Climatology Research Articles

Decadal prediction centers prepare for a major volcanic eruption

Abstract The World Meteorological Organization’s Lead Centre for Annual-to-Decadal Climate prediction issues operational forecasts annually as guidance for regional climate centers, climate outlook forums and national meteorological and hydrological services. The occurrence of a large volcanic eruption such as that of Mount Pinatubo in 1991, however, would invalidate these forecasts and prompt producers to modify their predictions. To assist and prepare decadal prediction centers for this eventuality, the Volcanic Response activities under the World Climate Research Programme’s Stratosphere-troposphere Processes And their Role in Climate (SPARC) and the Decadal Climate Prediction Project (DCPP) organized a community exercise to respond to a hypothetical large eruption occurring in April 2022. As part of this exercise, the Easy Volcanic Aerosol forcing generator was used to provide stratospheric sulfate aerosol optical properties customized to the configurations of individual decadal prediction models. Participating centers then reran forecasts for 2022-2026 from their original initialization dates, and in most cases also from just before the eruption at the beginning of April 2022, according to two candidate response protocols. This article describes various aspects of this SPARC/DCPP Volcanic Response Readiness Exercise (VolRes-RE), including the hypothesized volcanic event, the modified forecasts under the two protocols from the eight contributing centers, the lessons learned during the coordination and execution of this exercise, and the recommendations to the decadal prediction community for the response to an actual eruption.

Development of a Precipitation Climate Record from Spaceborne Precipitation Radar Data. Part II: Temporal Adjustment of the Calibration Change Using the Ocean Normalized Radar Cross Section

Abstract We analyze the calibration stability of the 17-yr precipitation radar (PR) data on board the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite to develop a precipitation climate record from the spaceborne precipitation radar data of the TRMM and following satellite missions. Since the PR measures the normalized radar cross section (NRCS) over the ocean surface, the temporal change in the NRCS whose variability is insensitive to the sea surface wind is regarded as the temporal change of the PR calibration. The temporal change of the PR calibration in TRMM, version 7, is found to be 0.19 dB decade−1 from 1998 to 2013. The calibration change is simply adjusted to evaluate the NRCS time series and the near-surface precipitation trend analysis within the latitudinal band between 35°S and 35°N. The NRCS time series at nadir and off-nadir are uncorrelated before the calibration adjustment, but they are correlated after the adjustment. The 0.19 dB decade−1 change of the PR calibration causes an overestimation of 0.08 mm day−1 decade−1 or 2.9% decade−1 for the linear trend of the near-surface precipitation. Even after the adjustment, agreement of the results among the satellite products depends on the analysis period. The temporal stability of the data quality is also important to evaluate the plausible trend analysis. The reprocessing of the PR data in TRMM, version 8 (or later), takes into account the temporal adjustment of the calibration change based upon the results of this study, which can provide more credible data for a long-term precipitation analysis. Significance Statement The stability of long-term data is very important for climate research so that an account of temporal calibration changes in the sensor must be made. In this study, we investigate the calibration stability of the TRMM PR data and evaluate its impact on the precipitation trend analysis. The temporal change of the PR calibration is estimated to be 0.19 dB decade−1. Compensating for this change improves the consistency of precipitation trend analysis between the PR and other precipitation datasets. The reprocessed PR data provide more probable data for long-term precipitation analysis.

Bayesian Errors‐in‐Variables Estimation of Specific Climate Sensitivity

AbstractEstimation of climate sensitivity is fundamental to assessing how global climate will warm as atmospheric concentration increases. Geological archives of environmental change provide insights into Earth's past climate, but the incomplete nature of paleoclimate reconstructions and their inherent uncertainties make estimation of climate sensitivity challenging. Thus, quantifying climate sensitivity and assessing how it changed through geological time requires statistical frameworks that can handle data uncertainties in a principled fashion. Here we demonstrate some of the hurdles to estimating climate sensitivity, with a focus on current statistical techniques that may underestimate both climate sensitivity and its associated uncertainty. To solve these issues, we present a Bayesian error‐in‐variables regression model, which can yield estimates of climate sensitivity without bias. The regression model is flexible and can account for data point uncertainties with a known parametric form. The utility of this approach is demonstrated by estimating specific climate sensitivity with uncertainty for the Eocene.

Species Richness and Similarity of New Zealand Mayfly Communities (Ephemeroptera) Decline with Increasing Latitude and Altitude.

The distribution of species in relation to latitude and altitude is of fundamental interest to ecologists and is expected to attain increasing importance as the Earth's climate continues to change. Species diversity is commonly greater at lower than higher latitudes on a global scale, and the similarity of communities frequently decreases with distance. Nevertheless, reasons for such patterns are not well understood. We investigated species richness and changes in community composition of mayflies (Ephemeroptera) over 13 degrees of latitude at 81 locations throughout New Zealand by light-trapping and the benthic sampling of streams. Mayflies were also sampled along an altitudinal gradient on a prominent inactive volcano in the east of North Island. Sampled streams were predominantly in the native forest, at a wide range of altitudes from sea level to c. 1000 m a. s. l. A total of 47 of the 59 described New Zealand mayflies were recorded during the study, along with five undescribed morphospecies. Species richness declined and the degree of dissimilarity (beta diversity) of mayfly communities increased significantly from north to south but less strongly with increasing altitude. Our results suggest that the southward decline in species richness has historical origins with the north of the country having acted as a major refuge and region of speciation during the Pleistocene. The increasing dissimilarity of the northern and southern communities may reflect an increasingly harsh climate, variable amounts of subsequent southward dispersal of northern species and, in the South Island, the presence of species which may have evolved in the newly uplifted mountains during the Miocene-Pliocene.

Performance assessment of multi-source GNSS radio occultation from COSMIC-2, MetOp-B/C, FY-3D/E, Spire and PlanetiQ over China

Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) radio occultation (RO) is one of the most crucial observations in atmospheric and climate science. GNSS RO globally produces accurate and long-term stable vertical profiles for essential climate variables with high vertical resolution in all weather conditions. RO measurements offer global coverage but may be limited for specific regions. Currently, various RO satellite constellation programs have been developed by nations and companies, and the growing quantity of RO observations can contribute not only globally but also has the potential to benefit specific regions, such as China. To investigate the potential of RO observation in China, the performance of five operational RO measurements from COSMIC-2, MetOp-B/C, FY-3D/E, Spire and PlanetiQ on data coverage capabilities and quality are assessed by comparing with ERA5 and radiosonde over China. The results of data coverage showed that all RO missions can acquire extensive coverage over China with effective low-altitude penetration capability, whereas MetOp-B/C exhibits some gaps in local time coverage. The results of data quality confirmed that commercial Spire and PlanetiQ are comparable to those of national-led COSMIC-2, MetOp-B/C and FY3D/E, even though Spire exhibited a lower signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The mean bending angle and refractivity relative differences of all RO measurements are within ±0.53/1.30 % and ± 0.54/0.28 % (with respect to ERA5/radiosonde) in the altitude range of 5 to 35 km, respectively, and the corresponding relative standard deviations (SD) are less than 2.20/6.99 % and 1.35/1.56 %, respectively. Mean temperature and specific humidity differences of all RO measurements are within ±0.18/0.22 K and ± 0.08/0.22 g/kg, respectively, from the near-surface to 12 km, with SD of less than 1.26/1.67 K and 0.84/0.91 g/kg. Among the five RO missions, FY-3D/E exhibits larger errors in refractivity, temperature and specific humidity. The RO profiles derived from GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou and Galileo show comparable quality at the altitudes below 35 km. These results can help users further understand the capabilities and performance of these RO observations and indicate the application potential of numerous RO profiles from multi-source RO measurements, which is anticipated to enhance numerical weather predictions for China.

Making All Deserts Bloom: The Racist Space/Time of UAE-Israel Collaboration

ABSTRACT Since the normalisation of political relations between the United Arab Emirates and Israel, the so-called ‘desert tech’ industry has emerged as a key area of economic collaboration. Desert tech combines technological innovation with speculation and entrepreneurialism, claiming to offer lucrative yet sustainable solutions to the specific dangers of climate change in arid environments. By weaving together their respective climate and security expertise and technologies, political visions, and investment capital, Israel and the UAE promise to save arid states the world over from ecological catastrophe – making themselves and their political and territorial projects indispensable in the process. In this paper, we unravel their promethean vision of making ‘all deserts bloom’. We first situate this vision in the desert’s tangible histories of colonial environmentalism, retracing the inextricable relationship of climate science to the violent expropriation, securitisation and transformation of Indigenous life and land by white, European settlers. We then follow contemporary UAE-Israel desert-tech collaboration across the geographically expansive and historically layered sites and forms of violence that facilitate, circulate, and secure this industry’s vision of the future. In so doing, we argue that normalisation is underwritten by a racialised temporality – one that constructs desert landscapes as eternally on the threshold of climate catastrophe, erasing the deep, historical relationships of Palestinians, Bedouin and other racialised subjects to arid environments.

Predictors of climate change literacy in the era of global boiling: a cross-sectional survey of Egyptian nursing students

BackgroundClimate changes have led to health and environmental risks, so it has become essential to measure climate change literacy among the entire population, especially nursing students. The significant role of nursing students in raising public awareness and future healthcare roles emphasizes assessing the predictors of climate change literacy among nursing students.AimsThis study seeks to identify the predictors of climate change literacy among nursing students in A Multi-Site Survey.DesignA multi-site descriptive cross-sectional study adheres to the guidelines outlined in A Consensus-Based Checklist for Reporting Survey Studies collected for five months, from the 1st of July 2023 to November 2023. The study participants comprise 10,084 nursing students from all 27 governments in Egypt. The researcher used the Predictors of Nursing Students’ Climate Change Literacy scale in this study. Data was collected, with 25 min average time to complete. Backward multiple linear regression was used to identify these predictors.ResultsIn the current study, nursing students demonstrated a moderate understanding of climate science (mean score 14.38), communication and advocacy skills (mean score 14.41), and knowledge of adaptation and mitigation strategies (mean score 13.33). Climate health impacts (mean score 17.72) emerged as the domain with the highest level of knowledge. No significant differences in climate literacy were observed across diverse student backgrounds (all p-values were > 0.05). Perceived faculty knowledge of climate change positively correlated with all four domains of climate literacy and emerged as a significant predictor in multiple linear regression analyses (all p-values were < 0.001).Implication.While our findings highlight significant predictors of climate literacy, it is essential to recognize that these results identify associations rather than causal relationships. Based on these associations, it is recommended that nursing professionals be equipped with comprehensive knowledge of climate adaptation strategies to better advocate for and implement effective public health measures.

(Un-)certain knowledge of pre-service geography teachers about climate change

Climate change education is a challenge for teachers, as they must have appropriate content knowledge to teach the topic adequately. Every teacher is confronted with both their own knowledge and non-knowledge, as well as with scientific knowledge and non-knowledge. The uncertainty about this knowledge depends on individual perception and can have an impact on teaching. In this study, the climate change knowledge and uncertainty about this knowledge of 226 pre-service geography teachers at four German universities were investigated using a questionnaire. Five different domains of knowledge about climate change are discussed, namely, knowledge about the (1) causes, (2) basics and (3) effects of climate change as well as (4) climate-friendly behavior and (5) the procedures of the climate sciences. The pre-service teachers answered most of the questions correctly (72.4%), and the anthropogenic nature of climate change is mostly recognized (91%). However, there are also gaps in knowledge, especially regarding action-related knowledge. Typical misconceptions about the greenhouse effect and ozone holes were identified. On average, 32.6% of all answers to all items were rated as “uncertain” by the participants. Male students scored significantly higher than female students. The results indicate a significant difference between the respondents’ university degrees in terms of knowledge. These results lay out the path for the possible improvement of university courses in the context of teachers’ knowledge about climate change.

Visualization Method for Mesoscale Eddies Characteristics in Ocean Flow Fields Based on Variable Particle Systems

Visualization of ocean flow fields is a major area of interest in marine science. Existing visualization methods based on randomly generated particles tend to exhibit a uniform distribution. While this approach effectively represents ocean flow fields, it inadequately conveys the characteristic structures within the flow in an intuitive manner. Ocean eddies, as crucial components of ocean dynamics (Patrizio &amp; Thompson, 2021), are key features in visualizing ocean flow fields. Mesoscale eddies, which contain 90% of the ocean's kinetic energy, play a vital role in transporting this energy. These eddies significantly influence local marine environments and are instrumental in understanding the kinetic energy of ocean flow fields, providing valuable insights for fields such as oceanography, meteorology, and climate research. The aim of this study is to establish a method based on variable particle systems. Initially, a feature set for mesoscale eddies and a parameter set for variable particles are defined. By mapping the feature set to the parameter set, we express the characteristic structure of mesoscale eddies dynamically. Using ocean flow field data, we demonstrate the method's ability to effectively highlight the characteristic structures of mesoscale eddies within the flow field through qualitative and quantitative evaluation metrics. By analyzing and visualizing ocean flow fields, we can gain a deeper understanding of their spatiotemporal evolution, thereby uncovering the patterns and regularities of their movement. This research approach not only facilitates the effective development, utilization, and sustainable management of marine resources but also aligns with the demands of digital ocean technology for visualizing marine spatial information.

A shifting climate: New paradigms and challenges for (early career) scientists in extreme weather research

AbstractResearch on weather and climate extremes has become integral to climate science due to their increasing societal relevance and impacts in the context of anthropogenic climate change. In this perspective we examine recent changes and evolving paradigms in the study of extreme events, emphasizing the increasingly interdisciplinary nature of research and their societal implications. We discuss the importance of understanding the physical basis of extreme events and its linkages to climate impacts, highlighting the need for collaboration across multiple disciplines. Furthermore, we explore the challenge of big climate data analysis and the application of novel statistical methods, such as machine learning, in enhancing our understanding of extreme events. Additionally, we address the engagement with different stakeholder groups and the evolving landscape of climate services and private‐sector involvement. We conclude with reflections on the risks and opportunities for early career researchers in navigating these interdisciplinary and societal demands, stressing the importance of meaningful scientific engagement, and removing barriers to inclusivity and collaboration in climate research.

Comprehensive groundwater potential mapping in Nagaland, India using integrated geo-spatial techniques

Groundwater is essential for a sustainable future, yet identifying potential groundwater zones remains challenging in regions with varied hydro-geological conditions. Nagaland is a state in north-eastern India characterized by diverse terrain, complex geological formations, and seasonal variations in rainfall. The objective of the present study is to evaluate groundwater potential zones in Nagaland using an integrated Geographic Information System (GIS) and Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) methodology, resulting in the first comprehensive map addressing the region's diverse hydro-geological conditions. Several attributes like geomorphology, geology, slope, soil, rainfall, drainage density, and Land use/Land cover (LU/LC) were generated from available data resources like Landsat 8 and Sentinel-2 satellite imageries, the Geological Survey of India (GSI), Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the Climatic Research Unit (CRU). These datasets are extracted using the Arc-GIS (Arc-GIS Desktop 10.8.1), with weights assigned according to Saaty's scale, and subsequently normalized through the AHP. The findings reveal that 14% (2240km2) of the state has very good groundwater potential, 42% (6720 km2) is classified as good, 9% (1440 km2) as moderate, 27% (4320 km2) as poor, and 8% (1280 km2) as very poor. These insights are significant for regions like Mokokchung, Longleng, and Wokha, which require urgent intervention. Conversely, the study identifies Dimapur and Chumoukedima as areas with significant groundwater potential, capable of meeting rising water demands. The validation of these results using well discharge data from 12 monitoring wells supports these findings.

A 20-year (1998–2017) global sea surface dimethyl sulfide gridded dataset with daily resolution

Abstract. The oceanic emission of dimethyl sulfide (DMS) plays a vital role in the Earth's climate system and constitutes a substantial source of uncertainty when evaluating aerosol radiative forcing. Currently, the widely used monthly climatology of sea surface DMS concentration falls short of meeting the requirement for accurately simulating DMS-derived aerosols with chemical transport models. Hence, there is an urgent need for a high-resolution, multi-year global sea surface DMS dataset. Here we develop an artificial neural network ensemble model that uses nine environmental factors as input features and captures the variability of the DMS concentration across different oceanic regions well. Subsequently, a global sea surface DMS concentration and flux dataset (1° × 1°) with daily resolution spanning from 1998 to 2017 is established. According to this dataset, the global annual average concentration was ∼ 1.71 nM, and the annual total emissions were ∼ 17.2 Tg S yr−1, with ∼ 60 % originating from the Southern Hemisphere. While overall seasonal variations are consistent with previous DMS climatologies, notable differences exist in regional-scale spatial distributions. The new dataset enables further investigations into daily and decadal variations. Throughout the period 1998–2017, the global annual average concentration exhibited a slight decrease, while total emissions showed no significant trend. The DMS flux from our dataset showed a stronger correlation with the observed atmospheric methanesulfonic acid concentration compared to those from previous monthly climatologies. Therefore, it can serve as an improved emission inventory of oceanic DMS and has the potential to enhance the simulation of DMS-derived aerosols and associated radiative effects. The new DMS gridded products are available at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.11879900 (Zhou et al., 2024).

Characterisation of Dansgaard–Oeschger events in palaeoclimate time series using the matrix profile method

Abstract. Palaeoclimate time series, reflecting the state of Earth's climate in the distant past, occasionally display very large and rapid shifts showing abrupt climate variability. The identification and characterisation of these abrupt transitions in palaeoclimate records is of particular interest as this allows for understanding of millennial climate variability and the identification of potential tipping points in the context of current climate change. Methods that are able to characterise these events in an objective and automatic way, in a single time series, or across two proxy records are therefore of particular interest. In our study the matrix profile approach is used to describe Dansgaard–Oeschger (DO) events, abrupt warmings detected in the Greenland ice core, and Northern Hemisphere marine and continental records. The results indicate that canonical events DO-19 and DO-20, occurring at around 72 and 76 ka, are the most similar events over the past 110 000 years. These transitions are characterised by matching transitions corresponding to events DO-1, DO-8, and DO-12. They are abrupt, resulting in a rapid shift to warmer conditions, followed by a gradual return to cold conditions. The joint analysis of the δ18O and Ca2+ time series indicates that the transition corresponding to the DO-19 event is the most similar event across the two time series.

Near‐surface wind variability in Prydz Bay and Amery Ice Shelf region, East Antarctica: A four‐decade SOM analysis

AbstractNear‐surface wind fields in the Prydz Bay and Amery Ice Shelf region of East Antarctica play a crucial role in the formation and variability of Antarctic Bottom Water, a cold, dense water mass that sinks and spreads across the deep ocean basins influencing ocean circulation and modulating earth's climate system. This study investigates the primary modes of variability of these wind fields using the self‐organizing map (SOM) method and data from the latest version of the European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) ReAnalyses (ERA5), spanning four decades from 1979 to 2020. While the wind field climatology, characterized by small seasonal variation, is dominated by katabatic and large‐scale forcing, the spatial patterns of the primary variability modes are mainly influenced by synoptic system activities. The overall trend in annual wind speed anomalies is positive across the study region, with the exception of the southwestern part and central Prydz Bay. However, significant trends are observed in only two out of nine SOM nodes (nodes 4 and 9), which collectively explain less than 30% of the averaged trends over the region. The interannual variability in the seasonal occurrences of certain nodes is linked to several well‐known climate modes, including the El Niño–Southern Oscillation, the Southern Annular Mode and Zonal Wavenumber 3. Our results provide a reference for forecasting the occurrence frequency of specific patterns, which could help mitigate the impact of extreme wind events through improved forecasting.

Multiple controls on the preservation of organic matter in the lower Mississippian Luzhai Formation black shale in southern China

The early Carboniferous experienced profound climate cooling that drove the Earth's climate from a mid-Paleozoic greenhouse into the Late Paleozoic Ice Age. Several climate cooling events have been reported, including the Tournaisian and Visean (early to mid-Early Carboniferous). In this study, we perform multi-proxy analyses (organic carbon isotopes, nitrogen isotopes, major and trace elements and organic petrology/geochemistry) of samples from an early Carboniferous section in Nandan region (Guangxi, China). Our goal is to investigate the global carbon‑nitrogen cycle, and associated oceanic productivity and redox perturbations, during a key climatic transition interval, as well as the controls on organic matter enrichment in the sediments. The carbon and nitrogen isotope profiles of the Nandan section record major perturbations during the mid-Tournaisian and early Visean. The mid-Tournaisian carbon isotope excursion (TICE) is marked by a positive δ13Corg shift of 1.8 ‰ (from −27.7 ‰ to −25.9 ‰), correlating with a positive δ15N shift. The early Visean carbon isotope excursion (VICE) is characterized by a positive shift in δ13Corg (from −28.2 to −25.5 ‰, with an excursion magnitude of 2.7 ‰), but associated with a negative shift in δ15N (from +5 ‰ to +4 ‰). The positive δ13Corg excursions during these events most likely reflect enhanced organic matter burial with expansion of anoxic seafloor in the global ocean. The drop in nitrogen isotope values in the early Visean is interpreted to be linked with less denitrification under more oxic conditions. The decrease of organic matter contents up section is consistent with the shift to more oxic conditions and increased sedimentary dilution caused by sea-level fall, which is ultimately controlled by orogenic events and climate cooling.

Business Shakes Politics: Its Impact on Climate Policy

Irresponsible carbon emissions by businesses are the leading factor in climate change, which are threatening human civilisation. Global leaders did little to curb industrialists’ authoritarianism despite calls from all concerned. Many researchers believe that business has an important role behind policymakers’ inaction. In this context, the main objective of this research is to explore the impact of business on climate policy when they shake hands or embrace with politics. This qualitative study used content analysis to meet the objective using primary data from Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s Conference of Parties decisions, and so on and secondary literature from books, dissertations, journals, and others. This study demonstrates that businesses have vehemently opposed climate science since its inception. When the issue became political in the 1980s, animosity intensified as they feared climate regulations would harm their interests. So, initially, they attempted to negate climate science by portraying it as something unproven and promoting climate change as an opportunity for humanity. They additionally applied a variety of strategies like publishing books, periodicals, research articles, and newspaper articles, spreading media propaganda, and giving donations to mislead policymakers. As a result, climate policy formation and implementation are significantly delayed, and business interests are protected. This study implies that businesses will suffer if civilisation collapses due to the unwise use of fossil fuels. Therefore, all stakeholders must prioritise collective interests over individual ones. Otherwise, it will engulf everyone. Philosophy and Progress, Vol#73-74; No#1-2; Jan-Dec 2023 P 151-182

Assessing the Effects of Citizen Climate Literacy and Attitudes on Their ‘Greening’ Behaviour in a Climate Change Hotspot Region of the Eastern Mediterranean

Climate change presents an urgent global challenge, manifesting in rising temperatures and extreme weather events with severe societal impacts. The Eastern Mediterranean, warming faster than the global average, faces immediate repercussions. Climate literacy emerges as pivotal, empowering individuals to comprehend climate science and act accordingly. This study delves into climate literacy, attitudes, and ‘greening’ behaviours in the Eastern Mediterranean hotspot of Greece, based on a survey of 1962 citizens. Findings indicate high climate literacy but lower adoption of ‘greening’ behaviours, especially those involving financial costs. Regression analyses highlight the significant role of climate literacy, concerns about personal impacts, coping appraisal, and trust in institutions in promoting ‘greening’ behaviours. This study underscores the need for multifaceted strategies emphasising financial motivation, trust-building, and societal norm shifts. Socio-demographic disparities, including gender and occupation, highlight areas for targeted interventions. The emphasis on the mental health impacts of climate-related events underscores the need for comprehensive disaster management that addresses not only physical damage but also psychological and social dimensions. Policy implications are discussed, highlighting the potential of expanded climate literacy to catalyse collective action toward sustainability.

Effect of COVID-19 global lockdown on our Moon

Abstract Systematic investigation of lunar night-time temperatures can possibly be thought as a stable platform to study Earth's radiation budget and climate change as advocated earlier by several researchers. In this study, we report an interesting observation possibly of changing Earth's climate as experienced by the Moon, utilising a rare and novel context of COVID-19 global lockdown. Lunar night-time surface temperatures of six different sites on the Moon's nearside were analysed during the period 2017–2023. Results showed an anomalous dip in the lunar night time surface temperatures for all the sites during April-May 2020, the strict COVID-19 global lockdown period, when compared to the values of the same period during the previous and subsequent years. Since the terrestrial radiation has also showed a significant reduction during that time, the anomalous decrease observed in lunar surface temperatures is attributed to the COVID 19 global lockdown effect. Therefore, our study shows that the Moon has possibly experienced the effect of COVID 19 lockdown, visualised as an anomalous decrease in lunar night-time surface temperatures during that period. These results can be substantiated further from Moon-based observatories in future, thereby making them potential tools for observing Earth's environmental and climate changes.

Growth rate as a link between microbial diversity and soil biogeochemistry.

Measuring the growth rate of a microorganism is a simple yet profound way to quantify its effect on the world. The absolute growth rate of a microbial population reflects rates of resource assimilation, biomass production and element transformation-some of the many ways in which organisms affect Earth's ecosystems and climate. Microbial fitness in the environment depends on the ability to reproduce quickly when conditions are favourable and adopt a survival physiology when conditions worsen, which cells coordinate by adjusting their relative growth rate. At the population level, relative growth rate is a sensitive metric of fitness, linking survival and reproduction to the ecology and evolution of populations. Techniques combining omics and stable isotope probing enable sensitive measurements of the growth rates of microbial assemblages and individual taxa in soil. Microbial ecologists can explore how the growth rates of taxa with known traits and evolutionary histories respond to changes in resource availability, environmental conditions and interactions with other organisms. We anticipate that quantitative and scalable data on the growth rates of soil microorganisms, coupled with measurements of biogeochemical fluxes, will allow scientists to test and refine ecological theory and advance process-based models of carbon flux, nutrient uptake and ecosystem productivity. Measurements of in situ microbial growth rates provide insights into the ecology of populations and can be used to quantitatively link microbial diversity to soil biogeochemistry.

A Sensor Probe with Active and Passive Humidity Management for In Situ Soil CO2 Monitoring.

Soil CO2 concentration and flux measurements are important in diverse fields, including geoscience, climate science, soil ecology, and agriculture. However, practitioners in these fields face difficulties with existing soil CO2 gas probes, which have had problems with high costs and frequent failures when deployed. Confronted with a recent research project's need for long-term in-soil CO2 monitoring at a large number of sites in harsh environmental conditions, we developed our own CO2 logging system to reduce expense and avoid the expected failures of commercial instruments. Our newly developed soil probes overcome the central challenge of soil gas probes-surviving continuous exposure to soil moisture while remaining open to soil gases-via three approaches: a 3D printed housing (economical for small-scale production) following design principles that correct the usual water permeability flaw of 3D printed materials; passive moisture protection via a hydrophobic, CO2-permeable PTFE membrane; and active moisture protection via a low-power micro-dehumidifier. Our CO2 instrumentation performed well and yielded a high-quality dataset that includes signals related to a prescribed fire as well as seasonal and diel cycles. We expect our technology to support underground CO2 monitoring in fields where it is already practiced and stimulate its expansion into diverse new fields.