ALBERT

Description: In 2022, we witnessed two extraordinary geophysical events. The 15 January 2022 eruption of the Hunga-Tonga volcano was the largest explosion in the atmosphere since the 1883 eruption of the Krakatoa volcano. Then, in the second half of the year, an exceptionally bright and long-lasting Gamma Ray Burst (GRB 221009A) event hit Earth on 9 October 2022, causing significant perturbations in the ionosphere. In this contribution, we discuss the impact of these two extraordinary events on Schumann resonances (SRs), which are the global electromagnetic (EM) resonances maintained by lightning activity in the cavity formed by the ground and the lower ionosphere. While the extreme lightning activity associated with the Hunga-Tonga eruption represented a unique point-like excitation source for the SRs, the GRB event may have changed the propagation conditions of EM waves traveling in the Earth-ionosphere waveguide. The impact of the Hunga-Tonga eruption is evident all over the world in the intensification of SRs. We show what information can be obtained from SR on the volcanic lightning activity and summarize our efforts to model the SR observations. On the other hand, the impact of the GRB event on SR is much less obvious, with only a slight increase in the spectral energy content observed at certain SR stations. We present a detailed analysis of global lightning activity in the hour of the GRB event to assess whether the observed small changes are indeed related to that event.

Description: This paper presents major gaps and challenges for implementing the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) in the Mediterranean region. The authors make recommendations on the scientific knowledge needs and co-design actions identified during two consultations, part of the Decade preparatory-phase, framing them in the Mediterranean Sea’s unique environmental and socio-economic perspectives. According to the ‘Mediterranean State of the Environment and Development Report 2020’ by the United Nations Environment Programme Mediterranean Action Plan and despite notable progress, the Mediterranean region is not on track to achieve and fully implement the Sustainable Development Goals of Agenda 2030. Key factors are the cumulative effect of multiple human-induced pressures that threaten the ecosystem resources and services in the global change scenario. The basin, identified as a climate change vulnerability hotspot, is exposed to pollution and rising impacts of climate change. This affects mainly the coastal zones, at increasing risk of extreme events and their negative effects of unsustainable management of key economic assets. Transitioning to a sustainable blue economy is the key for the marine environment’s health and the nourishment of future generations. This challenging context, offering the opportunity of enhancing the knowledge to define science-based measures as well as narrowing the gaps between the Northen and Southern shores, calls for a joint (re)action. The paper reviews the state of the art of Mediterranean Sea science knowledge, sets of trends, capacity development needs, specific challenges, and recommendations for each Decade’s societal outcome. In the conclusions, the proposal for a Mediterranean regional programme in the framework of the Ocean Decade is addressed. The core objective relies on integrating and improving the existing ocean-knowledge, Ocean Literacy, and ocean observing capacities building on international cooperation to reach the “Mediterranean Sea that we want