bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Contribution of the Sahel region to precipitation over the African continent
Authors: te Wierik Sofie , Keune Jessica , Miralles Diego , Cammeraat Erik , Artzy-Randrup Yael , Gupta Joyeeta
Published: March 2021

Redistribution of evapotranspiration from land via atmospheric circulation is an important Earth system process. Globally, evapotranspiration contributes significantly to terrestrial rainfall, on both regional and more remote scales. In wet, tropical regions (e.g. the Congo basin), transpiration and interception loss from the dense forest cover are the primary drivers of moisture recycling, which plays a crucial role in preserving regional ecosystem functioning. However, for semi-arid and arid regions, our knowledge on the extent and significance of evapotranspiration for moisture recycling is still very limited, despite the significance this may have for addressing challenges of desertification in times of rapid environmental change. Considering this, we are taking the Sahel region as a case study and investigate its contribution to precipitation in the African continent. In addition, we specifically study what fraction of the precipitation originates from vegetation in the Sahel through transpiration and interception loss. Our study is based on simulated atmospheric moisture trajectories derived from the Lagrangian model FLEXPART with a 1-degree resolution, driven by ECMWF reanalysis data over 1980–2016. Preliminary results show (1) the temporal variability in the contribution of the region to precipitation in African drylands, and (2) a significant contribution of local precipitation recycling. We conclude that consideration of the naturally and anthropogenically-driven greening of the Sahel, as well as land use and land cover changes in the region, may have both local and far-reaching impacts via the transport of moisture through the atmosphere.
Improving the detection capability of the West Bohemian network by template matching approach 
Authors: Salama Ali , Fischer Tomas
Published: March 2021

During the West-Bohemia/Vogtland earthquake swarms thousands of events are detected within short periods of few days, whose preliminary location is provided by an automated procedure. The manually verified high quality catalog is provided with some delay and is usually less complete than the automatic one.

We developed a template matching procedure combined with differential time measurement and double difference location whose application in real time will allow to provide precise hypocentre locations for much larger data set than provided by the manual processing. Among others, the template matching approach includes flexible setting of the time difference between P and S waves which allows for event detection in a wider distance to the template’s hypocentre. This makes the size of the template dataset small enough to allow for efficient detection process.

Our application of the template matching approach is aimed at identifying repeated activation of some patches during the swarms and weak background activity in the intermediate periods. Detecting and analyzing the repeating earthquakes will help revealing the continuing background activity and identifying fault areas that are active permanently. This will point to the possible sources of fluids or aseismic creep that are supposed to play significant role in swarm generation.
Analysis of red deer Cervus elaphus behaviour and habitat modelling using data from GPS collars and available geospatial data products
Authors: Jakovels Dainis , Filipovs Jevgenijs , Brauns Agris , Vecvanags Alekss , Kocina Iveta , Ozolins Janis
Published: March 2021

Understanding of wild animal behaviour and habitat preference are important factors for further assessment of their living space capacity. Red deer Cervus elaphus is an important game species which population has increased from 54 thousand in 2016 to 66 thousand in 2020 (22% increase in last four years) in Latvia. Meanwhile, the number of hunted animals has increased from 12 thousand in 2016 to 20 thousand in 2020 (a 67% increase in the last four years). The increasing number of red deer and other ungulate species results in increased damage to new forest stands and crops. Traditional methods for population abundance estimation and monitoring, such as grazing damage observation, pellet or snow track counts are time and resource consuming and require trained experts. Technological approaches (trail cameras, microphones and drones) have the potential to support and improve the monitoring of wildlife.

In this study, we present results based on the location data of four red deer individuals. Red deers were cached and collared in Mar-Apr 2020, their location has been recorded every 30 minutes since then. The data is used for mapping of red deer migration routes, analysis of living and feeding places as well as movement behaviour. Available geospatial data products are terrain and canopy cover information obtained from LiDAR data, land cover and vegetation density information obtained from Sentinel-2 satellite data as well as proximity to feeding places, natural resources and human settlements. Hedonic regression approach is used for preference evaluation of different factors.

Detection of wild animals is also performed using a drone equipped with thermal and RGB cameras, networks of camera traps and microphones. The data from GPS collars allow validating the detection accuracy of other technological approaches.
EASYGO - Efficiency and Safety in Geothermal Operations – A new Innovative Training Network
Authors: Brehme Maren , Saar Martin O , Slob Evert , Bombarda Paola , Maurer Hansruedi , Wellmann Florian , Vardon Phil J , Bruhn David , Team Easygo
Published: March 2021

How to operate a geothermal system in the most efficient and safe manner? This is the most important and urgent question after a geothermal resource has been identified. The recently funded Innovative Training Network ‘EASYGO‘ will answer that question from different perspectives and give high-level training for early stage researchers (ESR; here PhD candidates) in geothermal operations.

Tackling the challenges of sustainable geothermal operations requires an interdisciplinary and intersectoral approach. To achieve the main objective, researchers will work on the whole chain of geothermal operations, from production to power-plant engineering to injection. They will develop novel monitoring concepts, perform real-time simulations, develop system components, assess novel concepts for operations and test operational parameters at the field scale. The major strength and originality of the programme is that it is developed around large-scale infrastructure. Researchers will have access to the infrastructure in all countries for testing equipment and doing real-time measurements.

EASYGO graduates will be a new generation of multidisciplinary experts in geothermal operations, trained to achieve standardised efficient and safe operations of geothermal systems to enable the ambitious international expansion plans. The mobility plan of EASYGO envisages each ESR to have at least one academic secondment and one industrial secondment.

EASYGO consists of an intersectoral team of experts from academic and non-academic institutions. All academic participants are members of the IDEA League, a strategic alliance of leading European universities of technology. The members of the IDEA League with a strong research profile in geothermal energy, TU Delft (The Netherlands), RWTH Aachen (Germany), ETH Zurich (Switzerland) and Politecnico di Milano (Italy), constitute the academic consortium of EASYGO. Additionally, ten industry partners from all countries drive the research from an applied point of view. Our ambition is to contribute to making Europe a world leader in geothermal science, operational technology and education, thereby accelerating the energy transition.
Urban Hazard Adaptation: Efficiency of a Green Infrastructure in an Italian metropolis
Authors: Busca Francesco , Revelli Roberto
Published: March 2021

In recent years, safeguarding approaches and environmental management initiatives have been adopted both by international institutions and local governments , aimed at sustainable use of natural resources and their restoration, in order to manage hazard level of climate change consequences (urban flooding, droughts and water shortages, sea level rise, issues with food security).

Cities represent the main collectors of these effects, consequently they need to implement specific adaptation plans mitigating consequences of such future events: Green Infrastructures (G.I.) fall within the most effective tools for achieving the goal. In the urban context, they also identify themselves as valid strategies for biodiversity recovery and ecological functions.

This work analyzes the role of a G.I. in an urban environment, with the aim of quantifying Ecosystem Services (E.S.) provided by vegetation: through usage of i-Tree, specific software suite for E.S. quantification, the sustainability offered by “Le Vallere” park, a 34-hectares greenspace spread between municipalities of Turin and Moncalieri (Italy), was analyzed, in collaboration with the related management institution (Ente di gestione delle Aree Protette del Po torinese). The study, carried out using two specific tools (i-Tree Eco and i-Tree Hydro), focuses on different aspects: carbon sequestration and storage, atmospheric pollutants reduction, avoided water runoff and water quality improvement are just some of the environmental benefits generated by tree population. Tools enable to carry out the analysis also from an economic point of view, evaluating monetary benefits brought by the green infrastructure both at present day and in the future,  taking into account climate change effects through projections based on the regional climatic model COSMO-CLM (RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 scenarios).

The work led to deepen potential held by the greenspace, helping the cooperating management institution  to plan future territorial agenda and to find innovative approaches for an integrated and sustainable hazard control.
Groundwater storage in the Horn of Africa drylands dominated by seasonal rainfall extremes
Authors: Adloff Markus , Singer Michael Bliss , McLeod David , Michaelides Katerina , Mehrnegar Nooshin , Hansford Eleanor , Funk Chris , Mitchell Dann
Published: March 2021

Rural communities in the Horn of Africa Drylands (HAD) rely on the availability of soil moisture for crop growth and groundwater for drinking water supply for people and livestock. Recent negative trends in March-May rainfall (‘long rains’) have decreased soil moisture with negative consequences for the livelihoods in HAD communities, who have become increasingly vulnerable to multi-season droughts affecting crops and livestock. These increasingly common failed ‘long rains’, propagate into agricultural drought, causing famines, and lead to major humanitarian intervention across HAD. However, the links between seasonal rainfall (‘long rains’ and ‘short rains’ in October-December) and regional groundwater storage in HAD have not been explored. We examined trends in seasonal rainfall from various gridded datasets alongside an analysis of total water storage (TWS) from GRACE satellite data. Multiple rainfall datasets corroborate declining ‘long rains’ and increasing ‘short rains’, and a 3-hr (MSWEP) dataset reveals the disproportionate contribution of extreme rainfall to totals within both seasons. We also found that TWS generally increased across the HAD region between 2002 and 2017, and that the GRACE TWS signal is primarily composed of groundwater storage changes for this region, rather than trends in soil moisture. We then found that groundwater storage variability correlates strongly with seasonal rainfall on interannual and decadal scales, and it is particularly correlated with extreme rainfall in both rainy seasons. We highlight the importance of increasingly large Indian Ocean Dipole events in dominating extreme rainfall and correspondingly high TWS and groundwater recharge within the October-December rainy season. While groundwater recharge in HAD by high-intensity rainfall is generally high for the March-May rainy season, it is increasing for the ‘short rains’ season. These findings raise the possibility that increasing groundwater availability across HAD could be exploited to offset the ‘long rains’ decline, potentially mitigating their climate change impacts on soil moisture, crops, and drinking water supplies.
Nutrient cycling and productivity of a Himalayan Glacier Surface
Authors: sharma shamurailatpam Monica , yates Chris , telling Jon , l. wadham Jemma , al Ramanathan
Published: March 2021

Nutrients deposited and cycled on the glacier surfaces are important not only because of their role in the global biogeochemical cycling in the downstream environments, but also because of their importance as a primary food source for microbes inhabiting glacial surfaces, their ice surface darkening properties, and the consequent potential for enhancing glacier melt. The present study focuses on the Chhota Shigri (CS) Glacier in the North-Western (NW) Indian Himalayan region. The dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration in the bare ice is relatively higher than the other aspects studied in the glacial environment of CS indicating that much of the active microbial activity occurring in the bare ice. Total inorganic nitrogen (TIN) is typically concentrated in the snow, which is the major contributor of NO3-. The rapid declining of TIN in the bare ice as compare to other aspects and its enrichment in DOC suggests for a more active microbial activity occurrence in the exposed ice rather than in isolated cryoconites holes in the Chhota Shigri Glacier. The net biological productivity indicates the dominance of net gross photosynthesis over respiration, suggesting a net autotrophic production in CS.
Trends and characteristics of winter storms in CMIP6
Authors: Schuster Mareike , Ulbrich Uwe
Published: March 2021

Windstorms are considered the most devastating natural peril in many regions around the globe. For insurance associations in Europe for example, the damages generated by windstorms make up to about 90% of the claims in the category of natural hazards. The interannual variability of windstorms can be quite strong and thus research has recently focused on this topic.

However, storm risk and its changes under anthropogenically induced climate change are so far rather little discussed in literature. Thus, there are still large uncertainties about how climate change will affect the extratropical circulation. CMIP5 models showed at times opposing signals regarding number and strength of windstorm generating cyclones and storm tracks. In more detail, the latest IPCC AR5 states that substantial uncertainty and low confidence remains in projecting changes in NH storm tracks, especially for the North Atlantic basin.

With the lately released CMIP6 simulations, providing model output of increased spatial and temporal resolution, there is potential for new insights and enhanced confidence regarding future trends of storminess.

In our study, we assess characteristics and trends of windstorm diagnostics in an ensemble of the latest CMIP6 climate scenario simulations, with a focus to the North Atlantic basin and winterstorms affecting Europe.

In the CMIP6 model ensemble the trends of winter windstorm frequencies appear to be overall weaker in an anthropogenically changed climate than in the preceding CMIP5 scenarios; yet, first results indicate that they are somewhat more consistent amongst models. All CMIP6 models exhibit a windstorm frequency increase locally confined over the Arctic, while in the mid and high latitudes a wide-ranging decrease of windstorm activity is simulated. In our study we will also assess what this entails for characteristics like life time, intensity and size.
Migration and storage of methane in the Martian crust 
Authors: Gloesener Elodie , Karatekin Özgür , Dehant Véronique
Published: March 2021

Several detections of methane in the Martian atmosphere have been reported from Earth-based and Mars orbit instruments with abundances ranging up to tens of ppbv, while in-situ measurements performed by the MSL rover at Gale crater showed some peaks up to 7 ppbv. A variety of methane formation mechanisms occurring in the subsurface have been proposed such as abiotic synthesis through Fischer-Tropsch Type (FTT) reactions. After its generation at depth, Martian methane can migrate upwards and be either directly released at the surface or trapped in subsurface reservoirs, such as clathrate hydrates, where it could accumulate over long time before being episodically liberated during destabilizing events. When ascending through stratigraphic layers, methane can move via one or several transport mechanisms. Seepage can occur through advection, the main CH4 transport process on Earth, driven by pressure gradients and permeability and generally associated to fracture networks. Another transport mechanism is diffusion, which is mainly controlled by concentration gradient. This process is not efficient on short timescales and short-lived methane plumes related to diffusion should therefore originate from very shallow depths.

In this work, we model the subsurface transport of methane on Mars and its subsequent trapping in clathrate hydrates. For the latter, the effect of the clathrate formation pressure is especially examined, while methane subsurface transport is studied considering adsorption onto, advection and diffusion through the regolith.
Mechanisms behind the precipitation increase in Norway
Authors: Konstali Kjersti , Sorteberg Asgeir
Published: March 2021

We use a dataset with observations of daily precipitation from 55 homogeneity tested stations in Norway over the period 1900-2019 available from MET-Norway. These observations show that precipitation in Norway has increased monotonically by 19% since 1900. Notably, over half of the overall increase was recorded within the decade of 1980-1990. To examine possible mechanisms behind the precipitation increase, we use a diagnostic model to separate the effects of changes in vertical velocity, temperature and relative humidity. We use vertical velocity, near-surface temperature and relative humidity from two reanalysis products, ECMWF’s ERA-20C and NOAA’s 20th Century Reanalysis. The model-based precipitation estimates capture the interannual variability as well as the long-term trend, but the absolute magnitude of precipitation is underestimated. Within our model, we find that the variability in vertical velocity chiefly determines the interannual variability and long-term trends. In fact, the trend in vertical velocities contributes with more than 75% of the total modelled trend in precipitation between 1900-2019, and more than 60% of the anomalies between 1980-1990. However, over the last decades (1979 to 2019), changes in temperature and relative humidity are the main contributors to the trend. Thus, different physical processes shape the trend at different times. We hypothesize that the strong precipitation increase in the 1980’s is linked to an unusual high number of low pressure systems reaching Norway from the North-Atlantic. In recent decades, direct effects of global warming (rising temperatures and hence increased water vapour content) are thought to be the main cause of the positive trend in precipitation over Norway. 
Towards detecting biogeochemical compound extremes in the surface ocean
Authors: Fröb Friederike , Ilyina Tatiana
Published: March 2021

Long-term changes in ocean biogeochemistry that are projected under an evolving climate in the 21st century are superimposed by short-term extreme events. Of particular interest are compound events, where such extreme events occur successively or simultaneously, combining or amplifying the impact of multiple stressors on ocean ecosystems. The resilience of marine species to the simultaneous exposure of extremely high temperature, low pH and low oxygen concentration presumably depends on the magnitude and variability of the perturbation, which is likely to increase and intensify in response to rising global mean temperatures. However, changes in marine heat waves, ocean acidification and deoxygenation extremes, remain to be detected, in order to quantify their combined impact. Here, we use the Grand Ensemble of the fully coupled Max Planck Institute Earth System Model (MPI-GE) that consists of 100 members forced by historical CO2 emissions and those according to the Representative Concentration Pathway 4.5 (RCP4.5). The daily frequency of the simulation output for sea surface temperature, hydrogen ion concentration and oxygen concentration allows analysing spatio-temporal changes of marine extreme events between 1850 and 2100. We assess the number, duration, and intensity of extreme states using a moving threshold criterion, and aim to identify concurrent and consecutive driving mechanisms for such events in the surface ocean in order to evaluate potential risks for the marine ecosystem.
Cold truths: What does a warmer Arctic mean for carbon budgets consistent with the Paris Agreement?
Authors: Treharne Rachael , Rogers Brendan , Gasser Thomas , Turetsky Merritt , MacDonald Erin , Phillips Carly , Natali Sue
Published: March 2021

Arctic regions are warming more than twice as fast as the global average. This rapid warming is expected to drive a substantial net loss of carbon to the atmosphere, particularly from the thawing of ‘permafrost’, or perennially frozen ground. However, the majority of Earth System Models do not account for permafrost or processes driving the loss of permafrost carbon. In addition, where models do consider permafrost carbon feedbacks, thaw is typically simulated as a gradual, top-down process. This ignores critical, non-linear processes - notably abrupt permafrost thaw, wildfire, and fire-induced permafrost thaw. This means that the potential for a strong positive feedback to future climate change from permafrost regions is not well understood among policy decision-makers. There is therefore an urgent need for a comprehensive and policy-relevant assessment of permafrost carbon feedbacks and their implications for the temperature goals outlined in the Paris Climate Agreement. To address this need, we built upon a reduced complexity Earth System Model and gradual permafrost thaw emulator (Gasser et. al., 2018) by incorporating abrupt thaw, fire emissions, and fire-induced thaw. Using this framework, we assessed the implications of a comprehensive representation of permafrost feedbacks for carbon budgets that constrain warming to 1.5°C and 2°C. We found that combined feedbacks - gradual thaw, abrupt thaw, and fire processes - resulted in a substantial reduction in global carbon budgets to remain below 1.5°C and 2°C.
Modelling non-equillibrium unsaturated flow in soils during sudden pressure head changes by solving Richards' equation with a Method of lines approach
Authors: Mietrach Robert , Wöhling Thomas , Schütze Niels
Published: March 2021

The classical formulation of Richards' equation is relying on a unique functional relationship between water content, conductivity and pressure head. Some phenomena like hystersis effects in the water content during wetting and drying cycles and hydraulic non-equillibrium cannot be accounted for with this formulation. Therefor it has been extended in different ways in the past to be able to include these effects in the simulation. Each modification comes with its own challenges regarding implementation and numerical stability.
The Method Of Lines approach to solving the Richards' equation has already be shown to be an efficient and stable alternative to established solution methods, such as low-order finite difference and finite element methods applied to the mixed form of Richards' equation.
In this work a slightly modified Method Of Lines approach is used to solve the pressure based 1D Richards' equation. A finite differencing scheme is applied to the spatial derivative and the resulting system of ordinary differential equations is reformulated as differential-algebraic system of equations. The open-source code IDAS from the Sundials suite is used to solve the DAE system. Different extensions to Richards' equation have been incorporated into the model to address the shortcomings mentioned above. These extensions are a model able to simulate preferential flow using a coupled two domain approach, a simple hysteretic model to account for hysteresis in the water retention curve and also two models to either fully or partially calculate hydraulic non-equillibrium effects. To verify the numerical robustness of the extended model, stochastic parameterizations were generated that represent the full range of all soil types. Simulations were carried out using these parameter sets and real-world meteorological boundary conditions at 10 minutes time intervals, that exhibit drastic flux changes and poses numerical challenges for classical solution methods.

The results show that not only does the extended model converge for all parameterizations, but that numerical robustness and performance is maintained. Where applicable the results have been verified against solutions from the software Hydrus and show good agreement with those.
Intermittent frontogenesis in the Alboran Sea
Authors: Capó Esther , McWilliams James C. , Mason Evan , Orfila Alejandro
Published: March 2021

We present a phenomenological description and dynamical analysis of the Alboran fronts using a realistic simulation at submesoscale resolution. The study is focused on east Alboran fronts emerging within relatively strong flows that separate from the Spanish coast into the basin interior. The statistical analysis of our solution shows that strained-induced frontogenesis is a recurrent submesoscale mechanism associated with these fronts, and the process is assessed in terms of the advective Lagrangian frontogenetic tendencies associated with buoyancy and velocity horizontal gradients. Intermittency in their strength and patterns is indicative of high variability in the occurrence of active frontogenesis in association with the secondary circulation across the frontal gradient. As a result, we find many episodes with strong surface fronts that do not have much associated downwelling. Frontogenesis and the associated secondary circulation are further explored during two particular frontal events, both showing strong downwelling of O(1) cm s−1 extending down into the pycnocline. A frontogenetic contribution of turbulent vertical momentum mixing to the secondary circulation is identified in the easternmost region during the cold season, when the dynamics are strongly influenced by the intrusion of the salty Northern Current. The background vertical velocity fields observed during the analyzed events indicate other currents in the submesoscale range, including tidal and topographic Internal waves.
Electron and ion velocity distribution functions across one-dimensional tangential discontinuities: particle-in-cell simulations
Authors: Voitcu Gabriel , Echim Marius
Published: March 2021

Tangential discontinuities are finite-width current sheets separating two magnetized plasmas with different macroscopic properties. Such structures have been measured in-situ in the solar wind plasma by various space missions. Also, under certain conditions, the terrestrial magnetopause can be approximated with a tangential discontinuity. Studying the microstructure of tangential discontinuities is fundamentally important to understand the transfer of mass, momentum and energy in space plasmas. The propagation of solar wind discontinuities and their interaction with the terrestrial magnetosphere play a significant role for space weather science. In this paper we use 1d3v electromagnetic particle-in-cell simulations to study the kinetic structure and stability of one-dimensional tangential discontinuities. The simulation setup corresponds to a plasma slab configuration which allows the simultaneous investigation of two discontinuities at the interface between the slab population and the background plasma. The initial discontinuities are infinitesimal and evolve rapidly towards finite-width transition layers. We focus on tangential discontinuities with and without perpendicular velocity shear. Three-dimensional velocity distribution functions are computed in different locations across the discontinuities, at different time instances, for both electrons and ions. We emphasize the space and time evolution of the velocity distribution functions inside the transition layers and discuss their deviation from the initial Maxwellian distributions. The simulated distributions show similar features with the theoretical solutions provided by Vlasov equilibrium models.
Challenges in rockfall modelling for roadway management
Authors: Glover James , Nänni Christoph
Published: March 2021

Rockfall modelling draws on the experience of researchers, geologists, engineers and authorities to provide protection solutions for rockfall hazards. Decision making when dealing with rockfalls is aided with sophisticated rockfall models. While there are a number of modelling tools available. The ability to make informed decisions on appropriate protection measures is dependent on the user, available data, scenario setting and post processing of simulation results. Despite the advances in the capabilities of rockfall models, there is often disparity between the state of the art in research and rockfall management in practice. With the use of a series of case studies along roadways in Switzerland, we explore some of the issues and challenges in modelling rockfalls. From defining initial conditions for rockfall simulations, the use of simplified empirical methods and advanced modelling techniques and the need for probabilistic data for design decisions, we provide insights into the application of rockfall modelling in practice.    
Dynamics of spatial and temporal outflow from a soil column influenced by earthworm activity
Authors: bibi sidra , loes.vanschaik@wur.nl Loes
Published: March 2021

Earthworms are known as ecosystem engineers, which influence the chemical and physical properties in their own environment and thereby strongly modify soil processes. Soil structure (soil aggregates and macropores) formed by earthworms during burrowing activity may influence the soil moisture retention and water flow, enhancing infiltration into deep soil layers.

We studied the influence of anecic earthworms (Lumbricus terrestris fed on poplar leaves) on the spatial and temporal variability in water outflow and storage through a soil column. Therefore, we established a cylinder (30cm diameter, 50cm high) with silty loamy soil. At the bottom boundary, 15 fiberglass wicks drain the water from the soil column. With these wicks the water outflow is measured with a spatial and temporal resolution.  After an initial wetting of the soil, irrigation of the soil cylinder was done twice per week with a full cone nozzle, with an intensity of 36 mm/h and a duration of 20 minutes After 17 weeks 10 adult earthworms were added to the column. The research design consists of three phases (i) soil-filled column ( 14  weeks, with a gap of 4 weeks in the middle due to the corona lockdown) (ii) transition phase: initial earthworm activity (3 days) (iii) soil column with earthworm created structure (7 weeks).

After the experiment, the column was excavated carefully by layers of 4cm at a time. All of the earthworms were found back alive in the column. There was evidence of earthworm burrows down to 26 cm depth in the soil column, earthworm created aggregates were seen only in the top few centimeters.

We expected the outflow of water from the soil column to change due to the earthworm activity: on the one hand, the creation of macroaggregates was expected to increase the water retention in the soil, and on the other hand, the macropores were expected to create a stronger spatial variability in outflow and a more rapid reaction of outflow to the irrigation events. 

We observed mainly an earlier and slightly higher peak in the total outflow of the column coinciding with an earlier and higher peak in the spatial variability in the outflow of the wicks.
Life & Research at Moonbase: ILEWG EuroMoonMars campaigns results 2018-2020
Authors: Foing Bernard , Rogers Henk , Musilova Michaela , Kerber Sabrina , Pouwels Charlotte , Heemskerk Marc , Sirikan Nityaporn , Kolodziejczyk Agata , Perrier Iona-Roxana , Spilkin Amanda , Vermeulen Nancy , Villa-Massone Julien , Schlacht Irene , Waltemathe Michael , Hemminger Elke , Tavernier Adrien , EMMIHS EuroMoonMars-Intl MoonBase Alliance, HISEAs Team the , EMMPOL EuroMoonMars Poland Team the ,   ILEWG EuroMoonMars Team
Published: March 2021

We give an update on ILEWG EuroMoonMars Results, with emphasis on activities and field campaigns that took place in 2019-2020 including lunar astronautics events during 2020 pandemics. We present life and research at Moonbase from EuroMoonMars campaigns EMMIHS HISEAs, EMMPOL Poland that simulated science and operations at future Moonbases. EuroMoonMars is an ILEWG programme  following up ICEUM declarations as a collaboration between ILEWG, space agencies, academia, universities and research institutions and industries .

EMMIHS campaigns (EuroMoonMars-IMA International Moonbase Alliance- HiSEAS): EuroMoonMars 2018-20 supported field campaigns at  IMA HI-SEAS base on Mauna Loa volcano in Hawaii. The International Moonbase Alliance (IMA), an organization dedicated to building sustainable settlements on the Moon, has been organising regular simulated missions to the Moon or Mars at HI-SEAS. In 2019, the EuroMoonMars campaigns were launched at HI-SEAS, bringing together researchers from the European Space Agency, VU Amsterdam, ILEWG and IMA. Six scientists, engineers, explorers, journalists spent two weeks at the HI-SEAS station performing research relevant to both the Moon and Mars there. Research and technological experiments conducted at HI-SEAS will be used to help build a Moonbase .

EuroMoonMars during 2020 Pandemics We had to replan and adapt EuroMoonMars workshops and fields events. A number of hybrid and virtual events could be organized following safety distancing instructions. We conducted 35 weekly plenary EMM teleconferences (Fridays 17h CET) and many EMM splinter groups meetings.

2020/06 EMM Iceland CHILL-ICE Scouting. A small team explored locations and collaborations for installing a deployable research habitat in lavatube for May 2021. 

2020/10 EMMPOL EuroMoonMars Poland. We were able to organise in controlled safety conditions 2 one-week Moonbase isolation simulations, in order to conduct a number of research investigations, human factors studies, with 5 crew supported by a remote support team.

*Acknowledgements: We thank ILEWG EuroMoonMars field campaigns crew 2016-2020 (including the EMMIHS crew and remote support team from EMMIHS 1-4 and  EMMPOL1 &2 .
Ambient dose rate as an additional predictor for the identification of radon-prone areas as used in the German State of Saxony-Anhalt
Authors: Ilgner Christoph , Bossew Peter , Schneider Petra
Published: March 2021

As a consequence of Council Directive 2013/59/EURATOM and its transposition into national law, the German States (Länder) had to define radon-prone areas where special rules apply in order to assure protection against excessive exposure to Radon-222 in living spaces and at work. The state of Saxony-Anhalt has chosen to define these areas based on datasets of long-term average indoor Rn concentration and Rn concentration in soil-air, complemented by ambient dose rate (ADR), whose values were acquired by a measurement campaign throughout the state territory.

Saxony-Anhalt is characterized by sabulous lowlands in its northern part with little Rn exhalation, but also by granite in the secondary mountains of the Harz massif and copper-shale dominated areas in the south. Radon prone areas can therefore be expected in the latter regions.

ADR was measured from vehicles carrying both a bGeigie nano pancake detector (the standard device of the Safecast mapping project, https://safecast.org/) with automatic GPS geo-referencing and a Thermo Eberline ESM FHZ 672-2 plastic scintillator. The latter device features a natural-background rejection system which could be used to determine high ADR levels as a consequence of K-40 anomalies that needed to be rejected. An ADR map could be created which was statistically linked to geogenic Rn data and soil geochemistry.

The purpose of the resulting model is to develop an algorithm that makes ADR a predictor for identifying radon-prone areas, which is sufficiently accurate for the objective of Rn legislation. It can be used in regions lacking of indoor Rn concentration or soil-sample data, on which the identification of such areas is usually based, but whose acquisition is too time and labour consuming to be achievable in the time frame allowed for implementation of Rn legislation.

It could be demonstrated that the gamma-dose rate can be used as an additional predictor for the identification of radon-prone areas with an algorithm that applies selective averaging on the data obtained on 2 500 km of measuring trips throughout the entire state of Saxony-Anhalt.

In this contribution, the algorithm is presented together with the areas the State of Saxony-Anhalt has finally determined as radon prone, with the legal consequence for employers to do quality assured Radon measurements and take action with respect to radon mitigation, if necessary. Special emphasis is put on establishing a statistically significant relationship between the measured dose rate on the one hand and geological information and radon exhalation, on the other.
Evaluation of high-resolution air pollution modelling for the continental Nordic countries
Authors: Frohn Lise M. , Brandt Jørgen , Andersson Camilla , Anderssen Christopher , Bennet Cecilia , Christensen Jesper H. , Im Ulas , Karvosenoja Niko , Kukkonen Jaakko , Lopez-Aparicio Susana , Nielsen Ole-Kenneth , Palamarchuk Yuliia , Paunu Ville-Veikko , Smith Plejdrup Marlene , Segersson David , Sofiev Mikhail , Geels Camilla
Published: March 2021

This study presents the evaluation of the high-resolution air pollution model UBMv10, which has been set-up for a 2,900,000 km2 domain covering Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark with a 1 km x 1 km resolution and run for the time period 1979-2018. The UBMv10 is coupled to a long-range transport-chemistry model, DEHM, for boundary conditions. High-resolution emission data input and measurements of urban and rural air pollution concentrations have been obtained within the NordicWelfAir project from the four countries, in order to provide input and basis for evaluation of the UBM model.

In the NordicWelfAir project, the modelled hourly mean concentrations of air pollutants for the 40 year time period on this high resolution are applied in various epidemiological studies of the link between air pollution and health effects. The model results represent concentrations at the rural and urban background local scale level which in this study are evaluated for the components NO2, O3 and PM2.5, which are the most important components to address when studying health effects of air pollution.

The simplicity of the model makes it possible to perform model runs for a combination of large domains with high resolution and long time periods that is currently very difficult to obtain with more comprehensive Eulerian high-resolution models, which take much longer time to run, since they are limited by the Courant–Friedrichs–Lewy (CFL) stability criteria. When studying the long-term effects of air pollution components, e.g. with the home address of individuals in a cohort as proxy, these high-resolution model runs are required.

The evaluation is part of a study with the aim to investigate, how well the UBM model with its relatively simple description of atmospheric dispersion and chemistry captures the temporal and spatial variations in the four Nordic countries. In general, the model performs relatively well for describing the temporal variations with correlation coefficients around 0.5-0.8. The model has a tendency to overestimate NO2 levels with a few µg for all four countries, and overestimate PM2.5 with for Norway and Sweden with 3-5 µg across all stations.

The coupled model setup will be presented together with examples of 40 years of high-resolution model results for the four Nordic countries as well as the results of the model evaluation against measurements in the domain.
Assessment of seasonal variability of input of microplastics from the Northern Dvina River to the Arctic ocean.
Authors: Zhdanov Igor , Lokhov Alexei , Belesov Artem , Kozhevnikov Alexander , Pakhomova Svetlana , Berezina Anfisa , Yakushev Evgeniy
Published: March 2021

The flowing into the White Sea Northern Dvina River is the largest river in the European Arctic, and in contrast to other Arctic rivers, it runs through the populated regions with developed industry. Observations on seasonal variability of microplastics were organized in the Northern Dvina River mouth. The samples were collected every month from September to November 2019 and from May to October 2020 with a Neuston net that was togged 3 nautical miles in the Korbel’nyy Branch of the River delta. Surface plastic with dimensions ranging from 0.5 to 5 mm was analyzed. Chemical composition of the plastic particles was determined using an FT-IR spectrometery in Norway (Oslo) and Russia (Arkhangelsk). The majority of the microplastics were identified as polyethylene (PE) 52.63%, followed by polypropylene (PP) 36.84% and Ethylene Ethyl Acrylate Copolymer (EEA) 10.53%.  It was found that the average concentration of microplastics was 0.0054 items/m3, that is close to the average concentration of surface microplastics observed in the in the open Barents Sea, 0.005 items/m3 (Yakushev et al. 2021). No detectable seasonal variability of the microplastics content in the waters of the Northern Dvina was found. With an assumption that the concentration of microplastics is the same in all the depths, we can assess how the amount of delivering to the sea microplastics changes throughout the year. The microplastics input rate during the spring flood period in May turned out to be maximum, 37.76 items/second. The minimum input rate can be in September with a value of to 5.28 items/second. The data obtained allow us to conclude that the Northern Dvina River is be one of the main sources of microplastic pollution of the White and Barents Seas. This work was partly funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment project RUS-19/0001 “Establish regional capacity to measure and model the distribution and input of microplastics to the Barents Sea from rivers and currents (ESCIMO)” and the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, research projects 19-55-80004.
DataBase Management System (DBMS) of Model Of InTegrated Impact and Vulnerability Evaluation for Climate Change (MOTIVE)
Authors: Hong Je-Woo , Yoo Hyeok-Gyun , Yu Myungsu , Song Young-Il
Published: March 2021

The Model Of InTegrated Impact and Vulnerability Evaluation of climate change (MOTIVE) project (2014 - 2020) develops an integrated assessment platform including health, water (quantity and quality of water, aquatic ecology), agriculture (productivity, suitability, greenhouse-gas emissions), forest (net ecosystem exchanges, soil carbon content, landslide, forest fire), land-ecosystem (species diversity, habitat), ocean (flood area by the typhoon), and fishery (gross primary productivity, catch) sectors. The MOTIVE assesses the societal impact and vulnerability of climate change in the 2030s, 2050s, and 2080s. The 1 km high-resolution Representative Concentration Pathways climate scenarios (RCPs) are predicted by the dynamically downscaling from the Community Earth System Model (CESM) by Korea Environment Institute and the Unified Model (UM) by Korea Meteorological Administration. The user-friendly webpage is designed with the DataBase Management System (DBMS) to visualize the results of MOTIVE. This DBMS-MOTIVE aims to provide the scientific-knowledge for adaptation planning the local community to national scales. This study is supported by “Basic Study on Improving Climate Resilience” (2021-001-03), conducted by the Korea Environment Institute (KEI) upon the request of the Korea Ministry of Environment.
Debris cover and the thinning of Kennicott Glacier, Alaska
Authors: Anderson Leif S. , Armstrong William H. , Anderson Robert S. , Scherler Dirk
Published: March 2021

Many glaciers in High Mountain Asia are experiencing the debris-cover anomaly. The Kennicott Glacier, a large Alaskan Glacier, is also thinning most rapidly under debris cover. This contradiction has been explained by melt hotspots, such as ice cliffs, streams, or ponds scattered within the debris cover or by declining ice flow in time. We collected abundant in situ measurements of debris thickness, sub-debris melt, and ice cliff backwasting, allowing for extrapolation across the debris-covered tongue. A newly developed automatic ice cliff delineation method is the first to use only optical satellite imagery. The adaptive binary threshold method accurately estimates ice cliff coverage even where ice cliffs are small and debris color varies. We also develop additional remotely-sensed datasets of ice dynamical variables, other melt hot spots, and glacier thinning.

Kennicott Glacier exhibits the highest fractional area of ice cliffs (11.7 %) documented to date. Ice cliffs contribute 26 % of total melt across the glacier tongue. Although the relative importance of ice cliffs to area-average melt is significant, the absolute area-averaged melt is dominated by debris. At Kennicott Glacier, glacier-wide melt rates are not maximized in the zone of maximum thinning. Declining ice discharge through time therefore explains the rapid thinning. Through this study, Kennicott Glacier is the first glacier in Alaska, and the largest glacier globally, where melt across its debris-covered tongue has been rigorously quantified.

We also carefully explore the relationship between debris, melt hotspots, ice dynamics, and thinning across the debris-covered tongue. In doing so we reveal a chain of linked processes that can explain the striking patterns expressed on the debris-covered tongue of Kennicott Glacier.
Sensitivity of evapotranspiration and surface conductance to vapour pressure deficit across high latitude climatic gradients.
Authors: Vatne Astrid , Tallaksen Lena M. , Pirk Norbert , Vollsnes Ane V. , Engeland Kolbjørn , Larsen Poul , Ibrom Andreas
Published: March 2021

Evapotranspiration links the energy, water and carbon budgets of wetlands, a key ecosystem in high latitudes. While the evapotranspiration in high latitude wetlands is largely controlled by available energy, the surface also exerts a non-negligible control. The surface control on evapotranspiration, often represented by the surface conductance, is sensitive to environmental variables such as vapour pressure deficit (VPD). Previous studies have shown that higher surface conductance leads to higher evapotranspiration from high latitude wetlands than from high latitude forests during periods of high VDP. However, it is unclear how the surface conductance-VPD relation varies across climatic gradients. To study the sensitivity of surface conductance to increasing values of VPD, we use data from three recently established eddy covariance sites in Norway, situated along high latitude climatic gradients. The sites included are Hisåsen (680 m.a.s.l., N 61.11°, E 12.24°), Finse (1200 m.a.s.l., N 60.59°, E 7.53°) and Iškoras (360 m.a.s.l, N 69.34°, E 25.29°). We first estimate surface conductance from the eddy covariance data, by inverting the Penman-Monteith equation. We then apply a boundary line analysis to assess the sensitivity of the surface conductance to VPD. Our preliminary results show a lower sensitivity of surface conductance to VPD on the northernmost site, compared to the two sites at lower latitude. Further work is needed to relate the observed variations in surface conductance-VPD relation to surface characteristic, and we hypothesize that the observered lower sensitivity in surface conductance is related to lower values of leaf area index. This work is a contribution to the Strategic Research Initiative ‘Land Atmosphere Interaction in Cold Environments’ (LATICE) of the University of Oslo.