Mitigating Mazuku hazards: implementation and effectiveness of local dry-gas degassing measures in the Goma area (Virunga Volcanic Province) Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences DOI 10.5194/nhess-26-1141-2026 6 March 2026 This paper studies how households in Goma (Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo) respond to mazuku – invisible, odourless carbon dioxide gas that accumulates in depressions. Surveys and interviews show that resource-intensive measures are adopted only by those who can afford them, while awareness measures are valued by all. The findings highlight that involving communities in designing risk mitigation that match their economic realities is essential. Read more
Where curling stones collide with rock mechanics: cyclical damage accumulation and fatigue in granitoids Solid Earth DOI 10.5194/se-17-429-2026 5 March 2026 Curling stones often collide with each other during a game. Over time, these collisions cause damage in the striking bands on the sides of the stones. We determined experimentally how hard these stones collide into one another. We then looked at old curling stones to understand how damage builds up in these rocks. We found that early, fast impacts produce fractures until the striking band is saturated in fractures. Repeated impacts after this stage make fractures grow. Read more
Evaluation of nine gridded daily weather reconstructions for the European heatwave summer of 1807 Climate of the Past DOI 10.5194/cp-22-517-2026 5 March 2026 We test nine reconstructions of Europe’s hot summer of 1807, using weather records, reanalyses, machine-learning (ML), and data assimilation. Most approaches match observed temperature and pressure well. Approaches based on physics of atmospheric flow capture weather patterns well, while ML approaches better reflect station records. Ingestion of accurate records from new regions improves the reconstructions markedly. In all, the approaches provide new insights to pre-industrial extreme weather. Read more
Drivers of long-term grassland CO2 fluxes: effects of management and meteorological conditions during regrowth periods Biogeosciences DOI 10.5194/bg-23-1625-2026 2 March 2026 Analyzing 20 years (2005–2024) of CO2 flux, meteorological, and agricultural management data from an intensively managed grassland in Switzerland using machine learning, we identified drivers of ecosystem productivity (gross primary production (GPP)), respiration (ecosystem respiration (Reco)) and their changes over time. Moreover, we showed how agricultural management interacted and could partly offset negative impacts of extreme events on GPP. Our findings offer observational evidence to inform climate adaptation strategies in grasslands. Read more
Lessons learned in institutional preparedness and response during the 2022 European drought Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences DOI 10.5194/nhess-26-955-2026 27 February 2026 This research by the Drought in the Anthropocene (DitA) network highlights the crucial role of forecasting systems and Drought Management Plans in European drought risk management. Based on a survey of water managers during the 2022 European drought, it underscores the impact of preparedness on response and the evolution of drought management strategies across the continent, showing how organisations with preparedness measures in place responded faster and more effectively. Read more
Nutrient flows and biogeomorphic feedbacks: linking seabird guano to plant traits and morphological change on sandy islands Biogeosciences DOI 10.5194/bg-23-1527-2026 27 February 2026 Seabird guano enriches nitrogen-loving plants and boost plants to trap sediment, driving the gradual growth and reshaping of coastal islands. By pairing on-site plant surveys with satellite imagery and elevation data, we show these effects vary with elevation, soil type, and season. Birds thus engineer and sustain their own breeding habitats. For conservation managers, protecting colonies is key to preserving the dynamic island landscapes these and other species rely on. Read more
Challenges and opportunities for understanding societal impacts of climate extremes Earth System Dynamics DOI 10.5194/esd-17-199-2026 26 February 2026 Understanding impacts of climate extremes is very important for society and the economy. We identify three challenges restricting this understanding: limited availability and quality of impact data, difficulties in understanding why given impacts occur and lack of reliable projections of future impacts. We also identify key opportunities, including newly released datasets, recent methodological and technical advances and interdisciplinary collaborations between the social and natural sciences. Read more
A source or a sink? How the altitude of particle precipitation influence high-latitude electrodynamics Annales Geophysicae DOI 10.5194/angeo-44-149-2026 26 February 2026 When energetic particles rain into Earth’s lower ionosphere, they ionize the gas, creating a highly conductive base layer. Using a large database of observations from four orbiting space weather satellites, we demonstrate that this plasma foundation acts as a giant electrical short-circuit: it actively neutralizes the electric fields that would otherwise power plasma turbulence higher up. Without this conductive base to drain the energy, topside turbulence freely grows and persists. Read more
FAIR fission track analysis with geochron@home Geochronology DOI 10.5194/gchron-8-109-2026 25 February 2026 geochron@home is a free and open-source platform that makes fission track dating more transparent and reliable. It combines a virtual microscope with an online database to share images and data openly, following FAIR principles. Researchers can analyse tracks privately, archive data for peer review, teach students, or involve citizen scientists. By improving data access and reproducibility, geochron@home helps build trust and supports future advances in Earth science. Read more
Mesoscale variability and water mass transport of the Caribbean Current revealed by high-resolution glider observations Ocean Science DOI 10.5194/os-22-735-2026 23 February 2026 The Caribbean Through-Flow carries warm Atlantic water westward, influencing climate and ocean circulation, yet its variability is poorly resolved. Using over 90 days of autonomous underwater glider data collected in the central Caribbean, we observed a sharp drop in transport linked to mesoscale eddy activity. While transport varied, the water mass composition remained stable. These results demonstrate how gliders can capture dynamic ocean processes that shape inter-basin exchange. Read more
