ALBERT

Description: Predicting future thaw slump activity requires a sound understanding of the atmospheric drivers and geomorphic controls on mass wasting across a range of time scales. On sub-seasonal time scales, sparse measurements indicate that mass wasting at active slumps is often limited by the energy available for melting ground ice, but other factors such as rainfall or the formation of an insulating veneer may also be relevant. To study the sub-seasonal drivers, we derive topographic changes from single-pass radar interferometric data acquired by the TanDEM-X satellite (12 m resolution). The high vertical precision (around 30 cm), frequent observations (11 days) and large coverage (5000 km2) allow us to track volume losses as drivers such as the available energy change during summer in two study regions. We find that thaw slumps in the Tuktoyaktuk coastlands, Canada, are not energy limited in June, as they undergo limited mass wasting (height loss of around 0 cm/day) despite the ample available energy, indicating the widespread presence of an insulating snow or debris veneer. Later in summer, height losses generally increase (around 3 cm/day), but they do so in distinct ways. For many slumps, mass wasting tracks the available energy, a temporal pattern that is also observed at coastal yedoma cliffs on the Bykovsky Peninsula, Russia. However, the other two common temporal trajectories are asynchronous with the available energy, as they track strong precipitation events or show a sudden speed-up in late August, respectively. The observed temporal patterns are poorly related to slump characteristics like the slump area. The contrasting temporal behaviour of nearby thaw slumps highlights the importance of complex local and temporally varying controls on mass wasting.

Description: A suite of oxygenated volatile organic compounds (OVOCs – acetaldehyde, acetone, propanal, butanal and butanone) were measured concurrently in the surface water and atmosphere of the South China Sea and Sulu Sea in November 2011. A strong correlation was observed between all OVOC concentrations in the surface seawater along the entire cruise track, except for acetaldehyde, suggesting similar sources and sinks in the surface ocean. Additionally, several phytoplankton groups, such as haptophytes or pelagophytes, were also correlated to all OVOCs indicating that phytoplankton may be an important source for marine OVOCs in the South China and Sulu Seas. Humic and protein like fluorescent dissolved organic matter (FDOM) components seemed to be additional precursors for butanone and acetaldehyde. The atmospheric OVOC mixing ratios were relative high compared with literature values, suggesting the coastal region of North Borneo as a local hot spot for atmospheric OVOCs. The flux of atmospheric OVOCs was largely into the ocean for all 5 gases, with a few important exceptions near the coast of Borneo. The calculated amount of OVOCs entrained into the ocean seemed to be an important source of OVOCs to the surface ocean. When the fluxes were out of the ocean, marine OVOCs were found to be enough to control the local measured OVOC distribution in the atmosphere. Based on our model calculations, at least 0.4 ppb of marine derived acetone and butanone can reach the upper troposphere, where they may have an important influence on hydrogen oxide radical formation over the western Pacific Ocean.

Description: The Extrapolar SWIFT model is a fast ozone chemistry scheme for interactive calculation of the extrapolar stratospheric ozone layer in coupled general circulation models (GCMs). In contrast to the widely used prescribed ozone, the SWIFT ozone layer interacts with the model dynamics and can respond to atmospheric variability or climatological trends. The Extrapolar SWIFT model employs a repro-modelling approach, where algebraic functions are used to approximate the numerical output of a full stratospheric chemistry and transport model (ATLAS). The full model solves a coupled chemical differential equations system with 55 initial and boundary conditions (mixing ratio of various chemical species and atmospheric parameters). Hence the rate of change of ozone over 24  h is a function of 55 variables. Using covariances between these variables, we can find linear combinations in order to reduce the parameter space to the following nine basic variables: latitude, pressure altitude, temperature, local ozone column, mixing ratio of ozone and of the ozone depleting families (Cly, Bry, NOy and HOy). We will show that these 9 variables are sufficient to characterize the rate of change of ozone. An automated procedure fits a polynomial function of fourth degree to the rate of change of ozone obtained from several simulations with the ATLAS model. One polynomial function is determined per month which yields the rate of change of ozone over 24 h. A key aspect for the robustness of the Extrapolar SWIFT model is to include a wide range of stratospheric variability in the numerical output of the ATLAS model, also covering atmospheric states that will occur in a future climate (e.g. temperature and meridional circulation changes or reduction of stratospheric chlorine loading). For validation purposes, the Extrapolar SWIFT model has been integrated into the ATLAS model replacing the full stratospheric chemistry scheme. Simulations with SWIFT in ATLAS have proven that the systematic error is small and does not accumulate during the course of a simulation. In the context of a 10 year simulation, the ozone layer, simulated by SWIFT, shows a stable annual cycle, with inter-annual variations comparable to the ATLAS model. The application of Extrapolar SWIFT requires the evaluation of polynomial functions with 30–100 terms. Nowadays, computers can calculate such polynomial functions at thousands of model grid points in seconds. SWIFT provides the desired numerical efficiency and computes the ozone layer 104 times faster than the chemistry scheme in the ATLAS CTM.

Description: Ice retreat in the eastern Eurasian Arctic is a consequence of atmospheric and oceanic processes and regional feedback mechanisms acting on the ice cover, both in winter and summer. A correct representation of these processes in numerical models is important, since it will improve predictions of sea ice anomalies along the Northeast Passage and beyond. In this study, we highlight the importance of winter ice dynamics for local summer sea ice anomalies in thickness, volume and extent. By means of airborne sea ice thickness surveys made over pack ice areas in the south-eastern Laptev Sea, we show that years of offshore-directed sea ice transport have a thinning effect on the late-winter sea ice cover. To confirm the preconditioning effect of enhanced offshore advection in late winter on the summer sea ice cover, we perform a sensitivity study using a numerical model. Results verify that the preconditioning effect plays a bigger role for the regional ice extent. Furthermore, they indicate an increase in volume export from the Laptev Sea as a consequence of enhanced offshore advection, which has far-reaching consequences for the entire Arctic sea ice mass balance. Moreover we show that ice dynamics in winter not only preconditions local summer ice extent, but also accelerate fast-ice decay.

Description: Climate trends in the Antarctic region remain poorly characterized, owing to the brevity and scarcity of direct climate observations and the large magnitude of interannual to decadal-scale climate variability. Here, within the framework of the PAGES Antarctica2k working group, we build an enlarged database of ice core water stable isotope records from Antarctica, consisting of 112 records. We produce both unweighted and weighted isotopic (δ18O) composites and temperature reconstructions since 0 CE, binned at 5- and 10-year resolution, for seven climatically distinct regions covering the Antarctic continent. Following earlier work of the Antarctica2k working group, we also produce composites and reconstructions for the broader regions of East Antarctica, West Antarctica and the whole continent. We use three methods for our temperature reconstructions: (i) a temperature scaling based on the δ18O–temperature relationship output from an ECHAM5-wiso model simulation nudged to ERA-Interim atmospheric reanalyses from 1979 to 2013, and adjusted for the West Antarctic Ice Sheet region to borehole temperature data, (ii) a temperature scaling of the isotopic normalized anomalies to the variance of the regional reanalysis temperature and (iii) a composite-plus-scaling approach used in a previous continent-scale reconstruction of Antarctic temperature since 1 CE but applied to the new Antarctic ice core database. Our new reconstructions confirm a significant cooling trend from 0 to 1900 CE across all Antarctic regions where records extend back into the 1st millennium, with the exception of the Wilkes Land coast and Weddell Sea coast regions. Within this long-term cooling trend from 0 to 1900 CE, we find that the warmest period occurs between 300 and 1000 CE, and the coldest interval occurs from 1200 to 1900 CE. Since 1900 CE, significant warming trends are identified for the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, the Dronning Maud Land coast and the Antarctic Peninsula regions, and these trends are robust across the distribution of records that contribute to the unweighted isotopic composites and also significant in the weighted temperature reconstructions. Only for the Antarctic Peninsula is this most recent century-scale trend unusual in the context of natural variability over the last 2000 years. However, projected warming of the Antarctic continent during the 21st century may soon see significant and unusual warming develop across other parts of the Antarctic continent. The extended Antarctica2k ice core isotope database developed by this working group opens up many avenues for developing a deeper understanding of the response of Antarctic climate to natural and anthropogenic climate forcings. The first long-term quantification of regional climate in Antarctica presented herein is a basis for data–model comparison and assessments of past, present and future driving factors of Antarctic climate.

Description: by Jialiang Guo, Qi Zhang, Jia Li, Yansong Liu, Zhiyong Hou, Wei Chen, Lin Jin, Ye Tian, Linlin Ju, Bo Liu, Tianhua Dong, Fei Zhang, Yingze Zhang Non-union is a major clinical problem in the healing of fractures, especially in patients with osteoporosis. The systemic administration of drugs is time consuming and large doses are demanding and act slowly, whereas local release acts rapidly, increases the quality and quantity of the bone tissue. We hypothesize that local delivery demonstrates better therapeutic effects on an osteoporotic fracture. The aim of this paper is to investigate the effect of the local application of ibandronate loaded with a collagen sponge on regulating bone formation and remodeling in an osteoporotic rat model of fracture healing. We found that the local delivery of ibandronate exhibited excellent effects on improving the bone microarchitecture and suppressed effects on bone remodeling. At 4 weeks, more callus formation and improvement of mechanical character and microstructure were observed in a local delivery via μCT, mechanical test, histological research and serum analysis. The suppression of bone remodeling was compared with a systemic treatment at 12 weeks, and the structural mechanical properties and microarchitecture were also improved with local delivery. This research identifies an earlier, safer and integrated approach for local delivery of ibandronate with collagen and provides a better strategy for the treatment of osteoporotic fracture in rats.

Description: by Maia P. Smith, Marie Standl, Joachim Heinrich, Holger Schulz Background Because of unreliable self-report, accelerometry is increasingly used to objectively monitor physical activity (PA). However, results of accelerometric studies vary depending on the chosen cutpoints between activity intensities. Population-specific activity patterns likely affect the size of these differences. To establish their size and stability we apply three sets of cutpoints, including two calibrated to a single reference, to our accelerometric data and compare PA estimates. Methods 1402 German adolescents from the GINIplus and LISAplus cohorts wore triaxial accelerometers (Actigraph GT3x) for one week (mean 6.23 days, 14.7 hours per day) at the hip. After validation of wear, we applied three sets of cutpoints for youth, including the most common standard (Freedson, 2005) and two calibrated to a single reference, (Romanzini uni- and triaxial, from Romanzini, 2014) to these data, estimating daily sedentary, light, moderate, vigorous and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MPA, VPA, MVPA). Stability of differences was assessed by comparing Romanzini’s two sets of cutpoints. Results Relative agreement between cutpoints was closer for activity of lower intensities (largest difference for sedentary behaviour 9%) but increased for higher intensities (largest difference for light activity 40%, MPA 102%, VPA 88%; all p

Description: by Bertha J. Vandegrift, Chang You, Rosalba Satta, Mark S. Brodie, Amy W. Lasek Gender differences in psychiatric disorders such as addiction may be modulated by the steroid hormone estrogen. For instance, 17β-estradiol (E2), the predominant form of circulating estrogen in pre-menopausal females, increases ethanol consumption, suggesting that E2 may affect the rewarding properties of ethanol and thus the development of alcohol use disorder in females. The ventral tegmental area (VTA) is critically involved in the rewarding and reinforcing effects of ethanol. In order to determine the role of E2 in VTA physiology, gonadally intact female mice were sacrificed during diestrus II (high E2) or estrus (low E2) for electrophysiology recordings. We measured the excitation by ethanol and inhibition by dopamine (DA) of VTA DA neurons and found that both excitation by ethanol and inhibition by dopamine were greater in diestrus II compared with estrus. Treatment of VTA slices from mice in diestrus II with an estrogen receptor antagonist (ICI 182,780) reduced ethanol-stimulated neuronal firing, but had no effect on ethanol-stimulated firing of neurons in slices from mice in estrus. Surprisingly, ICI 182,780 did not affect the inhibition by DA, indicating different mechanisms of action of estrogen receptors in altering ethanol and DA responses. We also examined the responses of VTA DA neurons to ethanol and DA in ovariectomized mice treated with E2 and found that E2 treatment enhanced the responses to ethanol and DA in a manner similar to what we observed in mice in diestrus II. Our data indicate that E2 modulates VTA neuron physiology, which may contribute to both the enhanced reinforcing and rewarding effects of alcohol and the development of other psychiatric disorders in females that involve alterations in DA neurotransmission.

Description: by Chelsea M. Rochman, J. Mark Parnis, Mark A. Browne, Sebastian Serrato, Eric J. Reiner, Matthew Robson, Thomas Young, Miriam L. Diamond, Swee J. Teh We examined whether environmentally relevant concentrations of different types of microplastics, with or without PCBs, directly affect freshwater prey and indirectly affect their predators. Asian clams ( Corbicula fluminea ) were exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene, polyvinylchloride (PVC) or polystyrene with and without polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) for 28 days. Their predators, white sturgeon ( Acipenser transmontanus ), were exposed to clams from each treatment for 28 days. In both species, we examined bioaccumulation of PCBs and effects (i.e., immunohistochemistry, histology, behavior, condition, mortality) across several levels of biological organization. PCBs were not detected in prey or predator, and thus differences in bioaccumulation of PCBs among polymers and biomagnification in predators could not be measured. One of the main objectives of this study was to test the hypothesis that bioaccumulation of PCBs would differ among polymer types. Because we could not answer this question experimentally, a bioaccumulation model was run and predicted that concentrations of PCBs in clams exposed to polyethylene and polystyrene would be greater than PET and PVC. Observed effects, although subtle, seemed to be due to microplastics rather than PCBs alone. For example, histopathology showed tubular dilation in clams exposed to microplastics with PCBs, with only mild effects in clams exposed to PCBs alone.

Description: by Deisy Barrios, Raquel Morillo, Ina Guerassimova, Esther Barbero, Héctor Escobar-Morreale, Alexander T. Cohen, Cecilia Becattini, Victor Tapson, Roger Yusen, David Jimenez Background We sought to examine sex-related differences in the characteristics and outcome in patients presenting with acute symptomatic pulmonary embolism (PE). Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 2,096 patients diagnosed with acute PE. The characteristics were recorded at presentation. Treatment was at the discretion of patients’ physicians. The primary study outcome, all-cause mortality, and the secondary outcomes of PE-specific mortality, recurrent venous thromboembolism, and major bleeding were assessed during the first month of follow-up after PE diagnosis. Results Overall, the women were older than the men and had significantly higher rates of immobilization. They had significantly lower rates of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cancer. Women had a higher prevalence of syncope and elevated brain natriuretic peptide levels. Thirty-day all-cause mortality was similar between women and men (7.1% versus 6.2%; P = 0.38). Male gender was not independently significantly associated with PE-related death (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.02; 95% CI, 0.50 to 2.07; P = 0.96). Restricting the analyses to haemodynamically stable patients (n = 2,021), female gender was an independent predictor of all-cause (adjusted OR 1.56; 95% CI, 1.07 to 2.28; P = 0.02) and PE-specific mortality (adjusted OR 1.85; 95% CI, 1.02 to 3.33; P = 0.04). Compared with men, women were 2.05 times more likely to experience a major bleed. Conclusions Women and men with PE had different clinical characteristics, presentation, and outcomes. Women receiving anticoagulation have a significantly higher risk of major bleeding, suggesting the need for careful monitoring of anticoagulant intensity in women.

Description: by Friederike Hammersen, Philip Lewin, Judith Gebauer, Ilonka Kreitschmann-Andermahr, Georg Brabant, Alexander Katalinic, Annika Waldmann This study investigated sleep quality and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among long-term survivors of Hodgkin (HL) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). The aim was to explore the impact of personal and health-related factors on sleep quality as well as associations between sleep quality and HRQOL. For the postal survey, participants with a minimum age of 18 years initially treated between 1998 and 2008 were recruited via the population-based cancer registry in Schleswig-Holstein, Northern Germany. Questionnaires included amongst others the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36v1). Descriptive and comparative statistics were performed. Additionally, a regression analysis was conducted to identify predictors of sleep quality. In total, we recruited 515 participants (398 NHL, 117 HL) with a mean age of 63.1 years. Approximately half of the survivors were classified as good sleepers. HRQOL scores differed between good and poor sleepers with lower scores in poor sleepers. In a prediction model, self-reported depression, exhaustion, higher age, inability to work, endocrinological disorders and female gender classified as predictors of sleep quality. This study highlights the impact of sleep quality on HRQOL in long-term survivors of NHL and HL. Thus, sleep quality should be routinely assessed during follow-up of cancer survivors with special attention to patients with potential risk factors.

Description: by Nuria García-Marchena, Daniel Silva-Peña, Ana Isabel Martín-Velasco, María Ángeles Villanúa, Pedro Araos, María Pedraz, Rosa Maza-Quiroga, Pablo Romero-Sanchiz, Gabriel Rubio, Estela Castilla-Ortega, Juan Suárez, Fernando Rodríguez de Fonseca, Antonia Serrano, Francisco Javier Pavón The identification of growth factors as potential biomarkers in alcohol addiction may help to understand underlying mechanisms associated with the pathogenesis of alcohol use disorders (AUDs). Previous studies have linked growth factors to neural plasticity in neurocognitive impairment and mental disorders. In order to further clarify the impact of chronic alcohol consumption on circulating growth factors, a cross-sectional study was performed in abstinent AUD patients (alcohol group, N = 91) and healthy control subjects (control group, N = 55) to examine plasma concentrations of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and IGF-1 binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3). The association of these plasma peptides with relevant AUD-related variables and psychiatric comorbidity was explored. The alcohol group was diagnosed with severe AUD and showed an average of 13 years of problematic use and 10 months of abstinence at the moment of participating in the study. Regarding common medical conditions associated with AUD, we observed an elevated incidence of alcohol-induced liver and pancreas diseases (18.7%) and psychiatric comorbidity (76.9%). Thus, AUD patients displayed a high prevalence of dual diagnosis (39.3%) [mainly depression (19.9%)] and comorbid substance use disorders (40.7%). Plasma BDNF and IGF-1 concentrations were significantly lower in the alcohol group than in the control group (p

Description: by Stephen P. Cohen, Hongxia Liu, Cristiana T. Argueso, Andy Pereira, Casiana Vera Cruz, Valerie Verdier, Jan E. Leach Plant disease is a major challenge to agriculture worldwide, and it is exacerbated by abiotic environmental factors. During some plant-pathogen interactions, heat stress allows pathogens to overcome host resistance, a phenomenon which could severely impact crop productivity considering the global warming trends associated with climate change. Despite the importance of this phenomenon, little is known about the underlying molecular mechanisms. To better understand host plant responses during simultaneous heat and pathogen stress, we conducted a transcriptomics experiment for rice plants (cultivar IRBB61) containing Xa7 , a bacterial blight disease resistance ( R ) gene, that were infected with Xanthomonas oryzae , the bacterial blight pathogen of rice, during high temperature stress. Xa7- mediated resistance is unusual relative to resistance mediated by other R genes in that it functions better at high temperatures. Using RNA-Seq technology, we identified 8,499 differentially expressed genes as temperature responsive in rice cultivar IRBB61 experiencing susceptible and resistant interactions across three time points. Notably, genes in the plant hormone abscisic acid biosynthesis and response pathways were up-regulated by high temperature in both mock-treated plants and plants experiencing a susceptible interaction and were suppressed by high temperature in plants exhibiting Xa7- mediated resistance. Genes responsive to salicylic acid, an important plant hormone for disease resistance, were down-regulated by high temperature during both the susceptible and resistant interactions, suggesting that enhanced Xa7- mediated resistance at high temperature is not dependent on salicylic acid signaling. A DNA sequence motif similar to known abscisic acid-responsive cis- regulatory elements was identified in the promoter region upstream of genes up-regulated in susceptible but down-regulated in resistant interactions. The results of our study suggest that the plant hormone abscisic acid is an important node for cross-talk between plant transcriptional response pathways to high temperature stress and pathogen attack. Genes in this pathway represent an important focus for future study to determine how plants evolved to deal with simultaneous abiotic and biotic stresses.

Description: 〈b〉Friedrich Robert Helmert, founder of modern geodesy, on the occasion of the centenary of his death〈/b〉〈br〉 Johannes Ihde and Andreas Reinhold〈br〉 Hist. Geo Space. Sci., 8, 79-95, https://doi.org/10.5194/hgss-8-79-2017, 2017〈br〉 Friedrich Robert Helmert died in Potsdam in 1917. He was, for over 30 years, director of the Royal Prussian Geodetic Institute and of the Central Bureau of the Internationale Erdmessung, today's IAG. He dedicated his life and his scientific career to the field of geodesy. His teachings on theoretical and physical geodesy were incorporated into university curricula around the world and hence into international endeavours to measure planet Earth.

Description: 〈b〉Scientific Drilling at Lake Tanganyika, Africa: A Transformative Record for Understanding Evolution in Isolation and the Biological History of the African Continent, University of Basel, 6–8 June 2016〈/b〉〈br〉 Andrew S. Cohen and Walter Salzburger〈br〉 Sci. Dril., 22, 43-48, https://doi.org/10.5194/sd-22-43-2017, 2017〈br〉 A workshop was held in Basel, Switzerland, to discuss the scientific opportunities for evolutionary biology, paleobiology and paleoecology of a drilling project at Lake Tanganyika, one of the oldest and most biodiverse lakes on Earth. A record of the numerous endemic organisms collected from the lake coupling body fossils, environmental history and potentially aDNA or ancient protein records would be transformative for understanding evolution in isolation and the biogeographic history of Africa.

Description: 〈b〉Flow intake control using dry-weather forecast〈/b〉〈br〉 Otto Icke, Kim van Schagen, Christian Huising, Jasper Wuister, Edward van Dijk, and Arjan Budding〈br〉 Drink. Water Eng. Sci., 10, 69-74, https://doi.org/10.5194/dwes-10-69-2017, 2017〈br〉 Flow intake based on predictive control using dry-weather flow and rainfall predictions offers reduced peak discharges on the waste water treatment plants. This results in a better performance of the waste water treatment plant and particularly the utilisation of the post-treatment phase. Results at waste water treatment plant Bennekom show that about 50 % of bypass volume of the post-treatment phase can be prevented with operational predictive control. This improves the surface water quality.

Description: 〈b〉Online total organic carbon (TOC) monitoring for water and wastewater treatment plants processes and operations optimization〈/b〉〈br〉 Céline Assmann, Amanda Scott, and Dondra Biller〈br〉 Drink. Water Eng. Sci., 10, 61-68, https://doi.org/10.5194/dwes-10-61-2017, 2017〈br〉 TOC (total organics carbon) analysis, as a laboratory and online technology, offers new perspectives to organic measurements in waters and waste water, supplementing regulatory oxygen demand tests. TOC monitoring, implemented as a tool to make informative and rapid treatment decisions, becomes a useful process control parameter. This paper discusses the various technologies available and details how three municipal plants gained insights into their processes and saved on their spending with TOC.

Description: 〈b〉Fifteen years of the Chinese Continental Scientific Drilling Program〈/b〉〈br〉 Zhiqin Xu, Jingsui Yang, Chengshan Wang, Zhisheng An, Haibing Li, Qin Wang, and Dechen Su〈br〉 Sci. Dril., 22, 1-18, https://doi.org/10.5194/sd-22-1-2017, 2017〈br〉 The 5158 m deep borehole of the Chinese Continental Scientific Drilling (CCSD) Project in the Sulu ultrahigh-pressure metamorphic terrain marked the starting point of the CCSD Program. Since then, several continental scientific drilling projects were conducted with funding of the Chinese government and partially with support of ICDP, resulting in a total drilling depth of more than 35 000 m. This paper reviews the history and major progress of the CCSD Program in the past 15 years.

Description: 〈b〉GONAF – the borehole Geophysical Observatory at the North Anatolian Fault in the eastern Sea of Marmara〈/b〉〈br〉 Marco Bohnhoff, Georg Dresen, Ulubey Ceken, Filiz Tuba Kadirioglu, Recai Feyiz Kartal, Tugbay Kilic, Murat Nurlu, Kenan Yanik, Digdem Acarel, Fatih Bulut, Hisao Ito, Wade Johnson, Peter Eric Malin, and Dave Mencin〈br〉 Sci. Dril., 22, 19-28, https://doi.org/10.5194/sd-22-19-2017, 2017〈br〉 GONAF (Geophysical Observatory at the North Anatolian Fault) has been installed around the eastern Sea of Marmara section where a 〈i〉M〈/i〉〈i〉〉〈/i〉7 earthquake is pending to capture the seismic and strain activity preceding, during, and after such an anticipated event. GONAF is currently comprised of seven 300 m deep vertical seismic profiling stations and four collocated 100 m deep borehole strain meters. GONAF is the first ICDP-driven project with a primary focus on long-term fault-zone monitoring.

Description: 〈b〉Regional estimation of Curie-point depths and succeeding geothermal parameters from recently acquired high-resolution aeromagnetic data of the entire Bida Basin, north-central Nigeria〈/b〉〈br〉 Levi I. Nwankwo and Abayomi J. Sunday〈br〉 Geoth. Energ. Sci., 5, 1-9, https://doi.org/10.5194/gtes-5-1-2017, 2017〈br〉 The recent aeromagnetic data over the Bida Basin, Nigeria, have been used to estimate the Curie-point depths (CPDs), geothermal gradients (GGs), and near-surface crustal heat flow (HF) of the basin. The result shows that the CPD varies between 15.57 and 29.62 km, GG varies between 19.58 and 37.25 °C km〈sup〉−1〈/sup〉, and HF varies between 48.41 and 93.12 mW m〈sup〉−2〈/sup〉. Regions are observed in the basin with shallow CPDs and corresponding high HFs, thus suggesting anomalous geothermal conditions.

Description: 〈b〉Ecology Day〈/b〉〈br〉 Maria Amélia Martins Loução〈br〉 Web Ecol., 17, 65-67, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-17-65-2017, 2017〈br〉 Following the 150th anniversary of the science of ecology, the Portuguese Ecological Society (SPECO) proposes 14 September as Ecology Day. This day should be promoted by ecological societies to host different kinds of public and media events closely related to ecology, in a broad sense. The date, 14 September, was chosen because it was on that day Haeckel had published his 〈q〉Ökologie und Chorologie〈/q〉.

Description: 〈b〉The ecology of subindividual variability in plants: patterns, processes, and prospects〈/b〉〈br〉 Carlos M. Herrera〈br〉 Web Ecol., 17, 51-64, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-17-51-2017, 2017〈br〉 Plants produce a considerable number of structures of one kind, like leaves, flowers, fruits, and seeds, which are not identical. This paper provides an overview of current knowledge on traits that vary subindividually, the magnitude of subindividual variation, and its spatial patterning. Examples are presented on the consequences of subindividual variation for plants and consumers. Emerging links between genetics, epigenetics, subindividual variation, and population ecology are also considered.

Description: 〈b〉A statistical approach to latitude measurements: Ptolemy's and Riccioli's geographical works as case studies〈/b〉〈br〉 Luca Santoro〈br〉 Hist. Geo Space. Sci., 8, 69-77, https://doi.org/10.5194/hgss-8-69-2017, 2017〈br〉 Historical geographical works typically contain many latitude measurements of locations: all show measurement errors and some of these refer to lost cities. How can we estimate errors? How can we know the right position of lost cities? This work shows a general approach to give a scientific answer to these questions in two particular case studies: Ptolemy's Geography and Riccioli's work on geography.

Description: 〈b〉Steponas Kolupaila's contribution to hydrological science development〈/b〉〈br〉 Gintaras Valiuškevičius〈br〉 Hist. Geo Space. Sci., 8, 57-67, https://doi.org/10.5194/hgss-8-57-2017, 2017〈br〉 This article presents the most important facts on the life and scientific achievements of Steponas Kolupaila (1892–1964) – one of the most famous hydrologists of the 20th century. This Lithuanian scientist is especially well known for his book 〈i〉Bibliography of Hydrometry〈/i〉.

Description: 〈b〉Ball lightning: a Renaissance account from Zafra (Spain)〈/b〉〈br〉 José M. Vaquero〈br〉 Hist. Geo Space. Sci., 8, 53-56, https://doi.org/10.5194/hgss-8-53-2017, 2017〈br〉 An analysis is given of the account of a 〈q〉globe of fire〈/q〉 observed in Zafra (Spain) in the middle of the 16th century. During a strong storm, Conde Don Pedro observed what he described as a 〈q〉globe of fire〈/q〉 that was directed against the city and abruptly changed course. He attributed the change in course to a miracle. He described neither any damage nor sound.

Description: 〈b〉Franz Kossmat – 〈i〉Subdivision of the Variscan Mountains〈/i〉 – a translation of the German text with supplementary notes〈/b〉〈br〉 Guido Meinhold〈br〉 Hist. Geo Space. Sci., 8, 29-51, https://doi.org/10.5194/hgss-8-29-2017, 2017〈br〉 This work is in honour of Franz Kossmat (1871–1938) and his esteemed paper the 〈i〉Gliederung des varistischen Gebirgsbaues〈/i〉 published 1927 in 〈i〉Abhandlungen des Sächsischen Geologischen Landesamts〈/i〉, Volume 1, pages 1 to 39. It constitutes the foundation of the general subdivision of the Central European Variscides into several geotectonic zones and the idea of large-scale nappe transport of individual units. In the English translation presented here an attempt is made to provide a readable text, which should still reflect Kossmat's style but would also be readable for a non-German speaking community either working in the Variscan Mountains or having specific interests in historical aspects of geosciences. Supplementary notes provide information about Kossmat's life and the content of the text. Kossmat's work is a superb example of how important geological fieldwork and mapping are for progress in geoscientific research.

Description: 〈b〉Report on the ICDP workshop DIVE (Drilling the Ivrea–Verbano zonE)〈/b〉〈br〉 Mattia Pistone, Othmar Müntener, Luca Ziberna, György Hetényi, and Alberto Zanetti〈br〉 Sci. Dril., 23, 47-56, https://doi.org/10.5194/sd-23-47-2017, 2017〈br〉 The Ivrea–Verbano Zone is the most complete, time-integrated crust–upper mantle archive in the world. It is a unique target for assembling data on the deep crust and Moho transition zone to unravel the formation, evolution, and modification of the continental crust through space and time across the Earth. Four drilling operations in the Ivrea-Verbano Zone crustal section represent the scientifically most promising solution to achieve the major goals of DIVE Project.

Description: 〈b〉Photocatalytic degradation of dyes in water by analytical reagent grades ZnO, TiO〈sub〉2〈/sub〉 and SnO〈sub〉2〈/sub〉: a comparative study〈/b〉〈br〉 Dnyaneshwar R. Shinde, Popat S. Tambade, Manohar G. Chaskar, and Kisan M. Gadave〈br〉 Drink. Water Eng. Sci., 10, 109-117, https://doi.org/10.5194/dwes-10-109-2017, 2017〈br〉 With photocatalytic activity of commercially available photocatalysts, viz. ZnO, TiO〈sub〉2〈/sub〉 and SnO〈sub〉2〈/sub〉, a set of photocatalytic experiments was performed under similar conditions using crystal violet, basic blue and methyl red dyes in water. The comparison of photocatalytic activity of ZnO with the benchmark Degussa P-25 (TiO〈sub〉2〈/sub〉) catalyst as well as with AR grade TiO〈sub〉2〈/sub〉 and SnO〈sub〉2〈/sub〉 showed that despite low specific surface areas and larger grain sizes, ZnO displayed higher activity in the degradation of dyes.

Description: 〈b〉Modeling particle transport and discoloration risk in drinking water distribution networks〈/b〉〈br〉 Joost van Summeren and Mirjam Blokker〈br〉 Drink. Water Eng. Sci., 10, 99-107, https://doi.org/10.5194/dwes-10-99-2017, 2017〈br〉 The build-up and subsequent remobilization of microscopic particles can cause discoloration of drinking water during distribution. We theoretically investigated the relevant transport processes and dependencies on flow conditions and particle properties. The presented theoretical framework is intended as a starting point for a numerical tool to help water utilities determine regions of high discoloration risk and reduce these risks, e.g., by designing more efficient pipe cleaning programs.

Description: 〈b〉Scientific Exploration of Induced SeisMicity and Stress (SEISMS)〈/b〉〈br〉 Heather M. Savage, James D. Kirkpatrick, James J. Mori, Emily E. Brodsky, William L. Ellsworth, Brett M. Carpenter, Xiaowei Chen, Frédéric Cappa, and Yasuyuki Kano〈br〉 Sci. Dril., 23, 57-63, https://doi.org/10.5194/sd-23-57-2017, 2017〈br〉 The Scientific Exploration of Induced SeisMicity and Stress (SEISMS) meeting brought together earthquake scientists from around the world. Discussion focused on field-scale experiments for understanding earthquake nucleation, propagation, and arrest.

Description: 〈b〉Limitations of demand- and pressure-driven modeling for large deficient networks〈/b〉〈br〉 Mathias Braun, Olivier Piller, Jochen Deuerlein, and Iraj Mortazavi〈br〉 Drink. Water Eng. Sci., 10, 93-98, https://doi.org/10.5194/dwes-10-93-2017, 2017〈br〉 The article introduces a stable formulation of the model for water distribution systems that guarantees the existence of a unique solution. This is done regarding two modeling paradigms. First for models with customer demand as a fixed boundary condition and second for models that add a boundary condition on the minimum network pressure. The following discussion concludes that pressure-driven models are superior in modeling deficient networks, but still have to be improved.

Description: 〈b〉Limitations of demand- and pressure-driven modeling for large deficient networks〈/b〉〈br〉 Mathias Braun, Olivier Piller, Jochen Deuerlein, and Iraj Mortazavi〈br〉 Drink. Water Eng. Sci., 10, 93-98, https://doi.org/10.5194/dwes-10-93-2017, 2017〈br〉 The article introduces a stable formulation of the model for water distribution systems that guarantees the existence of a unique solution. This is done regarding two modeling paradigms. First for models with customer demand as a fixed boundary condition and second for models that add a boundary condition on the minimum network pressure. The following discussion concludes that pressure-driven models are superior in modeling deficient networks, but still have to be improved.

Description: 〈b〉Identifying (subsurface) anthropogenic heat sources that influence temperature in the drinking water distribution system〈/b〉〈br〉 Claudia M. Agudelo-Vera, Mirjam Blokker, Henk de Kater, and Rob Lafort〈br〉 Drink. Water Eng. Sci., 10, 83-91, https://doi.org/10.5194/dwes-10-83-2017, 2017〈br〉 Water temperature in the drinking water distribution system (DWDS) and at the customers' taps approaches the surrounding soil temperature at 1 m in depth. In the Netherlands drinking water is distributed without additional residual disinfectant and drinking water temperature at the customers' tap should not exceed 25 ºC. Some urban infrastructures are heat sources and generate hot-spots. This article describes a method to find anthropogenic heat sources that influence temperature in the DWDS.

Description: 〈b〉Modeling and clustering water demand patterns from real-world smart meter data〈/b〉〈br〉 Nicolas Cheifetz, Zineb Noumir, Allou Samé, Anne-Claire Sandraz, Cédric Féliers, and Véronique Heim〈br〉 Drink. Water Eng. Sci., 10, 75-82, https://doi.org/10.5194/dwes-10-75-2017, 2017〈br〉 This paper aims at a better understanding of water consumption usage.

Description: 〈b〉Flow intake control using dry-weather forecast〈/b〉〈br〉 Otto Icke, Kim van Schagen, Christian Huising, Jasper Wuister, Edward van Dijk, and Arjan Budding〈br〉 Drink. Water Eng. Sci., 10, 69-74, https://doi.org/10.5194/dwes-10-69-2017, 2017〈br〉 Flow intake based on predictive control using dry-weather flow and rainfall predictions offers reduced peak discharges on the waste water treatment plants. This results in a better performance of the waste water treatment plant and particularly the utilisation of the post-treatment phase. Results at waste water treatment plant Bennekom show that about 50 % of bypass volume of the post-treatment phase can be prevented with operational predictive control. This improves the surface water quality.

Description: 〈b〉Modeling particle transport and discoloration risk in drinking water distribution networks〈/b〉〈br〉 Joost van Summeren and Mirjam Blokker〈br〉 Drink. Water Eng. Sci., 10, 99-107, https://doi.org/10.5194/dwes-10-99-2017, 2017〈br〉 The build-up and subsequent remobilization of microscopic particles can cause discoloration of drinking water during distribution. We theoretically investigated the relevant transport processes and dependencies on flow conditions and particle properties. The presented theoretical framework is intended as a starting point for a numerical tool to help water utilities determine regions of high discoloration risk and reduce these risks, e.g., by designing more efficient pipe cleaning programs.

Description: 〈b〉Online total organic carbon (TOC) monitoring for water and wastewater treatment plants processes and operations optimization〈/b〉〈br〉 Céline Assmann, Amanda Scott, and Dondra Biller〈br〉 Drink. Water Eng. Sci., 10, 61-68, https://doi.org/10.5194/dwes-10-61-2017, 2017〈br〉 TOC (total organics carbon) analysis, as a laboratory and online technology, offers new perspectives to organic measurements in waters and waste water, supplementing regulatory oxygen demand tests. TOC monitoring, implemented as a tool to make informative and rapid treatment decisions, becomes a useful process control parameter. This paper discusses the various technologies available and details how three municipal plants gained insights into their processes and saved on their spending with TOC.

Description: 〈b〉Facility for testing ice drills〈/b〉〈br〉 Dennis L. Nielson, Chris Delahunty, John W. Goodge, and Jeffery P. Severinghaus〈br〉 Sci. Dril., 22, 29-33, https://doi.org/10.5194/sd-22-29-2017, 2017〈br〉 The North American Testing (NAT) was designed to test critical functions of a Rapid Access Ice Drill (RAID) at a site in northern Utah. The RAID was designed to rapidly drill in Antarctica through over 2500 m of ice and then take a core sample of the bedrock. The system has many innovative features that required field testing before the system was shipped to Antarcitca. The NAT facility consisted of a borehole where we froze a column of ice to test drilling and fluid circulation functions.

Description: 〈b〉Modeling and clustering water demand patterns from real-world smart meter data〈/b〉〈br〉 Nicolas Cheifetz, Zineb Noumir, Allou Samé, Anne-Claire Sandraz, Cédric Féliers, and Véronique Heim〈br〉 Drink. Water Eng. Sci., 10, 75-82, https://doi.org/10.5194/dwes-10-75-2017, 2017〈br〉 This paper aims at a better understanding of water consumption usage.

Description: 〈b〉IODP workshop: developing scientific drilling proposals for the Argentina Passive Volcanic Continental Margin (APVCM) – basin evolution, deep biosphere, hydrates, sediment dynamics and ocean evolution〈/b〉〈br〉 Roger D. Flood, Roberto A. Violante, Thomas Gorgas, Ernesto Schwarz, Jens Grützner, Gabriele Uenzelmann-Neben, F. Javier Hernández-Molina, Jennifer Biddle, Guillaume St-Onge, and APVCM workshop participants〈br〉 Sci. Dril., 22, 49-61, https://doi.org/10.5194/sd-22-49-2017, 2017〈br〉 The Argentine margin contains important sedimentological, paleontological and chemical records of regional and local tectonic evolution, sea level, climate evolution and ocean circulation since the opening of the South Atlantic in the Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous as well as the present-day results of post-depositional chemical and biological alteration. Despite its important location, which underlies the exchange of southern- and northern-sourced water masses, the Argentine margin has not been investigated in detail using scientific drilling techniques, perhaps because the margin has the reputation of being erosional. However, a number of papers published since 2009 have reported new high-resolution and/or multichannel seismic surveys, often combined with multi-beam bathymetric data, which show the common occurrence of layered sediments and prominent sediment drifts on the Argentine and adjacent Uruguayan margins. There has also been significant progress in studying the climatic records in surficial and near-surface sediments recovered in sediment cores from the Argentine margin. Encouraged by these recent results, our 3.5-day IODP (International Ocean Discovery Program) workshop in Buenos Aires (8–11 September 2015) focused on opportunities for scientific drilling on the Atlantic margin of Argentina, which lies beneath a key portion of the global ocean conveyor belt of thermohaline circulation. Significant opportunities exist to study the tectonic evolution, paleoceanography and stratigraphy, sedimentology, and biosphere and geochemistry of this margin.

Description: 〈b〉A comparison of the use of X-ray and neutron tomographic core scanning techniques for drilling projects: insights from scanning core recovered during the Alpine Fault Deep Fault Drilling Project〈/b〉〈br〉 Jack N. Williams, Joseph J. Bevitt, and Virginia G. Toy〈br〉 Sci. Dril., 22, 35-42, https://doi.org/10.5194/sd-22-35-2017, 2017〈br〉 We compare images of drillcore from the Alpine Fault in New Zealand that were collected using X-ray computed tomography (CT) and neutron tomography (NT). Both techniques provide 3-D images of the core's internal structure, which would not be possible through visual analysis alone. We find that CT scans are more beneficial, as they can image a wider range of rock types, and this scanning technique is more practical. Nevertheless, NT provides complementary scans over limited intervals of core.

Description: 〈b〉Identifying (subsurface) anthropogenic heat sources that influence temperature in the drinking water distribution system〈/b〉〈br〉 Claudia M. Agudelo-Vera, Mirjam Blokker, Henk de Kater, and Rob Lafort〈br〉 Drink. Water Eng. Sci., 10, 83-91, https://doi.org/10.5194/dwes-10-83-2017, 2017〈br〉 Water temperature in the drinking water distribution system (DWDS) and at the customers' taps approaches the surrounding soil temperature at 1 m in depth. In the Netherlands drinking water is distributed without additional residual disinfectant and drinking water temperature at the customers' tap should not exceed 25 ºC. Some urban infrastructures are heat sources and generate hot-spots. This article describes a method to find anthropogenic heat sources that influence temperature in the DWDS.

Description: 〈b〉Foramina in plesiosaur cervical centra indicate a specialized vascular system〈/b〉〈br〉 Tanja Wintrich, Martin Scaal, and P. Martin Sander〈br〉 Foss. Rec., 20, 279-290, https://doi.org/10.5194/fr-20-279-2017, 2017〈br〉 Plesiosaurians retain a very long neck but greatly reduce neck flexibility, and the cervicals have large, paired, and highly symmetrical foramina on the ventral side of the centrum, traditionally termed 〈q〉subcentral foramina〈/q〉, and on the floor of the neural canal. We found that these dorsal and the ventral foramina are connected by a canal. The foramen are not for nutrient transfer; they are the osteological correlates of a highly paedomorphic vascular system in the neck of plesiosaurs.

Description: 〈b〉Could disruptive technologies also reform academia?〈/b〉〈br〉 Casparus J. Crous〈br〉 Web Ecol., 17, 47-50, https://doi.org/10.5194/we-17-47-2017, 2017〈br〉 A thriving future science community could depend on disruptive technologies to shake up outmoded academic practices.

Description: Long-term vegetation monitoring in Great Britain – the Countryside Survey 1978–2007 and beyond Claire M. Wood, Simon M. Smart, Robert G. H. Bunce, Lisa R. Norton, Lindsay C. Maskell, David C. Howard, W. Andrew Scott, and Peter A. Henrys Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., doi:10.5194/essd-2017-17,2017 Manuscript under review for ESSD (discussion: open, 0 comments) The Countryside Survey (CS) of Great Britain consists of an extensive set of repeated ecological measurements at a national scale, covering a time span of 29 years. CS was first undertaken in 1978 to monitor ecological and land use change in Britain using standardised procedures for recording ecological data from representative 1 km squares throughout the country. The vegetation component has subsequently been repeated in 1990, 1998 and 2007, and changes may be related to a range of drivers.

Description: Long-term vegetation monitoring in Great Britain – the Countryside Survey 1978–2007 and beyond Claire M. Wood, Simon M. Smart, Robert G. H. Bunce, Lisa R. Norton, Lindsay C. Maskell, David C. Howard, W. Andrew Scott, and Peter A. Henrys Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., doi:10.5194/essd-2017-17,2017 Manuscript under review for ESSD (discussion: open, 0 comments) The Countryside Survey (CS) of Great Britain consists of an extensive set of repeated ecological measurements at a national scale, covering a time span of 29 years. CS was first undertaken in 1978 to monitor ecological and land use change in Britain using standardised procedures for recording ecological data from representative 1 km squares throughout the country. The vegetation component has subsequently been repeated in 1990, 1998 and 2007, and changes may be related to a range of drivers.

Description: Measurement experiences with FluxSet digital D/I station László Hegymegi, János Szöllősy, Csaba Hegymegi, and Ádám Domján Geosci. Instrum. Method. Data Syst. Discuss., doi:10.5194/gi-2017-14,2017 Manuscript under review for GI (discussion: open, 0 comments) The authors developed and built a digital non-magnetic declination inclination magnetometer which gives all measurement data in digital form. Use of this instrument significantly decreases possibility of observation errors and minimizes handwork. We showed that this device is suitable for absolute magnetic control measurements, and its more convenient, user friendly and effective than the traditional ones.

Description: Possibilities of further improvement of 1-second fluxgate variometers Andriy Marusenkov Geosci. Instrum. Method. Data Syst. Discuss., doi:10.5194/gi-2017-12,2017 Manuscript under review for GI (discussion: open, 0 comments) The paper discusses the possibility to improve quality of geomagnetic variations monitoring at the ground observatories. The new fluxgate sensor as well as electronics with upgraded temperature and noise characteristics are described. It is supposed that the application of the discussed in the paper results and recommendations will allow creating an fluxgate magnetometer with outstanding level of parameters.

Description: Measurement experiences with FluxSet digital D/I station László Hegymegi, János Szöllősy, Csaba Hegymegi, and Ádám Domján Geosci. Instrum. Method. Data Syst. Discuss., doi:10.5194/gi-2017-14,2017 Manuscript under review for GI (discussion: open, 0 comments) The authors developed and built a digital non-magnetic declination inclination magnetometer which gives all measurement data in digital form. Use of this instrument significantly decreases possibility of observation errors and minimizes handwork. We showed that this device is suitable for absolute magnetic control measurements, and its more convenient, user friendly and effective than the traditional ones.

Description: Explicit and parametrised representation of under ice shelf seas in a z * coordinate ocean model Pierre Mathiot, Adrian Jenkins, Christopher Harris, and Gurvan Madec Geosci. Model Dev. Discuss., doi:10.5194/gmd-2017-37,2017 Manuscript under review for GMD (discussion: open, 0 comments) Ice shelf/ocean interactions are a major source of fresh water on the Antarctic continental shelf and have a strong impact on ocean properties, ocean circulation and sea ice. However, climate models based on the ocean/sea ice model NEMO currently do not include these interactions in any detail. The capability of explicitly simulating the circulation beneath ice shelves is introduced in the non-linear free surface model NEMO. Its implementation into the NEMO framework and its assessment in an idealised and realistic circum-Antarctic configuration is described in this study. Compared with the current prescription of ice shelf melting (i.e. at the surface) inclusion of open sub-ice-shelf leads to a decrease sea ice thickness along the coast, a weakening of the ocean stratification on the shelf, a decrease in salinity of HSSW on the Ross and Weddell Sea shelves and an increase in the strength of the gyres that circulate within the over-deepened basins on the West Antarctic continental shelf. Mimicking the under ice shelf seas overturning circulation by introducing the meltwater over the depth range of the ice shelf base, rather than at the surface is also tested. It yields similar improvements in the simulated ocean properties and circulation over the Antarctic continental shelf than the explicit ice shelf cavity representation. With the ice shelf cavities opened, the widely-used “3 equations” ice shelf melting formulation enables an interactive computation of melting that has been assessed. Comparison with observational estimates of ice shelf melting indicates realistic results for most ice shelves. However, melting rates for Amery, Getz and George VI ice shelves are considerably overestimated.

Description: Multiple domain evaluation of watershed hydrology models Karthik Kumarasamy and Patrick Belmont Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., doi:10.5194/hess-2017-121,2017 Manuscript under review for HESS (discussion: open, 0 comments) Watershed scale models simulating hydrology and water quality have advanced rapidly in sophistication. Given the importance of these models to support decision-making for a wide range of environmental issues, the hydrology community is compelled to improve the metrics used to evaluate model performance. We introduce a suite of new tools and metrics for model evaluation. We propose general guidelines for selecting parameters that should be included for matching predicted flow with measured flow.

Description: Moment-based Metrics for Global Sensitivity Analysis of Hydrological Systems Aronne Dell'Oca, Monica Riva, and Alberto Guadagnini Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., doi:10.5194/hess-2017-90,2017 Manuscript under review for HESS (discussion: open, 0 comments) We propose new metrics to assist global sensitivity analysis of Earth systems. Our approach allows assessing the impact of model parameters on the first four statistical moments of a target model output, allowing to ascertain which parameters can affect some moments of the model output pdf while being uninfluential to others. Our approach is fully compatible with analysis in the context of model complexity reduction, design of experiment, uncertainty quantification and risk assessment.

Description: Interannual variation, decadal trend, and future change in ozone outflow from East Asia Jia Zhu, Hong Liao, Yuhao Mao, Yang Yang, and Hui Jiang Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 3729-3747, doi:10.5194/acp-17-3729-2017, 2017 Asian O 3 outflow exhibited a small and statistically insignificant decadal trend with large interannual variations from 1986–2006. The latter were mainly caused by variations in the meteorological conditions. Future climate change will aggravate the effects of the increases in anthropogenic emissions on future changes in the Asian O 3 outflow. These findings help us to understand the variations in tropospheric O 3 in the regions downwind of East Asia on different timescales.

Description: Tracing changes in atmospheric moisture supply to the drying Southwest China Chi Zhang, Qiuhong Tang, Deliang Chen, Laifang Li, Xingcai Liu, and Huijuan Cui Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., doi:10.5194/acp-2017-147,2017 Manuscript under review for ACP (discussion: open, 0 comments) Precipitation over Southwest China (SWC) decreased significantly in recent years. By attributing precipitation to its sources, we found that the reduced precipitation is resulted from the reduced moisture supply from regions influenced by the South Asian Summer Monsoon and the westerlies. Further study revealed the dynamic variations in circulation dominate the interannual variations in precipitation over SWC. Changes in circulation systems may be related to the recent changes in SSTs.

Description: Potential impact of carbonaceous aerosols on the Upper Troposphere and Lower Stratosphere (UTLS) during Asian summer monsoon in a global model simulation Suvarna Fadnavis, Gayatry Kalita, K. Ravi Kumar, Blaz Gasparini, and Jui-Lin Frank Li Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., doi:10.5194/acp-2017-197,2017 Manuscript under review for ACP (discussion: open, 0 comments) In this study, the model simulations show that monsoon convection over the Bay of Bengal, the South China Sea and Southern flanks of the Himalayas transport Asian carbonaceous aerosol into the UTLS. Carbonaceous aerosol induces enhancement in heating rate, vertical velocity and water vapor transport in the UTLS.Doubling of BC + OC aerosols creates an anomalous warming over the TP. It elicits monsoon Hadley circulation and thus increases precipitation over India and northeast China.

Description: An improved parameterisation of ozone dry deposition to the ocean and its impact in a global climate–chemistry model Ashok K. Luhar, Ian E. Galbally, Matthew T. Woodhouse, and Marcus Thatcher Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 3749-3767, doi:10.5194/acp-17-3749-2017, 2017 Dry deposition of tropospheric ozone relates to its destruction at the Earth’s surface. An improved model scheme for such deposition to the ocean is formulated backed up by field data. It results in the oceanic dry deposition of ozone to be 12 % of the global total, which is much lower than the current model estimate of about 30 %. This result has implications for modelling global tropospheric ozone budget and its radiative forcing, and ozone mixing ratios, especially in the Southern Hemisphere.

Description: Potential impact of carbonaceous aerosols on the Upper Troposphere and Lower Stratosphere (UTLS) during Asian summer monsoon in a global model simulation Suvarna Fadnavis, Gayatry Kalita, K. Ravi Kumar, Blaz Gasparini, and Jui-Lin Frank Li Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., doi:10.5194/acp-2017-197,2017 Manuscript under review for ACP (discussion: open, 0 comments) In this study, the model simulations show that monsoon convection over the Bay of Bengal, the South China Sea and Southern flanks of the Himalayas transport Asian carbonaceous aerosol into the UTLS. Carbonaceous aerosol induces enhancement in heating rate, vertical velocity and water vapor transport in the UTLS.Doubling of BC + OC aerosols creates an anomalous warming over the TP. It elicits monsoon Hadley circulation and thus increases precipitation over India and northeast China.

Description: Ice Crystal Characterization in Cirrus Clouds: A Sun-tracking Camera System and Automated Detection Algorithm for Halo Displays Linda Forster, Meinhard Seefeldner, Matthias Wiegner, and Bernhard Mayer Atmos. Meas. Tech. Discuss., doi:10.5194/amt-2017-17,2017 Manuscript under review for AMT (discussion: open, 0 comments) Halo displays are produced by scattering of sunlight by smooth, hexagonal ice crystals. Consequently, the presence of a halo should contain information on particle shape. This study presents HaloCam, a novel sun-tracking camera system, and an automated detection algorithm to collect and evaluate long-term halo observations. Two-year HaloCam observations revealed that about 25 % of the detected cirrus clouds occurred together with a 22° halo indicating the presence of smooth, hexagonal crystals.

Description: Risk assessment of liquefaction-induced hazards using Bayesian network based on standard penetration test data Xiao-Wei Tang, Jiang-Nan Qiu, and Ji-Lei Hu Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., doi:10.5194/nhess-2017-80,2017 Manuscript under review for NHESS (discussion: open, 0 comments) Liquefaction-induced hazards are responsible for considerable damages to engineering structures during major earthquakes. Presently, there is not any effective empirical approach that can assess different liquefaction-induced hazards in one model, such as sand boils, ground cracks, settlement, and lateral spreading, due to the uncertainties and complexity of multiple related factors of seismic liquefaction and liquefaction-induced hazards. This study used Bayesian network method to integrate multiple important factors of seismic liquefaction, sand boils, ground cracks, settlement and lateral spreading into a model based on standard penetration test historical data, so that the constructed Bayesian network model can assess the four different liquefaction-induced hazards together for free fields. In the study case, compared with the artificial neural network technology and the Ishihara and Yoshimine simplified method, the Bayesian network method performed a better classification ability, because its prediction probabilities of Accuracy , Brier score , Recall , Precision , and area under the curve of receiver operating characteristic ( AUC of ROC ) are better, which illustrated that the Bayesian network method is a good alternative tool for risk assessment of liquefaction-induced hazards. Furthermore, the performances of the application of the BN model in estimating liquefaction-induced hazards in the Japan's Northeast Pacific Offshore Earthquake also prove the correctness and reliability of it compared with the liquefaction potential index approach. Except for assessing the severity of hazards induced by soil liquefaction, the proposed Bayesian network model can also predict whether the soil is liquefied or not after an earthquake, and it can deduce the process of a chain reaction of the liquefaction-induced hazards and do backward reasoning, the assessment results from the proposed model could provide informative guidelines for decision-makers to detect damage state of a field induced by liquefaction.

Description: On the deep convection events and Antarctic Bottom Water formation in ocean reanalysis products Wilton Aguiar, Mauricio M. Mata, and Rodrigo Kerr Ocean Sci. Discuss., doi:10.5194/os-2017-9,2017 Manuscript under review for OS (discussion: open, 0 comments) In ocean models, Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) formation is frequently misrepresented. Hence, assessing the causes of spurious formation is important to assure accurate future simulations. Only one of the state-of-art reanalysis investigated showed AABW formation accurately. Spurious formation in the other two products resulted from opening of large ice-free areas. The relatively accurate AABW formation in one of the products is an important advance on the simulation of deep ocean circulation.

Description: by Yang-yang Liu, Han-yan Sun, Wei Li, Yun-lei Xia, Yuan-yu Deng, Ai-xiang Zhang, Huai-gu Chen In China, Fusarium head blight is caused mainly by the Fusarium graminearum species complex (FGSC), which produces trichothecene toxins. The FGSC is divided into three chemotypes: 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol (3-ADON), 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol (15-ADON), and nivalenol (NIV). In order to predict the geographical changes in the distribution of these chemotype populations in major winter wheat-producing areas in China, the biological characteristics of twenty randomly selected isolates from each of the three chemotypes were studied. No significant difference was exhibited in the growth rate of 3-ADON, 15-ADON, and NIV isolates at 15°C. At 20°C and 25°C, the growth rate of 15-ADON isolates was the highest. At 30°C, the growth rate of NIV and 3-ADON isolates was significantly higher than that of 15-ADON isolates. The 15-ADON isolates produced the highest quantities of perithecia and two to three days earlier than the other two populations at each temperature, and released more ascospores at 18°C. The aggressiveness test on wheat seedlings and ears indicated there was no significant difference between the 3-ADON and 15-ADON isolates. However, the aggressiveness of NIV isolates was significantly lower than that of the 3-ADON and 15-ADON isolates. The DON content in grains from heads inoculated with the 3-ADON isolates was higher than the content of 15-ADON and NIV isolates. The results showed that 15-ADON population had the advantage in perithecia formation and ascospore release, and the 3-ADON population produced more DON in wheat grains. We suggested that distribution of these three chemotype populations may be related to these biological characteristics.

Description: by Marek Zak, Malgorzata Biskup, Pawel Macek, Halina Krol, Szymon Krupnik, Anna Opuchlik Objective Breast cancer treatment, including radical surgery, is also pursued as late as the 7th - 8th decade of women’s lives. Standard physical rehabilitation procedures offered to those women are predominantly focused on attenuating specific functional deficits of the upper limb and trunk. Seldom do they entail any regimens specifically aimed at recovering overall functionality, and reducing exposure to falls-risk.The study aimed to assess potential interrelationships between the self-reported falls, individual functional capabilities and appreciably reducing exposure to falls-risk in a group of post-menopausal, post-surgical breast cancer survivors. Methods The study recruited 102 women (aged 65–79; mean age 70.2), post-surgical breast cancer survivors. The subjects were stratified by age into three groups: Group 1 (65–69 years); Group 2 (70–74 years), and Group 3 (75–79 years). Individual functional capabilities were assessed with Eight-foot up & go test (8UG), chair stand test (CST), and 2-minute step test (2ST). Tinetti POMA test was applied to assess gait and balance disorders. Self-reported falls in the past year were ascertained through a questionnaire. Results Assessment of individual aerobic endurance (2ST) also demonstrated a clear deficit in the mean scores category in all respective age sub-groups, as compared against the reference values. The deficits ranged from 4.86 to 15.90 steps less than the normative values; the oldest subjects demonstrating the largest deficit. The aerobic endurance tests results significantly impacted the ultimate assessment of an individual falls-risk in the oldest group. The analysis of the number of falls sustained within the recent year indicated that 43.67% of the subjects fell victim of such incidents. Conclusion An individual exposure to falls-risk was found to be appreciably more dependent upon individual aerobic endurance rather than overall strength of the lower part of the body in the breast cancer survivors over 75.

Description: by Jae Ha Gwak, So Young Sohn Background Recently, the need for rapid wound-healing has significantly increased because of the increasing number of patients who are diagnosed with diabetes and obesity. These conditions have contributed to a surge in the number of patients with chronic wounds worldwide. Furthermore, many cost-effective wound-healing technologies have been developed in order to keep up with the increased demand. In this paper, we performed a quantitative study of the trends associated with wound-healing technologies using patent data. Methodology We analyzed the trends considering four different groups of patent applicants: firms, universities, research institutes, and individuals using a structural topic model. In addition, we analyzed the knowledge flow between patent applicants using citation analysis, and confirmed the role of applicants in the knowledge-flow network using k-means clustering. As a result, the primary wound-healing technology patents applied for by the four groups varied considerably, and we classified the roles of patent applicants were found in the knowledge-flow network. Conclusions Our results showed the organizations that are leading each area of wound-healing technology. Furthermore, from the results, we identified specific institutions that are efficient for spreading knowledge related to wound-healing technology based on the patents. This information can contribute to the planning of investment strategies and technology policies related to wound-healing.

Description: by Xiyang Liu, Jiewei Jiang, Kai Zhang, Erping Long, Jiangtao Cui, Mingmin Zhu, Yingying An, Jia Zhang, Zhenzhen Liu, Zhuoling Lin, Xiaoyan Li, Jingjing Chen, Qianzhong Cao, Jing Li, Xiaohang Wu, Dongni Wang, Haotian Lin Slit-lamp images play an essential role for diagnosis of pediatric cataracts. We present a computer vision-based framework for the automatic localization and diagnosis of slit-lamp images by identifying the lens region of interest (ROI) and employing a deep learning convolutional neural network (CNN). First, three grading degrees for slit-lamp images are proposed in conjunction with three leading ophthalmologists. The lens ROI is located in an automated manner in the original image using two successive applications of Candy detection and the Hough transform, which are cropped, resized to a fixed size and used to form pediatric cataract datasets. These datasets are fed into the CNN to extract high-level features and implement automatic classification and grading. To demonstrate the performance and effectiveness of the deep features extracted in the CNN, we investigate the features combined with support vector machine (SVM) and softmax classifier and compare these with the traditional representative methods. The qualitative and quantitative experimental results demonstrate that our proposed method offers exceptional mean accuracy, sensitivity and specificity: classification (97.07%, 97.28%, and 96.83%) and a three-degree grading area (89.02%, 86.63%, and 90.75%), density (92.68%, 91.05%, and 93.94%) and location (89.28%, 82.70%, and 93.08%). Finally, we developed and deployed a potential automatic diagnostic software for ophthalmologists and patients in clinical applications to implement the validated model.

Description: Strain heterogeneities at the ductile to brittle transition; a case study on ice Thomas Chauve, Maurine Montagnat, Cédric Lachaud, David Georges, and Pierre Vacher Solid Earth Discuss., doi:10.5194/se-2017-24,2017 Manuscript under review for SE (discussion: open, 0 comments) For the first time, Digital Image Correlation was used to follow strain field development during micro cracking, at the ductile to brittle transition in polycrystalline ice. Owing to the high temperature conditions of the tests, dynamic recrystallization mechanisms (nucleation and sub-grain rotation) efficiently participate to the stress redistribution during and after crack opening, and even lead to local crack closure.

Description: Strain heterogeneities at the ductile to brittle transition; a case study on ice Thomas Chauve, Maurine Montagnat, Cédric Lachaud, David Georges, and Pierre Vacher Solid Earth Discuss., doi:10.5194/se-2017-24,2017 Manuscript under review for SE (discussion: open, 0 comments) For the first time, Digital Image Correlation was used to follow strain field development during micro cracking, at the ductile to brittle transition in polycrystalline ice. Owing to the high temperature conditions of the tests, dynamic recrystallization mechanisms (nucleation and sub-grain rotation) efficiently participate to the stress redistribution during and after crack opening, and even lead to local crack closure.

Description: Impact of icebergs on net primary productivity in the Southern Ocean Shuang-Ye Wu and Shugui Hou The Cryosphere, 11, 707-722, doi:10.5194/tc-11-707-2017, 2017 The primary productivity in the Southern Ocean (SO) is limited by the amount of iron available for biological activities. Recent studies show that icebergs could be a main source of iron to the SO. Based on remote sensing data, our study shows that iceberg presence is associated with elevated levels of ocean productivity, particularly in iron-deficient regions. This impact could serve as a negative feedback to the climate system.

Description: Bromine, iodine and sodium in surface snow along the 2013 Talos Dome–GV7 traverse (northern Victoria Land, East Antarctica) Niccolò Maffezzoli, Andrea Spolaor, Carlo Barbante, Michele Bertò, Massimo Frezzotti, and Paul Vallelonga The Cryosphere, 11, 693-705, doi:10.5194/tc-11-693-2017, 2017 Sea ice is a crucial parameter within Earth's climate system. Understanding its dynamics and its response to other climatic variables is therefore of primary importance in view of a warming climate and sea ice decline. In this work we investigate some features of a chemical parameter in ice cores, bromine enrichment, which is linked to sea ice and can therefore be used to reconstruct sea ice in the past.

Description: Application of a two-step approach for mapping ice thickness to various glacier types on Svalbard Johannes Jakob Fürst, Fabien Gillet-Chaulet, Toby J. Benham, Julian A. Dowdeswell, Mariusz Grabiec, Francisco Navarro, Rickard Pettersson, Geir Moholdt, Christopher Nuth, Björn Sass, Kjetil Aas, Xavier Fettweis, Charlotte Lang, Thorsten Seehaus, and Matthias Braun The Cryosphere Discuss., doi:10.5194/tc-2017-30,2017 Manuscript under review for TC (discussion: open, 0 comments) For the large majority of glaciers and ice caps, there is no information on the thickness of the ice cover. Any attempt to predict glacier demise under climatic warming and to estimate the future contribution to sea-level rise is limited as long as the glacier thickness is not well constrained. Here, we present a two-step mass-conservation approach for mapping ice thickness. Measurements are naturally reproduced. The reliability is readily assessible from a complementary map of error estimates.

Description: Bromine, iodine and sodium in surface snow along the 2013 Talos Dome–GV7 traverse (northern Victoria Land, East Antarctica) Niccolò Maffezzoli, Andrea Spolaor, Carlo Barbante, Michele Bertò, Massimo Frezzotti, and Paul Vallelonga The Cryosphere, 11, 693-705, doi:10.5194/tc-11-693-2017, 2017 Sea ice is a crucial parameter within Earth's climate system. Understanding its dynamics and its response to other climatic variables is therefore of primary importance in view of a warming climate and sea ice decline. In this work we investigate some features of a chemical parameter in ice cores, bromine enrichment, which is linked to sea ice and can therefore be used to reconstruct sea ice in the past.

Description: Application of a two-step approach for mapping ice thickness to various glacier types on Svalbard Johannes Jakob Fürst, Fabien Gillet-Chaulet, Toby J. Benham, Julian A. Dowdeswell, Mariusz Grabiec, Francisco Navarro, Rickard Pettersson, Geir Moholdt, Christopher Nuth, Björn Sass, Kjetil Aas, Xavier Fettweis, Charlotte Lang, Thorsten Seehaus, and Matthias Braun The Cryosphere Discuss., doi:10.5194/tc-2017-30,2017 Manuscript under review for TC (discussion: open, 0 comments) For the large majority of glaciers and ice caps, there is no information on the thickness of the ice cover. Any attempt to predict glacier demise under climatic warming and to estimate the future contribution to sea-level rise is limited as long as the glacier thickness is not well constrained. Here, we present a two-step mass-conservation approach for mapping ice thickness. Measurements are naturally reproduced. The reliability is readily assessible from a complementary map of error estimates.

Description: Impact of icebergs on net primary productivity in the Southern Ocean Shuang-Ye Wu and Shugui Hou The Cryosphere, 11, 707-722, doi:10.5194/tc-11-707-2017, 2017 The primary productivity in the Southern Ocean (SO) is limited by the amount of iron available for biological activities. Recent studies show that icebergs could be a main source of iron to the SO. Based on remote sensing data, our study shows that iceberg presence is associated with elevated levels of ocean productivity, particularly in iron-deficient regions. This impact could serve as a negative feedback to the climate system.

Description: Sensitivity of transatlantic dust transport to chemical aging and related atmospheric processes Mohamed Abdelkader, Swen Metzger, Benedikt Steil, Klaus Klingmüller, Holger Tost, Andrea Pozzer, Georgiy Stenchikov, Leonard Barrie, and Jos Lelieveld Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 3799-3821, doi:10.5194/acp-17-3799-2017, 2017 We present a modeling study on the impacts of the key processes (dust emission flux, convection and dust aging parameterizations) that control the transatlantic dust transport using an advanced version of the EMAC atmospheric chemistry general circulation model. We define the direct effect of dust aging as an increase in the AOD as a result of hygroscopic growth. We define the indirect effect as a reduction in the dust AOD due to the higher removal of the aged dust particles.

Description: Simultaneous multicopter-based air sampling and sensing of meteorological variables Caroline Brosy, Karina Krampf, Matthias Zeeman, Benjamin Wolf, Wolfgang Junkermann, Klaus Schäfer, Stefan Emeis, and Harald Kunstmann Atmos. Meas. Tech. Discuss., doi:10.5194/amt-2017-60,2017 Manuscript under review for AMT (discussion: open, 0 comments) Vertical and horizontal sounding of the planetary boundary layer can be complemented by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). Utilizing a multicopter-type UAV spatial sampling of air and simultaneously sensing of meteorological variables is possible for the study of surface exchange processes. During stable atmospheric conditions, vertical methane gradients of about 300 ppb were found. This approach extended the vertical profile height of existing tower-based infrastructure by a factor of five.

Description: Linking diverse nutrient patterns to different water masses within anticyclonic eddies in the upwelling system off Peru Yonss Saranga José, Heiner Dietze, and Andreas Oschlies Biogeosciences, 14, 1349-1364, doi:10.5194/bg-14-1349-2017, 2017 This study aims to investigate the diverse subsurface nutrient patterns observed within anticyclonic eddies in the upwelling system off Peru. Two simulated anticyclonic eddies with opposing subsurface nitrate concentrations were analysed. The results show that diverse nutrient patterns within anticyclonic eddies are related to the presence of water mass from different origins at different depths, responding to variations in depth of the circulation strength at the edge of the eddy.

Description: Gas chromatography vs. quantum cascade laser-based N 2 O flux measurements using a novel chamber design Christian Brümmer, Bjarne Lyshede, Dirk Lempio, Jean-Pierre Delorme, Jeremy J. Rüffer, Roland Fuß, Antje M. Moffat, Miriam Hurkuck, Andreas Ibrom, Per Ambus, Heinz Flessa, and Werner L. Kutsch Biogeosciences, 14, 1365-1381, doi:10.5194/bg-14-1365-2017, 2017 We present a novel chamber design for measuring soil–atmosphere N 2 O fluxes and compare the performance of a commonly applied gas chromatography (GC) setup with laser-based (QCL) concentration detection. While GC was still a useful method for longer-term investigations, we found that closure times of 10 min and sampling every 5 s is sufficient when using a QCL system. Further, extremely low standard errors (

Description: Drivers of multi-century trends in the atmospheric CO 2 mean annual cycle in a prognostic ESM Jessica Liptak, Gretchen Keppel-Aleks, and Keith Lindsay Biogeosciences, 14, 1383-1401, doi:10.5194/bg-14-1383-2017, 2017 We analyzed the evolution of the atmospheric CO 2 mean annual cycle simulated during 1950–2300 under three scenarios designed to separate the effects of climate change, CO 2 fertilization, and land use change. CO 2 fertilization in boreal and temperate ecosystems drove mean annual cycle amplification over the NH midlatitudes during 1950–2300. Boreal and Arctic climate change drove high-latitude amplification before 2200, after which CO 2 fertilization contributed nearly equally to amplification.

Description: Episodic Neoglacial expansion and rapid 20th Century retreat of a small ice cap on Baffin Island, Arctic Canada and modeled temperature change Simon L. Pendleton, Gifford H. Miller, Robert A. Anderson, Sarah E. Crump, Yafang Zhong, Alexandra Jahn, and Áslaug Geirsdottir Clim. Past Discuss., doi:10.5194/cp-2017-27,2017 Manuscript under review for CP (discussion: open, 0 comments) Recent warming in the high latitudes has prompted the accelerated retreat of ice caps and glaciers, especially in the Canadian Arctic. Here we use the radiocarbon age of preserved plants being exposed by shrinking ice caps that once entombed them. These ages help us to constrain the timing and magnitude of climate change on southern Baffin Island over the past ~ 2000 years. Our results show episodic cooling up until ~ 1900 CE, followed by accelerated warming through present.

Description: Episodic Neoglacial expansion and rapid 20th Century retreat of a small ice cap on Baffin Island, Arctic Canada and modeled temperature change Simon L. Pendleton, Gifford H. Miller, Robert A. Anderson, Sarah E. Crump, Yafang Zhong, Alexandra Jahn, and Áslaug Geirsdottir Clim. Past Discuss., doi:10.5194/cp-2017-27,2017 Manuscript under review for CP (discussion: open, 0 comments) Recent warming in the high latitudes has prompted the accelerated retreat of ice caps and glaciers, especially in the Canadian Arctic. Here we use the radiocarbon age of preserved plants being exposed by shrinking ice caps that once entombed them. These ages help us to constrain the timing and magnitude of climate change on southern Baffin Island over the past ~ 2000 years. Our results show episodic cooling up until ~ 1900 CE, followed by accelerated warming through present.

Description: Seasonal forecasting of hydrological drought in the Limpopo Basin: a comparison of statistical methods Mathias Seibert, Bruno Merz, and Heiko Apel Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 21, 1611-1629, doi:10.5194/hess-21-1611-2017, 2017 Seasonal early warning is vital for drought management in arid regions like the Limpopo Basin in southern Africa. This study shows that skilled seasonal forecasts can be achieved with statistical methods built upon driving factors for drought occurrence. These are the hydrological factors for current streamflow and meteorological drivers represented by anomalies in sea surface temperatures of the surrounding oceans, which combine to form unique combinations in the drought forecast models.

Description: A sprinkling experiment to quantify celerity-velocity differences at the hillslope scale Willem J. van Verseveld, Holly R. Barnard, Chris B. Graham, Jeffrey J. McDonnell, J. Renée Brooks, and Markus Weiler Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., doi:10.5194/hess-2017-125,2017 Manuscript under review for HESS (discussion: open, 0 comments) How stream water responds immediately to a rainfall or snow event while the average time it takes water to travel through the hillslope can be years or decades, is poorly understood. We assessed this difference by combining a 24 day sprinkler experiment (a tracer was applied at the start) with a process based hydrologic model. Immobile soil water, deep groundwater contribution and soil depth variability explained this difference at our hillslope site.

Description: Groundwater impacts on surface water quality and nutrient loads in lowland polder catchments: monitoring the greater Amsterdam area Liang Yu, Joachim Rozemeijer, Boris M. van Breukelen, Maarten Ouboter, Corné van der Vlugt, and Hans Peter Broers Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., doi:10.5194/hess-2017-99,2017 Manuscript under review for HESS (discussion: open, 0 comments) The study shows the importance of the connection between groundwater and surface water nutrient chemistry in a lowland delta area – the greater Amsterdam area. We expect that taking account of groundwater-surface water interaction is also important in other subsiding and urbanising deltas around the world, where water is managed intensively in order to enable agricultural productivity and achieve water sustainable cities.

Description: Parameter optimisation for a better representation of drought by LSMs: inverse modelling vs. sequential data assimilation Hélène Dewaele, Simon Munier, Clément Albergel, Carole Planque, Nabil Laanaia, Dominique Carrer, and Jean-Christophe Calvet Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., doi:10.5194/hess-2017-120,2017 Manuscript under review for HESS (discussion: open, 0 comments) Soil Maximum Available Water Content (MaxAWC) is a key parameter in land surface models. Being difficult to measure, this parameter is usually unavailable. A fifteen-year time-series of satellite-derived observations of Leaf Area Index (LAI) is used to retrieve MaxAWC for rainfed croplands over France. LAI is sequentially assimilated into the ISBA LSM. MaxAWC is retrieved minimizing LAI analyses increments. Annual maximum LAI observations correlate with MaxAWC.

Description: This paper presents an adaptive droop-based power-sharing control strategy. The primary objective is to control the sharing of the active power transmitted by a multiterminal voltage-source converter based high voltage direct current network among a number of onshore ac grids or offshore loads based on the desired percentage shares. The shared power is generated by remote generation plants (e.g., offshore wind farms) or is provided as surplus from ac grids. The desired percentage shares of active power are optimized by the system operator in order to fulfil the active power requirements of the connected grids with respect to meeting goals such as supporting energy adequacy, increasing renewable energy penetration, and minimizing losses. The control strategy is based on two hierarchal levels: voltage-droop control as the primary controller and an optimal-power flow based secondary (supervisory) controller for selecting the optimal droop reference voltages. Based on the dc voltage transient and steady-state dynamics, a methodology for choosing the droop gains for droop controlled converters has been developed. The proposed control strategy has been validated through simulation on the CIGRE B4 dc grid test system. The results confirmed the flexibility and effectiveness of the power-sharing control provided by the new control strategy.

Description: This paper presents a new nonlinear current control strategy based on backstepping control and high-order sliding mode differentiator in order to employ distributed generation (DG) unit interfacing converters to actively compensate harmonics/interharmonics of local loads. The converter-based DG unit is connected to a weak grid (with uncertain impedance) and local load (that can be parametrically uncertain and topologically unknown) through an LCL filter. The proposed strategy robustly regulates the inverter output currents and delivers pure sinusoidal, three-phase balanced currents to the grid. The new controller demonstrates the robust performance and robust stability of the DG unit system with respect to the filter parameters uncertainties, grid impedance, grid frequency, and grid voltage as well as the unknown load dynamics that include unbalanced loads and nonlinear loads with harmonic and interharmonic currents. We should remark that the local compensation of the loads with interharmonic current using a DG unit system is first proposed in this paper. When compared with the popular parallel proportional resonant control technique, the proposed controller offers smoother transient responses and a lower level of current distortion. The performance of the proposed control strategy is verified in MATLAB/SimPowerSystems toolbox.

Description: Optimally dispatching photovoltaic (PV) inverters is an efficient way to avoid overvoltage in active distribution networks, which may occur in the case of the PV generation surplus load demand. Typically, the dispatching optimization objective is to identify critical PV inverters that have the most significant impact on the network voltage level. Following, it ensures the optimal set-points of both active power and reactive power for the selected inverters, guaranteeing the entire system operating constraints (e.g., the network voltage magnitude) within reasonable ranges. However, the intermittent nature of solar PV energy may affect the selection of the critical PV inverters and also the final optimal objective value. In order to address this issue, a two-stage robust centralized-optimal dispatch model is proposed in this paper to achieve a robust PV inverter dispatch solution considering the PV output uncertainties. In addition, the conic relaxation-based branch flow formulation and the column-and-constraint generation algorithm are employed to deal with the proposed robust optimization model. Case studies on a 33-bus distribution network and comparisons with the deterministic optimization approach have demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Description: The dynamic economic dispatching of power system connected with multiple wind farms is a typical stochastic programming problem. How to model the randomness of wind power and how to solve this complex stochastic optimization problem are the key points. In this paper, copula theory is used to formulate the correlation of multiwind farms generation. Then, the dynamic economic dispatching model is founded with the fuel consumption, gas pollution emission fees, and electricity purchase costs as the optimized objective. The two-stage compensation algorithm is then introduced to solve the dispatching problem. In this algorithm, the conventional (nonstochastic) decision variables and stochastic variables are decoupled, which separate the dynamic dispatching model into two stage modes. The optimal dispatching result is worked out by iteration between the two stage models. Case studies on IEEE118-bus system and an actual provincial power grid show that the proposed algorithm can drastically reduce computational burden, and satisfy the actual requirements of engineering practice.

Description: A single-stage flyback PV inverter with maximum power point tracking (MPPT) high-speed capability is presented in this paper. The proposed stand-alone photovoltaic energy system (SAPES) incorporates the use of hybrid MPPT to ensure peak energy harvesting under all weather conditions. The proposed hybrid MPPT method combines the conventional short current pulse (SCP) MPPT method and the perturb and observe (P&O) methods. Measurement of the offline parameter [short-circuit current of PV module ( ${I}_{rm sc}$ )] for SCP is made on the basis of the difference between the offline parameter and the instantaneous current of PV module ( ${I}_{rm pv}$ ). Use of a single power conversion stage is achieved by employing a modified flyback inverter operating in a discontinuous-conduction mode. The control structure of the conventional flyback inverter is also modified to incorporate the hybrid MPPT algorithm. The proposed SAPES method is tested using computer-aided simulations and real-time hardware in the loop experimentation using the dSPACE DS1104 board. The results obtained using the proposed systems are better than those for the conventional algorithms under the environmental conditions tested.

Description: The large-scale integration of a grid-scale energy storage and the increasing penetration of renewable resources motivate the development of techniques for determining the optimal ratings and locations of storage devices. This paper proposes a method for identifying the sites where energy storage systems should be located to perform spatio-temporal energy arbitrage most effectively and the optimal size of these systems. This method takes a centralized perspective where the objective is to minimize the sum of the expected operating cost and the investment cost of energy storage. It has been tested on a realistic 240-bus 448-line model of the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) interconnection. The influence on the results of the following parameters is analyzed: Maximum number of storage locations, maximum size of storage systems, capital cost of deploying storage, value assigned to spillage of renewable energy, marginal cost of conventional generation, and renewable generation capacity. These numerical results are used to characterize the benefits that energy storage can provide in prospective large-scale power systems with renewable generation.

Description: In this study, we propose a novel distributed secondary control scheme for both voltage and frequency in autonomous microgrids. By incorporating predictive mechanisms into distributed generations, the secondary voltage control is converted to a tracker consensus problem of distributed model predictive control, with the synchronous convergence procedure for voltage magnitudes to the reference value drastically accelerated at a low communication cost. A sufficient local stability condition with the parameter analysis is established. Thus, a distributed proportional integral method combined with a finite-time observer to estimate the global reference information is presented in the frequency restoration while maintaining accurate active power sharing. Our approach accommodates model uncertainty, plug-and-play capability, and especially robustness against information update intervals, which is essential when the conventional method probably yields toward a poor performance. Meanwhile, the distributed architecture implemented on the local and neighboring information allows for a sparse communication network and eliminates the requirement for a centralized controller. Simulation results are provided to verify the effectiveness of the proposed control methodology.

Description: This paper proposes an $mathrm{H}_{infty}$ robust current controller for doubly-fed induction-generator (DFIG)-based wind turbines subject to grid voltage distortions. The controller is to mitigate the impact of the grid voltage distortions on rotor currents with DFIG parameter perturbation. The grid voltage distortions considered include asymmetric voltage dips and grid background harmonics. An uncertain DFIG model is developed with uncertain factors originating from distorted stator voltage, and changed generator parameters due to the flux saturation effect, the skin effect, etc. Weighting functions are designed to efficiently track the unbalanced current components and the fifth and seventh background harmonics. The robust stability and robust performance of the proposed controller are verified by the structured singular value μ. The performance of the $mathrm{H}_{infty}$ robust current controller was demonstrated with a 1.5-MW DFIG model, showing its harmonics suppression ability with DFIG parameter perturbation and improved robustness.

Description: This paper presents a comprehensive sensitivity analysis to identify the uncertain parameters which significantly influence the decision-making process in distributed generation (DG) investments and quantify their degree of influence. To perform the analysis, a DG investment planning model is formulated as a novel multistage and multiscenario optimization problem. Moreover, to ensure tractability and make use of exact solution methods, the entire problem is kept as a mixed-integer linear programming optimization. A real-world distribution network system is used to carry out the analysis. The results of the analysis generally show that uncertainty as well as operational variability of the considered parameters have meaningful impacts on investment decisions of DG. The degree of influence varies from one parameter to another. But, in general, ignoring or inadequately considering uncertainty and variability in model parameters has a quantifiable cost. Hence, the analysis made in this paper can be very useful to identify the most relevant model parameters that need special attention in planning practices.

Description: Analysis of streamflow response to land use land cover changes using satellite data and hydrological modelling: case study of Dinder and Rahad tributaries of the Blue Nile (Ethiopia/Sudan) Khalid Hassaballah, Yasir Mohamed, Stefan Uhlenbrook, and Khalid Biro Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., doi:10.5194/hess-2017-128,2017 Manuscript under review for HESS (discussion: open, 0 comments) The Dinder and Rahad experienced significant hydrological changes during recent years. This is claimed to be due to land use land cover changes (LULCC). Specific studies on LULCC in the Dinder and Rahad basins are still missing. This paper aims to understand the LULCC in the Dinder and Rahad and its implications on streamflow using satellite data and hydrological modelling. We expect that this study will be of high importance for decision making related to water resources planning and management.

Description: A conceptual prediction model of seasonal drought processes using atmospheric and oceanic Standardized Anomalies: application in four recent severe drought events in China Zhenchen Liu, Guihua Lu, Hai He, Zhiyong Wu, and Jian He Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., doi:10.5194/hess-2017-136,2017 Manuscript under review for HESS (discussion: open, 0 comments) Process prediction of seasonal drought is the goal of our study. We developed a drought prediction model based on atmospheric/oceanic anomalies. It is essentially the synchronous statistical relationship between atmospheric/oceanic anomalies and precipitation anomalies, forced by seasonal climate forecast models. It can predict seasonal drought development very well, despite its weakness in drought severity.

Description: A national-scale seasonal hydrological forecast system: development and evaluation over Britain Victoria A. Bell, Helen N. Davies, Alison L. Kay, Anca Brookshaw, and Adam A. Scaife Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., doi:10.5194/hess-2017-154,2017 Manuscript under review for HESS (discussion: open, 0 comments) The research presented here provides the first evaluation of the skill of a seasonal hydrological forecast for the UK. The forecast scheme combines rainfall forecasts from the Met Office GloSea5 forecast system with a national-scale hydrological model to provide estimates of river flows 1 to 3 months ahead. The skill in the combined model is assessed for different seasons and regions of Britain, and the analysis indicates that Autumn/Winter flows can be forecast with reasonable confidence.

Description: A national-scale seasonal hydrological forecast system: development and evaluation over Britain Victoria A. Bell, Helen N. Davies, Alison L. Kay, Anca Brookshaw, and Adam A. Scaife Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., doi:10.5194/hess-2017-154,2017 Manuscript under review for HESS (discussion: open, 0 comments) The research presented here provides the first evaluation of the skill of a seasonal hydrological forecast for the UK. The forecast scheme combines rainfall forecasts from the Met Office GloSea5 forecast system with a national-scale hydrological model to provide estimates of river flows 1 to 3 months ahead. The skill in the combined model is assessed for different seasons and regions of Britain, and the analysis indicates that Autumn/Winter flows can be forecast with reasonable confidence.

Description: High-magnitude flooding across Britain since AD 1750 Neil Macdonald and Heather Sangster Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 21, 1631-1650, doi:10.5194/hess-21-1631-2017, 2017 We use historical records to extend current understanding of flood risk, examining past spatial and temporal variability and ask are the perceived high-magnitude flood events witnessed in recent years really unprecedented? We identify that there are statistically significant relationships between the British flood index and climatic drivers, whereby the largest floods often transcend single catchments affecting regions and that the current flood-rich period is not unprecedented.

Description: A conceptual prediction model of seasonal drought processes using atmospheric and oceanic Standardized Anomalies: application in four recent severe drought events in China Zhenchen Liu, Guihua Lu, Hai He, Zhiyong Wu, and Jian He Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., doi:10.5194/hess-2017-136,2017 Manuscript under review for HESS (discussion: open, 0 comments) Process prediction of seasonal drought is the goal of our study. We developed a drought prediction model based on atmospheric/oceanic anomalies. It is essentially the synchronous statistical relationship between atmospheric/oceanic anomalies and precipitation anomalies, forced by seasonal climate forecast models. It can predict seasonal drought development very well, despite its weakness in drought severity.