InSAR, (by Sentinel-1) observations of ground displacements locate changes in the deformation pattern during the eruptive period. Three temporal changes in the subsidence rates and horizontal motion towards the eruptive area are identified: the first period, T1, 19 March–12 May; the second period, T2, 12 May–30 July, and the third period, T3, 30 July–21 September. The maximum deformation rate (20 mm/yr in line-of-sight) is observed in T2 and coincides with the average effusive rate increase (from 8 m3/s in March–April to 9–13 m3/s in May, Pedersen et al., 2022). We jointly inverted the GNSS and InSAR data to place constraints on the size and location of the source of subsidence during the six-month eruption. Initial modelling result (InSAR and GNSS) indicates a point-source at mid-crust level, 9.5-10.5 km depth and a volume decrease of 18-21 × 106 m3. The deflation volume estimated is significantly lower than that of the lava flow field, with a bulk volume of 150 ± 3 × 106 m3of lava (Pedersen et al., 2022). A residual signal is observed in our model, centered above the source location and around the eruptive center. Both the residual signal and the lower-than-expected volume change suggest additional inflow from a deeper source in agreement with evidence of physical mixing of magma from a mantle supply after the start of the eruption (Halldórsson et al., 2022). A link to a deeper source influences the influx rate of the magma and, consequently, the magma available. Both local seismicity rate and seismic moment release gradually decreases between the onset of the eruption and late April. Afterwards, both show a relatively constant rate, until the end of the eruption.    Pedersen, G., Belart, Joaquín M.C., Óskarsson, B., Gudmundsson, M. et al (2022). Volume, Effusion Rate, and Lava Transport During the 2021 Fagradalsfjall Eruption: Results From Near Real‐Time Photogrammetric Monitoring. Geophys. Res. Lett., 49. 10.1029/2021GL097125. Halldórsson, S.A., Marshall, E.W., Caracciolo, A. et al. (2022). Rapid shifting of a deep magmatic source at Fagradalsfjall volcano, Iceland. Nature 609, 529–534 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-04981-x
Present-day current activity in an inactive canyon-channel system: the Gollum Channel System offshore southwest Ireland.
Authors: Verweirder Lotte , Van Rooij David , Fourie Fred , Langedock Kobus , White Martin , Georgiopoulou Aggeliki
Published: March 2024

The Gollum Channel System is a land-detached large-scale canyon-channel system situated offshore southwest Ireland on the Northeast Atlantic margin. The system is considered to have been inactive since the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), but newly acquired geophysical seafloor and shallow subsurface data do suggest recent activity. To test the hypothesis of present-day (in)activity, high-resolution side-scan sonar, photography and bathymetry data were collected using an AUV in the upper slope (350-1000 m water depth) section of two of the channels. These data are presented alongside current meter data from a mooring station in one of the channels, which were used for quantification and validation of the AUV results. The presence of current ripples on the channel floor indicates that bottom currents acting here are capable of the (re)distribution of sediments. Additionally, some features in the AUV data are interpreted as patches of cold-water corals that depend on nutrient influx as well as a hard enough substrate to grow on, both of which may be promoted by bottom current activity. The current meter data show bottom currents had an average velocity of 15.1 cm/s and reached a maximum of 53.7 cm/s during the measurement period. Therefore, collectively, these datasets allow interpretation of the channel floor features visible within the AUV data with respect to the current regimes they represent, and vice versa. At present, bottom current activity seems prevalent in the channels, while activity from gravity flows has not been observed.
Precision soil moisture monitoring: use of a multi-sensor profiling for optimizing yield and fruit quality of yellow fleshed kiwifruit in northern Italy
Authors: Baldi Elena , Quartieri Maurizio , Golfarelli Matteo , Francia Matteo , Giovanelli Josef , Mastroleo Marco , Xilogiannis Evalgelos , Toselli Moreno
Published: March 2024

The control of soil moisture is fundamental for optimizing water supply, plant performances and fruit quality. Traditional monitoring systems rely on a single sensor, or several sensors positioned along the soil profile not giving reliable information on soil water availability in the soil volume occupied by roots. In a 3-years field experiment we tested the effectiveness of PLUTO, an original approach able to define soil moisture profiles thanks to a bi- and tri-dimensional grid of sensors. The study was carried out, from 2021 to 2023, in northern Italy, on kiwifruit Zezy002 (A. chinensis var. chinensis) grafted, in 2012, onto micro-propagated Hayward (A. chinensis var. deliciosa) planted at a distance of 4.5 m x 2 m apart. During the experiment a traditional irrigation system (CONTROL) was compared to smart irrigation (PLUTO). Water management in the control treatment was carried out according to the advisory service, only based on daily evapotranspiration. On the other side, according to PLUTO water was applied taking into consideration the soil water content measured by potentiometric probes located according to the grid of sensors. Irrigation started when soil matric potential dropped below -0.1 MPa in more than 50% of the volume of soil explored by the root system and was aimed at returning the same amount of water lost the day before and estimated by evapotranspiration. During the experiment, compared to the CONTROL, PLUTO reduced the volume of water without impairing plant water status and yield. Fruit juice soluble solid concentration and fruit dry matter at harvest was increased by the smart irrigation system with a similar response also after 2 and 4 months of cold storage. PLUTO water management also induced a lower fruit firmness and yellow pulp color (defined by H angle) at harvest. In conclusion, the definition of irrigation volumes and timing according to smart irrigation system were able to reduce water consumption and increase fruit quality. Taking into consideration that the cost of sensors is progressively decreasing, PLUTO provides a cost-effective, operative, and precise solution to monitor soil water availability.
Investigation of the ozone formation of anthropogenic VOCs in the atmospheric simulation chamber SAPHIR
Authors: Färber Michelle , Fuchs Hendrik , Bohn Birger , Carlsson Philip M.T. , Gkatzelis Georgios , Marcillo Lara Andrea Carolina , Rohrer Franz , Wedel Sergej , Wahner Andreas , Novelli Anna
Published: March 2024

The hydroxyl radical (OH) is the most important daytime oxidant in the troposphere, initiating chemical degradation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and hence contributing to the formation of secondary pollutants such as ozone (O3). In the oxidation process of VOCs, peroxy radicals (RO2) and hydroperoxy radicals (HO2) are formed. In polluted areas, characterised by the presence of nitric oxide (NO), the OH radical is regenerated by the reaction of HO2 with NO, enhancing atmospheric oxidation. Ozone is mainly produced from the photolysis of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) which is formed in the reaction of HO2 and RO2 with NO, where the latter reaction also leads to the formation of an alkoxy radical (RO). Depending on the fate of the RO radical, additional O3 may be produced.Large discrepancies between measured and modelled HO2 and RO2 radical concentrations have been observed during daytime for several urban environments, both for low (< 1ppbv) and high (> 3ppbv) NO. As measured and modelled radical concentrations are commonly used to determine the instantaneous ozone production rate (P(Ox)), a large model-measurement discrepancy was also found for P(Ox) at high NO.A systematic study of the photo-oxidation of different anthropogenic VOCs (propane, propene, iso-pentane, n-hexane, trans-2-hexene), associated with traffic emissions and involving different alkoxy chemistry, was conducted at the atmospheric simulation chamber SAPHIR at Forschungszentrum Jülich, Germany, for NO mixing ratios below 1ppbv and between 3 and 5ppbv.Measured radicals as well as precursors and oxidation products are compared with results from a zero-dimensional box model using the Master Chemical Mechanism (MCM v3.3.1) which is complemented by structure-activity relationships (SAR). When including SAR, an improved model-measurement agreement of HO2 and RO2 radical concentrations was specifically found for n-hexane and trans-2-hexene. In addition, the Ox (= NO2 + O3) formation per oxidised VOC (P(Ox)VOC) could be derived from modelled radical concentrations and measured Ox concentrations. Overall, a good agreement between the different P(Ox)VOC was found.
Estimating prior distributions of TCE transformation rate constants from literature data
Authors: Störiko Anna , Valocchi Albert J. , Werth Charles , Schaefer Charles E.
Published: March 2024

Stochastic modeling of contaminant reactions requires the definition of prior distributions for the respective rate constants. We use data from several experiments reported in the literature to better understand the distribution of pseudo-first-order rate constants of abiotic TCE reduction in different sediments. These distributions can be used to choose informed priors for these parameters in reactive-transport models.Groundwater contamination with trichloroethylene (TCE) persists at many hazardous waste sites due to back diffusion from low-permeability zones such as clay lenses. In recent years, the abiotic reduction of TCE by reduced iron minerals has gained attention as a natural attenuation process, but there is uncertainty as to whether the process is fast enough to be effective. Pseudo-first-order rate constants have been determined in laboratory experiments and are reported in the literature for various sediments and rocks, as well as for individual reactive minerals. However, rate constants can vary between sites and aquifer materials. Reported values range over several orders of magnitude.To assess the uncertainty and variability of pseudo-first-order rate constants, we compiled data reported in several studies. We built a statistical model based on a hierarchical Bayesian approach to predict probability distributions of rate constants at new sites based on this data set. We then investigated whether additional information about the sediment composition at a site could reduce the uncertainty. We tested two sets of predictors: reactive mineral content or the extractable Fe(II) content. Knowing the reactive mineral content reduced the uncertainty only slightly. In contrast, knowing the Fe(II) content greatly reduced the uncertainty because the relationship between Fe(II) content and rate constants is approximately log-log-linear. Using a simple example of diffusion-controlled transport in a contaminated aquitard, we show how the uncertainty in the predicted rate constants affects the predicted remediation times.
Impact of Particle Resuspension on Oxygen Consumption and Nutrient Cycling in a Turbid Estuary: Insights from the Loire Estuary
Authors: Boukortt Nour El Imene , Metzger Edouard , Bénéteau Eric , Le Merrer Yoann , Souchu Philippe , Sanchez Sophie , Barhdadi Mohammed , Maillet Grégoire , Schmidt Sabine
Published: March 2024

A characteristic feature of macrotidal estuaries is the presence of a Maximum Turbidity Zone (TMZ), defined by a high concentration of suspended particles (>0.5 g.L-1). It is maintained by frequent resuspension and deposition events, mainly influenced by waves, tidal currents, and river discharge. These cycles often result in enhanced organic matter degradation, generating a local dissolved oxygen (DO) demand, which can lead to drastic declines in DO and even hypoxic conditions (DO
Simulation of the wave-current interaction effect on the SAR-derived radial velocity
Authors: Elyouncha Anis , Martin Adrien , Gommenginger Christine
Published: March 2024

Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) offers the possibility to observe the sea surface current with very high spatial resolution thanks to techniques such as Doppler centroid analysis and Along-Track Interferometry. These observations are relevant in coastal areas and shelf seas. SAR has been routinely providing valuable information on sea surface winds and waves for decades. However, the Doppler signature of the surface (aka Wind-wave Artefact Surface Velocity - WASV) is strongly affected by the waves and needs to be corrected accurately. In this study, we assess how strongly and how far convergent and divergent current fields impact the wave fields, hence the WASV. This is a numerical study, combining a numerical wave model (Simulating WAves Nearshore - SWAN) with a semi-empirical wave Doppler electromagnetic simulator (Yurovsky et al., 2019 - KaDOP).In this study, the simulation of the effect of the wave-current interaction on the significant wave height is carried out using the SWAN model. Simulations are carried out for two different wind speeds 5 m/s and 10 m/s to represent different wave height regimes and two current profiles, convergent and divergent. The domain grid is one dimensional from x=0 to x=200 km with a spacing of 1 km. The depth is set to a constant value of 1000 m. The direction of propagation of the waves is perpendicular to the current front. Two scenarios are simulated waves propagating along the current and waves propagating against the current. The wind is set uniform over the whole fetch. The Doppler model KaDOP is used to estimate wave Doppler velocity (UD). This model takes as inputs the incidence angle, wind speed, relative wind direction, significant wave height (Hs) and peak radial frequency (Ωp) for wind sea and swell. The latter two quantities are affected by the wave-current interaction which affects the estimated wave Doppler. In summary, a combination of two different front widths (1 km and 3 km) and two wind speeds (5 m/s and 10 m/s) resulted in eight simulations. First,  it is shown that the spectral density increases (decreases) due to the convergent (divergent) current. The modulation is more important at the intermediate waves between the peak and around 0.6 Hz while it is negligible at the lowest and highest frequencies. As expected, the variation magnitude of Hs and UD increases with increasing magnitude of the current divergence and wind speed. It is also noted that the convergent current, when the waves propagate in a direction opposing the current, yields larger variations ∆Hs and ∆UD. Only in cases when the current front is 1 km wide, i.e. the divergence ≈ 0.19 10−3, ∆UD exceeds 0.1 m/s, but this limit is only exceeded locally (over a few pixels). 
Temperature dependence of cloud drop activation of insoluble particles
Authors: Piedehierro Ana A. , Welti André , Viisanen Yrjö , Laaksonen Ari
Published: March 2024

The critical supersaturation of cloud droplet activation by water-soluble aerosols increases at lower temperatures. This is due to the Kelvin effect, with the logarithm of the saturation ratio being inversely proportional to the absolute temperature and linearly proportional to the surface tensions and molecular volume of water. Less is known about the temperature dependence of critical supersaturation when the cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) are water-insoluble. The FHH activation theory describes the CCN activation of insoluble particles by combining the FHH (Frenkel-Halsey-Hill) adsorption isotherm and the Kelvin equation. The temperature dependence induced by the Kelvin term is inherently similar to that observed in water-soluble particles. However, the influence of the adsorption term on critical supersaturation as a function of temperature remains unclear. The typical temperature dependence of water vapour adsorption is such that an increase in the adsorption layer thickness is expected with decreasing temperature at a constant saturation ratio. Nevertheless, it is known that some adsorbent materials behave differently, adsorbing water vapour more efficiently at higher temperatures, while a third class of adsorbents shows no temperature dependence at all. In this study, we investigate the temperature dependencies of critical supersaturations for water-insoluble particle types that exhibit diverse temperature responses in adsorption measurements. We interpret the results in terms of the FHH adsorption activation model.
Sea-level scenarios for coastal adaptation: the example of France
Authors: Thiéblemont Rémi , Le Cozannet Gonéri
Published: March 2024

Climate change scenarios are a typical request of adaptation practioners. Within its third national adaptation plan, France is developing a consistent set of climate scenarios based on global warming levels. The scenario currently under consideration would lead to a global mean temperature increase of 3°C with respect to the preindustrial period, which is consistent with the current climate policies to 2100. Later on, these scenarios would be integrated in the regulation, for example in order to update risk assessment guidance.Here, we present how sea-level rise scenarios aligned with this global warming level were produced. We selected emulated simulations for each component of future sea-level rise consistently, including ocean and ice components, following a method similar to that of the 6th assessment report of the IPCC, yet with specific attention to the consistency of uncertainty treatment before and after 2100. This responds to the needs to consider impacts of sea-level rise over hundred years, that is, to 2125 within coastal risk prevention plans. Furthermore, we added simulations considering a potential collapse of ice-sheets at 3°C of global warming levels in 2100. We consider only vertical land motions related to the Glacial Isostatic Adjustment as new observations from the Copernicus Land Motion service are now available for local stakeholder’s use.The results show that the 87th percentile of projections is close to 80cm in 2100 with respect to 1995-2014 for the majority of mainland and overseas French regions, whether ice-sheets collapse is considered or not. Conversely, median values display differences of about 10cm depending whether ice sheet collapse is hypothesized or not. In the context of the development of these new scenarios, simplicity was considered a key criterion of success to ensure that all users - and not only those with high climate literacy - can effectively use scenarios. Hence, we propose to use one single scenario corresponding to the 87th percentile of the projections. This corresponds to a cautious approach consistent with the risk prevention policy in France. This does not preclude advanced users considering additional scenarios such as low-likelihood/high-impact scenarios voluntarily.This work was performed within a project supported by the ministry in charge of Environment. We thank the steering and scientific committees of this project for useful comments and inputs.
Subduction and exhumation of an Ultra-High Pressure oceanic slab in the Western Alps, new insights from the Lago Superiore Unit
Authors: Scaramuzzo Emanuele , Livio Franz , Borghini Alessia , Gilio Mattia , Locatelli Michele , Boero Federica , Ghignone Stefano
Published: March 2024

Ultra-high pressure (UHP) units sample the deepest portion of a subduction zone that returned to the surface, escaping their fate of disappearing deep into the mantle. Several mechanisms have been proposed for the exhumation of UHP units in collisional orogens but the topic remains still controversial and poorly understood.The models invoked for the exhumation of UHP units generally require a positive buoyancy as trigger of exhumation. However, Ghignone et al. (2023) reported for the first time the occurrence of a slice tens of kilometres in length of oceanic slab, i.e., the Lago Superiore Unit (LSU), that reached UHP depth. This latter represents a portion of the former Alpine Tethys oceanic lithosphere now accreted within the Western Alpine collisional system (Ghignone et al., 2023).In this contribution we present new insights on the subduction-accretionary processes preserved in the UHP Lago Superiore Unit. Our study is based on i) a new structural map of the LSU considering new data, ii) structural and kinematic field data, and iii) new prograde and retrograde P-T estimations calculated combining quartz-in-garnet elastic thermobarometry with Zr-in rutile and Ti-in-quartz thermometry.Our new integrated kinematic and thermobarometric model suggests that the primary process driving the exhumation of the UHP Lago Superiore Unit was the progressive extraction of a composite metamorphic wedge. Final extension as revealed by thermobarometric constrain, allowed the exhumation of the Lago Suepriroe Unit at shallow crustal levels.Ghignone, S., Scaramuzzo, E., Bruno, M., Livio, F., 2023. Am Mineral, 108(7), 1368-1375.
Assessment of Fate and Transport of Heavy Metals (Cr, Cd) in Hardrock Aquifers
Authors: Bhattacharya Aishwarya , Yadav Brijesh Kumar , Khandelwal Nitin
Published: March 2024

This study delves into chromium (Cr) and cadmium (Cd) behavior in varied hard-rock aquifer lithologies, exploring their sorption capacities and transport characteristics. The research aims to understand how these heavy metals affect groundwater quality in lithologically diverse settings. Hard rocks, known for their low porosity and heterogeneity, significantly influence the movement of contaminants through fractures and surfaces. Cadmium, a toxic metal primarily from human activities like mining and industrial discharge, poses significant risks to ecosystems. Chromium, particularly its hexavalent form, Cr (VI), originating from industrial and agricultural sources, is also a concern due to its carcinogenicity. WHO guidelines recommend limits of 0.003 mg/L for Cd²⁺ and 0.05 mg/L for Cr (VI) in groundwater, often exceeded in many regions, indicating environmental hazards and health risks. The study involved characterizing hard rock materials and conducting batch-sorption and column transport experiments to gauge contaminant-rock interactions. Results indicated varying sorption capacities across lithologies showing minimum value by granite (499.15 ± 99.41 mg/kg) and maximum value by limestone (872.37 ± 2.37 mg/kg) for 7ppm concentration. In case of studied aquifer systems, basaltic aquifers are demonstrating superior chromium retention compared to granitic ones. Ionic competition minimally affected sorption, prompting the use of NaCl solutions in subsequent experiments. These findings offer insights into the complex interplay between lithological compositions and contaminant sorption, crucial for groundwater management and environmental protection strategies.Key words: Rocks and minerals, contaminant interaction, batch sorption, column transport.
Addressing the groundwater impacts of informal water markets – coupled human-natural systems modeling of policy options for Jordan
Authors: Klassert Christian , Yoon Jim , Sigel Katja , Klauer Bernd , Talozi Samer , Lachaut Thibaut , Selby Philip , Knox Stephen , Avisse Nicolas , Tilmant Amaury , Harou Julien , Mustafa Daanish , Medellín-Azuara Josué , Bataineh Bushra , Zhang Hua , Gawel Erik , Gorelick Steven
Published: March 2024

Unreliable and unequal public water supply already affects around one billion urban residents around the world. In many cities, informal water markets have emerged to fill public supply gaps by delivering water via tanker trucks, depleting scarce rural groundwater sources. A quintessential example of this can be found in the highly water-scarce country of Jordan. In Jordan, intermittent public water supply and rapid urban growth have led to a surge of uncontrolled groundwater abstractions by pervasive illegal tanker water markets.Here, we use a rigorous coupled human-natural systems model to assess a range of policy options for mitigating the groundwater impacts of informal water markets in Jordan with regards to their effectiveness and impacts on household water access. The model represents spatially distributed feedbacks between Jordan’s water sector and groundwater resources in country-wide scenario simulations until 2050. We find that investments in supply augmentation have limited impact on tanker water demand, unless they are combined with a more equitable and efficient distribution of public water supply. Jordan’s current policy of closing illegal tanker wells is found to impede the access of water-stressed households to tanker deliveries. Approaches for the legalization of tanker water markets provide more efficient policy options. Policy design is shown to be decisive for safeguarding household water access. Our findings show that understanding the role of informal water markets in urban water supply can be critical for reconciling sustainable groundwater management and household water security.
Eccentricity forcing on Tropical Indo-Pacific Ocean Seasonality
Authors: Beaufort Luc , Sarr Anta-Clarisse
Published: March 2024

The amount of radiative energy received at the Earth's surface depends on two factors: Earth-Sun distance and sunlight angle. Because of the former factor, high eccentricity cycles can induce the appearance of seasons in the tropical ocean. To describe this phenomenon, we used the Earth System Model IPSL-CM5A2 and its ocean biogeochemistry component PISCES-v2 to simulate Sea Surface Temperature (SST) and Primary Production (PP) with various eccentricity configuration. We performed simulations under six precession configurations at high eccentricity (0.053), and one simulation at the low eccentricity (0.006), representing the two eccentricity extremes of the Quaternary period. The results revealed that high eccentricity induced enhanced seasonal variability in SST, resulting in an annual thermal amplitude of approximately 2.2°C, compared to less than 0.5°C at low eccentricity, in low latitude ocean surface waters. PP displayed inherent seasonality under low eccentricity conditions, which significantly intensified during periods of high eccentricity. Consequently, we found that on long timescales, SST seasonality followed only the eccentricity cycles, while PP seasonality also exhibited variability at precessional scale. We introduce the term "eccentriseasons" to describe distinct annual thermal differences observed in tropical oceans exclusively during high eccentricity periods, leading to a gradual shift of seasons throughout the calendar year. Our findings were further corroborated by coccolithophore proxy records from the Indo-Pacific Ocean, strengthening the validity of the simulations. These results have significant implications for understanding climatic phenomena in low latitudes affected by seasons, including the El Niño-Southern Oscillation and monsoons.
Microplastic pollution in marine caves
Authors: Romano Elena , Bergamin Luisa , Di Bella Letizia , Provenzani Claudio
Published: March 2024

Marine caves are mostly formed by dissolution processes in carbonate massifs and may be of karst origin, as the last part of a large terrestrial aquifer, or can originate at the sea level through different processes such as chemical dissolution and mechanical action of sea waves. They are affected by wide spatial and temporal environmental variability and/or extreme values of environmental conditions (light, nutrients, oxygen, pH, hydrodynamic conditions, difficulty of larval dispersion etc.). Despite this seemingly hostile environment, marine caves are biodiversity hotspots and refuge habitats, hosting many crevice-dwelling and deep-water species, but also some obligate cave-dwelling organisms.Studies on anthropogenic pollution of marine caves, generally believed to be pristine environments, are practically missing. Only recently, the microplastic (MP) pollution in sediments, water, and in some benthic, sediment-dwelling organisms (benthic foraminifera, hard-shelled protozoans) of two Mediterranean marine caves has been recorded. The first one was the Bue Marino cave, a huge karst cave of the Gulf of Orosei (Sardinia, Italy) where microplastic was detected at rather low concentrations of 10-27 items kg-1 and 18-22 items l-1, in sediments and water, respectively. Microplastic was also recognised, through Micro Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (μFTIR), in the shell of the agglutinated foraminifer Eggerelloides advena. Microplastic was also recorded in sediments of the small Argentarola cave (Tuscan coast, Italy) at concentrations of 5.4-11.9 items kg-1, and in the shell of the agglutinated foraminifer Lagenammina difflugiformis. Polyethylene, the most abundant polymer in sediments of both caves, was the one detected in the foraminiferal shells.These studies have demonstrated that some foraminiferal species, building their shell by collecting sediment particles, also collect tiny MP fragments of the order of magnitude of a few microns due to a scarce selection ability. Consequently, MPs enter the trophic chain because foraminifera are preyed upon by many marine organisms such as gastropods, scaphopods, fishes, decapods, and polychaetes.The research carried out in marine caves has demonstrated that MP has reached also these remote and enclosed habitats and that MP deposited in sediments is available to the benthic organism and enters the trophic chain at very low phylogenetic levels. Foraminiferal agglutinated species including MP polymers, even if present at low concentrations, may be considered early indicators of MP pollution. A clear indication to consider MP pollution not only in water but also in sediment, to preserve the ecosystem of marine caves, was a relevant result of this research.
On the stationarity of the global spatial dependency of heat risk on drought.
Authors: Zampieri Matteo , Ashok Karumuri , Toreti Andrea , Bavera Davide , Hoteit Ibrahim
Published: March 2024

Compound climate anomalies pose escalating risks in the context of climate change, with anomalous heat and drought presenting significant stressors to both ecosystems and society. The simultaneous occurrence of these events can be influenced by land surface processes such as the soil moisture – air temperature coupling. However, the long-term variability of this coupling remains unexplored. Here, using a combination of observations and multi-model ensemble forecasts dating back to the 1980s, we examine the global land exposure to higher than normal probabilities of concurrent hot temperature anomalies and drought on a monthly scale. Our findings confirm that drought substantially shapes the spatial distribution of heat-related risks on a global scale, offering a crucial predictive factor for these combined events. Traditionally, defining heat anomalies for non-adaptive systems involves fixed reference temperature thresholds. Using this method, our analysis reveals that the portion of global land experiencing drought-conditioned hot temperature anomalies has tripled in less than three decades. Surprisingly, the global level of spatial coupling appears to be declining. However, this outcome heavily depends on the specific definition of heat risk employed. By employing a time-dependent temperature threshold that considers changes in the climate's mean state due to both global warming and natural variability, a different picture emerges. Using the latter method, the level of spatial coupling demonstrates persistence and stability. Importantly, this method is better suited to assessing risks for adaptive systems and is more consistent with our current understanding of the underlying processes. Our study strongly advocates for tailoring hazard definitions to the specific processes and systems under investigation. Additionally, it underscores the pivotal role of operational sub-seasonal and seasonal forecasts in early warning systems, crucial for societal adaptation in the face of global warming.
Effects of Thermal Cycling on Sealing Ability of Sealant Surrounding Steel Pipe for CCS Applications
Authors: Pluymakers Anne , Li Kai
Published: March 2024

In wells in CO2 storage sites, debonding between cement and casing, or fractures in the cement may develop due to thermal cycling when injecting cold CO2 into a hot reservoir. These leakage pathways can impede the geological storage of CO2. In this study, we investigate how thermal cycling affects the sealing ability of cement surrounding steel casing under unconfined conditions. To this end, cylindrical sealant samples (outer diameter 30 mm,  Length 70 mm) with a middle steel pipe (inner diameter 4 mm, thickness 1 mm, length 110 mm), with 2 cm pipe extending from each end, are used to mimic the cement sheath surrounding the casing. We adopt sealants of five different compositions, S1 to S5. S1 is ordinary Portland cement (OPC)-based, S2 is OPC-based with ultra-low permeability, S3 is OPC-based with CO2 sequestering additives, S4 is calcium aluminate cement(CAC)-based, and S5 is geopolymer-based. S1, S2 are originally developed for hydrocarbon applications.
In the experiments, we mount PVC caps at each end of the sample to isolate the flow channel through the pipe from another flow channel toward the top surface of the sealant. The entire sample assembly is placed in an oven without confinement. Before thermal cycling, we apply 3 bar N2 on the sealant and monitor its penetration rate through the sealant for 1 hr. Subsequently, we heat the sample to 60°C. Then we inject 5°C water through the pipe at 80 ml/min for 2 mins, then stop the injection and allow the sample to reheat for 12 mins before the next injection. We repeat this for 12 cycles. After thermal cycling, the sample assembly is cooled down to room temperature. We apply 3 bar N2 on the sealant for 1 hr again.
In our study, we haven’t observed any cracking in the sealant material itself. This is because the induced thermal stress upon thermal cycling is smaller than the tensile strength of the sealant. Among the five sealants, we found that the bonding performance of S3 on steel is the best, with a similar small N2 penetration rate before and after thermal cycling. All other sealants were negatively affected by thermal cycling: S1 and S5 experienced more debonding than S2 and S4. We attribute the magnitude of debonding to be due to a combination of thermal expansion coefficient and Young’s modulus. Steel has a high expansion coefficient compared to sealant. Of the tested sealants, S1 and S5 have the lowest thermal expansion coefficients, while S2 and S4 have the largest, i.e. closer to that of the steel. We hypothesize that, during thermal cycling, S2 and S4 expand and shrink at a more similar rate as steel, resulting in a small mismatch in strain and hence less debonding compared to S1 and S5. Additionally, S1 has the largest Young’s modulus, whereas S3 and S4 have the lowest. This indicates that S3 and S4 are more compliant, so S3 and S4 can more easily elastically deform upon thermal cycling, resulting in less damage to the bonding.