Regional Framework Research Articles

A gridded multi-site precipitation generator for complex terrain: an evaluation in the Austrian Alps

Abstract. For climate change impact assessment, many applications require very high-resolution, spatiotemporally consistent precipitation data on current or future climate. In this regard, stochastic weather generators are designed as a statistical downscaling tool that can provide such data. Here, we adopt the precipitation generator framework of Kleiber et al. (2012), which is based on latent and transformed Gaussian processes, and propose an extension of that framework for a mountainous region with complex topography by allowing elevation dependence in the model. The model is used to generate two-dimensional fields of precipitation with a 1 km spatial resolution and a daily temporal resolution in a small region with highly complex terrain in the Austrian Alps. This study aims to evaluate the model with respect to its ability to simulate realistic precipitation fields over the region using historical observations from a network of 29 meteorological stations as input. The model's added value over the original setup and its limitations are also discussed. The results show that the model generates realistic fields of precipitation with good spatial and temporal variability. The model is able to generate some of the difficult areal statistics useful for impact assessment, such as the areal dry and wet spells of different lengths and the areal monthly mean of precipitation, with great accuracy. The model also captures the inter-seasonal and intra-seasonal variability very well, while the inter-annual variability is well captured in summer but largely underestimated in autumn and winter. The proposed model adds substantial value over the original modeling framework, specifically with respect to the precipitation amount. The model is unable to reproduce the realistic spatiotemporal characteristics of precipitation in autumn. We conclude that, with further development, the model is a promising tool for downscaling precipitation in complex terrain for a wide range of applications in impact assessment studies.

Deep and shallow crustal structure control on the late-stage volcanism in Syria Planum (Mars)

Long-lasting widespread volcanism in Mars is testified by the Tharsis volcanic province, one of the largest volcanic provinces with the largest shield volcanoes of the Solar System. However, volcanism on Mars is characterized also by the occurrence of broad volcanic fields, either in the form of small lava shields or monogenic volcanic cones. The region of Syria Planum (SP) is located east of the Tharsis province and between Noctis Labyrinthus to the North and Claritas Fossae to the southwest. It is an example of diffuse volcanism, presenting hundreds of small edifices (namely Syria Colles) which occur on top of a large bulge roughly 300 km × 200 km in size. SP exhibits a complex magmatic and volcano-tectonic evolution spanning from the early-Noachian to the more recent Amazonian. In this work, we investigate the geometry of the plumbing system of the SP volcanic field as well as the geometries of the volcanic constructs (i.e., vent elongation and vent alignment) that may be linked to the structures that fed the magma presenting a possible tectonic and volcanic evolution of the distributed volcanism phase in this area. The spatial distribution of vents and the overall map view shape of the volcanic field were studied in terms of vent clustering and spatial distribution. We show that the widespread and diffuse volcanism in SP presents clear vent clusters that are related to a deep source magma reservoir located at ∼100 km depth. We also show that Syria Colles vent elongations and azimuth distributions suggest that the magma exploited the inherited regional structural framework, coherent with the Syria Colles late-stage Amazonian magmatic event, and highlighting the role of a shallow crustal tectonic framework in shaping the Martian volcanism.

Implementation of the Projects of Permanent Structured Cooperation in the European Union Security and Defence: Problems and Challenges.

The article clarifies the key features of the implementation of projects within the framework of PESCO and their prospects, taking into account the coronavirus pandemic and the fact that the Russian-Ukrainian war since 2014 has gone beyond the regional framework and affected the foundations of international and European security. It also analyzes the PESCO Strategic Review 2020 and the guidelines for the PESCO next phase (2021–2025) in terms of overall purpose, key policy objectives, processes, and incentives to improve the implementation of more pressing commitments. The paper emphasizes that, according to the Strategic Review, 26 out of 46 projects will have been fully completed by 2025. These projects include a cyber academy and innovation centre, chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear surveillance, crisis response operations, secure software-configured radio communications, medical command, military mobility, a network of logistics centres, and rapid response teams in cyberspace. The author has singled out the challenges on the way to the implementation of PESCO projects. It is about the disparity and inconsistency of such projects, the duration of their implementation and the need for coordination, financial challenges for the security and defence of the EU caused by both, the pandemic and the full-scale invasion of Russia into Ukraine. It is important that PESCO needs a clear transition to eliminate the shortcomings of strategic potential and openness for the full participation of non-EU members, including the UK. The establishment of PESCO is related to an ultimate need of a more effective defence of Europe, as well as significant results providing enhanced actions’ coordination and cooperation in the field of investment, capacity building and operational readiness. Expanded cooperation in these areas will allow reducing the number of different weapon systems in Europe and, as a result, will strengthen the operational interaction among the member states of the European Union. At the same time, these projects should be flexible and provide the opportunity for a growing number of states (mainly, associated ones or candidate countries including Ukraine) to fully participate.

Food access and commercialization in integrated markets: a bridge linking private and public aspects

The purpose of this paper is to analyze what are the changes in the legal regulation on food in the European Union (EU) and in the Common Market of the South (MERCOSUR) that have occurred in recent times to account for the impact on the actions of legal and natural persons as consumers in integrated spaces. It starts from the premise that -currently- there are three purposes pursued by legislation issued both locally and regionally: food safety, quality and competitiveness. The regional legal framework must ensure that the rules applied to food allow a wide offer to ensure competition in the regional market, and at the same time that food is safe and of high quality so that consumers have the possibility of choosing freely. The jurisprudence of the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU), exemplifies, through its interpretation - in selected cases - of the norms concerning the multiple facets - from the introduction and circulation (commercialization) of a food in the regional market- and allows reflection from the public (member states-third states) and private (operators and consumers) spheres on the importance of the rules. The main data collection technique used -in this work- is the analysis of documentation from the EU regulatory framework, both original and secondary law - in particular, Parliament and Council regulations, or directives - as well as the analysis of jurisprudence of the CJEU, through which secondary data is collected -mainly Decisions of the Common Market Council (CMC), Resolutions of the Common Market Group (GMC), Directives of the Common Market Trade Commission (CCM)-. In relation to the data analysis procedures, qualitative and comparative analyses are used.

Editorial

We write this editorial in mid-February 2023 as the first anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine fast approaches. The war has so far led to over eight million people fleeing Ukraine to seek refuge across neighboring countries, 1 an unprecedented situation in Europe since the end of WWII. While the hospitality and solidarity extended to Ukrainian refugees was widely commended from the onset, commentators, including the UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, Tendayi Achiume, have widely denounced and critiqued the racist and orientalist double standards and “racial tiering” inherent in popular and political responses to displacement from Ukraine (OHCHR 2022; Bayoumi 2022; Jackson Sow 2022; Ray 2022). Ukrainian refugees were welcomed with open borders and “open arms” while racialized third nationals fleeing from the same conflict, including 76,000 students from diverse African countries studying in Ukraine, were forcibly prevented from crossing the same borders, as an extension of institutionalized discriminatory policies which continue to frame migrants and refugees from Africa and the Middle East through the lens of hostility and suspicion (Zaru 2022; Banerjee 2023). Indeed, while Ukrainians have been welcomed across Europe, often explicitly because they have been racialized as white and Christian, people fleeing other conflicts, including wars in which European governments have played an active part, notably Afghanistan, have been met with soldiers and push-backs, in violation of international and regional rights frameworks, including the European Convention on Human Rights, in some cases at the very same borders, notably those of Poland, Latvia, and Lithuania (see Sanderson 2022).

Correlation Analysis of Stock Markets in the Belt and Road Regions

As a regional cooperation framework, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) aims to spur economic development by investing in infrastructure and improving connectivity between the countries in Asia, Europe, and Africa located along the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. Many studies have documented that BRI-related investment projects reduce trade costs, increase trade and investment flows, bring benefits to trading parties, and improve connectivity between countries along the Belt and Road. Financial integration is a critical aspect of intangible connectivity that is fundamental to and benefits from increased trade and investment flows between countries. This study examines the pairwise correlations between 39 stock markets in the Belt and Road regions from 2008 to 2018, focusing on the correlations between China and the other markets. We find that the correlation between two markets in the same region is greater than those in different regions. China has a higher correlation with markets in Southeast Asia and North and Central Asia than in other regions. The correlations fluctuate over time, but their relative rankings among market pairs remain stable. In the first half of 2015, there was an unusually low correlation between China and all other markets, most likely due to China’s stock market bubble. Our systematic examination of stock market correlations in the Belt and Road regions sheds new light on the temporal and cross-sectional dynamics in these understudied financial markets. The findings suggest significant potential for financial integration in the Belt and Road regions.

Tax, trade, and investment conundrum in Asia-Pacific regionalism

ABSTRACT This article examines the interplay between taxation, trade, and investment in the context of new Asian regionalism. With the emergence of multilateral initiatives, tax rules have evolved with the potential to conflict with trade and investment treaties, resulting in tax-related disputes. This article argues that tax cooperation and harmonization between Asian nations are crucial for promoting tax certainty and maximizing the benefits of regional integration. To achieve this, it is necessary to align trade, investment, and tax policies in the region, which requires coordinated efforts between countries. One approach is to establish a regional tax framework that includes common rules and standards for taxation, as well as mechanisms for cooperation and coordination among member states. This article highlights the importance of a coherent and consistent international tax framework to prevent double taxation and erode the benefits of trade and investment. The increasing digitalization of the global economy has challenged traditional tax principles, leading to debates on the tax implications of digital transactions. This article proposes the implementation of a comprehensive approach that includes infrastructure development, human capital, and technology transfer to maximize the benefits of regional integration fully. Achieving this alignment ensures that trade and investment are not hindered by tax-related disputes, which can negatively impact economic growth and development. Thus, greater coordination and cooperation among Asian nations, along with the development of a shared vision and long-term strategy for regional integration, are necessary.

From Multilateralism to Minilateralism: Connecting South Asia with Southeast Asia through Bangladesh

Bangladesh is a key participant in a number of inter-and intra-regional connectivity initiatives, including the Trans-Asian Railway and Asian Highway, due to its geographic location. Bangladesh is presently at the center of the main regional and sub-regional frameworks because it was a founding member of the two regional cooperation processes in the sub-region—SAARC and BIMSTEC. Since this is the case, regional connectivity is crucial to Bangladesh’s foreign policy. Beyond the bigger regional institutions, Bangladesh has demonstrated its willingness and adaptability to collaborate with sub-regional entities to further the connectivity goal. Here comes the concept of minilateralism which implies countries act on smaller scales for larger impacts. Bangladesh has likewise implemented a diverse strategy for connectivity over the years, emphasizing both the construction of hard infrastructure and the promotion of soft connectedness through an increase in people-to-people interactions in the area. This overview explores the evolution of Bangladesh’s connection strategy over time while also noting the difficulties and advancements in putting some regional connectivity initiatives, including the land ports and regional inland waterways, into practice. It emphasizes in its conclusion that the minilateral ties between the nations will be crucial to the success of various connectivity initiatives both within and outside of South Asia where all facilitate the bigger concept of multilateralism. This research paper aims to explore the potential of Bangladesh as a catalyst for regional integration in South and Southeast Asia. However, over the last decade, South Asia has experienced a significant shift towards regional integration, but progress has been slow due to some approaches which need time and consensus from many parties. The emergence of sub-regional initiatives like the BBIN is attempting to overcome these challenges where one can notice the significance of minilateralism. This paper will analyze the role Bangladesh has played in promoting regional connectivity and fostering stronger economic and political ties between South and Southeast Asia the paper will provide insights that can inform policy and decision-making in the region, promoting greater economic cooperation and political stability across South and Southeast Asia through connectivity emphasizing the concept of minilateralism.

FEALAC and Inter-Regional Governance: A ‘New’ Path to Pacific Partnership

Bridging the Pacific provides an image of two separate regions which share the Pacific Rim, becoming connected in multiple aspects, not limited to a predominantly economic interconnection. This image, thus, points toward a constructive mechanism to work toward a resolution of the over-arching global issue, including climate change. This image and the method for its practical implementation are suggested by the Forum for East Asia and Latin America Cooperation—FEALAC. In the overall field of regionalism studies, inter-regionalism can be considered as ‘the third wave’ under the new regionalism, and FEALAC can be located in this analytical framework. To begin, this paper traces the process and features of regionalism by typification of three different versions, or ideal types of regionalism. In this work, each type of regionalism is not viewed as a successor to, considered better than the previous one, but rather provides a typology for analytical purposes. Next, taking up this historical and analytical framework of regionalism, this paper examines the FEALAC in terms of its strengths and weaknesses considered from the perspective of the five systemic functions. Finally, this paper demonstrates the ways in which FEALAC can be considered a relevant framework of inter-regional governance.

Impacts and uncertainties of climate-induced changes in watershed inputs on estuarine hypoxia

Abstract. Multiple climate-driven stressors, including warming and increased nutrient delivery, are exacerbating hypoxia in coastal marine environments. Within coastal watersheds, environmental managers are particularly interested in climate impacts on terrestrial processes, which may undermine the efficacy of management actions designed to reduce eutrophication and consequent low-oxygen conditions in receiving coastal waters. However, substantial uncertainty accompanies the application of Earth system model (ESM) projections to a regional modeling framework when quantifying future changes to estuarine hypoxia due to climate change. In this study, two downscaling methods are applied to multiple ESMs and used to force two independent watershed models for Chesapeake Bay, a large coastal-plain estuary of the eastern United States. The projected watershed changes are then used to force a coupled 3-D hydrodynamic–biogeochemical estuarine model to project climate impacts on hypoxia, with particular emphasis on projection uncertainties. Results indicate that all three factors (ESM, downscaling method, and watershed model) are found to contribute substantially to the uncertainty associated with future hypoxia, with the choice of ESM being the largest contributor. Overall, in the absence of management actions, there is a high likelihood that climate change impacts on the watershed will expand low-oxygen conditions by 2050 relative to a 1990s baseline period; however, the projected increase in hypoxia is quite small (4 %) because only climate-induced changes in watershed inputs are considered and not those on the estuary itself. Results also demonstrate that the attainment of established nutrient reduction targets will reduce annual hypoxia by about 50 % compared to the 1990s. Given these estimates, it is virtually certain that fully implemented management actions reducing excess nutrient loadings will outweigh hypoxia increases driven by climate-induced changes in terrestrial runoff.

Environmental Policy Frameworks for Ports: In Search of a Gold Standard

Abstract Ports play a vital role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and a broad range of other tranportation-related environmental impacts. This article examines the critical elements of an effective environmental policy frame-work for ports that could be considered a “gold standard.” An exploratory analysis is conducted by delving into the academic literature and analyzing existing international and regional policy frameworks for ports. Fifteen in-terviews with subject-matter experts were conducted to identify sustaina-bility initiatives of two case study ports: Rotterdam and Long Beach. The article extends a previously developed framework for ports developed by Christodoulou et al., which identifies the following spheres of influence: the ports themselves, the role of ports in supporting shipping and inland transportation, and the geographical area surrounding the port. The current study extends the framework from its initial focus on GHG emission reduc-tion-related initiatives to other environmental sustainability initiatives un-dertaken by ports. It is clear that a “gold standard” requires a proactive and participatory approach to sustainability initiatives for the power itself and effective processes for collaboration with the shipping sector, inland trans-portation, and the geographic area surrounding ports to enable the port to be a constructive partner in all its spheres of influence and for the frame-work to evolve over time to continue to improve on an ongoing basis.

Hydrothermal Alteration in the Nevados de Chillán Geothermal System, Southern Andes: Multidisciplinary Analysis of a Fractured Reservoir

The interplay between a heat source, primary plus secondary permeability, and hydrothermal fluids makes geothermal systems a highly dynamic environment where evolving physico-chemical conditions are recorded in alteration mineralogy. A comprehensive characterization of hydrothermal alteration is therefore essential to decipher the major processes associated with geothermal system development. In this study, we defined the hydrothermal mineralogical evolution of the Nevados de Chillán Geothermal System (NChGS), located in the Southern Volcanic Zone (SVZ) of the central Andes, where the regional framework of the system is formed by a direct association with a currently active volcanic complex, a favorable structural control, and vertically inhibited fluid circulation. To characterize the secondary mineralogy present in the NChGS, we integrated optical petrography, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) observations, X-ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis, and microthermometric measurements along a drill core with a depth of 1000 m at the Nieblas-1 well. These mineralogical approaches were combined with a structural field analysis to highlight the relevance of multidisciplinary study in understanding active geothermal systems. The results indicated that the evolution of the system involved four paragenetic stages, with the main processes in each phase being the heating, boiling, and mixing of fluids and re-equilibration to new physico-chemical conditions. Additionally, three hydrothermal zones were recognized: an upper argillic section, an intermediate sub-propylitic zone, and a deep propylitic domain. Sampled thermal springs are characterized by pH values of 2.4–5.9 and high SO4= concentrations (>290 ppm). These acid-sulfate steam-heated waters suggest the contribution of primary magmatic volatiles to the hydrothermal system. Alunite recorded in the alteration halos of veinlets presents at depths of 170–230 m denote the circulation of acidic fluids at these levels which were favored by reverse faults. These findings indicate that, at this depth range, the condensation of magmatic volatiles into shallow aquifers controls the recharge area of the superficial thermal manifestations. Conversely, deep-seated hydrothermal fluids correspond to near-neutral chloride fluids, with salinities ranging from 0.1 to 6.9 wt.% NaCl eq. The distribution of illite/smectite and chlorite/smectite mixed-layered minerals outline the presence of a significant clay cap, which, in this system, separates the steam-heated domain from the deep hydrothermal realm and restricts fluid circulation to existing permeable channels. Our mineralogical and structural study provides critical data for the interpretation of heat–fluid–rock interaction processes in the NChGS. The interplay between hydrothermal fluids and active faults is also discussed in the context of the complex of geological processes in active geothermal systems along the Chilean Southern Volcanic Zone.

The Albian – Cenomanian boundary on the southern Tethyan margin: Abu Gharadig Basin, Northern Western Desert, Egypt

Lithostratigraphy and biostratigraphy sometimes provide contradictory interpretations, especially when trying to establish a chrono-lithological boundary between two reservoir formations from different paleoenvironments. One of these contradictions is the definition of the boundary between the Kharita and Bahariya formations and the Albian and Cenomanian Stages in the Abu Gharadig Basin of the Western Desert, Egypt. an integrated approach has been applied to this problem using borehole image logs, palynology, and conventional wireline logs. authors also calibrate the stratigraphic sections with global chronostratigraphic charts, using nannoplankton, planktonic foraminifera, and dinoflagellates to construct a better understanding of this basin. The abundances of pollen, spores, and dinoflagellates in the interpreted reservoir intervals suggest that hydrocarbons trapped in the Albian-Cenomanian reservoirs are composed of type II/III kerogen. The interpreted intervals are subdivided into seven depositional cycles: one in the Kharita Formation, five in the Bahariya Formation, and one in the Abu Roash Formation. The interpreted environments are, from bottom to top: I) fluvio-deltaic distributary channels, II) and III) intertidal to subtidal deposits, IV) offshore bar deposits, V) intertidal to subtidal deposits, VI) shoreface deposits, and VII) shallow marine carbonate deposits. Diagnostic palynomorphs reflect climatic change from arid to humid conditions and also enable changes in salinity to be determined.Much of the published work in the southern Tethyan margin, particularly in the Western Desert, is either related to stratigraphy, palynology, or reservoir evaluation with a focus on a narrow field. Tectonostratigraphic studies and analyses of petroleum system elements have often been very regional in nature. The work presented here is of an intermediate scale linking regional frameworks with local details to provide comprehensive information about the Albian-Cenomanian succession in the Northern Western Desert. The focus has been the Abu Gharadig basin but this integrated approach has implications for other basins in North Africa. A specific example is the similarity of Western Desert and Libyan Sirt basin Albian-Cenomanian key palynomorphs which would facilitate a similar integrated chrono-lithologic intepretation.

On Idle Possibilities and Missed Chances: Refugee Rights in Egypt

Abstract This article investigates the rights of refugees in Egypt and the numerous barriers that exist that prevent their enjoyment. Specifically, the article examines the implementation of international and regional legal frameworks relating to refugees and asylum-seekers by two key stakeholders in Egypt, namely the host state and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). In addition, the article explores the current and potential future role of international and regional law in the implementation of these rights, while investigating the national legal framework and practice on the ground in relation to four core rights: obtaining refugee status, issuing documentation, attempting to protect family unity or to reunify with family in case of separation, and accessing public healthcare. In doing this, the article investigates, first, whether the host state and/or UNHCR retains a preference for a legal framework found at one scale of analysis over the other, and second, if international law and in particular, regional law and governance frameworks could be better utilised by all key stakeholders to improve the situation for refugees on the ground. Through the collection of empirical data from interviews and focus groups, a clear picture emerges of regional legal frameworks and norms remaining on the periphery or simply being ignored by the two key stakeholders responsible for implementing protection mechanisms. Instead, the analysed core rights are understood through a complex hybrid of international norms and national policy. This appears like a missed opportunity. The article concludes by arguing that, while in practice regional legal provisions currently only have a limited effect, they have the potential to offer improved protection and rights for a wider group of asylum-seekers and refugees.

A combined QFD-AHP decision-making tool for the investigation and improvement of e-banking usage

PurposeThis paper presents a decision-making framework for e-banking operations, based on the Quality Function Deployment and the Analytic Hierarchy Process. The main research question is the development of a framework and its potential contributions in supporting decision makers in implementing quality strategies that will encourage the usage of e-banking services (EBS).Design/methodology/approachThe introduced framework comprises four distinct stages which include criteria determination, field surveys and EFA, QFD application including AHP and finally sensitivity analysis investigating the dynamic nature of the environment. AHP determines the intensity of the relationship between e-banking quality criteria and customer banking activities. A novel House of Quality (HoQ) is proposed, based on a market mix founded on key e-banking activities, and sensitivity analysis is used to investigate alternative scenarios. To illustrate the steps of applying this framework, the authors use a convenience sample from the Greek e-banking sector.FindingsThrough the illustrated example is supported that the proposed approach can reveal valuable information when contemplating strategies to improve e-banking usage and expand its acceptance. In addition, sensitivity analysis leads to purposeful insights regarding the effects of market segmentation and/or target settings on the ranking of e-banking quality/selection criteria provided by the HoQ. In the specific numerical example, the most critical quality factors were “Security and Reliability”, “Convenience”, “Design”, “Pricing” and “Skills,” although different rankings night well appear in different contexts or geographical regions. Moreover, sensitivity analysis showed that these results depend on the specific market mix and targets. As mentioned above, the implementation of the framework in different geographical regions or e-service sectors might certainly reveal different critical factors.Research limitations/implicationsDiscussed in the paper body.Practical implicationsDiscussed in the paper body.Originality/valueThe paper presents a well-defined four stage framework for improving EBS penetration. It utilizes a structured qualitative and quantitative approach and outlines and ranks e-banking quality factors stemming from the market mix and allows assessment of alternative scenarios through sensitivity analysis.

Climate change over Indonesia and its impact on nutmeg production: An analysis under high‐resolution CORDEX‐CORE regional simulation framework

AbstractNutmeg is an important spice and contributes significantly to the gross domestic product of Indonesia. The study examines the impact of climate change on Indonesia and the production of nutmeg over Banda Neira Island. For this, the outputs from high‐resolution regional climate models under different representative concentration pathways (RCP2.6, RCP4.5 and RCP8.5), within the framework of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project 5/Coordinated Regional Climate Down‐scaling Experiment‐Coordinated Output for Regional Evaluations (CMIP5/CORDEX‐CORE) over southeast Asia domain are employed. The representation of the spatial structure of rainfall and temperature climatology is found to be much better in ensembles as compared to individual model experiments. The behaviour of simulated rainfall and temperature from the model experiments is examined to check whether the projected climate favours an increase in nutmeg production. The study found that projected changes in the number of wet days (ideal 100–160 wet days), heavy rainfall events, rising mean temperature above the optimum temperature range (25–26°C), increasing heatwave spells, and prolongation of the warm period led to an unfavourable climate for nutmeg production. Based on the analysis of dynamically produced (model simulated) climate variables, the study rejects the forecasted increase in nutmeg production using a statistical regression model due to the unfavourable climatic conditions that are likely to affect the growth, production and quality of nutmeg. The changing climate not only reduces regional agricultural production but also impacts the socio‐economic condition of the people of Indonesia. Therefore, the study emphasizes implementing stringent climate laws and policies at global, regional and local levels to curb greenhouse gas emissions and reduce the negative impact of climate change.

Application of elemental chemostratigraphy to refine the stratigraphy of the Adavale Basin, Queensland

A prerequisite to understanding the evolution and resource potential of a basin is to establish a reliable stratigraphic framework that enables the correlation of rock units across multiple depocentres. Establishing a stratigraphic model for the Adavale Basin is challenging due to its structurally complexity, lack of well penetration and its lateral changes in facies. Biostratigraphy appears broad-scale, and despite providing chronostratigraphic control for the Lower Devonian Gumbardo Formation when combined with U/Pb zircon geochronology, the rest of the Devonian succession is hampered by a lack of microfossil assemblages and their poor preservation. The aim of this study is to establish an independent chemostratigraphic correlation across the Adavale Basin using whole rock inorganic geochemistry. Within this study, a total of 1489 cuttings samples from 10 study wells were analysed by Inductively Coupled Plasma – Optical Emission Spectrometry and Inductively Coupled Plasma – Mass Spectrometry for whole rock geochemistry, in order to establish an independent chemostratigraphic zonation scheme. Based on key elemental ratios selected to reflect changes in feldspars, clay minerals and provenance, the Devonian-aged stratigraphy is characterised into four chemostratigraphic mega-sequences that encompass the Gumbardo Formation (Mega-sequence 1); the Eastwood Formation, the Log Creek Formation and the Lissoy Sandstone (Mega-sequence 2); the Bury Limestone and the Boree Salt formations (Mega-sequence 3); and the Etonvale and the Buckabie formations (Mega-sequence 4). These mega-sequences have been further subdivided into a series of chemostratigraphic sequences that can be correlated across the study wells, establishing a regional correlation framework.

F-RecN + iRe-CoDeS: Computational framework for regional recovery simulation using advanced building recovery models

Disaster recovery models are essential for informed decision-making towards improving the disaster resilience of communities. Development of recovery models in the past decade took two, mostly independent, directions: one focused on building-level recovery modeling, and the other focused on modeling regional post-disaster recovery. This study aims to bridge the gap between the two post-disaster recovery modeling levels by providing a method for information exchange between the building-level and region-level recovery models. The implementation of such data exchange is done through application programming interfaces (APIs). First, API/I defines the information provided by building-level recovery models to the regional recovery model, labelled as PADDs: Preceding Activities, Demand and Duration for each recovery activity of all damaged buildings. Then, regional recovery model uses the PADDs to simulate the recovery of buildings while accounting for regional resource constraints, and then feeds back the recovery activity progress to the building-level recovery models through the API/O to generate building-level functional recovery curves. The result of this integration is a new post-disaster recovery framework, F-RecN + iRe-CoDeS, developed by integrating the building-level F-Rec recovery framework with the regional iRe-CoDeS recovery framework. The post-earthquake recovery of a set of buildings characteristic of the downtown Los Angeles region is used to illustrate the proposed integrated framework.

Geological Uniqueness and Potential Geotouristic Appeal of Murge and Premurge, the First Territory in Puglia (Southern Italy) Aspiring to Become a UNESCO Global Geopark

At the end of November 2021, a large area of Puglia (an administrative region in Southern Italy) was officially nominated as new aUGGp (aspiring UNESCO Global Geopark) by the Italian National Commission of UNESCO. This area comprises the northwestern part of the Murge territory, where a Cretaceous sector of the Apulia Carbonate Platform crops out, and part of the adjacent Premurge territory, where the southwestward lateral continuation of the same platform (being flexed toward the Southern Apennines Chain) is covered by thin Plio-Quaternary foredeep deposits. The worldwide geological uniqueness of the aspiring Geopark (Murge aUGGp) is that the area is the only in situ remnant of the Adria Plate, the old continental plate almost entirely squeezed between the Africa and Eurasia Plates. In such a context, the Murge area (part of the Apulia Foreland) is a virtually undeformed sector of Adria, while other territories of the plate are and/or were involved in the subduction/collision processes. In the aspiring Geopark, the crust of Adria is still rooted to its mantle, and the Cretaceous evolution of the continent is widely recorded in the Murge area thanks to the shallow-water carbonate succession of one of the largest peri-Tethys carbonate platforms (the Apulia Carbonate Platform). The aspiring Geopark also comprises the Premurge area, which represents the outer Southern Apennines foredeep, whose Plio-Quaternary evolution is spectacularly exposed thanks to an “anomalous” regional middle-late Quaternary uplift. Despite the presence of numerous geological singularities of international importance, it would be important, from a geotourist point of view, to propose a regional framework of the geology of the aUGGp before introducing visitors to the significance of the individual geosites, whose importance could be amplified if included in the geoevolutionary context of the Murge aUGGp.

Life cycle costing approaches of fuel cell and hydrogen systems: A literature review

Hydrogen is a versatile energy carrier which can be produced from variety of feedstocks, stored and transported in various forms for multi-functional end-uses in transportation, energy and manufacturing sectors. Several regional, national and supra-national climate policy frameworks emphasize the need, value and importance of Fuel cell and Hydrogen (FCH) technologies for deep and sector-wide decarbonization. Despite these multi-faceted advantages, familiar and proven FCH technologies such as alkaline electrolysis and proton-exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) often face economic, technical and societal barriers to mass-market adoption. There is no single, unified, standardized, and globally harmonized normative definition of costs. Nevertheless, the discussion and debates surrounding plausible candidates and/or constituents integral for assessing the economics and value proposition of status-quo as well as developmental FCH technologies are steadily increasing—Life Cycle Costing (LCC) being one of them, if not the most important outcome of such exercises.To that end, this review article seeks to improve our collective understanding of LCC of FCH technologies by scrutinizing close to a few hundred publications drawn from representative databases—SCOPUS and Web of Science encompassing several tens of technologies for production and select transportation, storage and end-user utilization cases. This comprehensive review forms part of and serves as the basis for the Clean Hydrogen Partnership funded SH2E project, whose ultimate goal is the methodical development a formal set of principles and guardrails for evaluating the economic, environmental and social impacts of FCH technologies. Additionally, the SH2E projects will also facilitate the proper comparison of different FCH technologies whilst reconciling range of technologies, methodologies, modelling assumptions, and parameterization found in existing literature.