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Methods for soil water conditions assessment are often highly localized or data demanding. In this study we propose a new scalable approach to assess soil water conditions. The main goal is to test whether the approach can be used to provide information about local conditions, without the need of extensive data sets. The approach utilizes a combination of normalized topography derived from the HAND terrain model (Height Above the Nearest Drainage) and hypsometric curves to identify wet and saturated areas for any given geographical extent. The study was conducted through a case study in the Lagan River catchment in the southwest of Sweden. To analyze the performance of the approach, a non‐linear regression analysis was performed to assess the relationship between the fraction of wet area and the normalized terrain. This was followed by a correlation analysis, in which the correspondence of the derived output was validated against the national Soil Moisture Map provided by the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. The results show a strong, and statistically significant, negative exponential relationship between the fraction of wet area, and the maximum heights within the studied area. The approach also corresponds well with the spatial variations highlighted in the Soil Moisture Map, although better in predicted wetter areas than under dry conditions. Going forward, we believe the integration of hypsometric curves and the HAND model could not only improve water balance calculations but assist in the assessments of flood and drought‐prone areas. Key Points: Hypsometric curves in combination with normalized terrain data can be used to assess soil moisture with limited data requirementsThe inclusion of flexible and scalable parameters facilitates local adaptation and allow a broad application of the proposed approachThe proposed approach could prove useful for water balance calculations, flood management and agriculture [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water‐table maps are fundamental to hydrogeological studies and a manual, hand‐drawn method is still commonly used to produce them. Despite this, the accuracy and variability of such maps have received little attention in international literature. In a unique experiment, 63 groundwater professionals drew water‐table equipotential contours based on the same dataset of point measurements and were asked to infer flow directions and predict groundwater elevations at predefined locations. The root mean squared error (RMSE) for the average map calibration data was 10.5 m, which is accuracy comparable to numerical groundwater models. This study confirmed that to produce hand‐drawn water‐table maps, practitioners seek to not only fit the spatial data, but also to conform to their own cognitive model of hydrogeological concepts and processes. The calibration accuracy increased with experience; from a RMSE of 13.3 m for practitioners with 0–3 years of experience to a RMSE of 9.2 m for those with four or more years. Despite considerable variability in the style of the hand‐drawn water‐table maps, the maps were consistent in their representation of the dominant regional groundwater flow directions. There was less consensus, however, in predicting the direction of surface water‐groundwater interaction for a stream reach. Hand‐drawn water‐table mapping remains useful and valid, especially as a starting point for hydrogeological conceptualization, yet further work is required to resolve issues around transparency, repeatability, and reproducibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The occurrence of natural hydrogen and its sources have been reviewed extensively in the literature over the last few years, with current research across both academia and industry focused on assessing the feasibility of utilizing natural hydrogen as an energy resource. However, gaps remain in our understanding of the mechanisms responsible for the large‐scale transport of hydrogen and migration through the deep and shallow Earth and within geological basins. Due to the unique chemical and physical properties of hydrogen, the timescales of migration within different areas of Earth vary from billions to thousands of years. Within the shallow Earth, diffusive and advective transport mechanisms are dependent on a wide range of parameters including geological structure, microbial activity, and subsurface environmental factors. Hydrogen migration through different media may occur from geological timescales to days and hours. We review the nature and timescale of hydrogen migration from the planetary to basin‐scale, and within both the deep and shallow Earth. We explore the role of planetary accretion in setting the hydrogen budget of the lower mantle, discuss conceptual frameworks for primordial or deep mantle hydrogen migration to the Earth's surface and evaluate the literature on the lower mantle's potential role in setting the hydrogen budget of rocks delivered from the deep Earth. We also review the mechanisms and timescales of hydrogen within diffusive and advective, fossil versus generative and within biologically moderated systems within the shallow Earth. Finally, we summarize timescales of hydrogen migration through different regions within sedimentary basins. Plain Language Summary: Over the last several years, naturally‐occurring hydrogen has emerged as a potential game changer in the energy transition. However, the vast majority of current research focuses on understanding hydrogen generation and underground storage. Important questions remain—how did hydrogen come to be within Earth? What are the timescales of hydrogen movement through different regions of Earth and within different rock types? In this review, we describe the processes responsible for entraining hydrogen into Earth's mantle during the time of planetary formation and timescale of evolution toward the present‐day hydrogen cycle. We summarize the importance of environmental factors and mineralogy for hydrogen movement and the timescale of generative and destructive processes in the shallow Earth. Finally, we summarize the timescale of hydrogen movement within different regions of Earth from the planetary to basin‐scale and within different minerals and rock types. Key Points: History of planetary formation and overview of natural hydrogen cycle of EarthSummary of mechanisms for hydrogen migration (diffusion and advection), generation and consumption by microbial reactionsSummary of indicative timescales of hydrogen migration within crystalline and sedimentary rocks [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article inquires into the role of humor in the relational learning process that takes place in adventure education programs. It presents program episodes, which the authors experienced in their practice as facilitator, staff trainer and researcher, and explores the related literature. Four aspects appear to affect whether humor either facilitates or interferes with participants' learning in development programs. First, humor plays a role in developing relationships among participants and between participants and facilitators, and hence in the relational safety that characterizes an environment conducive to learning. Second, it may play a role in creating a workable distance to sensitive learning issues. Third, humor may offer new and unexpected perspectives, which contribute to revising familiar but restrictive reference frames. Finally, humor seems to fulfill these functions to the extent that it is not planned to do so, and as such may exemplify the 'paradox of functionality' in relational processes. (Contains 2 figures.)