ALBERT

Description: Power-to-Gas (PtG) is a chemical energy storage technology that converts electrical energy into a high-energy density combustible gas. This technology alleviates the contradiction between power supply and demand due to the intermittent electricity production from environment-friendly renewable energy. Hydrogen (H2), produced by electrolysis, can be used to produce synthetic methane (CH4) by reacting with carbon dioxide (CO2) that is captured from carbon emission sources. Subsurface gas storage is one of the most important processes in a PtG system. However, nearly a half of the total stored gas is used as cushion gas to maintain a suitable reservoir pressure, indicating large amounts of CH4 might be wasted and trapped in geological formations. Based on a PtG system, CO2 can be a promising choice as a cushion gas due to its high effective compressibility near its critical conditions. In this paper, a numerical model is established based on the theory of the fluid flow and molecular diffusion to study the role of CO2 as a cushion gas in increasing the gas storage capacity. The accuracy of this model is verified by comparing with that of Curtis M. Oldenburg. However, because of the declining purity of recovered gas induced by the convection and diffusion of two kinds of gases in the same reservoir. The influences of reservoir thickness on the distribution of mixed region are discussed. The results show that thicker reservoir would be a better choice for the geological storage of CH4 with CO2 as a cushion gas.

Description: In this study, we utilized both ground‐based and space‐borne observations including total electron content (TEC) from Beidou geostationary satellites, two‐dimensional TEC maps from the worldwide dense Global Navigation Satellite System receivers, ionosondes, and in situ electron density (Ne) and electron temperature (Te) from both Swarm and China Seismo‐Electromagnetic Satellite satellites, to investigate the low‐latitude ionospheric responses to the annular solar eclipse on 21 June 2020. The decrease in TEC during the eclipse at low latitudes showed a local time dependence with the largest depletions in the noon and afternoon sectors. It was also found that the TEC depletions at different latitudes in the equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA) region over the East Asian sector cannot solely be explained by the solar flux changes associated with the obscuration rate. The differences in TEC reduction between stations can be more than a factor of 2 at latitudes with the same obscuration rate of over 90%. Compared with TEC variations in the Northern Hemisphere, the TEC also underwent a considerable decrease in the EIA region in the conjugate hemisphere without eclipse shadow. Meanwhile, the hmF2 near the magnetic equator increased around the onset of the eclipse, indicating an enhancement of the eastward equatorial electric field. Furthermore, the TEC decrease during the eclipse in the EIA region in both hemispheres lasted for a long period of more than 7 hr after the eclipse, with a TEC depletion of 2–6 TEC units. The Ne from Swarm and China Seismo‐Electromagnetic Satellite satellites showed a complicated variation after the eclipse, whereas no visible change was observed in Te. The enhanced equatorial electric field, neutral wind changes, and the associated plasma transport act together to generate the observed ionospheric effects at low latitudes during the eclipse. Our results also suggest that the eclipse‐induced perturbations of dynamic processes can continue to impact the ionosphere after the eclipse.

Description: Zircon petrochronology from amphibolites and retrogressed eclogites from the basement of the Western Tatra Mountains (CentralWestern Carpathians) reveals a complex rock evolution. An island-arc related basaltic amphibolite from Žiarska Valley shows three distinct zircon forming events: igneous zircon growth at ca. 498 Ma (Middle/Late Cambrian) and two phases of amphibolite-facies metamorphism at ca. 470 Ma (Early Ordovician) and at ca. 344 Ma (Early Carboniferous). A retrogressed eclogite from Baranèc Mountain records two zircon forming events: metamorphic zircon growth under eclogite-facies conditions at ca. 367 Ma (Late Devonian) and amphibolite-facies metamorphism at ca. 349 Ma (Early Carboniferous). These data contribute towards understanding and correlating major tectonothermal events that shaped the eastern margin of Gondwana in the Early Palaeozoic and its subsequent Variscan evolution. The metabasites record vestiges of two completely independent oceanic domains preserved within the Central Western Carpathians: (1) An Ediacaran to Cambrian oceanic arc related to the proto-Rheic - Qaidam oceans and metamorphosed to amphibolite-facies in the Early Ordovician subduction of the proto-Rheic - Qaidam arc during the Cenerian orogeny (ca. 470 Ma) and (2) Late Devonian oceanic crust related to a back-arc basin (Pernek-type), formed by the opening of the Paleotethys and metamorphosed to eclogite-facies during Devonian subduction (ca. 367 Ma). The common Variscan and later evolution of these oceanic remnants commenced with amphibolite-facies metamorphic overprinting in the Early Carboniferous (amphibolite: ca. 344Ma; retrogressed eclogite: ca. 349Ma) related to an Early Variscan consolidation and the formation of Pangea. None of the investigated rocks of the Central Western Carpathians show any evidence of being chronologically or palaeogeographically related to the Rheic Ocean, therefore any prolongation of the Rheic suture from the Sudetes into the Alpine-Carpathian realm is highly problematic. Instead, the Southern and Central Alpine Cenerian orogeny can be traced into the CentralWestern Carpathians.

Description: Water reinjection into the formation is an indispensable operation in many energy engineering practices. This operation involves a complex hydromechanical (HM) coupling process and sometimes even causes unpredictable disasters, such as induced seismicity. It is acknowledged that the relative magnitude and direction of the principal stresses significantly influence the HM behaviors of rocks during injection. However, due to the limitations of current testing techniques, it is still difficult to comprehensively conduct laboratory injection tests under various stress conditions, such as in triaxial extension stress states. To this end, a numerical study of HM changes in rocks during injection under different stress states is conducted. In this model, the saturated rock is first loaded to the target stress state under drainage conditions, and then the stress state is maintained and water is injected from the top to simulate the formation injection operation. Particular attention is given to the difference in HM changes under triaxial compression and extension stresses. This includes the differences in the pore pressure propagation, mean effective stress, volumetric strain, and stress-induced permeability. The numerical results demonstrate that the differential stress will significantly affect the HM behaviors of rocks, but the degree of influence is different under the two triaxial stress states. The HM changes caused by the triaxial compression stress states are generally greater than those of extension, but the differences decrease with increasing differential stress, indicating that the increase in the differential stress will weaken the impact of the stress state on the HM response. In addition, the shear failure p otential of fracture planes with various inclination angles is analyzed and summarized under different stress states. It is recommended that engineers could design suitable injection schemes according to different tectonic stress fields versus fault occurrence to reduce the risk of injection-induced seismicity.

Description: The Renewable energy power generation capacity has been rapidly increasing in China recently. Meanwhile, the contradiction between power supply and demand is becoming increasingly more prominent due to the intermittence of renewable energies. On the other hand, on the mitigation of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in China needs immediate attention. Power-to-Gas (PtG), a chemical energy storage technology, can convert surplus electricity into combustible gases. Subsurface energy storage can meet the requirements of long term storage with its large capacity. This paper provides a discussion of the entire PtG energy storage technology process and the current research progress. Based on the comparative study of different geological storage schemes for synthetic methane, their respective research progress and limitations are noted. In addition, a full investigation of the distribution and implementation of global PtG and CO2 capture and storage (CCS) demonstration projects is performed. Subsequently, the opportunities and challenges of the development of this technology in China are discussed based on techno-economic and ecological effects analysis. While PtG is expected to be a revolutionary technology that will replace traditional power systems, the main issues of site selection, energy efficiency and the economy still need to be adequately addressed. Additionally, based on the comprehensive discussion of the results of the analysis, power-to-gas and subsurface energy storage implementation strategies, as well as outlook in China are presented.

Description: We investigate the effects of the background dipole magnetic field and cold electron number density on the linear and nonlinear growth of whistler-mode chorus waves for a region of relatively small anisotropy (A T ) in Saturn's inner magnetosphere. The linear and nonlinear features of wave growth rate and associated frequency at L = 6 are presented in detail. Although a large anisotropy is generally in favor of linear and nonlinear wave growth, the nonlinear wave growth for a small anisotropy can still be generated. All cases show a small threshold for wave amplitudes ${\tilde{B}}_{\mathrm{th}}$, which compromises the requirement to trigger the nonlinear wave growth, but the comparisons also clearly indicate the important transition process from the linear phase to the nonlinear phase. After checking the variation of the calculation time steps depending on the chosen electron number density N c and background magnetic field B c , respectively, a large N c can promote the nonlinear wave growth, but a large B c works against it. Our results present how these parameters really affect the generations of linear and nonlinear wave growth quantitatively. This could be significant to further understand the monumental importance of whistler-mode chorus waves and the corresponding wave–particle interactions in the planetary magnetosphere.

Description: To expand the newly developed ARM glasses as reference materials for in situ microanalysis of isotope ratios and iron oxidation state by a variety of techniques such as SIMS, LA-MC-ICP-MS and EPMA, we report Li-B-Si-O-Mg-Sr-Nd-Hf-Pb isotope data and Fe2+/ΣFe ratios for these glasses. The data were mainly obtained by TIMS, MC-ICP-MS, IR-MS and wet-chemistry colorimetric techniques. The quality of these data was cross-checked by comparing different techniques or by comparing the results from different laboratories using the same technique. All three glasses appear to be homogeneous with respect to the investigated isotope ratios (except for B in ARM-3) and Fe2+/ΣFe ratios at the scale of sampling volume and level of the analytical precision of each technique. The homogeneity of Li-B-O-Nd-Pb isotope ratios at the microscale (30–120 μm) was estimated using LA-MC-ICP-MS and SIMS techniques. We also present new EPMA major element data obtained using three different instruments for the glasses. The determination of reference values for the major elements and their uncertainties at the 95% confidence level closely followed ISO guidelines and the Certification Protocol of the International Association of Geoanalysts. The ARM glasses may be particularly useful as reference materials for in situ isotope ratio analysis.

Description: In the current global environmental problems, reducing CO2 emissions is an important goal and guide for countries all over the world in developing environmental and economic policies. It has become a global consensus to jointly promote greenhouse gas emission reduction. From 1970 to 2004, CO2 emissions increased yearly, accounting for 76% of the total emissions in 2004. According to the prediction of the International Energy Agency (IEA), the total global CO2 emission reached a record of 30 billion tons in 2010. In 2005, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) specially recommended Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology to achieve significant emission reduction of greenhouse gases. In 2007, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) identified CCS as one of the six ways to deal with global climate change. The global climate conference in Cancun in 2010 incorporated CCS into the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). The United States, Canada, the European Union, and other countries have taken CCS as an important part of future energy strategies and carbon emission reduction strategies and have formulated corresponding technology research plans that include Research and Development (R&D) and project demonstration. The NET-Zero Emissions (NZE) scenario proposed by the IEA for 2050 puts global CO2 capture at 1.7 gigatonnes per year in 2030 and 7.6 gigatonnes per year in 2050. Presently, CCS is a hot topic all around the world.

Description: The WHU-GRACE-GPD01s models are the latest monthly gravity field solutions recovered from GRACE intersatellite geopotential difference (GPD) data processed at the School of Geodesy and Geomatics, Wuhan University, China. The intersatellite GPDs are estimated from GRACE Level-1B (RL03) data based on the improved energy balance equation and remove-compute-restore (RCR) technique, and the background models are consistent with GRACE Level-2 processing standards document (RL06). Further details are presented in Zhong et al. (2020, 2022). The WHU-GRACE-GPD01s models include two sets of GRACE monthly solutions: one is the unconstrained monthly solutions with the maximum degree and order of 60, the other is the constrained monthly solutions up to the maximum degree and order 96 with Kaula regularization constraint, and the optimal regularization parameter is determined using variance component estimation (VCE). This work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41974015, 41474019, 42061134007) and the Project Supported by the Special Fund of Hubei Luojia Laboratory (Grant No. 220100004).

Description: The abyssal ocean circulation is a key component of the global meridional overturning circulation, cycling heat, carbon, oxygen and nutrients throughout the world ocean. The strongest historical trend observed in the abyssal ocean is warming at high southern latitudes, yet it is unclear what processes have driven this warming, and whether it is linked to a slowdown in the ocean's overturning circulation. Furthermore, future change in the abyssal overturning remains uncertain, with the latest CMIP6 projections not accounting for dynamic ice-sheet melt. In this talk I will present new transient forced high-resolution coupled ocean – sea-ice model simulations to show that under a high emissions scenario, abyssal warming is set to accelerate over the next 30 years. We find that meltwater input around Antarctica drives a contraction of Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW), opening a pathway that allows warm Circumpolar Deep Water greater access to the continental shelf. The reduction in AABW formation results in warming and ageing of the abyssal ocean, consistent with recent measurements. In contrast, projected wind and thermal forcing has little impact on the properties, age, and volume of AABW. These results highlight the critical importance of Antarctic meltwater in setting the abyssal ocean overturning, with implications for global ocean biogeochemistry and climate that could last for centuries.