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sympl (v. 0.4.0) and climt (v. 0.15.3) – towards a flexible framework for building model hierarchies in Python

In the same way that the fruit fly or the yeast cell serve as model systems in biology, climate scientists use a range of computer models to gain a fundamental understanding of our climate system. These models range from extremely simple models that can run on your phone to those that require supercomputers. Sympl and climt are packages that make it easy for climate scientists to build a hierarchy of such models using Python, which facilitates easy to read and self-documenting models.

Speculations on the application of foliar ¹³C discrimination to reveal groundwater dependency of vegetation and provide estimates of root depth and rates of groundwater use

Groundwater is a significant water resource for humans and for groundwater-dependent vegetation. Several challenges to managing both groundwater resources and dependent vegetation include defining the location of dependent vegetation, the rate of groundwater use, and the depth of roots accessing groundwater. In this study we demonstrate a novel application of measurements of stable isotopes of carbon that can be used to identify the location, the rooting depth, and the rate of groundwater use.

Inverse modelling of CF₄ and NF₃ emissions in East Asia

Emissions of carbon tetrafluoride CF₄, NF₃ and CHF₃ in east Asia have been calculated using atmospheric measurements and an atmospheric transport model. We calculate emissions of CF₄ to be quite constant between the years 2008 and 2015 for both China and South Korea, with 2015 emissions calculated at 4.33 ± 2.65 Gg yr^-1 and 0.36 ± 0.11 Gg yr^-1, respectively. Emission estimates of NF₃ from South Korea could be made with relatively small uncertainty at 0.6 ± 0.07 Gg yr^-1 in 2015.

The climate effects of increasing ocean albedo: an idealized representation of solar geoengineering

Marine cloud brightening has been proposed as a means of geoengineering/climate intervention, or deliberately altering the climate system to offset anthropogenic climate change. In idealized simulations that highlight contrasts between land and ocean, we find that the globe warms, including the ocean due to transport of heat from land. This study reinforces that no net energy input into the Earth system does not mean that temperature will necessarily remain unchanged.

Wet avalanches: long-term evolution in the Western Alps under climate and human forcing

In the context of a warming climate, mountain environments are especially vulnerable to a change in the risk pattern. Our study focuses on the past evolution of wet avalanches, likely triggered by warmer temperatures destabilizing the snow cover. In the last 3300 years we observed an increase of wet avalanche occurrence related to human activities, intensifying pressure on forest cover, as well as favorable climate conditions such as warmer temperatures coinciding with retreating glacier phases.

Mechanisms leading to the 2016 giant twin glacier collapses, Aru Range, Tibet

In Tibet, two glaciers suddenly collapsed in summer 2016 and produced two gigantic ice avalanches, killing nine people. This kind of phenomenon is extremely rare. By combining a detailed modelling study and high-resolution satellite observations, we show that the event was triggered by an increasing meltwater supply in the fine-grained material underneath the two glaciers. Contrary to what is often thought, this event is not linked to a change in the thermal condition at the glacier base.

Integrated management of a Swiss cropland is not sufficient to preserve its soil carbon pool in the long term

It is of great interest to know whether croplands act as a net source or sink of atmospheric CO₂and if soil carbon © stocks are preserved over long timescales due to the role of C in soil fertility. For a cropland in Switzerland it was found that managing the field under the Swiss framework of the Proof of Ecological Performance (PEP) resulted in soil C losses of 18.0 %. Additional efforts are needed to bring Swiss management practices closer to the goal of preserving soil C in the long term.

Technical note: Two types of absolute dynamic ocean topography

Ocean Science
DOI 10.5194/os-14-947-2018
4 September 2018

Two types of marine geoid exist with the first type being the average level of sea surface height if the water is at rest (classical definition), and the second type being satellite-determined with the condition that the water is usually not at rest. The associated absolute dynamic ocean topography (DOT) also has two types. Horizontal gradients of the two DOTs are different with the 1st (2nd) type representing the absolute (relative) surface geostrophic currents.

Radiative feedbacks of dust in snow over eastern Asia in CAM4-BAM

This study extends our previous investigation in dust–radiation interactions to investigate SRF and its feedbacks on the regional climate and the dust cycle over east Asia by use of the CAM4-BAM. Our results show that SRF increases the east Asian dust emissions significantly by 13.7 % in the spring, in contrast to −7.6 % of decreased dust emissions by DRF. Hence, a significant feature of SRF on the Tibetan Plateau can create a positive feedback loop to enhance the dust cycle over east Asia.

Promising Oldest Ice sites in East Antarctica based on thermodynamical modelling

Our paper provides an important review of the state of knowledge for oldest-ice prospection, but also adds new basal geothermal heat flux constraints from recently acquired high-definition radar data sets. This is the first paper to contrast the two primary target regions for oldest ice: Dome C and Dome Fuji. Moreover, we provide statistical comparisons of all available data sets and a summary of the community’s criteria for the retrieval of interpretable oldest ice since the 2013 effort.

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