Connecting Coronal Mass Ejections to Their Solar Active Region Sources: Combining Results from the HELCATS and FLARECAST Projects

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and other solar eruptive phenomena can be physically linked by combining data from a multitude of ground-based and space-based instruments alongside models; however, this can be challenging for automated operational systems. The EU Framework Package 7 HELCATS project provides catalogues of CME observations and properties from the Heliospheric Imagers on board the two NASA/STEREO spacecraft in order to track the evolution of CMEs in the inner heliosphere. From the main HICAT catalogue of over 2,000 CME detections, an automated algorithm has been developed to connect the CMEs observed by STEREO to any corresponding solar flares and active-region (AR) sources on the solar surface. CME kinematic properties, such as speed and angular width, are compared with AR magnetic field properties, such as magnetic flux, area, and neutral line characteristics. The resulting LOWCAT catalogue is also compared to the extensive AR property database created by the EU Horizon 2020 FLARECAST project, which provides more complex magnetic field parameters derived from vector magnetograms. Initial statistical analysis has been undertaken on the new data to provide insight into the link between flare and CME events, and characteristics of eruptive ARs. Warning thresholds determined from analysis of the evolution of these parameters is shown to be a useful output for operational space weather purposes. Parameters of particular interest for further analysis include total unsigned flux, vertical current, and current helicity. The automated method developed to create the LOWCAT catalogue may also be useful for future efforts to develop operational CME forecasting.     

Precipitation and temperature space–time variability and extremes in the Mediterranean region: evaluation of dynamical and statistical downscaling methods

This study evaluates how statistical and dynamical downscaling models as well as combined approach perform in retrieving the space–time variability of near-surface temperature and rainfall, as well as their extremes, over the whole Mediterranean region. The dynamical downscaling model used in this study is the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model with varying land-surface models and resolutions (20 and 50 km) and the statistical tool is the Cumulative Distribution Function-transform (CDF-t). To achieve a spatially resolved downscaling over the Mediterranean basin, the European Climate Assessment and Dataset (ECA&D) gridded dataset is used for calibration and evaluation of the downscaling models. In the frame of HyMeX and MED-CORDEX international programs, the downscaling is performed on ERA-I reanalysis over the 1989–2008 period. The results show that despite local calibration, CDF-t produces more accurate spatial variability of near-surface temperature and rainfall with respect to ECA&D than WRF which solves the three-dimensional equation of conservation. This first suggests that at 20–50 km resolutions, these three-dimensional processes only weakly contribute to the local value of temperature and precipitation with respect to local one-dimensional processes. Calibration of CDF-t at each individual grid point is thus sufficient to reproduce accurately the spatial pattern. A second explanation is the use of gridded data such as ECA&D which smoothes in part the horizontal variability after data interpolation and damps the added value of dynamical downscaling. This explains partly the absence of added-value of the 2-stage downscaling approach which combines statistical and dynamical downscaling models. The temporal variability of statistically downscaled temperature and rainfall is finally strongly driven by the temporal variability of its forcing (here ERA-Interim or WRF simulations). CDF-t is thus efficient as a bias correction tool but does not show any added-value regarding the time variability of the downscaled field. Finally, the quality of the reference observation dataset is a key issue. Comparison of CDF-t calibrated with ECA&D dataset and WRF simulations to local measurements from weather stations not assimilated in ECA&D, shows that the temporal variability of the downscaled data with respect to the local observations is closer to the local measurements than to ECA&D data. This highlights the strong added-value of dynamical downscaling which improves the temporal variability of the atmospheric dynamics with regard to the driving model. This article highlights the benefits and inconveniences emerging from the use of both downscaling techniques for climate research. Our goal is to contribute to the discussion on the use of downscaling tools to assess the impact of climate change on regional scales.     

Influence of temporal fluctuations and spatial heterogeneity on pollution transport in porous media

The combined influence of temporal fluctuations and spatial heterogeneity on non-reactive solute transport mechanisms in porous media can be understood by performing simulations of steady and unsteady flow and transport in heterogeneous media. The study focuses on issues such as the degree of heterogeneity, correlation length, separation of the combined effects of temporal and spatial variations, and ergodicity conditions under unsteady flow conditions. It is shown that the effect of temporal variations on solute transport is masked by the strong effect of spatial heterogeneity. There is no obvious difference in plume shape between steady and unsteady flow conditions; the first and the second spatial moments of the plume of the unsteady-state flow condition fluctuate around the steady-state flow condition with the same period of oscillations as the input signal at small storage coefficient (S????0.001). At a relatively high standard deviation in hydraulic conductivity and a small storage coefficient, the unsteady flow condition sharpens the temporal variations in macrodispersion coefficients. The magnitude of the longitudinal macrodispersion coefficient under unsteady flow condition is almost doubled at the maximum values. However, the transverse macrodispersion coefficient fluctuates around zero. The Kubo number and Peclet number ranges are 1.2?C64 and 10?C250, respectively.     

Trace elements in the sediments of a large Mediterranean marina (Port Camargue,France): Levels and contamination history

The study of trace elements (Cu, Zn, Pb, As, Hg) and butyltin concentrations in the sediments of Port Camargue enabled assessment of the levels and history of the contamination of the largest European marina linked with the use of antifouling paints. Surface sediments near the boat maintenance area were heavily contaminated with up to 1497 μg g⁻¹ of Cu, 475 μg g⁻¹ of Zn, 0.82 μg g⁻¹ of Hg, 94 μg g⁻¹ of Pb and over 10,000 ngSn g⁻¹ of tributyltin (TBT). High concentrations of Hg and TBT indicate ongoing sources of these elements despite the ban on their use as biocides in paints. Sediment cores provided records of contamination since 1969. The peak concentrations of As, Hg, Pb and TBT in the sediment profile reflect their presence on boat hulls when the marina was built at the end of the 1960s. Degradation of TBT in the sediments near the boat maintenance area is slow compared to other less contaminated area of the marina.     

The suitability of annual tree growth rings as environmental archives: Evidence from Sr,Nd, Pb and Ca isotopes in spruce growth rings from the Strengbach watershed

The combination of the Sr, Nd and Pb isotope systems, recognized as tracers of sources, with the Ca isotope system, known to reveal biology-related fractionations, allowed us to test the reliability of spruce (Picea abies) growth rings as environmental archives through time (from 1916 to 1983) in a forest ecosystem affected by acid atmospheric deposition. Sr and Pb isotopes have already been applied in former tree-ring studies, whereas the suitability of Nd and Ca isotope systems is checked in the present article. Our Sr and Nd isotope data indicate an evolution in the cation origin with a geogenic origin for the oldest rings and an atmospheric origin for the youngest rings. Ca isotopes show, for their part, an isotopic homogeneity which could be linked to the very low weathering flux of Ca. Since this flux is weak the spruces’ root systems have pumped the Ca mainly from the organic matter-rich top-soil over the past century. In contrast, the annual growth rings studied are not reliable and suitable archives of past Pb pollution.     

Regional climate modelling of the 2006 West African monsoon: sensitivity to convection and planetary boundary layer parameterisation using WRF

Regional climate model (RCM) is a valuable scientific tool to address the mechanisms of regional atmospheric systems such as the West African monsoon (WAM). This study aims to improve our understanding of the impact of some physical schemes of RCM on the WAM representation. The weather research and forecasting model has been used by performing six simulations of the 2006 summer WAM season. These simulations use all combinations of three convective parameterization schemes (CPSs) and two planetary boundary layer schemes (PBLSs). By comparing the simulations to a large set of observations and analysis products, we have evaluated the ability of these RCM parameterizations to reproduce different aspects of the regional atmospheric circulation of the WAM. This study focuses in particular on the WAM onset and the rainfall variability simulated over this domain. According to the different parameterizations tested, the PBLSs seem to have the strongest effect on temperature, humidity vertical distribution and rainfall amount. On the other hand, dynamics and precipitation variability are strongly influenced by CPSs. In particular, the Mellor?CYamada?CJanjic PBLS attributes more realistic values of humidity and temperature. Combined with the Kain?CFritsch CPS, the WAM onset is well represented. The different schemes combination tested also reveal the role of different regional climate features on WAM dynamics, namely the low level circulation, the land?Catmosphere interactions and the meridional temperature gradient between the Guinean coast and the Sahel.     

Basic concepts of the crystallization from aqueous solutions: The example of aluminum oxy(hydroxi)des and aluminosilicates

This overview features the chemical background on condensation phenomena of the aluminum cation in aqueous solution. The formation of polycationic molecular clusters and nanosized solid phases of aluminum oxy(hydroxi)des is interpreted with illustrative mechanisms, building a bridge between solution chemistry and solid-state chemistry. The formation of the main structural types of aluminosilicates (zeolites, clays, imogolite) is also illustrated through the aqueous chemistry of aluminum and silicates.     

Using short-lived nuclides of the U- and Th-series to probe the kinetics of colloid migration in forested soils

The recent chemical dynamics of a podzolic forest soil section (from the Strengbach watershed, France) was investigated using U- and Th-series nuclides. Analyses of (²³⁸U), (²³⁰Th), (²²⁶Ra), (²³²Th), (²²⁸Ra) and (²²⁸Th) activities in the soil particles, the seepage waters, and the mature leaves of the beech trees growing on this soil were performed by TIMS or gamma spectrometry. The simultaneous analysis of the different soil (sl) compartments allows to demonstrate that a preferential Th leaching over Ra must be assumed to explain the (²²⁶Ra/²³⁰Th), (²²⁸Ra/²³²Th) and (²²⁸Th/²²⁸Ra) disequilibria recorded in the soil particles. The overall Ra- and Th- transfer schemes are entirely consistent with the prevailing acido-complexolysis weathering mechanism in podzols. Using a continuous open-system leaching model, the (²²⁶Ra/²³⁰Th) and (²²⁸Ra/²³²Th) disequilibria measured in the different soil layers enable dating of the contemporary processes occurring in this soil. In this way, we have determined that a preferential Th-leaching from the shallow Ah horizon, due to a strong complexation with organic colloids, began fairly recently (18 years ago at most). The continual increase in pH recorded in precipitations over the last 20 years is assumed to be the cause of this enhanced organic complexation. A lower soil horizon (50-60 cm) is also affected by preferential Th leaching, though lasting over several centuries at least, with a much smaller leaching rate. The migration of Th isotopes through this soil section might hence be used as a tracer for the organic colloids migration and the induced radioactive disequilibria demonstrate to be useful for assessing the colloidal migration kinetics in a forested soil.Ra and Th isotopic ratios also appear to be valuable tracers of some mineral-water-plant interactions occurring in soil. The (²²⁸Ra/²²⁶Ra) ratio enables discrimination of the Ra flux originating from leaf degradation from that originating from mineral weathering in shallow −10 cm seepage soil waters. It appears that, at least in some cases, the Ra-isotopic ratio measured in forest-soil seepage waters may not be representative of the Ra-isotopic ratio released from mineral weathering, indicating that the different origins of the dissolved ²²⁶Ra and ²²⁸Ra must be taken into account.     

Leaching of coal-mine tips (Nord-Pas-de-Calais coal basin,France) and sulphate transfer to the chalk aquifer: example of acid mine drainage in a buffered environment

In northern France, the weathering and oxidation of pyrite-containing coal mine spoils can lead to sulphate enrichment of the underlying chalk aquifer. Two sites have been studied: in a free water-table zone and in a confined-aquifer zone. Solid-fraction analyses have shown a release of carbon and sulphur from the waste dump surfaces. The groundwater isotopic analysis (notably ³⁴S) showed the existence of two sulphate sources (mine spoils and gypsum contained in Cenozoic formations). This study also saw evidence of bacterial sulphate reduction in the confined zone as a result of the release of carbon from mine spoils. The effects of acid mine drainage were the presence of secondary minerals as small jarosite dots (cm) present at depth, gypsum or ferrihydrite present on the bottom of temporary ponds, and an increase in sulphate content of groundwaters sampled downstream of the waste dumps. This acid mine drainage is buffered during its infiltration into the chalk aquifer. This is evidenced by the increase in magnesium, calcium, bicarbonate or strontium, resulting of carbonate digestion downstream of the sites. No significant leaching of metals, even those associated with the sulphide fraction, was seen at the two studied sites.