Reviews and syntheses: Impacts of plant-silica–herbivore interactions onterrestrial biogeochemical cycling Biogeosciences DOI 10.5194/bg-18-1259-2021 8 March 2021 Researchers have known for decades that silicon plays a major role in biogeochemical and plant–soil processes in terrestrial systems. We review and synthesize 119 available studies directly investigating silicon and herbivory to summarize key trends and highlight research gaps and opportunities. Read more
Response of tidal flow regime and sediment transport in North Malé Atoll, Maldives, to coastal modification and sea level rise Ocean Science DOI 10.5194/os-17-319-2021 5 March 2021 Changes to coastlines and bathymetry alter tidal dynamics and associated sediment transport processes, impacting upon a number of threats facing coastal regions, including flood risk and erosion. Especially vulnerable are coral atolls such as those that make up the Maldives archipelago, which has undergone significant land reclamation in recent years and decades and is also particularly exposed to sea level rise. Read more
Assessment of a full-field initialized decadal climate prediction system with the CMIP6 version of EC-Earth Earth System Dynamics DOI 10.5194/esd-12-173-2021 4 March 2021 In this paper, we present and evaluate the skill of an EC-Earth 3.3 decadal prediction system contributing to the Decadal Climate Prediction Project – Component A (DCPP-A). This prediction system is capable of skilfully simulating past global mean surface temperature variations at interannual and decadal forecast times as well as the local surface temperature in regions such as the tropical Atlantic, the Indian Ocean and most of the continental areas, although most of the skill comes from the representation of the external radiative forcings. Read more
Vapor plumes in a tropical wet forest: spotting the invisible evaporation Hydrology and Earth System Sciences DOI 10.5194/hess-25-619-2021 3 March 2021 Forest evaporation exports a vast amount of water vapor from land ecosystems into the atmosphere. This work describes the formation process of vapor plumes in a tropical wet forest as evidence of evaporation processes happening during rain events. Read more
Low-NO atmospheric oxidation pathways in a polluted megacity Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics DOI 10.5194/acp-21-1613-2021 2 March 2021 The impact of emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to the atmosphere on the production of secondary pollutants, such as ozone and secondary organic aerosol (SOA), is mediated by the concentration of nitric oxide (NO). Polluted urban atmospheres are typically considered to be high-NO” environments, while remote regions such as rainforests, with minimal anthropogenic influences, are considered to be “low NO”. However, our observations from central Beijing show that this simplistic separation of regimes is flawed. Read more
A limited effect of sub-tropical typhoons on phytoplankton dynamics Biogeosciences DOI 10.5194/bg-18-849-2021 1 March 2021 Typhoons are assumed to stimulate primary ocean production through the upward mixing of nutrients into the ocean surface. This assumption is based largely on observations of increased surface chlorophyll concentrations following the passage of typhoons. This surface chlorophyll enhancement, occasionally detected by satellites, is often undetected due to intense cloud coverage. Read more
Volcanoes in video games: the portrayal of volcanoes incommercial off-the-shelf (COTS) video games and their learning potential Geoscience Communication DOI 10.5194/gc-4-11-2021 26 February 2021 Volcanoes are a very common staple in mainstream video games. Particularly within the action–adventure genres, entire missions or even full storylines can require players to traverse an active volcano. Therefore, players can spend a lot of time immersed within the detailed graphics and unknowingly learn about volcanic traits while playing. COTS) video games and their learning potential">Read more
Mass accommodation and gas–particle partitioning in secondary organicaerosols: dependence on diffusivity, volatility, particle-phase reactions,and penetration depth Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics DOI 10.5194/acp-21-1565-2021 25 February 2021 Mass accommodation is an essential process for gas–particle partitioning of organic compounds in secondary organic aerosols (SOA). The mass accommodation coefficient is commonly described as the probability of a gas molecule colliding with the surface to enter the particle phase. It is often applied, however, without specifying if and how deep a molecule has to penetrate beneath the surface to be regarded as being incorporated into the condensed phase (adsorption vs. absorption). Read more
A new view of heat wave dynamics and predictability over the easternMediterranean Earth System Dynamics DOI 10.5194/esd-12-133-2021 24 February 2021 Skillful forecasts of extreme weather events have a major socioeconomic relevance. Here, we compare two complementary approaches to diagnose the predictability of extreme weather: recent developments in dynamical systems theory and numerical ensemble weather forecasts. Read more
An overview of the ORACLES (ObseRvations of Aerosols above CLouds and theirintEractionS) project: aerosol–cloud–radiation interactions in the southeastAtlantic basin Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics DOI 10.5194/acp-21-1507-2021 23 February 2021 Southern Africa produces almost a third of the Earth’s biomass burning (BB) aerosol particles, yet the fate of these particles and their influence on regional and global climate is poorly understood. ORACLES (ObseRvations of Aerosols above CLouds and their intEractionS) is a 5-year NASA EVS-2 (Earth Venture Suborbital-2) investigation with three intensive observation periods designed to study key atmospheric processes that determine the climate impacts of these aerosols. ORACLES (ObseRvations of Aerosols above CLouds and theirintEractionS) project: aerosol–cloud–radiation interactions in the southeastAtlantic basin">Read more
