Abstract
NOAA Daily Optimum Interpolation Sea Surface Temperature (DOISST) and other similar sea surface temperature (SST) products indicate that the globally averaged SST set a new daily record in March 2023. The record-high SST in March was immediately broken in April, and new daily records were set again in July and August 2023. The SST anomaly (SSTA) persisted at a record high from mid-March to the remainder of 2023. Our analysis indicates that the record-high SSTs, and associated marine heatwaves (MHWs) and even super-MHWs, are attributed to three factors: (a) a long-term warming trend, (b) a shift to the warm phase of the multi-decadal Pacific-Atlantic-Arctic (PAA) mode, and (c) the transition from the triple-dip succession of La Niña events to the 2023–24 El Niño event.
Scientists for decades have attempted to learn more about the complex and mysterious chain of events by which tiny droplets in clouds grow large enough to begin falling toward the ground. Better understanding this process, known as the "rain formation bottleneck," is fundamental to improving computer model simulations of weather and climate and ultimately generating better forecasts.
Abstract
Fluid-induced seismicity has been a particularly emphasized mechanism over the last few years, especially after fluid-related, moderate-to-large earthquakes have been observed in several locations around the globe. Several studies suggest that the relationships between seismicity and fluid presence are related to variations in the stress state of rocks, due to the increase or drop of the pore fluid pressure. In this scenario, the Val d’Agri represents a precious case study where fluid-induced seismicity is observed. In this area, two seismic clusters are observed in the Apulian Carbonate Platform, caused by (a) wastewater reinjection that reactivated the Costa Molina Fault blind thrust, and (b) seasonal water loading from the Pertusillo reservoir. The mechanisms behind these reactivated faults' evolution are still uncertain, especially in the compressive/extensional tectonic setting characterizing the area's evolution. Consequently, the distribution of the seismic potential in the region is largely unconstrained. We constructed a numerical thermo-mechanical model to identify the main mechanisms that promoted the Val d’Agri present-day tectonic setting and to assess the seismic hazard characterizing this region. We show that deformation within the Sedimentary Cover and the Crystalline Basement decoupled along a major décollement layer, represented by the Triassic Burano Formation. We also estimate the Coulomb stress (σ
C
) in the region, assessing the crust's potential to generate earthquakes. Our results suggest that σ
C
> 0 in a large part of the crust, and therefore that fluid injection may be particularly effective for the reactivation of buried structures, especially at a depth between ≃2 and ≃6 km.
In an actively warming world, large-scale wildfires are becoming more common. These wildfires emit black carbon to our atmosphere, one of the most potent short-lived atmospheric warming agents. This is because of its strong sunlight absorption characteristics. But scientists have yet to get a handle on the extent of atmospheric warming caused by black carbon in pyrocumulonimbus (pyroCb) clouds that develop from high-intensity wildfires.
Multi-angle aerosol optical depth retrieval method based on improved surface reflectance
Lijuan Chen, Ren Wang, Ying Fei, Peng Fang, Yong Zha, and Haishan Chen
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 4411–4424, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-4411-2024, 2024
This study explores the problems of surface reflectance estimation from previous MISR satellite remote sensing images and develops an error correction model to obtain a higher-precision aerosol optical depth (AOD) product. High-accuracy AOD is important not only for the daily monitoring of air pollution but also for the study of energy exchange between land and atmosphere. This will help further improve the retrieval accuracy of multi-angle AOD on large spatial scales and for long time series.
Comparison of diurnal aerosol products retrieved from combinations of micro-pulse lidar and sun photometer observations over the KAUST observation site
Anton Lopatin, Oleg Dubovik, Georgiy Stenchikov, Ellsworth J. Welton, Illia Shevchenko, David Fuertes, Marcos Herreras-Giralda, Tatsiana Lapyonok, and Alexander Smirnov
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 4445–4470, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-4445-2024, 2024
We compare aerosol properties over the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology campus using Generalized Retrieval of Aerosol and Surface Properties (GRASP) and the Micro-Pulse Lidar Network (MPLNET). We focus on the impact of different aerosol retrieval assumptions on daytime and nighttime retrievals and analyze seasonal variability in aerosol properties, aiding in understanding aerosol behavior and improving retrieval. Our work has implications for climate and public health.
Research by Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) examining greenhouse gas emissions from the drying lake bed of Great Salt Lake, Utah, calculates that 4.1 million tons of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases were released in 2020. This research suggests that drying lake beds are an overlooked but potentially significant source of greenhouse gases, which may further increase due to climate change.
EAT v1.0.0: a 1D test bed for physical–biogeochemical data assimilation in natural waters
Jorn Bruggeman, Karsten Bolding, Lars Nerger, Anna Teruzzi, Simone Spada, Jozef Skákala, and Stefano Ciavatta
Geosci. Model Dev., 17, 5619–5639, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-5619-2024, 2024
To understand and predict the ocean’s capacity for carbon sequestration, its ability to supply food, and its response to climate change, we need the best possible estimate of its physical and biogeochemical properties. This is obtained through data assimilation which blends numerical models and observations. We present the Ensemble and Assimilation Tool (EAT), a flexible and efficient test bed that allows any scientist to explore and further develop the state of the art in data assimilation.
Abstract
Temperature serves as a critical yet elusive factor impacting the mechanical properties of deep rocks. In this work, we shall develop a new micro-thermomechanical model for rocks based on the Mori-Tanaka homogenization scheme. Free energy and thermodynamic forces are deduced within the framework of irreversible thermodynamics, including the local stress applied on the mesocracks, damage driving force, macroscopic stress, and entropy. The salient innovation of this study lies in formulating subtle physically based temperature-dependent friction and damage laws, considering the influence of ambient temperature on the mesocracking in rocks. Through a coupled friction-damage analysis, a temperature-dependent quasi-static strength criterion and analytical stress-strain-damage relations are then derived. Physical implications and calibration methods of each parameter in the proposed model are meticulously presented. Furthermore, a semi-implicit plasticity damage decoupled procedure (SIPDDC) integration algorithm is employed for the numerical implementation of the proposed model. Subsequently, numerical simulations are conducted to obtain the mechanical response of Jinping marble, Beibei sandstone, and Gongjue granite under various real-time temperature-confining pressure coupling conventional triaxial compression tests (TP-CTC). The congruence of stress-strain curves between model predictions and experimental data validates the robust performance and potential applicability of the proposed model.
A versatile water vapor generation module for vapor isotope calibration and liquid isotope measurements
Hans Christian Steen-Larsen and Daniele Zannoni
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 4391–4409, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-4391-2024, 2024
The water vapor generation module is completely scalable, allowing autonomous calibrations to use N standards and providing integration times only restricted by sample availability. We document improved reproducibility in 17O-excess liquid measurements. This module makes spectroscopy measurements comparable to mass spectrometry. We document that the vapor generation module can be used to analyze instrument performance and for vapor isotope calibration during field campaign measurements.
Aerosol optical property measurement using the orbiting high-spectral-resolution lidar on board the DQ-1 satellite: retrieval and validation
Chenxing Zha, Lingbing Bu, Zhi Li, Qin Wang, Ahmad Mubarak, Pasindu Liyanage, Jiqiao Liu, and Weibiao Chen
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 4425–4443, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-4425-2024, 2024
China has launched the atmospheric environment monitoring satellite DQ-1, which consists of an advanced lidar system. Our research presents a retrieval algorithm of the DQ-1 lidar system, and the retrieval results are consistent with other datasets. We also use the DQ-1 dataset to investigate dust and volcanic aerosols. This research shows that the DQ-1 lidar system can accurately measure the Earth's atmosphere and has potential for scientific applications.
Abstract
Daily mean albedo, a crucial variable of the earth radiation budget, is significantly affected by the diurnal variation of land surface albedo (DVLSA). The DVLSA typically exhibits asymmetry, thereby affecting the estimation of the daily mean albedo. However, the asymmetry in the DVLSA is generally ignored in daily mean albedo estimation. In this study, we investigated the influencing factors of the asymmetry in the DVLSA and evaluated its impacts on estimating the daily mean albedo based on field observations and simulated data. Our findings reveal that the asymmetry in the DVLSA varies among land cover types, with forests exhibiting more pronounced asymmetry compared to croplands, grasslands, and bare soil. The diurnal variation of the atmospheric conditions is the primary factor controlling the asymmetry in the DVLSA, with that of land surface conditions being a secondary factor. Neglecting the asymmetry in the DVLSA leads to estimation error in daily mean albedo, particularly pronounced during winter. The relative error of daily mean albedo can exceed 10% when the mean asymmetry index of diffuse irradiance fraction reaches 40%. However, the DVLSA retrieved from the satellite Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function product inadequately captures asymmetry, resulting in a relative error of approximately 13.7% in estimating daily mean albedo.
Abstract
The Spring Predictability Barrier (SPB) phenomenon is characterized by the reduced accuracy of El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) forecasts during the spring, which substantially limits our ability to predict ENSO events. By investigating the nonlinear dynamic characteristics of ENSO systems simulated by a box model, we found that the strong surface heating process in spring may contribute to the SPB by regulating the different coupling processes between the ocean and atmosphere. Specifically, the intensified springtime surface heating increases the Sea Surface Temperature (SST), further amplifying the thermal damping effect of SST anomalies and reducing the dynamic connection between zonal SST gradient and upwelling process, and finally increasing the chaotic degree of ENSO systems simulated by the box model. The enhanced chaotic degree of ENSO systems leads to a more rapid growth of initial errors in the forecast model in spring, potentially leading to the SPB phenomenon.
Abstract
Radiation Belt Storm Probes (RBSP) data show that seed electrons generated by sub-storm injections play a role in amplifying chorus waves in the magnetosphere. The wave-particle interaction leads to rapid heating and acceleration of electrons from 10's of keV to 10's of MeV energies. In this work, we examined the changes in the radiation belt during geomagnetic storm events by studying the RBSP REPT, solar wind, AL, SML, and Dst data in conjunction with the WINDMI model of the magnetosphere. The field-aligned current output from the model is integrated to generate a proxy E index for various energy bands. These E indices track electron energization from 40 KeV to 20 MeV in the radiation belts. The indices are compared to RBSP data and GOES data. Our proxy indices correspond well to the energization data for electron energy bands between 1.8 and 7.7 MeV. Each E index has a unique empirical loss rate term (τ
L
), an empirical time delay term (τ
D
), and a gain value, that are fit to the observations. These empirical parameters were adjusted to examine the delay and charging rates associated with different energy bands. We observed that the τ
L
and τ
D
values are clustered for each energy band. τ
L
and τ
D
consistently increase going from 1.8 to 7.7 MeV in electron energy flux E
e
and the dropout interval increases with increasing energy level. The average trend of Δτ
D
/ΔE
e
was 4.1 hr/MeV and the average trend of Δτ
L
/ΔE
e
was 2.82 hr/MeV.
Abstract
Cross-scale energy transfer is a fundamental problem in plasma physics but is poorly understood. Based on Magnetospheric Multiscale satellite (MMS) data, we present the evidence of the energy transfer between ion-scale and electron-scale waves in the Earth's foreshock region. Low-frequency fast-magnetosonic waves (LFWs, ∼0.2 Hz; ion-gyration scales) are observed in the solar wind upstream of the Earth's bow shock. Due to the magnetic compression of LFWs, suprathermal electrons (∼10–100s eV) are adiabatically heated in the perpendicular direction, which leads to the high anisotropy in the high-magnetic-field region. Then high-frequency whistler mode waves (HFWs, 0.1–0.5 f
ce
; electron-gyration scales) are excited by those anisotropic electrons through cyclotron resonance. Therefore, this study reveals how energy is transported from LFWs to HFWs, suggesting that wave-particle interactions have played a key role in cross-scale energy transfer in collisionless plasmas.
Abstract
The Juno mission flew through the plasma disk near the equator in Jupiter's magnetosphere frequently. We identify 274 plasma disk crossings of Juno between 10 and 40 R
J
from PJ5 to PJ44. Using a forward modeling method that combines the JADE-I time-of-flight and SPECIES data sets, we perform a survey of ion properties in the plasma disk. Ions are heated from 1.5 to 6 keV between 15 and 30 R
J
. Density and temperature are locally anti-correlated. Assumed to be related to centrifugal instabilities, cold, dense plasma are commonly observed near midnight. Plasma corotates around Jupiter and the rigid corotation breaks down outside 15–20 R
J
. The plasma bulk velocity increases from the post-dusk sector to the pre-dawn sector featuring injection flows in the pre-dawn sector, which is consistent with the Vasyliunas cycle. Strong outflows (>100 km/s) are commonly observed outside 20 R
J
and the average radial velocity increases with radial distance. The ion abundance changes between 10 and 18 R
J
and that might indicate plasma sources and/or sinks near Europa and Ganymede. The vertical distribution of ions is controlled by the balance between centrifugal, pressure gradient, and ambipolar electric field forces. An example near the M-shell of 13.5 shows that average plasma temperature increases by a factor of 10 from the disk center to edge, because cold ions are more confined near the equator. Lighter ions with higher charge states have more mobility along the field line and have larger scale heights. The observations are compared with multi-species diffusive equilibrium model.
Abstract
The sporadic E-layer (Es) exhibits unique opportunity for exploring the coupling from lower to upper atmosphere. It was found that the East Asia is with the highest intensity and occurrence probability of Es. By using the long-term data of 21 ionosonde stations in China and Japan over the past 60 yrs, this paper explores the probable control on the Es layer from the lower layers. It is found that the intensity of the Es layer is strongly correlated with the surface atmospheric temperature, terrain, and land-sea boundary. The correlation coefficient of the intensity of Es with surface temperature is as high as 0.8204, while that with the terrain and land-sea boundary is up to 0.6668. Based on the coupling between the lower and upper atmosphere, this paper reveals the probable controls from lower layers on the intensity of the Es in East Asia.
Abstract
Van Allen Probe observations indicate that whistler-mode hiss waves below 1 kHz are absorbed at low altitudes near magnetic equator. The lowest cutoff frequency of equatorial hiss is close to the gyrofrequency of hydrogen ions. The lowest cutoff altitude of global hiss is extracted when its occurrence rate is equal to 0.005 on the plane of altitude (L in RE) and magnetic local time (MLT). By fitting the lowest cutoff altitude of global hiss, we constructed the empirical model of the lowest cutoff altitude of equatorial hiss under geomagnetically quiet (AE < 200 nT) and active (AE ≥ 200 nT) conditions. The enhanced substorm activities reduce the lowest cutoff altitude of hiss waves on the dawnside (MLT ∼ 1–5 hr), whereas the lowest cutoff altitude of the dayside hiss is nearly fixed at ∼1.1 RE (MLT ∼ 6–20 hr). From the dayside to the nightside (MLT ∼ 0–6 hr and 20–24 hr), the lowest cutoff altitude of equatorial hiss raises gradually from 1.1 RE to 1.4 RE.
