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  • Shen Zhan, Wang Hai
    Online available: 2026-01-27
    Abstract:Observational data indicate that, against the backdrop of global warming, extreme hightemperature events in China have increased significantly over the past few decades. Clarifying the differential mechanisms by which anthropogenic aerosols from different regions influence this trend in China is of great importance for predicting future changes. Based on the historical simulations from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6), including all-forcing, anthropogenic aerosol single-forcing, and greenhouse gas single-forcing experiments, the influence of anthropogenic aerosol emissions from different regions on the trends of extreme high temperature in China and the underlying physical mechanisms are systematically investigated. The study reveals that during 1950-1979, increased anthropogenic aerosol emissions in both East Asia and Europecollectively contributed to a reduction trend in the extreme high temperature in China. East Asian aerosols primarily induced surface cooling by reflecting and scattering shortwave radiation. While European aerosols modified the thermal structure of the atmosphere in the source region, triggering an eastward-propagate atmospheric wave train, resulting in upper-level convergence, negativegeopotential height anomalies, and cold advection associated with northerlies in East Asia. During 1980-2009, the reduction in European anthropogenic aerosol emissions excited an anti-phase atmospheric teleconnection pattern, leading to the upper-level divergence, positive geopotential height anomalies, and warm advection associated with southerlies in East Asia. This counteracted the cooling effect induced by the continuous increased in East Asian aerosol emissions in northern China, resulting in an “increase in the north and decrease in the south” spatial pattern of the extreme high temperature trends. After 2010, the combined effect of reduced anthropogenic aerosol emissions in both East Asia and Europe further accelerated the increase trend of the extreme high temperature in China. The study clearly elucidates the fundamental differences in the mechanisms by which anthropogenic aerosol forcing from different regions influences the extreme high temperature changes in China: East Asian aerosols primarily exert a direct impact by altering local radiative forcing, whereas European aerosols indirectly modulate the extreme high temperature trends by influencing East Asian atmospheric circulation through remote atmospheric teleconnection processes. These findings enhance the understanding of the remote climatic effects of anthropogenic aerosol forcing and provide a theoretical basis for improving future predictions of the extreme high temperature events.
  • FENG Qi, FU Xiaoli, LIU Yuanbo, LIU Junguo, HUANG Heqing, YU Tengfei, GUO Xiaoyan, NING Tingting, LI Baofeng, ZHU Meng
    Online available: 2026-01-14
    Abstract:The high heterogeneity of terrestrial underlying surfaces and the complex coupling characteristics of ecohydrological processes lead to unclear multi-scale coupling evolution mechanisms of terrestrial ecohydrological processes, imperfect coupling simulation systems for multi-factor interactions, including hydrology, soil, vegetation and human activities, as well as insufficient cognition of the resource and environmental effects and derivative risks induced by the multi-scale variations in ecohydrological processes. These issues have become the core bottleneck for clarifying and solving a series of hydrological, ecological, resource, and environmental problems, and also restrict the refined management of regional water resources and the sustainable development of ecological environments.To solve the above issues, this paper breaks through the coupling and effects of typical terrestrial ecological and hydrological systems, coupling from the perspective of the multi-element coupling cycle, energy cycle, and biological process. It proposes the future research on the multi- change process of inland river basin hydrological and ecological and its water resources effects, the multiscale change mechanism of the coupling process of hydrological and ecological in the Loess plateau, the multiscale measurement and change mechanism of the hydrological and ecological processes in the lake basin, and the multi-scale change mechanism of the hydrological and ecological processes the Great Bay Area and its social and economic risks and the resource and ecological environment effects of the changes in the terrestrial hydrological and ecological processes. Revealing the typical terrestrial-scale coupling mechanism of inland river basins, the Loess Plateau, lake basins, the Great Bay Area and other typical terrestrial hydrological and ecological processes developing the monitoring methods of key hydrological and ecological parameters such as evapotranspiration, and developing the coupling simulation technology of terrestrial hydrological and ecological processes, elating the resource and environmental effects and its socio-economic risks of the changes in typical terrestrial hydrological and ecological processes under the background of global change, and providing a scientific basis the rational use of regional water resources, ecological environment protection and global change response.
  • Hu Linman, Song Xiaolei, Yin Zhicong
    Online available: 2026-01-04
    Abstract:Under the background of global warming, Meiyu precipitation over the Yangtze River basin has increasingly deviated from its traditional characteristics of persistent light rainfall, exhibiting pronounced dual extremes of heavy rainfall and dry heat. Such complex changes are difficult to accurately characterize using a single variable. To comprehensively describe the evolving features of Meiyu, this study employs the Deviation Degree of Misty Rain (D2MR), a multidimensional index developed based on daily station observations, to characterize Meiyu variability from multiple perspectives, and its sub-indices are further used to identify the dominant Meiyu type in each year. Meanwhile, based on ERA5 reanalysis data and datasets from the Hadley Centre, physically meaningful potential predictors are systematically analyzed, and key preceding factors influencing D2MR and its sub-indices are identified. Prediction models are then constructed using the interannual increment approach. The results indicate that the proposed models exhibit significant and stable predictive performance for the Meiyu extremeness index and its sub-indices, with correlation coefficients exceeding 0.72. The models successfully capture the interannual variability and the significant upward trend of D2MR during 1963 – 2025, and effectively reproduce the characteristics of Meiyu in extreme years, accurately reflecting the increasing extremeness of Meiyu in recent decades. In particular, the models independently predict the occurrences of heavy-rainfall-dominated Meiyu in 2020 and 2024, dry-heat-dominated Meiyu in 2022 and 2025, and the alternating heat-rainfall Meiyu characteristics in 2023. As the frequency of extreme Meiyu events continues to increase, exerting greater socio-economic impacts across the Yangtze River Basin, the characterization and prediction of Meiyu extremity provide essential scientific support for disaster prevention, agricultural planning, and enhance our understanding of regional climate variability.
  • Ye Zeyu, Zhou Xinyi, Yue Xu
    Online available: 2026-01-04
    Abstract: Surface ozone (O3) and terrestrial vegetation has profound and complex interactions that exert strong influences on atmospheric chemistry, ecosystem productivity, and regional climate. As a phytotoxic oxidant, O3 enters plant tissues through stomata, triggering oxidative stress and impairing photosynthetic functions. These physiological disruptions further reduce crop yields and ecosystem productivity, posing substantial threats to global food security and terrestrial carbon sink. Current syntheses estimate that present-day O3 pollution reduces global land sink by 1.5~5%, with hotspots in eastern China and eastern U.S. Vegetation is not merely a passive recipient of O3 stress; rather, it actively modulates surface O3 concentrations through dual roles as both a sink and a source. On the one hand, stomatal uptake represents a major pathway for O3 dry deposition, accounting for approximately 45% of global O3 removal. On the other hand, vegetation emits biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs), such as isoprene and monoterpenes, which act as key precursors for O3 formation under sunlight. Recent modeling studies suggest that BVOCs contribute more than 10% to summertime O3 concentrations in polluted regions such as China and U. S. A critical feedback arises from O3-vegetation coupling: elevated O3 induces stomatal closure as a protective response, which reduces the stomatal uptake of O3, weakens dry deposition, and ultimately enhances ambient O3 levels. In addition, O3-induced stomatal closure suppresses transpiration, altering surface energy partitioning by reducing latent heat flux and increasing sensible heat flux. These biophysical responses promote regional warming and drying, with consequent impacts on regional climate and hydrology, including temperature, humidity, precipitation, and runoff. For example, O3-vegetation interactions have been shown to increase summer surface temperatures by 0.2~0.8 K and reduce relative humidity by 3~9% in eastern China. Despite progress in experimental and modeling approaches, substantial uncertainties persist. These include limitations of controlled-exposure experiments, inconsistencies in O3 damage parameterizations, and incomplete understanding of interactions between O3 stress and co-occurring drivers such as elevated CO2, nitrogen deposition, and extreme climate events. Future research should prioritize integrated multi-scale observational networks, multifactor manipulative experiments, and advanced Earth system models that tightly couple atmospheric chemistry with dynamic vegetation processes. Improved quantification of the O3-vegetation-climate interaction is essential for developing coordinated strategies that jointly address air quality improvement and climate change adaptation.
  • Liu Yang, Zhao Xuefan, Chang Ming, Yu Bin
    Online available: 2026-01-04
    Abstract:Glacial lake outburst floods represent a classic chain-reaction disaster in high-mountain regions, frequently triggering sudden floods and debris flows that severely threaten downstream infrastructure and ecological security. Against the backdrop of global warming and ongoing glacial retreat, the frequency and scale of such disasters are increasing, yet the underlying mechanisms and dynamic processes remain incompletely understood. Deepening our understanding of glacial lake outburst flood mechanisms and evolutionary patterns not only enhances regional disaster warning and risk prevention capabilities but also provides crucial scientific insights into catastrophic processes within mountainous systems under climate change. As the key natural barrier during outbursts, the surface “armor layer” of morainic dams directly determines the dam's erosion resistance and overall stability. To investigate the initiation mechanism of large boulders on the armor layer of glacial moraines, the Bielong Co glacial lake in Xizang was used as a prototype. Water channel experiments were conducted to clarify the key mechanisms of boulder initiation. Based on observations showing that large boulders primarily initiate movement through rolling under surge waves, a rolling initiation velocity formula was established, accounting for additional forces and overburden thrust. Results indicate that the initiation process of boulders under surge waves can be categorized into three modes: single-particle sliding or rolling, localized dynamic instability, and overall catastrophic initiation. The initiation behavior is closely related to factors such as the scale of the ice avalanche surge wave, boulder grain size, bulk density, exposure degree, and dam slope gradient. The initiation velocity formula for armor layer boulders demonstrates high practicality, addressing shortcomings of traditional formulas that neglect particle shape variations, rely on flat-channel sediment dynamics derivations, and simplify boulders as homogeneous spheres, approaches inconsistent with reality. This computational model accurately predicts initiation velocities and can be applied to analyze the initiation of armor layer boulders in glacial till dams under surge wave and other flow conditions. Future research should focus on the microstructural characteristics and initiation mechanisms of the armor layer. By integrating field observations, experimental simulations, and numerical analysis, it is essential to systematically investigate its mechanical response and progressive failure process under sustained seepage, water level fluctuations, and freeze-thaw cycles, with particular emphasis on revealing the governing principles of armor layer shear strength and permeability stability controlled by particle gradation, cementation degree, and structural integrity, and elucidating the dynamic thresholds from localized erosion to overall failure. Building on these findings, we develop a coupled dynamic model that simulates the entire ice-lake outburst process, incorporating the initiation mechanism of the armor layer. This work advances a dynamic disaster risk assessment system based on real-time monitoring of dam structural conditions and multi-parameter early warning indicators. Consequently, it provides critical theoretical support and scientific tools for precise early warning and risk prevention of ice lake outbursts.
  • Xue Huamin, Zhang Zhongsheng, Zhao Wenwen, Yu Zicheng, Wu Haitao, Jiang Ming
    Online available: 2026-01-04

    Abstract The sequestration of Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) constitutes a pivotal component of global climate change mitigation strategies. While the microbial carbon pump and biotic anabolism have traditionally dominated conceptual paradigms of humification, emerging evidence suggests that this biocentric view may underestimate the contribution of abiotic geochemical pathways. This review systematically delineates the role of the non-enzymatic Maillard reaction as a critical geochemical bridge linking mineral weathering processes to long-term SOC persistence.We propose a mechanistic framework of mineral interfacial catalysis-melanoidin formation-organo-mineral complexation to elucidate this abiotic stabilization trajectory. Specifically, soil minerals, particularly Fe/Mn oxides and phyllosilicates, act as natural catalysts by providing Lewis acid sites that lower the apparent activation energy for the condensation and polymerization of reducing sugars and amino compounds. This process transforms labile precursors into chemically recalcitrant, aromatic-rich polymers commonly referred to as melanoidin-like substances. These reactions are thermodynamically and kinetically favored under conditions of elevated temperature, alkaline to neutral pH, and intermediate to fluctuating moisture regimes, potentially representing a dominant stabilization pathway in subsurface horizons or anaerobic environments where microbial activity is energetically or kinetically constrained.The resulting melanoidin-type products exhibit a pronounced dual-protection capacity, beyond their inherent structural heterogeneity and low biological accessibility, they form robust associations with mineral matrices through physical confinement, ligand exchange, and polyvalent cation bridging. By acting as a non-enzymatic hub that integrates plant-derived carbon inputs and microbial metabolites into persistent organo-mineral complexes, the Maillard reaction challenges conventional theories of humic substance formation and provides a mechanistic framework for an underexplored abiotic pathway of carbon stabilization. Despite growing recognition of its potential importance, current understanding remains constrained by a reliance on simplified laboratory proxies, a scarcity of in situ field evidence, and the absence of diagnostic molecular biomarkers capable of distinguishing abiotic melanoidins from microbially derived necromass. Consequently, the quantitative contribution of this abiotic module to long-term SOC persistence remains poorly constrained. Future research should prioritize resolving environmental controls, multi-factor interactions, and identifying the molecular fingerprints of soil Maillard products in natural ecosystems. Incorporating mineral-mediated, non-enzymatic stabilization processes into terrestrial carbon cycle models will be essential for accurately capturing the coupled climate change-rock weathering-carbon stabilitycontinuum and for informing strategies that integrate geological and ecological carbon sequestration.

  • Zheng Minggui, Zhang Linxing, Dong Juan
    Online available: 2026-01-04
    Abstract: Under the backdrop of resource competition among world powers and policy adjustments in resource-rich countries, the strategic attributes and significance of copper resources have become increasingly prominent. The competition among major powers over resources has intensified, and the copper resource industry chain and supply chain are facing significant uncertainties and risks. Studying the resilience of the copper resource industry chain and supply chain trade network is of great significance for ensuring the security of copper resources and the stability of the global copper resource industry chain and supply chain. By comprehensively considering all products in the entire copper resource industry chain and supply chain, including upstream mining, midstream smelting, and downstream processing, an analysis framework for the resilience of the international trade network is constructed. Through describing the capabilities and characteristics of network nodes and structures, the evolution characteristics of the resilience of the copper resource industry chain and supply chain network are depicted from both dynamic and static dimensions. The research shows that at the node resilience level, China has a significant advantage in the upstream and midstream, but the downstream is showing a downward trend. Resource-endowed countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Chile have high resilience in the upstream and midstream due to their resource advantages, but their performance in the downstream is not outstanding. Industrial powers such as Germany and the United States have seen a decline in their upstream resilience, but their overall resilience across the entire chain is relatively prominent, and they still hold important positions in the upstream, midstream, and downstream. At the static structural resilience level, resilience in all links is showing a downward trend, and recovery capabilities are all inadequate, with stronger resistance capabilities in the upstream and downstream. At the dynamic structural resilience level, the polarization effect of the upstream and downstream networks has weakened, and their stability capabilities need to be improved. Midstream trade is increasingly concentrated on important links, leading to a decline in resistance to attacks. In the entire chain, the motivation for re-establishing trade links stems primarily from a country's existing status as a trade hub. Trade hub countries dominate the establishment of potential new links and have stronger reconstruction capabilities.
  • Ma Hongyuan, Ye Deli, Zhang Jiachen, Tang Feifei, Cui Yingying
    Online available: 2026-01-04
    Abstract: To investigate the differences in microclimatic and ecological environmental effects of centralized photovoltaic (PV) power stations under diverse climatic backgrounds, high-altitude desert PV stations located in Qinghai Province were selected as the focal point of this research. These sites were chosen to represent three typical climatic backgrounds: hyper-arid, arid, and semi-arid zones. Micro-meteorology factors and vegetation evolution characteristics inside and outside the PV arrays were analyzed by employing paired insideoutside observations and long-time-series NDVI retrieval. It was indicated by the results that distinct, non-linear responses are exhibited by the microclimatic and ecological effects of PV stations along the aridity gradient. Water availability was identified as the core regulatory factor modulating these interactions. Specifically, a significant "heat island effect" with no observable vegetation recovery was observed in the hyper-arid zone, primarily attributed to severe moisture deficits. A transitional state was demonstrated in the arid zone, characterized by nighttime warming and slight humidification effects, accompanied by a discernible trend toward vegetation recovery. In stark contrast, positive ecosystem feedback mechanisms were displayed in the semi-arid zone; here, soil moisture conservation was significantly facilitated by the shading and wind-blocking effects of PV modules. Improved moisture status was found to enable rapid vegetation restoration, by which the physical warming effects of the panels were subsequently offset through the mechanism of transpirational cooling. The evolutionary mechanism by which the ecological impacts of PV stations transition from purely physical disturbances to active ecological regulation is elucidated in this study. The feasibility of achieving synergy between large-scale photovoltaic development and ecological restoration, provided that moisture conditions are suitable, is empirically confirmed. In the future, the implementation of stable, long-term, and large-scale ecometeorological observations, coupled with the development of ecological mechanism models specifically tailored for PV parks, is considered essential. A deeper, mechanistic understanding of the ecological footprints of photovoltaics will be facilitated by these efforts, thereby providing robust scientific evidence and support for optimizing decision-making in sustainable energy planning.
  • Zhao Xinran, You Yuanhong, Huang Chunlin, Tang Zhiguang, Wang Zuo, Hou Jinliang
    Online available: 2026-01-04
    Abstract: Accurate retrieval of snow depth from passive microwave observations remains a major challenge because of the pronounced nonlinearity between microwave brightness temperature and snow physical properties, which is further modulated by complex terrain and the temporal evolution of snowpacks. Conventional retrieval approaches, including physically based radiative transfer models, are often constrained by high computational costs and strong sensitivity to uncertain input parameters, resulting in degraded performance under heterogeneous snow conditions and across different snow climate regimes. To overcome these limitations, this study develops a passive microwave snow depth retrieval model that integrates wavelet transform with a residual convolutional neural network (Wavedec-ResNet-CNN) to better represent multi-scale features and complex nonlinear relationships. Specifically, the wavelet transform is applied to multi-frequency brightness temperature observations to extract scale-dependent information, allowing the model to capture both large-scale snow depth variability and localized perturbations associated with rapid snow accumulation and melt processes. The resulting multi-scale features are then ingested into a residual convolutional neural network, in which residual connections facilitate deep feature propagation and enhance nonlinear fitting capability while mitigating performance degradation in deep architectures. The proposed model is evaluated using representative groundbased stations spanning different snow climate classes in the Northern Hemisphere to assess its applicability under diverse snow conditions at the site scale. Model performance is quantified using multiple statistical metrics, including root mean square error (RMSE), correlation coefficient (R), mean bias, and Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE), and is benchmarked against conventional convolutional neural network and residual convolutional neural network models. The results show that the Wavedec-ResNet-CNN achieves an RMSE of 0.23 m, an R of 0.93, a mean bias of 0.01 m, and an NSE of 0.86, indicating consistent improvements over the reference deep learning models across all evaluation metrics. Additional analyses demonstrate that the proposed model outperforms traditional deep learning approaches across a wide range of snow depths, with particularly notable gains during periods of deep snow accumulation and rapid snow depth changes. Furthermore, compared with existing snow depth retrieval products, the model exhibits enhanced temporal responsiveness and improved spatial transferability across different snow climate types, highlighting its potential for robust passive microwave snow depth monitoring in regions with diverse snow regimes.
  • Deng Hua, Wang Chenyu, Zhang Yanxia
    Online available: 2026-01-04
    Abstract:With increasing demands for timeliness and update frequency in wind power prediction, the limitations of methods based on Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) have become increasingly evident. The development of artificial intelligence meteorological models has provided an efficient source of meteorological forecasts for wind power prediction. Selecting an offshore wind farm in Yangjiang, Guangdong as the service object, the Pangu AI meteorological model and the numerical weather prediction model CMA-GD were applied to conduct simulation calculations for a total of 17 months in 2023 and 2024. Four sets of power prediction experiments were designed, which used different meteorological data forecast sources, different power prediction methods, and a wind speed correction method, to compare and analyze the improvement of wind power prediction. The experimental results show that the Pangu model achieves accuracy comparable to or even surpassing that of numerical weather prediction models. When using the generated site power curve for power prediction, the short-term power prediction accuracy based on the Pangu model meteorological forecast exceeds that based on CMA-GD, and even in some months of 2024, the prediction performance is comparable to that of using machine learning algorithms for power prediction. According to the November 2023 experimental results, the power prediction model based on corrected Pangu model forecasts and the ResMLP algorithm achieved the best power prediction performance, with a 24-hour prediction accuracy of 0.714 and a 96-hour prediction accuracy of 0.654. Applying this model to the period from January to June 2024 yielded stable results that met the grid assessment standards. This study provides a referable solution for applying the Pangu or other artificial intelligence meteorological models in wind power prediction operations.
  • Pan Linlin, Jin Shuanglong, Song Zongpeng, Ding Huang, Hu Rui, Xiao Ziniu, Du Jie, Yang Jing, Bao Qing, Wang Bo, Feng Shuanglei
    Online available: 2026-01-04
    Abstract:With the rapid advancement of wind and solar power generation technologies, the proportion of wind and solar energy within power systems continues to rise. However, the output of these two energy sources is directly influenced by weather conditions, exhibiting significant randomness, volatility, and intermittency. This poses severe challenges to power dispatch and the secure, stable operation of the grid. High-precision power forecasting technologies at short- and medium-term time scales are crucial for addressing these challenges and achieving efficient utilization of wind and solar power generation. This paper systematically reviews the developmental trajectory, core technologies, and latest research advancements in short- and medium-term meteorological forecasting for wind and solar energy. First, a comprehensive analysis of relevant domestic and international literature indicates that traditional wind and solar energy forecasting methods—such as numerical weather prediction techniques, statistical approaches (including time series analysis and machine learning), and hybrid/statistical post-processing methods combining both—no longer fully meet current demands. Significant improvements in forecast accuracy and reliability have been achieved through synergistic optimization in key areas: high-resolution rapid-cycle forecasting, energy-specific physical process optimization, and hybrid data assimilation method of ensemble Kalman filtering (EnKF) and four-dimensional variational assimilation (4DVar). Furthermore, the introduction of next-generation dynamic frameworks and advanced artificial intelligence (AI) large models, the assimilation and fusion of multi-source data, and the application of emerging technologies like “digital twins” offer new avenues for further refining forecast outcomes. Finally, the paper analyses the challenges confronting current forecasting techniques and outlines future development directions which include but not limited to challenges posed by forecasting extreme weather events, complex terrain physical and dynamical representations, enhancing model interpretability, and subseasonal to seasonal-scale forecasting; Deep integration of artificial intelligence with physical models to develop “physical-information neural networks” by embedding physical laws; Collective probabilistic forecasting that combines traditional physical models with large AI model ensembles will become widespread; Disruptive technologies like quantum computing are poised to advance ultra-high-resolution meteorological simulations; Achieving deep coupling between forecasting technologies and scenarios such as the grid-based automatic power generation control to build closed-loop intelligent decision-making systems. This review aims to provide a technical reference for researchers and engineering technicians in the field of energy meteorology.
  • XIE Shucheng, LIU Deng, DAI Zhaoyi, CHEN Ting, ZHAO Lulu, HUANG Liuqin, HUANG Xianyu, SUN Qiliang, WU Geng
    Online available: 2025-12-10
    Abstract: Microbes are known to show a great spatiotemporal distribution, and exert extensive and intensive geological agents in both modern days and Earth history. These features make the microbes play important roles on great changes of Earth environments, enabling important and wide applications in geoengineering including the pollutant remediation, decrease of atmospheric CO2, geohazards prevent, as well as toxic decrease. This necessitates the cross-disciplinary construction from microbial Earth to microbial geoengineering. It is well known that microbes, the engineer of elemental geochemical cycles, have played the key roles in the geoengineering fields including carbon sink, ecological remediation and the agriculture practice. The carbon pump and the microbial carbon pump, the important mechanisms to transport the atmospheric CO2 into the sediments or seawater, are documented to mainly regulate by the microbial communities either in the sea or on the land. Microbes are widely involved into, and known as the engineer of the geochemical cycles of greenhouse gases including CH4, CO2 and N2O. These microbial processes could be exploited in the geoengineering to promote the carbon sink or decrease the carbon release. Microbial transformation of a series of metal ions as well as the degradation on organics has been widely used in the ecological remediation of polluted environments. Microbial release of elements including carbon, nitrogen, phosphor etc., from a variety of minerals is applied in agriculture practice. The artificial microbial mixtures on the basis of natural communities could be used as the nature-based fertilizers in the farming practice.Microbial roles, played on the precipitation and erosion of minerals, could also be applied into rocks and soils engineering, deep Earth engineering and mining industry. The microbial application to these geoengineering will greatly save the costs, remarkably promote efficiency and noticeably protect the natural environments. Microbial transformation of the expansive clay minerals into noexpansive ones which could be applied into the oil recovery by water flooding as well as the rocks and soils geotechnical engineering. Carbonate factory is known to be primarily induced by microbial communities via the precipitation of calcium carbonate from the fluids which could be introduced into the building of artificial islands in the sea, the filling and repairing of rock cracks, cementation of coarse grains in a variety of geoengineering. Microbial erosion of minerals could be exploited into the mining industry via the release of metals of economic significance from ores. The presence of the so-called deep biosphere, featured by the dominance of extreme environment microbes, will exert positive and negative effects on the underground storage of dangerous materials including the nuclear wastes, CO2 and hydrogen gas. The investigations on the microbial roles on these materials as well as the storage containers are of in particular importance.Whilst most microbial geoengineering has been conducted to prevent and control the geohazards that have come into being in natural environments, microbes could further provide the early warning of some geohazards including the biotic or ecological crisis, climatic and environmental disasters, as well as landslides due to their sensitive response to minor environmental changes. To construct the early warning geoengineering via the on-site filed observatory network is of important so that we could take some measures to prevent the occurrence of the geohazards, or make the positive use of the microbial roles but suppress the negative roles.
  • LEI Mengmeng, ZHENG Qianqian, HU Yi, MAO Wenjing, YIN Yongsheng, LIU Qiao, GUAN Zhuo, LU Xuyang, LIU Chen
    Advances in Earth Science.
    Online available: 2025-06-29
    Abstract:The accelerated retreat of glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau has led to mobilization and downstream transport of accumulated heavy metals, posing a potential risk to downstream ecosystems and human health. However, current research on the distribution and ecological risk of heavy metals in glacier retreat area is still limited. This study targets the monsoonal temperate Midui Glacier in southeastern Xizang and investigates the distribution and ecological risk of typical heavy metals in its debris and soils in retreat area as well as water environment. Results show that soil heavy metal contents range from 144.8 to 520.0 mg/kg, which is dominated by Zn, As and Cr with relatively large spatial variation. The contents of Cd and Hg are at low levels. Soil heavy metal levels progressively increase from the debris to the different stages of retreat area, driven by soil development, vegetation succession, and intensified human activities, with the highest contents observed in the third retreat stage. Most heavy metals (except Cu, Pb, and Hg) exhibit significant differences among the retreat stages, while correlate significantly with soil pH and nutrients. In the glacial meltwater, concentrations of heavy metals from proglacial lakes to downstream rivers vary between 3.76 and 33.37 μg/L, and remain well below Class I water quality standards. Noticeably, elevated levels are detected near the outlet of proglacial lake (Guangxie Cuo) at the Midui Glacier viewpoint and in downstream passing through a village, reflecting strong influence of anthropogenic activities. Ecological risk assessment reveals that heavy metals together pose a moderate potential ecological risk in soils, which is dominated by Cd and As, while there is no risk in water environment. These findings offer critical baseline data and a valuable case for understanding heavy metal biogeochemistry under glacier ecosystem changes on the Tibetan Plateau.
  • SONG Shuhua, WANG Zhenzhan
    Online available: 2025-05-22
    Abstract:Ice clouds are a critical component of the Earth’s weather and climate system. The orientation of ice crystals influences the scattering properties of these clouds, subsequently impacting the accuracy of remote sensing and numerical weather prediction. With the advancement of dedicated satellite programs for ice cloud observation, precise quantification of ice crystal orientation is becoming increasingly important. This review summarizes research progress in the remote sensing of ice crystal orientation. Both active and passive remote sensing techniques are systematically reviewed for their application across various spectral bands. The detection mechanisms, advantages, and disadvantages of diverse remote sensing techniques are analyzed, with particular emphasis on the prospects of spaceborne terahertz radiometers. While existing techniques demonstrate some capacity for ice crystal orientation studies, quantitative retrievals remain challenging due to ice crystal complexity, observational constraints, and limitations in retrieval algorithms. Finally, future research directions are discussed, focusing on the development of novel detection instrumentation, accurate calculation of ice crystal scattering properties, optimization of radiative transfer modeling, and the synergistic integration of multi-source remote sensing datasets.
  • LIU Yan, ZHOU Yuefei, DU Mengmeng, XU Zitao, XIE Qiaoqin, LI Quanzhong, CHEN Tianhu
    Online available: 2025-05-16
    Abstract: In supergene environments, nanosized iron (hydr)oxides and phosphate minerals are widely distributed and exhibit significant sequestration effects on phosphorus (P) and rare earth elements (REEs). Although previous studies have found that both forms of P can be utilized by microorganisms, how microbial activities constrain the geochemical behavior of mineral-bound REEs during P utilization has received little attention thus far. This study investigated the utilization of Nano-mineral bound P by Microcystis aeruginosa and the associated REEs fractionation under weakly alkaline and high CO23- conditions, using ferrihydrite (Fh) and apatite (Ap) loaded with P and REEs as P sources through dialysis methods (isolating cells from minerals). Results demonstrated that M. aeruginosa utilized Nano-mineral bound P at low efficiency, while both dissolved and Nano-mineral bound REEs exhibited moderate toxicity to the cyanobacterium. In REE experiments, all solutions were enriched in heavy REEs (HREEs) after 17 day cultivation. For algal cells and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), REE fractionation was observed only in experiment with highly dissolved REE concentration (enriched in light REEs, LREEs) and experiment of ferrihydrite + dialysis (enriched in HREEs). Filamentous EPS preferentially accumulated middle REEs (MREEs, particularly Sm, Eu, and Gd), while secondary calcium phosphates and iron (hydr)oxides sequestered MREEs −HREEs. It is considered that: ①The selective adsorption of REE³ ⁺ under weak alkaline conditions by cells and EPS (C&E) consistently enriches HREEs in solutions; ②Cells and EPS enrichment in LREEs occurs when the REE/anion (especially CO23-) ratio in solution is elevated; ③No REE fractionation in cells and EPS when REEs originate from mineral phases; ④ EPSmediated selective REE complexation from minerals may drive HREE enrichment in cells and EPS; ⑤ The preferential accumulation of MREEs−HREEs in EPS and secondary solid phases may be the underlying cause of positive anomalies of these elements in eutrophic waters. Thus, anomalies of MREEs (e. g., Eu) may serve as effective proxies for assessing the degree of aquatic eutrophication.
  • LI Chenhao, LIANG Wenjun, HU Hui, DONG Wenjie, LÜJianhua
    Online available: 2025-02-03
    Abstract:As the climate crisis intensifies, the Earth & Climate System Model as a key numerical simulation tool for predicting and responding to future climate change has become increasingly important. The Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP) aims to promote model development and deepen scientific understanding of the Earth’s climate system, and has become a core platform for international model exchange and application. This paper summarizes China’s participation in the sixth CMIP (CMIP6), and statistically analyzes the citation situation, research overview and characteristics of Chinese models in CMIP6-related studies. The results show that Chinese models are widely used and have a far-reaching impact, but lack highly cited achievements. It is necessary to integrate resources and focus on developing representative models. In addition, this paper briefly introduces the seventh Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP7) under preparation, and summarizes the opportunities and challenges China faces in model development. The application prospects of Chinese models are broad, but there is still room for improvement. China should continue to increase investment in research and development, maintain international competitiveness, and be well-prepared for continued in-depth participation in global climate change governance.
  • WU Jiakun, HU Xiaofei, PAN Baotian, CAO Xilin, WEN Zhenling, SUN Qiang, LI Menghao, ZHAO Qiming
    Online available: 2025-02-03
    Abstract:The Qilian Shan, the youngest mountain range formed by the northward expansion of the Tibetan Plateau, plays a crucial role in understanding the plateau’s expansion processes, uplift mechanisms, and the evolution of orogenic belts. Drainage system evolution responds rapidly to mountain uplift, making the study of drainage development and evolution a critical approach for investigating the uplift and expansion of the Qilian Shan. Based on chronological and provenance studies of geomorphic records, including erosion surfaces, river terraces, wind gaps and ancient river channels, and Cenozoic sedimentary strata, the current research on drainage system evolution in the Qilian Shan has yielded the following findings and insights: ① The formation and evolution of the upper reaches of the Yellow River in the eastern Qilian Shan involve a process of drainage reorganization driven by tectonic uplift or climate change, characterized by headward erosion and river capture; ② Research on river terraces in the Shiyang River and Heihe River basins of the northern Qilian Shan, as well as in the Lanzhou Basin of the eastern Qilian Shan, indicates climate change and tectonic uplift independently govern the timing (transitions between glacial and interglacial periods, and interglacial periods) and extent of river incision; Since the Holocene, terrace formation has been primarily driven by climate change, with river incision occurred during warm and humid periods; ③ River terraces reliably record the evolution processes of major tributaries of the Yellow River in the eastern Qilian Shan, including the Huangshui River (flow reversal) and the Datong River (river capture); ④ Study of chronology, provenance, and paleohydrology of Cenozoic sedimentary strata in the Yumu Shan of the northern Qilian Shan, as well as the Wulan and Chacha basins of the southern Qilian Shan, has reliably reconstructed the regional drainage evolution history, highlighting the significant potential of sedimentary strata for reconstructing reliable and detailed record of drainage evolution. Simultaneously, numerous critical issues remain unresolved, necessitating further investigation. Future research is expected to prioritize and emphasize in-depth studies on geomorphic surface and sediments dating, the integration of multi-source methods for provenance analysis, continuous exploration of geomorphic features, as well as advancements in numerical simulations and simulation modeling studies.
  • GUAN Min, ZHANG Yong, LI Yun, YAO Yixin, CHANG Yuan, SHAO Yikai
    Online available: 2025-02-02
    Abstract: During more than 50 years of continuous research and technological innovation, China's Fengyun Meteorological Satellite System has got significant achievement. 21 Fengyun satellites have been launched. Currently, 9 of them are operating stably in orbit, forming a comprehensive observation system that includes geostationary orbit and sun synchronous polar orbit satellites. By reviewing the development history and current status of Fengyun meteorological satellites and remote sensing instruments, the effectiveness of ground segments in data reception, processing, and operation, as well as the construction and service of application systems, the technical capabilities of Fengyun meteorological satellites, their ground segments and application systems have been analyzed comprehensively. Through comparative analysis with major countries around the world in terms of meteorological satellite network observation, remote sensing instrument technology, and ground segment operation capabilities, it is found that Fengyun Meteorological Satellites not only have a complete orbit layout and remote sensing instrument configuration, but its remote sensing instrument detection capability has reached the international advanced level, although some performance indicators still have room for improvement. The ground segments have established an efficient data reception, processing, and service process, with advanced data pre-processing technology and sub-pixel level geolocation accuracy. The radiometric calibration accuracy is 3% in the visible band and 0.2 K in the infrared band. In addition, the Fengyun Meteorological Satellite System has established a comprehensive and complete quantitative product system for atmospheric, land, marine, and space weather, and has established a radiation correction field for Chinese remote sensing satellites, and carried out authenticity verification of remote sensing products. Fengyun satellite data has been widely used in various fields such as weather forecasting, climate change research, ecological environment monitoring, and natural disaster warning, and its application level is constantly improving. In the future, the Fengyun meteorological satellite observation system aims to evolve towards establishing a hybrid-architecture space observation system, achieving comprehensive and precise perception of observation elements, enabling intelligent and efficient operation of satellite-ground systems, integrating emerging technologies in data processing, expanding remote sensing application scenarios, and fostering international cooperation and sharing.
  • ZHANG Jingyong
    Online available: 2024-12-19
    A new framework for studies of climate change projections and disaster risks oriented towards carbon neutrality was built up, based on a division method of positive emissions period-net zero period-net negative period. Focusing on main Belt and Road regions, future mean and extreme climate change projections and disaster risks oriented towards carbon neutrality were systematically addressed under SSP1-1.9 and SSP1-2.6 sustainable development pathways. It is projected that over global carbon neutrality or net-zero periods, climate change will exhibit new characteristics and patterns, and disaster risks will undergo new changes over the main Belt and Road regions. The newly developed framework provides a new scheme for climate change projections and disaster risks assessment. It is proposed that the seventh assessment report of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the other future assessment report on climate change should include climate change projections and disaster risks assessment oriented towards carbon neutrality, which can provide new scientific knowledge for jointly dealing with climate change and achieving sustainable development. In addition, the role and application of Artificial Intelligence in future climate change projections and climate disasters assessment are discussed.
  • ZHAO Qiang, ZHENG Yongguang, JING Yu, FENG Dian, LIU Juju
    Online available: 2024-12-13
    Abstract:Short-duration heavy precipitation is one type of the most important severe convective disaster weather in China, which is prone to cause urban waterlogging and secondary geological disasters such as mountain torrents, mudslides, and landslides. This paper reviews the main progress in short-duration heavy precipitation in China in recent years, and compared the relevant research findings of the United States and Europe briefly, covering the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics and diurnal variation characteristics of short-duration heavy precipitation; the atmospheric circulation situation and environmental conditions for the occurrence and development of short-duration heavy precipitation in major regions of China; the radar echo characteristics and raindrop characteristics; the impact of topography and urbanization on short-duration heavy precipitation and its mechanism; and then the application of artificial intelligence in the potential forecasting, short-term forecasting, and nowcasting of short-duration heavy precipitation in China. With global warming, the frequency and intensity of short-duration heavy precipitation are increasing. In the future, it is necessary to further study its formation mechanism and environmental conditions, improve the spatiotemporal resolution of observations, strengthen the application of new observation data, enhance the forecasting capability of highresolution rapid update cycle assimilation numerical weather prediction models through the fusion analysis of multi-source and dense observation data, optimize the deep learning model and algorithm, especially in the development of large deep learning models to enhance the forecasting and early warning capabilities for shortduration heavy precipitation.
  • WANG Wenyu, XU Jian, WANG Zhenzhan, LU Hao, LIU Jingyi, ZHANG Dehai
    Online available: 2024-12-12
    Abstract: Long-term observations and data analysis of the Earth’s middle and upper atmosphere, an important region for the study of atmospheric processes and even climate change for the study of human activities and climate change, are still sorely lacking. Terahertz limb-sounding technology can obtain atmospheric profiles all day and near all-weather with high vertical resolution (about 1~5 km), and is particularly sensitive to some of the halogen gases associated with ozone depletion which is an important method to measure the Earth's middle and upper atmosphere parameters. The Earth’s middle and upper atmosphere constitutes a crucial region for studying atmospheric processes and even climate change. However, there remains a significant lack of long-term observational data and comprehensive analysis for this atmospheric layer. Terahertz limb sounding technology has emerged as a vital tool for measuring atmospheric parameters in these regions, capable of obtaining atmospheric profiles with relatively high vertical resolution (1~5 km) under near-all-weather conditions with diurnal availability. Particularly sensitive to halogen gases associated with ozone depletion, this technology offers unique advantages. Focusing on terahertz limb sounding technology, this study systematically reviews the technological evolution and current status of terahertz payloads: While existing systems have successfully achieved high vertical resolution measurements of multiple trace gases in the middle and upper atmosphere, current payloads still face challenges such as bulky system configurations and inadequate noise suppression capabilities. Based on newly developed prototype payloads, next-generation terahertz detection systems primarily emphasize advancements in low-noise and miniaturization technologies. Regarding data processing, conventional physical retrieval algorithms suffer from low computational efficiency. The introduction of artificial intelligence technology demonstrates potential to significantly enhance retrieval efficiency while maintaining accuracy. Future development urgently requires breakthroughs in core technologies including terahertz low-noise receivers and high-resolution digital spectrometers, which will further propel the advancement of terahertz limb sounding technology in China.
  • NI Jie, WU Tonghua, ZHANG Xue, ZHU Xiaofan, CHEN Jie, DU Yizhen
    Online available: 2024-11-19
    The Three Rivers Source Region (TRSR) is an important water source and ecological reserve in China, and revealing the changes in the characteristics of its freeze-thaw index can provide a scientific basis for the assessment of the local permafrost environment as well as the response to climate change. In this study, the temporal and spatial characteristics of the Air Freezing and Thawing Indices (AFTI) in the TRSR for the period 1979-2022 were analyzed using the day-by-day air temperature data from a high-resolution near-surface meteorological forcing dataset for the Third Pole region (TPMFD) by means of air freezing and thawing index and other methods. The results show that the mean value of the freezing index in the TRSR over the past 44 years is 1 930.23 °C·d, exhibiting a spatial pattern of gradually decreasing from west to east. In contrast, the thawing index displays an opposite spatial pattern with an average value of 879.25 °C·d. Overall, the freezing index in the TRSR has shown a fluctuating decreasing trend at a rate of -10.01 °C·d/a for the last 44 years with an abrupt change in 2001, while the thawing index has shown a fluctuating increasing trend at a rate of 6.29 °C·d/a with no significant abrupt change. Altitude, as a key factor of freezing and thawing indices in the TRSR, showed a significant correlation, and for every 100 m increase in altitude, the thawing index in the TRSR decreased by about 87 °C·d, and the freezing index increased by about 107 °C·d.
  • SONG Wanjuan, WANG Li, XU Shiguang, HUANG Ni, NIU Zheng
    Online available: 2024-11-08
    Deep space exploration, serving as a pivotal avenue for uncovering the universe's mysteries and fostering sustainable development, has emerged as the foremost strategic frontier in space technology. After decades of development, this technology has been widely used in the exploration of various celestial bodies in the solar system. In February 2015, the first deep space exploration satellite targeting the Earth, the Deep Space Observatory (DSCOVR), was successfully deployed at the Sun-Earth Lagrange Point 1 (L1), providing new perspectives and data for the study of Earth system science, while also posing new challenges to traditional satellite data research. This paper comprehensively analyzes more than 100 related papers and conference summaries published on the official website of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) since the launch of DSCOVR. From the three levels of basic research, applied research and special research, this paper comprehensively reviews the development status, advantages and future development direction of deep space earth observation. This study reveals that deep space Earth observation can integrate existing satellite-aircraftground systems, establishing a benchmark for multi-source data fusion to create globally comprehensive, highfrequency temporal, and multi-spectral datasets for an integrated Earth observation system. It provides temporally consistent, spatially continuous, and spectrally stable global observation data, showing significant potential in the study of large-scale geophysical phenomena across the atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere. Future advancements in sensor innovation, optimized detection technologies, and diversified observation points are expected to enable all-temporal, all-directional, and all-dimensional Earth observation. This will enhance our understanding of physical, chemical, and biological systems on Earth.
  • YU Wenzheng, WANG Minyan, WEI Zhudeng, YU Longhui
    Online available: 2024-11-08
    To investigate the evolution of extreme runoff at the regional scale and its climatic driving mechanisms, the Huangshui River Basin, sensitive to climate change, was selected as a case study. Daily average flow data were collected from seven stations within the basin. Mann-Kendall (M-K) trend analysis and mutation tests were used to assess the interannual variation of extreme runoff and its associations with extreme precipitation and extreme high temperatures.The results show that over the past 60 years, the extreme high flow index in the basin has decreased significantly, while the extreme low flow index has increased notably. The frequency index did not show any significant trend, but all indices demonstrated persistence. A mutation in the high flow index occurred around 2000, while mutations in the low flow and frequency indices were noted in 2010. In terms of cycles, a short cycle of approximately three years was observed for all indices. Additionally, the frequency index exhibited a long cycle of 32.5 years. The variations in runoff were significantly related to an overall increase in extreme precipitation intensity, a decrease in precipitation duration, and the intensification of extreme high temperatures in the basin. Extreme high flow was positively correlated with extreme precipitation and negatively correlated with extreme high temperatures. In contrast, extreme low flow showed a primary positive correlation with extreme high temperatures, with a less significant correlation to extreme precipitation. These findings provide important insights for the utilization of water resources and flood disaster reduction in the Huangshui River Basin.
  • DU Jingwen, TONG Chenchen, HUANG Ching-Sheng
    Online available: 2024-11-08
    Deriving shape factor in analytical models for flow in double-porosity media is partially empirical. This study proposes a new flow equation and new shape factor for matrixes without empirical derivations in considering the problem of the standard pumping test in double-porosity confined aquifers. For a single fracture-strip matrix medium, a new analytical model incorporating the new flow equation and new shape factor is developed; the analytical solution is derived. For a fracture network-matrix medium, a finite element solution depending on the new flow equation and new shape factor is built without discretizing the space in each matrix. Results show the shape factor for the strip matrix is the reciprocal of the square of the matrix width, for the circular matrix is the reciprocal of the square of the radius, but for other shapes of matrix is an empirical parameter. The relative error of the fracture drawdown predicted by the analytical solution with the new shape factor is less than 5%. The relative error considering existing shape factors is, however, about 99%. When the ratio of the fracture area to the total medium area (defined as fracture density) exceeds 62%, the fracture networkmatrix medium can be regarded as a double-porosity continuous medium. The finite element solution has applied to a field standard pumping test.
  • WANG Shuting, CAO Shuyun, ZHAN Lefan, LIU Jianhua, CHENG Xuemei
    Online available: 2024-11-08
    It is of great significance to clearly define the mineral deformation and slip system for in-depth analysis of the intrinsic mechanism of mineral response to external stress and temperature, as well as its rheological weakening process. The rapid development of science and technology and its deep integration in the geological field provide an opportunity for detailed analysis of structural deformed behavior and mechanism. This study takes quartz and amphibole in typical naturally deformed rocks as examples. Based on microstructure analysis, the comprehensive analysis was conducted on the massive mineral lattice preferred orientation data accumulated using the Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD) probe mounted on the Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM). Based on microstructural features, EBSD mapping data, dislocation geometry types, and properties, a detailed analysis method for grain boundary trace and misorientation (axes) is elaborated. It is revealed that strain adjustment and grain refinement process of the quartz are mainly through the {m} slip system dominated by subgrain rotational recrystallization mechanism in quartz veins. It is also found that in mylonitic amphibolites, the amphibole porphyroclasts exhibit strong deformation behavior of fine-grained under the dominance of subgrain rotational recrystallization. The amphibole exhibits the interaction of multi-slip systems dominated by the [001] direction through dislocation creep in the banded amphibolites. Therefore, combining the EBSD grain boundary trace with the misorientation axis analysis method and microstructure features can completely count the micro-geological information (composition, shape, grain size, orientation, boundary, strain, etc.) of deformed minerals, and well reveal the orientation evolution law from the grain interior to between grains (or matrix). Moreover, the dominant slip system in the mineral deformation process can be effectively defined and related to the deformation environment, which has important geological significance.
  • LI Jun, ZHAO Yang, CHEN Zhaozhou, ZHANG Lele, CAO Huan, LI Shichang
    Online available: 2024-10-18
    Abstract: The prediction of borehole collapse pressure plays a key role in drilling safety, reducing construction cost and realizing efficient drilling. The fracture development in complex ultra-deep geological conditions has a great influence on the prediction of borehole collapse pressure. The conventional methods are mostly based on finite element simulation for 3D geomechanical modeling and 3D collapse stress prediction. Although the method is highly accurate, it requires huge computing power resources. In order to solve this problem, an efficient and fast in-situ stress modeling method flow driven by seismic data is proposed in this paper, which is then used for 3D collapse pressure prediction. Firstly, combined with multi-scale data of pre-stack seismic and rock mechanics logging, a combined spring model with curvature properties is established to complete the efficient and rapid modeling of three-dimensional in-situ stress field, and is used to calculate threedimensional borehole stress. Secondly, based on the maximum likelihood attribute, the fracture development is obtained from 3D seismic data to provide 3D weak surface attribute parameters for the study area. Finally, the collapse model of sliding along fracture plane is calculated by using Mohr-Coulomb criterion, and the collapse pressure prediction of fractured formation is realized from one-dimensional logging data to three-dimensional working area. The method is applied in the woodworking area of Tari, and the results show that the prediction results of the model are in good agreement with the measured data, reaching 93.79%. The prediction results of collapse pressure are in good agreement with the interpretation results of formation microresistivity scanning imaging, which verifies the feasibility of this method in predicting borehole wall collapse events. This study can realize the rapid modeling of collapse pressure with high precision, and effectively provide an integrated solution of geological engineering for drilling construction in ultra-deep and complex areas.
  • LEI Wenjie, LUO Dongliang, CHEN Fangfang, LIU Jia, PENG Yifei, LI Shizhen, SHEN Qi
    Online available: 2024-10-18
    Abstract:The thermal regime of soil is vital for indicating the presence and thermal stability of permafrost. To investigate the long-term changes in the thermal regime of permafrost in the Headwater Area of the Yellow River (HAYR), we first constructed a mathematical model for soil heat transfer to simulate the dynamics of ground temperatures at six boreholes using the HYDRUS-1D model. The reliability and applicability of the model were confirmed through parameter calibration procedures. Subsequently, the changes in permafrost thermal regime from 1979 to 2018 in the HAYR were simulated using monthly air temperature data extracted from the China Meteorological Forcing Dataset (CMFD). The model simulations revealed an abrupt change in mean annual ground temperature in the HAYR after 1999. Prior to 1999, the changing rates were from ?0.037 to 0.026 °C/a, whereas after 1999, they ranged from 0.006 to 0.120 °C/a. The abrupt increase in mean annual air temperature in 1998 and the occurrence of extreme climate disasters in 1999 were identified as the primary reasons for the sudden changes in permafrost thermal regime in 1999. The rise in permafrost temperature and the decrease in its thermal stability are expected to have various impacts on the water resources conservation function and biogeochemical cycle. This study can provide scientific and technological support for clarifying the response patterns of plateau permafrost to climate change and for strengthening zoning and control of the ecological environment in the HAYR.
  • SUN Jianhua, TIAN Fuyou, XIA Rudi, ZHENG Linlin, HUANG Yue
    Online available: 2024-10-18
    Abstract:To improve the understanding of the formation mechanism and forecast accuracy of severe convective winds(SCWs), the important achievements of the formation mechanism and forecasting methods of severe convective winds and related convective systems were reviewed. Firstly, the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of severe convective wind in the world are briefly introduced. SCWs in China mainly occur in the eastern region, with high-frequency areas in northern North China, central and southern Northeast China, and Guangdong Province. Then, the relationship between the organizational modes and structural features of the parent convective systems that generates SCWs, the influence of atmospheric environmental conditions, forecasting methods are summarized. Squall lines and bow echoes are important convective systems that generate SCWs, especially strong SCWs. The rear inflow jet and meso-γ-scale vortices in squall lines or bow echoes are important structural features that generate SCWs. The environmental conditions and forecasting methods for SCWs are summarized. The environmental thermal and dynamic factors can affect the generation and intensity of SCWs, but the intensity of convective activity mainly depends on the covariant relationship between convective effective potential energy and vertical wind shear. Numerical model forecasting, physics-based methods (ingredients-based method), and deep learning/machine learning methods are currently the main methods used in short-term forecasting operations for SCWs. Finally, it is indicated that the following issues associated with SCWs in China should be studied, including detailed spatiotemporal distribution characteristics, formation mechanisms of SCWs under different environmental conditions, and forecasting methods.
  • HE Jinqiu, LI Haipeng, HOU Mingcai
    Online available: 2024-10-18
    Abstract:The study of source-to-sink systems is an important field of research focused on understanding the entire process of material transport from source areas, such as mountain ranges or other landforms, to sink areas like river basins, lakes, or the ocean. This process involves the weathering of parent rock, the erosion of materials, their transport via various agents (such as wind, water, or ice), and their eventual deposition at sink locations. Analyzing this system helps reveal dynamic surface changes, material cycling mechanisms, and how these processes respond to environmental shifts over time. Understanding these complex processes is crucial for a variety of scientific fields, including geomorphology, environmental science, and natural resource management. Traditional methods used to study these systems, such as field observations and laboratory analyses, often face several limitations. Data availability, low spatial-temporal resolution, and ambiguity in interpretation make it difficult to capture the rapid and dynamic changes occurring in natural systems. Furthermore, these methods are not well-suited for analyzing long-term evolutionary processes or large-scale systems. As a result, numerical modeling has become a critical tool in the study of source-to-sink systems, addressing these traditional limitations by simulating complex processes over varying spatial and temporal scales. These models provide more quantitative insights into the dynamics of erosion, transport, and deposition under different environmental conditions.This paper highlights five key numerical tools commonly used in source-to-sink research: Dionisos, SEDSIM, Landlab, goSPL, and Delft3D. Each tool has specific advantages that make them suitable for different research needs. Dionisos, for instance, is particularly effective for modeling large-scale, long-term basin filling processes, but it may not be as effective for simulating small-scale, dynamic changes. SEDSIM, which is based on hydrodynamic equations, offers highly accurate results, especially in clastic sedimentary processes, though it tends to be slower and more focused on specific types of sediments. Landlab is highly customizable and capable of multi-process simulations, but it requires advanced programming skills for its effective use. goSPL excels at handling global-scale, high-resolution simulations, though it struggles with localized phenomena and demands significant computational resources. Delft3D, meanwhile, is ideal for small-scale, fine-detail simulations, particularly in coastal, riverine, and lacustrine environments, although it faces challenges in large-scale applications.As computational power continues to grow and algorithms improve, future advancements in sourceto- sink modeling are expected. The integration of big data and AI will likely play a key role in driving further developments, enabling more accurate predictions, facilitating multidisciplinary integration, and fostering the intelligent evolution of the field.
  • HUANG Baorong, ZHOU Zhe, CHU Huaqiang, DAI Chaomeng, YANG Shouye, ZHANG Yalei
    Online available: 2024-10-18
    Abstract:Carbon neutrality is a crucial strategy for combating global warming, and Negative Emissions Technologies (NETs) are key to achieving this goal. The ocean, as the largest carbon reservoir on Earth, plays an irreplaceable role in regulating the global carbon cycling and holds significant potential for negative emissions. Ocean alkalinity enhancement is regarded as a highly efficient and ecologically beneficial negative emissions technology. This technology not only increases ocean alkalinity by adding alkaline minerals to seawater, thereby enhancing the absorption of atmospheric CO2, but also improves the buffer capacity to resist the ocean acidification. This study introduces the mechanisms and advancements in ocean alkalinity enhancement research at multiple scales, based on the dissolution theory of carbonates in the ocean. Assessing the potential for negative emissions and associated costs reveals several challenges regarding implementation pathways, environmental impacts and public acceptance. Considering the specific conditions of China's coastal regions and the characteristics of ocean alkalinity enhancement technology, the study proposes the pathway integrated with wastewater treatment plant and coastal engineering. Furthermore, it presents an innovative concept on the application of ocean alkalinity enhancement and enriches the scientific understanding of blue carbon sinks.
  • LI Yue, WANG Ying, LI Yuecong, ZHANG Ruchun, MA Linyuan, YOU Hanfei, WANG Rongrong, CAO Yihang, XU Qinghai
    Online available: 2024-10-17
    阿里地区作为高寒荒漠草原的代表区域,是青藏高原独有的荒漠草原类型。其相对花粉 产量和相关花粉源范围,是基于花粉进行植被和气候定量研究的重要参数之一。基于阿里地区37 个样点的现代表土花粉和植被数据,利用ERV模型的不同子模型,以藜科花粉为参考种,估算了禾 本科、藜科、蒿属、菊科、十字花科和委陵菜属6 种主要花粉类型的相对花粉产量及相关花粉源范围。 结果显示,子模型2 估算结果最为理想,计算得到的研究区相关花粉源范围为1 550 m。主要花粉类 型的相对花粉产量如下:藜科(1.000),蒿属(1.286±0.058),菊科(0.689±0.043),委陵菜属(0.139± 0.008),十字花科(0.763±0.063)和禾本科(0.003±0.006)。留一法和REVEALS 模型检验表明,上述 相对花粉产量和相关花粉源范围结果均较为可信,可应用于区域植被重建。
  • LIU Yu, WU Zhijun, PU Xiao, MIN Xiangyu, SHENG Anxu, LI Ziyan, CAI Yanjiang, YU Zhen, ZHANG Jianjun
    Online available: 2024-09-27
    Abstract: Statistical analysis was conducted on submission, acceptance, review and grant funding of various projects managed by the discipline of Environmental Geosciences, Department of Earth Sciences, National Natural Science Foundation of China in 2024. Academic achievements of the completed projects in 2023 were partly summarized according to research subjects. This might provide enlightenment for potential project applicants.
  • ZHANG Liang, WANG Dong, ZHANG Xiaowen, ZHANG Jianheng, LU Shasha, LENG Shuying
    Online available: 2024-09-27
    Abstract:The application, peer-reviewing and funding statistic data of different types of projects in the Marine and Polar Sciences Division (Code: D06) in the Department of Earth Science at National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) in the year of 2024 are analyzed in this article. Issues found in the management of NSFC funds are summarized as well. The information could help researchers to improve the quality of their proposals for NSFC funds and final reports of completed projects. In summary, D06 received proposals in General Program, Youth Science Fund, and Less Developed Regions Fund from 409 institutions in 2024, 46 more than last year. The number of proposals received in D06 raises to a new record of 3 191, 702 more than last year. In terms of final reports of completed projects, more projects added NSFC project number into the acknowledgement of their publications. However, the quality of some final reports could still be improved according to the rules.
  • LI Wei, GE Fei, YANG Yali, HE Jianjun, SHANG Huazhe, LIU Zhijuan
    Online available: 2024-09-27
    Abstract:The DivisionⅤ(Atmospheric Sciences Discipline) of the Department of Earth Sciences, National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), has successfully completed the application, mail review, panel review, and funding results summaryof 2023 as scheduled. In terms of project applications, the Atmospheric Sciences Discipline received 2 312 applications for General Program, Young Scientists Fund, and Fund for Less Developed Regions in 2024, with an increase of 19.9% compared to 2023. From the perspective of review results, the comprehensive scores of the mail reviews for these three types of projects in 2024 were slightly lower than those in 2023.When determining the priorityprojects for panel review, the discipline layout wasconsidered.Two sections (i. e., the second-level application codes D0509 to D0515) were appropriately tilted toward the Supporting Technology and Development Fields. Under the equal conditions, preference was given to female applicants. After the panel review, the Atmospheric Science Discipline funded a total of 423 projects in the above three types, and successfully completed the funding plan determined by the Earth Science Department.With the aspect of concluding achievements, a total of 337 projects were completed in 2023, with the indicators such asthenumberof publications slightly increased compared to 2022.
  • GAO Yang, XIONG Juhua, ZHANG Zhonghao, LIU Jian, GENG Jing, ZHANG Da, GAO Linlin, WANG Fenglong, XIE Haichao, LI Wende
    Online available: 2024-09-25
    Abstract: National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) is the main funding institution of fundamental research in China. Geography (or geographical science), as an important component of Earth sciences, is a fundamental discipline that studies the patterns of spatial differentiation, temporal evolution processes, and interaction mechanisms of natural factors, human elements, geographic information, and geographic complexes. It mainly includes three sub-disciplines: human geography, physical geography, and information geography. The acceptance of grant project application, the review of proposals, and the evaluation of project reports for the geography discipline are centrally managed by the Division of Geography in the Department of Earth Sciences of NSFC. This paper introduces the application and acceptance, review process, deliberation, and funding status of the NSFC projects for the three major sub-disciplines of geography during the 2024 annual centralized acceptance period. A statistical analysis was conducted on the research outcomes of projects completed at the end of 2023, highlighting the main research advancements achieved by some selected projects.
  • ZHENG Yuanming, XIAO Jun, LÜ Zeng, LI Wenbiao
    Online available: 2024-09-19
    Abstract: This paper systematically analyzes the application, acceptance, evaluation, and funding of the projects managed by the Geochemistry Discipline (Application Code: D03) of the Earth Sciences Department of National Natural Science Foundation of China in 2024, and analyzes the project completion and precautions in 2023. In 2024, the total number of applications for geochemical projects increased by 21% compared to 2023, among which the number of general projects increased by 45.5%. In the past four years, the total number of supporting units applying for projects has kept increasing continuously, and Earth’s surface geochemistry (D0310) has become a new growth point of the discipline. The general projects and youth projects are mainly based on “free-exploration basic research”, while the key projects in the field of “resource and energy formation theory and supply potential” are mainly based on “goal-oriented basic research”. In recent years, geochemistry discipline has remained characterized by a relatively small number of applications and slow growth. In the future, in-depth research and discussions should be conducted on how to maintain the inherent strengths in isotopic theories and technologies within the geochemistry discipline, guide the deep integration of basic research with target orientation and national needs, and promote the deep intersection and integration of geochemistry discipline with other disciplines. While expanding the direction of the field, efforts should be made to create highquality and advantageous disciplinary directions in geochemistry.
  • ZHENG Yuanming, HUANG Yuangeng, WANG Yang, ZENG Gang, LANG Xianguo, LIANG Changyu, SONG Zezhang, REN Jianguo
    Online available: 2024-09-19
    Abstract:To better understand the application status of geological science funding projects, improve the quality of proposals and final reports, and identify the current research hotspots in this discipline, this article analyzes the application, review, and funding situation of geological science projects (Code D02) in 2024. It examines issues in the acceptance and review process, and summarizes the completion of the 2023 annual closing projects along with the main research progress across various disciplines. Additionally, using the proposals for the general and young scientists funds related to Earth’s ecosystem evolution and energy fields in 2024 as samples, the word cloud analysis method is employed to statistically analyze the keywords in these proposals. This analysis reveals the research hotspots in this field and each sub-discipline, providing a valuable reference for scientific researchers applying for projects.
  • ZHAO Zheng, LIU Cheng, FENG Xiao, CHEN Shuotong, GONG Jingwen, LIU Zhiwei, WANG Yan, XIA Shaopan, LIU Xiaoyu, BIAN Rongjun, ZHANG Xuhui, CHENG Kun, ZHENG Jufeng, LI Lianqing, PAN Genxing
    Online available: 2024-09-13
    Abstract:Ecosystem functions and services provided by soil in earth surface has been considered as the key foundation supporting global society and environment sustainability. All of these functions and services are closely linked to aggregate hierarchy system of the soil cover. In this review, key ecosystem functions and services provided by soil including accumulation and stabilization of organic carbon, biodiversity conservation, Extracellular Enzyme Activities (EEAs) mediating biogeochemical cycling are overviewed linking to development of aggregate hierarchy system. In particular, understanding these functions and services by aggregate system in line with methodology updating of aggregate separation, characterization and data analysis/ synthesis are discussed in depth. The discussions are focused on potential mechanistic linkage of multi-functions of these soil carbon sequestration, microbial diversity protection and EEAs modulation to the diverse micro-scale spatial pattern of the different hierarchies of aggregate size fractions. Following, the dual structure of soil aggregates and the associated pore system is highlighted in the diverse provisioning of the above mentioned functions and services. In the way, we point to the diversity of the aggregate-pore structure of the hierarchy aggregate systems of or within a soil as the key to understand the formation and development of the above mentioned functions and services for a give soil system. Meanwhile, through re-visiting and exploring the original data in some cases of soil aggregate studies published, we propose some novel methods for better characterizing the key roles of soil aggregate system in provisioning the ecosystem services and the improvement with rational practices or reasonable interference so as to guide sustainable soil management. Finally, comments on the importance of soil aggregate study in the research of Earth system sustainability. We urge a holistic understanding of soil aggregates as fundamental soil functioning units, instead of a direct agent in field process. Considering a key player in biogeochemical cycling and soil health, we call for a well-designed but long pursuing study of soil hierarchy aggregate systems and a global unification of soil aggregate characterizing and parameterization. This should be considered as a core foundation of soil system science in the late 21th century.
  • ZHAO Zheng, FENG Xiao, LIU Cheng, CHEN Shuotong, LIU Zhiwei, WANG Yan, XIA Shaopan, LIU Xiaoyu, BIAN Rongjun, ZHANG Xuhui, CHENG Kun, ZHENG Jufeng, LI Lianqing, PAN Genxing
    Online available: 2024-08-04
    Abstract:With the increasing concerns for ecosystem functioning and services provided by soil, the study on soil aggregates has been increasingly a streamline discipline of modern soil science with the continuing updating of consensus and the methodology. In this review, we provide a holistic overview of understanding and characterizing soil aggregate system emerged for over last two decades. Evolution of concepts of soil aggregation, size fractionation and structural characterization is displayed, and separation and examination of the biophysical structure are discussed, as well as the final core scientific consensus of soil hierarchy system is synthesized. The main point of view of understanding soil aggregates include the followings. ① Soil aggregates are considered as the minimum micro-architecture and functional units, comprised of mineral particles, organic matter and (micro-) biome via their interaction and co-occurrence, thus noting their basic functional particles of soil in nature; ② The micro-spatial distribution of soil aggregates at different hierarchy levels results in the heterogeneity but functional diversity of a soil; ③ The final nature of soil aggregates could be envisaged of the embedded bio-pore system, created via the dual structure of aggregate and the associated pore system governed by the hierarchy aggregate system; ④ A soil aggregate system is generally represented by the three major hierarchies of aggregate size fractions including macroaggregates, microaggregates and silt/clay fraction, with the macroaggregates formed via binding microaggregates and/or silt-clay particles with coarse organic matter in a mode of pomegranate; ⑤ Wet sieving of field moist samples are recommended for preparation of soil aggregate separates despite of dry or moist sieving often used for samples from dry lands; ⑥ The μCT tomography technology is a powerful tool to quantify and visualize the pore system of soil aggregates, potentially linking to soil life processes and ecosystem services. Global cooperation is urged to develop unified protocol for fractioning, quantifying and visualizing the soil hierarchy system of aggregates of world soils. With the developments, the complexed soil system, particularly of the biodiversity of soil, can be explored at aggregate scale. Based on the updated understanding and characterization of soil aggregate system, nature-based solutions for global soil management policy and technical options will be provided for developing Earth sustainability.