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  • 1
    Publication Date: 2022-04-04
    Description: Sewage disposal onto agricultural land may result in the high accumulation of organic wastes, which questions the applicability of typical elemental analysis used for the soil components. To monitor the contamination status of agricultural soils at a former sedimentation basin, after the long‐term cessation of wastewater irrigation, 110 locations (15–20 cm depth) and 4 boreholes (up to 100 cm depth) were sampled to determine pH, loss on ignition, and concentration of Ni, Cu, Pb, Zn, and Cr. Additionally, the applicability of portable X‐ray fluorescence (pXRF) for the soil samples highly influenced by the organic wastes was evaluated. The study revealed the presence of a relatively homogenous sewage waste layer (depth of 20 cm), characterized by slightly acidic to neutral pH (6.3–7.5), high organic matter (OM) accumulation (up to 49%), and elevated concentration (mg kg −1) ranges between: Pb (5–321), Cu (31–2828), Ni (10–193), Cr (14–966), and Zn (76–6639). The pXRF analysis revealed metal concentration increase in mineral samples (up to 50%). The regression models and correction factors demonstrated high correlation and significance of pXRF measurement with response to increasing OM content, with the lowest r 2 = 0.86 obtained for Ni. Correlation of pXRF and AES measurement illustrated element‐dependent response for soils high in organics. Zn, Cu, and Cr pXRF analysis led to a slight underestimation in lower values, but overall good correlations (0.87; 0.89; and 0.88 respectively). Pb and Ni pXRF measurement revealed higher deviation from the reference in both lower and higher concentrations (0.74 and 0.70, respectively).
    Description: German Federation of Industrial Research Associations http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100002723
    Description: Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100006360
    Keywords: ddc:577.14
    Language: English
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  • 2
    Publication Date: 2022-06-28
    Description: Braided reaches were common along near‐natural Alpine rivers, and the associated habitat dynamics supported plant and animal species specialized on early‐successional stages. The extensive riparian zones could mitigate climate change by absorbing floods and by retaining water during droughts. Human impacts largely reduced active river corridors through altered discharge and construction of dykes, while recent restoration projects aim at increasing river dynamics. The causes and consequences of Alpine river degradation are well understood, but there are only few quantitative studies on floodplain degradation and restoration. Thus, we have reconstructed historical changes of gravel bars along five Alpine rivers (Iller, Inn, Isar, Lech, and Wertach) in Southern Germany in the period 1808–2009, based on historical maps and aerial images. We found losses of 〉90% in gravel bar area along these rivers since the mid‐19th century. The decline was caused by a reduction of the active river corridor and by ongoing succession of the remaining open habitats. Within the past 30 years, at the Isar River, restoration measures were realized with the aim to widen the active river corridor and to recreate gravel bars. In four restored reaches, we found that 5% of the historical gravel bar area recovered, and that the proportion of restored gravel bar area was highest after intermediate flooding. We conclude that the active river corridors of German Alpine rivers are almost completely lost, and that more extensive restoration needs to be done to preserve the habitat dynamics and biodiversity of these systems, and to adapt Alpine rivers to climate change.
    Description: Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100007636
    Keywords: ddc:551.35
    Language: English
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  • 3
    Publication Date: 2022-10-13
    Description: Accurate and reliable precipitation data with high spatial and temporal resolution are essential in studying climate variability, water resources management, and hydrological forecasting. A range of global precipitation data are available to this end, but how well these capture actual precipitation remains unknown, particularly for mountain regions where ground stations are sparse. We examined the performance of three global high‐resolution precipitation products for capturing precipitation over Central Asia, a hotspot of climate change, where reliable precipitation data are particularly scarce. Specifically, we evaluated MSWEP, CHIRPS, and GSMAP against independent gauging stations for the period 1985–2015. Our results show that MSWEP and CHIRPS outperformed GSMAP for wetter periods (i.e., winter and spring) and wetter locations (150–600 mm·year−1), lowlands, and mid‐altitudes (0–3,000 m), and regions dominated by winter and spring precipitation. MSWEP performed best in representing temporal precipitation dynamics and CHIRPS excelled in capturing the volume and distribution of precipitation. All precipitation products poorly estimated precipitation at higher elevations (〉3,000 m), in drier areas (〈150 mm), and in regions characterized by summer precipitation. All products accurately detected dry spells, but their performance decreased for wet spells with increasing precipitation intensity. In sum, we find that CHIRPS and MSWEP provide the most reliable high‐resolution precipitation estimates for Central Asia. However, the high spatial and temporal heterogeneity of the performance call for a careful selection of a suitable product for local applications considering the prevailing precipitation dynamics, climatic, and topographic conditions.
    Description: We present the first quantitative evaluation of global high‐resolution (below 12 km) precipitation products against independent ground observations over Central Asia. Our results show that MSWEP was best at representing temporal precipitation dynamics, and CHIRPS was most prominent in representing the volume and distribution of precipitation. This is especially the case of wet seasons, altitudes below 3,000 m, and regions dominated by spring and winter precipitation. Our analysis provides key insights on the precipitation products' suitability for local hydrological applications.
    Description: Leibniz‐Institut für Agrarentwicklung in Transformationsökonomien
    Description: Volkswagen Foundation http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100001663
    Keywords: ddc:551.6
    Language: English
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  • 4
    Publication Date: 2022-08-04
    Description: The 2011/2012 summer drought in Southeastern South America (SESA) was a short but devastating event. What would this event have looked like under pre‐industrial conditions, or in a +2 degC world? We find that climate change causes the region to be at a higher risk of drought. However, we found no large‐scale changes in the half‐month water budgets. We show that the climate change induced positive precipitation trend in the region outweighs the increased temperatures and potential evapotranspiration during the 2011/2012 drought. image
    Keywords: ddc:551.5
    Language: English
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  • 5
    Publication Date: 2022-10-04
    Description: We review the widely used concepts of “buoyancy” and “convective available potential energy” (CAPE) in relation to deep convection in tropical cyclones and discuss their limitations. A fact easily forgotten in applying these concepts is that the buoyancy force of an air parcel, as often defined, is non‐unique because it depends on the arbitrary definition of a reference density field. However, when calculating CAPE, the buoyancy of a lifted air parcel is related to the specific reference density field along a vertical column passing through that parcel. Both concepts can be generalized for a vortical flow and to slantwise ascent of a lifted air parcel in such a flow. In all cases, the air parcel is assumed to have infinitely small dimensions. In this article, we explore the consequences of generalizing buoyancy and CAPE for buoyant regions of finite size that perturb the pressure field in their immediate environment. Quantitative calculations of effective buoyancy, defined as the sum of the conventional buoyancy and the static vertical perturbation pressure gradient force induced by it, are shown for buoyant regions of finite width. For a judicious choice of reference density, the effective buoyancy per unit mass is essentially a unique force, independent of the reference density, but its distribution depends on the horizontal scale of the buoyant region. A corresponding concept of “effective CAPE” is introduced and its relevance to deep convection in tropical cyclones is discussed. The study is conceived as a first step to understanding the decreasing ability of inner‐core deep convection in tropical cyclones to ventilate the mass of air converging in the frictional boundary layer as the vortex matures and decays.
    Description: The buoyancy force of an infinitesimally small air parcel is non‐unique, depending on the arbitrary definition of a reference density field. When calculating the “convective available potential energy” (CAPE), the buoyancy of a lifted air parcel is related to the reference density field along a vertical column passing through that parcel. We generalize buoyancy and CAPE for buoyant regions of finite size that perturb the pressure field in their immediate environment and discuss the relevance to deep convection in tropical cyclones.
    Keywords: ddc:551.5
    Language: English
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  • 6
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    John Wiley & Sons, Ltd | Chichester, UK
    Publication Date: 2022-10-04
    Description: New cross‐validation diagnostics have been derived by further partitioning well‐established impact diagnostics. They are related to consistency relations, the most prominent of which indicates whether the first‐guess departures of a given observation type pull the model state into the direction of the verifying data (when processed with the ensemble estimated model error covariances). Alternatively, this can be regarded as cross‐validation between model error covariance estimates from the ensemble (which are used in the data assimilation system) and estimates diagnosed directly from the observations. A statistical cross‐validation tool has been developed that includes an indicator of statistical significance as well as a normalization that makes the statistical comparison largely independent from the total number of data and the closeness of their collocation. We also present a version of these diagnostics related to single‐observation experiments that exploits the same consistency relations but is easier to compute. Diagnostics computed within the Deutscher Wetterdienst's localized ensemble transform Kalman filter (LETKF) are presented for various kinds of bins. Results from well‐established in‐situ measurements are taken as a benchmark for more complex observations. Good agreement is found for radio‐occultation bending angle measurements, whereas atmospheric motion vectors are generally also beneficial but substantially less optimal than the corresponding in‐situ measurements. This is consistent with reported atmospheric motion vector height assignment problems. To illustrate its potential, a recent example is given where the method allowed identifying bias problems of a subgroup of aircraft measurements. Another diagnostic relationship compares the information content of the analysis increments with a theoretical optimum. From this, the information content of the LETKF increments is found to be considerably lower than those of the deterministic hybrid ensemble–variational system, which is consistent with the LETKF's limitation to the comparably low‐dimensional ensemble space for finding the optimal analysis.
    Description: New cross‐validation diagnostics are presented, allowing to test the consistent use of different observation types in the data assimilation system. The figure gives an example in which these new diagnostics allowed identification of the detrimental impact of a group of aircraft measurements (which as a consequence has now been blacklisted in the Deutscher Wetterdienst's operational system). More precisely, brown colors in this plot indicate regions where these aircraft measurements pulled the analysis state away from radiosonde observations.
    Keywords: ddc:551.5
    Language: English
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  • 7
    Publication Date: 2022-10-06
    Description: Trade wind convection organises into a rich spectrum of spatial patterns, often in conjunction with precipitation development. Which role spatial organisation plays for precipitation and vice versa is not well understood. We analyse scenes of trade‐wind convection scanned by the C‐band radar Poldirad during the EUREC4A field campaign to investigate how trade‐wind precipitation fields are spatially organised, quantified by the cells' number, mean size, and spatial arrangement, and how this matters for precipitation characteristics. We find that the mean rain rate (i.e., the amount of precipitation in a scene) and the intensity of precipitation (mean conditional rain rate) relate differently to the spatial pattern of precipitation. Whereas the amount of precipitation increases with mean cell size or number, as it scales well with the precipitation fraction, the intensity increases predominantly with mean cell size. In dry scenes, the increase of precipitation intensity with mean cell size is stronger than in moist scenes. Dry scenes usually contain fewer cells with a higher degree of clustering than moist scenes do. High precipitation intensities hence typically occur in dry scenes with rather large, few, and strongly clustered cells, whereas high precipitation amounts typically occur in moist scenes with rather large, numerous, and weakly clustered cells. As cell size influences both the intensity and amount of precipitation, its importance is highlighted. Our analyses suggest that the cells' spatial arrangement, correlating mainly weakly with precipitation characteristics, is of second‐order importance for precipitation across all regimes, but it could be important for high precipitation intensities and to maintain precipitation amounts in dry environments.
    Description: We analyse scenes of trade‐wind convection scanned by the C‐band radar Poldirad during the EUREC4A field campaign to investigate how trade‐wind precipitation fields are spatially organised, quantified by the cells' number, mean size, and spatial arrangement, and how this matters for precipitation characteristics. We conclude that the cells' size is important for both the amount and intensity of precipitation, whereas the cells' spatial arrangement is of second‐order importance for precipitation across all regimes, but possibly important for precipitation in dry environments.
    Description: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) under Germany's Excellence Strategy—EXC 2037 'CLICCS—Climate, Climatic Change, and Society'
    Description: https://doi.org/10.25326/217
    Description: https://doi.org/10.25326/79
    Keywords: ddc:551.5
    Language: English
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  • 8
    Publication Date: 2022-10-06
    Description: The Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) is the dominant component of tropical intraseasonal variability, with wide‐reaching impacts even on extratropical weather and climate patterns. However, predicting the MJO is challenging. One reason is the suboptimal state estimates obtained with standard data assimilation (DA) approaches. These are typically based on filtering methods with Gaussian approximations and do not take into account physical properties that are important specifically for the MJO. In this article, a constrained ensemble DA method is applied to study the impact of different physical constraints on the state estimation and prediction of the MJO. The quadratic programming ensemble (QPEns) algorithm utilized extends the standard stochastic ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) with specifiable constraints on the updates of all ensemble members. This allows us to recover physically more consistent states and to respect possible associated non‐Gaussian statistics. The study is based on identical twin experiments with an adopted nonlinear model for tropical intraseasonal variability. This so‐called skeleton model succeeds in reproducing the main large‐scale features of the MJO and closely related tropical waves, while keeping adequate simplicity for fast experiments on intraseasonal time‐scales. Conservation laws and other crucial physical properties from the model are examined as constraints in the QPEns. Our results demonstrate an overall improvement in the filtering and forecast skill when the model's total energy is conserved in the initial conditions. The degree of benefit is found to be dependent on the observational setup and the strength of the model's nonlinear dynamics. It is also shown that, even in cases where the statistical error in some waves remains comparable with the stochastic EnKF during the DA stage, their prediction is improved remarkably when using the initial state resulting from the QPEns.
    Description: Unsatisfactory predictions of the MJO are partly due to DA methods that do not respect non‐Gaussian PDFs and the physical properties of the tropical atmosphere. Therefore the QPEns, an algorithm extending a stochastic EnKF with state constraints, is tested here on a simplified model for the MJO and associated tropical waves. Our series of identical twin experiments shows, in particular, that a constraint on the truth's nonlinear total energy improves forecasts statistically and can, in certain situations, even prevent filter divergence. image
    Description: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft : Heisenberg Award (DFG JA1077/4‐1); Transregional Collaborative Research Center SFB / TRR 165 “Waves to Weather” http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100001659
    Description: Office of Naval Research (ONR) http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100000006
    Keywords: ddc:551.6
    Language: English
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  • 9
    Publication Date: 2022-10-06
    Description: The stochastically perturbed parametrisation tendency (SPPT) scheme is a well‐established technique in ensemble forecasting to address model uncertainty by introducing perturbations into the tendencies provided by the physics parametrisations. The magnitude of the perturbations scales with the local net parametrisation tendency, resulting in large perturbations where diabatic processes are active. Rapidly ascending air streams, such as warm conveyor belts (WCBs) and organized tropical convection, are often driven by cloud diabatic processes and are therefore prone to such perturbations. This study investigates the effects of SPPT and initial condition perturbations on rapidly ascending air streams by computing trajectories in sensitivity experiments with the European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) ensemble prediction system, which are set up to disentangle the effects of initial conditions and physics perturbations. The results demonstrate that SPPT systematically increases the frequency of rapidly ascending air streams. The effect is observed globally, but is enhanced in regions where the latent heating along the trajectories is larger. Despite the frequency changes, there are only minor modifications to the physical properties of the trajectories due to SPPT. In contrast to SPPT, initial condition perturbations do not affect WCBs and tropical convection systematically. An Eulerian perspective on vertical velocities reveals that SPPT increases the frequency of strong upward motions compared with experiments with unperturbed model physics. Consistent with the altered vertical motions, precipitation rates are also affected by the model physics perturbations. The unperturbed control member shows the same characteristics as the experiments without SPPT regarding rapidly ascending air streams. We make use of this to corroborate the findings from the sensitivity experiments by analyzing the differences between perturbed and unperturbed members in operational ensemble forecasts of ECMWF. Finally, we give an explanation of how symmetric, zero‐mean perturbations can lead to a unidirectional response when applied in a nonlinear system.
    Description: The stochastically perturbed parametrisation tendencies (SPPT) scheme is used at ECMWF to perturb the model physics and introduces state‐dependent perturbations into the parametrisation tendencies. The frequency of rapidly ascending air streams is systematically enhanced when SPPT is active. This effect is stronger when the latent heating is large (panel a), and is therefore more pronounced in the Tropics than in the Extratropics. In contrast, the impact of SPPT on the physical properties of the air streams, such as the latent heat release, is very small (panel b).
    Description: Helmholtz Young Investigator Group ‘Sub‐ Seasonal Predictability: Understanding the Role of Diabatic Outflow’
    Keywords: ddc:551.5
    Language: English
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  • 10
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    John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. | Chichester, UK
    Publication Date: 2022-09-22
    Description: This note is framed as an open question to the community regarding parameterisation schemes using the blocking layer depth to reduce the orographic gravity wave drag. It is the purpose of this note to argue that the current orographic gravity wave drag parameterisation in the vicinity of blocking is inadequate. Reducing the gravity wave amplitude (and thereby reducing the gravity wave drag) by assuming an effective mountain height dependent on the blocking depth is not realistic. The arguments given here will hopefully spark a debate and new considerations, ultimately leading to improvements in current orographic gravity wave drag parameterisations. This note illustrates that low‐level blocking can induce more gravity waves or gravity waves with a higher momentum flux (compared to the current parameterisation schemes). More realistic parameterisation schemes are likely to improve the models' performance. However, the fact is complex theories are needed to describe gravity wave excitation by orography so that it is difficult to represent gravity wave nature by a ‘too simple’ parameterisation scheme.
    Description: The purpose of this letter is to provide arguments that the current gravity wave drag parameterisation in the vicinity of blocking is inadequate. Reducing the gravity wave drag depending on the blocking depth is not a realistic representation. The letter lists five ways in which the blocking layer can result in a greater amount of gravity wave drag.
    Keywords: ddc:551.5
    Language: English
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  • 11
    Publication Date: 2022-08-09
    Keywords: ddc:551.6
    Language: English
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  • 12
    Publication Date: 2022-08-09
    Description: High wind speed (U) is one of the most dangerous natural hazards in North America and Europe. As a result, spatially explicit, statistical estimation of extreme U is of particular relevance for many sectors. However, the most common sources of wind speed data such as reanalysis data and in situ measurements are limited for this purpose due to their coarse spatial resolution and low representativeness. Thus, the main goal was to develop a high spatial resolution (250 m × 250 m) model (GloWiSMo‐X) for monthly mapping of the maximum hourly U for a 10‐year return period (U10yr) in North America and Europe. The multistep development of GloWiSMo‐X is based on 2544 hourly U time series available from the integrated surface global hourly meteorological data set (UNCEI), U time series from ERA5 (UERA5), and mean wind speed from the Global Wind Speed Model (U¯GloWiSMo). Firstly, the block maxima method was applied to estimate monthly wind speed for a 10‐year return period for both UNCEI (U10yr,NCEI) and UERA5 (U10yr,ERA5). Secondly, the least squares boosting approach was used to predict the target variable U10yr,NCEI yielding the predictions Û10yr. The predictor variables U10yr,ERA5, U¯GloWiSMo, continent, and month were used as input. It was found that the highest monthly continental means of Û10yr (U¯10yr) in January are 16.4 m/s in North America and 16.3 m/s in Europe. U¯10yr dropped to 13.4 m/s and 12.5 m/s in August. The annual cycle of U¯10yr is more pronounced in Europe than in North America. The central parts of the USA and Western Europe were identified as intracontinental regions with the highest U¯10yr. GloWiSMo‐X proves to be very broadly applicable as it covers two different continents and all months. The model validation by the mean squared error (MSE) demonstrates its improved predictive power compared to ERA5.
    Description: A high spatial resolution (250 m × 250 m) model (GloWiSMo‐X) for monthly mapping of the maximum hourly wind speed for a 10‐year return period in North America and Europe was developed. The highest monthly continental means are 16.4 m/s in North America and 16.3 m/s in Europe. Due to the pronounced annual cycle, it drops to 13.4 m/s and 12.5 m/s in August. image
    Description: Bundesministerium für Umwelt, Naturschutz und nukleare Sicherheit
    Keywords: ddc:551.5
    Language: English
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  • 13
    Publication Date: 2022-08-09
    Description: Organic matter management can improve soil structural properties. This is crucial for agricultural soils in tropical regions threatened by high rainfall intensities. Compared to conventional farming, organic farming is usually deemed to increase organic carbon and improve soil structural properties such as stability and permeability. However, how much, if any, buildup of organic carbon is possible or indeed occurring also depends on soil type and environmental factors. We compared the impact of seven years of organic farming (annually 13.6 t ha−1 of composted manure) with that of conventional practices (2 t ha−1 of farmyard manure with 150–170 kg N ha−1 of mineral fertilizers) on soil structural properties. The study was conducted on a Vertisol in India with a two‐year crop rotation of cotton soybean wheat. Despite large differences in organic amendment application, organic carbon was not significantly different at 9.6 mg C g−1 on average in the topsoil. However, the size distribution of water‐stable aggregates shifted toward more aggregates 〈137 μm in the organic systems. Cumulative water intake was lower compared to the conventional systems, leading to higher runoff and erosion. These changes might be related to the lower pH and higher exchangeable sodium in the organic systems. Our results indicate that higher application of organic amendments did not lead to higher soil organic carbon and associated improvement in soil structures properties compared to integrated fertilization in this study. Chemical properties may dominate soil aggregation retarding the uptake and integration of organic amendments for sustainable agricultural intensification in tropical, semiarid climates.
    Description: Biovision Foundation for Ecological Development http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100015593
    Description: Coop Sustainability Fund
    Description: Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)
    Description: Foundation fiat panis http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100011087
    Description: Liechtenstein Development Service http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100015698
    Description: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.18665612
    Keywords: ddc:631.4
    Language: English
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  • 14
    Publication Date: 2022-12-05
    Description: Classification of atmospheric circulation patterns (CP) is a common tool for downscaling rainfall, but it is rarely used for West Africa. In this study, a two‐step classification procedure is proposed for this region, which is applied from 1989 to 2010 for the Sudan‐Sahel zone (Central Burkina Faso) with a focus on heavy rainfall. The approach is based on a classification of large‐scale atmospheric CPs (e.g., Saharan Heat Low) of the West African Monsoon using a fuzzy rule‐based method to describe the seasonal rainfall variability. The wettest CPs are further classified using meso‐scale monsoon patterns to better describe the daily rainfall variability during the monsoon period. A comprehensive predictor screening for the seasonal classification indicates that the best performing predictor variables (e.g., surface pressure, meridional moisture fluxes) are closely related to the main processes of the West African Monsoon. In the second classification step, the stream function at 700 hPa for identifying troughs and ridges of tropical waves shows the highest performance, providing an added value to the overall performance of the classification. Thus, the new approach can better distinguish between dry and wet CPs during the rainy season. Moreover, CPs are identified that are of high relevance for daily heavy rainfall in the study area. The two wettest CPs caused roughly half of the extremes on about 6.5% of days. Both wettest patterns are characterized by an intensified Saharan Heat Low and a cyclonic rotation near the study area, indicating a tropical wave trough. Since the classification can be used to condition other statistical approaches used in climate sciences and other disciplines, the presented classification approach opens many different applications for the West African Monsoon region.
    Description: A two‐step classification of daily atmospheric circulation patterns is used to describe seasonal and daily rainfall variability in West Africa. The approach clearly distinguishes between dry and wet patterns if sea level pressure and stream function at 700 hPa are used. The two wettest patterns trigger about half of heavy rainfall events in Central Burkina Faso. They are characterized by an intensified Saharan Heat Low and a cyclonic rotation indicating a tropical wave trough near the study area.
    Description: Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100002347
    Keywords: ddc:551.5 ; circulation pattern ; classification ; downscaling ; heavy rainfall ; West Africa
    Language: English
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  • 15
    Publication Date: 2022-09-23
    Description: Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) will be necessary to fulfil the hundreds of pledges to reach net-zero by 2050. As with any industry, standard methodologies and certification are crucial to guarantee successful and reliable activities. However, buyers and policymakers currently face challenges in evaluating the ecosystem of CDR certification. The issue is not with CDR, nor with individual certifications – some of which may be very robust – but with the lack of transparency in the overall ecosystem. To bring some clarity, we present a snapshot of the CDR certification and standards ecosystem for the year 2021–2022. We find a complex ecosystem with at least 30 standard developing organizations proposing at least 125 standard methodologies for carbon removal from 23 different CDR activities and selling 27 different versions of certification instruments in voluntary and compliance markets. This exercise reveals many more existing standards for nature-based than for engineering-based activities and more diversity from standards serving the voluntary rather than the compliance market. It also highlights a proliferation of standards for the same activity, and a plethora of activities without standards. The process revealed ambiguity on what constitutes carbon removal, with many standards certifying activities that remove CO2 already in the environment as well as activities that avoid or reduce new emissions by sequestering the carbon into reservoirs. This mapping highlights key gaps and potential starting points for reforms to strengthen the CDR certification industry; it also underscores the need for independent oversight.
    Type: Article , PeerReviewed
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  • 16
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    Taylor & Francis
    In:  Marine Georesources & Geotechnology, 27 (3). pp. 201-216.
    Publication Date: 2018-04-24
    Description: In this study, a series of drained triaxial tests were performed in order to examine the effect of cementation on the shear behavior of granular soil. It was observed that the brittle nature and dilative tendency of granular soil is dominant under a low confining stress level, while high confining stress results in a contractive behavior despite the strong cementation bond. Based on experimental results, an idealized concept is suggested to define the shear strength of cemented sand in three distinctive zones: the cementation control zone with a constant cohesion intercept at a low confining stress level, the transition zone in which the cohesion intercept is gradually reduced after a breaking point, and the stress control zone with almost zero cohesion intercept due to breakage of cementation bonds at a high confining stress level. It was shown that the sitting pressures during cementation have little effect on the strength parameters of cemented sand, while the increase of gypsum content and relative density, and the decrease of particle size, result in an increase of the cohesion intercept and the breaking point. In addition, the prediction equations for the shear strength and cohesion intercept in the cementation control zone and the transition zone are suggested from the analytical and experimental interpretation.
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  • 17
    Publication Date: 2017-11-02
    Description: A new 30-arc second resolution global topography/bathymetry grid (SRTM30_PLUS) has been developed from a wide variety of data sources. Land and ice topography comes from the SRTM30 and ICESat topography, respectively. Ocean bathymetry is based on a new satellite-gravity model where the gravity-to-topography ratio is calibrated using 298 million edited soundings. The main contribution of this study is the compilation and editing of the raw soundings, which come from NOAA, individual scientists, SIO, NGA, JAMSTEC, IFREMER, GEBCO, and NAVOCEANO. The gridded bathymetry is available for ftp download in the same format as the 33 tiles of SRTM30 topography. There are 33 matching tiles of source identification number to convey the provenance of every grid cell. The raw sounding data, converted to a simple common format, are also available for ftp download.
    Type: Article , PeerReviewed
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  • 18
    Publication Date: 2018-03-15
    Description: Cirripedes are one of the major groups of fouling organism in the marine environment. The cyprid can, before a permanent attachment, actively explore and walk on the substratum using its antennules in a bipedal fashion without leaving the surface. Studying the structure of the cyprid antennule is therefore important for understanding the events that culminate in biofouling by barnacles. There are at present no complete, standardised accounts of the structure of the cyprid antennules in thoracican barnacles, and moreover, the existing accounts vary in their use of terminology. This article describes the cyprid antennule of the barnacle Megabalanus rosa. This barnacle species is common in E Asia, and the cyprids have previously been used in several biofouling studies. All externally visible setae on the antennules have been mapped; these comprise both chemosensors with a terminal pore, a putative aesthetasc-like seta and mechano-sensory setae. More setae were found on the attachment disc than in previous scanning electron microscope-based studies, but not all structures that can be seen with transmission electron microscopy were visible. The disc itself seems to have a variable surface area, which could assist in exploring rough surfaces. The various lengths of the antennular setae, coupled with the disposition of the segments, enable the cyprid to cover a wide swath of substratum during exploratory walking. A new terminology is proposed for cyprid antennular setae, which will form a basis for future comparative and functional studies of cirripede settlement.
    Type: Article , PeerReviewed
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  • 19
    Publication Date: 2020-06-12
    Description: Data from New Zealand and northern Victoria Land, Antarctica, indicate that the Cambrian Takaka Terrane intra-oceanic arc/backarc assemblage and the Bowers Terrane intra-oceanic arc/back-arc assemblage were accreted to the Gondwana margin by the Late Cambrian. Compelling similarities between the arc rocks and the immediate post-arc sediments firmly place the two regions in the same tectonic framework and imply close paleogeographic proximity. Currently, the Ross Orogen is thought to be the result of sinistral oblique convergence with west-directed subduction, and accretion of the arc assemblages is attributed to closure of backarc basins. Syntectonic fluvial conglomerates in both regions attest to the development of fluvial systems draining both the accreted arc and the contemporaneous continental margin arc. Trilobite faunas indicate that fluvial sedimentation commenced earlier in New Zealand than in northern Victoria Land. In the context of the widely accepted sinistral oblique convergence model, these data suggest an original position for New Zealand to the south of northern Victoria Land, probably in the region of the southern Ross Sea.
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  • 20
    Publication Date: 2019-01-24
    Description: The regional dust model system LM-MUSCAT-DES was developed in the framework of the SAMUM project. Using the unique comprehensive data set of near-source dust properties during the 2006SAMUMfield campaign, the performance of the model system is evaluated for two time periods in May and June 2006. Dust optical thicknesses, number size distributions and the position of the maximum dust extinction in the vertical profiles agree well with the observations. However, the spatio-temporal evolution of the dust plumes is not always reproduced due to inaccuracies in the dust source placement by the model. While simulated winds and dust distributions are well matched for dust events caused by dry synoptic-scale dynamics, they are often misrepresented when dust emissions are caused by moist convection or influenced by small-scale topography that is not resolved by the model. In contrast to long-range dust transport, in the vicinity of source regions the model performance strongly depends on the correct prediction of the exact location of sources. Insufficiently resolved vertical grid spacing causes the absence of inversions in the model vertical profiles and likely explains the absence of the observed sharply defined dust layers.
    Type: Article , PeerReviewed
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  • 21
    Publication Date: 2020-06-22
    Description: Screening for pathogenic micro-organisms is an essential component of translocation-based conservation management. While there are some data on pathogens in New Zealand passerines, little is known about the distribution and prevalence of pathogens infecting New Zealand Psittaciformes. We conducted a survey for pathogens of the vulnerable New Zealand endemic red-crowned parakeet Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae in two wild populations (Little Barrier Island and Raoul Island), and in a translocated population (Tiritiri Matangi Island). A total of 101 cloacal samples were tested for Salmonella and Yersinia. Of these, 82 samples were also tested for Campylobacter. None of these microorganisms were detected. Although our sampling effort was insufficient to detect a low prevalence of Campylobacter, modelling of minimum detectable prevalence of Salmonella and Yersinia indicates that these micro-organisms would have been detected if present as common or chronic conditions of red-crowned parakeets at these sites.
    Type: Article , PeerReviewed
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  • 22
    Publication Date: 2019-08-08
    Description: Cephalopods play a significant role in coastal and oceanic ecosystems, both as consumers of invertebrates and small fish and as the prey of some fish, seabirds and marine mammals and other large predators. Approximately 30 species of cephalopod have been recorded in the north-eastern Atlantic and adjacent waters, including 18 teuthid (squid), seven sepiolid (bobtail), three sepiid (cuttlefish) and 10 octopod (octopus) species. A number of these are exploited commercially and support important target and by-catch fisheries in Western Europe. During the past decade, annual landings of cephalopods from the north-eastern Atlantic (International Council for the Exploration of the Sea [ICES] area) have ranged from 40,000 to 55,000 t, including substantial catches of long-fin (loliginid) squid (7000–11,000 t per annum), short-fin (ommastrephid) squid (3000–10,000 t), cuttlefish (including sepiolids; 16,000–24,000 t) and octopods (12,000–18,000 t). The most important exploited species in the north-eastern Atlantic are Eledone cirrhosa, Illex coindetii, Loligo forbesi, Loligo vulgaris, Octopus vulgaris, Todarodes sagittatus, Todaropsis eblanae and Sepia officinalis. Other species including Alloteuthis subulata, Gonatus fabricii and certain sepiolids, appear to be abundant and may be marketable. Cephalopods tend to rapidly concentrate heavy metals and other toxic substances in their tissues and this plays an important role in the bioaccumulation of these pollutants in marine predators as well as having implications for human consumption. High levels of cadmium and mercury are often recorded in cephalopod tissues. Another important environmental issue concerns the potential impact of widespread human activity on cephalopod spawning areas, particularly bottom-fishing operations but also shipping, and oil exploration and production. In contrast to many finfish species that spawn annually over a number of years, most cephalopods live only 1–2 yr and die after spawning. Therefore, failure to reproduce and recruit adequately in any given year may seriously impact the long-term viability of cephalopod stocks. Climate change is expected to have a significant effect on many species in the north-eastern Atlantic. This review provides a detailed account of the zoogeography, biology and ecology of cephalopods in the north-eastern Atlantic, on a species-by-species basis. Important economic, ecological and conservation issues affecting cephalopods in this area are also discussed
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  • 23
    Publication Date: 2019-01-24
    Description: The SAMUM field campaign in southern Morocco in May/June 2006 provides valuable data to study the emission, and the horizontal and vertical transports of mineral dust in the Northern Sahara. Radiosonde and lidar observations show differential advection of air masses with different characteristics during stable nighttime conditions and up to 5-km deep vertical mixing in the strongly convective boundary layer during the day. Lagrangian and synoptic analyses of selected dust periods point to a topographic channel from western Tunisia to central Algeria as a dust source region. Significant emission events are related to cold surges from the Mediterranean in association with eastward passing upper-level waves and lee cyclogeneses south of the Atlas Mountains. Other relevant events are local emissions under a distinct cut-off low over northwestern Africa and gust fronts associated with dry thunderstorms over the Malian and Algerian Sahara. The latter are badly represented in analyses from the European Centre for Medium–Range Weather Forecasts and in a regional dust model, most likely due to problems with moist convective dynamics and a lack of observations in this region. This aspect needs further study. The meteorological source identification is consistent with estimates of optical and mineralogical properties of dust samples.
    Type: Article , PeerReviewed
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  • 24
    Publication Date: 2019-03-08
    Description: Barnacle cypris larvae respond to many cues when selecting a settlement site. The settlement of over a million larvae on tiles of different textures, orientations and densities of incumbent settlers was measured on the rocky intertidal at Great Cumbrae, Scotland. Half of the tiles were replaced every tide whereas the others simultaneously accumulated settlers. Factor effects varied on each tide, and converged in the accumulating deployment. Increasing incumbent density led to net loss of settlement, which was less probable on the textures on which fastest settlment occurred ('very fine'), and more probable on those on which settlement was slowest ('smooth'). More settlement occurred on down-facing orientations during daylight and vice versa. Cue ranks were non-linear, so a path analysis model quantified the relative influence of each factor. Gregariousness was the most influential cue measured, although unmeasured factors had greater effects, highlighting the complexity of settlement influences in this species.
    Type: Article , PeerReviewed
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  • 25
    Publication Date: 2019-03-14
    Description: Fluorescence excitation-emission matrices showed the spectral signature of dissolved organic matter (DOM) downstream in the River Tet at all seasons corresponding to humic substances with maximum fluorescence emission em=420-460nm for excitations of ex=340-360nm and the occasional presence of tryptophan, tracer of anthropogenic pressure, spectroscopically identified by ex/em=310/350nm. A factorial discriminant analysis, performed using the parameters selected (ex/em pairs of wavelength), succeeded in a better discrimination of seasons than stations, and clearly showed the presence of two fluorophores. Fluorophore 1, with two absorption bands: ex=260-320nm and 330-390nm for em=440-500nm, and Fluorophore 2, with one absorption band: ex=300-360nm for em=410nm, which are attributed to humic acid (HA) and fulvic acid (FA), respectively. Variations of DOM relative contents downstream in the River Tet, according to seasons and stations, showed high amounts of DOM (pedogenic character) along the river in the humid period, with the highest value obtained in the mountain section. In contrast, in summer, the DOM contents were low (aquagenic character). Moreover, DOM presents a relatively constant composition with a percentage of FA ranging from 40% at the mountain station to 48% at the mouth river, whatever the season.
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  • 26
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    Taylor & Francis
    In:  Biofouling, 26 (2). pp. 223-234.
    Publication Date: 2020-06-19
    Description: Since early 2008, an increasing number of countries have ratified an international treaty to ban the application of antifouling (AF) coatings based on organotin compounds (eg tributyltin (TBT) and triphenyltin). As a result, the demand for environmentally friendly, non-toxic or low-toxicity AF compounds and technologies (green AF agents) has become an urgent reality. Marine coatings based on Cu2O and various other biocides have a negative impact on the environment and they must eventually be replaced by new, effective, and environmentally friendly AF compounds. This mini-review describes important AF compounds discovered from a variety of organisms from 2004 until mid 2009, and discusses recent and general trends in the discovery of AF compounds. Finally, a perspective on the future of AF compound development is presented. The discussion is aimed at updating scientists and engineers on the current challenges facing AF research.
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  • 27
    Publication Date: 2019-01-24
    Description: The presented study assessed the heavy metal contamination risk in a former sludge deposit field of the River Ruhr in Essen, Germany. Therefore, the temporal and spatial distribution in soils and plants, chemical fractionation, mobilization potential, and transfer characteristics have been investigated. Soil samples, roots and shoots of rushes (Juncus sp.), and stem wood disks of willows (Salix sp.) were analyzed for Zn, Cu, Pb, Ni, Cr, and Cd. Plant available and mobile heavy metal portions have been determined using a sequential extraction procedure. The results show that the soils and the rushes are highly contaminated, although there is a considerable decrease compared to initial concentrations some 20 years ago. The willows show only small heavy metal enrichment. pH induced mobilization potential in soil is high for Cd, Zn and Ni. Additionally, these elements contain high portions of plant-available fractions. High transfer rates from soil to roots and very high rates from roots to shoots of rushes have been determined for Cd and Zn, indicating an accumulation of these elements in shoots of rushes. The rushes reflect the temporal and spatial heavy metal distribution in soil and might thus be used as a bioindicator or for phytoremediation.
    Type: Article , PeerReviewed
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  • 28
    Publication Date: 2020-07-10
    Description: Draft regulations for prospecting and exploration of polymetallic sulphides in the “Area” are currently being considered for implementation by the International Seabed Authority. This paper examines possible models for allocation of lease blocks for exploration and the proposed schedule for relinquishing blocks during the exploration phase. One model for granting of exploration licenses under the proposed regulations involves contiguous lease blocks, similar to that being considered for nodules and crusts; another model involves non-contiguous blocks. An analysis of the occurrence and distribution of known polymetallic sulphides in 32 training areas shows that the regulations for prospecting and exploration of crusts likely cannot be applied equally to polymetallic sulphides.
    Type: Article , PeerReviewed
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  • 29
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    Taylor & Francis
    In:  Separation & Purification Reviews, 38 (4). pp. 291-325.
    Publication Date: 2021-01-12
    Description: A wide variety of terrestrial biomass feed stocks have been identified as suitable candidates for fractionation and conversion into biofuels. In particular, microalgae have been promoted as a future source of transportation fuels primarily because of their stated potential to produce up to 10 times more oil per acre than traditional biofuel crops. Their ability to grow relatively fast, be harvested on a daily basis, and grown in earthen ponds or closed photobioreactors that occupy marginal or poor crop lands using salt or brackish water, are often referenced. When these attractive traits are coupled with the potential to concomitantly harvest valuable co‐products such as biopolymers, proteins, and animal feeds, one can see why microalgae are often touted as biotechnology's “green gold”. The development of large‐scale microalgae farms, however, has been slowed by limitations in downstream processing technology. For example, traditional methods to dewater, extract, and recover bio‐oil from oil‐seeds possess little utility for microalgae. The extreme requirement of dewatering poses tremendous hurdles for any technology processing biofuels from microalgae. To further complicate matters, identifying the most appropriate paths for appropriate extraction technology depends heavily on the microalgal species and its cultivation status, both of which are highly characterized for higher plants as compared to microalgae. In this review we discuss existing extraction methodologies as they have and can be applied to microalgae. Commentary is provided on their potential as a unit operation that exists within the framework of an industrial‐scale microalgal cultivation process that extends from the production of biomass in photobioreactors to the fractionation of the recovered bio‐oil.
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  • 30
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    Taylor & Francis
    In:  Marine Biology Research, 5 (4). pp. 374-384.
    Publication Date: 2021-08-12
    Description: Cephalopods are increasingly acknowledged as an ecologically important group in Chilean ecosystems, but are also one of their less-known biogeographic components. Notably, this group is represented virtually exclusively by non-endemic species, although we hypothesized that their distribution over the coast should be constrained by similar physical determinants to those affecting endemic taxa. We thus present a first evaluation of the latitudinal patterns of diversity and distribution of cephalopod species in Chile, based on geographical data obtained from a review of the available literature. We constructed presence–absence binary matrices of coastal and oceanic species in 20 latitudinal units (2°), for then calculating the respective similarity matrices to obtain a distribution dendrogram using hierarchical cluster analysis (UPGM). The original binary matrices were resampled performing 1000 stochastic reassignments to calculating the 95th percentile as the criterion to identify significant clusters. Statistical comparisons between distributional groupings were performed using ANOSIM. We recorded 86 cephalopods in Chile, including oceanic (71) and coastal (15) species. Species richness showed two major breaks at 30° S and 42° S, and decreased toward higher latitudes. Cephalopod species showed well-defined endpoints of distribution within the Chilean coast, differentiating three main biogeographical units: northern (18–30° S), central (30–42° S) and southern (42–56° S) areas. Biogeographical patterns of cephalopod species in Chile showed no particular difference with those already described for most Chilean taxa. The marked distribution breaks of cephalopods at 30° and 42° S suggest that external forcing and physical factors other than temperature gradients may strongly constrain their dispersal.
    Type: Article , PeerReviewed
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  • 31
    Publication Date: 2023-11-14
    Description: Symptoms characteristic of wasting disease, thought to result from infection by protozoan pathogens (i.e. Labyrinthula spp.), are a common phenomenon affecting seagrass species worldwide. However relatively little is known about factors that control the survival and success of Labyrinthula in part due to the difficulty associated with quantifying the growth of this organism. Here we describe a simple and inexpensive method for measuring growth of Labyrinthula in liquid culture that takes into consideration both cell density and areal spread. The technique allows for examination of the effects of both abiotic and biotic factors on the growth of Labyrinthula apart from its seagrass host, separating the effects of environmental condition on the host from their effects on the pathogen.
    Type: Article , PeerReviewed
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