Abstract This report presents some new methodological opportunities that biophysics can offer for solving the fundamental problem of planetary ecology—deciphering the mechanism that maintains the equilibrium state of the biosphere. The Institute of Biophysics, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, where the author of this report works, is developing two complementary directions in ecological

In this study, we report seawater dissolved zinc (Zn) concentration and isotope composition (δ66Zn) from the GEOTRACES GA01 (GEOVIDE) section in the North Atlantic. Across the transect, three subsets of samples stand out due to their isotopically light signature: those close to the Reykjanes Ridge, those close to the sediments, and those, pervasively, in the upper ocean. Similar to observations at

The crystal structure of goethite, FeO(OH), has two distinct oxygen sites, one with exclusively Fe-O bonds, the other with bonds to both iron and hydrogen. We developed a method to assess the oxygen isotope contrast between these sites by measuring both the bulk goethite and the oxygen released in the conversion of goethite to hematite. The method involves collecting the water released by dehydroxylation

Coseismic off-fault damage and pulverization significantly influence the mechanical and transport properties, and in turn the rupture dynamics of faults. Although field-based, laboratory, and numerical studies help elucidate the structure of damage zones adjacent to modern strike-slip faults, the vertical extent of these zones remains an open question. To address this question, we analyzed particle

Cloud computing platforms can facilitate the use of Earth science models by providing immediate access to fully configured software, massive computing power, and large input datasets. However, slow inter‐node communication performance has previously discouraged the use of cloud platforms for massively parallel simulations. Here we show that recent advances in the network performance on the Amazon Web

A new weakly coupled data assimilation (CDA) system based on the dimension‐reduced projection four‐dimensional variational data assimilation (DRP‐4DVar) with a simplified off‐line localization technique and a fully coupled model, i.e., the Grid‐point Version 2 of Flexible Global Ocean‐Atmosphere‐Land System Model (FGOALS‐g2), was developed for the initialization of decadal predictions. A one‐month

Oceanic islands in the western Pacific export ∼35% of particulate organic carbon (OC) to the world ocean, but composition and age of OC varies dramatically among and within the islands. Understanding island-wide variation in sources and controls on the sedimentary OC in a series of rivers is therefore essential to assess the role of oceanic islands on the global carbon cycle. Stable and radioactive

Mid-ocean ridge basalts (MORBs) are the most abundant eruptive tholeiitic products on Earth. Many experiments have been performed to investigate the solidification of basalts but under limited thermal ranges of cooling (ΔTc) and cooling rates (ΔT/Δt). We analyze the experimental charges solidified from previous studies: the BIR − 1A basalt from USGS was solidified using ΔT/Δt of 1, 7, 60, 180, 1800

To study the influence of convective momentum transport (CMT) on wind, boundary layer and cloud evolution in a marine cold air outbreak (CAO) we use Large‐Eddy Simulations subject to different baroclinicity (wind shear) but similar surface forcing. The simulated domain is large enough to develop typical mesoscale cellular convective structures. We find that a maximum friction induced by momentum transport

The Community Earth System Model version 2 (CESM2) includes a detailed representation of chemistry throughout the atmosphere in the CAM‐chem (Community Atmosphere Model with chemistry) and WACCM (Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model) configurations. These model configurations use the MOZART (Model for OZone and Related chemical Tracers) family of chemical mechanisms, covering the troposphere, stratosphere

The configuration of the Met Office Unified Model being submitted to CMIP6 has a high climate sensitivity. Previous studies have suggested that the impact of model changes on initial tendencies in numerical weather prediction (NWP) should be used to guide their suitability for inclusion in climate models. In this study we assess, using NWP experiments, the atmospheric model changes which lead to the

Climate models rely on parameterizations of a variety of processes in the atmospheric physics, but a common concern is that the temporal resolution is too coarse to consistently resolve the behavior that individual parameterizations are designed to capture. This study examines timescales numerically derived from the Morrison‐Gettelman (MG2) microphysics as implemented within the Energy Exascale Earth

Our understanding of crust – mantle evolution and geodynamics of the early Earth has been hampered by the scarcity of Hadean to Eoarchean rocks and by the almost ubiquitous isotopic disturbance of the oldest rocks. Here we present in-situ zircon U-Pb ages, O-OH and Lu-Hf isotopes, as well as whole-rock Sr-Nd-Hf-Pb isotopes for the recently identified Eoarchean Aktash gneisses in the Tarim Craton, NW

Ferroan anorthosite suite (FAS) rocks are widely interpreted to represent primordial lunar crust. Despite their importance in pinpointing the timing of lunar crust formation, robust chronological investigations for this rock type are scarce. Here, we report the Ar-Ar, Rb-Sr, and Sm-Nd isotopic systematics for the FAS troctolitic anorthosite 62237. The Ar-Ar isotopic system has been reset by a thermal

Supra-subduction zone (SSZ) ophiolites formed in forearc settings and the Izu–Bonin–Mariana (IBM) in-situ forearc show conversions from normal mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB) to boninitic affinities, which are widely interpreted as rules for the evolving chemical geodynamics of subduction initiation magmatism (SIM). Nevertheless, forearc sequence generated by subduction initiation need not always include

The Al/Si and Mg/Si ratios in non-carbonaceous chondrites are lower than the solar (i.e., CI-chondritic) values, in sharp contrast to the non-CI carbonaceous meteorites and the Earth, which are enriched in refractory elements and have Mg/Si ratios that are solar or larger. We show that the formation of a first generation of planetesimals during the condensation of refractory elements implies the subsequent

The equatorial eastern Indian Ocean hosts a diffuse plate boundary, where widespread deformation accommodates the relative motion between the Indian, Australian and Capricorn sub-plates. We integrate IODP Expedition 362 borehole data, which for the first time provides an accurate, ground-truthed chronostratigraphy of the sedimentary sequence east of the Ninety East Ridge (NER), with 2D seismic reflection

Numerical model simulations and experiments have suggested that when migration of the main drainage divide occurs in a mountain belt, it can lead to the rearrangement of river catchments, rejuvenation of topography, and changes in erosion rates and sediment flux. We assess the progressive mobility of the drainage divide in three lithologically and structurally distinct groups of bedrock in the High

Iron (Fe) is an essential micronutrient and its availability controls primary production in large parts of the ocean. Further, the variability of oxygen minimum zones (OMZ) exerts a major control on the availability of Fe, concentrations of which are elevated off Namibia. Therefore, to understand the sources and processes involved in the cycling of Fe off Namibia, we determined major and trace element

The formation of the Moon is thought to be the result of a giant impact between a Mercury-to-proto-Earth-sized body and the proto-Earth. However, the initial thermal state of the Moon following its accretion is not well constrained by geochemical data. Here, we provide geochemical evidence that supports a high-temperature origin of the Moon by performing high-temperature (1973–2873 K) metal-silicate

Aragonite and high-magnesium calcite are abundant constituents of modern shallow marine carbonate sediments, but are rare in ancient carbonate rocks. Because these minerals are metastable, they tend to stabilize to microcrystalline calcite which is ubiquitous in most Phanerozoic marine and lacustrine limestones. Calcite microcrystals exhibit a range of textures that have been classified in terms of

The Ti-in-quartz thermobarometer has a wide potential for constraining crystallization pressure and temperature of quartz in natural geological systems. However, there is a long-lasting debate on the applicability of two models that were proposed previously, based on the equilibration of quartz with Ti-bearing aqueous fluids. In this study, the Ti-in-quartz thermobarometer was calibrated based on partitioning

Lake water salinity, an important indicator of lake hydrological conditions, is critical to deciphering terrestrial paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental changes. The proportion of C37:4 alkenone to total C37 alkenones (%C37:4) and the relative abundance of archaeol to caldarchaeol (ACE) are promising salinity indices in lacustrine settings. Developing regional calibrations for both indicators is challenging

The oceanic thermocline circulation provides a route of communication between the surface and deep ocean and could have played an important role in the global carbon cycle, but studies on reconstructing past thermocline water properties are limited. Here we explore the potential use of left-coiling Globorotalia truncatulinoides as a recorder of thermocline conditions by measuring the stable oxygen

Floods do have multiple aspects: they are integral phenomena by nature. In this paper we deal with the meteorological aspects, which need to be adequately understood in order to understand the occurrence and development of floods. This holds the more as different meteorological environments and accompanying mechanisms can result in different types of heavy precipitation and so in different flood responses

Abstract During the construction of pavements, gravelly soil is used as the main material in the base and sub-base layers. Predicting the deformation behaviour of gravelly soil has been increasingly important, and this may require comprehensive knowledge about both the mechanical and microstructural behaviours of gravelly materials. This study evaluates the saturated and unsaturated behaviours of 200-mm-high

Abstract The main objective of this study was to propose an approach to estimate the peak friction angles of over-consolidated granular soil deposits by using the P-wave velocity and the SV- and SH-wave velocities. To this end, seventeen pairs of P- and S-wave seismic refraction profiles were carried out at three different granular sites in Iran using noninvasive seismic wave methods. To estimate the

Twelve monogenetic volcanoes formed during the last 7 Ma within the Tarímbaro graben, northwest of the city of Morelia, in the central-eastern part of the Michoacán-Guanajuato volcanic field (México). These include four scoria cones (Pelón, Tetillas, Jamanal, and Parastaco), four lava domes (La Cruz, Divisadero, Estadio, and Tetillas), two small shield volcanoes (Quinceo and Tetillas) and two lava

Every mountain range on Earth is unique in its tectonic evolution, but Quaternary climate cooling resulted in alpine landscapes with globally similar landforms such as horn-shaped peaks, cirques and overdeepened valleys. On a global scale, the impact of glacial and periglacial processes on the geometry of mountain ranges and the relative efficiency of glacial and fluvial erosion are still discussed

Contrasting models for internal and external locations of South China within the Nuna and Rodinia supercontinents can be resolved when the current lithotectonic associations of Mesoproterozoic and older rocks units that constitute the craton are redefined into four lithotectonic domains: Kongling, Kunming-Hainan, Wuyi, and Coastal. The Kongling and Kunming-Hainan domains are characterized by isolated

Abstract The paper deals with numerical computations of hydraulic variations and groundwater flow changes in continuous permafrost due to climate change and open-pit mining in the cold regions of Northern Canada. The work is a case study in connection with the proposed Kiggavik project in Nunavut, Canada. A major challenge in simulating fluid flow through partially frozen porous media is how to define

Abstract Reactive magnesia (MgO)-activated ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) is a newly developed binder for soil stabilization/solidification. It can be used as an alternative of conventional hydraulic binders for the stabilization/solidification of heavy metal-contaminated soils. Acid rain exposure has been found to weaken the heavy metal immobilization in solidified/stabilized soils in

Abstract The fronts of tunnels excavated under particularly difficult ground conditions by employing conventional tunnelling methods are commonly supported: the stabilization is usually achieved either by improving the mechanical properties of the soil (injections, jet grouting, soil freezing, etc.) or by introducing linear inclusions. This last technique, consisting in the introduction of pipes (usually

Abstract Loess covers about one-tenth of the world’s land area. While it is often used as embankment fill, loess is not an ideal construction material due to its wet collapsible nature, as it may cause significant embankment settlement and other related problems. Although explosive compaction (EC) technology has been used for many years, the challenges in experimental testing and theoretical analysis

Abstract Previously, in situ tests have been conducted in cold regions since infrastructures such as pipelines have been actively built on frozen ground. However, the engineering properties such as shear strength have not been directly evaluated from in situ tests. The objective of this study is to correlate the shear strength of frozen soils determined by the direct shear tests with the dynamic cone

Abstract The influence of non-plastic fines on undrained monotonic behaviour of sand was investigated over a wide range of fines content (FC = 0–40%), global void ratio and initial mean effective stress (\( p_{0}^{\prime } \) = 100 kPa to 500 kPa), by performing triaxial compression tests with isotropic and anisotropic consolidation. For the sand–silt mixtures, steady-state line in the e − log(p′)

Abstract Steel-reinforced high-density polyethylene (SRHDPE) pipe combines the advantages of the HDPE and steel pipes with good corrosion resistance and relative high load carrying capacity. However, no widely accepted method is available for design of SRHDPE pipes. The objective of this study is to evaluate effects of several key influence factors on performance of SRHDPE pipes in soil during the

Abstract Visualization of soil structure interaction during projectile penetration of clay is made possible by use of a surrogate composed of magnesium lithium phyllosilicate combined with high-speed photography and digital image correlation. A free-falling penetrator striking at 5.5 m/s simulated a projectile. Penetration resistance was constant within the resolution of the experiment; it was mainly

Abstract Considering the increasing applications of micropile systems in seismically active areas, a better understanding of their seismic performance and the key controlling factors is of high significance. This paper presents experimental investigations of the seismic performance of a small-scale physical model of micropiles under seismic ground motions. Shaking table tests were performed on a 4 × 4

Abstract As a composite column, stiffened deep mixed (SDM) column is formed by inserting a precast concrete core pile into the center of a deep mixed (DM) column. The SDM columns have been successfully used to support highway and railway embankments and buildings over soft soil. However, there has been still a lack of feasible method to calculate the settlement SDM column-reinforced soft soil under

Abstract The paper describes an explicit coupling procedure for efficient consolidation analysis. Each time step is divided into a flow step followed by a drained mechanical step. The flow step keeps the total mean stress increment fixed and solves a diffusion problem based on piecewise constant pressure data. The procedure can be added to purely mechanical finite element codes and does not require

Abstract This paper presents analytical solutions for predicting one-dimensional diffusion of an organic contaminant through a triple-layer composite liner system comprising a geomembrane (GM), a geosynthetic clay liner (GCL), and a compacted clay liner (CCL). We consider two different bottom boundary conditions, i.e., fixed-concentration bottom boundary and semi-infinite bottom boundary, for which

Abstract In this paper, a multi-scale analysis of the effect of foam on chemo-mineralogical and microstructural features of the soil–cement–water system is presented. Time-dependent mineralogical and microstructural changes induced by foam were monitored at increasing curing times by means of X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy and mercury intrusion porosimetry

Abstract A series of nonlinear dynamic FE simulations have been performed to investigate the seismic performance of a flexible propped retaining wall in a saturated clay. The simulations have been carried out considering different acceleration time histories at the bedrock and two different inelastic soil models: the classical elastoplastic Modified Cam Clay model and the advanced hypoplastic model

Abstract Cement stabilization of soil is a useful method to improve the mechanical behaviors and engineering performance of soils in geotechnical design and construction projects involving weak or liquefiable soils. Among the factors affecting the strength of cement-stabilized soils, water content and water–cement ratio are important but less well understood because of controversial views. This paper

Abstract Since there is an interval time between two trains traveling in the same direction on an automatically blocked line, the dynamic loading on the railway subgrade is composed of periodic vibration when the train passes and an intermittent stage after a train has passed. Take into account this characteristic, a series of continuous-stopping repeated load triaxial tests were conducted to study

Abstract Project Oufei is the largest individual reclamation project in Wenzhou city, China, and the main infrastructure consists of seawalls, sluices and separation dikes. These infrastructures face repeated horizontal forces from wind and waves; thus, it is essential to evaluate the lateral bearing of single pile used for sluice gates. This paper presents a case study on lateral monotonic and cyclic

Abstract The popularity of the elasto-plastic Hardening Soil (HS) model is based on simple parameter identification from standard testing and empirical formulas. The HS model is implemented in many commercial FE codes designed to analyse geotechnical problems. In its basic version, the stress–strain behaviour within the elastic range is subject to the hypoelastic power law, which assures the barotropy

Abstract Frost heave is a process of coupled heat–water–mechanics, which refers to heat transfer, water migration, water–ice phase change, deformation, etc. The mechanism of the frost heave for saturated–unsaturated soils was investigated to establish a frost heave model. As the freezing continues, for saturated soils, because all pores are filled with pore water, the total increased volume due to

Abstract The pre-bored grouted planted (PGP) pile is a composite pile consisting of a precast concrete pile and the cemented soil around the pile. Thus, the PGP pile shaft capacity is affected by the pile–cemented soil interface and the strength of the cemented soil formed around the pile. In this paper, a series of shear tests were conducted to investigate the frictional capacity of the precast concrete