Failure of Marmolada Glacier (Dolomites, Italy) in 2022: data-based back analysis of possible collapse mechanisms Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences DOI 10.5194/nhess-25-3027-2025 5 September 2025 The Marmolada Glacier collapse (3 July 2022), one of the deadliest in the Alps, caused 11 fatalities and occurred during an anomalously warm summer. Analysis links the failure to the combined action of permafrost degradation, elevated ice temperatures, hydrostatic pressure, hydraulic jacking and reduced basal friction. No single factor alone explains the failure. The event highlights how climate-driven thermal and hydraulic factors increasingly threaten the stability of cold mountain glaciers. Read more
Biomechanical parameters of marram grass (Calamagrostis arenaria) for advanced modeling of dune vegetation Earth Surface Dynamics DOI 10.5194/esurf-13-791-2025 5 September 2025 This study analyzes seasonal biomechanical traits of marram grass at two coastal dune sites using monthly field and lab data from 2022. Observed differences in density, leaf length, and flower stems were found to be wind-independent and transferable across sites. The results support surrogate model development for numerical and physical experiments alike, where using live vegetation is impractical. Results address the knowledge gap on how vegetation influences dune stability and erosion resistance. Read more
flat10MIP: an emissions-driven experiment to diagnose the climate response to positive, zero and negative CO2 emissions Geoscientific Model Development DOI 10.5194/gmd-18-5699-2025 5 September 2025 This study investigates how climate models warm in response to simplified carbon emissions trajectories, refining the understanding of climate reversibility and commitment. Metrics are defined for warming response to cumulative emissions and for the cessation of emissions or ramp-down to net-zero and net-negative levels. Results indicate that previous concentration-driven experiments may have overstated the Zero Emissions Commitment due to emissions rates exceeding historical levels. Read more
Synoptic observation of a full mesoscale eddy lifetime and its secondary instabilities in the Gulf of Mexico Ocean Science DOI 10.5194/os-21-1933-2025 4 September 2025 Oceanic eddies are giant swirling currents that help transport heat, nutrients, and pollutants across the ocean. However, their life cycle has never been observed in detail. Using new satellite data, we tracked an intense eddy in the Gulf of Mexico, describing its life cycle from birth during a 6-month period. Our observations reveal small-scale turbulence surrounding it and interactions with other structures that shape its evolution, validating decades of numerical studies. Read more
CYCLOPs: a Unified Framework for Surface Flux-Driven Cyclones Outside the Tropics Weather and Climate Dynamics DOI 10.5194/wcd-6-901-2025 4 September 2025 Storms strongly resembling hurricanes are sometimes observed to form well outside the tropics, even in polar latitudes. They behave capriciously, developing very rapidly and then dying just as quickly. We show that strong dynamical processes in the atmosphere can sometimes cause it to become much colder locally than the underlying ocean, creating the conditions for hurricanes to form but only over small areas and for short times. We call the resulting storms "CYCLOPs". Read more
A climate suitability index for species distribution modelling applied to terrestrial arthropods in the Mediterranean region Earth System Dynamics DOI 10.5194/esd-16-1391-2025 1 September 2025 Climate change threatens biodiversity, especially that of arthropods, by altering species' habitats and ecological roles. This study presents a proof of concept for a novel index that models species distributions based on climatic niches, using regional climate model data and focusing on Mediterranean arthropods. The index enables quick assessments of species' climate resilience and offers potential applications for projecting ecological impacts of future climate changes. Read more
Calibration and performance evaluation of PM 2.5 and NO 2 air quality sensors for environmental epidemiology Atmospheric Measurement Techniques DOI 10.5194/amt-18-4061-2025 29 August 2025 This study evaluates PM 2.5 and NO 2 sensors for their use in health studies. Sensors were calibrated using data from reference instruments, and regression and machine learning models were evaluated, identifying opportunities and limitations in model transferability in both indoor and outdoor environments and showcasing the importance of integrating metadata such as activity logs and diffusive tubes to improve data validation and interpretation during deployment in the houses of the participants. Read more
Turning regret into future disaster preparedness with no regrets Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences DOI 10.5194/nhess-25-2929-2025 29 August 2025 What do we regret about our disaster preparedness? This paper explores the regrets of 438 citizens who were affected by flooding in Germany in 2021. It shows that regret can primarily be associated with inaction (instead of actions), which contrasts with psychological studies from fields other than disaster science. The findings of this study suggest that the no-regret approach could be a suitable framework for moving towards longer-term disaster preparedness to reduce future regrets. Read more
Impact-based temporal clustering of multiple meteorological hazard types in southwestern Germany Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences DOI 10.5194/nhess-25-2885-2025 27 August 2025 Using loss data, we assess when and how single and multiple types of meteorological extremes (river floods and heavy rainfall events, windstorms and convective gusts, and hail) are related. We find that the combination of several types of hazards clusters robustly on a seasonal scale, whereas only some single hazard types occur in clusters. This can be associated with higher losses compared to isolated events. We argue for the relevance of jointly considering multiple types of hazards. Read more
A numerical model of microplastic erosion, transport, and deposition for fluvial systems Earth Surface Dynamics DOI 10.5194/esurf-13-771-2025 26 August 2025 Rivers transport microplastic pollution from its source to its eventual marine sink. Rivers are not simple conveyor belts of this pollution. Microplastic will become entrained within the sediments, becoming part of the river catchment environment. We develop a reduced complexity model to capture the transport and deposition of microplastic. By comparing our model to observations from the Têt River, France, we find that large quantities of microplastic must be stored within the river sediments. Read more
