bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Unique Heliospheric Measurement Opportunities with the ESA JUICE mission: Science Case for Particle Environment Package (PEP)
Authors: Barabash Stas , Brandt Pontus , Wurz Peter , Clark George , Krupp Norbert , Roussos Elias , Stenberg Wieser Gabriella , Wittmann Philipp , Fränz Markus , Shimoyama Manabu , Wieser Martin , Kollmann Peter , Mitchell Donald
Published: March 2024

The Jupiter bound JUICE mission (JUpiter ICy moons Explorer) was successfully launched on April 14, 2023 and is currently executing its 8-year interplanetary cruise phase. JUICE carries three comprehensive instrument suites to fully characterize particles, fields, and waves. The JUICE space plasma instrumentation constitutes the most comprehensive and capable heliophysics payload ever flown, or planned, in the important but not-well explored the solar system region between 1 and 5 au.Science objectives that can be addressed by the JUICE payload include solar wind evolution, collisionless shock interactions and propagation, and particle acceleration, solar energetic particles, pick-up ion (PUI) origin and evolution, turbulent interactions, energetic neutral atom (ENA) imaging, and interplanetary hydrogen observations.JUICE enables an expansion of inner heliospheric science, connecting to observations in the outer heliosphere and Very Local Interstellar Medium (VLISM) by NASA’s New Horizons, Voyager, and Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) (to launch Feb 2025). New science opportunities are also enabled by the simultaneous observations from Europa Clipper in the same region. JUICE will spend the next six years between 0.7 au and 2.5 au, and in 2029-2031 it will explore the region out to Jupiter. JUICE has no thermal constraints past 1.34 au and the data volume from relevant sensors live well within the available data downlink through its weekly passes using the European Space Tracking (ESTRACK).In this presentation, we discuss the unique heliophysics observations the six-sensor suite Particle Environment Package (PEP) on board can do in conjunction with other space physics measurements on board JUICE and Europa Clipper. The PEP-suite measures species-resolved energy and angular distributions of electrons (~ 1 eV to ~1.5 MeV), ions (~1 eV to > 10 MeV; energy rage is species dependent); and ENA (~ 5eV to 300 keV). In addition to the PEP instrument suite, JUICE also carries a radiation monitor (RADEM) that can provide complimentary energy and species resolved measurements of very energetic electrons and ions in the solar wind.
Tree species growth of Quercus robur/Quercus petraea and Pinus sylvestris across Europe - dynamic sensitive equilibrium
Authors: Vospernik Sonja ,   Oak-pine Europe
Published: March 2024

Quercus robur/Quercus petraea and Pinus sylvestris are light demanding, drought resistant wide spread European tree species occupying a similar ecological niche on mesotrophic xeric and mesic sites. Increasing drought and heat-spells will decrease their growth, but growth reductions depend on the timing of drought within a year, site characteristics, and inter- and intraspecific competition.In this study we analysed tree ring series of 1589 trees growing on 36 triplets installed across Europe, spanning a gradient of mean annual temperatures from 5.5°C to 11.5°C. Tree ring data were analysed using a generalized additive model with random effects for triplet, year and tree level and a random slope for age, explaining 87 % of the variation of diameter increment.High values for potential evapotranspiration in spring and autumn, indicating warm temperatures, positively and non-linearly influenced diameter increment of both species, while the effect in June was linear and negative. Across Europe, June was the most influential month for tree growth. Further, tree growth declined with age and local density and increased with social position.Modelled random patterns showed no large scale trend, when plotted per site and year indicating highly site specific shifts in competitive advantages.
Identifying and addressing global hotspots of climate-related crop production losses
Authors: Tuninetti Marta , Davis Kyle
Published: March 2024

Meeting future food demand will require transformations toward sustainable and resilient food systems that simultaneously increase production, minimize environmental impacts, and adapt to climate change. With fluctuations in temperature and precipitation exercising a growing influence on production stability across the planet, a detailed understanding of where cropping patterns are vulnerable to climatic stresses is a missing yet critical step for developing solutions that enhance the climate resilience of crop production. Here we address this urgent need by combining gridded climate data, spatially-explicit agricultural statistics, and process-based crop modeling to quantify global patterns of rainfed and irrigated crop climate sensitivity (measured as the percent reduction in median yield under extreme climate conditions) and climate-associated production losses for 17 major crops, accounting for 75% of global primary production. This climate sensitivity metric is ideally suited for identifying locations where each crop tends to be subject to high climate variability and where crop production may be susceptible to high climate-related production losses. We estimate -10.1% and -6.8% losses in global rainfed and irrigated production (respectively) under historically observed extreme climate conditions - enough calories to feed 2.1 billion people - and find hotspots of climate sensitivity in the central US, eastern Brazil, the Mediterranean basin, and South Asia, among other regions. We then focus on monsoon cereals (rice, maize, millet, sorghum) to illustrate how sustainable irrigation expansion and targeted crop switching could reduce climate sensitivity, finding that 62% of production losses could be avoided while increasing overall production by 14%. Our new scalable and universal approach to measuring the climate sensitivity of crops enables the assessment of where climate-related production losses tend to be largest and where mitigating actions and investments can be proactively targeted to better ensure the stability and increased supply of global crop production.
Predicting Soil Nitrogen Mineralization Potential using Pyrolysis-coupled FTIR
Authors: Kaur Sevendeep , Gillespie Adam
Published: March 2024

Soil nitrogen (N) is a key component of plant nutrition but our ability to predict organic N mineralization potential remains incomplete.  Several methods are commonly used to characterize and measure mineralizable N; however, they are generally lacking because of required lab resources and poor predictive power. Pyrolysis is an emerging technology used to characterize soil organic matter and the thermal stability of soils. However, the idea of using Pyrolysis technology to characterize soil N and measure soil N release is novel. We adopted a novel online pyrolysis coupled with FTIR (Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy) technology to investigate soil N. The soil samples used were collected from a long-term field trial involving different crop rotations and fertilization to include a wide array of samples. Samples were pyrolyzed from 25 to 850 °C with a heating rate of 10 K min-1. The temperature at which 50% of the material underwent pyrolysis, referred to as T50, was determined to quantify the thermal stability. The focus was to look at mass loss characteristics, identify volatile matter released, T50, and the correlation of TG-FTIR data with a 12-week lab mineralization study. We found a negative correlation (R2= -0.67) between the T50 and mineralized N at week 12. In conclusion, this study elucidates the intricate interplay between temperature kinetics and nitrogen mineralization. The negative correlation between T50 and mineralizable N underscores the potential of the material to release N over time. This research offers a valuable foundation for optimizing Pyrolysis application in the context of soil nitrogen. 
Evaluating TEMPO NO2 over the New York City Metropolitan Area during CUPiDS
Authors: Volkamer Rainer , Lee Christopher , Mesburis Rebecca , Silver Catherine , Reza Mago , Brewer Alan , Brown Steven , McDonald Brian , Zuraski Kristen , Baidar Sunil
Published: March 2024

The Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution (TEMPO) satellite was launched in April 2023 by NASA and has been measuring tropospheric trace gases with hourly time resolution over North America since August 2023. The geostationary orbit of TEMPO poses advantages and also some new challenges to satellite validation efforts (e.g., due to changes in geometry, stratospheric correction, and the spatial scales of sampling) that remain understudied. Overlapping with TEMPO’s early measurement phase, the University of Colorado Airborne Multi-Axis Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (CU AMAX-DOAS) instrument was deployed to probe tropospheric NO2 and other trace gas columns during research flights over New York City, NY conducted as part of the Coastal Urban Plume Dynamics Study (CUPiDS) from July 15 to August 15, 2023. CU AMAX-DOAS is co-deployed with a NOAA Doppler lidar, two 4-channel radiometers (surface albedo), and in situ measurements onboard the NOAA Twin Otter aircraft, with the objectives to better understand emissions and meteorology as drivers for air quality in coastal Metropolitan areas. This presentation focuses on the inter-comparison of tropospheric NO2 trace gas columns from TEMPO and AMAX-DOAS remote sensing measurements. 
Scientific communication on social media as a tool for Increase awareness on fire occurrence , risk reduction and environmental disasters associated with forest fires.
Authors: Maia Monique , Anderson Liana Oighenstein
Published: March 2024

In Latin America, social media platforms are the main source of information updates for the population with internet access. On social networks, information from quick videos, photographs and digital narratives are sources of learning exchanges, updates and lessons.  Thus in this, using the social networks to scientific dissemination with the aim of increase awareness and engagement about the occurrence of forest fires, risks of disasters and the impact of forest fires in Latin America. The digital social platforms used here were Youtube, Facebook and Instagram in Portuguese, English and Spanish. Metrics such as reach, reactions, comments, number of likes, impressions per post, number of followers and automatic evaluations of participation and engagement were collected as a positive strategy for monitoring and social participation of populations with digital access and interest in the topics.
Democratizing BIM Data Access in Digital Twins Through OGC I3S 3D Streaming Standard
Authors: Belayneh Tamrat
Published: March 2024

Geospatial users have long been constructing immersive 3D environments for diverse applications such as urban planning, environmental and geological studies, 3D analysis, and more recently, by replicating the physical world as a digital twin. In this pico presentation, we aim to illustrate the dynamic evolution of Indexed 3D Scene Layers (I3S), an OGC Community Standard designed for an efficient streaming and storage of substantial geospatial content. I3S has rapidly adapted to encompass new use cases and techniques, pushing the boundaries of geospatial visualization and analysis.
I3S facilitates the efficient transmission of diverse 3D geospatial data types, ranging from discrete 3D objects with attributes and integrated surface meshes to extensive point cloud data covering expansive geographic regions. Moreover, it excels in streaming highly detailed Building Information Model (BIM) content to web browsers, mobile applications, and desktop platforms.
The most recent enhancement to OGC's I3S streaming standard, Building Scene Layer (BSL), introduces a sophisticated framework for effective tiling of massive BIM content. BSL leverages Bounding Volume Hierarchy (BVH) and geometric error driven selection and display criteria, incorporates attribute-driven filtering, and employs various graphics optimizations. These advancements collectively enable the seamless streaming of otherwise voluminous Building Information Model (BIM) 3D assets.
During this session, we will spotlight the practical implementation of I3S BSL across diverse ecosystems, including loaders.gl and CesiumJS. This flexibility empowers users to select their preferred front-end application based on specific requirements and preferences.
An integrated GIS tool for gully erosion modelling 
Authors: Maerker Michael , Pelacani Samuel , Omran Adel , Sidorchuk Aleksey
Published: March 2024

Gully erosion seriously affects the landscape and human life in different ways by destroying agricultural land and infrastructures, altering the hydraulic potential of soils, or affecting the water quality and quantity. Due to climate change, the negative effects of gully erosion are likely to increase in future, threatening especially low-income agricultural regions. In the past decades, quantitative methods have been proposed to simulate and predict gully erosion at different scales. However, gully erosion is still underrepresented in modern GIS-based modelling and simulation approaches. Therefore, we developed a tool to assess gully erosion dynamics. This tool comprises the data preparation, modelling and output analysis of the modelling phase as well as the visualization of the results. The modelling procedure is based on Sidorchuk’s gully simulation model. The tool was developed using phyton and the QGIS environment. 
The occurence of pharmaceuticals and other micropollutants in wastewater treatment plant in the aspect of interaction with microplastics
Authors: Styszko Katarzyna , Bolesta Wioleta , Worek Jagoda , Kaleta Daniel , Nalepa Adam , Pyssa Justyna , Cwynar Karolina , Prus Zuzanna , Frydel Laura
Published: March 2024

The presence of pharmaceuticals in the aquatic environment is known to scientists and is constantly being investigated. Such micropollutants with bactericidal, virucidal, or fungicidal properties are commonly used in households, which results in their presence in raw sewage flowing to wastewater treatment plants. The content of pharmaceuticals may vary depending on the lifestyle of the inhabitants or the intensity of drug consumption. This study analysed the content of antibiotics, virucidal and fungicidal substances in raw and treated sewage from one of city located in southern Poland with a population equivalent of 680,000. Furthermore, the study was conducted in the summer and autumn-winter seasons.Microplastics are one of the largest pollutants in the world. Since the 1970s, it has already existed, but there has been no better alternative than plastic. It is related to easy and cheap production, high availability, and specific properties of plastics, such as plasticity, chemical resistance, and lightness.In the research, samples of stabilized sewage sludge were analyzed in terms of quantitative and qualitative analysis. The separation of microplastics was carried out in two stages. First, the sample matrix was digested with 15% hydrogen peroxide. The next step was density separation, where a saturated solution of calcium chloride was used. Separated microplastics were counted and their sources of origin were analyzed using a Raman confocal microscope and ATR FT-IR spectrometer. The samples were divided according to the month of their collection.The production of organic-mineral fertilizers from sewage sludge is one of the ecological possibilities of their management. Pharmaceuticals and their derivatives, as well other micropollutants which get in the sludge during the treatment of wastewater, can be a problem. The negative impact of these micropollutants on the environment has been scientifically proven, and the pharmaceuticals and microplastics contained in the sludge may also be detected in fertiliser products.Acknowledgments: Research supported by the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange in the Bekker programme (no. PPN/BEK/2020/1/00243/) as well by the Polish National Science Centre (grant no. 2022/45/B/ST10/02108). Research was partially supported by the program ‘Initiative for Excellence – Research University’ for the AGH University of Krakow. Research supported under the Implementation Doctorate in the program of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education.
Sensors as a component of urban air quality management planning: a case study with AirGradient OpenAir PM monitors from Accra, Ghana.
Authors: Hodoli Collins Gameli ,   Network for Atmospheric and Air Quality Research (NAAQR)
Published: March 2024

Millions of premature deaths across Africa every year are attributed to air pollution. Of specific mention is exposure to fine particles, PM2.5. We present in this study a novel concept using the non-parametric wind regression approach and low-capital-cost (LCC) air sensor data to identify sources of PM2.5 pollution. This study is based on PM2.5 data collected at the University of Ghana (Afri-Set), Accra using the AirGradient OpenAir PM2.5 monitor from June 01 to September 15, 2023. Using the raw, calibrated, and regulatory grade data from the Teledyne API PM Mass Monitor T640, we found a good agreement between the identified sources of PM2.5. Additionally, we observed that high PM2.5 levels (21 µgm-3) were experienced during S, W, SW and SE winds. At low wind speeds (≤ 1 ms-1), PM2.5 pollution was high suggesting a possible local source. Although there were differences in concentrations comparing the raw and the reference grade data, our results showed that PM2.5 sources were similar. A diurnal pattern of the observed PM2.5 also shows a high similarity between the 3 sets of data. Peak levels (15-20 µgm-3) were observed at 07:00 to 14:00 hrs and 18:00 to 23:00 hrs associated with SW winds. Between 00:00 and 04:00 hrs, low levels (below 15 µgm-3) were observed and associated with W and SW winds. Southerly observations were below 15 µgm-3 with high levels  (15-20 µgm-3) easterly between 04:00 and 08:00 hrs.  This indicates that the raw data from the LCC PM air sensor is suitable for developing and tracking air pollution mitigation strategies, especially in environments with similar characteristics, with some caveats. We recommend a further investigation of the site tied to prevailing background activities to provide a vivid understanding of the potential contributing factors from the observed wind directions.Keywords: Air Pollution; Source Identification; Air Sensors; Ghana; PM2.5
GhanaFLUX: Meauring carbon fluxes in an African Rainforest
Authors: Otu-Larbi Frederick , Mensah Caleb , Agyemang Prempeh Nana , Kumi Naomi , Kyere-Boateng Richard
Published: March 2024

A new carbon flux tower has been established in the tropical rainforest of Ghana to measure carbon fluxes as well as emissions of biogenic volatile organic compounds. African tropical forests constitute about 20% of Global Tropical Forest cover but have been understudied due to a lack of in-situ observations. The establishment of GhanaFLUX in the Bia-Tano forest reserve in western Ghana will help to fill this gap, allowing in-depth assessments of carbon sequestration and storage in African forests. Here, we present a snapshot of the facilities available at GhanaFLUX, and measurements taken in the first year of operation. We show time series analysis of carbon dioxide and meteorological datasets obtained from GhanaFLUX, highlighting the seasonal variations in these observations. We also share some of our experiences and challenges during the establishment and operation of the flux site to guide researchers who are planning to set up new sites in challenging environments like rainforests. 
Microbial activity in Cementitious Matrices for the Storage of Radioactive Waste from the Decommissioning of Nuclear Power Plants 
Authors: Sevcu Alena , Vecernik Petr , Shrestha Rojina , Riha Jakub , Kouril Milan , Hlavackova Veronika
Published: March 2024

The most used materials in civil engineering is concrete and steel. Their unique properties made them candidate materials for components of engineered barrier system for high- and intermediate-level radioactive waste (ILW and HLW) deposition including material from decommissioning of nuclear power plants. Activated materials include mainly stainless steel of nuclear reactor structural elements or carbon steel and shielding concrete of the reactor shaft construction materials. This study is focused on standard and alternative cementitious matrices for deposition of such activated materials mainly in terms of its long-term sustainability in the presence of microorganisms.Four different matrices including cement paste based on Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC), cement paste enriched with bentonite or nano-iron, and finally geopolymer, are exposed to conditions that simulate real repository (anaerobic groundwater). One of the objectives is to describe the growth of microorganisms on/in these matrices as a potential risk for the long-term sustainability of such disposal. After a defined time, changes in microbial activity of the matrices, water leachate and interface between matrix and metal coupons simulating activated waste are monitored using cultivation-dependent and independent approach. Here we will demonstrate results of first samplings after 6, 12 and 24 months of incubation in anaerobic conditions. The results will shed more light on evolution of microbial activity in such extreme conditions in time and bring more information on processing and detection of microbial activity in alkaline materials.
Virtual field sites at the UNESCO Geopark Serra da Estrela (Portugal)
Authors: Raab Gerald , Vieira Gonçalo
Published: March 2024

Virtual field sites are increasing in popularity beyond classrooms. Also, field investigations greatly benefit from DGPS-referenced 3D models. We show a selection of field sites at the UNESCO Geopark Serra da Estrela (Portugal) and how they were implemented into field research. In detail, the advantages of high-definition virtual models of tors, i.e., large residual vertical rocks that are still enrooted in bedrock, were explored in the modeling of the recently conceived tor exhumation approach (TEA; Raab et al., 2018) that can trace surface degradation over a multimillennial period within the landscape of interest. The TEA uses in-situ terrestrial cosmogenic nuclides (TCNs) to surface exposure date (SED) along the surfaces of tors.Animated tors of two endmember sites, formerly glaciated and non-glaciated, contributed to derived continuous surface denudation variations covering the last ~200 ka and revealed glacial retreat dynamics in good detail. Higher isotope contents, thus, surface exposure ages were found in the non-glaciated area. In the formerly glaciated site, the ice margin distance correlates with the isotope signature of the tors. Higher elevation tors have experienced mass wasting and water erosion during the transition from a cool, moist, oceanic-Mediterranean climate. There, the younger rock surfaces have a higher chemical weathering degree than older surfaces at the non-glaciated site.In summary, we provide freely available 3D field sites coupled with an extensive geomorphological study of these landscape features.
Short-term and Long-term Groundwater level forecast by applying conceptual and neural networks approaches.
Authors: Baena-Ruiz Leticia , Collados Antonio Juan , Pulido-Velazquez David , Gomez-Gomez Juan de Dios , Baca Ruiz Luis Gonzaga , Pegalajar Jimenez María del Carmen
Published: March 2024

Aquifers are crucial resources for mitigating the impact of droughts, which are expected to exacerbate in the future. Nevertheless, in many cases, there is not enough monitoring data to define distributed models to forecast future potential groundwater (GW) levels. In this work, we apply and compare different approaches for short-term predictions of GW levels. We use conceptual models (e.g., AQUIMOD, EMM, etc) and machine learning techniques (e.g., NAR, NARX, ELMAN, LSTM and/or GRU). We follow the next steps: calibration/training, validation and testing of the behaviour of conceptual models and neural networks for short-term prediction. We consider exogenous variables (precipitation, temperature, recharge, etc.) for short-term prediction. Multiple series of exogenous variables have been generated by using a stochastic weather generator, which will be used to perform a stochastic forecast. The results will be analysed for dry, medium and wet seasonal horizons. The predictions made with "machine learning" are compared with those generated by the conceptual models. In order to assess potential impacts of Climate Change on GW levels, we simulated some simulated some future local climate scenarios within the conceptual models. We analyzed the robustness of the results and their uncertainty. The risk of droughts has also been studied by evaluating the severity of droughts from the series generated by applying the “SPI” indices to the generated series. The method has been applied in two aquifers, namely Campo de Montiel (Center Spain) and Vega de Granada (Southern Spain). Acknowledgments: This research has been partially supported by the projects: STAGES-IPCC (TED2021-130744B-C21) and SIGLO-PRO (PID2021-128021OB-I00), from the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities.
The Balance Process in Subduction Zones
Authors: Siegel Cristián E. , Toledo Patricio , Riquelme Sebastián , Madariaga Raúl , Campos Jaime
Published: March 2024

The subduction zone seismic-cycle is a complex phenomena with individual earthquakes as clearer manifestations. Although earthquakes are fundamentally space-extended, they are inferred to be material ruptures mostly considered as points in space. Nevertheless, in the temporal dimension, because they are plate-velocity dependent, it is less clear that they can be considered as point processes. Therefore, when considering this plate velocity in the balance analysis and assuming a locally homogeneous stochastic process hypothesis along coarse-graining upscaling it is possible to get a picture that makes sense of the whole seismic-cycle. This picture has emergent properties not available from purely seismic events, but that are more and more frequently recognized from geodetic and satellite observations, such as distant interactions and slow slip events. Taking advantage of the instrumentation installed at northern Chile, which makes use of both temporary and permanent stations from the National Seismological Center and IPOC it has been possible to obtain a well detailed picture of the seismic cycle between 2007 and 2023, that is consistent with representations obtained from geodesical measurements. We also obtain this representation for 49-year ISC catalog. We discuss possible applications of this seismic cycle representation.
Controls on global patterns of dissolved organic phosphorus utilisation in the surface ocean
Authors: Su Bei , Song Xianrui , Duhamel Solange , Mahaffey Claire , Davis Clare , Ivančić Ingrid , Zhou Shuo , Liu Jihua
Published: March 2024

          Utilisation of dissolved organic phosphorus (DOP) by marine microbes as an alternative phosphorus (P) source when phosphate is scarce can help sustain non-Redfieldian carbon:nitrogen:phosphorus ratios and efficient ocean carbon export. Alkaline phosphatase (AP) is an important enzyme group that facilitates the remineralisation of DOP to phosphate and thus its activity is a promising proxy for DOP-utilisation, particularly in P-stressed regions. In order tounderstand the global spatial patterns and rates of microbial DOP utilization and their environmental controls, we compiled a Global Alkaline Phosphatase Activity Dataset (GAPAD) with 4083 measurements collected from 79 published manuscripts and one database， and further investigated the possible mechanisms controlling global ocean APA. We find that DOP concentration, salinity, excess phosphate (P*), and chlorophyll a concentrations are critical factors in predicting global patterns of APA, which together explain as much as 39% of the variance in the observed APA dataset. Among all environmental factors, DOP concentration explains the most variance in the observed APA data and is negatively correlated with APA. P* is negatively correlated with APA，while chlorophyll a concentration is positively correlated.  Moreover, wind speed, dust iron deposition rate, and zinc concentration are also possible important environmental factors controlling APA. Using structural equation modeling, DOP and P* concentrations have a total negative effect on APA of -0.36. and -0.2 respectively, while chlorophyll a concentration and salinity have a total positive effect of 0.16 and 0.24. Via a set of numerical competition experiments between an AP-producing phytoplankton and a non AP-producing competitor, AP-producing phytoplankton are found to have an advantage in regions with low P*, but only alongside sufficiently high DOP and DIN concentrations. This trend arises due to the trade-off between P acquisition and N allocation to AP synthesis and is not affected by varying the model assumptions regarding nutrient supplies, N-demand, and key physiological traits.  Extending our results to the global ocean using DIN, DIP, and DOP datasets enables us to pinpoint key regions where optimal conditions for DOP-utilisation are prevalent. These findings align closely with the patterns illuminated by our APA dataset. Our results show that on a global scale, when phosphate limitation is severe, plankton utilize DOP through producing AP, and this will help understand the biogeographical shift of different microbial groups in response to future climate change. Further work is needed to include the parallel role of the trace metal co-factors iron and zinc in driving AP synthesis and its spatial distribution in our modelling experiments.
How agricultural droughts are contributing to child undernutrition in sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Dimitrova Anna , Gershunov Alexander , Benmarhnia Tarik
Published: March 2024

Countries in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) have some of the highest levels of child malnutrition, with more than one-third of children under five in the region characterized as chronically undernourished. High reliance on subsistence farming, poor adoption of irrigation technologies, and variable climate conditions make populations in SSA highly vulnerable to malnutrition during droughts. We use anthropometric data for 520,734 children under the age of five from 34 countries in SSA collected between 1990 and 2022 in combination with high-resolution agricultural and climate data to estimate the association between agricultural droughts and child undernutrition in the region. We use global gridded data on the geographical distribution of crop areas for 15 major crops. Data on crop planting and harvesting dates are also collected for each crop. The Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI), a multi-scalar drought index, is used to measure the intensity and spatial distribution of droughts during key periods of agricultural production (planting, growth, and harvesting) and of different duration (seasonal and long-lasting droughts). Our analysis shows that droughts during the crop-growing seasons are associated with an increased risk of child undernutrition in SSA. The findings presented in this study call for urgent action to improve drought monitoring and response in SSA where the risks to child health posed by global warming are considerable. Under climate change, the severity and frequency of extreme weather and climate events, including droughts, are projected to increase, which will place millions of children at risk of hunger unless timely action plans are taken to improve food security in the region.
On the feasibility of measuring methane on Mars using 3.3 um lidar from space
Authors: Campbell Joel , Liu Zhaoyan , Lin Bing , Yu Jirong , Geng Jihong
Published: March 2024

We investigate the feasibility of measuring methane on Mars using a satellite based lidar at 3.3 um which has the advantage over passive instruments in being able to measure methane at night. Line selection, power requirements, signal to noise, and other details are discussed. Comparisons with other technologies are made. Previous measurements are discussed and the possible advantages of measurements that Lidar can obtain are presented. Subterranean life and other processes are investigated as a possible origin of methane on Mars. Comparisons of similar subterranean life on earth are used as a model for possible subterranean life on Mars and elsewhere. 
Shaping Thriving Ocean Futures – Education to advance healthy coastal communities and marine systems
Authors: Neuer Susanne , Pfirman Stephanie , Martin Roberta , Kamelamela Katie , Maas Amy , Peters Andrew , Bates Nick
Published: March 2024

The new Ocean Futures program at Arizona State University (Tempe, AZ, USA) prepares students to become coastal and marine stewards, community leaders, innovators, and researchers capable of shaping the future of the world's oceans.  The program is taught and mentored by faculty and community leaders in an environment that supports our students’ individual and collaborative strengths, creativity, and diversity.  Students learn and work across disciplines, exploring global and local ocean dynamics, ecosystems, and stressors, engaging with community contexts and livelihoods, and advancing culturally-appropriate, reciprocal stewardship.  In support of ASUʻs mission of embeddedness and linking innovation to public value, graduates of the School of Ocean Futures are equipped with the knowledge and skills to work with diverse communities and partners to create innovative solutions for our changing world.The School of Ocean Futures educational goal is to build student capacity to apply knowledge of coastal and marine systems coupled with community partnerships to help shape thriving futures, both locally and globally.  Students engage in research and work with partners in Arizona, the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS) in Bermuda, the Center of Global Discovery and Conservation Science in Hilo, Hawaii, the Sea of Cortez, and Antarctica.Ocean Futures education at ASU is based on an innovative “cascade” curriculum.  The cascade starts with core classes in Introduction to Ocean Futures and Ocean Communities, followed by foundational courses in sciences and mathematics, an upper-level core class in Oceanography, electives focused on partnerships, stewardship, and advanced problem-solving, and culminates in an applied workshop and capstone course where students work with partners to transfer knowledge to action in addressing problems facing coastal communities and marine systems.
Assessing CO2 Mineralization and Sequestration Potential in Saudi Basaltic Rocks
Authors: Murtaza Mobeen , Whattam Scott , Fawad Manzar , Saraih Nabil Ali , Kamal Muhammad Shahzad , Abu-Mahfouz Israa S. , Hussain Syed M. Shakil , Kaminski Michael A.
Published: March 2024

To achieve a low-carbon economy, storing carbon dioxide in the Earth's crust by converting it into minerals within basalt rocks is a promising method. This study explores CO2 interaction with Saudi scoriaceous (SB) and dense (DB) basalts to assess their capacity for CO2 storage. SB contains augite, olivine, clinopyroxene, and enstatite, while DB is composed of anorthite, augite, olivine, orthopyroxene, and diopside.SB and DB samples were aged in a supercritical CO2/brine system at 50°C and 1450 psi for a month. Interfacial tension (IFT) was studied across various pressures at 50°C, and contact angles were measured at room conditions and under the specific conditions of 1450 psi and 50°C. Surface compositional analysis of SB and DB was conducted using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), x-ray fluorescence (XRF), and x-ray diffraction (XRD) before and after CO2 exposure. Micro-CT scans were performed pre- and post-exposure to assess in situ mineralization. DB, characterized by minimal porosity and permeability, showed potential for CO2 interaction predominantly on fractured surfaces. However, the DB core sample lacked fractures, so the surface area was the primary place of interaction. In contrast, SB displayed considerable porosity and permeability, indicating a broader area for potential CO2 interaction.The results from the IFT measurements revealed a pressure-sensitive pattern, with significant alterations at lower pressures and smaller ones at higher pressures, essential for assessing CO2 storage potential. Under standard conditions, SB and dense DB exhibited water-wetting properties. However, in a supercritical CO2/Brine environment, their wettability significantly changed: contact angles increased from 32.9° to 85.8° for DB, and  from 42.6° to 104° for SB, indicating a move towards intermediate water wetness in a CO2 environment. These results highlight the potential for CO2 storage in basaltic formations and the complex dynamics of CO2-brine-rock interactions. Micro CT and SEM analyses showed dissolution, precipitation, and surface variations in the rocks during brine-CO2 exposure. Specifically, SB demonstrated considerable changes in pore structure and surface, indicating a substantial interaction with CO2. On the other hand, DB, being non-porous in nature, primarily exhibited surface changes. These post-exposure transformations confirm effective CO2 interaction with the rocks, further supporting the feasibility of CO2 sequestration in basalt rocks.Our in-depth understanding of changes in interfacial tension, wettability, and rock morphology is crucial for safely and efficiently storing CO2 in basaltic rocks. This knowledge contributes to environmental sustainability and innovative climate change mitigation, marking a significant step towards a greener future in Saudi Arabia.
Energy from extraterrestrial sources is driving arctic lightning
Authors: Tanskanen Eija , Khansari Marzieh
Published: March 2024

The possible effect of solar activity on lightning has been studied for a long period of time. Specifically, the relationship between sunspot number and lightning activity has been investigated, although the results still remain inconclusive across regions and time. In some regions, a positive correlation is found, in others a negative one. Thus, it is important to explore other solar-geomagnetic variables possibly influencing lightning activity.In order to examine the possible relationship between solar activity and lightning activity we will study lightning and geomagnetic activity at the latitudes of 50° to 70° together with the solar and solar wind observations (SDO, ACE, OMNI database).  Data from the Nordic lightning location system (NORDLIS) was used for lightning strikes and geomagnetic measurements from Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory, INTERMAGNET and IMAGE for geomagnetic disturbances. Our analysis showed a strong correlation between high-speed streams and lightning activity as well as with geomagnetic activity during solar cycle 23. All parameters peaked in 2003 during the early declining phase of solar cycle 23 and showed similar trends over the solar cycle. The correlation was strong and significant between latitudes 62° and 66°.  The best coupling was found at 63° and 65°, where solar wind variability explained 86% and 88% of the variability of lightning activity, respectively. We hypothesize that this correlation is because of a much larger number of energetic particles due to an exceptionally high number of HSS during solar cycle 23. Penetration of these highly energetic particles to the atmosphere and production of high energetic secondary electrons can lead to runaway breakdown in thunderclouds and initiation of lightning.
Measuring the full strain tensor using a low-cost optical borehole strainmeter
Authors: Foin Martin , Chéry Jean , Seat Han Cheng , Cattoen Michel , Peyret Michel , Baudin Sandrine
Published: March 2024

Monitoring volcanic deformation is crucial for understanding eruptive activities and associated hazards. While various surface deformation measurement tools like GPS, INSAR and tiltmeters are widely used on volcanoes, strainmeters offer unique means to detect volcanic transient phenomena, deformation source location and dynamics (Bagagli et al., 2017; Bonaccorso et al., 2023), including the categorization of phenomena (Carleo et al., 2023). However, their widespread use has been hindered by cost considerations and the challenges associated with on-field calibration. Additionally, strainmeters are recording deformation from shallow water levels, body tides, pressure changes and snowfall, that makes difficult the separation among the involved processes.To address these challenges, we propose a novel, moderate-cost, high-resolution borehole strainmeter based on optical measurement. Strain is quantified by measuring the diameter change of a sphere using optical interferometry (Seat et al. 2012), providing a 10-10 strain resolution across a broadband [0; 2.5] kHz range. This innovative strainmeter (Chery 2021, patent FR2106959) features six uniaxial strain gauges anchored inside a concrete spherical shell, enabling the reconstruction of the six components of the 3D strain tensor. The full measurement of the strain tensor should enhance our understanding of deformation dynamics both at borehole vicinity and in the far-field. Indeed, the knowledge of the full straintensor should allow the differentiation between near-field and far-field perturbations due to the distinct nature of their strain perturbation in time and space.A seventh measurement gauge, free of shell deformation, facilitates the filtering of physical variations associated to laser wavelength, temperature and air pressure. To ensure accuracy and reliability of the strainmeter, an in-situ calibration system involving sphere pressurization is integrated. This innovative feature should help to determine borehole heterogeneity and to minimize long term drift.In November 2023, a first strainmeter prototype has been successfully installed on the Larzac Plateau (France) at the multi-instrument observatory (OSU OREME and H+/OZCAR network). We will present first results of the instrument and will discuss the future perspectives.
Suppressing Coda Events with a Bayesian Model of Global Scale Seismology
Authors: Shashkin Aleksandr , Arora Nimar S. , Mohamed Ali Sherif , Khukhuudei Urtnasan , Miljanovic Tamarit Vera , Rambolamanana Gerard
Published: March 2024

NET-VISA stands for NETwork processing - Vertically Integrated Seismic Analysis. The package comprises a physics-based, probabilistic model and a heuristic inference algorithm to find the most probable set of seismic events to explain a series of arrivals detected by a global seismic network. It has been extended to find events in any of three mediums – rock, air, and water- and supports seismic, hydro-acoustic, and infrasound sensors.Large seismic events often trigger a wave train of slow decaying energy known as the coda that can mislead signal detectors into forming coda detections that look like regular phase detections. These coda detections can confuse event formation algorithms into building false events known as coda events. Naive solutions to this problem by dropping any detection that looks like coda detection can have the negative consequence of missing real events. We propose to address this issue by extending an existing Bayesian Approach, designed to build event bulletins using a generative model of global-scale seismology. Our extensions significantly boost to the existing work by reducing the total number of false events and virtually eliminating coda events at the cost of a very small drop in the number of real events.
Meta-analysis of soil pore size distribution and its relationship with various soil properties and land management
Authors: Wu Haotian , Maestrali Maelle , Lucas Maik , Raynaud Xavier , Nunan Naoise , Schweizer Steffen
Published: March 2024

The size distribution of soil pores is an important key characteristic of soil systems influencing soil functions such as the cycling of water as well as organic matter storage and dynamics. There is a lack of information about the pore size distribution considering a wide variety of soils and whether various soil characteristics pre-dominantly influence specific pore size ranges. Especially, pores with a diameter < 100 µm serve as a key driver of soil water holding capacity and as a habitat for soil microorganisms involved in the decomposition of organic matter. Here, we aim to contribute to the identification of size patterns in the soil pore size distribution and its relationships with soil biogeochemical matter cycles. In our contribution, we will present insights into our literature-based meta-analysis approach enabling relative comparisons by the integration of pore size distributions across different soils using a water retention curve model. To disentangle the effects of soil texture, soil type, organic matter content, and land management on soil pore size distribution, we used multivariate regression, path analysis, and random forest feature importance. By building a quantitative framework of interrelated controls on soil pore size distribution, we aim to discuss the current understanding of the soil pore network and its ecological functions.
Biological soil crusts stabilize degraded soils of the Brazilian Pampa affected by sandization
Authors: webber carla , Bremer Ulisses F. , Tagizadeh-Mehrjardi Ruhollah , Weber Bettina , Rosa Aline , Scholten Thomas , Seitz Steffen
Published: March 2024

Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) are a main factor in the protection of arid and semiarid ecosystems. They are key contributors to soil stabilization and erosion control through the aggregation of particles and the provision of a continuous surface cover. In the Brazilian Pampa, vegetation disturbance and soil degradation led to an expansion of sandization areas. These areas are quickly covered by biocrusts, which show the same soil-stabilizing effects as in other geographic regions but have not been investigated in this biome before.The present study aims to expand our knowledge on the occurrence of biocrusts in sandization areas of the Brazilian Pampa and to analyse their distribution patterns related to the local topography. We focused on two research sites, where the presence of biocrusts seemed essential for soil protection. At these sites, first, the different biocrust types were assessed and a taxonomic survey was conducted. Second, UAV-based imagery was created to classify the communities. A random forest approach was applied to understand the relation between biocrust abundance and topography.We observed that biocrusts are widespread in areas prone to sandization, with a coverage of approximately 25% of the surface area. They are mostly dominated by cyanobacteria, but also bryophytes play a key role. In this study, the cyanobacterial genus Stigonema was predominant at both study sites, while Campylopus pilifer was the dominating moss species. The mapping confirmed all major biocrust types including rolling, pinnacled, rugose, and smooth crusts. The biocrust distribution was influenced by local topography, but also the establishment of vascular plants. Slope and aspect had a strong influence on biocrust development, but the presence of protective topographic positions against atmospheric influences most prominently facilitated their occurrence.This pilot study proved that biocrusts can play a key role as ecosystem engineers in the Brazilian Pampa with a positive effect on general vegetation growth and soil stabilization. Despite their significant impact in sandization areas, biocrusts are not in the focus of research, yet, and should be further studied to constrain future soil degradation.