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Recent history and future demise of Jostedalsbreen, the largest ice cap in mainland Europe

We model the historical and future evolution of the Jostedalsbreen ice cap in Norway, projecting substantial and largely irreversible mass loss for the 21st century, and that the ice cap will split into three parts. Further mass loss is in the pipeline, with a disappearance during the 22nd century under high emissions. Our study demonstrates an approach to model complex ice masses, highlights uncertainties due to precipitation, and calls for further research on long-term future glacier change.

An adaptable DTS-based parametric method to probe near-surface vertical temperature profiles at millimeter resolution

We present the the Fine Resolution Adaptable Distributed Temperature Sensing (FRADTS) method, which allows for mm-resolution probing of vertical temperature profiles, using coil-based distributed temperature sensing. The method is fully open source and parametric, such that unique field setups can be generated and reproduced. The method is extensively tested within a ~10cm grass canopy in a field campaign.

The TropoPause Composition TOwed Sensor Shuttle (TPC-TOSS): a new airborne dual platform approach for atmospheric composition measurements at the tropopause

Deployed on a Learjet as a tandem measurement platform during the TPEx I (TropoPause composition gradients and mixing Experiment) campaign in June 2024, the new TPC-TOSS (TropoPause Composition Towed Sensor Shuttle) system delivers high-resolution in situ data on ozone, aerosol, and key meteorological parameters. Laboratory and in-flight tests confirmed its precision and stability. Observed gradients near the tropopause reveal active mixing and transport processes in the tropopause region.

A statistical study of the O₂ atmospheric band aurora observed by the Swedish satellite MATS

This study uses images taken by the Swedish satellite MATS (Mesospheric Airglow Tomography and Spectroscopy) to conduct a statistical analysis of the molecular oxygen atmospheric band emissions in the aurora. This auroral emission can not be observed from the ground, making it one of the least understood auroral emissions. Our results provide a new dataset with information on the peak altitude, geomagnetic location, and auroral intensity of 378 events detected between February and April 2023.

IASI global radiometric uncertainty budget

This study establishes the global radiometric uncertainty budget of the Infrared Atmospheric Sounder Interferometer (IASI) instruments onboard Eumetsat first generation MetOp satellites. Major contributions to the budget arise from the correction of the analog non-linearity, the black body characterization, the scan mirror reflectivity and the background radiance instability. The estimated uncertainty remains relatively stable throughout the lifetime of the instruments.

The airborne chicago water isotope spectrometer: an integrated cavity output spectrometer for measurements of the HDO ∕ H₂O isotopic ratio in the Asian Summer Monsoon

The water molecule comes in several different varieties, which are nearly indistinguishable in daily life. However, slight differences between the water molecule types can be exploited to achieve better scientific understanding of parts of Earth's atmosphere. In this work we describe the design, construction, and operation of an instrument meant to measure these molecules aboard research aircraft up to altitudes of 20 km.

Progressive destabilization of a freestanding rock pillar in permafrost on the Matterhorn (Swiss Alps): Hydro-mechanical modeling and analysis

On 13 June 2023, a freestanding rock pillar on the Matterhorn collapsed after years of weakening. Our study examines this progressive destabilization by analyzing field data and integrating lab experiments into a hydro-mechanical model. We highlight the critical role of water infiltration into frozen rock, intensified by climate warming, as a widespread driver of the rising frequency of rockfalls in high mountain permafrost regions.

Reviews and syntheses: Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM)-derived mercury contamination in agricultural systems: what we know and need to know

Artisanal & Small-scale Gold Mining (ASGM) is rapidly expanding and mercury-use in the sector impacts agricultural systems near these spatially distributed activities. Mercury from ASGM is taken up by crops from both (1) air and (2) soil/water. Mercury in crops can also be passed to humans directly (eating crops) or via livestock/poultry after eating crops. Research in this area requires interdisciplinary, collaborative, and adaptable approaches to improve our comprehension of these impacts.

Drivers and impacts of westerly moisture transport events in East Africa

Anomalous westerly winds bring moisture into East Africa, increasing precipitation in the region. Using the first spatially unconstrained framework to detect this circulation and associated precipitation, we show westerlies contribute up to 60% of rainfall in Tanzania in January and February, and are more likely when the Madden Julian Oscillation and/or tropical cyclones are active over the Indian Ocean. This work highlights the complex interactions driving regional precipitation variability.

Automated mask generation in citizen science smartphone photos and their value for mapping plant species in drone imagery

We introduce an automated approach for generating segmentation masks for citizen science plant photos, making them applicable to computer vision models. This framework effectively transforms citizen science data into a data treasure for segmentation models for plant species identification in aerial imagery. Using automatically labeled photos, we train segmentation models for mapping tree species in drone imagery, showcasing their potential for forestry, agriculture, and biodiversity monitoring.

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