Synoptic View Research Articles

Self-supervised learning of seismological data reveals new eruptive sequences at the Mayotte submarine volcano

SUMMARY Continuous seismological observations provide valuable insights to deepen our understanding of geological processes and geohazards. We present a systematic analysis of two months of seismological records using an AI-based Self-Supervised Learning (SSL) approach revealing previously undetected seismic events whose physical causes remain unknown but that are all associated with the dynamics of the Mayotte submarine volcano. Our approach detects and classifies known and new event types, including two previously unknown eruptive sequences displaying properties similar to other sequences observed at underwater and aerial volcanoes. The clustering workflow identifies seismic events that would be difficult to observe using conventional classification approaches. Our findings contribute to the understanding of submarine eruptive processes and the rare documentation of such events. We further demonstrate the potential of SSL methods for the analysis of seismological records, providing a synoptic view and facilitating the discovery of rarely observed events. This approach has wide applications for the comprehensive exploration of diverse geophysical data sets.

Mercury’s plasma environment after BepiColombo’s third flyby

Understanding Mercury’s magnetosphere is crucial for advancing our comprehension of how the solar wind interacts with the planetary magnetospheres. Despite previous missions, several gaps remain in our knowledge of Mercury’s plasma environment. Here, we present findings from BepiColombo’s third flyby, offering a synoptic view of the large scale structure and composition of Mercury’s magnetosphere. The Mass Spectrum Analyzer (MSA), Mass Ion Analyzer (MIA), and Mass Electron Analyzer (MEA) on the magnetospheric orbiter reveal insights, including the identification of trapped energetic hydrogen (H+) with energies around 20 keV e−1 evidencing a ring current, and a cold ion plasma with energies below 50 eV e−1. Additionally, we observe a Low-Latitude Boundary Layer (LLBL), which is a region of turbulent plasma at the edge of the magnetosphere, characterized by bursty ion enhancements, indicating an ongoing injection process in the duskside magnetosphere flank. These observations during cruise phase provide a tantalizing glimpse of future discoveries expected from the Mercury Plasma Particle Experiment (MPPE) instruments after orbit insertion, promising broader impacts on our understanding of planetary magnetospheres.

The High Latitude Ionospheric Response to the Major May 2024 Geomagnetic Storm: A Synoptic View

AbstractThe high latitude ionospheric evolution of the May 10‐11, 2024, geomagnetic storm is investigated in terms of Total Electron Content and contextualized with Incoherent Scatter Radar and ionosonde observations. Substantial plasma lifting is observed within the initial Storm Enhanced Density plume with ionospheric peak heights increasing by 150–300 km, reaching levels of up to 630 km. Scintillation is observed within the cusp during the initial expansion phase of the storm, spreading across the auroral oval thereafter. Patch transport into the polar cap produces broad regions of scintillation that are rapidly cleared from the region after a strong Interplanetary Magnetic Field reversal at 2230UT. Strong heating and composition changes result in the complete absence of the F2‐layer on the eleventh, suffocating high latitude convection from dense plasma necessary for Tongue of Ionization and patch formation, ultimately resulting in a suppression of polar cap scintillation on the eleventh.

A Multi-Scale Analysis of the Extreme Precipitation in Southern Brazil in April/May 2024

Since 2020, southern Brazil’s Rio Grande do Sul (RS) State has been affected by extreme precipitation episodes caused by different atmospheric systems. However, the most extreme was registered between the end of April and the beginning of May 2024. This extreme precipitation caused floods in most parts of the state, affecting 2,398,255 people and leading to 183 deaths and 27 missing persons. Due to the severity of this episode, we need to understand its drivers. In this context, the main objective of this study is a multi-scale analysis of the extreme precipitation between 26 April and 5 May, i.e., an analysis of the large-scale patterns of the atmosphere, a description of the synoptic environment, and an analysis of the mesoscale viewpoint (cloud-top features and lightning). Data from different sources (reanalysis, satellite, radar, and pluviometers) were used in this study, and different methods were applied. The National Center for Monitoring and Early Warning of Natural Disasters (CEMADEN) registered accumulated rainfall above 400 mm between 26 April and 5 May using 27 pluviometers located in the central-northern part of RS. The monthly volumes reached 667 mm and 803 mm, respectively, for April and May 2024, against a climatological average of 151 mm and 137 mm for these months. The maximum precipitation recorded was 300 mm in a single day on 30 April 2024. From a large-scale point of view, an anomalous heat source in the western Indian Ocean triggered a Rossby wave that contributed to a barotropic anticyclonic anomalous circulation over mid-southeastern Brazil. While the precipitant systems were inhibited over this region (the synoptic view), the anomalous stronger subtropical jet southward of the anticyclonic circulation caused uplift over RS State and, consequently, conditions leading to mesoscale convective system (MCS) development. In addition, the low-level jet east of the Andes transported warm and moist air to southern Brazil, which also interacted with two cold fronts that reached RS during the 10-day period, helping to establish the precipitation. Severe deep MCSs (with a cloud-top temperature lower than −80 °C) were responsible for a high lightning rate (above 10 flashes km−2 in 10 days) and accumulated precipitation (above 600 mm in 10 days), as observed by satellite measurements. This high volume of rainfall caused an increase in soil moisture, which exceeded a volume fraction of 0.55, making water infiltration into the soil difficult and, consequently, favoring flood occurrence.

TESS Light Curves of Cataclysmic Variables. IV. A Synoptic View of Eclipsing Old Novae and Novalike Variables

Based mainly on the months-long 2 minutes time-resolution light curves observed by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Telescope (TESS) space mission of 48 eclipsing old novae and novalike variables (commonly referred to as NLs) selected from the Ritter & Kolb catalog, a synoptic view of some basic properties of these systems is provided. The supraorbital variations exhibit a large diversity of behavior. Data taken from the literature and many additional eclipse epochs measured in the TESS and in AAVSO light curves are used to update the orbital ephemerides of 21 targets. The large majority of these suffer period variations which defy current theoretical understanding. Orbital waveforms are constructed and, if possible, their variation over time is studied, revealing some common characteristics but also substantial differences between individual systems. The dependence of the eclipse depth on the out-of-eclipse flux reveals that in all systems a fraction of the light source responsible for the out-of-eclipse variations escapes eclipse and is probably located in the outer disk regions. In systems exhibiting superhumps, both eclipse width and epoch are modulated with the accretion disk precession period. This suggests an expansion and contraction of the eclipsed light source, as well as a periodic shift of its light center as a function of the accretion disk precession phase. The dependence of the orbital and superhump waveforms on the disk precession phase is also examined but does not lead to a consistent picture. Two cataclysmic variables are newly identified as eclipsing. Attention is drawn to specific peculiarities in some of the target stars.

A Synoptic View of Mantle Plume Shapes Enabled by Virtual Reality

AbstractThe shapes of mantle plumes are sensitive to mantle viscosity, density structure, and flow patterns. Increasingly, global tomographic models reveal broad plume conduits in the lower mantle and highly tilting conduits in the mid and upper mantle. Previous studies mostly relied on 2D slices to analyze plume shapes, but fully investigating the complexity of 3D plume structures requires more effective visualization methods. Here, we use immersive headset‐based virtual reality (VR) to visualize the full‐waveform global tomographic models SEMUCB‐WM1 and GLAD‐M25. We develop criteria for the identification of plume conduits based on the relationship between the plume excess temperature and the VS anomaly (δVS). We trace 20 major plume conduits, measure the offsets of the conduits in azimuth and distance with respect to the hotspots, calculate the tilt angle, and evaluate the δVS along all traced conduits. We compare our traced conduits with the conduits predicted by global mantle convection models and vertical conduits. The wavespeed variations along conduits traced from each tomographic model are slower than modeled or vertical conduits, regardless of which tomographic model they are evaluated in. The shapes of traced conduits tend to differ greatly from modeled conduits. Plume ponding and the emergence of secondary plumes, which could result from a combination of compositional variations, phase transitions, small‐scale convection, and variations in viscosity, can contribute to the complex observed plume shapes. The variation of δVS along the traced conduits and complex plume shapes suggest a thermochemical origin of many plumes.

Local Goods Market of Nagaland: A Synoptic View

Rural markets for local goods are progressively growing, with the Government and many local food advocates promoting the need and importance of local food and products. Consumers preference towards local products took a drastic twist, evidently more so aftermath of the recent Covid-19 pandemic and its subsequent lockdowns. The importance of local foods and its availability took precedence over foods sourced from urban markets. Such shift in rise and demand of rural markets and local foods necessitates marketing intervention through proper planning and implementation of marketing strategies. Rural marketing when effectively and efficiently put into practice will serve as a catalyst for self-reliance and self-sufficiency nation. Nagaland is witnessing gradual rise in the advent of local ventures and entrepreneurship. This paper attempts to understand how marketing activities for local goods are implemented in Nagaland. The study also has the development of a model as an objective to encourage local marketers for effective marketing strategy. The study is based on both primary data and secondary data. The primary data were collected through an interview schedule and a face-to-face personal interview from the sample respondents, selected using purposive non-probability sampling method on two different phases. Secondary data were collected from literatures and reports relevant to the study. The data collected through interview schedules were analysed using descriptive method of statistical analysis. The responses from the face-to-face personal interview are summarized and discussed under five classifications. The results of the study show the importance of local goods as a self-reliant element. There is evidence of some very prominent practice of marketing strategies such as branding, packaging, labelling, etc. However, based on the findings, the study concludes that there is a need for extensive promotion and awareness strategies in Nagaland for rural or local products to influence the customer buying decisions by creating more demand.

Geodiversity of Italy

ABSTRACT In recent years, natural areas have been exposed to increasing anthropogenic pressure related to the growing need for natural resources. Comprehensive information on the geodiversity of a territory is essential for all stakeholders in order to define effective land management toolsusefull for preserving the natural heritage for future generations. We computed geodiversity map as the summary of lithological, morphological, paedological indicators and hydrological index using a workflow based on the grid analysis, performed in a Geographic Information System environment. The geodiversity map of Italy (main map) provides a synoptic view of the geographical distribution of the abiotic component of the landscape ranked into five classes varying from very high to very low geodiversity. This map is supplemented by histograms showing the percentages of geodiversity classes for each Italian region and a Regional Geodiversity Index map that assigns a geodiversity value to each Italian region.

Relevance of Remote Sensing and its Applications in Forestry. A Critical Review

For several nations who are developing, forests play a crucial role in rural life. Due to the incredible challenges associated with staff, logistics, and chronological consistency of field-based surveys for forest management, a variety of sources of data obtained by airborne, space-borne, and terrestrial remote sensing sensors are now essential sources of knowledge for studies on the spatiotemporal patterns of forests. Most recently, understanding of forests and their conservation has been derived primarily from satellite imagery. The process of organizing and carrying out procedures for the management and use of forests can be done with the assistance of remote sensing in order to achieve economic, social, cultural, and environmental goals. Satellite remote sensing has been providing ever-more-advanced knowledge about woodland structure, management, monitoring, and oversight whenever the first civilian earth-observing program was launched. This article reviewed the application of remote sensing on forestry. Data were gathered from published research papers, books, internet resources, and expert observation. Remote sensing’s synoptic view, availability in a rage of spatial-temporal scales, high degree of homogeneity, inexpensiveness as well as the increasing trend in availability make it special in forest science. As observed from the review, remote sensing technology is critical in forest management. It helps to provide up to date information on forest cover change, forest fire, forest disturbance, forest wildlife management, forest biomass and others. Remote sensing is vital in providing scientific information in forest resources monitoring and management

Scientific Holism: A Synoptic (“Two-Eyed Seeing”) Approach to Science Transfer in Education for Sustainable Development, Tested with Pre-Service Teachers

This paper presents a synoptic (“Two-Eyed Seeing”) approach to science transfer in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), based on an ontological framework inspired by two related concepts from Western philosophy (Sellars’ synoptic view) and indigenous wisdom (Two-Eyed Seeing). It was tested and further developed in a participatory research process with first year student science teachers. The results show that this model can support a balanced approach between a scientific and a holistic perspective at each stage of the teaching process—preparation, implementation and assessment—and help to integrate sustainability issues consistently into science lessons. In the course of the research process, the model has developed into a viable educational tool that distinguishes between a person-oriented lifeworld image and a things-oriented scientific image and guides the systematic transfer between the two images. It promotes students’ reasoning and scientific practice as well as their identity formation and community interaction, two equally important issues in ESD of today. The pre-service teachers were careful to close the loop, as they put it, between the two images. They saw health and environmental issues as particularly helpful in realising scientific holism. The pre-service teachers interpreted the role of the teacher as a facilitator or mediator between the two images rather than as an expert and advocate of a one-sided scientific image of the world. The model may be of general interest to teachers and researchers who design, implement, evaluate and investigate ESD activities. The potential use of the scientific holism framework and the synoptic (“Two-Eyed Seeing”) tool for science transfer in public and political sustainability discourse is also discussed.

Superyachts could support satellite ocean colour validation

Visible spectral radiometry of seawater, often referred to as ocean colour, from space, provides a synoptic view of surface phytoplankton, and other optically-active constituents, at high temporal resolution, that is unsurpassed by any other technology. Yet, in-situ observations of ocean colour are critical to the success of the satellite, tracking the calibration of the radiometers and validating atmospheric correction algorithms. Owing to the high cost of commercial field radiometers, as well as the high costs associated with ocean-based field work, ocean colour scientists are plagued by a sparsity of high quality in-situ radiometric observations, particularly in remote regions. In this perspective article, we highlight potential to increase the number of in-situ observations of ocean colour by harnessing superyachts. Using openly-available data processing software, we show that automated ocean colour data collected using a superyacht can be used for the validation of an ocean colour satellite, with comparable results to traditional validation studies. Reaching out to wealthy citizen scientists may help fill gaps in our ability to monitor the colour of the ocean.

Shelf-Basin Connectivity Drives Dissolved Fe and Mn Distributions in the Western Arctic Ocean: A Synoptic View into Polar Trace Metal Cycling

There have been many changes over the past few decades in the physical environment and ecosystem health of the Arctic Ocean, which is a sentinel of global warming. Bioactive trace metal data of important micronutrients for algae across the global ocean, such as iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn), are key indicators of biogeochemical change. However, trace metal data in the Arctic have been historically sparse and generally confined to ice-free regions. In 2015, three major GEOTRACES expeditions sought to resolve trace metal distributions across the Arctic, covering the western, eastern, and Canadian Arctic sectors. The diverse Arctic shelves displayed unique controls on Fe and Mn cycling due to differing chemical, biological, and physical properties. Here, we contrast the shallow, reducing Chukchi Shelf in the western Arctic with the tidally forced, advective Canadian Arctic and the deeper, less productive Barents Shelf in the eastern Arctic. Reductive dissolution and physical resuspension both proved to be large sources of Fe and Mn to the Arctic and the North Atlantic outflow. In the isolated intermediate and deep waters, one-dimensional scavenging in the western and eastern Arctic contrasts with vertical biological signals in Baffin Bay and the Labrador Sea.

Scholars Come for the Archbishop: the Afterlife of Archbishop Wulfstan of York, 1023–2023

ABSTRACT The purpose of this article is to provide a synoptic view of what Patrick Wormald has aptly called the ‘rather odd’ history of Wulfstan scholarship. In doing so, it will also consider how our understanding of Wulfstan and his writings has been shaped by the historical reliance on stylistic analysis, both as an objective instrument to reconstruct his canon and as a methodological practice subject to personal biases, ideological trends and historical circumstances. Beginning with a discussion of ways that the study of Wulfstan’s style has framed our understanding of both his canon and authorial identity, this article then traces the evolution of Wulfstan scholarship from the sixteenth century to the present. It will conclude with a brief discussion of one of Wulfstan’s least-studied works, the homily On Various Misfortunes (Be mistlican belimpan), to suggest some possible avenues for future study.

Infographic summaries for clinical practice guidelines: results from user testing of the BMJ Rapid Recommendations in primary care

ObjectivesInfographics have the potential to enhance knowledge translation and implementation of clinical practice guidelines at the point of care. They can provide a synoptic view of recommendations, their rationale and...

Effect of lead exposure on histone modifications: A review.

Lead at any levels can result in detrimental health effects affecting various organ systems. These systematic manifestations under Pb exposure and the underlying probable pathophysiological mechanisms have not been elucidated completely. With advancements in molecular research under Pb exposure, epigenetics is one of the emerging field that has opened many possibilities for appreciating the role of Pb exposure in modulating gene expression profiles. In terms of epigenetic alterations reported in Pb toxicity, DNA methylation, and microRNA alterations are extensively explored in both experimental and epidemiological studies, however, the understanding of histone modifications under Pb exposure is still in its infant stage limited to experimental models. In this review, we aim to present a synoptic view of histone modifications explored in relation to Pb exposure attempting to bring out this potential lacunae in research. The scarcity of studies associating histone modifications with Pb toxicity, and the paucity of their validation in human cohort further emphasizes the strong research potential of this field. We summarize the review by presenting our hypotheses regarding the involvement of these histone modification in various diseases modalities associated with Pb toxicity.

Integrating Sentinel 2A data for selecting the best methods in observation of biological pigments in coastal water

Coastal waters serve as critical ecosystems, supporting diverse marine life and offering invaluable resources to human communities. Understanding the distribution and dynamics of biological pigments, such as chlorophyll and phytoplankton, is essential for assessing the health and productivity of these ecosystems. Remote sensing technology has revolutionized our ability to monitor these pigments, providing a synoptic view of coastal waters. Sentinel-2A, a European Space Agency satellite, offers high-resolution multispectral data, making it a valuable resource for coastal studies. This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of Sentinel-2A data integration techniques for the observation of biological pigments in coastal waters along the coasts of Mediterranean Sea (Abu-Qir Area) from seven different sampling sites for the presence of different chlorophyll forms. Water samples were collected and physico-chemical characteristics like dissolved oxygen, pH, conductivity and chlorophyll were measured. In chlorophyll estimation, different forms of were calculated viz. chl a, b, c and carotenoids using different methodologies. Images from the Sentinel Multispectral Imager (MSI) sensor were taken on the same sample date. The phyto-planktonic forms, carotenoids, and their ratios in the sampling sites were also determined analytically. With the integration of satellite images (Sentinel 2A), results indicated types of chlorophyll, carotenoids, and ratios' distributions in the Abu-Qir Area of the Mediterranean Sea, Egypt. Our results demonstrate that the kind of species, illumination levels, and nutrient concentrations may all affect how much chlorophyll is absorbed by phytoplankton. Additionally, the band ratios of the different pigment types were found to be connected, such as b3/b8, or the same band might interact with other bands like b5, b4, b6, and b7, or b8a. Additionally, it was noticed that the green band and near infrared bands were useful for detecting pigments integrated with sampling datasets.

Weed Detection in Rainfed Maize Crops Using UAV and PlanetScope Imagery

Weed invasion of crop fields, such as maize, is a major threat leading to yield reductions or crop right-offs for smallholder farming, especially in developing countries. A synoptic view and timeous detection of weed invasions can save the crop. The sustainable development goals (SDGs) have identified food security as a major focus point. The objectives of this study are to: (1) assess the precision of mapping maize-weed infestations using multi-temporal, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), and PlanetScope data by utilizing machine learning algorithms, and (2) determine the optimal timing during the maize growing season for effective weed detection. UAV and PlanetScope satellite imagery were used to map weeds using machine learning algorithms—random forest (RF) and support vector machine (SVM). The input features included spectral bands, color space channels, and various vegetation indices derived from the datasets. Furthermore, principal component analysis (PCA) was used to produce principal components (PCs) that served as inputs for the classification. In this study, eight experiments are conducted, four experiments each for UAV and PlanetScope datasets spanning four months. Experiment 1 utilized all bands with the RF classifier, experiment 2 used all bands with SVM, experiment 3 employed PCs with RF, and experiment 4 utilized PCs with SVM. The results reveal that PlanetScope achieves accuracies below 49% in all four experiments. The best overall performance was observed for experiment 1 using the UAV based on the highest mean accuracy score (>0.88), which included the overall accuracy, precision, recall, F1 score, and cross-validation scores. The findings highlight the critical role of spectral information, color spaces, and vegetation indices in accurately identifying weeds during the mid-to-late stages of maize crop growth, with the higher spatial resolution of UAV exhibiting a higher precision in the classification accuracy than the PlanetScope imagery. The most optimal stage for weed detection was found to be during the reproductive stage of the crop cycle based on the best F1 scores being indicated for the maize and weeds class. This study provides pivotal information about the spatial distribution of weeds in maize fields and this information is essential for sustainable weed management in agricultural activities.

Advancements in remote sensing based crop yield modelling in India

Crop yield prediction at regional levels is an essential task for the decision-makers for rapid decision making. Pre-harvest prediction of a crop yield can prevent a disastrous situation and help decision-makers to apply more reliable and accurate strategies regarding food security. With the advent in digital world, various advanced techniques are employed for crop yield prediction. Remote Sensing (RS) data with its capability to provide the synoptic view of the Earth’s surface, has numerous returns in the area of crop monitoring and yield prediction. This study provides as a review for the advanced techniques for crop yield prediction in India with RS data as a base. The advanced techniques like RS based statistical yield modelling, machine learning based yield modelling, semi-physical yield modelling are described in the current study. The assessment of the studies related to integration of RS data in crop simulation model is also described in a section. All the techniques involved in the current study show significant improvements in crop yield prediction, enabling the development of new agricultural applications in India.

The importance of microvascular inflammation in ageing and age-related diseases: a position paper from the ESH working group on small arteries, section of microvascular inflammation.

Microcirculation is pervasive and orchestrates a profound regulatory cross-talk with the surrounding tissue and organs. Similarly, it is one of the earliest biological systems targeted by environmental stressors and consequently involved in the development and progression of ageing and age-related disease. Microvascular dysfunction, if not targeted, leads to a steady derangement of the phenotype, which cumulates comorbidities and eventually results in a nonrescuable, very high-cardiovascular risk. Along the broad spectrum of pathologies, both shared and distinct molecular pathways and pathophysiological alteration are involved in the disruption of microvascular homeostasis, all pointing to microvascular inflammation as the putative primary culprit. This position paper explores the presence and the detrimental contribution of microvascular inflammation across the whole spectrum of chronic age-related diseases, which characterise the 21st-century healthcare landscape. The manuscript aims to strongly affirm the centrality of microvascular inflammation by recapitulating the current evidence and providing a clear synoptic view of the whole cardiometabolic derangement. Indeed, there is an urgent need for further mechanistic exploration to identify clear, very early or disease-specific molecular targets to provide an effective therapeutic strategy against the otherwise unstoppable rising prevalence of age-related diseases.

Ibex Hollow Tuff from ca. 12 Ma supereruption, southern Idaho, identified across North America, eastern Pacific Ocean, and Gulf of Mexico

Abstract The Ibex Hollow Tuff, 12.08 ± 0.03 Ma (40Ar/39Ar), is a widespread tephra layer erupted from the Bruneau-Jarbidge volcanic field of southern Idaho. Tephra from this eruption was deposited across much of western and central North America and adjacent ocean areas. We identified the Ibex Hollow Tuff at Trapper Creek, Idaho, near its eruption site, and at 15 distal sites, from the Pacific Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico, by the chemical composition of its glass shards, using electron-microprobe analysis, instrumental neutron activation analysis, and laser-ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry. By these methods, we distinguished the Ibex Hollow Tuff from overlying and underlying tephra layers near its source and at distal sites. Fluvially reworked Ibex Hollow Tuff ash was transported by the ancestral Mississippi River drainage from the interior of the North American continent to the Gulf of Mexico, where it is present within an ~50-m-thick deposit in marine sediments in the subsurface. The minimum fallout area covered by the ash is ~2.7 million km2, with a minimum volume of ~800 km3, and potential dispersal farther to the north and northeast. The areal distribution for the Ibex Hollow Tuff is similar to that of the Lava Creek B (0.63 Ma) supereruption. The Ibex Hollow Tuff represents a unique chronostratigraphic marker allowing a synoptic view of paleoenvironments at a virtual moment in time across a large terrestrial and marine region. The Ibex Hollow Tuff is also an important marker bed for North American Land Mammal Ages, and it coincides with climatic cooling in the middle to late Miocene documented in marine cores.