A multi-disciplinary analysis of the exceptional flood event of July 2021 in central Europe – Part 1: Event description and analysis Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences DOI 10.5194/nhess-23-525-2023 20 March 2023 The flood event in July 2021 was one of the most severe disasters in Europe in the last half century. The objective of this two-part study is a multi-disciplinary assessment that examines the complex process interactions in different compartments, from meteorology to hydrological conditions to hydro-morphological processes to impacts on assets and environment. In addition, we address the question of what measures are possible to generate added value to early response management. Read more
The influence of elevated CO2 and soil depth on rhizosphere activity and nutrient availability in a mature Eucalyptus woodland Biogeosciences DOI 10.5194/bg-20-505-2023 17 March 2023 Elevated CO2 in the atmosphere increases forest biomass productivity when growth is not limited by soil nutrients. This study explores how mature trees stimulate soil availability of nitrogen and phosphorus with free-air carbon dioxide enrichment after 5 years of fumigation. We found that both nutrient availability and processes feeding available pools increased in the rhizosphere, and phosphorus increased at depth. This appears to not be by decomposition but by faster recycling of nutrients. Read more
Review article: Potential of nature-based solutions to mitigate hydro-meteorological risks in sub-Saharan Africa Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences DOI 10.5194/nhess-23-481-2023 17 March 2023 In sub-Saharan Africa, there is reported uptake of at least one nature-based solution (NBS) in 71 % of urban areas in the region for mitigating hydro-meteorological risks. These NBSs are implemented where risks exist but not where they are most severe. With these NBSs providing multiple ecosystem services and four out of every five NBSs creating livelihood opportunities, NBSs can help address major development challenges in the region, such as water and food insecurity and unemployment. Read more
Slowdown of Shirase Glacier, East Antarctica, caused by strengthening alongshore winds The Cryosphere DOI 10.5194/tc-17-445-2023 15 March 2023 Satellite observations have shown that the Shirase Glacier catchment in East Antarctica has been gaining mass over the past 2 decades, a trend largely attributed to increased snowfall. Our multi-decadal observations of Shirase Glacier show that ocean forcing has also contributed to some of this recent mass gain. This has been caused by strengthening easterly winds reducing the inflow of warm water underneath the Shirase ice tongue, causing the glacier to slow down and thicken. Read more
Natural marine cloud brightening in the Southern Ocean Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics DOI 10.5194/acp-23-1677-2023 13 March 2023 The number of cloud droplets per unit volume is a significantly important property of clouds that controls their reflective properties. Computer models of the Earth’s atmosphere and climate have low skill at predicting the reflective properties of Southern Ocean clouds. Here we investigate the properties of those clouds using satellite data and find that the cloud droplet number and cloud albedo in the Southern Ocean are related to the oceanic phytoplankton abundance near Antarctica. Read more
Introducing CRYOWRF v1.0: multiscale atmospheric flow simulations with advanced snow cover modelling Geoscientific Model Development DOI 10.5194/gmd-16-719-2023 10 March 2023 Most current generation climate and weather models have a relatively simplistic description of snow and snow–atmosphere interaction. One reason for this is the belief that including an advanced snow model would make the simulations too computationally demanding. In this study, we bring together two state-of-the-art models for atmosphere (WRF) and snow cover (SNOWPACK) and highlight both the feasibility and necessity of such coupled models to explore underexplored phenomena in the cryosphere. Read more
Investigating hydroclimatic impacts of the 168–158 BCE volcanic quartet and their relevance to the Nile River basin and Egyptian history Climate of the Past DOI 10.5194/cp-19-249-2023 8 March 2023 This work is a modeling effort to investigate the hydroclimatic impacts of a volcanic “quartet” during 168-158 BCE over the Nile River basin in the context of Ancient Egypt’s Ptolemaic era (305-30 BCE). The model simulated a robust surface cooling (~1.0-1.5°C), suppressing the African monsoon (deficit of >1mm day-1 over East Africa) and agriculturally vital Nile summer flooding. Our result supports the hypothesized relation between volcanic eruptions, hydroclimatic shocks, and societal impacts. Read more
Robust global detection of forced changes in mean and extreme precipitation despite observational disagreement on the magnitude of change Earth System Dynamics DOI 10.5194/esd-14-81-2023 6 March 2023 Precipitation change is an important consequence of climate change, but it is hard to detect and quantify. Our intuitive method yields robust and interpretable detection of forced precipitation change in three observational datasets for global mean and extreme precipitation, but the different observational datasets show different magnitudes of forced change. Assessment and reduction of uncertainties surrounding forced precipitation change are important for future projections and adaptation. Read more
Atmospheric boundary layer height from ground-based remote sensing: a review of capabilities and limitations Atmospheric Measurement Techniques DOI 10.5194/amt-16-433-2023 3 March 2023 Profile observations of the atmospheric boundary layer now allow for layer heights and characteristics to be derived at high temporal and vertical resolution. With novel high-density ground-based remote-sensing measurement networks emerging, horizontal information content is also increasing. This review summarises the capabilities and limitations of various sensors and retrieval algorithms which need to be considered during the harmonisation of data products for high-impact applications. Read more
Permafrost degradation and nitrogen cycling in Arctic rivers: insights from stable nitrogen isotope studies Biogeosciences DOI 10.5194/bg-20-365-2023 1 March 2023 Climate change is causing extensive permafrost degradation and nutrient releases into rivers with great ecological impacts on the Arctic Ocean. We focused on nitrogen (N) release from this degradation and associated cycling using N isotopes, an understudied area. Many N species are released at degradation sites with exchanges between species. N inputs from permafrost degradation and seasonal river N trends were identified using isotopes, helping to predict climate change impacts. Read more
Global evaluation of the “dry gets drier, and wet gets wetter” paradigm from a terrestrial water storage change perspective Hydrology and Earth System Sciences DOI 10.5194/hess-26-6457-2022 27 February 2023 Although the “dry gets drier, and wet gets wetter (DDWW)” paradigm is prevalent in summarizing wetting and drying trends, we show that only 11.01 %–40.84 % of the global land confirms and 10.21 %–35.43 % contradicts the paradigm during 1985–2014 from a terrestrial water storage change perspective. Similar proportions that intensify with the increasing emission scenarios persist until the end of the 21st century. Findings benefit understanding of global hydrological responses to climate change. Read more
Upwelled plankton community modulates surface bloom succession and nutrient availability in a natural plankton assemblage Biogeosciences DOI 10.5194/bg-19-5911-2022 24 February 2023 We investigated how different deep water chemistry and biology modulate the response of surface phytoplankton communities to upwelling in the Peruvian coastal zone. Our results show that the most influential drivers were the ratio of inorganic nutrients (N:P) and the microbial community present in upwelling source water. These led to unexpected and variable development in the phytoplankton assemblage that could not be predicted by the amount of inorganic nutrients alone. Read more
The IPCC Sixth Assessment Report WGIII climate assessment of mitigation pathways: from emissions to global temperatures Geoscientific Model Development DOI 10.5194/gmd-15-9075-2022 22 February 2023 Assessing hundreds or thousands of emission scenarios in terms of their global mean temperature implications requires standardised procedures of infilling, harmonisation, and probabilistic temperature assessments. We here present the open-source “climate-assessment” workflow that was used in the IPCC AR6 Working Group III report. The paper provides key insight for anyone wishing to understand the assessment of climate outcomes of mitigation pathways in the context of the Paris Agreement. Read more
Product distribution, kinetics, and aerosol formation from the OH oxidation of dimethyl sulfide under different RO2 regimes Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics DOI 10.5194/acp-22-16003-2022 20 February 2023 The atmospheric oxidation of dimethyl sulfide (DMS) is a major natural source of sulfate particles in the atmosphere. However, its mechanism is poorly constrained. In our work, laboratory measurements and mechanistic modelling were conducted to comprehensively investigate DMS oxidation products and key reaction rates. We find that the peroxy radical (RO2) has a controlling effect on product distribution and aerosol yield, with the isomerization of RO2 leading to the suppression of aerosol yield. Read more
Quantification of blue carbon in salt marshes of the Pacific coast of Canada Biogeosciences DOI 10.5194/bg-19-5751-2022 17 February 2023 Salt marshes are thought to be important carbon sinks because of their ability to store carbon in their soils. We provide the first estimates of how much blue carbon is stored in salt marshes on the Pacific coast of Canada. We find that the carbon stored in the marshes is low compared to other marshes around the world, likely because of their young age. Still, the high marshes take up carbon at rates faster than the global average, making them potentially important carbon sinks in the future. Read more
Reconstructing Holocene temperatures in time and space using paleoclimate data assimilation Climate of the Past DOI 10.5194/cp-18-2599-2022 15 February 2023 To look at climate over the past 12 000 years, we reconstruct spatial temperature using natural climate archives and information from model simulations. Our results show mild global mean warmth around 6000 years ago, which differs somewhat from past reconstructions. Undiagnosed seasonal biases in the data could explain some of the observed temperature change, but this still would not explain the large difference between many reconstructions and climate models over this period. Read more
Solar wind magnetic holes can cross the bow shock and enter the magnetosheath Annales Geophysicae DOI 10.5194/angeo-40-687-2022 13 February 2023 Magnetic holes are curious localized dropouts of magnetic field strength in the solar wind (the flow of ionized gas continuously streaming out from the sun). In this paper we show that these magnetic holes can cross the bow shock (where the solar wind brake down to subsonic velocity) and enter the region close to Earth’s magnetosphere. These structures may therefore represent a new type of non-uniform solar wind–magnetosphere interaction. Read more
Rapid attribution analysis of the extraordinary heat wave on the Pacific coast of the US and Canada in June 2021 Earth System Dynamics DOI 10.5194/esd-13-1689-2022 10 February 2023 In June 2021, the Pacific Northwest of the US and Canada saw record temperatures far exceeding those previously observed. This attribution study found such a severe heat wave would have been virtually impossible without human-induced climate change. Assuming no nonlinear interactions, such events have become at least 150 times more common, are about 2 ℃ hotter and will become even more common as warming continues. Therefore, adaptation and mitigation are urgently needed to prepare society. Read more
Validation of the Aeolus L2B wind product with airborne wind lidar measurements in the polar North Atlantic region and in the tropics Atmospheric Measurement Techniques DOI 10.5194/amt-15-7049-2022 8 February 2023 In August 2018, the first wind lidar Aeolus was launched into space and has since then been providing data of the global wind field. The primary goal of Aeolus was the improvement of numerical weather prediction. To verify the quality of Aeolus wind data, DLR performed four airborne validation campaigns with two wind lidar systems. In this paper, we report on results from the two later campaigns, performed in Iceland and the tropics. Read more
Estimating emissions of methane consistent with atmospheric measurements of methane and δ13C of methane Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics DOI 10.5194/acp-22-15351-2022 6 February 2023 Atmospheric methane (CH4) has been growing steadily since 2007 for reasons that are not well understood. Here we determine sources of methane using a technique informed by atmospheric measurements of CH₄ and its isotopologue 13CH4. Measurements of 13CH4 provide for better separation of microbial, fossil, and fire sources of methane than CH4 measurements alone. Compared to previous assessments such as the Global Carbon Project, we find a larger microbial contribution to the post-2007 increase. Read more
Size, shape and orientation matter: fast and semi-automatic measurement of grain geometries from 3D point clouds Earth Surface Dynamics DOI 10.5194/esurf-10-1211-2022 3 February 2023 The morphology and size of sediments influence erosion efficiency, sediment transport and the quality of aquatic ecosystem. In turn, the spatial evolution of sediment size provides information on the past dynamics of erosion and sediment transport. We have developed a new software which semi-automatically identifies and measures sediments based on 3D point clouds. This software is fast and efficient, offering a new avenue to measure the geometrical properties of large numbers of sediment grains. Read more
Evidence of localised Amazon rainforest dieback in CMIP6 models Earth System Dynamics DOI 10.5194/esd-13-1667-2022 1 February 2023 Despite little evidence of regional Amazon rainforest dieback, many localised abrupt dieback events are observed in the latest state-of-the-art global climate models under anthropogenic climate change. The detected dieback events would still cause severe consequences for local communities and ecosystems. This study suggests that 7±5 % of the northern South America region would experience abrupt downward shifts in vegetation carbon for every degree of global warming past 1.5 °C. Read more
The evolution and dynamics of the Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha’apai sulfate aerosol plume in the stratosphere Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics DOI 10.5194/acp-22-14957-2022 30 January 2023 The long-duration atmospheric impact of the Tonga eruption in January 2022 is a plume of water and sulfate aerosols in the stratosphere that persisted for more than 6 months. We study this evolution using several satellite instruments and analyse the unusual behaviour of this plume as sulfates and water first moved down rapidly and then separated into two layers. We also report the self-organization in compact and long-lived patches. Read more
Exploring TikTok as a promising platform for geoscience communication Geoscience Communication DOI 10.5194/gc-5-363-2022 27 January 2023 To determine the best strategies for geoscience communication on TikTok, we created a TikTok account called “Terra Explore”. We produced 48 educational geoscience videos and evaluated each video’s performance. Our most-viewed videos received nearly all of their views from TikTok’s algorithmic recommendation feed, and the videos that received the most views were related to a recent newsworthy event (e.g., earthquake) or explained the geology of a recognizable area. Read more
Internal tides off the Amazon shelf during two contrasted seasons: interactions with background circulation and SSH imprints Ocean Science DOI 10.5194/os-18-1591-2022 25 January 2023 This high-resolution model-based study investigates the variability in the generation, propagation, and sea height signature (SSH) of the internal tide off the Amazon shelf during two contrasted seasons. ITs propagate further north during the season characterized by weak currents and mesoscale eddies and a shallow and strong pycnocline. IT imprints on SSH dominate those of the geostrophic motion for horizontal scales below 200 km; moreover, the SSH is mainly incoherent below 70 km. Read more
Global biomass burning fuel consumption and emissions at 500m spatial resolution based on the Global Fire Emissions Database (GFED) Geoscientific Model Development DOI 10.5194/gmd-15-8411-2022 23 January 2023 We present a global fire emission model based on the GFED model framework with a spatial resolution of 500 m. The higher resolution allowed for a more detailed representation of spatial heterogeneity in fuels and emissions. Specific modules were developed to model, for example, emissions from fire-related forest loss and belowground burning. Results from the 500 m model were compared to GFED4s, showing that global emissions were relatively similar but that spatial differences were substantial. Read more
Building confidence in STEM students through breaking (unseen) barriers Geoscience Communication DOI 10.5194/gc-5-355-2022 20 January 2023 Science, technology, engineering, and maths subjects have historically struggled to be inclusive to students from diverse backgrounds. We outline here an outreach course designed to improve critical thinking for people in prison. Based on course feedback, we share advice for working with students who do not engage in formal education – specifically those who have low self-confidence. We focus on how to create a classroom dynamic that is accessible, inclusive, and relatable to all students. Read more
The climate impact of hydrogen-powered hypersonic transport Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics DOI 10.5194/acp-22-14323-2022 18 January 2023 Very fast aircraft can travel long distances in extremely short times and can fly at high altitudes (15 to 35 km). These aircraft emit water vapour, nitrogen oxides, and hydrogen. Water vapour emissions remain for months to several years at these altitudes and have an important impact on temperature. We investigate two aircraft fleets flying at 26 and 35 km. Ozone is depleted more, and the water vapour perturbation and temperature change are larger for the aircraft flying at 35 km. Read more
Highest methane concentrations in an Arctic river linked to local terrestrial inputs Biogeosciences DOI 10.5194/bg-19-5059-2022 16 January 2023 Permafrost thaw releases methane that can be emitted into the atmosphere or transported by Arctic rivers. Methane measurements are lacking in large Arctic river regions. In the Kolyma River (northeast Siberia), we measured dissolved methane to map its distribution with great spatial detail. The river’s edge and river junctions had the highest methane concentrations compared to other river areas. Microbial communities in the river showed that the river’s methane likely is from the adjacent land. Read more
Improving interpretation of sea-level projections through a machine-learning-based local explanation approach The Cryosphere DOI 10.5194/tc-16-4637-2022 13 January 2023 To improve the interpretability of process-based projections of the sea-level contribution from land ice components, we apply the machine-learning-based “SHapley Additive exPlanations” approach to a subset of a multi-model ensemble study for the Greenland ice sheet. This allows us to quantify the influence of particular modelling decisions (related to numerical implementation, initial conditions, or parametrisation of ice-sheet processes) directly in terms of sea-level change contribution. Read more
Not all types of secondary organic aerosol mix: two phases observed when mixing different secondary organic aerosol types Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics DOI 10.5194/acp-22-13783-2022 11 January 2023 The number of condensed phases in mixtures of different secondary organic aerosol (SOA) types determines their impact on air quality and climate. Here we observe the number of phases in individual particles that contain mixtures of two different types of SOA. We find that SOA mixtures can form one- or two-phase particles, depending on the difference in the average oxygen-to-carbon (O/C) ratios of the two SOA types that are internally mixed within individual particles. Read more
Dynamics of the Great Oxidation Event from a 3D photochemical–climate model Climate of the Past DOI 10.5194/cp-18-2421-2022 9 January 2023 In the context of understanding the 3D photochemical effect on the Earth’s oxygenation that happened around 2.4 Ga, we developed a 3D photochemical–climate model to investigate the possible impact of atmospheric circulation and the coupling between the climate and the dynamics of oxidation. We show that the diurnal, seasonal and transport variations do not bring significant changes compared to 1D models. Nevertheless, we highlight a temperature dependence for atmospheric photochemical losses. Read more
Is it possible to estimate aerosol optical depth from historic colour paintings? Climate of the Past DOI 10.5194/cp-18-2345-2022 6 January 2023 This study investigates the possibility of inferring information on aerosol optical depth from photographs of historic paintings. The idea – which has been applied in previous studies – is very interesting because it would provide an archive of the atmospheric aerosol loading covering many centuries. We show that twilight colours depend not only on the aerosol optical thickness, but also on several other parameters, making a quantitative estimate of aerosol optical depth very difficult. Read more
Exceptional freshening and cooling in the eastern subpolar North Atlantic caused by reduced Labrador Sea surface heat loss Ocean Science DOI 10.5194/os-18-1507-2022 4 January 2023 Observations of the eastern subpolar North Atlantic in the 2010s show exceptional freshening and cooling of the upper ocean, peaking in 2016 with the lowest salinities recorded for 120 years. Using results from a high-resolution ocean model, supported by observations, we propose that the leading cause is reduced surface cooling over the preceding decade in the Labrador Sea, leading to increased outflow of less dense water and so to freshening and cooling of the eastern subpolar North Atlantic. Read more
Opinion: Coordinated development of emission inventories for climate forcers and air pollutants Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics DOI 10.5194/acp-22-13201-2022 2 January 2023 Emissions into the atmosphere of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and air pollutants, quantified in emission inventories, impact human health, ecosystems, and the climate. We review how air pollutant and GHG inventory activities have historically been structured and their different uses and requirements. We discuss the benefits of increasing coordination between air pollutant and GHG inventory development efforts, but also caution that there are differences in appropriate methodologies and applications. Read more
High-resolution drought simulations and comparison to soil moisture observations in Germany Hydrology and Earth System Sciences DOI 10.5194/hess-26-5137-2022 30 December 2022 In this paper, we deliver an evaluation of the second generation operational German drought monitor (www.ufz.de/duerremonitor) with a state-of-the-art compilation of observed soil moisture data from 40 locations and four different measurement methods in Germany. We show that the expressed stakeholder needs for higher resolution drought information at the one-kilometer scale can be met and that the agreement of simulated and observed soil moisture dynamics can be moderately improved. Read more
Early life stages of a Mediterranean coral are vulnerable to ocean warming and acidification Biogeosciences DOI 10.5194/bg-19-4767-2022 28 December 2022 For the first time, our study highlights the synergistic effects of a 9-month warming and acidification combined stress on the early life stages of a Mediterranean azooxanthellate coral, Astroides calycularis. Our results predict a decrease in dispersion, settlement, post-settlement linear extension, budding and survival under future global change and that larvae and recruits of A. calycularis are stages of interest for this Mediterranean coral resistance, resilience and conservation. Read more
The potential for using video games to teach geoscience: learning about the geology and geomorphology of Hokkaido (Japan) from playing Pokémon Legends: Arceus Geoscience Communication DOI 10.5194/gc-5-325-2022 26 December 2022 The fictional landscape of Hisui from Pokémon Legends: Arceus is inspired by the real-world island of Hokkaido, Japan. This paper illustrates how the game can be used to explore geological concepts including volcanology, economic geology, and hazard mitigation, by comparing in-game features to their real-world counterparts on Hokkaido. Applications from this study include increasing geoscientific interest and facilitating the self-learning or formal teaching of geoscience worldwide. Read more
Improving hydrologic models for predictions and process understanding using neural ODEs Hydrology and Earth System Sciences DOI 10.5194/hess-26-5085-2022 23 December 2022 Neural ODEs fuse physics-based models with deep learning: neural networks substitute terms in differential equations that represent the mechanistic structure of the system. The approach combines the flexibility of machine learning with physical constraints for inter- and extrapolation. We demonstrate that neural ODE models achieve state-of-the-art predictive performance while keeping full interpretability of model states and processes in hydrologic modelling over multiple catchments. Read more
The Antarctic contribution to 21st-century sea-level rise predicted by the UK Earth System Model with an interactive ice sheet The Cryosphere DOI 10.5194/tc-16-4053-2022 21 December 2022 The UK Earth System Model is the first to fully include interactions of the atmosphere and ocean with the Antarctic Ice Sheet. Under the low-greenhouse-gas SSP1–1.9 (Shared Socioeconomic Pathway) scenario, the ice sheet remains stable over the 21st century. Under the strong-greenhouse-gas SSP5–8.5 scenario, the model predicts strong increases in melting of large ice shelves and snow accumulation on the surface. The dominance of accumulation leads to a sea level fall at the end of the century. Read more
Predicting soil moisture conditions across a heterogeneous boreal catchment using terrain indices Hydrology and Earth System Sciences DOI 10.5194/hess-26-4837-2022 19 December 2022 Terrain indices constitute a good candidate for modelling the spatial variation of soil moisture conditions in many landscapes. In this study, we evaluate nine terrain indices on varying DEM resolution and user-defined thresholds with validation using an extensive field soil moisture class inventory. We demonstrate the importance of field validation for selecting the appropriate DEM resolution and user-defined thresholds and that failing to do so can result in ambiguous and incorrect results. Read more
GC Insights: Diversifying the geosciences in higher education: a manifesto for change Geoscience Communication DOI 10.5194/gc-5-275-2022 16 December 2022 In this manifesto, we offer six points of reflection that higher education geoscience educators can act upon to recognise and unlearn their biases and diversify the geosciences in higher education, complementing current calls for institutional and organisational change. This serves as a starting point to gather momentum to establish community-built opportunities for implementing and strengthening diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice holistically in geoscience education. Read more
Cloud adjustments from large-scale smoke–circulation interactions strongly modulate the southeastern Atlantic stratocumulus-to-cumulus transition Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics DOI 10.5194/acp-22-12113-2022 14 December 2022 Smoke from southern Africa blankets the southeast Atlantic from June-October, overlying a major transition region between overcast and scattered clouds. The smoke affects Earth’s radiation budget by absorbing sunlight and changing cloud properties. We investigate these effects in regional climate and large eddy simulation models based on international field campaigns. We find that large-scale circulation changes more strongly affect cloud transitions than smoke microphysical effects in our case. Read more
Progress and challenges in glacial lake outburst flood research (2017–2021): a research community perspective Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences DOI 10.5194/nhess-22-3041-2022 12 December 2022 Glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) have attracted increased research attention recently. In this work, we review GLOF research papers published between 2017 and 2021 and complement the analysis with research community insights gained from the 2021 GLOF conference we organized. The transdisciplinary character of the conference together with broad geographical coverage allowed us to identify progress, trends and challenges in GLOF research and outline future research needs and directions. Read more
Observation-constrained estimates of the global ocean carbon sink from Earth system models Biogeosciences DOI 10.5194/bg-19-4431-2022 9 December 2022 Estimates of the ocean sink of anthropogenic carbon vary across various approaches. We show that the global ocean carbon sink can be estimated by three parameters, two of which approximate the ocean ventilation in the Southern Ocean and the North Atlantic, and one of which approximates the chemical capacity of the ocean to take up carbon. With observations of these parameters, we estimate that the global ocean carbon sink is 10% larger than previously assumed, and we cut uncertainties in half. Read more
Hydrography, circulation, and response to atmospheric forcing in the vicinity of the central Getz Ice Shelf, Amundsen Sea, Antarctica Ocean Science DOI 10.5194/os-18-1339-2022 7 December 2022 Ice shelves in the Amundsen Sea are thinning rapidly as ocean currents bring warm water into cavities beneath the floating ice. We use 2-year-long mooring records and 16-year-long model simulations to describe the hydrography and circulation near the ice front between Siple and Carney Islands. We find that temperatures here are lower than at neighbouring ice fronts and that the transport of heat toward the cavity is governed by wind stress over the Amundsen Sea continental shelf. Read more
Shallow marine carbonates as recorders of orbitally induced past climate changes – example from the Oxfordian of the Swiss Jura Mountains Climate of the Past DOI 10.5194/cp-18-2117-2022 5 December 2022 Some 155 million years ago, sediments were deposited in a shallow subtropical sea. Coral reefs formed in a warm and arid climate during high sea level, and clays were washed into the ocean at low sea level and when it rained. Climate and sea level changes were induced by cyclical insolation changes. Analysing the sedimentary record, it appears that sea level rise today (as a result of global warming) is more than 10 times faster than the fastest rise reconstructed from the geologic past. Read more
Contrasting drought legacy effects on gross primary productivity in a mixed versus pure beech forest Biogeosciences DOI 10.5194/bg-19-4315-2022 2 December 2022 Identifying drought legacy effects is challenging because they are superimposed on variability driven by climate conditions in the recovery period. We develop a residual-based approach to quantify legacies on gross primary productivity (GPP) from eddy covariance data. The GPP reduction due to legacy effects is comparable to the concurrent effects at two sites in Germany, which reveals the importance of legacy effects. Our novel methodology can be used to quantify drought legacies elsewhere. Read more
Recession or resilience? Long-range socioeconomic consequences of the 17th century volcanic eruptions in northern Fennoscandia Climate of the Past DOI 10.5194/cp-18-2077-2022 30 November 2022 Tree-ring data and written sources from northern Fennoscandia reveal that large 17th century eruptions had considerable climatic, agricultural, and socioeconomic impacts far away from the eruption locations. Yet, micro-regional investigation shows that the human consequences were commonly indirect, as various factors, like agro-ecosystems, resource availability, institutions, and personal networks, dictated how the volcanic cold pulses and related crop failures materialized on a societal level. Read more
HORAYZON v1.2: an efficient and flexible ray-tracing algorithm to compute horizon and sky view factor Geoscientific Model Development DOI 10.5194/gmd-15-6817-2022 28 November 2022 Terrain horizon and sky view factor are crucial quantities for many geoscientific applications; e.g. they are used to account for effects of terrain on surface radiation in climate and land surface models. Because typical terrain horizon algorithms are inefficient for high-resolution (< 30 m) elevation data, we developed a new algorithm based on a ray-tracing library. A comparison with two conventional methods revealed both its high performance and its accuracy for complex terrain. Read more