Search results for "USE"

2016

The spatial context is criticalwhen assessing present-day climate anomalies, attributing them to potential forcings and making statements regarding their frequency and severity in a long-term perspective. Recent international initiatives have expanded the number of high-quality proxy-records and developed new statistical reconstruction methods. These advances allow more rigorous regional past temperature reconstructions and, in turn, the possibility of evaluating climate models on policy-relevant, spatiotemporal scales. Here we provide a new proxy-based, annually-resolved, spatial reconstruction of the European summer (June-August) temperature fields back to 755 CE based on Bayesian hierarc…

Modelling Complex Volume Shape Using Ellipsoid: Application to Pore Space Representation

2017

Natural shapes have complex volume forms that are usually difficult to model using simple analytical equations. The complexity of the representation is due to the heterogeneity of the physical environment and the variety of phenomena involved. In this study we consider the representation of the porous media. Thanks to the technological advances in Computed Topography scanners, the acquisition of images of complex shapes becomes possible. However, and unfortunately, the image data is not directly usable for simulation purposes. In this paper, we investigate the modeling of such shapes using a piece wise approximation of image data by ellipsoids. We propose to use a split-merge strategy and a…

An assessment of the global impact of 21st century land use change on soil erosion

2017

Human activity and related land use change are the primary cause of accelerated soil erosion, which has substantial implications for nutrient and carbon cycling, land productivity and in turn, worldwide socio-economic conditions. Here we present an unprecedentedly high resolution (250 × 250 m) global potential soil erosion model, using a combination of remote sensing, GIS modelling and census data. We challenge the previous annual soil erosion reference values as our estimate, of 35.9 Pg yr−1 of soil eroded in 2012, is at least two times lower. Moreover, we estimate the spatial and temporal effects of land use change between 2001 and 2012 and the potential offset of the global application o…

Methanotrophy in geothermal soils, an overlooked process: The example of Nisyros island (Greece)

2020

Abstract A multidisciplinary field campaign was carried out at Nisyros Island (Greece). Hydrothermal gases were sampled and analysed, and CH4 and CO2 fluxes from the soils were measured with the accumulation chamber method. The sampling area (Lakki plain) covers an area of about 0.08 km2, and includes the main fumarolic areas of Kaminakia, Stefanos, Ramos, Lofos and Phlegeton. Flux values measured at 130 sites range from −3.4 to 1420 mg m−2 d−1 for CH4 and from 0.1 to 383 g m−2 d−1 for CO2. The fumarolic areas show very different CH4 degassing patterns, Kaminakia showing the highest CH4 output values (about 0.8 t a−1 from an area of about 30,000 m2) and Phlegeton the lowest (about 0.01 t a−…

Assessing and Modeling Soil Detachment Capacity by Overland Flow in Forest and Woodland of Northern Iran

2020

Land use has significant effects on the erosion process, since it influences the soil detachment capacity by causing an overland flow (Dc). The effects of different land uses on the rill detachment capacity have not been explained in depth, and the hydraulic parameters providing accurate estimates of this soil property have not been completely identified. This study quantifies Dc at low flow rates in woodland and forestland, compared to two other land uses (cropland and grassland), in the Saravan watershed (Northern Iran), and develops prediction models of Dc and rill erodibility (Kr). Dc was measured on undisturbed soil samples, collected in the four land uses, and characterized in terms o…

Star-disk interaction in classical T Tauri stars revealed using wavelet analysis

2016

The extension of the corona of classical T Tauri stars (CTTS) is under discussion. The standard model of magnetic configuration of CTTS predicts that coronal magnetic flux tubes connect the stellar atmosphere to the inner region of the disk. However, differential rotation may disrupt these long loops. The results from Hydrodynamic modeling of X-ray flares observed in CTTS confirming the star-disk connection hypothesis are still controversial. Some authors suggest the presence of the accretion disk prevent the stellar corona to extent beyond the co-rotation radius, while others simply are not confident with the methods used to derive loop lengths. We use independent procedures to determine t…

Coping with the impacts of Urban Heat Islands A literature based study on understanding urban heat vulnerability and the need for resilience in citie…

2018

The urban heat island (UHI) is a phenomenon whereby temperature levels in urban areas are higher than in surrounding rural settings. Urban heat islands are a matter of increasing concern, since they can affect communities by exacerbating air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions (due to the greater use of air conditioning) and the occurrence of heat-related illness, and may lead to higher levels of mortality. This paper provides a description of the phenomena of (UHI) and an analysis of how cities are vulnerable to it. It highlights the need for resilience and the variety of means by which the UHI can be tackled. It describes a set of trends in two regions in Germany and Australia, which i…

Measuring the electron temperatures of coronal mass ejections with future space-based multi-channel coronagraphs: a numerical test

2018

Context. The determination from coronagraphic observations of physical parameters of the plasma embedded in coronal mass ejections (CMEs) is of crucial importance for our understanding of the origin and evolution of these phenomena. Aims. The aim of this work is to perform the first ever numerical simulations of a CME as it will be observed by future two-channel (visible light VL and UV Ly-α) coronagraphs, such as the Metis instrument on-board ESA-Solar Orbiter mission, or any other future coronagraphs with the same spectral band-passes. These simulations are then used to test and optimize the plasma diagnostic techniques to be applied to future observations of CMEs. Methods. The CME diagno…

Using hydrological connectivity to detect transitions and degradation thresholds: Applications to dryland systems

2020

In arid and semi-arid ecosystems, shortage of water can trigger changes in landscapes’ structures and function leading to degradation and desertification. Hydrological connectivity is a useful framework for understanding water redistribution and scaling issues associated with runoff and sediment production, since human and/or natural disturbances alter surface water availability and pathways increasing/decreasing connectivity. In this paper, we illustrate the use of the connectivity framework for several examples of dryland systems that are analysed at a variety of spatial and temporal scales. In doing so, we draw particular attention to the analysis of coevolution of system structures and …

Soil erosion processes in European vineyards: A qualitative comparison of rainfall simulation measurements in Germany, Spain and France

2016

Small portable rainfall simulators are considered a useful tool to analyze soil erosion processes in cultivated lands. European research groups in Spain (Valencia, Málaga, Lleida, Madrid and La Rioja), France (Reims) and Germany (Trier) have used different rainfall simulators (varying in drop size distribution and fall velocities, kinetic energy, plot forms and sizes, and field of application) to study soil loss, surface flow, runoff and infiltration coefficients in different experimental plots (Valencia, Montes de Málaga, Penedès, Campo Real and La Rioja in Spain, Champagne in France and Mosel-Ruwer valley in Germany). The measurements and experiments developed by these research teams give…