Activity and abundance of denitrifying bacteria in the subsurface biosphere of diffuse hydrothermal vents of the Juan de Fuca Ridge Biogeosciences DOI 10.5194/bg-9-4661-2012 22 November 2012 Based on our rate measurements, and on published data on hydrothermal fluid fluxes and residence times, we estimated that up to ~10 Tg N yr−1could globally be removed in the subsurface biosphere of hydrothermal vents systems, thus, representing a small fraction of the total marine N loss (~275 to > 400 Tg N yr−1). Read more
Potential of semi-structural and non-structural adaptation strategies to reduce future flood risk: case study for the Meuse Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences DOI 10.5194/nhess-12-3455-2012 21 November 2012 Our research suggests that annual flood risk may increase by up to 185% by 2030 compared with 2000, as a result of combined land-use and climate changes. The independent contributions of climate change and land-use change to the simulated increase are 108% and 37%, respectively. Read more
Bioerosion by microbial euendoliths in benthic foraminifera from heavy metal-polluted coastal environments of Portovesme (south-western Sardinia, Italy) Biogeosciences DOI 10.5194/bg-9-4607-2012 20 November 2012 We found that carbonate dissolution induced by euendoliths is selective, depending on the Mg content and morpho-structural types of foraminiferal taxa. This study provides evidences for a connection between heavy metal dispersion, decrease in pH of the sea-water and bioerosional processes on foraminifera. Read more
Urbanization suitability maps: a dynamic spatial decision support system for sustainable land use Earth System Dynamics DOI 10.5194/esd-3-157-2012 20 November 2012 Recent developments in land consumption assessment identify the need to implement integrated evaluation approaches, with particular attention to the development of multidimensional tools for guiding and managing sustainable land use. Land use policy decisions are implemented mostly through spatial planning and its related zoning. We propose a novel methodological approach to identify a decision-making process for land use allocation. Read more
Sea-spray geoengineering in the HadGEM2-ES earth-system model: radiative impact and climate response Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics DOI 10.5194/acp-12-10887-2012 16 November 2012 The radiative impact and climate effects of geoengineering using sea-spray aerosols have been investigated in the HadGEM2-ES Earth system model using a fully prognostic treatment of the sea-spray aerosols and also including their direct radiative effect. Read more
Development of a new data-processing method for SKYNET sky radiometer observations Atmospheric Measurement Techniques DOI 10.5194/amt-5-2723-2012 15 November 2012 In this study, we propose a new data processing method to improve single scattering albedo retrievals for the SKYNET sky radiometer network, which is one of the growing number of networks of sun-sky photometers, such as NASA AERONET and others. Read more
Technology and human purpose: the problem of solids transport on the Earth’s surface Earth System Dynamics DOI 10.5194/esd-3-149-2012 14 November 2012 Invoking purpose as a mechanism in solids advection is an example of the need to import anthropic principles and concepts into the language and methodology of modern Earth system dynamics. Read more
Future air quality in Europe: a multi-model assessment of projected exposure to ozone Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics DOI 10.5194/acp-12-10613-2012 13 November 2012 In order to explore future air quality in Europe at the 2030 horizon, two emission scenarios developed in the framework of the Global Energy Assessment including varying assumptions on climate and energy access policies are investigated with an ensemble of six regional and global atmospheric chemistry transport models. Read more
First middle-atmospheric zonal wind profile measurements with a new ground-based microwave Doppler-spectro-radiometer Atmospheric Measurement Techniques DOI 10.5194/amt-5-2647-2012 7 November 2012 We report on the wind radiometer WIRA, a new ground-based microwave Doppler-spectro-radiometer specifically designed for the measurement of middle-atmospheric horizontal wind by observing ozone emission spectra at 142.17504 GHz. Read more
Multi-generation gas-phase oxidation, equilibrium partitioning, and the formation and evolution of secondary organic aerosol Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics DOI 10.5194/acp-12-9505-2012 22 October 2012 A new model of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation is developed that explicitly takes into account multi-generational oxidation as well as fragmentation of gas-phase compounds, and assumes equilibrium gas-particle partitioning. Read more