Comparison of OH concentration measurements by DOAS and LIF during SAPHIR chamber experiments at high OH reactivity and low NO concentration Atmospheric Measurement Techniques DOI 10.5194/amt-5-1611-2012 11 July 2012 During recent field campaigns, hydroxyl radical (OH) concentrations that were measured by laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) were up to a factor of ten larger than predicted by current chemical models for conditions of high OH reactivity and low NO concentration. These discrepancies, which were observed in forests and urban-influenced rural environments, are so far not entirely understood. Read more
Searching for the seafloor signature of the 21 May 2003 Boumerdès earthquake offshore central Algeria Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences DOI 10.5194/nhess-12-2159-2012 10 July 2012 Shaking by moderate to large earthquakes in the Mediterranean Sea has proved in the past to potentially trigger catastrophic sediment collapse and flow. On 21 May 2003, a magnitude 6.8 earthquake located near Boumerdès (central Algerian coast) triggered large turbidity currents responsible for 29 submarine cable breaks at the foot of the continental slope over ~150 km from west to east. Read more
Extrapolating glacier mass balance to the mountain-range scale: the European Alps 1900–2100 The Cryosphere DOI 10.5194/tc-6-713-2012 6 July 2012 This study addresses the extrapolation of in-situ glacier mass balance measurements to the mountain-range scale and aims at deriving time series of area-averaged mass balance and ice volume change for all glaciers in the European Alps for the period 1900–2100. Read more
Bioerosion by euendoliths decreases in phosphate-enriched skeletons of living corals Biogeosciences DOI 10.5194/bg-9-2377-2012 2 July 2012 While the role of microboring organisms, or euendoliths, is relatively well known in dead coral skeletons, their function in live corals remains poorly understood. They are suggested to behave like ectosymbionts or parasites, impacting their host’s health. However, the species composition of microboring communities, their abundance and dynamics in live corals under various environmental conditions have never been explored. Read more
Building an 18 000-year-long paleo-earthquake record from detailed deep-sea turbidite characterisation in Poverty Bay, New Zealand Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences DOI 10.5194/nhess-12-2077-2012 27 June 2012 Our results show that the progressive characterisation of a turbidite record from a single sedimentary system can provide a continuous paleo-earthquake history in regions of short historical record and incomplete onland paleo-earthquake evidences. The systematic description of each turbidite enables us to infer the triggering mechanism. Read more
Novel water source for endolithic life in the hyperarid core of the Atacama Desert Biogeosciences DOI 10.5194/bg-9-2275-2012 26 June 2012 Our results explain how life has colonized and adapted to one of the most extreme environments on our planet, expanding the water activity envelope for life on Earth, and broadening the spectrum of possible habitats for life beyond our planet. Read more
Severe wind gust thresholds for Meteoalarm derived from uniform return periods in ECA&D Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences DOI 10.5194/nhess-12-1969-2012 25 June 2012 In this study we present an alternative wind gust warning guideline for Meteoalarm, the severe weather warning website for Europe. There are unrealistically large differences in levels and issuing frequencies of all warning levels currently in use between neighbouring Meteoalarm countries. This study provides a guide for the Meteoalarm community to review their wind gust warning thresholds. Read more
Introduction to the European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme (EMEP) and observed atmospheric composition change during 1972–2009 Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics DOI 10.5194/acp-12-5447-2012 22 June 2012 European scale harmonized monitoring of atmospheric composition was initiated in the early 1970s, and the activity has generated a comprehensive dataset which allows the evaluation of regional and spatial trends of air pollution during a period of nearly 40 yr. Read more
Impact of heat and drought stress on arable crop production in Belgium Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences DOI 10.5194/nhess-12-1911-2012 18 June 2012 Modelling approaches are needed to accelerate understanding of adverse weather impacts on crop performances and yields. The aim was to elicit biometeorological conditions that affect Belgian arable crop yield, commensurate with the scale of climatic impacts. Read more
Towards a merged satellite and in situ fluorescence ocean chlorophyll product Biogeosciences DOI 10.5194/bg-9-2111-2012 12 June 2012 Understanding the ocean carbon cycle requires a precise assessment of phytoplankton biomass in the oceans. In terms of numbers of observations, satellite data represent the largest available data set. However, as they are limited to surface waters, they have to be merged with in situ observations. Read more
