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The classification of river catchments into groups with similar biophysical characteristics is useful to understand and predict their hydrological behavior. The increasing availability of remote sensing and other large-scale geospatial datasets has enabled the use of advanced data-driven approaches to classify catchments using traits such as topography, geology, climate, land cover, land use, and human influence. Unsupervised clustering algorithms based on the Euclidean distance are commonly used for trait-based classification but are not suitable for highly dimensional data. In this study we present a new network-based method for multi-scale catchment classification, which can be applied to large datasets and used to determine the traits associated with different catchment groups. In this framework, two networks are analyzed in parallel: the first being where the nodes are traits and the second being where the nodes are catchments. In both cases, edges represent pairwise similarity, and a network cluster detection algorithm is used for the classification. The trait network is used to investigate redundancy in the trait data and to condense this information into a small number of interpretable categories. The catchments network is used to classify the catchments into clusters and to identify representative catchments for the different groups using the degree centrality metric. We apply this method to classify 9067 river catchments across the contiguous United States at both regional and continental scales using 274 non-categorical traits. At the continental scale, we identify 25 interpretable trait categories and 34 catchment clusters of sizes greater than 50. We find that catchments with similar trait categories are typically located in the same region, with different spatial patterns emerging among clusters dominated by natural and anthropogenic traits. We also find that the catchment clusters exhibit distinct hydrological behavior based on an analysis of streamflow indices. This network approach provides several advantages over traditional means of classification, including better separation of clusters, the use of alternate similarity metrics that are more suitable for highly dimensional data, and reducing redundancy in the trait information. The paired catchment-trait networks enable analysis of hydrological behavior using the dominant trait categories for each catchment cluster. The approach can be used at multiple spatial scales since the network topologies adjust automatically to reflect the trait patterns at the scale of investigation. Finally, the representative catchments identified as hub nodes in the network can be used to guide transferable observational and modeling strategies. The method is broadly applicable beyond hydrology for classification of other complex systems that utilize different types of trait datasets.

Hydrogeophysical methods have been increasingly used to study subsurface soil–water dynamics, yet their application beyond the soil compartment or the quantitative link to soil hydraulic properties remains limited. To examine how these methods can inform model-based evapotranspiration (ET) calculation under varying soil water conditions, we conducted a pilot-scale field study at an experimental maize plot with manipulated irrigation treatments. Our goal was to develop a workflow for (1) acquiring and inverting field electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) data, (2) correlating ERT to soil hydraulic properties, (3) spatially characterizing soil water stress that feeds into ET modeling (the FAO-56 model), and (4) evaluating the performance of ERT-based ET computation. Our results showed that ERT was able to capture decimeter-scale soil water content (SWC) dynamics from root water uptake and irrigation manipulation and the contrast of soil water stress between deficiently and fully irrigated maize. We also demonstrated the flexibility of using ERT to spatially integrate soil water stress in the soil volume of interest, which could be adjusted based on different crops and plot layouts. The integration of the ERT datasets into ET modeling provided insights into the spatial heterogeneity of the subsurface that has been challenging for point-based sensing, which can further our understanding of the hydraulic dynamics in the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum.

About 80 % of the precipitation at the Colorado River s headwaters is snow, and the resulting snowmeltdriven hydrograph is a crucial water source for about 40 million people. Snowmelt from alpine and subalpine snowpack contributes substantially to groundwater recharge and river flow. However, the dynamics of snowmelt progression are not well understood because observations of the highelevation snowpack are difficult due to challenging access in complex mountainous terrain as well as the cost and labor intensity of currently available methods. We present a novel approach to infer the processes and dynamics of highelevation snowmelt contributions predicated upon stable hydrogen and oxygen isotope ratios observed in streamflow. We show that deuterium-excess (d-excess) values of stream water could serve as a comparatively cost-effective proxy for a catchment-integrated signal of high-elevation snowmelt contributions to catchment runoff. We sampled stable hydrogen and oxygen isotope ratios of the precipitation, snowpack, and stream water in the East River, a headwater catchment of the Colorado River, and the stream water of larger catchments at sites on the Gunnison River and Colorado River. The d-excess of snowpack increased with elevation; the upper subalpine and alpine snowpack (> 3200 m) had substantially higher d-excess compared to lower elevations (< 3200 m) in the study area. The d-excess values of stream water reflected this because d-excess values increased as the higher-elevation snowpack contributed more to stream water generation later in the snowmelt/runoff season. End-member mixing analyses based on the d-excess data showed that the share of high-elevation snowmelt contributions within the snowmelt hydrograph was on average 44 % and generally increased during melt period progression, up to 70 %. The observed pattern was consistent during 6 years for the East River, and a similar relation was found for the larger catchments on the Gunnison and Colorado rivers. High-elevation snowpack contributions were found to be higher for years with lower snowpack and warmer spring temperatures. Thus, we conclude that the d-excess of stream water is a viable proxy to observe changes in high-elevation snowmelt contributions in catchments at various scales. Inter-catchment comparisons and temporal trends of the d-excess of stream water could therefore serve as a catchment-integrated measure to monitor if mountain systems rely on high-elevation water inputs more during snow drought compared to years of average snowpack depths.

The two-term infiltration equation (Formula presented.) is commonly used to determine the sorptivity, (Formula presented.) (Formula presented.), and product, (Formula presented.) (Formula presented.), of the dimensionless multiple (Formula presented.) and saturated soil hydraulic conductivity (Formula presented.) (Formula presented.) from cumulative vertical infiltration measurements (Formula presented.) (L) at times (Formula presented.) (T). This reduced form of the quasi-analytical power series solution of Richardson's equation of Philip enjoys a solid physical underpinning but at the expense of a limited time validity. Using simulated infiltration data, Jaiswal et al. have shown this time validity to equal about 2.5 cm of cumulative infiltration. The goals of this work are twofold. First, we investigate the extent to which cumulative infiltration measurements larger than 2.5 cm bias the estimates of (Formula presented.) and (Formula presented.). Second, we investigate the impact of epistemic errors on the inferred time validities and parameters. Partial infiltration curves up to 2.5 cm of cumulative vertical infiltration improve substantially the agreement between actual and least squares estimates of (Formula presented.) and (Formula presented.). But this only holds if the data generating infiltration process follows Richardson's equation and experimental conditions satisfy assumptions of soil homogeneity and a uniform initial water content. Otherwise, autocorrelated cumulative infiltration residuals will bias the least squares estimates of (Formula presented.) and (Formula presented.). Our findings reiterate and reinvigorate earlier conclusions of Haverkamp et al. and show that epistemic errors deteriorate the physical significance of the coefficients of infiltration functions. As a result, the parameters of infiltration functions cannot simply be used in storm water and vadose zone flow models to forecast runoff and recharge at field and landscape scales unless these predictions are accompanied by realistic uncertainty bounds. We conclude that the time validity of Philip's two-term equation is an elusive theoretical quantity with arbitrary physical meaning.

This study investigates the quasi-static bearing stress-settlement response of shallow foundations in monolithic tire derived aggregate (TDA) layers having a total thickness of 3 m using a large-scale container and loading system. Tests were performed on footings having a range of widths, embedment depths, shapes, and loading inclinations. In tests where tilting was restricted, a clear bearing capacity was not observed for settlements up to 1.2B, where B is the footing width, but in tests where tilting was permitted bearing capacity was observed between settlements of 0.2B to 0.7B. Surface settlements indicate a dragdown response of the TDA adjacent to the footing extending out to more than 3B from the footing center, while settlement plates beneath the footing indicate a zone of influence of induced settlements of 14% at a depth of 4B. While bearing capacity theories for frictional geomaterials provided a reasonable prediction of the bearing capacity of footings in TDA for most tests, the corresponding settlements may be excessive for engineering applications. Accordingly, a correlation was developed between the theoretical bearing capacity and bearing stress at a settlement of 0.1B. A test with sustained loading indicates slight creep settlements with some stress dependency with magnitudes consistent with past studies.

BackgroundPrenatal exposure to metals is hypothesized to be associated with child autism. We aim to investigate the joint and individual effects of prenatal exposure to urine metals including lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), manganese (Mn), and selenium (Se) on child Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) scores.MethodsWe used data from 2 cohorts enriched for likelihood of autism spectrum disorder (ASD): Early Autism Risk Longitudinal Investigation (EARLI) and the Markers of Autism Risk in Babies-Learning Early Signs (MARBLES) studies. Metal concentrations were measured in urine collected during pregnancy. We used Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression and linear regression models to investigate both joint and independent associations of metals with SRS Z-scores in each cohort. We adjusted for maternal age at delivery, interpregnancy interval, maternal education, child race/ethnicity, child sex, and/or study site.ResultsThe final analytic sample consisted of 251 mother-child pairs. When Pb, Hg, Se, and Mn were at their 75th percentiles, there was a 0.03 increase (95% credible interval [CI]: -0.11, 0.17) in EARLI and 0.07 decrease (95% CI: -0.29, 0.15) in MARBLES in childhood SRS Z-scores, compared to when all 4 metals were at their 50th percentiles. In both cohorts, increasing concentrations of Pb were associated with increasing values of SRS Z-scores, fixing the other metals to their 50th percentiles. However, all the 95% credible intervals contained the null.ConclusionsThere were no clear monotonic associations between the overall prenatal metal mixture in pregnancy and childhood SRS Z-scores at 36 months. There were also no clear associations between individual metals within this mixture and childhood SRS Z-scores at 36 months. The overall effects of the metal mixture and the individual effects of each metal within this mixture on offspring SRS Z-scores might be heterogeneous across child sex and cohort. Further studies with larger sample sizes are warranted.

We report the dielectric constant of 1 M LiPF6 in EC:EMC 3:7 w/w (ethylene carbonate/ethyl methyl carbonate) in addition to neat EC:EMC 3:7 w/w. Using three Debye relaxations, the static permittivity value, or dielectric constant, is extrapolated to 18.5, which is compared to 18.7 for the neat solvent mixture. The EC solvent is found to strongly coordinate with the Li+ cations of the salt, which results in a loss of dielectric contribution to the electrolyte. However, the small amplitude and large uncertainty in relaxation frequency for EMC cloud definitive identification of the Li+ solvation shell. Importantly, the loss of the free EC permittivity contribution due to Li+ solvation is almost completely balanced by the positive contribution of the associated LiPF6 salt, demonstrating that a significant quantity of dipolar ion pairs exists in 1 M LiPF6 in EC:EMC 3:7.

[Display omitted] With the rapid development of the global economy and the continuous consumption of fossil resources, sustainable and biodegradable natural biomass has garnered extensive attention as a promising substitute for synthetic polymers. Due to their hierarchical and nanoscale structures, natural biopolymers exhibit remarkable mechanical properties, along with excellent innate biocompatibility and biodegradability, demonstrating significant potential in various application scenarios. Among these biopolymers, proteins and polysaccharides are the most commonly studied due to their low cost, abundance, and ease of use. However, the direct processing/conversion of proteins and polysaccharides into their final products has been a long-standing challenge due to their natural morphology and compositions. In this review, we emphasize the importance of processing natural biopolymers into high-value-added products through sustainable and cost-effective methods. We begin with the extraction of four types of natural biopolymers: cellulose, chitosan, eggshell membrane, and silk fibroin. The processing and post-functionalization strategies for these natural biopolymers are then highlighted. Alongside their unique structures, the versatile potential applications of these processable natural biopolymers in biomedical engineering, biosensors, environmental engineering, and energy applications are illustrated. Finally, we provide a summary and future outlook on processable natural biopolymers, underscoring the significance of converting natural biopolymers into valuable biomaterial platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With buildings representing a substantial portion of global energy consumption, exploring alternatives to traditional fossil fuel-based heating and cooling systems is critical. Thermoelectricity offers a promising solution by converting temperature differentials into electrical voltage or vice versa, enabling efficient indoor thermal regulation. This paper presents a comprehensive investigation into the integration of thermoelectric wall systems for sustainable building climate control through numerical simulations and experimental analyses. Numerical simulations using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques were conducted to model fluid flow and heat transfer within the thermoelectric wall systems under various operating conditions. These simulations provided insights into the system's thermal behavior, which were validated through experimental setups designed to measure temperature differentials, airflow rates, and power consumption. The results showed that power consumption is directly correlated with electrical current, ranging from 0.19 W to 77.4 W as the current increased from 0.1 A to 2 A. Additionally, the heat absorbed by the system increased significantly with electrical current, by 706–1044%, depending on the air velocity. The thermal energy released from the hot side of the thermoelectric modules also rose substantially, ranging from 9850 to 5285% with increasing electrical current, and from 275 to 51% with higher air velocities. Moreover, increasing air velocity led to a 6.78–9.37% reduction in power consumption for currents between 0.1 A and 2 A. The coefficient of performance (COP) analysis revealed that optimizing both electrical current and air velocity is essential for maximizing system efficiency. While fan power consumption reduces COP at higher air velocities, neglecting fan power consumption results in COP improvements ranging from 6.5 × 10⁻⁴ to 49.0%. These findings highlight the potential of thermoelectric wall systems to enhance indoor comfort and energy efficiency in buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine phytoplankton are fundamental to Earth's ecology and biogeochemistry. Our understanding of the large-scale dynamics of phytoplankton biomass has greatly benefited from, and is largely based on, satellite ocean color observations from which chlorophyll-a (Chla), a commonly used proxy for carbon biomass, can be estimated. However, ocean color satellites only measure a small portion of the surface ocean, meaning that subsurface phytoplankton biomass is not directly monitored. Chla is also an imperfect proxy for carbon biomass because cellular physiology drives large variations in their ratio. The global network of Biogeochemical (BGC)-Argo floats now makes it possible to complement satellite observations by addressing both these issues at once. In our study, we use ~100,000 water-column profiles from BGC-Argo to describe Earth's phytoplankton carbon biomass and its spatiotemporal variability. We estimate the global stock of open ocean phytoplankton biomass at ~314 Tg C, half of which is present at depths not accessible through satellite detection. We also compare the seasonal cycles of carbon biomass stocks and surface Chla visible from space and find that surface Chla does not accurately identify the timing of the peak annual biomass in two-thirds of the ocean. Our study is a demonstration of global-scale, depth-resolved monitoring of Earth's phytoplankton, which will be crucial for understanding future climate-related changes and the effects of geoengineering interventions if implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renowned for its organic richness, unconventional shale presents both unique challenges and opportunities for hydrocarbon extraction and various geo-engineering applications, owing to its complex storage, flow, and stimulation properties. It is essential, from a multidisciplinary perspective, to characterize the rock physics response and construct rock physics model for unconventional shale reservoirs. A maturity-constrained rock physics modeling method for shales, in conjunction with geochemical analyses, is proposed, employing the stepwise homogenization method to quantify the scale-dependent elastic and anisotropic behavior of laminated shales. Considering the complex pore structure of shale, combined with the microscale effects of fluid transport, various forces, and microfracture features, the multiphase fluid flow behavior can be accurately characterized. Then, from the perspective of fracturing performance, it is necessary to develop a new fracability evaluation model for unconventional shale reservoirs. This model integrates fracture mechanics theory, the elastic and mechanical properties of rocks, fracturing operations, reservoir geological characteristics, and in-situ stress to thoroughly evaluate fracability. Unconventional petrophysicists must move beyond traditional hydrocarbon evaluation to embrace interdisciplinary approaches, which requires comprehensive understanding and characterization of the storage, flow, and stimulation capacities, thereby optimizing development strategies and maximize resource utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stress tolerance is a vital attribute for all living beings to cope with environmental adversities. IrrE (also named PprI) from Deinococcus radiodurans enhances resistance to extreme radiation stress by functioning as a global regulator, mediating the transcription of genes involved in deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage response (DDR). The expression of IrrE augmented the resilience of various species to heat, radiation, oxidation, osmotic stresses and inhibitors, encompassing bacterial, fungal, plant, and mammalian cells. Moreover, IrrE was employed in a global regulator engineering strategy to broaden its applications in stress tolerance. The regulatory impacts of heterologously expressed IrrE have been investigated at the molecular and systems level, including the regulation of genes, proteins, modules, or pathways involved in DNA repair, detoxification proteins, protective molecules, native regulators and other aspects. In this review, we discuss the regulatory role and mechanism of IrrE in the antiradiation response of D. radiodurans. Furthermore, the applications and regulatory effects of heterologous expression of IrrE to enhance abiotic stress tolerance are summarized in particular. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under in-situ conditions, natural hydraulic fractures (NHF) can occur in permeable rock structures as a result of a rapid decrease of pore water accompanied by a local pressure regression. Obviously, these phenomena are of great interest for the geo-engineering community, as for instance in the framework of mining technologies. Compared to induced hydraulic fractures, NHF do not evolve under an increasing pore pressure resulting from pressing a fracking fluid in the underground but occur and evolve under local pore-pressure reductions resulting in tensile stresses in the rock material. The present contribution concerns the question under what quantitative circumstances NHF emerge and evolve. By this means, the novelty of this article results from the combination of numerical investigations based on the Theory of Porous Media with a tailored experimental protocol applied to saturated porous sandstone cylinders. The numerical investigations include both pre-existing and evolving fractures described by use of an embedded phase-field fracture model. Based on this procedure, representative mechanical and hydraulic loading scenarios are simulated that are in line with experimental investigations on low-permeable sandstone cylinders accomplished in the Porous Media Lab of the University of Stuttgart. The values of two parameters, the hydraulic conductivity of the sandstone and the critical energy release rate of the fracture model, have turned out essential for the occurrence of tensile fractures in the sandstone cores, where the latter is quantitatively estimated by a comparison of experimental and numerical results. This parameter can be taken as reference for further studies of in-situ NHF phenomena and experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a study of the hydraulic response of an infinite unsaturated slope exposed to a perturbation of the ordinary seasonal climatic cycle. The ground flow is modelled via a simplified one-dimensional finite difference scheme by decomposing the two-dimensional slope seepage into antisymmetric and symmetric parts. The numerical scheme incorporates two distinct hysteretic and non-hysteretic soil water retention laws, whose parameters have been selected after a preliminary sensitivity analysis. Results indicate that, in the hysteretic case, the "memory" of the perturbation takes a long time to fade, and the ordinary soil saturation cycle is only restored after several years of normal weather. Instead, in the non-hysteretic case, the recovery of the ordinary saturation regime is almost immediate after the perturbation. In contrast with the markedly different predictions of degree of saturation, both hysteretic and non-hysteretic slope models predict virtually identical evolutions of negative pore water pressures, with an almost immediate restoration of the ordinary cycle after the perturbation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecotones are the transition zones between ecosystems and can exhibit steep gradients in ecosystem properties controlling flows of energy and organisms between them. Ecotones are understood to be sensitive to climate and environmental changes, but the potential for spatiotemporal dynamics of ecotones to act as indicators of such changes is limited by methodological and logistical constraints. Here, we use a novel combination of satellite remote sensing and analyses of spatial synchrony to identify the tropical dry forest–rainforest ecotone in Area de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica. We further examine how climate and topography influence the spatiotemporal dynamics of the ecotone, showing that ecotone is most prevalent at mid‐elevations where the topography leads to moisture accumulation and that climatic moisture availability influences up and downslope interannual variation in ecotone location. We found some evidence for long‐term (22 year) trends toward upslope or downslope ecotone shifts, but stronger evidence that regional climate mediates topographic controls on ecotone properties. Our findings suggest the ecotone boundary on the dry forest side may be less resilient to future precipitation reductions and that if drought frequency increases, ecotone reductions are more likely to occur along the dry forest boundary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study uses the Jiweishan landslide in Wulong District, Chongqing City, China, as an example to design a numerical simulation technique to examine two environmental consequences: corrosion deterioration and underground mining. A shear strength prediction model for the corrosion rate of the structural plane was thus proposed by mimicking the time-dependent weakening characteristics of structural planes by using strength reduction. The discrete element simulation method was applied to reproduce the complete process of dangerous rock body movement and slope instability under the effects of these two factors to clarify the influence of environmental and engineering effects on slope deformation behaviour. This was intended to clarify the overburden movement process, fracture evolution law, and rock formation subsidence characteristics of karst mountains affected by mining from the perspective of geomechanics, and the results showed that the deformation evolution process of the Jiweishan landslide can be divided into two stages: the slow chronic deformation caused by long-term corrosion deterioration and the more severe acute deformation caused by short-term underground mining. The overburden movement and fracture evolution seen under corrosion deterioration and underground mining thus represent a progressive evolutionary process with full spatial and temporal continuity. Corrosion is a long-term synchronous process that creates the transformation of numerous structural planes around a dangerous rock body. Underground mining, in contrast, is typically a short-term trigger factor that can nevertheless easily cause significant differential adjustment of the movement characteristics of different parts of a dangerous rock body that result in distinct spatial differentiations of dangerous rock body movement. Further, the subsidence deformation characteristics of the rock formation plane mainly depend on the spatial position and scale of the goaf created by such mining. Analysing the stress characteristics of the relevant inclined rock strata helps clarify the control mechanism of a mountain's spatial structure's adaptive adjustment. The simulation results in this case were also compared with the results of centrifuge tests and physical model tests to verify the rationality of the simulation scheme, and the conclusions thus remove provide an important reference for the study of landslide development processes and instability mechanisms under multi-factor coupling conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The social progress, economic growth, and meteoric urbanization prompt the exploitation of available resources triggering the contagion of the biological and physical elements of the atmosphere irrationally causing global environmental pollution. Environmental contamination monitoring is a dire necessity. Although a number of technologies find mention in the literature for environmental remediation, however, environmental catalysis is an advanced steadily growing technique for pollution abatement. In this dimension, ceramic materials have turned heads due to their wide‐scale application areas. Hitherto, research is being done on advanced ceramics to fabricate novel modules for energy storage applications, in designing green buildings, pollution rheostats, and environmental engineering. This article deals with the abatement of environmental contaminants by adopting various methodologies such as aerobic and anaerobic biological treatments, adsorption, chemical oxidation, membrane separation, photocatalysis, ozonation using the ceramic as precursor materials. The ceramic membranes are cost‐effective, ecofriendly, efficacious, and green approach to obliterate toxins and harmful gases released in environment. Even though, limited literature is available on the abolition of harmful contaminants from air and soil using ceramic materials, an attempt has been made to present currently available data with best of our knowledge. This article will sensitize researchers to refabricate novel materials for environment sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the enhancement of mechanical and thermal properties of carbon fiber reinforced epoxy composites by incorporating zinc oxide (ZnO) nanofillers. The composites were developed by adding 3–15 g of ZnO nanoparticles into the epoxy matrix and were evaluated through experimental testing. The results showed significant improvements in mechanical performance, with the maximum tensile strength of 112.49 MPa and flexural strength of 114.82 MPa at the 15 g ZnO concentration. SEM analysis revealed a reduction in void content and improved fiber-matrix adhesion, enhancing load transfer. Thermal conductivity is 13.47 W/mK, while the coefficient of linear thermal expansion is 9.29 × 10−5/°C, indicating superior thermal stability. TGA analysis demonstrated a shift in decomposition temperature from 310 to 375 °C, confirming enhanced thermal stability. These results highlight the positive influence of ZnO nanofillers on both the mechanical and thermal properties of carbon fiber reinforced epoxy composites, making them more suitable for advanced structural applications.Article highlights: Alkaline treatment technique is employed to enhance the fibre properties. ZnO filler improved the thermal stability at degradation temperatures. Proposed composite is suited for structural applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) has set a target to achieve carbon-neutral building stock and generate 80% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2050. While Model Predictive Control (MPC) can contribute significantly to energy flexibility in buildings, its remote implementation remains relatively unexplored, especially in the residential sector. The purpose of this research is to demonstrate the reliability, robustness, and computational efficiency of a cloud-based application of an MPC called Smart Energy Management (SEM) on a multi-family residential building. The SEM was tested on a virtual building model in TRNSYS using an open-source distributed event streaming platform for data exchange and synchronization. Simplified models for thermal behavior prediction, including an R3C3 model of the building, were developed in C++. The SEM was evaluated in eight scenarios with varying weather conditions, optimization criteria, and runtime periods. The results demonstrate that the SEM maintains stability and robustness over a 2-week period with a 15-minute planning resolution while ensuring thermal comfort. The C++ implementation of the optimization algorithm enables SEM deployment on low-spec servers, supporting cost-effective applications in real buildings with minimal intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proficient application of multistage fracturing methods enhances the status of the Duvernay shale formation as a highly esteemed shale reservoir on a global scale. Nevertheless, the challenge is in accurately characterizing unconventional fracture behavior and predicting shale productivity due to the complex distributions of natural fractures, pre-existing faults, and reservoir heterogeneity. The present study puts forth a Geo-Engineering approach to comprehensively investigate the Duvernay shale reservoir in the vicinity of Crooked Lake. To begin with, on the basis of the experimental results and well-logging interpretations, a high-quality petrophysical and geomechanical model is constructed. Subsequently, the establishment of an unconventional fracture model (UFM) takes into account the heterogeneity of the reservoir and the interactions between hydraulic fractures and pre-existing natural fractures/faults and is further validated by 18,040 microseismic events. Finally, the analysis of well productivity is conducted by numerical simulations, revealing that the agreement between the simulated and observed production magnitudes exceeds 89%. This paper will guide the efficient development of increasingly important unconventional shale resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Lijiang–Jinpingshan fault (LJF) is an important secondary boundary fault that obliquely cuts the Sichuan–Yunnan rhombic block. It is of great significance for understanding the tectonic evolution of the Sichuan–Yunnan rhombic block and even the southeastern margin of the Tibet Plateau. Based on a digital elevation model (DEM), this work combines ArcGIS with MATLAB script programs to extract geomorphic indices including slope, the relief degree of the land surface (RDLS), hypsometric integral (HI), and channel steepness index (ksn) of 593 sub–watersheds and strip terrain profiles around the LJF. By analyzing the spatial distribution characteristics of the geomorphic indices and combining the regional lithology and precipitation conditions, the spatial distribution of the geomorphic indices around the study area was analyzed to reveal the implications of the LJF's activity. The results of this work indicate that (1) the distribution of geomorphic indices around the LJF may not be controlled by climate and lithological conditions, and the LJF is the dominant factor controlling the geomorphic evolution of the region. (2) The spatial distribution patterns of geomorphic indices and strip terrain profiles reveal that the vertical movement of the LJF resulted in a pronounced uplift on its northwest side, with tectonic activity gradually diminishing from northeast to southwest. Furthermore, based on the spatial distribution characteristics of these geomorphic indices, the activity intensity of the LJF can be categorized into four distinct segments: Jianchuan–Lijiang, Lijiang–Ninglang, Ninglang–Muli, and Muli–Shimian. (3) The activity of the LJF obtained from tectonic geomorphology is consistent with the conclusions obtained in previous geological and geodesic studies. This work provides evidence of the activity and segmentation of the LJF in tectonic geomorphology. The results provide insight for the discussion of tectonic deformation and earthquake disaster mechanisms in the southeastern margin of the Tibet Plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Aim Location Taxon Methods Results Conclusions This study aims to describe the latitudinal pattern in plant functional groups' (PFGs') biomass and cover in Nunavik to test whether PFG attributes are better Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) predictors than climate.The study spans a 700‐km latitudinal gradient from the lichen woodland to prostrate shrub tundra vegetation zones across Nunavik, Canada.Our analysis focuses on the following PFGs: erect and prostrate shrubs, herbaceous plants, bryophytes, and lichens.Biomass and cover data of the different PFGs were sampled in 40 sites distributed across the latitudinal gradient. NDVI data were obtained through remote sensing, while climatic, permafrost depth, and surficial deposits were derived from various databases. The PFG models were built to explore relationships between average NDVI (2016–2020) at the sampling site and ecological attributes such as PFG biomass or cover but also other variables such as surficial deposits and permafrost depth. A second series of models, the climatic models, were built using only climatic variables such as seasonal temperature and precipitation.The most parsimonious PFG model was built with the biomass data of erect shrubs, herbaceous plants, bryophytes, and lichens and included surficial deposits and permafrost depth (R2 = 0.74). This biomass model performed better than the most parsimonious cover model (cover of erect shrubs and herbaceous, surficial deposits, permafrost depth; R2 = 0.63). However, the most parsimonious climatic model (fall temperature, annual, and winter precipitations) exhibited superior predictive power compared to the ecological ones (R2 = 0.87).PFG models built with PFGs aboveground biomass or cover are good predictors of NDVI of the plant formations sampled along the latitudinal gradient in Nunavik. Despite the intrinsic association between NDVI and vegetation attributes, our study emphasizes the importance of the regional climate in the control of primary productivity in Arctic and subarctic ecosystems. This study provides new insights into the interpretation of NDVI data and enhances our understanding of Arctic vegetation responses under rapid climate change. Furthermore, it underscores the balance between climatic drivers and ecological dynamics in shaping fragile Arctic ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar geoengineering, also called sunlight reflection or solar radiation modification (SRM), is a potential climate response that would cool the Earth's surface and reduce many other climate changes by scattering on order 1% of incoming sunlight back to space. SRM can only imperfectly correct for elevated greenhouse gases, but it might complement other climate responses to reduce risks, while also bringing new risks and new challenges to global governance. As climate alarm and calls for effective near-term action mount, SRM is attracting sharply increased attention and controversy, with many calls for expanded research and governance consultations along with ongoing concerns about risks, misuse, or overreliance. We review SRM's history, methods, potential uses and impacts, and governance needs, prioritizing the approach that is most prominent and promising, stratospheric aerosol injection. We identify several policy-relevant characteristics of SRM interventions and identify four narratives that capture current arguments over how SRM might be developed or used in sociopolitical context to either beneficial or destructive effect, with implications for near-term research, assessment, and governance activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Much recent philosophical discussion has explored the political value of holding onto certain hopes for shared ends. This paper considers whether there is correlative political value of letting go of certain hopes or at least of refraining from publicly affirming particular hopes for our collective future. For instance, recently a coalition of scientists and governance scholars have called on governments, international agencies, and other actors to agree to a moratorium on a controversial climate-change mitigation strategy known as solar geoengineering. They argue that there is no place for hope for a successful global solar geoengineering strategy in a just and inclusive climate policy portfolio. This paper asks: (i) what sort of demand are these coalitions making? (ii) Is giving up hopes the sort of thing that is warranted for people to do on the basis of these calls? And (iii) is this the sort of thing that can be legitimately demanded of others? Ultimately, I defend both the political value of our own letting go of certain hopes as well as the legitimacy of making such demands on others (at least in certain cases). This is because what I take people to be doing when they make such demands of others is not necessarily to get others to create new desires or to be more or less optimistic about a certain course of action; rather they are making such demands to outline the terms of continued political engagement as they work towards a shared future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The United Nations adopted the Sustainable Development Goals in 2015 as a call to "end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity". The UK-based Science Hunters programme uses Minecraft to engage children with Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths. Its Engineering for Sustainable Societies project engaged children from under-represented backgrounds with engineering and the Sustainable Development Goals. We conducted mixed-methods interviews with eleven teachers, with objectives of exploring their needs and views with regard to this opportunity to use Minecraft and engineering to engage their students with the Sustainable Development Goals. Inductive thematic analysis of the qualitative data indicated that teachers were interested in the appeal and creativity of Minecraft, opportunities to creatively learn about and explore engineering at various ages, and real-world relevancy. Access barriers and the unlimited nature of the game were concerns. They felt that students would gain greater understanding of sustainability and what they can do, and deep exploration of the topic at their own level. Overall, it was felt that engineering and the Sustainable Development Goals, explored in Minecraft, could give children the opportunity to think about the future of the world they live in. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cigarette butts are hazardous to living organisms due to the presence of heavy metal ions that can cause damage to DNA and cells. Chitosan, a natural polymer derived from chitin, has excellent adsorption properties and is a potential solution to this problem. The study aims to develop a chitosan filter and evaluate its ability to remove harmful heavy metals from cigarette butts and investigate the toxicity of chemicals extracted from cigarette butts on human cultured cells. To conduct this study, we quantified the amount of iron (Fe), copper (Cu), mercury (Hg), zinc (Zn), and lead (Pb) in samples of CBEs (cigarette butt extracts). The cytotoxicities of CBE with various concentrations were tested on the human skin cell Detroit 551. Cytotoxicity was also measured with CBE using the chitosan-coated filter. It was made by immersing the Whatman paper filter into a synthesized chitosan solution and drying it. It was then compared with the toxicity of other samples without the filter. Using the chitosan-coated filter, concentrations from the cigarette butt extract decreased in particular heavy metals: Cu (92.1%), Zn (98.2%), and Pb (94.4%). Testing the cytotoxicity of CBEs, the results show a significant decrease in the live cell number starting from 5% CBE. The last experiment showed that 5% CBE with chitosan-coated filter paper, resulting in 1.21 x 106 cells/mL, was more effective in preventing cell deaths compared to non-filtered 5% CBE (0.32 x 106 cells/mL) and filtered 5% CBE (0.21 x 106 cells/mL). These results are significant as it shows how the chitosan-coated filter is a working method to isolate the heavy metals inside cigarette butt extracts and how it can have a positive impact on the environment with future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The regular increase in carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration in the atmosphere is one of the major environmental issues nowadays. In this essence, establishing some promising stratagem including CO2 capture, storage, and utilization (CCSU) is one of the options to alleviate CO2 emissions from the energy zone. CCSUs are promising techniques to capture human-generated greenhouse gases (GHGs) by controlling their release into the atmosphere. The key aspect triggers significant developments in novice materials to perform the separations. In this regard, the burgeoning class of superb porous materials (Metal–Organic Frameworks, MOFs), aiming to solve this worldwide issue, is mainly emphasized. MOFs are widely explored in carbon dioxide capturing techniques owing to their exceptional features such as crystallinity, tunable functionality, high surface area, high porosity, and superior design flexibility. The influence of functionalization, such as amine, hydroxyl, carboxylate, sulfone, and nitro, onto the surfaces of MOFs on the CO2 capture performance was also extensively overviewed. Moreover, this article provides comprehensive investigations emphasizing the different methodologies adopted for CO2 capture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biogeochemical reactive transport models (RTMs) are key for understanding the evolution of the quality of groundwater systems and their interaction with anthropogenic activities. The inherent stiffness of these models, within which bio‐geochemical reactions and transport processes take place simultaneously across diverse time scales, poses significant computational challenges. The development of current RTMs is characterized by a tradeoff between accuracy and computational efficiency. Our study introduces a novel approach grounded on Computational Singular Perturbation (CSP) with the aim of efficiently solving stiff biogeochemical RTMs in groundwater systems. We integrate the CSP concept and algorithm with a reactive transport model associated with a groundwater system. Our results document that this yields a significant improvement in terms of efficiency while maintaining accuracy. For demonstration and evaluation purposes, we apply the approach to a collection of typical groundwater biogeochemical RTMs including H2O2 production/consumption, Cr(VI) adsorption‐desorption equilibrium, and denitrification processes within riparian aquifers. The new approach is then evaluated against traditional apparent rate (AR) and Equilibrium‐kinetic (EK) methods. Our results reveal that the new approach effectively identifies fast species and simplifies reaction networks, thus significantly reducing stiffness and computational costs while maintaining remarkable accuracy. Overall, our approach offers a robust and efficient solution for modeling stiff biogeochemical processes in groundwater systems. Its successful application to diverse reaction networks highlights its potential for broad implementation in environmental and engineering contexts, paving the way for accurate and computationally feasible groundwater quality assessments. Key Points: We develop a new approach to solve stiff biogeochemical reactive transport models efficiently and accurately in groundwaterOur new approach rests on a time scale analysis of modeled species through computational singular perturbationThe approach enables one to simplify the model by reducing the number of species associated with its formulation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Train vibrations are the primary concern in environmental engineering and civil engineering. It is significantly imperative to find new methods for reducing and isolating vibrations. The locally resonant metamaterials (LRMs) propose a novel method and concept for reducing train vibration. However, the accurate and quick design structures of LRMs based on vibration characteristics are still an issue. Thus, this study presents a novel inverse design model of three-component locally resonant metamaterial barriers (LRMBs) for vibration reduction based on deep learning. The bandgap characteristics and vibration modes of the LRMB are investigated by using the improved plane wave expansion (IPWE) and finite element method (FEM). Besides, the gradient-combined LRMBs are proposed based on time–frequency features of measured vibration caused by trains and the novel inverse design model, and a two-dimensional finite element model coupling with infinite element boundaries is established to study the reduction efficiency of the gradient-combined LRMBs. And the performances of different LRMBs are fully analyzed in time and frequency domains. The results show that the novel inverse design model can be successfully used to design the LRMB based on vibration features. Moreover, the gradient-combined LRMBs have better isolation performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable underwater adhesives have drawn much interest in promising applications and environmental engineering. However, developing a convenient strategy to combine recyclability and underwater adhesion into adhesive materials remains a formidable challenge. In this work, a degradable and closed‐loop recyclable underwater adhesive tackifier is designed by nucleotide, via the ring‐opening polymerization of thioctic acid in the presence of 5′‐adenosine monophosphate and methacrylatoethyl trimethyl ammonium chloride. The nucleotide‐tackified adhesives present an excellent underwater adhesion for various materials, tissues, and on‐demand detachment adhesion behavior. The underwater adhesives demonstrate reusability, degradability, and closed‐loop recyclability of dual monomers of thioctic acid and 5′‐adenosine monophosphate. Interestingly, the waste residues of the underwater adhesives demonstrate processability and can be employed again in the construction of tough adhesive interfaces in both air and underwater, with further expanding sustainability. It is envisioned that the strategy of nucleotide‐tackified sustainable underwater adhesives would offer promising insights for advancing sustainable and recyclable adhesive materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent increase in extreme wildfire events has led to major health and environmental consequences across the globe. These adverse impacts underlined the need for better understanding of this phenomenon and to formulate mitigating actions. While previous research has focused on local weather drivers of wildfires, our knowledge about their large‐scale climatic controls remains limited, especially in tropical Africa, which stands out as a global hotspot for fire emissions. Here, we show that interannual variability of carbon emission due to fires in the southern Congo Basin is strongly linked to low‐level winds that are controlled by the Indian Ocean subtropical high. The interhemispheric transport of these emissions to West Africa relies on the intensity and position of both Indian and South Atlantic subtropical highs. Combined effects of this transport mechanism and carbon production in the source region explain a majority of the interannual variability of black carbon in West Africa. Plain Language Summary: Emissions from biomass burning in different parts of the world impact air quality and climatic conditions both locally and in areas distant from the origin. Tropical Africa stands out as a hotspot of fire emissions that are primarily human‐induced. In this study, we show that the year‐to‐year variability of the carbon emission caused by these fires in the southern Congo Basin is directly related to the local winds that are in turn controlled by conditions in the Indian Ocean. Specifically, an intensified subtropical high in the Indian Ocean leads to stronger local winds, exacerbating fire emissions in the Congo Basin. These emissions then traverse the Atlantic Ocean, affecting West Africa—an interhemispheric journey made by the atmospheric circulation patterns. Key Points: Fire emissions in the Congo Basin increase when local winds are strengthened due to intensification of the Indian Ocean subtropical highInterannual variability of black carbon in West Africa is driven by fire emissions in the Congo Basin and winds over the adjacent oceans [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water security and climate change are important priorities for communities and regions worldwide. The intersections between water and climate change extend across many environmental and human activities. This Primer is intended as an introduction, grounded in examples, for students and others considering the interactions between climate, water, and society. In this Primer, we summarize key intersections between water and climate across four sectors: environment; drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene; food and agriculture; and energy. We begin with an overview of the fundamental water dynamics within each of these four sectors, and then discuss how climate change is impacting water and society within and across these sectors. Emphasizing the relationships and interconnectedness between water and climate change can encourage systems thinking, which can show how activities in one sector may influence activities or outcomes in other sectors. We argue that to achieve a resilient and sustainable water future under climate change, proposed solutions must consider the water–climate nexus to ensure the interconnected roles of water across sectors are not overlooked. Toward that end, we offer an initial set of guiding questions that can be used to inform the development of more holistic climate solutions.This article is categorized under: Science of Water > Water and Environmental Change Engineering Water > Water, Health, and Sanitation Human Water > Value of Water [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, the increasing concern for climate control has led to the widespread application of grid-connected inverter (GIC)-based renewable-energy systems. In addition, the increased usage of non-linear loads and electrification of the transport sector cause ineffective grid-frequency management and the introduction of harmonics. These grid conditions affect power quality and result in uncertainty and inaccuracy in monitoring and measurement. Incorrect measurement leads to overbilling/underbilling, ineffective demand and supply forecasts for the power system, and inefficient performance analysis. To address the outlined problem, a novel, three-phase frequency component extraction and power measurement method based on Digital Lock-in Amplifier (DLIA) and Digital Lock-in Amplifier–Frequency-Locked Loop (DLIA–FLL) is proposed to provide accurate measurements under the conditions of harmonics and frequency offset. A combined filter, with a lowpass filter and notch filter, is employed to improve computation speed for DLIA. A comparative study is performed to verify the effectiveness of the proposed power measurement approach, by comparing the proposed method to the windowed interpolated fast Fourier transform (WIFFT). The ZERA COM 3003 (a commercial high-accuracy power measurement instrument) is used as the reference instrument in the experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Direct and indirect climate impacts of solid waste landfills in California were quantified. • Direct impacts were positive and high whereas indirect impacts were negative and low. • Cover characteristics including material type and areal extent control climate impacts. • Global warming potential time horizon significantly influences climate impact results. • Integration of direct and indirect impacts advances landfill climate mitigation strategies. Climate impacts of landfill gas emissions were investigated for 20- and 100-year time horizons to identify the effects of atmospheric lifetimes of short- and long-lived drivers. Direct and indirect climate impacts were determined for methane and 79 trace species. The impacts were quantified using global warming potential, GWP (direct and indirect); atmospheric degradation (direct); tropospheric ozone forming potential (indirect); secondary aerosol forming potential (indirect) and stratospheric ozone depleting potential (indirect). Effects of cover characteristics, landfill operational conditions, and season on emissions were assessed. Analysis was conducted at five operating municipal solid waste landfills in California, which collectively contained 13% of the waste in place in the state. Climate impacts were determined to be primarily due to direct emissions (99.5 to 115%) with indirect emissions contributing −15 to 0.5%. Methane emissions were 35 to 99% of the total emissions and the remainder mainly greenhouse gases (hydro)chlorofluorocarbons (up to 42% of total emissions) and nitrous oxide. Cover types affected emissions, where the highest emissions were generally from intermediate covers with the largest relative landfill surface areas. Landfill-specific direct emissions varied between 683 and 103,411 and between 381 and 37,925 Mg CO 2 -eq./yr for 20- and 100-yr time horizons, respectively. Total emissions (direct + indirect) were 680 to 103,600 (20-yr) and were 374 to 38,108 (100-yr) Mg CO 2 -eq./yr. Analysis time horizon significantly affected emissions. The 20-yr direct and total emissions were consistently higher than the 100-yr emissions by up to 2.5 times. Detailed analysis of time-dependent climate effects can inform strategies to mitigate climate change impacts of landfill gas emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is an editorial titled "Pharmaceutically active micropollutants - how serious is the problem and is there a microbial way out?" published in the journal Frontiers in Microbiology. The editorial discusses the issue of pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) as pollutants in the environment, particularly in water bodies. It highlights the increasing consumption of medications globally and the resulting discharge of PhACs into the environment. The editorial emphasizes the need for rigorous risk assessments and explores microbial strategies for mitigating the environmental impact of PhACs. It also provides an overview of several studies included in the research topic, which address different aspects of this complex issue. The text discusses the issue of pharmaceutical contamination in the environment and explores various strategies for mitigating its impact. It emphasizes the importance of optimizing factors such as membrane selection, reactor design, and operational parameters to enhance the effectiveness of remediation methods. The text also highlights the need for long-term studies on the health effects of pharmaceutical contaminants and the development of innovative therapeutic strategies. Additionally, it discusses the prevalence of pharmaceutical micropollutants in low-to-middle-income countries and the urgent need for improved waste management systems. The integration of molecular approaches and advances in bioremediation techniques are also discussed as potential solutions to the problem. The text concludes by emphasizing the importance of strict regulations, advanced detection technologies, and public awareness in managing pharmaceutical contaminants and protecting public health and ecosystems. [Extracted from the article]

1. This study compared two broiler housing models with different technologies (conventional versus fully automated climate control) to verify their performance and carcass characteristics at slaughter, as well as the economics of production.2. A database regarding 20 443 flocks of heavy broilers produced in an integrated operation during the years 2020 and 2021, in eight Brazilian regions was used in the analysis. The dependent variables included feed conversion, average live weight gain, total and partial carcass condemnation and the total mortality. For economic analysis, the production cost of each technology including feed, labour, energy, heating and depreciation was calculated.3. The technology used in the broiler houses had a significant effect on the technical indicators which were positive for fully automated climate control in most geographical regions. One important exception was the effect on total and partial carcass condemnations, with better results seen for conventional housing. The total cost per ton of broiler meat delivered, deducting condemnation losses, was lower in the automated climate controlled housing compared to conventional housing.4. In conclusion, there was a reduction in broiler chicken production costs for birds raised in fully automated climate controlled housing, indicating better economic results for this model in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2022, the authors presented the first stage of implementing a revised climate control strategy at the National Gallery of Victoria, monitoring collection object response in collaboration with the Getty Conservation Institute using acoustic emissions (AE) monitoring. The research and education, motivating factors, and interdepartmental alignment required for adopting the Bizot Green Protocol (BGP) were discussed, as well as the experimental design and set-up of the AE system on a large Flemish altarpiece in an active gallery. This second and concluding paper presents the results of the AE monitoring study along with energy used by the HVAC system for the gallery housing the AE monitoring study, during the transition from traditional environmental parameters through to broadened parameters as defined in the BGP. The project highlights the importance of understanding individual gallery and building behaviour as well as the HVAC system in place. In the case of the gallery housing the AE study, the implementation of BGP parameters resulted in smaller environmental fluctuations than expected. That HVAC energy efficiency could be improved with a relatively low impact on the gallery environment was an unexpected but welcome outcome. This case study describes some common challenges faced when considering such a change operationally, including resourcing and communication needs. Identifying points of resistance, framing problems clearly, and identifying common goals were essential to making progress. In this case, sustainability has compelled many stakeholders into alignment and enabled a shift in institutional culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the light of sustainability, the nearly forgotten control of relative humidity (RH) in display cases with saturated salt solutions is re-evaluated. Spilling and creeping of salts can be avoided. By choosing magnesium nitrate or potassium carbonate, the temperature dependence of the RH and the emission of harmful gases are negligible. Measurements with metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) gas sensors showed such solutions to be excellent absorbers for corrosive pollutants such as acids and aldehydes, especially the alkaline potassium carbonate (hitherto not used in museums). The practical application of such solutions in display cases is currently being tested in a community science project in a number of museums. This will result in improved guidelines for conservators and it is hoped, in a revival of this passive, failsafe, low-carbon footprint technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The analysis of the main factors of brittleness is an important basis for the selection of engineering desserts in shale oil reservoirs. In this study, with the shale oil reservoir of the Liushagang Formation in the X Depression of the Beibuwan Basin as the research object, a characterization and analysis of the main factors of brittleness of the reservoir was performed in order to further reveal the brittleness of shale reservoirs in the study area. The brittleness of reservoirs in the study area was controlled by both internal and external factors, and the main factors of brittleness in the target section included the maturity of organic matter, horizontal stress difference, and brittle minerals. As the maturity of organic matter increased, the density, elastic modulus, and hardness of casein increased and the differentially hardened internal structure occurred and significantly affected brittleness. The mineral composition of the reservoir was characterized by complex mineral types and high contents of brittle minerals, and the minerals determining brittleness were mainly quartz, feldspar, calcite, and dolomite. The horizontal stress difference of the shale oil section was relatively small and contributed to fracturing and reforming. This study clarified the brittleness characteristics of E2l shale and its main factors, and provided a basis for the selection of shale formation geo-engineering dessert layers in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the reservoir physical properties, present-day stress, hydraulic fracturing, and production capacity of No. 3 coal in the Shizhuang south block, Qinshui Basin. It analyzes the control of in situ stress on permeability and hydraulic fracturing, as well as the influence of geo-engineering parameters on coalbed methane (CBM) production capacity. Presently, the direction of maximum horizontal stress is northeast–southwest, with local variations. The stress magnitude increases with burial depth, while the stress gradient decreases. The stress field of strike-slip faults is dominant and vertically continuous. The stress field of normal faults is mostly found at depths greater than 800 m, whereas the stress field of reverse faults is typically found at depths shallower than 700 m. Permeability, ranging from 0.003 to 1.08 mD, is controlled by in situ stress and coal texture, both of which vary significantly with tectonics. Hydraulic fracturing design should consider variations in stress conditions, pre-existing fractures, depth, structural trends, and coal texture, rather than employing generic schemes. At greater depths, higher pumping rates and treatment pressures are required to reduce fracture complexity and enhance proppant filling efficiency. The Shizhuang south block is divided into five zones based on in situ stress characteristics. Zones III and IV exhibit favorable geological conditions, including high porosity, permeability, and gas content. These zones also benefit from shorter gas breakthrough times, relatively higher gas breakthrough pressures, lower daily water production, and a higher ratio of critical desorption pressure to initial reservoir pressure. Tailored fracturing fluid and proppant programs are proposed for different zones to optimize subsequent CBM development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forum papers are thought-provoking opinion pieces or essays founded in fact, sometimes containing speculation, on a civil engineering topic of general interest and relevance to the readership of the journal. The views expressed in this Forum article do not necessarily reflect the views of ASCE or the Editorial Board of the journal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Near coasts and shelves are strongly affected by the hydrodynamic forces and involves important information about the long term and permanent changes. Understanding the past dynamic transformations of shelves and near coasts can shed the future projections about effects of climate changes. High-resolution seismic and multibeam bathymetry data shed light on sedimentation since the last sea level lowstand in the Bandırma Bay, southern shelf area of the Marmara Sea. Five different seismic units were identified from the bottom upward based on seismic stratigraphic analysis, which are bounded by the reflection surfaces. Differential hydrological and depositional processes in the bay are shown by the definition and mapping of these unique seismic units and surfaces in the shallow sedimentary record: The water level in the basin crossed the threshold between the two basins, and advancing flows began from the north to the western basin. The basin continued to fill with water, and progressive depositions were interrupted with the onlaps of U3–4. The water level rose above the threshold in both basins, resulting in the two lakes becoming a single lake and the creation of marine conditions. The initial deposition in the eastern basin was fluvial, deposited in the form of regressive systems tracts. The overall morphology and stratigraphic settings observed in Bandırma Bay have nearly the same characteristics as those observed in the Sea of Marmara (like northern and western Marmara shelf, Gemlik Bay, Büyükçekmece Bay etc.) oceanography, implying that similar hydrodynamic conditions and erosional and depositional processes are controlled mainly by sea level changes controlled by climate changes related to morphological properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the concept of lifecycle thinking and its application in chemical engineering. Lifecycle thinking, supported by lifecycle assessment (LCA), offers a comprehensive framework for evaluating the potential impacts of products or processes throughout their lifecycle. The article emphasizes the importance of LCA in guiding future developments in chemical engineering and provides best practices for its use in different sectors. It also discusses the relationship between LCA and emissions reporting, as well as the emerging field of social lifecycle assessment (S-LCA) for quantifying social impacts. Overall, the article highlights the role of LCA in transitioning to a circular and net-zero-emissions economy. [Extracted from the article]

The large uncertainties in estimating CH4 emissions from wetland ecosystems, the leading natural source to the atmosphere, substantially hinder the quantification of the global CH4 budget. This study used the IBIS‐CH4 (Integrated BIosphere Simulator‐Methane) model, a process‐based model integrating microbial mechanisms associated with CH4 production and oxidation processes, to simulate global wetland CH4 emissions from 2001 to 2020. Initially, we employed the IBIS‐CH4 model to evaluate its performance across 26 diverse wetland sites worldwide. The results showed that the magnitude and seasonality of observed CH4 fluxes over various wetland sites were well reproduced. We then used this model to estimate the annual global wetland CH4 emissions from 2001 to 2020, averaging 152.67 Tg CH4 yr−1, with a range of 135.72–167.57 Tg CH4 yr−1. The estimated global wetland CH4 emissions are generally in agreement with the current bottom‐up estimates (117–256 Tg CH4 yr−1) and closely overlap with independent top‐down estimates (139–183 Tg CH4 yr−1). During 2001–2020, the estimated global wetland CH4 emissions initially showed an increasing trend, followed by a decline. The peak of CH4 emissions reached in 2010, coinciding with the peak of wetland area. The majority of global wetland CH4 emissions were concentrated in tropical regions, which exhibited a clear seasonality and had a peak in July. The impact of meteorological factors on wetland CH4 emissions was greater than that of leaf area index, indicating the importance of soil hydrothermal conditions on wetland CH4 emissions. Plain Language Summary: Wetlands are crucial sources of methane (CH4), an important greenhouse gas, while accurately estimating wetland CH4 emissions has been challenging. This research simulated global wetland CH4 emissions from 2001 to 2020 using a process‐based model known as IBIS‐CH4. The model was tested at 26 wetland sites globally and accurately predicted observed CH4 emissions. Overall, the study estimated that global wetlands emitted about 152.67 Tg CH4 yr−1 annually, which agrees with alternative estimates. The estimated wetland CH4 emissions exhibited a tendency of initially rising and then decreasing, reaching a peak in 2010. Most CH4 emissions came from tropical regions and showed a clear seasonality. Additionally, the study revealed that soil hydrothermal conditions and wetland area were key factors influencing CH4 emissions from wetlands, emphasizing the relevance of climate change in controlling CH4 emissions. Key Points: We used a process‐based model to simulate global wetland CH4 emissions during 2001–2020, averaging 152.67 Tg CH4 yr−1Global wetland CH4 emissions increased at first and then decreased, peaking in 2010, consistent with the peak of wetland areasBased on the model experiments, soil hydrothermal conditions and wetland area were the main factors controlling wetland CH4 emissions [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effectiveness of using enhanced evapotranspiration rates of willow plantation is a modern environmentally friendly practice for advanced treatment of effluent WWTP flow. The key idea is that through advanced willow evapotranspiration rates, a significant proportion of the effluent flow can be transferred into the atmosphere through the physical process of evapotranspiration. This study further discusses the concept in a real-world problem using a wide dataset consisting of a recent PET monthly remote dataset namely RASPOTION, monthly recorded rainfall gauge, and experimental willow evapotranspiration surveys across Ireland, to identify the monthly cropping pattern. A Monte Carlo water balance model has been developed for the period 2003–2016. The model was applied in an existing willow plantation at Donard WWTP co. Wicklow, Ireland to identify the exceedance probability of willow plantation runoff against estimated low flows (i.e., Q95, Q99) at the adjacent small tributary. In this case study, any failure which can lead to river quality deterioration was not assessed. The overall framework aims to provide new insights considering the multiple sources of uncertainty (i.e., monthly willow cropping pattern and WWTP effluent flow) in associated environmental engineering problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The contamination of multi-pollutants in source water, e.g., bacterial and organic pollutants, has been a long-term problem that influences our daily lives and industries. Despite great efforts in developing rapid detection methods, most of them require extra operations for pollutant separation and/or analyte purification prior to detection, which are very complicated and can easily cause secondary pollution. Here we report a one-step and effective detection method for multi-pollutants in water, by fabricating a cellulose-based platform through the in-situ growth of gold nanoparticles. Our experiments show that it allows the self-separation of bacterial and organic pollutants or multi-molecules in different sizes, e.g., human serum albumin/phenol mixtures and carbaryl/dimercaptosuccinic acid mixtures, and meanwhile, has the effective surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) activity for separated pollutants/molecules. We further demonstrate that the SERS activity has a positive relation with the analyte concentration and ensures a very low limit of detection (down to 10−12 M). We note that this detection platform excludes extra operations for pollutant separation and analyte purification, and thus promises a wide range of application fields, e.g., water research, food sanitation, and environmental engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to identify which technologies can be beneficial due to human resource shortages in events and to determine the areas in which these technological applications can be utilized. Design/methodology/approach: This study is designed as a conceptual study that involves a review of the relevant literature, an examination of the current situation, and the presentation of conclusions and recommendations. The study first introduces the technologies used in events and identifies the areas where these technologies can replace human resources. It concludes with a summary of findings and recommendations. Findings: Due to human resource shortages in events, technologies such as robots/robotics, AI, IoT, and AR/VR can be utilized effectively. Robots/robotics can manage participant registration, provide information on products and services, prepare and serve food and beverages, perform (e.g. as dancers or musicians), manage crowds, and ensure security. AI aids in event creation (names, slogans, logos), developing promotional materials, marketing, and data analysis. IoT supports participant registration, check-in processes, venue climate control, heat mapping, and gathering preference data on products and activities. AR/VR enables pre-event space visualization and arrangement, and enhances entertainment and experiences. Originality/value: This study provides significant insights for both practitioners and academics by highlighting technological applications that can replace human resources in events. Furthermore, it holds value for academics conducting research in event planning and management, allowing them to understand the current situation and identify gaps in the literature for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates five cases of municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill slope failures in the USA, China, Sri Lanka, and Greece, with the aim of assessing the safety margins and reliability of these slopes. The stability and reliability of the landfill slopes were evaluated under both static and seismic loading conditions, using pre-failure geometries and geotechnical data, with analyses conducted in accordance with Eurocode 7, employing all three design approaches. Under static loading, the factors of safety were close to unity, and reliability indexes ranged from 1.0 to 2.8, both falling below the recommended values set by Eurocode. The landfill slopes failed to meet the stability criteria in Design Approaches 2 and 3, while in Design Approach 1, four out of five landfills met the criteria. Under seismic conditions, safety factors and reliability indexes were significantly lower than the prescribed criteria in all analyses. Sensitivity analyses revealed that in two cases, unit weight and friction angle were the dominant parameters, while cohesion was the dominant parameter in one case. The findings of this study underscore the importance of establishing minimum design requirements for MSW landfill slope stability to mitigate potential risks to public health and the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]