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Encouraging a systematic use of flood marks for a more comprehensive flood risk management, we collected a large number of marks along the Kinzig, south-west Germany, and tested them for plausibility and temporal continuance. Despite uncertainty, the marks appeared to be an overall consistent and practical source that may also increase flood risk awareness. A wide agreement between the current flood hazard maps and the collected flood marks moreover indicated a robust local hazard assessment.

A recent statistical approach for studying relations in the Earth system is to train deep learning (DL) models to predict Earth system variables given one or several others, and use interpretable DL to analyze the relations learned by the models. Here, we propose to combine the approach with a theorem from causality research to ensure that the deep learning model learns causal rather than spurious relations. As an example, we apply the method to study soil moisture-precipitation coupling.

In this study, we tested whether coupling a global glacier model (GloGEM) with a global hydrological model (PCR-GLOBWB 2) leads to a more realistic glacier representation and consequently improved runoff predictions in the global hydrological model. While the coupling did not lead to improved runoff predictions across all of the 25 considered large-scale basins, we provide evidence that it does prevent the underestimation of glacier runoff and thereby prove the feasibility of this approach.

Coastal Asian cities are becoming more vulnerable to flooding. In this study we analyse the data collected from flood prone houses in Ho Chi Minh City to identify what motivates the households to adopt flood precautionary measures. The results revealed that educating the households about the available flood precautionary measures and communicating the flood protection measures taken by the government encourages the households to adopt measures without having to experience multiple flood events.

We focus on the exchange of key nutrients for algae production between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans through the Fram Strait. We show that the export of dissolved silicon here is controlled by availability of nitrate which is, in turn, influenced by denitrification on Arctic shelves. We suggest that any future changes in the river inputs of silica and changes in denitrification due to climate change will impact the amount of silicon exported, with impacts to Atlantic productivity and ecology.

Snow grain size is important to know the age and structure of snow, but it is difficult to measure. Snow grain size can be found from airborne and spaceborne observations by measuring near-infrared energy reflected from snow. In this study, we use the SNICAR radiative transfer model and a Monte Carlo model to examine how snow grain size measurements change with snow structure and solar zenith angle. We show that improved understanding of these variables improves snow grain size precision.

Potential users of all sky camera images include even power company, tourists and aurora enthusiast. However, these potential users are normally not familiar to interpreting these images. To make them comprehensive for wide users, we developed an automatic evaluation system of the auroral activity level. The method involves two steps: first making a simple set of numbers that describes the auroral activity, and then further simplifying them into several levels (Level 6 is aurora explosion).

Surface ozone can decrease plant productivity and impair human health. In this study, we evaluate the change in surface ozone due to climate change over South America and Africa using Earth system models. We find that if the climate were to change according to the worst-case scenario used here, models predict that forested areas in biomass burning locations and urban populations will be at increasing risk of ozone exposure, but other areas will experience a climate benefit.

Accurate predictions of storm activity are desirable for coastal management. We investigate how well a climate model can predict storm activity in the German Bight 1–10 years in advance. We let the model predict the past, compare these predictions to observations, and analyze whether the model is doing better than simple statistical predictions. We find that the model generally shows good skill for extreme periods, but the prediction timeframes with good skill depend on the type of prediction.

The design, characteristics, and performance of a CubeSat magnetometer board (Quad-Mag) equipped with four PNI RM3100 magnetometers is presented. The inclusion of four sensors allows a potential factor of two reduction in the noise floor established for an individual sensor via oversampling with multiple sensors. The Quad-Mag is shown to enable 1 nT magnetic field measurements at 1 Hz and 5.345 nT at 65 Hz using commercial-off-the-shelf sensors for space applications.

Three deep water masses pass the southern exit of the Labrador Sea. Usually they are defined by explicit density intervals linked to the formation region. We evaluate this relation in an ocean model by backtracking the paths the water follows for 40 years. 48 % densify without contact to the atmosphere. 24 % densify in contact with the atmosphere and 19 % come from the Nordic Seas. All three contribute to a similar density interval with very weak specific formation location characteristics.

On highly fractured rockwall such as those found in northern Gaspésie, most rockfalls are triggered by weather conditions. This study highlights that in winter, rockfall frequency is 12 times higher during a superficial thaw than during a cold period in which temperature remains below 0 °C. In summer, rockfall frequency is 22 times higher during a heavy rainfall event than during a period mainly dry. This knowledge could be used to implement a risk management strategy.

Collisions between ionic and dipolar molecules and clusters facilitate the formation of atmospheric aerosol particles, which affect global climate and air quality. We compared often used classical approaches for calculating ion-dipole collision rates with robust atomistic computer simulations. While classical approaches work for simple ions and dipoles only, our modelling approach can also efficiently calculate reasonable collision properties for more complex systems.

Near-surface characterization is of great importance. Surface wave tomography (SWT) is a powerful tool to model the subsurface. In this work, we compare straight-ray and curved-ray SWT at near-surface scale. We apply both approaches on four datasets and compare the results in terms of the quality of the final model and the computational cost. We show that in case of high data coverage, straight-ray SWT can produce similar results as curved-ray SWT, but with less computational cost.

This study combines field observations, non-parametric statistical analyses, and thermodynamic modeling to characterize the environmental causes of the spatial variability in soil pore water solute concentrations across two Arctic catchments with varying extents of permafrost. Vegetation type, soil moisture and redox conditions, weathering and hydrologic transport, and mineral solubility were all found to be the primary drivers of the existing spatial variability of some soil pore water solutes.

Multicopter unmanned aerial systems (UAS, also known as: drones) are very easy to use systems to collect data in the lowest part of the atmosphere. Wind and turbulence are parameters which are particularly important to understand the dynamics in the atmosphere. Only with three-dimensional measurements of the wind, a full understanding can be achieved. In this study, we show how even the vertical wind through the UAS can be measured with good accuracy.

A structural-geochronological approach helps to unravel the Zuccale Fault architecture. By mapping its internal structure and dating some of its fault rocks we constrained a deformation history lasting 20 Myr starting c. 22 Ma ago. Such long activity is recorded by now tightly juxtaposed Brittle Structural Facies, that is, different types of fault rocks. Our results have also implications on the regional evolution of the Northern Apennines, of which the Zuccale Fault is an important structure.

Severe drought stresses vegetation and causes reduced emission of isoprene. We study the impact of including a new isoprene drought stress (y_d) parameterization into NASA GISS ModelE called (DroughtStress_ModelE), which is specifically tuned for ModelE. Inclusion of y_d leads to better simulated isoprene emissions at the MOFLUX site during the severe drought of 2012, reduced overestimation of OMI satellite ΩHCHO (formaldehyde column) and improved simulated O₃ (ozone) during drought.

Poleward moving auroral forms (PMAFs) are specific types of aurora that are believed to be the signature of the connection of Earth's magnetic field to that of the sun. In this paper we discuss the evolution of PMAFs in regards to their auroral morphology as observed in all-sky camera images. We interpret different aspects of this evolution in terms of the connection dynamics between Earth's and the sun's magnetic fields. This sheds more light on the magnetic interaction between sun and Earth.

Hydroxyl radical (OH) is the important chemical species that determines the life time of some greenhouse gases and trace gases. OH plays vital role in the air pollution chemistry. OH has short lifetime and extremely difficult to measure directly. OH concentrations derived from the chemistry transport model (CTM) has uncertainties >50 %. Therefore in this study, OH is derived indirectly using satellite date in urban plume.

In this work we analyze signals emitted from wind turbines. They induce sound as well as ground motion waves which propagate through the subsurface and are registered by sensible instruments. In our data we observe when these signals are present and how strong they are. Some signals are present in ground motion and sound data, providing the opportunity to study similarities and better characterize emissions. Furthermore, we study the amplitudes with distance to improve the prediction of signals.

We present a study on the climatology of the metal sodium layer in the upper atmosphere, from the ground-based measurements obtained from a lidar network, the Odin satellite measurements, and a global model of meteoric sodium in the atmosphere. Comprehensively comparisons show good agreement and some discrepancies between ground-based observations, satellite measurements, and global model simulations.

There is currently no standardized method of performing uncertainty propagation in the (U-Th)/He system, causing difficulties in data interpretation. We present two methods of uncertainty propagation and describe a free, open-source software (HeCalc) to apply these methods. A compilation of real data using only analytical uncertainty, and 2 % and 5 % uncertainties in F_T yields respective median relative date uncertainties of 2.9 %, 3.3 % and 5.0 % for apatites and 1.7 %, 3.3 % and 5.0 % for zircons.

Electromagnetic sensors in a drone setup allow a lot of movability and downscale the cost and risk typically associated with an airborne system. This paper discusses the pros and cons of our newly developed drone-towed sensor system, where we use the controlled source electromagnetic sensor GEM2-UAV. We conduct 6 different tests dealing with altitude dependency, temperature drift, transmission frequencies, T- and P-mode, and drone noise. Additional, we show a data set collected with the system.

The supply of sediment (sand and gravel) carried by a stream out of a steep mountain valley is widely thought to control the gradient of the fan-shaped landforms that streams often build where they leave their valley. We tested this idea in a set of "sandbox" experiments with oscillating high and low sediment supply. Even though the average sediment supply never changed, longer oscillations built flatter fans, indicating how wetter climates might affect these mountain landforms.

Fifty documents with input from farmers, rangeland managers, and water resource managers were analyzed to understand climate information needs in the U.S. Corn Belt. Practitioners want information to help them make agricultural, water, and risk management decisions to improve economic outcomes. These results can inform decision support tool development, summarize background information for future research in the Corn Belt, and provide an example for research in other sectors and geographies.

Enhanced concentrations of aerosols influence the Arctic region during wintertime and winter-spring transition, transported from mid-latitude source regions. However, there are also local anthropogenic and natural (sea-spray aerosols – SSA) sources. SSA are a major contributor to PM_1.0/PM₁₀ at remote coastal sites during wintertime, however, models tend to miss essential mechanisms for SSA production and local sources of marine organics in the Arctic. This study addresses these uncertainties.

Volcanic edifices result from successive construction and dismantling phases. Thus, the geological units forming the volcano display complex geometries. We show that such geometries can be reconstructed thanks to aerial views, topographic surveys and photogrammetric models. In our case study of the Samperre Cliff (Martinique, Lesser Antilles), it allows to link destabilizations from a rocky cliff to the existence of a filled paleo valley, and estimate a potentially unstable volume.

The manuscript presents a new 3D shear wave velocity model of the lithosphere of northeastern Venezuela, including new Moho and Vp/Vs maps. Data were retrieved from land and broadband ocean bottom seismometers from the BOLIVAR experiment.

We integrate our previous models to examine abrupt climate changes pertaining to Heinrich and Dansgaard-Oeschger cycles as well as deglaciation punctuated by Younger Dryas. We posit their common origin in the calving of ice sheet triggered by thermal switches at its bed, which are differentiated between that caused by geothermal heat and surface melt. Together with the ocean evolution toward maximum entropy production, the theory provides an integrated account of observed phenomena.

Iodide chemical ionization mass spectrometers (CIMS) are commonly used in atmospheric chemistry laboratory studies and field campaigns. Deployment of the NOAA iodide CIMS in the summer of 2021 indicated a significant and overlooked temperature dependence of instrument sensitivity. This work explores the analytes influenced by this phenomena. Additionally, we recommend controls to reduce this influence for field deployments in the future.

Mass accumulation rates (MAR’s) from wind blown dust (loess) archives are one of the primary tools to gauge past climate conditions in a region. However, many of these reconstructions are based on individual loess sites, which may not be representative of the regional climate. This study investigates the relationship between loess MAR’s and climate, in the context of topography, sediment availability and supply and past circulation in Central and East Asia.

This study describes development of a workflow which produces probabilistic and quantitative forecasts of volcanic ash in the atmosphere. The workflow includes methods of incorporating satellite observations of the ash cloud into a modeling framework as well as verification statistics that can be used to guide further model development and provide information for risk-based approaches to flight planning.

Planting trees cools the climate by removing CO2 from the atmosphere, but may also cool or warm the climate by altering the albedo, roughness and evapotranspiration efficiency of the surface. To quantify these biogeophysical effects, we ran regional climate models over two idealized worlds, FOREST and GRASS, respectively representing maximum and minimum tree cover over North America and Europe. We find that these effects must be taken into account to successfully mitigate climate change.

In this study, we use high-resolution 3D reflection seismic data from the Orange Basin (South Africa) to provide an in-depth examination of the transitional domain from a buried deep-water fold-and-thrust belt (DWFTB) system. The study has shown the difference in structural styles and effects of a Late Cretaceous transitional and compressional domain and how they have influenced mass transport systems and deposits of the Cenozoic.

NOAA’s Geostationary Extended Observations (GeoXO) constellation is planned to consist of an atmospheric composition instrument (ACX) to support air quality forecasting and monitoring. As design trade-offs are being studied, we investigated one parameter, the polarization sensitivity, which has yet to be fully documented for NO₂ retrievals. Our simulation study explores these impacts to inform the ACX’s development and better understand polarization’s role in trace gas retrievals.

This paper applies different Lagrangian methods to identify Lagrangian Coherent Structures based on trajectories of 135 ocean surface drifters from the massive drifter release in the Gulf of Mexico. To our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive comparison of the performance of several different dynamical systems techniques with applications to real ocean drifters.

Secondary ice production (SIP) is an important physical phenomenon that results in an increase of cloud ice particle concentration and can have a significant impact on the evolution of clouds. In this study, idealized simulations of a tropical convective was conducted. Agreement between the simulations and observations highlights the impacts of SIP on the maintenance of tropical convection in nature and the importance of including the modeling of SIP in numerical weather prediction models.

Biological activity in shallow tidal environments significant influence the sediment dynamic and morphology. Here, a bio-morphodynamic model that accounts for hydro-climate variations on biofilm development to estimate the effect of biostabilisation on the bed is developed. Results reveal that key parameters such as growth rate and temperature strongly influence the development of biofilm under a range of disturbance periodicities and intensities, shaping the channel equilibrium profile.

European agriculture is vulnerable to weather extremes. Nevertheless, by choosing well how to manage their land, farmers can protect themselves against drought and peak rains. More than a thousand observations across Europe show that it is important to keep the soil covered with living plants, even in winter. A focus on a general reduction of traffic on agricultural land is more important than reducing tillage. Organic material needs to remain or be added on the field as much as possible.

The 7.4 meters of sea-level-equivalent stored as Greenland ice is getting smaller every year. The uncertain trajectory of ice loss could be better understood with knowledge of the ice sheet's response to past climate change. Within the bedrock below the present-day ice sheet is an archive of past ice sheet history. We analyze all available data from Greenland to create maps showing where on the ice sheet scientists can drill, using currently available drills, to obtain sub-ice materials.

In the Western Tropical South Atlantic, coastward currents spread oceanic cnidarians over the continental shelf. While both costal and oceanic communities co-occur in scenarios of higher runoff and weaker boundary current intensity, oceanic species dominate almost the entire shelf during the dry season characterized by stronger currents. Meanwhile, offshore, when the mixed-layer, the enhanced primary productivity supports larger populations of planktonic cnidarians.

We present a comprehensive characterization of water-soluble organic aerosol and the first mass spectral characterization of water-insoluble organic aerosol in cold season in Beijing by integrating online and offline aerosol mass spectrometer measurements. WSOA comprised dominantly secondary OA, and showed large changes during the transition season from autumn to winter. WIOA was characterized by prominent hydrocarbon ions series, low oxidation states, and significant day-night differences.

Statistical downscaling provides methods to bridge the gap between the global climate models and the scale of information needed to understand the impacts of climate change. This paper describes a new software package that provides a number of statistical downscaling approaches, as well as evaluation metrics for these methods. The goal of this work is to provide a new tool for researchers carrying out downscaling studies, and enable the easy use and comparison of different downscaling methods.

This work presents a novel, open-source modelling platform and associated input dataset of physical and socioeconomic coastal characteristics for over 9,000 discrete segments of global coastlines for evaluating future sea-level rise (SLR) impacts. We performed an initial evaluation of estimated future costs under 110 different future scenarios of SLR and socioeconomic growth trajectories and estimate global annual costs from SLR to range from roughly $200–500 billion by the year 2100.

We studied the mobility and sedimentary characteristic of rock avalanches influenced by initial discontinuity sets with experimental methods. In the experiments, we set different initial configurations of blocks. The results revealed that the mobility and surface structures of the mass flows differed significantly. In the mass deposits, the blocks’ orientation was affected by their initial configurations and the motion process of the mass flows.

Understanding and parameterizing the influences of black carbon (BC) particle morphology and compositional heterogeneity on its light absorption is a fundamental problem. We develop scaling laws using a single unifying parameter that effectively encompasses the large-scale diversity observed in BC light absorption on a per particle basis. These laws help to reconcile the disparities between field observations and model predictions. Our framework is packaged in an open-source Python application.

The linkage between cloud droplet and aerosol particle chemical composition was analyzed using samples collected in a polluted tropical marine environment. Variations in the droplet composition were related to physical and dynamical processes in clouds to assess their relative significance, across three cases that spanned a range of rainfall amounts. In spite of the pollution, sea salt still remained a major contributor to the droplet composition and was preferentially enhanced in rainwater.

Our results showed that at landscape level SOC stock variability was mainly explained by clay content. We found significant linear positive relationships between VC and SOC stocks for the land uses annual croplands, perennial croplands, grasslands and bushlands without soil depth restrictions until 110 cm. We concluded that in the forest-savanna transition zone, soil properties and topography determine land use, which in turn affects the stocks of SOC and TN and to some extent the VC stocks.

Changes of particle size distribution and PM concentrations during different dust events in West Texas were examined. Analysis based on different time scales showed that current common methods used to evaluate the impact of dust events on air quality will not capture the true impact of short dust events (convective), and therefore would not provide an insightful understanding of their impact on the environment and human health.