bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
High-performance Computing in modeling of Landslide Post-failure Stage using Material Point Method
Authors: Huo Zenan , Alkhimenkov Yury , Calvo Flavio , Derron Marc-Henri , Jaboyedoff Michel , Podladchikov Yury , Wyser Emmanuel
Published: February 2023

The post-failure of landslide is a stage where large deformations are present. It is difficult to properly resolve such large deformations using traditional mesh-based numerical methods. Meshless methods, such as the material point method (MPM), can resolve such problems by reducing the dependence on the mesh. However, the time-consuming mapping procedure between the material points and background nodes exists at each time step of MPM, consequently, one needs an efficient implementation taking advantage of modern computer hardware architectures for a high-resolution computational model. In the present study, we develop a high-performance MPM simulation package using Julia language to simulate the landslide post-failure stage. We show both the 2D and 3D computation models. The parallel algorithm on the GPU version is based on the features of MPM through CUDA.jl, a library that natively supports CUDA computing in Julia. To validate the performance of the present simulation package, we perform benchmarks on both CPU and GPU versions of the package. Furthermore, we use the uniform Generalized Interpolation MPM (uGIMP) and apply it to resolve a real problem to demonstrate the capabilities of this package.  The simulation result is in good agreement with the ground truth. HPC simulation is not only reproducing the run-out process but also provides us with a better understanding of the complex mechanisms involved in landslide movements.
Low-temperature thermochronology shows distinct Late Pleistocene cooling peak in valley bottom samples from the Dent-Blanche Nappe (Austroalpine, Aosta valley, Italy)
Authors: Gemignani Lorenzo , Hülscher Julian , Zucali Michele , Sobel Edward R. , Kuiper Klaudia , Glodny Johannes , Roda Manuel
Published: February 2023

The potential role of tectonic and climatic change as mechanisms governing the Late Cenozoic tectonic and topographic evolution of the Western Alps has been strongly debated. There, the Neogene climate cooling effect expressed through glacial erosion and sediment mobilization has been interpreted to produce high rates of isostatically-driven rock uplift. However, these inference remains challenging to test, and data confirming this relationship are spatially confined. Furthermore, the role of glacially-driven erosion at high elevation, compared to erosion of the landscape in the valley bottom where more sediments are mobilized, and major Neogene fault systems occur, remains elusive.Here, we aim to quantify the relative contribution of tectonically- and climatically-driven erosion on the present-day landscape of the Austroalpine Dent-Blanche Nappes and surrounding Penninic units in the Western Alps. We sampled two ~NW-SE oriented transects crossing the Dent-Blanche (sinsu stricto), Mont Mary and Valpelline units in Aosta Valley (Italy) with sample elevations between ~800 m and 3000 m. We analyzed 18 samples with apatite and zircon (U-Th-Sm)/He thermochronology (ZHe and AHe). We will complement the analysis with 40Ar/39Ar dating from muscovite grains (MAr) collected from the same samples.Preliminary AHe and ZHe ages span from ~60 to ~1.8 Ma. A Late Pleistocene age is found in a lower elevation sample in Valpelline units in both AHe and ZHe. In contrast, Pliocene to Miocene ages are found in samples in the Dent-Blanche and Mont Mary units at similar elevations. These spatial differences in cooling ages do not agree with the idea of a uniform increase of relief due to post-glacial rebound in the Western Alps. If confirmed by further analysis, it seems to suggest episodic pulses of spatially confined exhumation driven by crustal wedging and glacial erosion at the valley bottoms. Such locally confined processes post-date the ~30 Ma collision and subsequent European slab break-off under the western Alps as imaged by high-resolution tomography (e.g., Kästle et al., 2020). To assess the evolution of the topography of the Dent-Blanche nappe and surrounding areas in the Cenozoic, we will apply an inverse numerical thermal-kinematic model with the new and published data coupled with a landscape evolution model.   References:Kästle, E.D., Rosenberg, C., Boschi, L., Bellahsen, N., Meier, T., El-Sharkawy, A., 2020, Slab break‑offs in the Alpine subduction zone, In: International Journal of Earth Sciences, pp. 1-17.
Tracking phloem carbon isotopic composition to reconcile water-use efficiency estimates across scales in beech trees, under future climate change scenarios
Authors: Gimeno Teresa E. , Umerez Ane , Pérez-López Usue , Miranda-Apodaca Jon , Porras Javier , López-Castro Guillermo
Published: February 2023

Plant water-use efficiency (WUE) describes the intimate link between the carbon and water cycles. WUE can be estimated using multiple methodologies concerning different spatial and temporal scales, but empirical evidence has shown that these estimates do not always agree. Two of the most widely used methodologies to estimate WUE are measurements of the ratio of photosynthesis to stomatal conductance to water, using gas-exchange, and analyses of the carbon isotopic composition (δ13C) of plant material, most often measured on plant tissues (leaves and woody stems mainly), reflecting the signal of the plant physiological status all along the organ ontogeny. In addition, in tall trees, δ13C varies greatly among leaves and thus individual measurements cannot capture whole-tree physiological status. In contrast, analyses of the phloem δ13C collected at the base of the trunk should reflect the whole-tree physiological performance. To test this novel approach under contrasting climate change scenarios, we estimated WUE: from measurements of gas-exchange, from δ13C of leaf and woody tissues, as well as from δ13C of phloem samples collected along the whole plant pathway. We measured gas-exchange and collected samples for analyses of δ13C from European beech (Fagus sylvatica) saplings grown under controlled conditions and from adult trees in the field. Saplings were subjected to four climate change scenarios, resulting from a combination of two atmospheric CO2 levels and two watering regimes. In the field, we measured WUE on adult beech trees during the unusually hot and dry growing season of 2022. Preliminary results show that phloem δ13C could serve as a good proxy of whole-plant WUE, provided that the internal leaf conductance is incorporated into the calculations.
How could we improve the spatial consistency of water fluxes in a semi-distributed hydrological model? A multi-criteria approach
Authors: Hsu Shu-Chen , de Lavenne Alban , Perrin Charles , Andréassian Vazken
Published: February 2023

While hydrological models aim to represent the hydrological behaviour of catchments, many of them have been streamlined on the exclusive basis of streamflow simulation performance, i.e. among the possible parameter sets, the 'optimal' is the one which brings the best simulation of streamflow during the calibration period. However, we sometimes encounter 'optimal' sets which perform well in discharge simulation but yield unrealistic simulations of other fluxes (e.g. actual evaporation fluxes, inter-catchment groundwater fluxes). Previous studies tried to constrain the exploration of parameter space with measurements complementary to river discharge: this application of extra information aims to increase the physical realism of the model compared to discharge-only calibration. In this study, we carry out an original investigation to take advantage of the spatial patterns of the complementary data in order to drive the calibration towards a more spatially consistent solution.We propose here a feasibility test, to constrain the spatial consistency of fluxes of a semi-distributed GR model (GRSD). Our study area is the Somme catchment (6100 km2 ) with 17 internal gauging stations, each of them having more than 15 years of discharge measurement. As a first step, we use the long-term actual evaporation from Budyko-estimation as an extra constraint, which has been widely used for describing spatial patterns of climate. In the second step, we develop a criterion describing the spatial consistency between the pattern of measured and simulated fluxes. By constraining the model with extra information, the model is expected to yield a more consistent simulation of fluxes in comparison with the classical calibration practice. Moreover, we analysed the impact of this additional constraint on the spatial organisation of IGF over the catchment as both the other components in water balance analysis, actual evaporation and discharge, are constrained.
In situ measurement of denitrification (N2 and N2O) and greenhouse gas emissions (CO2, N2O, CH4) in conservation agriculture
Authors: Micucci Gianni , Sgouridis Fotis , Krause Stefan , Lynch Iseult , McNamara Niall P. , Dos Santos Pereira Gloria , Roos Felicity , Ullah Sami
Published: February 2023

Over the last 80 years, intensive agriculture has had numerous consequences globally. In particular, it has led to a loss of soil organic carbon (SOC) and a decline in soil fertility, resulting in higher nitrogen (N) fertilizer application. Excess of fertilizer has driven the emissions of N2O, a greenhouse gas (GHG) 298 times more potent in inducing global warming than CO2. Under the UK target of net zero emissions by 2050 and considering the recent increase in fertilizer price, conservation agriculture appears a viable solution to sustain food production whilst reducing global warming. Along with species diversification and reduction (or absence) of tillage, a permanent soil organic cover is the third pillar of conservation agriculture. In particular, “leys” consist in temporary pastures planted in between crops or to restore exhausted soils. These leys are planted with a mix of N fixing plants, which have a unique symbiotic relationship with soil bacteria collectively called “Rhizobia” that transform atmospheric N2 into organic nitrogen. The mineralization of this organic nitrogen is expected to reduce dependence on N fertilizer. In contrast with the traditional grass/clover mix, herbal leys have recently gained popularity amongst UK farmers. They consist in a more complex mixture of grasses, legumes and herbs, bringing a range of benefits to forage, livestock health and soil fertility.Here we report a year’s worth of measurement of soil mineral N and SOC contents, N mineralization potential, in situ measurement of denitrification (which transforms N fertilizer into N2O and N2) and total GHG emissions (CO2, N2O, CH4) from a 4-year-old herbal ley in comparison with an arable field. We measured denitrification with our newly developed method (see Micucci et al., 2022) and GHG with conventional GHG chambers. First results show that during the early growing season (April to June), total N2O emissions measured from GHG chambers were 10 to 60 times higher in the arable field than in the herbal ley, due to N fertilizer application. Similarly, a high loss of this N fertilizer was observed during April in the form of denitrified N2.Micucci, G., Sgouridis, F., Krause, S., Lynch, I., McNamara, N. P., Dos Santos Pereira, G., Roos, F., and Ullah, S. (2022). Towards enhanced sensitivity of the 15N Gas Flux method for quantifying denitrification in soil, EGU General Assembly 2022, Vienna, Austria, 23–27 May 2022, EGU22-585, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu22-585   
Lake ecology and catchment vegetation changes reconstructed for the last 18,400 years in South-Western Yakutia, Siberia
Authors: Baisheva Izabella , Biskaborn Boris K. , Stoof-Leichsenring Kathleen R. , Andreev Andrei A. , Meucci Stefano , Ushnitskaya Lena , Pestryakova Luidmila A. , Dietze Elisabeth , Herzschuh Ulrike
Published: February 2023

Since many lakes in Yakutia, eastern Siberia, are of thermokarst origin, it can be challenging to reach ages of paleorecords beyond the Holocene, hence limiting the understanding of long-term key interactions between climate change, vegetation dynamics, biodiversity shifts, and lake development. However, with a new paleoenvironmental multiproxy project at an intermontane basin we aim to reconstruct lake-vegetation feedbacks since the Late Glacial Maximum (LGM). For that purpose, a 10.8 m long sediment core has been extracted from the deepest part (22.3 m) of the Lake Khamra (59.99095° N, 112.98345° E) and dated back to 18.4 cal ka BP. Lake Khamra is situated in South-Western Yakutia, the transitional zone of discontinuous to continuous permafrost, it is also in the zone of mixed evergreen-deciduous forest. We applied sedimentological and XRF-derived geochemical parameters in addition to palynological analyses of plant fossils and metabarcoding analyses of diatoms and plants sedimentary ancient DNA (sedaDNA). Our genetic analyses of diatoms revealed 45 unique sequence types. A high distribution of several small fragilarioid types indicates the initial formation of the lake, started in the LGM (15.4 cal ka BP), and high abundance of planktonic taxa since 8 cal ka BP indicates lake deepening in the Mid-Holocene. SedaDNA composition of 38 unique sequence types of aquatic and 155 unique sequence types of terrestrial plants revealed the agreement with pollen and non-pollen palynomorph derived vegetation composition. LGM vegetation was represented as wet tundra and both analyses revealed refugia of Larix. Tundra vegetation only appeared in LGM. The Holocene warming led to the forest establishment and therefore lake vegetation feedback intensification, seen from the turnover of diatoms. Diatoms assemblages of LGM which were represented by only few epiphytic taxa significantly increased the richness, as well as increasing of planktonic and benthic diatom assemblages. The lake expansion resulted in a diversification of emergent aquatic plants. And again, because the lake is not of thermokarst origin it shows more stable insight to environmental variability. This study provides a better understanding of the climate, lake system dynamics, and vegetation in Siberia, and simultaneously fills in the very scarce paleolimnological data in eastern Siberia.
The Berkovići (BA) 22 April 2022 earthquake sequence – seismological and seismotectonic analysis
Authors: Dasović Iva , Herak Davorka , Herak Marijan , Latečki Helena , Sečanj Marin , Tomljenović Bruno , Cvijić-Amulić Snježana , Mustać Brčić Marija , Belinić Topić Tena , Stipčević Josip
Published: February 2023

A strong earthquake, ML = 6.0 (MW = 5.7), occurred on 22 April 2022 at 21:07 UTC with an epicentre near Berkovići in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with focal depth of about 20 km. The earthquake was felt throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia (especially Dalmatia), but also in Slovenia, Italy (especially the western coast of the Adriatic), Serbia, Albania and North Macedonia. The maximum intensity of the earthquake was rated as VII–VIII EMS in Berkovići and Ljubinje. A young woman in Stolac lost her life from a rock slide caused by the earthquake. In the wider epicentral area the earthquake caused a number of large or small rock falls, many chimneys were damaged, tiles fell from the roofs, plaster fell off, and there were also large cracks in the walls.By 31 October 2022, the DuFAULT project researchers located 6220 aftershocks (39 with ML≥ 3.0), with as many as 900 located in the first 12 h of the series. The strongest aftershock, ML = 4.9, occurred on 24 April 2022 at 4:27 UTC with focus at a depth of about 25 km and the epicentre also close to Berkovići. The vast majority of earthquakes have their foci relatively deep for this area, at depths between 15 and 28 km. Most of the epicentres form a compact group slightly elongated parallel to the NW-SE Dinaric strike, however two smaller groups northwest and southeast of the main group stand out with extension perpendicular to the Dinaric strike with somewhat shallower foci. The analysis of the focal mechanism and the hypocentral spatial distribution suggest that the mainshock resulted from the NE-SW directed compression and occurred on a reverse fault, on a moderately NE-dipping plane. Interestingly though, this series is also characterized by earthquakes released by a tension along the NE-SW striking and approximately 45° dipping normal faults, documented in the smaller north-western group.We will present spatio-temporal analysis of seismicity, resulting focal plane solutions and seismotectonic interpretation.
Increasing soil water deficit negatively impacts European beech radial growth: a case study combining long-term monitoring (1996-2020) and modeling approaches.
Authors: Chebbi Wafa , Jonard Mathieu , Vincke Caroline
Published: February 2023

Beech (Fagus sylvatica L.), is one of the most socio-economically valuable and widely distributed broadleaved trees in Europe. European beech favorable edaphic and climatic conditions are sufficient moisture in summer and mild temperatures in winter. This highly competitive species is also known to be drought-sensitive and thus may become more vulnerable to expected increasing number of heat waves and drought spells. A better understanding of beech response to soil drought is therefore crucial for forestry planning and forest management in a future warmer world. In this study, we investigate the water balance and radial growth dynamics of a beech stand in an ICOS site in Belgium (BE-Vielsalm), with a special focus on soil drought impacts, based on about three decades of observations (1996-2020). The continuous decreasing trend of beech radial growth (dendrochronological time series) coupled with recent crown defoliation raised concern about the vitality of this stand. On the basis of this site-specific data set, the calibration and the validation of the model HETEROFOR were performed in order to i) simulate the water balance and fluxes at the stand level; ii) track the occurrence and intensity of soil-induced transpiration deficit during the whole study period; iii) characterize the tree water uptake patterns according to soil depth for contrasted years (dry, intermediate and wet) and iv) evaluate the current and lag effects of spring and summer transpiration deficit on the observed annual radial growth of beech trees obtained from dendrochronological analysis. A good agreement between predicted and observed evapotranspiration and extractable water was obtained and showed the robustness of the model. The predicted transpiration deficit revealed an increasing trend, especially after 2010. We observed a negative effect of the spring transpiration deficit on tree radial growth during the current year as well as a carryover effect (i.e., a negative effect of the summer transpiration deficit of the previous year). This study will enrich the state of knowledge about the ongoing debate on the vulnerability of beech trees to drought in Europe.Keywords: Fagus sylvatica, radial growth, soil water balance, forest evapotranspiration, drought, process-based modeling, eddy covariance.
API and AWBI calculation based on precipitation data between 2017 – 2022 in the Hidegvíz Valley experimental catchment, Hungary
Authors: Nevezi Csenge , Gribovszki Zoltán , Herceg András , Zagyvai-Kiss Katalin Anita , Kalicz Péter
Published: February 2023

Hydro-meteorological data collection has started with automated data loggers and manual devices in the Hidegvíz Valley experimental catchment in the early 1990s. The automated instruments have been operating daily, and mostly measured three important factors: precipitation, air temperature, and air humidity. We used for calibration manual devices: a Hellmann-type ombrometer for measuring the precipitation, and a Fieldscout TDR 300 for the surface soil moisture. For further statistical analyses and future modeling, we compared daily precipitation, daily temperature, and weekly surface soil moisture datasets of two different surface covers (a riparian forest and a wet meadow) in the last five years. After pre-processing and correcting, daily precipitation and daily temperature data has been used for calculating antecedent precipitation index (API), and antecedent water balance index (AWBI), and they were compared to the surface soil moisture data. Our goal with these calculations was to determine, which index is more accurate for soil moisture estimation in case of different surface covers.key words: data processing, tipping bucket rain gauge, API, AWBI, soil moistureACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: This article was made in frame of the project TKP2021-NKTA-43 which has been implemented with the support provided by the Ministry of Innovation and Technology of Hungary (successor: Ministry of Culture and Innovation of Hungary) from the National Research, Development and Innovation Fund, financed under the TKP2021-NKTA funding scheme.
Columnar heating rate and radiative effects of dust aerosols using 20 years of lidar observations.
Authors: De Rosa Benedetto , Mona Lucia , Lolli Simone , Amodeo Aldo , Mytilinaios Michalis
Published: February 2023

The uncertainties of the Earth-atmosphere energy budget are associated with a poor understanding of direct and indirect aerosol effects. Dust is a mixture of different minerals, and its chemical and microphysical properties change during transport. Therefore, the influence of dust aerosols on radiative effects is characterized by great uncertainty. Due to meteorological atmospheric patterns, aerosol intrusions are very frequent in the Mediterranean, which is a climatic hot spot and where climate change is much stronger than in other parts of the world. In this study, we analyzed and assessed long-term trends of the surface and columnar heating rate and the radiative effects of dust aerosols using lidar observations. These measurements were taken in the framework of the European Aerosol Research Lidar Network (EARLINET) at Istituto di Metodologie per l'Analisi Ambientale (IMAA) with the Raman/elastic lidar MUSA (40°36′N, 15°44′E). The radiative transfer model Fu–Liou–Gu (FLG) was used to solve aerosol (no clouds) radiative fluxes, with aerosol extinction coefficient profiles from lidar observations as input data. All the cases of dust intrusion that occurred in the last twenty years were selected to understand how they affected the Earth-atmosphere radiative budget, both at the surface and at the top-of-the-atmosphere. In the future, these studies will be important for improving the accuracy of climate predictions.
Susceptibility of Glacier Debris Flow Based on Remote Sensing: Case Study in the Tien Shan
Authors: Lin Ruoshen , Mei Gang
Published: February 2023

Glacier is sensitive to climate warming, and changes in mountainous areas can lead to serious hazards to human society. Glacial debris flow is a type of geological hazards characterized by suddenness and high mobility in high-mountain regions due to deglaciation. The study of susceptibility analysis for glacial debris flow can effectively reduce its potential negative effects. However, when evaluating susceptibility of glacial mudflow, most research work takes the existing glacier area into consideration and ignores the effect of glacier ablation volume. The improved glacial geomorphological information entropy theory based on glacial correction coefficients can be used to evaluate the susceptibility. The correction coefficients can be calculated by investigating the changes in glacier ablation and distribution based on remote sensing applications. In addition, a deep learning-based approach for extracting glacier boundaries is proposed. We present a case study evaluating the susceptibility of along the Duku Highway in Tien Shan area. The results show that the improved method based on glacier ablation can effectively increase the accuracy of the susceptibility analysis. Based on the theory of glaciology and geomorphology, the changes of glacier can be used in the susceptibility of glacial debris flow. In the future, we will explore a new prediction method of geo-hazards based on glacier dynamics.
Species-specific ecophysiology within a flux tower footprint in an evergreen wet tropical forest in Costa Rica
Authors: Rodriguez-Caton Milagros , Seibt Ulrike , Stutz Johen , Parazoo Nicholas , Cooperdock Sol , Bigwood Julia , Rao Mukund Palat , Pierrat Zoe , Wong Christopher YS , Dierick Diego , Vargas Orlando , Magney Troy
Published: February 2023

Tropical forests are responsible for approximately one third of the global terrestrial carbon dioxide uptake. However, the ability of tropical forests to continue to sequester carbon is threatened by climate change. Some species may adapt and become more dominant while less resilient species may not be able to adapt. These changes may ultimately impact overall ecosystem carbon gain. A better understanding of species specific traits related to leaf physiology can potentially help us predict how forest carbon uptake might change in the future. Additionally, to gain a wholistic understanding of forests carbon assimilation and tree stress it is important that we make simultaneous and complementary measurements at different temporal and spatial scales under different climatic conditions. Here we combine leaf-, canopy- and ecosystem- scale measurements to assess plant-environment interactions in the tropical forest of Costa Rica (Tower 2 of La Selva Biological Station). At the leaf scale, we evaluated seasonal and species-specific changes in chlorophyll fluorescence and reflectance-based vegetation indices [the Photochemical Reflectance Index (PRI), the Chlorophyll-Carotenoid Index (CCI) and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI)]. We collected sun-exposed leaves from six tree species within the flux tower footprint: Pentaclethra macroloba, Virola koschnyi, Virola sebifera, Goethalsia meiantha, Sacoglottis trichogyna, and Warszewiczia coccinea. Preliminary results for the first sampled years (2022-2023) show that P. macroloba, the dominant species in this forest, has likely the highest photosynthetic capacity due to its higher electron transport rates (ETR), followed by V. koschnyi, the second most dominant. Using different metrics of photosynthetic activity, we found that most species do not show photosynthetic seasonality. However, one species, V. koschnyi, showed decreased reflectance in the visible part of the spectrum during the wetter season (35-45%), indicating increased pigment concentration and, likely, increased photosynthetic activity. G. meiantha had the lowest ETR of all species, as well as the lowest PRI, CCI and NDVI, especially during the drier season, which is coincident with a visually unhealthy colouration during this season. Our results will help improve our understanding of how different species are responding to environmental stress, in particular to increased evaporative demand, ultimately advancing our knowledge of the tropical forest carbon cycle.
Upwind land-use change impacts on wetland vulnerability
Authors: Fahrländer Simon Felix , Wang-Erlandsson Lan , Pranindita Agnes , Andersen Lauren Seaby , Jaramillo Fernando
Published: February 2023

Research on the protection and preservation of wetlands has traditionally focused on direct human drivers and impacts of climate change occurring in their upstream hydrological basin. However, since precipitation falling in the hydrological basin comprises both oceanic and terrestrial evaporation originating mostly outside of the basin boundaries, upwind land use and hydroclimatic changes affecting this supply of precipitation also need to be assessed. This study assesses the vulnerability of 40 wetlands of international importance to land use and hydroclimatic changes occurring upwind (i.e., in their precipitationsheds). We here use a dataset containing atmospheric moisture flows in combination with evaporation from natural and current vegetation to analyse the impact of extra-basin vegetation changes on the precipitation over the wetland basins. The analysis shows that historical land-use conversion has already caused reduced incoming precipitation into most wetland hydrological basins. The strongest effects are seen in (sub)tropical wetlands in South America, Africa and Asia and especially those located downwind of large agricultural areas. Based on our results and current wetland decline rates, we find that wetland sites in China, India, South America and Sub-Saharan Africa are especially threatened by hydroclimatic and vegetation changes outside of their basins. Additionally, larger basins appear to be more reliant on evaporation from within their basin boundaries than smaller hydrological basins. Using wetland ecosystems as an exemplary case, this study stresses the need to incorporate downwind effects to land-use changes in sustainable ecosystem management approaches. Since the transition from potential natural vegetation to agricultural land is often associated with changes in evaporation, land conversion may affect the resilience of wetland water availability. Following this analysis of the upwind moisture sources of wetland basins, future studies should investigate the potential effect of wetland loss on downwind precipitation patterns.
Environmental niche characterization of plant functional groups
Authors: Joswig Julia , Schuman Meredith C.
Published: February 2023

Ecosystem functioning is thought to be mediated by traits of organisms living within phylogenetic constraints. Plant groups of similar traits (functional groups) are likely to fit into a similar environmental niche. Characterizing functional groups’ niche space along environmental gradients would allow us to better understand patterns of trait variation.We aim at defining the global environmental niche, i.e. the trait space filled at a given environment, of different functional groups of plants. In particular, we compare the environmental functional diversity (FD) gradients of four functional plant groups. These functional groups represent major differences in size and plant economy, derived from global in situ trait data of the TRY database. We find their gradients to vary in shape and strength. For example, tall-and-slow species’ FD varies more than small-and-slow ones, with a high FD in the Mediterranean. This study's findings point to how global change may affect functional groups differently and may ultimately provide valuable insights into ecosystem functioning.
Effective Data Compression for Geosciences: An open-source solution to combat data storage challenges
Authors: Tinto Oriol , Redl Robert
Published: February 2023

Data storage is a critical challenge in science as the amount of data being generated continues to increase. Geosciences and weather are not an exception. To address this challenge, data reduction techniques are required. Even though lossless compression methods might sound ideal, they don't usually work that well when it comes to compressing geoscience data because this data often has a lot of uncertainty resulting in random bits, which makes it hard to compress. Lossy compression methods can do a better job compressing geoscience data by getting rid of the insignificant details that make it hard to compress. Hopefully, research groups have been working on this problem for years and have published open source tools that can provide high compression ratios with acceptable error levels. However, these methods have not yet been widely adopted in geosciences due to concerns about the loss of information that they entail. By combining these best open source lossy compressors into a single easy-to-use package and showing its effectiveness through its use in several weather applications, we have created a powerful and user-friendly open-source tool that effectively helps reduce data storage needs while preserving scientific conclusions.
Large Scale Experiments on the Tightness of Cemented Boreholes under Cyclic Loading
Authors: Schulz Marcel , Müller Birgit , Schilling Frank
Published: February 2023

The exit from nuclear and fossil-fuel energy and the increase in renewable energy conversion lead to a higher fluctuation in energy supply. To meet the demand in times of energy shortages from sun and wind, this effect can be compensated by extracting and using gas from underground gas storages. As long as enough renewable energy is available, storages can be filled again. However, this results in increasing injection and extraction frequencies, leading to faster occurring pressure and stress changes and therefore posing an additional challenge for reservoir rock, cap rock and technical components.To evaluate the effects of this additional cyclic loading on the rock-cement-steel-compound, we used an autoclave system on a realistic scale. It simulates abandoned drillings and consists of a 2 m long cemented steel casing with an autoclave system. To simulate injection and extraction, gas pressure (N2) is applied and released on both ends. Additionally, temperature can be raised up to 100 °C. Between loading cycles, permeability can be measured to determine the effect of pressure and temperature variation on the tightness of the cemented well system.We present results from the analysis of four cemented casings. Since the hardened cement isn’t connected to the steel casing after experiments, we assume an annular gap as main gas path in most cases. This gap is modelled and fitted to the experimental data. After pressure variations between 0 bar and 60 bar, tightness of the system decreased in every experiment, which leads to an increased modelled annular gap width. Temperature variations between 30 °C and 70 °C didn’t have an effect on the first two casings, but increased tightness and therefore decreased the modelled gap width in the third casing.Additionally, we observed an anomaly in the second casing, which was extraordinarily tight before the first pressure drop. However, when small amounts of pressure (around 3 bar) were released from an autoclave chamber, around 30 % of the released pressure built up again within a few minutes, while the rest took several hours. We assume a releasing induced gas cooling in the autoclave, while the surrounding warmer steel heats the gas up to the original temperature. This can only be observed for experiments with a rather tight cement-steel plug. In other cases this is not observable because it is superimposed by the pressure build up through the annular gap. The results of finite difference model taken this temperature induced pressure build up into account and are compared to the results of independent permeability and porosity measurements.
The effects of inward and outward dipping craton margin geometry on upper crustal deformation: Insights from analogue modelling
Authors: Amirpoorsaeed Fatemeh , Samsu Anindita , Betts Peter , Cruden Alexander , Armit Robin
Published: February 2023

Craton margins undergo intense deformation influenced by the pre-existing crustal and lithospheric architecture, rheology, and far-field kinematics. The role of rheological contrasts and weak zones at the edge of the craton has been discussed, but it is unclear whether deformation in the upper crust is influenced by the geometry of the craton margin itself (i.e., whether the margin dips towards or away from the interior of the craton). Our analogue experiments are aimed at studying the influence of craton margin geometry on structures formed during rifting and inversion, as craton margins are prone to reworking and reactivation during superimposed tectonic events.The experiments are designed based on the geometries of the eastern and southern margins of the North Australian Craton which has experienced multiple stages of extension and shortening. The inward vs. outward dipping craton margins in these areas were interpreted from crustal-scale seismic reflection data.  In our experiments, we see that strain and deformation style varies with proximity to the craton margin. During the extensional phase of both inward and outward dipping experiments, we observe that rifts are mainly formed by boudinage and necking in the lower crust. The inward dipping model prevents the propagation of a major normal fault at the margin, resulting in a number of smaller faults. Subsequent shortening of the inward dipping model results in modest basin inversion above the craton margin, suggesting that the majority of strain is accommodated by reactivation of normal faults away from the margin. In contrast, the outward dipping model shows the propagation of a single major normal fault along the craton margins, leading to significant thinning of the lower crust. A major rift is also being formed away from the craton margin in this model. Inversion of the outward dipping craton margin model shows more intense inversion at the margin compared to the inward dipping model, with lower strain and smaller reactivation of normal faults away from the margin. We can therefore conclude that the geometry of a craton margin exerts a first-order control on the deformation of the upper crust during rifting and subsequent inversion.
Calibration of sensors for airborne infrasound utilizing the hydrostatic pressure gradient
Authors: Kling Christoph , Rust Marvin , Koch Christian
Published: February 2023

The reliable and comparable assessment of any physical quantity requires traceability to the international system of units (SI). Sound pressure is traditionally quantified using measurement microphones as transfer standards, for which the established primary calibration methods are currently limited to frequencies of 2 Hz and higher. These frequencies do not fully cover the range of interest for the International Monitoring System (IMS). For this reason, multiple calibration methods for airborne infrasound based on different physical principles are currently in development.In this poster, a primary calibration method for the realization of the unit Pascal and a secondary calibration method for the transfer of the unit to field devices are presented. The primary calibration method utilizes the vertical gradient of the ambient pressure as stimulus. Moving a microphone periodically up and down subjects it to an alternating pressure with calculable amplitude. The secondary calibration, which transfers the unit to field devices such as microbarometers, is conducted as a comparison calibration in a closed chamber. Both the reference microphone and a device under test are placed in a closed chamber and subjected to a low-frequency alternating pressure. The sensitivity of the device under test is determined by comparison to the reference.These methods extend the frequency range for the calibration of sensors for airborne infrasound to lower frequencies and improve the reliability of the assessment of airborne infrasound. In this contribution, the capabilities and limitations of both measurement setups are discussed.
Stress Inversion and Forecast of Future Vent Locations in Calderas: Combining a Monte Carlo Algorithm with a Physics-based Model of Dike Propagation.
Authors: Mantiloni Lorenzo , Rivalta Eleonora , Davis Timothy , Passarelli Luigi , Anderson Kyle , Pinel Virginie
Published: February 2023

Forecast of vent opening locations in volcanic regions is typically performed on the basis of the spatial density of past eruptive vents, without accounting for the physics of magma propagation. As sophisticated as the statistical analysis can be, such methods are difficult to apply to settings with scarce and spatially sparse data. An alternative approach has been recently proposed that combines a two-dimensional mechanical model of stress-driven dike pathways in the subsurface with a Monte Carlo stress optimization method. Here, we extend that strategy to three dimensions. We present a model of crustal stress in calderas accounting for tectonic processes and gravitational loading/unloading associated to topography. Then, we introduce a model of dike propagation that is able to capture the complexity of three-dimensional magma trajectories with low run times and may also backtrack dikes from a vent to the magma storage region. We test these models on synthetic scenarios inspired by real calderas, producing sets of dikes and vents for a given stress field and magma reservoir. Then, we use such scenarios to test a stress inversion strategy such that dike trajectories backtracked from the known vents are consistent with the assumed location of a magma reservoir. We eventually exploit the results from the stress inversions to produce probability maps of future vent locations. 
Impact study of Aeolus/ALADIN bias correction in the KIM data assimilation system
Authors: Shin Hyemin , Kang Jeon-Ho , Kwon In-Hyuk
Published: February 2023

The Aeolus Atmospheric Laser Doppler Instrument (ALADIN) sensor onboard Aeolus provides the Horizontal Line Of Sight (HLOS) wind. The satellite-based HLOS wind profile data is significant because it complements the southern hemisphere, tropical and polar regions where existing wind observations are insufficient. The KMA also assimilates the HLOS wind for the operational data assimilation (DA) system since 2021, showing slightly positive impacts on average in the analysis field. However, it was confirmed that the impacts were relatively lower than those of the leading centers and limited due to systematic or random errors in the observation. In this study, we tested if we could enhance the positive impacts by applying the bias correction (BC) method to the HLOS wind observation. To this end, the Total Least Squares (TLS) were tested to conduct on the KIM Package for Observation Processing (KPOP) system, which is a system to provide well-qualified observations to the DA system. It shows better statistics in the mean and standard deviation of the first guess departures (O-B) by applying the TLS BC method with -0.19 m/s and 3.30 m/s from -0.44 m/s and 6.22 m/s, relatively. Detailed impacts on the analysis and forecast fields from the cycling experiments will be presented.
Geodetic vs. geologic measures of fault slip rates of the Carboneras fault in the Betics
Authors: Khazaradze Giorgi , Gómez-Novell Octavi , Ortuño Maria , Masana Eulàlia , Pallàs Raimon
Published: February 2023

As part of the recently initiated research project, we are in the process of studying in detail the geodynamic behavior of the Carboneras fault (CF) in the SE Betics in Spain. Specifically, we plan to quantify the geodetic and geologic slip rates for the on-land section of the fault, as well as getting some insight on the state of locking of the fault. As a result of our previous GPS observations, we have been able to illustrate the continuing tectonic activity of the Carboneras fault, expressed mainly as a left-lateral strike slip motion of 1.3±0.2 mm/yr, with a less significant compression of 0.4±0.2 mm/yr (Echeverria et al., 2015). To reveal how the deformation is partitioned between different structures, in the last years 2 new continuous GPS points were established along the fault-perpendicular profile. In addition, we have conducted several surveys of the nearby CuaTeNeo and IGN Regente points and established and measured several new geodetic points in the vicinity of the Carboneras fault. The updated horizontal geodetic slip rates for the CF are 1.1±0.2 and 0.4±0.3 mm/yr in fault parallel and perpendicular directions, respectively. These estimates are somewhat smaller than previously published results, although considering the uncertainties, are statistically equivalent.The above-mentioned geodetic, short-term, slip rates deduced from GNSS observations, are in good agreement with the estimates of geologic slip rates based on paleoseismic and geomorphologic studies, which indicate a minimum strike-slip rate of 1.3 mm/yr and dip-slip rate of 0.05 mm/yr since 110.3 ka (Moreno et al. 2015). In the coming years we plan to conduct further geodetic surveys and paleoseismic trenching surveys. These new data, should significantly improve the reliability of the existent deformation data and therefore, contribute to better understanding of the seismic hazard posed by the Carboneras fault in the SE Betics.Project NSOURCES (PID2020-119772RB-I00) financed by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033
Modelling reference evapotranspiration for vertical green (in urban areas)
Authors: Hoffmann Karin A. , Saad Rabea , Kluge Björn , Nehls Thomas
Published: February 2023

Vertical green is promoted as climate change mitigation and adaptation measure, and it provides green space for the urban population. However, it could be used in urban water management as well if its evapotranspiration, thus its water demand would be predictable.For optimal performance, plants need to be provided with water, nutrients, and rooting space. But irregular precipitation, drought periods, and lack of natural water storage necessitate additional irrigation preferably by local water sources (such as rainwater runoff and greywater).The amount of water needed for irrigation can be calculated using the Penman-Monteith approach which quantifies evapotranspiration of vegetated horizontal surfaces. For Vertical Green, the Penman-Monteith equation has already been tested. In that way, water demand of VGS can be calculated for hourly time steps based on radiation, wind speed, and vapor pressure deficit expressed by air temperature and relative humidity data.The needed meteorological data can be measured on-site or derived, thus adapted – verticalized - from remote climate stations, depending on data availability, and needed accuracy of the results. This study models water demand using (1) on-site measured meteorological data, (2) ‘verticalized’ remote station data, and (3) remote station data. We then compare simulated evapotranspiration with measured lysimetry data for a ground-based Vertical Greenery system of Fallopia baldschuanica monitored in Berlin, Germany.This study finds radiation and vapor pressure deficit to have the highest impacts on the variance of the results while wind speed has the lowest impact. In this contribution, we present the developed model, verticalization methods for the input parameters and validate the performance of the model based on measured water demands.
The LIFE initiative - establishing a space mission to search for biosignatures in exoplanet atmsopheres in the mid-infrared
Authors: Quanz Sascha P. , collaboration The LIFE
Published: February 2023

One of the major goals - and possibly the most challenging one in 21st century exoplanet research - is the investigation of the atmospheric properties for a large number of terrestrial exoplanets. On the one hand, a statistically significant dataset is invaluable for understanding the diversity of planetary bodies, but on the other hand, this is driven the motivation to search for habitable conditions and identify potential biosignatures, i.e., indications of biological activtity, outside our Solar System. First steps in this direction will be taken in the coming 10-15 years with funded or selected ground- and space-based projects and missions. In addition, the US astrophysics decadal recommended a UV-optical-NIR space telescope (the Habitable Worlds Observatory) with an aperture diameter of at least 6 meters as next flagship mission for the 2040s. This telescope shall be sensitive enough to survey dozens of Earth-sized exoplanets. A highly synergistic approach to this mission, which focuses on the reflected light of the exoplanets, is to directly detect the exoplanets’ thermal emission in the mid-infrared by means of a space-based nulling interferometer. In this contribution, we summarize the current status of the European-led LIFE initiative, which has the goal to develop the science, the technology and a roadmap for such an ambitious space mission that will allow humankind to detect and characterize the atmospheres of hundreds of nearby extrasolar planets including dozens that are similar to Earth. Given the outcome of ESA’s "Voyage 2050" process and the corresponding recommendations from the ESA Senior Committee, the direct detection of the thermal emission of temperate terrestrial exoplanets is given very high scientific priority in ESA future science program and is considered as a candidate theme for a future L-class mission. The unique discovery space for a mid-infrared mission, in particular for the detection of atmospheric biosignatures in exoplanets, will be discussed, the international scope of the inititiative (including contributions from the US, Japan and Australia) will be highlighted, and synergies between LIFE and the NASA's future Habitable Worlds Observatory mission will be emphasized.