Enhanced per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure in a large estuary-coastal sea continuum shortly after a spring flood event.

Geodata fusion and deep learning-based improved lithological mapping: A case study from the autonomous district of Yamoussoukro

Urban air quality degradation, driven by intensified urbanization and traffic, presents a critical public health challenge in most cities worldwide, such as Guelma, Algeria, where concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5, PM10) and carbon dioxide (CO2) often exceed health standards. This study evaluates the efficacy of conventional greening by suggesting that the air purification potential of public gardens may be limited by suboptimal initial design. It is an exploratory modeling framework to propose a shift from qualitative landscaping to quantitative, performance-driven biophilic design. By simulating six parameterized intervention scenarios, this research indicates that simplistic canopy densification may be an insufficient strategy under high pollutant loads. Based on a specific summer field campaign and a limited temporal scope, the results identify a proposed design configuration protocol, where significant pollutant mitigation is achieved by a specific arrangement: a 60% urban forest index composed of high-efficiency species (Platanus × acerifolia, Acer saccharinum, Quercus spp.), combined with a 10% shrub layer and 40% grass cover to form a multilayered filter. This vegetative system is integrated with complementary engineered systems: linear water features covering 15% of the surface for particle wash-down, soil engineered to an aerodynamic roughness length (z0) of 0.15m across 65% of the site to enhance deposition, and pollutant-absorbing paving on 20% of the surface. This study suggests that enhancing the functional efficiency of urban gardens requires precise, multimechanism integration of biomass, water, and engineered surfaces, providing an exploratory framework for designing public spaces as potential infrastructure for sustainable air quality improvement.

Groundwater serves as the primary supply source for socioeconomic activities in the Casamance region (south of Senegal), yet hydrogeochemical and water quality characteristics as well as flow patterns of groundwater at a regional scale are largely undocumented. This study aims to contribute to the understanding of hydrogeochemical processes of mineralization and to the hydraulic functioning of the Continental Terminal (CT) and Oligo-Miocene (OM) aquifer systems. Field campaigns were conducted in December 2021 (beginning of the dry season) and May 2024 (end of the dry season) to collect water samples from dug wells (n = 93), boreholes and piezometers (n = 46), and surface water (n = 3) for major and minor ions chemistry, water isotopes (δ2H, δ18O, 3H) and carbon isotopes (δ13C and 14C) analyses. The results reveal that silicate weathering and carbonate dissolution, together with ion exchange, are responsible for the groundwater mineralization in both aquifers with dominating Ca-HCO₃, mixed-HCO₃, and Na-Cl water types. The Comprehensive Pollution Index (CPI) method used to evaluate anthropogenic influence reveals that the pollutant levels in the CT aquifer are moderate to high, while the OM aquifer contains high-salinity (TDS = 2346mg/L) groundwater derived from residual marine waters. Stable isotope distributions in the OM aquifer reveal two distinct patterns: enriched values (from -6.68 to - 4.67 ‰ δ1⁸O) in the confined part of the aquifer and depleted values between - 6.85 and - 5.14 ‰ δ1⁸O in the unconfined part. Variations in stable isotope values indicate recharge under different climatic conditions and mixing with seawater, while 3H content indicates recent recharge in the CT aquifer and sub-modern water in the OM aquifer. δ13C and 14C correlation reveals a rise in carbon activity from the confined to the unconfined aquifer and an active isotopic exchange with the carbonate fraction of the OM aquifer matrix. These findings provide the first regional-scale insight into the functioning of the CT and OM aquifer systems. They will guide future interventions in water supply projects as well as in securing reliable and high-quality water for local communities and supporting water resource management in the Casamance region.

ABSTRACT Errors in thematically detailed land-cover maps have large consequences for downstream applications. Moreover, simulation-based studies suggest that land-cover classifiers are sensitive to errors in reference data. We (1) quantified the expected error from field interpretation of land-cover types; (2) the sensitivity of classifiers to reference data errors; and (3) the error transferred from reference data to classifiers. Lastly, we (4) recommended strategies to reduce errors. The study area was mapped by 12 field interpreters divided into three equal-sized experience-level groups. The field-based land-cover maps were aggregated to three thematic resolutions and used to train 6804 land-cover classifiers by varying inputs, algorithm, and hyperparameter values. Separately from the first field campaign, four field interpreters classified validation data points, which were used to quantify error for each field interpreter and land-cover classifier, as the proportion of incorrectly classified validation points. We observed (1) generally high and varying levels of interpreter error; (2) a strong relationship between interpreter and classifier error; and (3) a net positive transfer of errors from reference data to classifiers. Because classifier error seems largely driven by interpreter error at the levels commonly observed in thematically detailed land-cover mapping, we (4) recommend strategies to reduce interpreter error before modelling.

Parkinson's disease (PD) remains underdiagnosed in Thailand, and its rising prevalence presents a growing challenge for the healthcare system. The previously validated CheckPD digital population screening platform has been implemented nationally in collaboration with the Thai Red Cross Society (TRCS) and the National Health Security Office (NHSO), enabling integration of digital PD risk screening into preventive health frameworks. To evaluate the early phase of a national rollout of the CheckPD platform, focusing on population reach, adoption, predictive performance, exploratory usability, and implementation factors influencing scalability across diverse real-world settings. This RE-AIM-guided implementation study in 10 Thai provinces assessed reach, adoption, completion, system performance and positive predictive value among neurologist-evaluated screen-positive participants. Preliminary usability was assessed in 30 post-screening completers using the SUS and UEQ-S. Supplementary implementation feedback was collected from Village Health Volunteers and public health officers. Between January 2024 and October 2025, 13,381 out of 18,520 users completed screening across 10 provinces (completion rate: 72.3%). The mean SUS score was 83, with a 92% first-time task completion rate. Programme reach was achieved through multiple channels, including Village Health Volunteers (6,742 participants), community field campaigns (5,207), facilitated online training initiatives (3,448), and self-initiated app downloads (3,123). When compared with neurologists' diagnoses among 730 screen-positive participants who underwent evaluation, the screening demonstrated a positive predictive value of 81.23% (593/730; 95% CI 78.39%-84.07%). Key facilitators of implementation included TRCS endorsement and network support, community volunteer engagement, and user-centred app design. Exploratory multivariable logistic regression analysis identified educational attainment and geographic context as significant predictors of screening completion, with higher educational attainment and residence outside Bangkok associated with a higher likelihood of completing the screening workflow. The CheckPD programme demonstrates that national-scale digital screening for neurological disorders is feasible in a low-to-middle-income country when embedded within trusted institutions, supported by community networks, and aligned with data protection standards. Thailand's experience provides an early, promising, and potentially scalable model for implementing population-level improvements in brain health by enabling earlier detection and assessment of individuals at risk, in alignment with the World Health Organization's Brain Health framework.

ABSTRACT Dietary variation at the individual level plays a fundamental role in carotenoid-based ornamental plumage coloration, which often influences sexual and social signaling. This study investigated how dietary differences shape the coloration of two ornamental feather types (breast and forehead) in males of the saffron finch. This small neotropical bird is considered granivorous, although it frequently incorporates arthropods into its diet. We used reflectance-based color measurements and carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes (δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N) to infer dietary patterns and their association with color variation. A total of 29 males were sampled across seven field campaigns conducted between January 2017 and March 2018 in a farm located in the Central Brazilian savannas. δ¹³C values showed no association with breast or forehead coloration, indicating that variation in carbon sources was not a major driver of color expression. In contrast, δ¹⁵N values were significantly associated with hue variation in both feather types. Higher δ¹⁵N values corresponded to a yellower-shifted hue in breast feathers and red-shifted hues in forehead feathers. Taken together, these findings suggest that saffron finches may selectively forage on high-trophic level prey that are relatively rich in carotenoids and associated with improved nutritional conditions. This dietary variation may be linked to differences in carotenoid processing and allocation across feather patches, contributing to different color phenotypes. In addition, such diets are associated with the production of high-quality feathers and promote more elaborate ornamental coloration. Although δ¹⁵N values may also be influenced by baseline variation in nitrogen sources, the observed patterns are consistent with trophic differences and highlight the role of diet in shaping plumage coloration. Our results highlight the importance of individual dietary strategies in shaping carotenoid-based color phenotypes through both direct (carotenoid acquisition) and indirect (nutritional condition) pathways, with distinct effects across different ornamental feather regions.

Abstract. Multirotor drones (part of the category of small Uncrewed Aerial Systems [sUAS] or small Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles [sUAV]) are used in atmospheric research to make measurements of the lower atmosphere, and their use is poised to increase in the future. New drone atmospheric sensing opportunities, such as ride-along applications and drone swarms, are emerging. These opportunities, which may not allow room for specialized shielding or aspiration equipment, together with increased drone usage, necessitate the characterization of the performance of unshielded sensors mounted to drones if the accuracy of such observations is to be understood. In this work, we characterize the accuracy of thermodynamic measurements, specifically temperature and water vapor mixing ratio, based on the sensor mounting position onboard multirotor drones. To assess the influence of the drone mechanics on the measurements, ninety-eight individual drone flights with eight distinct thermodynamic sensor positions were performed next to an instrumented flux tower and a tethersonde carrying identical sensors, where the tower and tethersonde measurements are assumed as truth. The flights were at least nine minutes in length, and nine of the flights were conducted at night. At the best position, absolute daytime temperature errors were between −0.83 and +0.61 K at the 95 % confidence interval, while nighttime temperature errors were smaller, ranging from −0.28 and +0.48 K. Water vapor mixing ratio errors are within −0.22 and +0.66 g kg−1. We conclude that measurements in field campaigns are more accurate when sensors are placed away from the main body of the drone and are sufficiently aspirated, such as a position near, but not directly under, a spinning propeller.

This study examines how personal comfort systems (PCS) support thermal adaptation among adults with intellectual disabilities living in energy-poor households in Chile. Participants (n = 8) in two identical social-housing units completed two in-home field campaigns: winter (June–August 2023; 10 weeks) and summer (December 2023–March 2024; 14 weeks). The study combined an adapted daily point-in-time thermal comfort questionnaire, continuous indoor dry-bulb temperature monitoring (15 min), and pre-/post-season interviews. Indoor conditions frequently fell outside reference comfort thresholds (92.6% of winter temperatures < 21.5°C; 64.1% of summer temperatures > 26°C). Using participant-level paired comparisons with thermal preference ‘No change’ as a comfort proxy, PCS use showed no systematic winter increase (median Δ = –0.014; p = 0.944) but a consistent summer increase (median Δ = 0.126; p = 0.014). Interview accounts indicated that PCS supported everyday adaptation, while operability and access constraints sometimes limited independent use. Findings highlight the potential of inclusive PCS to improve perceived comfort under summer heat stress, alongside the need for complementary building-level measures to reduce thermal exposure in vulnerable housing. POLICY RELEVANCE This research offers insights for housing, energy, and disability policy: Current indoor temperatures in vulnerable housing can fail to meet thermal comfort standards, exacerbating energy poverty among people with intellectual disabilities. PCS can support autonomy and thermal adaptation, but must be accessible, usable, and tailored to diverse cognitive profiles. Policies promoting energy equity should incorporate adaptive and personalized technologies alongside improvements in housing infrastructure. Interdisciplinary collaboration is crucial to develop inclusive thermal solutions that bridge health, housing, and disability sectors.

Abstract Accurately forecasting the precipitation-type (p-type) transition from freezing rain (FZRA) to ice pellets (PLs) is challenging. Meanwhile, factors leading to this transition have not been well studied. In this study, we use the predicted particle properties (P3) microphysics scheme with predicted liquid fraction in the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model to simulate the FZRA-to-PL transition observed during intensive observing period 4 (IOP4) of the Winter Precipitation Type Research Multiscale Experiment (WINTRE-MIX) field campaign. Station and mobile radar observations, manual p-type reports, and radiosonde data are used to evaluate the model performance in simulating the FZRA-to-PL transition. The FZRA-to-PL transition was observed as the depth of the surface-based subfreezing layer was increasing, while small ice crystals were photographed at the surface. A control simulation captures the overall evolution of surface p-type but has a 0.5–1-h delay in the FZRA-to-PL transition, probably due to a warm bias in the subfreezing layer. In contrast, a simulation wherein the secondary ice production (SIP) process is removed has no FZRA-to-PL transition. Further comparison between these two simulations shows that ice crystals produced from SIP substantially increase the efficiency of collection of rain by ice particles that freeze supercooled rain into PL in the subfreezing layer, accelerating the FZRA-to-PL transition. Without SIP, PL might be produced by immersion freezing of rain, but its efficiency is too low to initiate an FZRA-to-PL transition.

Abstract The aim of this work is a multi‐scale, multi‐sensor geomorphological characterization of the Becca d'Aver deep‐seated gravitational slope deformation (DsGSD). Particular attention was given to the pseudo‐badlands morphologies that crop out in the area, which are producing sediments that are subsequently reactivated by debris flows. A geomorphological map at a scale of 1:10000 was generated in the Cretaz–Comba Basset basin area, left side of the Aosta Valley in northern Italy, ending at the Champagne fan. The study area is characterized by gravitational and runoff associated processes that interact with anthropic structures. However, pseudo‐badlands landforms represent the main source of sediments providing loose materials highly connected with the main drainage system. The landforms in the area were characterized and mapped using Google Earth and remote sensing interpretation as well as with field campaigns. Especially radar (Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar, InSAR) and optical (multispectral) data were employed to map active deformation areas and detect bare soil using the Bare Soil Index (BSI). Furthermore, we conducted a detailed terrain analysis (TA) and derived the Geological Strength Index (GSI). Moreover, we applied the connectivity index (IC) model and used remotely sensed data to assess the contribution of pseudo‐badlands to the general sediment transport. The results highlight how altered bedrock materials and anthropic deposits of mined serpentinite (waste deposits) contribute to the provision of sediments that are related to hydrogeological hazard in the area.

Hydrological seasonality mediates scale-dependent land use effects on riverine microplastic pollution.

Measurements of sulfuric acid (H2SO4) and sulfur trioxide (SO3) were conducted in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, during field campaigns in Fall 2023 and Fall 2024. These measurements identified nocturnal concentrations of H2SO4 comparable to those of daytime values. Nocturnal H2SO4 concentrations were observed to increase by 5 × 105 to 5 × 107 molecules cm-3 above background on 16 of the 31 measurement nights. The median peak concentration during events was 6.5 × 106 molecules cm-3, with a maximum of 1.0 × 108 molecules cm-3, exceeding previously reported nighttime concentrations. Increases in H2SO4 concentrations were positively correlated with the anomalously high SO3 concentrations and condensation sink rates, indicating that the formation of H2SO4 increased to overcome the loss rates to particles. Increases in particulate mass and the mass fraction of metals commonly emitted from coal combustion and steel production were also observed. The air masses were traced back to the southeast of Pittsburgh, a region home to a steel mill, coke plant, and a steel processing plant. The observations indicate a previously unrecognized nighttime formation pathway for H2SO4, potentially from heterogeneous catalysis with metal or black carbon, originating from steel and coke plant emissions. Further measurements are needed to identify key compounds and chemical processes driving these increases in nocturnal H2SO4 concentrations.

Abstract Bioaerosols have important impacts on human health and potentially on weather and climate through aerosol-cloud interactions. Reciprocally, weather systems can have a large impact on bioaerosols both indirectly through ecosystem level influences and by playing a more direct role in bioaerosol emission, deposition, and transport. In this work we discuss the design and initial findings of the BioAerosols and Convective Storms (BACS) field campaigns, a project targeting the interplay of these two effects. Two BACS field campaigns were conducted in the springs of 2022 and 2023, examining the dynamics of speciated and cloud-relevant aerosol and, especially, bioaerosol observations surrounding precipitation events and cold pool outflows from convective storms. A multifaceted deployment strategy was used, leveraging a combination of online and offline measurements of aerosol and bioaerosol distributions, cloud-relevant properties, and chemical tracers in the context of atmospheric state measurements. The observational strategy included measurements at ground level, a 9 m flux tower, and simultaneous stacked-column and profiling multirotor drone measurements and radiosonde launches. Aerosol and bioaerosol responses to precipitation and cold pool events are examined within this manuscript through several case studies highlighting that similar events can produce very different aerosol responses. Reasons for this variability are hypothesized and discussed in the context of our campaign data, and targets for future investigations are suggested.

The description of the bed topography under the Greenland and Antarctic Ice Sheets has greatly improved over the past decade through new field campaigns and mapping techniques, leading to BedMachine, a high-resolution gridded bed map widely used by the ice-sheet modelling community. Despite regular updates, BedMachine still suffers from uncertainty in ocean bathymetry and mapping artefacts in the ice-sheet interior. We describe here four recent improvements that address these limitations. In Greenland, we use ICESat-2 surface elevation time series to construct an ensemble of bed elevations that captures finer bed details. In Antarctica, we use Ice-Flow Perturbation Analysis in the interior. This approach provides an estimate of the bed topography using the surface expression of mesoscale bedforms. For periphery ice caps and the Antarctic Peninsula, we use the machine learning-based IceBoost approach, which is capable of inferring fine details based on surface features. Finally, over the continental shelf, we use a new gravity inversion product from the Antarctic Gravity Anomaly Grid, which provides significant refinements to the bathymetry around the entire ice sheet. Overall, these represent major improvements in the description of the bed topography and bathymetry for both ice sheets. This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue 'Next generation ice-sheet bed measurements'.

Multichannel ice-penetrating radar systems can be used to generate radar volumes: three-dimensional data structures that capture variability in backscattering intensity as a function of along-track position, two-way travel time and elevation angle. By digitizing surfaces within these data volumes, the production of wide-area, fine-resolution digital elevation models (DEMs) of the ice-bottom interface (measured through kilometres of ice) is now possible. This paper reviews this technique ('radar swath imaging'), explores its methodological principles, describes its operational requirements and highlights recent scientific advances enabled by radar swath imaging. Observations of glacier and substrate morphology and physical properties inferred from swath data have already been used to improve our understanding of ice-shelf melt, basal sliding and subglacial sediment and water transport. Lessons learned from these initial surveys should inform future data collection strategies, so that radar swath imaging can be deployed in the most productive way possible during upcoming major field campaigns, including the Fifth International Polar Year and beyond. This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue 'Next generation ice-sheet bed measurements'.

Abstract. Major metropolitan areas are critical carbon emission hotspots, and understanding their carbon dynamics is essential for developing targeted climate mitigation strategies. Remote background stations often capture spatially smoothed anthropogenic signals, failing to resolve distinct urban source–sink processes. Here, we leveraged the unique 632 m Shanghai Tower (121.51° E, 31.23° N) to conduct a nearly 2-year field campaign (April 2021–March 2023), aiming to investigate CO2 and CO dynamic from the top of urban canopy layer (UCL) via stationary, continuous, single-level, high-precision, in situ measurements with a cavity ringdown laser spectrometer. Campaign-averaged mole fractions substantially exceeded global and regional backgrounds, confirming a pronounced urban carbon burden. Through a multi-stage filtering framework targeting nocturnal measurements, we derived robust regional background values. Component analysis of CO2 excess, using CO as a reliable regional combustion tracer, revealed burning of fossil fuels as the dominant contributor (avg. 85 %), alongside biogenic processes that enhanced this atmospheric excess, especially in winter under respiratory predominance, but less so in summer when partially offset by net photosynthetic uptake and cleaner airmass dilution. The 2022 Shanghai lockdown provided a natural experiment that underscored the pronounced sensitivity of UCL-top observations to metropolitan-scale anthropogenic perturbations, as reflected in synchronized decline and rapid rebound of CO2 and CO, along with a marked reversal of their emission ratio compared to 2021. Overall, these findings affirm that UCL-top observations effectively capture integrated metropolitan carbon signals, supporting refined emission tracking and top-down carbon neutrality strategies.

Abstract. A dataset of in situ observations of stratus cloud microphysics was created from measurements performed at the Pallas atmosphere-ecosystem super site during the Pallas Cloud Experiment (PaCE) in autumn 2022. The data were collected using a small uncrewed aircraft (SUA) and the low-cost, lightweight Universal Cloud and Aerosol Sounding System (UCASS, Smith et al., 2019). Data from the instrument – platform combination was previously validated in Girdwood et al. (2022b) during a similar field campaign at the same site. These measurements are intended to expand on the previous campaign since they form an extended dataset with the uncertainties already evaluated by previous experimental work. The dataset contains cloud droplet size distribution, number concentration, and mass concentration, in addition to geolocation data, and meteorological variables. The flight pattern of the SUA was planned to provide a quasi-vertical profile. A total of 84 of these profiles across 39 flights were performed during the campaign period. The data from the SUA flights are available from https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14756233(Girdwood et al., 2022a).

Abstract Marine fog plays an important role in ship and aircraft operations as well as in marine ecosystems and climate change. Fog is affected by boundary layer processes occurring at varying time and space scales. Its monitoring and forecasting can be challenging in marine environments because of the limited number of observation sites, such as buoys and ships. Therefore, the Fog and Turbulence in Marine Atmosphere (FATIMA) field campaign was designed to study the marine fog life cycle with high fog occurrence. FATIMA‐YS was established over the Yellow Sea region of the Republic of Korea from 20 June to 9 July 2023. Observations were collected using the South Korean research vessel (R/V) Onnuri , the Atmospheric Research Aircraft (NARA), three Korean Ocean Research Stations supported by R/V Gisang‐1 , meteorological stations including buoys, and the Korean Meteorological Administration weather stations. In‐situ instruments on the R/V and aircraft provided extensive observations of various microphysical and dynamical parameters, aerosols and gases, and radiation parameters. Satellite platforms (Himawari and Geostationary Ocean Color Image) together with ship‐based millimeter cloud radar, lidar, and microwave radiometer have also been used for fog monitoring and simulation validation. During the campaign, eight Intensive Observational Periods (IOPs) were performed, and visibility changed from tens of meters up to tens of kilometers, and liquid water content reached up to 0.5 g·m −3 during heavy fog conditions. Marine fog usually occurs due to advection processes, but fog formation was found to be highly related to the mixing of air masses, turbulence, and ocean cold‐water upwelling, whereas its maturity and dissipation were strongly correlated with mixing processes. Preliminary results, extensive new technologies, and the project campaign description with IOP summaries are provided. Finally, the future work and challenges are discussed.

Agriculture in the Pacific is driven primarily by small-scale private farmers, many of whom do not have access to soil testing services or advice, nor the means to interpret analytical results into soil management and agronomic recommendations. Soil degradation through the process of acidification poses a significant risk to food and income security as it directly threatens crop productivity. The nutritional quality of food crops may also be affected through sub-optimal nutrient uptake by plants and nutrient imbalances. The dataset reported here provides a useful platform for the development of a decision-support tool (DST) that will assist Fiji farmers in understanding and managing soil pH and soil acidity. The DST will enable making informed decisions about liming to help correct soil pH. To support this development, historical soil pH data available from the Pacific Soils Portal were combined with updated analyses of agricultural soils from 17 locations in Viti Levu Island (Fiji) collected during a field campaign undertaken in August 2025. The soils were sampled at two depth intervals (0–15 and 15–30 cm) and analyzed for pH using a variety of methods. These methods included direct field measurements using a portable pH-meter as well as traditional laboratory determinations. Of the soils sampled, it was found that most soils exhibited pH levels below 7, which were observed for both depth intervals. Across all samples taken in 2025, it was found that 54.3% of them had soil pH < 5, 38.6% had soil pH between 5 and 6, and 7.1% had pH > 6 (based on soil pH1:5 soil-to-water method). Depending upon specific land uses, climate and cropping intensity, it was recommended that routine liming be built into soil fertility management programs to help farmers overcome soil acidity-related constraints to production. Liming frequency, timing of application and application rate will need to be determined for specific soil and cropping situations; however, it was suggested that soil pH was not changed by more than 1 unit each time lime was applied. Such an approach should reduce the risk of soil organic matter loss through accelerated mineralization, which would be challenging to restore in that environment if soils remained under continuous cropping. The analytical information contained in this article expanded and updated the datasets available in the Pacific Soils Portal. Furthermore, this work provided an opportunity to build analytical expertise in aspects of soil chemistry at local organizations to support academic and extension activities as well as the ongoing development of the Pacific Soils Portal.