Long-term evaluation of commercial air quality sensors: an overview from the QUANT (Quantification of Utility of Atmospheric Network Technologies) study
Sebastian Diez, Stuart Lacy, Hugh Coe, Josefina Urquiza, Max Priestman, Michael Flynn, Nicholas Marsden, Nicholas A. Martin, Stefan Gillott, Thomas Bannan, and Pete M. Edwards
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 3809–3827, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3809-2024, 2024
In this paper we present an overview of the QUANT project, which to our knowledge is one of the largest evaluations of commercial sensors to date. The objective was to evaluate the performance of a range of commercial products and also to nourish the different applications in which these technologies can offer relevant information.
Abstract
Before large volumes of crystal poor rhyolites are mobilized as melt, they are extracted through the reduction of pore space within their corresponding crystal matrix (compaction). Petrological and mechanical models suggest that a significant fraction of this process occurs at intermediate melt fractions (ca. 0.3–0.6). The timescales associated with such extraction processes have important ramifications for volcanic hazards. However, it remains unclear how melt is redistributed at the grain-scale and whether using continuum scale models for compaction is suitable to estimate extraction timescales at these melt fractions. To explore these issues, we develop and apply a two-phase continuum model of compaction to two suites of analog phase separation experiments—one conducted at low and the other at high temperatures, T, and pressures, P. We characterize the ability of the crystal matrix to resist porosity change using parameterizations of granular phenomena and find that repacking explains both data sets well. A transition between compaction by repacking to melt-enhanced grain boundary diffusion-controlled creep near the maximum packing fraction of the mush may explain the difference in compaction rates inferred from high T + P experiments and measured in previous deformation experiments. When upscaling results to magmatic systems at intermediate melt fractions, repacking may provide an efficient mechanism to redistribute melt. Finally, outside nearly instantaneous force chain disruption events occasionally recorded in the low T + P experiments, melt loss is continuous, and two-phase dynamics can be solved at the continuum scale with an effective matrix viscosity.
Abstract
The Hengill volcano and its associated geothermal fields represent Iceland's most productive harnessed high-temperature geothermal fields, where resources are fueled by cooling magmatic intrusions connected to three volcanic systems. The crustal structure in this area is highly heterogeneous and shaped by the intricate interplay between tectonic forces and magmatic/hydrothermal activities. This complexity makes detailed subsurface characterization challenging. In this study, we aim to push the current resolution limits using a 500-node temporary seismic array and perform an isotropic and, for the first time, radially-anisotropic velocity model of the area. The high-resolution isotropic velocity model reveals the characteristic N30ºE fissure swarm that crosses the area within the top 500 m and outlines a deep-seated low-velocity body composed of cooling magmatic intrusions at 5 km depth. This deeper body is located near the eastern part of the three volcanic centers and connected to a shallower body at 2–3 km depth that strikes westward toward Hengill volcano. Additionally, our study discovered that non-induced earthquakes deeper than 2 km align with velocity contrasts that reflect structural variability, indicating the potential to identify deep permeable pathways using dense array imaging. The anisotropic model indicates that the shallow crust of Hengill within the top 2 km is dominated by vertical fractures or cracks, likely attributed to overall divergent deformation from rifting in the study area. This characteristic is diminished at depths greater than 2–3 km, replaced by a layering pattern where the lava flows and/or subhorizontal intrusions become the primary factors influencing the observed anisotropy.
No abstract is available for this article.
Abstract
Subglacial lakes have been mapped across Antarctica with two methods, radio-echo sounding (RES) and ice-surface deformation. At sites where both are coincident, these methods typically provide conflicting interpretations about the ice-bed interface. With a single exception, active subglacial lakes identified by surface deformation do not display the expected flat, bright, and specular bed reflection in RES data, characteristic of non-active lakes. This observational conundrum suggests that our understanding of Antarctic subglacial hydrology, especially beneath important fast-moving ice streams, remains incomplete. Here, we use an airborne RES campaign that surveyed a well-characterized group of active subglacial lakes on lower Mercer and Whillans ice streams, West Antarctica, to explore inconsistency between the two observational techniques. We test hypotheses of increased scattering and attenuation due to the presence of an active subglacial lake system that could suppress reflected bed-echo power for RES observations in these locations, finding that entrained water is most plausible.
Abstract
The influence of bioturbation induced by bottom-dwelling macrozoobenthos on nitrogen dynamics in lotic stream sediments remains unclear. In this work, we advance the understanding of faunal bioturbation in lotic environments by developing a fully-coupled flow and multicomponent reactive transport model and investigate the influence of sediment reworking and burrow ventilation processes on nitrogenous transformations. The model results indicate that sediment reworking and burrow ventilation significantly increase nitrate (NO3
−) influx, penetration depth, and reaction rates in the streambed. Denitrification rates were observed up to three times higher in beds with U-shaped burrows compared to flatbeds. The ratio of mound height to stream water depth ratio (h/H
0) is a dominant control on determining the relative importance of the sediment reworking and burrow ventilation processes in modulating nitrogenous reactions. A power-law scaling framework is ultimately proposed to predict NO3
− removal efficiency based on the Damköhler number in bioturbated lotic streambeds.
No abstract is available for this article.
A quest for precipitation attractors in weather radar archives
Loris Foresti, Bernat Puigdomènech Treserras, Daniele Nerini, Aitor Atencia, Marco Gabella, Ioannis V. Sideris, Urs Germann, and Isztar Zawadzki
Nonlin. Processes Geophys., 31, 259–286, https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-31-259-2024, 2024
We compared two ways of defining the phase space of low-dimensional attractors describing the evolution of radar precipitation fields. The first defines the phase space by the domain-scale statistics of precipitation fields, such as their mean, spatial and temporal correlations. The second uses principal component analysis to account for the spatial distribution of precipitation. To represent different climates, radar archives over the United States and the Swiss Alpine region were used.
On the relationship between the mesospheric sodium layer and the meteoric input function
Yanlin Li, Tai-Yin Huang, Julio Urbina, Fabio Vargas, and Wuhu Feng
Ann. Geophys., 42, 285–299, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-42-285-2024, 2024
This work combines lidar observation data and a new numerical sodium (Na) chemistry model, using data assimilation to study the relation between the mesospheric Na layer and the meteoric input function. Simulation captures the seasonal variability in the Na number density compared with lidar observations over the Colorado State University (CSU) lidar. The estimated global ablated meteoroid material inputs from Andes Lidar Observatory and CSU observations are 83 t d-1 and 53 t d-1, respectively.
Abstract
Electron density irregularities in the ionosphere can give rise to scintillations, affecting radio wave phase and amplitude. While scintillations in the cusp and polar cap regions are commonly associated with mesoscale density inhomogeneities and/or shearing, the auroral regions exhibit a strong correlation between scintillation and density structures generated by electron precipitation (arcs). We aim to examine the impact of electron precipitation on the formation of scintillation-producing density structures using a high-resolution physics-based plasma model, the “Geospace Environment Model of Ion-Neutral Interactions,” coupled with a radio propagation model, the “Satellite-beacon Ionospheric-scintillation Global Model of the upper Atmosphere.” Specifically, we explore the effects of varying spatial and temporal characteristics of the precipitation, including electron total energy flux and their characteristic energies, obtained from the all-sky-imagers and Poker Flat Incoherent Scatter Radar observations, on auroral scintillation. To capture small-scale structures, we incorporate a power-law turbulence spectrum that induces short wavelength features sensitive to scintillation. Finally, we compare our simulated scintillation results with satellite-observed scintillations, along with spectral comparisons.
Abstract
Different from power line harmonic radiation (PLHR) events at high harmonics (∼kHz) in the ionosphere and inner magnetosphere, the wave dynamics of power line emission (PLE) (the fundamental frequency 50/60 Hz or PLHR at low harmonics) can be significantly affected by various ion species. In order to investigate the evolution of the wave properties of PLE from power lines to satellite altitudes in a dipole field, a numerical model is developed to perform full-wave simulations, in which the lithosphere and atmosphere are characterized by electrical conductivity and the ionosphere (inner magnetosphere) is treated as collisional (collisionless) cold plasma consisting of electron, H+, He+, O+, and NO+. Our simulation results show that the spatial distribution and wave properties of PLE are determined by the magnetic latitudes of power lines and plasma densities. PLE from power lines at middle and high magnetic latitudes (|MLAT| > 40°) can propagate to high L shells as whistler waves; PLE from power lines at |MLAT| < 30° usually propagate at low L shells below local He+ cyclotron frequency as left-handedly polarized or right-handedly He+ band electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves. The amplitude of PLE is usually stronger with smaller electron density in the space plasma medium. With power lines at |MLAT| < 30°, the coupling efficiency between different right-handedly polarized EMIC wave modes of PLE decreases significantly with electron density. Wave properties of PLE including Poynting vector direction, wave normal angle and wave polarization obtained from our simulation results are consistent with some of the recent observations using Van Allen Probes.
Assessing the benefits of approximately exact step sizes for Picard and Newton solver in simulating ice flow (FEniCS-full-Stokes v.1.3.2)
Niko Schmidt, Angelika Humbert, and Thomas Slawig
Geosci. Model Dev., 17, 4943–4959, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-4943-2024, 2024
Future sea-level rise is of big significance for coastal regions. The melting and acceleration of glaciers plays a major role in sea-level change. Computer simulation of glaciers costs a lot of computational resources. In this publication, we test a new way of simulating glaciers. This approach produces the same results but has the advantage that it needs much less computation time. As simulations can be obtained with fewer computation resources, higher resolution and physics become affordable.
A spatiotemporally separated framework for reconstructing the sources of atmospheric radionuclide releases
Yuhan Xu, Sheng Fang, Xinwen Dong, and Shuhan Zhuang
Geosci. Model Dev., 17, 4961–4982, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-4961-2024, 2024
Recent atmospheric radionuclide leakages from unknown sources have posed a new challenge in nuclear emergency assessment. Reconstruction via environmental observations is the only feasible way to identify sources, but simultaneous reconstruction of the source location and release rate yields high uncertainties. We propose a spatiotemporally separated reconstruction strategy that avoids these uncertainties and outperforms state-of-the-art methods with respect to accuracy and uncertainty ranges.
Evaluation of the hyperspectral radiometer (HSR1) at the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Southern Great Plains (SGP) site
Kelly A. Balmes, Laura D. Riihimaki, John Wood, Connor Flynn, Adam Theisen, Michael Ritsche, Lynn Ma, Gary B. Hodges, and Christian Herrera
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 3783–3807, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3783-2024, 2024
A new hyperspectral radiometer (HSR1) was deployed and evaluated in the central United States (northern Oklahoma). The HSR1 total spectral irradiance agreed well with nearby existing instruments, but the diffuse spectral irradiance was slightly smaller. The HSR1-retrieved aerosol optical depth (AOD) also agreed well with other retrieved AODs. The HSR1 performance is encouraging: new hyperspectral knowledge is possible that could inform atmospheric process understanding and weather forecasting.
Transport of the Hunga volcanic aerosols inferred from Himawari-8/9 limb measurements
Fred Prata
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 3751–3764, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3751-2024, 2024
Geostationary satellite data have been used to measure the stratospheric aerosols from the explosive Hunga volcanic eruption by using the data in a novel way. The onboard imager views part of the Earth's limb and data from this region were analysed to generate vertical cross-sections of aerosols high in the atmosphere. The analyses show the hemispheric spread of the aerosols and their vertical structure in layers from 22–28 km in the stratosphere.
Innovative cloud quantification: deep learning classification and finite-sector clustering for ground-based all-sky imaging
Jingxuan Luo, Yubing Pan, Debin Su, Jinhua Zhong, Lingxiao Wu, Wei Zhao, Xiaoru Hu, Zhengchao Qi, Daren Lu, and Yinan Wang
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 3765–3781, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-3765-2024, 2024
Accurate cloud quantification is critical for climate research. We developed a novel computer vision framework using deep neural networks and clustering algorithms for cloud classification and segmentation from ground-based all-sky images. After a full year of observational training, our model achieves over 95 % accuracy on four cloud types. The framework enhances quantitative analysis to support climate research by providing reliable cloud data.
Evaluation of forecasts by a global data-driven weather model with and without probabilistic post-processing at Norwegian stations
John Bjørnar Bremnes, Thomas N. Nipen, and Ivar A. Seierstad
Nonlin. Processes Geophys., 31, 247–257, https://doi.org/10.5194/npg-31-247-2024, 2024
During the last 2 years, tremendous progress has been made in global data-driven weather models trained on reanalysis data. In this study, the Pangu-Weather model is compared to several numerical weather prediction models with and without probabilistic post-processing for temperature and wind speed forecasting. The results confirm that global data-driven models are promising for operational weather forecasting and that post-processing can improve these forecasts considerably.
Abstract
The magnetosphere-ionosphere-thermosphere system is externally driven by the energy input from the solar wind. A part of the solar wind energy deposited in the magnetosphere during geomagnetically active periods dissipates into the thermosphere. Previous studies have reported temperature perturbations in the lower thermosphere during geomagnetic storms. The present study aims to assess the climatological spatial pattern of the lower thermospheric response to geomagnetic activity at high latitudes based on 21 years of temperature measurements by the SABER (Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry) instrument onboard the TIMED (Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics) satellite and their comparison with the recently developed half-hourly geomagnetic activity index Hp30. The temperature response to geomagnetic activity, evaluated at different seasons and altitudes, is better organized in magnetic coordinates than in geographic coordinates. At 110 km, the temperature increases with Hp30 at all magnetic local times, but with a prominent dusk-dawn asymmetry in the magnitude. That is, the temperature variation per unit Hp30 is larger in the dusk sector than in the dawn sector. At 106 km, the response in the dawn sector is further reduced or even negative. These results provide observational evidence to support earlier theoretical predictions; according to which, both storm-induced vertical wind and Joule heating contribute to the temperature increase in the dusk sector, while in the dawn sector, the vertical wind acts to cool the air and thus counteracts Joule heating.
No abstract is available for this article.
Abstract
The relationship between auroral, ground, and plasma sheet signatures in the late growth phase is crucial for understanding the sequence of events during a substorm expansion phase onset. Here we show conjugate ground-auroral-satellite observations of a substorm that occurred on 18 September 2021, between 04:45 and 05:00 UT, where four auroral activations were detected in the all-sky imagers. An initial activation showed the brightening of an equatorward arc within the cutoff of the 630 nm emissions, indicating activity on closed field lines well inside the open-closed field line boundary (OCFLB). During a second activation, auroral beads were observed on a brightening arc, equatorward and within the OCFLB, followed by the transformation from small-scale to large-scale vortices. The tail current sheet was highly disturbed during the auroral vortex evolution, including pressure and magnetic disturbances, an apparent broadening of a previously thin current sheet, and a breakdown of the frozen-in condition. Our observations clearly show late growth phase dynamics, including arc brightenings, the formation of auroral beads, and auroral vortex development, can occur well in advance of fast Earthward flows in the tail. Indeed, it is only during that later activity that auroral breakup and strong Earthward flows, which we associate with magnetic reconnection further down the tail, are observed together with strong magnetic bays on the ground. The sequence of events is consistent with an inside-to-outside model at substorm expansion phase onset, most likely via a shear-flow ballooning instability in the transition region from dipole to tail-like fields in the near-Earth plasma sheet.
