Stable water isotope signals in tropical ice clouds in the West African monsoon simulated with a regional convection-permitting model Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics DOI 10.5194/acp-22-8863-2022 14 October 2022 The Earth’s water cycle contains the common H2O molecule but also the less abundant, heavier HDO. We use their different physical properties to study tropical ice clouds in model simulations of the West African monsoon. Isotope signals reveal different processes through which ice clouds form and decay in deep-convective and widespread cirrus. Previously observed variations in upper-tropospheric vapour isotopes are explained by microphysical processes in convective updraughts and downdraughts. Read more
Technical note: Conservative storage of water vapour – practical in situ sampling of stable isotopes in tree stems Hydrology and Earth System Sciences DOI 10.5194/hess-26-3573-2022 12 October 2022 We developed a method of sampling and storing water vapour for isotope analysis, allowing us to infer plant water uptake depth. Measurements can be made at high temporal and spatial resolution even in remote areas. We ensured that all necessary components are easily available, making this method cost efficient and simple to implement. We found our method to perform well in the lab and in the field, enabling it to become a tool for everyone aiming to resolve questions regarding the water cycle. Read more
The Great Lakes Runoff Intercomparison Project Phase 4: the Great Lakes (GRIP-GL) Hydrology and Earth System Sciences DOI 10.5194/hess-26-3537-2022 10 October 2022 Model intercomparison studies are carried out to test various models and compare the quality of their outputs over the same domain. In this study, 13 diverse model setups using the same input data are evaluated over the Great Lakes region. Various model outputs – such as streamflow, evaporation, soil moisture, and amount of snow on the ground – are compared using standardized methods and metrics. The basin-wise model outputs and observations are made available through an interactive website. Read more
Stratigraphic templates for ice core records of the past 1.5 Myr Climate of the Past DOI 10.5194/cp-18-1563-2022 7 October 2022 Projects are underway to drill ice cores in Antarctica reaching 1.5 Myr back in time. Dating such cores will be challenging. One method is to match records from the new core against datasets from existing marine sediment cores. Here we explore the options for doing this and assess how well the ice and marine records match over the existing 800 000-year time period. We are able to recommend a strategy for using marine data to place an age scale on the new ice cores. Read more
A physical concept in the press: the case of the jet stream Geoscience Communication DOI 10.5194/gc-5-177-2022 5 October 2022 In this paper, we discuss the instrumental role of the press in informing and educating the public on the subject of climate science and climate change. We illustrate this using an example of a dissemination format called Weather Stories, published daily in one of the most read newspapers in Spain. The particularities of this journalistic format are described using a practical example of a relatively complex physical concept: the jet stream. Read more
Clouds drive differences in future surface melt over the Antarctic ice shelves The Cryosphere DOI 10.5194/tc-16-2655-2022 3 October 2022 Model projections suggest large differences in future Antarctic surface melting even for similar greenhouse gas scenarios and warming rates. We show that clouds containing a larger amount of liquid water lead to stronger melt. As surface melt can trigger the collapse of the ice shelves (the safety band of the Antarctic Ice Sheet), clouds could be a major source of uncertainties in projections of sea level rise. Read more
A tectonic-rules-based mantle reference frame since 1 billion years ago – implications for supercontinent cycles and plate–mantle system evolution Solid Earth DOI 10.5194/se-13-1127-2022 30 September 2022 We have built a community model for the evolution of the Earth’s plate–mantle system. Created with open-source software and an open-access plate model, it covers the last billion years, including the formation, breakup, and dispersal of two supercontinents, as well as the creation and destruction of numerous ocean basins. The model allows us to “see” into the Earth in 4D and helps us unravel the connections between surface tectonics and the “beating heart” of the Earth, its convecting mantle. Read more
Black carbon aerosol reductions during COVID-19 confinement quantified by aircraft measurements over Europe Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics DOI 10.5194/acp-22-8683-2022 28 September 2022 The abrupt reduction in human activities during the first COVID-19 lockdown created unprecedented atmospheric conditions. We took the opportunity to quantify changes in black carbon (BC) as a major anthropogenic air pollutant. Therefore, we measured BC on board a research aircraft over Europe during the lockdown and compared the results to measurements from 2017. With model simulations we account for different weather conditions and find a lockdown-related decrease in BC of 41 %. Read more
Impact of freshwater runoff from the southwest Greenland Ice Sheet on fjord productivity since the late 19th century The Cryosphere DOI 10.5194/tc-16-2471-2022 26 September 2022 One of the questions facing the cryosphere community today is how increasing runoff from the Greenland Ice Sheet impacts marine ecosystems. To address this, long-term data are essential. Here, we present multi-site records of fjord productivity for SW Greenland back to the 19th century. We show a link between historical freshwater runoff and productivity, which is strongest in the inner fjord – influenced by marine-terminating glaciers – where productivity has increased since the late 1990s. Read more
Towards automatic finite-element methods for geodynamics via Firedrake Geoscientific Model Development DOI 10.5194/gmd-15-5127-2022 23 September 2022 Firedrake is a state-of-the-art system that automatically generates highly optimised code for simulating finite-element (FE) problems in geophysical fluid dynamics. It creates a separation of concerns between employing the FE method and implementing it. Here, we demonstrate the applicability and benefits of Firedrake for simulating geodynamical flows, with a focus on the slow creeping motion of Earth’s mantle over geological timescales, which is ultimately the engine driving our dynamic Earth. Read more
