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With Arctic ground as a huge and temperature-sensitive carbon reservoir, maintaining low ground temperatures and frozen conditions to prevent further carbon emissions that contrib-ute to global climate warming is a key element in humankind’s fight to maintain habitable con-ditions on earth. Former studies showed that during the late Pleistocene, Arctic ground condi-tions were generally colder and more stable as the result of an ecosystem dominated by large herbivorous mammals and vast extents of graminoid vegetation – the mammoth steppe. Characterised by high plant productivity (grassland) and low ground insulation due to animal-caused compression and removal of snow, this ecosystem enabled deep permafrost aggrad-ation. Now, with tundra and shrub vegetation common in the terrestrial Arctic, these effects are not in place anymore. However, it appears to be possible to recreate this ecosystem local-ly by artificially increasing animal numbers, and hence keep Arctic ground cold to reduce or-ganic matter decomposition and carbon release into the atmosphere.
By measuring thaw depth, total organic carbon and total nitrogen content, stable carbon iso-tope ratio, radiocarbon age, n-alkane and alcohol characteristics and assessing dominant vegetation types along grazing intensity transects in two contrasting Arctic areas, it was found that recreating conditions locally, similar to the mammoth steppe, seems to be possible. For permafrost-affected soil, it was shown that intensive grazing in direct comparison to non-grazed areas reduces active layer depth and leads to higher TOC contents in the active layer soil. For soil only frozen on top in winter, an increase of TOC with grazing intensity could not be found, most likely because of confounding factors such as vertical water and carbon movement, which is not possible with an impermeable layer in permafrost. In both areas, high animal activity led to a vegetation transformation towards species-poor graminoid-dominated landscapes with less shrubs. Lipid biomarker analysis revealed that, even though the available organic material is different between the study areas, in both permafrost-affected and sea-sonally frozen soils the organic material in sites affected by high animal activity was less de-composed than under less intensive grazing pressure. In conclusion, high animal activity af-fects decomposition processes in Arctic soils and the ground thermal regime, visible from reduced active layer depth in permafrost areas. Therefore, grazing management might be utilised to locally stabilise permafrost and reduce Arctic carbon emissions in the future, but is likely not scalable to the entire permafrost region.
Large parts of the Earth’s interior are inaccessible to direct observation, yet global geodynamic processes are governed by the physical material properties under extreme pressure and temperature conditions. It is therefore essential to investigate the deep Earth’s physical properties through in-situ laboratory experiments. With this goal in mind, the optical properties of mantle minerals at high pressure offer a unique way to determine a variety of physical properties, in a straight-forward, reproducible, and time-effective manner, thus providing valuable insights into the physical processes of the deep Earth. This thesis focusses on the system Mg-Fe-O, specifically on the optical properties of periclase (MgO) and its iron-bearing variant ferropericlase ((Mg,Fe)O), forming a major planetary building block. The primary objective is to establish links between physical material properties and optical properties. In particular the spin transition in ferropericlase, the second-most abundant phase of the lower mantle, is known to change the physical material properties. Although the spin transition region likely extends down to the core-mantle boundary, the ef-fects of the mixed-spin state, where both high- and low-spin state are present, remains poorly constrained.
In the studies presented herein, we show how optical properties are linked to physical properties such as electrical conductivity, radiative thermal conductivity and viscosity. We also show how the optical properties reveal changes in the chemical bonding. Furthermore, we unveil how the chemical bonding, the optical and other physical properties are affected by the iron spin transition. We find opposing trends in the pres-sure dependence of the refractive index of MgO and (Mg,Fe)O. From 1 atm to ~140 GPa, the refractive index of MgO decreases by ~2.4% from 1.737 to 1.696 (±0.017). In contrast, the refractive index of (Mg0.87Fe0.13)O (Fp13) and (Mg0.76Fe0.24)O (Fp24) ferropericlase increases with pressure, likely because Fe Fe interactions between adjacent iron sites hinder a strong decrease of polarizability, as it is observed with increasing density in the case of pure MgO. An analysis of the index dispersion in MgO (decreasing by ~23% from 1 atm to ~103 GPa) reflects a widening of the band gap from ~7.4 eV at 1 atm to ~8.5 (±0.6) eV at ~103 GPa. The index dispersion (between 550 and 870 nm) of Fp13 reveals a decrease by a factor of ~3 over the spin transition range (~44–100 GPa). We show that the electrical band gap of ferropericlase significantly widens up to ~4.7 eV in the mixed spin region, equivalent to an increase by a factor of ~1.7. We propose that this is due to a lower electron mobility between adjacent Fe2+ sites of opposite spin, explaining the previously observed low electrical conductivity in the mixed spin region. From the study of absorbance spectra in Fp13, we show an increasing covalency of the Fe-O bond with pressure for high-spin ferropericlase, whereas in the low-spin state a trend to a more ionic nature of the Fe-O bond is observed, indicating a bond weakening effect of the spin transition. We found that the spin transition is ultimately caused by both an increase of the ligand field-splitting energy and a decreasing spin-pairing energy of high-spin Fe2+.
Many widely used observational data sets are comprised of several overlapping instrument records. While data inter-calibration techniques often yield continuous and reliable data for trend analysis, less attention is generally paid to maintaining higher-order statistics such as variance and autocorrelation. A growing body of work uses these metrics to quantify the stability or resilience of a system under study and potentially to anticipate an approaching critical transition in the system. Exploring the degree to which changes in resilience indicators such as the variance or autocorrelation can be attributed to non-stationary characteristics of the measurement process – rather than actual changes in the dynamical properties of the system – is important in this context. In this work we use both synthetic and empirical data to explore how changes in the noise structure of a data set are propagated into the commonly used resilience metrics lag-one autocorrelation and variance. We focus on examples from remotely sensed vegetation indicators such as vegetation optical depth and the normalized difference vegetation index from different satellite sources. We find that time series resulting from mixing signals from sensors with varied uncertainties and covering overlapping time spans can lead to biases in inferred resilience changes. These biases are typically more pronounced when resilience metrics are aggregated (for example, by land-cover type or region), whereas estimates for individual time series remain reliable at reasonable sensor signal-to-noise ratios. Our work provides guidelines for the treatment and aggregation of multi-instrument data in studies of critical transitions and resilience.
Both horizontal-to-vertical (H/V) spectral ratios and the spatial autocorrelation method (SPAC) have proven to be valuable tools to gain insight into local site effects by ambient noise measurements. Here, the two methods are employed to assess the subsurface velocity structure at the Piano delle Concazze area on Mt Etna. Volcanic tremor records from an array of 26 broadband seismometers is processed and a strong variability of H/V ratios during periods of increased volcanic activity is found. From the spatial distribution of H/V peak frequencies, a geologic structure in the north-east of Piano delle Concazze is imaged which is interpreted as the Ellittico caldera rim. The method is extended to include both velocity data from the broadband stations and distributed acoustic sensing data from a co-located 1.5 km long fibre optic cable. High maximum amplitude values of the resulting ratios along the trajectory of the cable coincide with known faults. The outcome also indicates previously unmapped parts of a fault. The geologic interpretation is in good agreement with inversion results from magnetic survey data. Using the neighborhood algorithm, spatial autocorrelation curves obtained from the modified SPAC are inverted alone and jointly with the H/V peak frequencies for 1D shear wave velocity profiles. The obtained models are largely consistent with published models and were able to validate the results from the fibre optic cable.
The Andean Cordillera is a mountain range located at the western South American margin and is part of the Eastern- Circum-Pacific orogenic Belt. The ~7000 km long mountain range is one of the longest on Earth and hosts the second largest orogenic plateau in the world, the Altiplano-Puna plateau. The Andes are known as a non-collisional subduction-type orogen which developed as a result of the interaction between the subducted oceanic Nazca plate and the South American continental plate. The different Andean segments exhibit along-strike variations of morphotectonic provinces characterized by different elevations, volcanic activity, deformation styles, crustal thickness, shortening magnitude and oceanic plate geometry. Most of the present-day elevation can be explained by crustal shortening in the last ~50 Ma, with the shortening magnitude decreasing from ~300 km in the central (15°S-30°S) segment to less than half that in the southern part (30°S-40°S). Several factors were proposed that might control the magnitude and acceleration of shortening of the Central Andes in the last 15 Ma. One important factor is likely the slab geometry. At 27-33°S, the slab dips horizontally at ~100 km depth due to the subduction of the buoyant Juan Fernandez Ridge, forming the Pampean flat-slab. This horizontal subduction is thought to influence the thermo-mechanical state of the Sierras Pampeanas foreland, for instance, by strengthening the lithosphere and promoting the thick-skinned propagation of deformation to the east, resulting in the uplift of the Sierras Pampeanas basement blocks. The flat-slab has migrated southwards from the Altiplano latitude at ~30 Ma to its present-day position and the processes and consequences associated to its passage on the contemporaneous acceleration of the shortening rate in Central Andes remain unclear. Although the passage of the flat-slab could offer an explanation to the acceleration of the shortening, the timing does not explain the two pulses of shortening at about 15 Ma and 4 Ma that are suggested from geological observations. I hypothesize that deformation in the Central Andes is controlled by a complex interaction between the subduction dynamics of the Nazca plate and the dynamic strengthening and weakening of the South American plate due to several upper plate processes. To test this hypothesis, a detailed investigation into the role of the flat-slab, the structural inheritance of the continental plate, and the subduction dynamics in the Andes is needed. Therefore, I have built two classes of numerical thermo-mechanical models: (i) The first class of models are a series of generic E-W-oriented high-resolution 2D subduction models thatinclude flat subduction in order to investigate the role of the subduction dynamics on the temporal variability of the shortening rate in the Central Andes at Altiplano latitudes (~21°S). The shortening rate from the models was then validated with the observed tectonic shortening rate in the Central Andes. (ii) The second class of models are a series of 3D data-driven models of the present-day Pampean flat-slab configuration and the Sierras Pampeanas (26-42°S). The models aim to investigate the relative contribution of the present-day flat subduction and inherited structures in the continental lithosphere on the strain localization. Both model classes were built using the advanced finite element geodynamic code ASPECT.
The first main finding of this work is to suggest that the temporal variability of shortening in the Central Andes is primarily controlled by the subduction dynamics of the Nazca plate while it penetrates into the mantle transition zone. These dynamics depends on the westward velocity of the South American plate that provides the main crustal shortening force to the Andes and forces the trench to retreat. When the subducting plate reaches the lower mantle, it buckles on it-self until the forced trench retreat causes the slab to steepen in the upper mantle in contrast with the classical slab-anchoring model. The steepening of the slab hinders the trench causing it to resist the advancing South American plate, resulting in the pulsatile shortening. This buckling and steepening subduction regime could have been initiated because of the overall decrease in the westwards velocity of the South American plate. In addition, the passage of the flat-slab is required to promote the shortening of the continental plate because flat subduction scrapes the mantle lithosphere, thus weakening the continental plate. This process contributes to the efficient shortening when the trench is hindered, followed by mantle lithosphere delamination at ~20 Ma. Finally, the underthrusting of the Brazilian cratonic shield beneath the orogen occurs at ~11 Ma due to the mechanical weakening of the thick sediments covered the shield margin, and due to the decreasing resistance of the weakened lithosphere of the orogen.
The second main finding of this work is to suggest that the cold flat-slab strengthens the overriding continental lithosphere and prevents strain localization. Therefore, the deformation is transmitted to the eastern front of the flat-slab segment by the shear stress operating at the subduction interface, thus the flat-slab acts like an indenter that “bulldozes” the mantle-keel of the continental lithosphere. The offset in the propagation of deformation to the east between the flat and steeper slab segments in the south causes the formation of a transpressive dextral shear zone. Here, inherited faults of past tectonic events are reactivated and further localize the deformation in an en-echelon strike-slip shear zone, through a mechanism that I refer to as “flat-slab conveyor”. Specifically, the shallowing of the flat-slab causes the lateral deformation, which explains the timing of multiple geological events preceding the arrival of the flat-slab at 33°S. These include the onset of the compression and of the transition between thin to thick-skinned deformation styles resulting from the crustal contraction of the crust in the Sierras Pampeanas some 10 and 6 Myr before the Juan Fernandez Ridge collision at that latitude, respectively.
Earthquake modeling is the key to a profound understanding of a rupture. Its kinematics or dynamics are derived from advanced rupture models that allow, for example, to reconstruct the direction and velocity of the rupture front or the evolving slip distribution behind the rupture front. Such models are often parameterized by a lattice of interacting sub-faults with many degrees of freedom, where, for example, the time history of the slip and rake on each sub-fault are inverted. To avoid overfitting or other numerical instabilities during a finite-fault estimation, most models are stabilized by geometric rather than physical constraints such as smoothing.
As a basis for the inversion approach of this study, we build on a new pseudo-dynamic rupture model (PDR) with only a few free parameters and a simple geometry as a physics-based solution of an earthquake rupture. The PDR derives the instantaneous slip from a given stress drop on the fault plane, with boundary conditions on the developing crack surface guaranteed at all times via a boundary element approach. As a side product, the source time function on each point on the rupture plane is not constraint and develops by itself without additional parametrization. The code was made publicly available as part of the Pyrocko and Grond Python packages. The approach was compared with conventional modeling for different earthquakes. For example, for the Mw 7.1 2016 Kumamoto, Japan, earthquake, the effects of geometric changes in the rupture surface on the slip and slip rate distributions could be reproduced by simply projecting stress vectors. For the Mw 7.5 2018 Palu, Indonesia, strike-slip earthquake, we also modelled rupture propagation using the 2D Eikonal equation and assuming a linear relationship between rupture and shear wave velocity. This allowed us to give a deeper and faster propagating rupture front and the resulting upward refraction as a new possible explanation for the apparent supershear observed at the Earth's surface.
The thesis investigates three aspects of earthquake inversion using PDR: (1) to test whether implementing a simplified rupture model with few parameters into a probabilistic Bayesian scheme without constraining geometric parameters is feasible, and whether this leads to fast and robust results that can be used for subsequent fast information systems (e.g., ground motion predictions). (2) To investigate whether combining broadband and strong-motion seismic records together with near-field ground deformation data improves the reliability of estimated rupture models in a Bayesian inversion. (3) To investigate whether a complex rupture can be represented by the inversion of multiple PDR sources and for what type of earthquakes this is recommended.
I developed the PDR inversion approach and applied the joint data inversions to two seismic sequences in different tectonic settings. Using multiple frequency bands and a multiple source inversion approach, I captured the multi-modal behaviour of the Mw 8.2 2021 South Sandwich subduction earthquake with a large, curved and slow rupturing shallow earthquake bounded by two faster and deeper smaller events. I could cross-validate the results with other methods, i.e., P-wave energy back-projection, a clustering analysis of aftershocks and a simple tsunami forward model.
The joint analysis of ground deformation and seismic data within a multiple source inversion also shed light on an earthquake triplet, which occurred in July 2022 in SE Iran. From the inversion and aftershock relocalization, I found indications for a vertical separation between the shallower mainshocks within the sedimentary cover and deeper aftershocks at the sediment-basement interface. The vertical offset could be caused by the ductile response of the evident salt layer to stress perturbations from the mainshocks.
The applications highlight the versatility of the simple PDR in probabilistic seismic source inversion capturing features of rather different, complex earthquakes. Limitations, as the evident focus on the major slip patches of the rupture are discussed as well as differences to other finite fault modeling methods.
River-valley morphology preserves information on tectonic and climatic conditions that shape landscapes. Observations suggest that river discharge and valley-wall lithology are the main controls on valley width. Yet, current models based on these observations fail to explain the full range of cross-sectional valley shapes in nature, suggesting hitherto unquantified controls on valley width. In particular, current models cannot explain the existence of paired terrace sequences that form under cyclic climate forcing. Paired river terraces are staircases of abandoned floodplains on both valley sides, and hence preserve past valley widths. Their formation requires alternating phases of predominantly river incision and predominantly lateral planation, plus progressive valley narrowing. While cyclic Quaternary climate changes can explain shifts between incision and lateral erosion, the driving mechanism of valley narrowing is unknown. Here, we extract valley geometries from climatically formed, alluvial river-terrace sequences and show that across our dataset, the total cumulative terrace height (here: total valley height) explains 90%–99% of the variance in valley width at the terrace sites. This finding suggests that valley height, or a parameter that scales linearly with valley height, controls valley width in addition to river discharge and lithology. To explain this valley-width-height relationship, we reformulate existing valley-width models and suggest that, when adjusting to new boundary conditions, alluvial valleys evolve to a width at which sediment removal from valley walls matches lateral sediment supply from hillslope erosion. Such a hillslope-channel coupling is not captured in current valley-evolution models. Our model can explain the existence of paired terrace sequences under cyclic climate forcing and relates valley width to measurable field parameters. Therefore, it facilitates the reconstruction of past climatic and tectonic conditions from valley topography.
Plate tectonics describes the movement of rigid plates at the surface of the Earth as well as their complex deformation at three types of plate boundaries: 1) divergent boundaries such as rift zones and mid-ocean ridges, 2) strike-slip boundaries where plates grind past each other, such as the San Andreas Fault, and 3) convergent boundaries that form large mountain ranges like the Andes. The generally narrow deformation zones that bound the plates exhibit complex strain patterns that evolve through time. During this evolution, plate boundary deformation is driven by tectonic forces arising from Earth’s deep interior and from within the lithosphere, but also by surface processes, which erode topographic highs and deposit the resulting sediment into regions of low elevation. Through the combination of these factors, the surface of the Earth evolves in a highly dynamic way with several feedback mechanisms. At divergent boundaries, for example, tensional stresses thin the lithosphere, forcing uplift and subsequent erosion of rift flanks, which creates a sediment source. Meanwhile, the rift center subsides and becomes a topographic low where sediments accumulate. This mass transfer from foot- to hanging wall plays an important role during rifting, as it prolongs the activity of individual normal faults. When rifting continues, continents are eventually split apart, exhuming Earth’s mantle and creating new oceanic crust. Because of the complex interplay between deep tectonic forces that shape plate boundaries and mass redistribution at the Earth’s surface, it is vital to understand feedbacks between the two domains and how they shape our planet.
In this study I aim to provide insight on two primary questions: 1) How do divergent and strike-slip plate boundaries evolve? 2) How is this evolution, on a large temporal scale and a smaller structural scale, affected by the alteration of the surface through erosion and deposition? This is done in three chapters that examine the evolution of divergent and strike-slip plate boundaries using numerical models. Chapter 2 takes a detailed look at the evolution of rift systems using two-dimensional models. Specifically, I extract faults from a range of rift models and correlate them through time to examine how fault networks evolve in space and time. By implementing a two-way coupling between the geodynamic code ASPECT and landscape evolution code FastScape, I investigate how the fault network and rift evolution are influenced by the system’s erosional efficiency, which represents many factors like lithology or climate. In Chapter 3, I examine rift evolution from a three-dimensional perspective. In this chapter I study linkage modes for offset rifts to determine when fast-rotating plate-boundary structures known as continental microplates form. Chapter 4 uses the two-way numerical coupling between tectonics and landscape evolution to investigate how a strike-slip boundary responds to large sediment loads, and whether this is sufficient to form an entirely new type of flexural strike-slip basin.
Salt deposits offer a variety of usage types. These include the mining of rock salt and potash salt as important raw materials, the storage of energy in man-made underground caverns, and the disposal of hazardous substances in former mines. The most serious risk with any of these usage types comes from the contact with groundwater or surface water. It causes an uncontrolled dissolution of salt rock, which in the worst case can result in the flooding or collapse of underground facilities. Especially along potash seams, cavernous structures can spread quickly, because potash salts show a much higher solubility than rock salt. However, as their chemical behavior is quite complex, previous models do not account for these highly soluble interlayers. Therefore, the objective of the present thesis is to describe the evolution of cavernous structures along potash seams in space and time in order to improve hazard mitigation during the utilization of salt deposits.
The formation of cavernous structures represents an interplay of chemical and hydraulic processes. Hence, the first step is to systematically investigate the dissolution and precipitation reactions that occur when water and potash salt come into contact. For this purpose, a geochemical reaction model is used. The results show that the minerals are only partially dissolved, resulting in a porous sponge like structure. With the saturation of the solution increasing, various secondary minerals are formed, whose number and type depend on the original rock composition. Field data confirm a correlation between the degree of saturation and the distance from the center of the cavern, where solution is entering. Subsequently, the reaction model is coupled with a flow and transport code and supplemented by a novel approach called ‘interchange’. The latter enables the exchange of solution and rock between areas of different porosity and mineralogy, and thus ultimately the growth of the cavernous structure. By means of several scenario analyses, cavern shape, growth rate and mineralogy are systematically investigated, taking also heterogeneous potash seams into account. The results show that basically four different cases can be distinguished, with mixed forms being a frequent occurrence in nature. The classification scheme is based on the dimensionless numbers Péclet and Damköhler, and allows for a first assessment of the hazard potential. In future, the model can be applied to any field case, using measurement data for calibration.
The presented research work provides a reactive transport model that is able to spatially and temporally characterize the propagation of cavernous structures along potash seams for the first time. Furthermore, it allows to determine thickness and composition of transition zones between cavern center and unaffected salt rock. The latter is particularly important in potash mining, so that natural cavernous structures can be located at an early stage and the risk of mine flooding can thus be reduced. The models may also contribute to an improved hazard prevention in the construction of storage caverns and the disposal of hazardous waste in salt deposits. Predictions regarding the characteristics and evolution of cavernous structures enable a better assessment of potential hazards, such as integrity or stability loss, as well as of suitable mitigation measures.
Localisation of deformation is a ubiquitous feature in continental rift dynamics and observed across drastically different time and length scales. This thesis comprises one experimental and two numerical modelling studies investigating strain localisation in (1) a ductile shear zone induced by a material heterogeneity and (2) in an active continental rift setting. The studies are related by the fact that the weakening mechanisms on the crystallographic and grain size scale enable bulk rock weakening, which fundamentally enables the formation of shear zones, continental rifts and hence plate tectonics. Aiming to investigate the controlling mechanisms on initiation and evolution of a shear zone, the torsion experiments of the experimental study were conducted in a Patterson type apparatus with strong Carrara marble cylinders with a weak, planar Solnhofen limestone inclusion. Using state-of-the-art numerical modelling software, the torsion experiments were simulated to answer questions regarding localisation procedure like stress distribution or the impact of rheological weakening. 2D numerical models were also employed to integrate geophysical and geological data to explain characteristic tectonic evolution of the Southern and Central Kenya Rift. Key elements of the numerical tools are a randomized initial strain distribution and the usage of strain softening. During the torsion experiments, deformation begins to localise at the limestone inclusion tips in a process zone, which propagates into the marble matrix with increasing deformation until a ductile shear zone is established. Minor indicators for coexisting brittle deformation are found close to the inclusion tip and presumed to slightly facilitate strain localisation besides the dominant ductile deformation processes. The 2D numerical model of the torsion experiment successfully predicts local stress concentration and strain rate amplification ahead of the inclusion in first order agreement with the experimental results. A simple linear parametrization of strain weaking enables high accuracy reproduction of phenomenological aspects of the observed weakening. The torsion experiments suggest that loading conditions do not affect strain localisation during high temperature deformation of multiphase material with high viscosity contrasts. A numerical simulation can provide a way of analysing the process zone evolution virtually and extend the examinable frame. Furthermore, the nested structure and anastomosing shape of an ultramylonite band was mimicked with an additional second softening step. Rheological weakening is necessary to establish a shear zone in a strong matrix around a weak inclusion and for ultramylonite formation.
Such strain weakening laws are also incorporated into the numerical models of the
Southern and Central Kenya Rift that capture the characteristic tectonic evolution. A three-stage early rift evolution is suggested that starts with (1) the accommodation of strain by a single border fault and flexure of the hanging-wall crust, after which (2) faulting in the hanging-wall and the basin centre increases before (3) the early-stage asymmetry is lost and basinward localisation of deformation occurs. Along-strike variability of rifts can be produced by modifying the initial random noise distribution. In summary, the three studies address selected aspects of the broad range of mechanisms and processes that fundamentally enable the deformation of rock and govern the localisation patterns across the scales. In addition to the aforementioned results, the first and second manuscripts combined, demonstrate a procedure to find new or improve on existing numerical formulations for specific rheologies and their dynamic weakening. These formulations are essential in addressing rock deformation from the grain to the global scale. As within the third study of this thesis, where geodynamic controls on the evolution of a rift were examined and acquired by the integration of geological and geophysical data into a numerical model.
The Arctic is changing rapidly and permafrost is thawing. Especially ice-rich permafrost, such as the late Pleistocene Yedoma, is vulnerable to rapid and deep thaw processes such as surface subsidence after the melting of ground ice. Due to permafrost thaw, the permafrost carbon pool is becoming increasingly accessible to microbes, leading to increased greenhouse gas emissions, which enhances the climate warming.
The assessment of the molecular structure and biodegradability of permafrost organic matter (OM) is highly needed. My research revolves around the question “how does permafrost thaw affect its OM storage?” More specifically, I assessed (1) how molecular biomarkers can be applied to characterize permafrost OM, (2) greenhouse gas production rates from thawing permafrost, and (3) the quality of OM of frozen and (previously) thawed sediments.
I studied deep (max. 55 m) Yedoma and thawed Yedoma permafrost sediments from Yakutia (Sakha Republic). I analyzed sediment cores taken below thermokarst lakes on the Bykovsky Peninsula (southeast of the Lena Delta) and in the Yukechi Alas (Central Yakutia), and headwall samples from the permafrost cliff Sobo-Sise (Lena Delta) and the retrogressive thaw slump Batagay (Yana Uplands). I measured biomarker concentrations of all sediment samples. Furthermore, I carried out incubation experiments to quantify greenhouse gas production in thawing permafrost.
I showed that the biomarker proxies are useful to assess the source of the OM and to distinguish between OM derived from terrestrial higher plants, aquatic plants and microbial activity. In addition, I showed that some proxies help to assess the degree of degradation of permafrost OM, especially when combined with sedimentological data in a multi-proxy approach. The OM of Yedoma is generally better preserved than that of thawed Yedoma sediments. The greenhouse gas production was highest in the permafrost sediments that thawed for the first time, meaning that the frozen Yedoma sediments contained most labile OM. Furthermore, I showed that the methanogenic communities had established in the recently thawed sediments, but not yet in the still-frozen sediments.
My research provided the first molecular biomarker distributions and organic carbon turnover data as well as insights in the state and processes in deep frozen and thawed Yedoma sediments. These findings show the relevance of studying OM in deep permafrost sediments.
Among the multitude of geomorphological processes, aeolian shaping processes are of special character, Pedogenic dust is one of the most important sources of atmospheric aerosols and therefore regarded as a key player for atmospheric processes. Soil dust emissions, being complex in composition and properties, influence atmospheric processes and air quality and has impacts on other ecosystems. In this because even though their immediate impact can be considered low (exceptions exist), their constant and large-scale force makes them a powerful player in the earth system. dissertation, we unravel a novel scientific understanding of this complex system based on a holistic dataset acquired during a series of field experiments on arable land in La Pampa, Argentina. The field experiments as well as the generated data provide information about topography, various soil parameters, the atmospheric dynamics in the very lower atmosphere (4m height) as well as measurements regarding aeolian particle movement across a wide range of particle size classes between 0.2μm up to the coarse sand.
The investigations focus on three topics: (a) the effects of low-scale landscape structures on aeolian transport processes of the coarse particle fraction, (b) the horizontal and vertical fluxes of the very fine particles and (c) the impact of wind gusts on particle emissions.
Among other considerations presented in this thesis, it could in particular be shown, that even though the small-scale topology does have a clear impact on erosion and deposition patterns, also physical soil parameters need to be taken into account for a robust statistical modelling of the latter. Furthermore, specifically the vertical fluxes of particulate matter have different characteristics for the particle size classes. Finally, a novel statistical measure was introduced to quantify the impact of wind gusts on the particle uptake and its application on the provided data set. The aforementioned measure shows significantly increased particle concentrations during points in time defined as gust event.
With its holistic approach, this thesis further contributes to the fundamental understanding of how atmosphere and pedosphere are intertwined and affect each other.
The first step towards assessing hazards in seismically active regions involves mapping capable faults and estimating their recurrence times. While the mapping of active faults is commonly based on distinct geologic and geomorphic features evident at the surface, mapping blind seismogenic faults is complicated by the absence of on-fault diagnostic features. Here we investigated the Pichilemu Fault in coastal Chile, unknown until it generated a Mw 7.0 earthquake in 2010. The lack of evident surface faulting suggests activity along a partly-hidden blind fault. We used off-fault deformed marine terraces to estimate a fault-slip rate of 0.52 ± 0.04 m/ka, which, when integrated with satellite geodesy suggests a 2.12 ± 0.2 ka recurrence time for Mw~7.0 normal-faulting earthquakes. We propose that extension in the Pichilemu region is associated with stress changes during megathrust earthquakes and accommodated by sporadic slip during upper-plate earthquakes, which has implications for assessing the seismic potential of cryptic faults along convergent margins and elsewhere.
Technological progress allows for producing ever more complex predictive models on the basis of increasingly big datasets. For risk management of natural hazards, a multitude of models is needed as basis for decision-making, e.g. in the evaluation of observational data, for the prediction of hazard scenarios, or for statistical estimates of expected damage. The question arises, how modern modelling approaches like machine learning or data-mining can be meaningfully deployed in this thematic field. In addition, with respect to data availability and accessibility, the trend is towards open data. Topic of this thesis is therefore to investigate the possibilities and limitations of machine learning and open geospatial data in the field of flood risk modelling in the broad sense. As this overarching topic is broad in scope, individual relevant aspects are identified and inspected in detail.
A prominent data source in the flood context is satellite-based mapping of inundated areas, for example made openly available by the Copernicus service of the European Union. Great expectations are directed towards these products in scientific literature, both for acute support of relief forces during emergency response action, and for modelling via hydrodynamic models or for damage estimation. Therefore, a focus of this work was set on evaluating these flood masks. From the observation that the quality of these products is insufficient in forested and built-up areas, a procedure for subsequent improvement via machine learning was developed. This procedure is based on a classification algorithm that only requires training data from a particular class to be predicted, in this specific case data of flooded areas, but not of the negative class (dry areas). The application for hurricane Harvey in Houston shows the high potential of this method, which depends on the quality of the initial flood mask.
Next, it is investigated how much the predicted statistical risk from a process-based model chain is dependent on implemented physical process details. Thereby it is demonstrated what a risk study based on established models can deliver. Even for fluvial flooding, such model chains are already quite complex, though, and are hardly available for compound or cascading events comprising torrential rainfall, flash floods, and other processes. In the fourth chapter of this thesis it is therefore tested whether machine learning based on comprehensive damage data can offer a more direct path towards damage modelling, that avoids explicit conception of such a model chain. For that purpose, a state-collected dataset of damaged buildings from the severe El Niño event 2017 in Peru is used. In this context, the possibilities of data-mining for extracting process knowledge are explored as well. It can be shown that various openly available geodata sources contain useful information for flood hazard and damage modelling for complex events, e.g. satellite-based rainfall measurements, topographic and hydrographic information, mapped settlement areas, as well as indicators from spectral data. Further, insights on damaging processes are discovered, which mainly are in line with prior expectations. The maximum intensity of rainfall, for example, acts stronger in cities and steep canyons, while the sum of rain was found more informative in low-lying river catchments and forested areas. Rural areas of Peru exhibited higher vulnerability in the presented study compared to urban areas. However, the general limitations of the methods and the dependence on specific datasets and algorithms also become obvious.
In the overarching discussion, the different methods – process-based modelling, predictive machine learning, and data-mining – are evaluated with respect to the overall research questions. In the case of hazard observation it seems that a focus on novel algorithms makes sense for future research. In the subtopic of hazard modelling, especially for river floods, the improvement of physical models and the integration of process-based and statistical procedures is suggested. For damage modelling the large and representative datasets necessary for the broad application of machine learning are still lacking. Therefore, the improvement of the data basis in the field of damage is currently regarded as more important than the selection of algorithms.
Soziale Medien sind ein wesentlicher Bestandteil des Alltags von Schüler*innen und gleichzeitig zunehmend wichtig in Wirtschaft, Politik und Wissenschaft. Am Beispiel von Twitter zeigt dieser Beitrag, dass soziale Medien im Unterricht auch für die Beantwortung geographischer Fragestellungen verwendet werden können. Hierfür eignen sich Twitter-Daten aufgrund ihrer Georeferenzierung und weiterer interessanter Inhalte besonders. Der Beitrag gibt einen Überblick über die Verwendung von Twitter für sozialwissenschaftliche und humangeographische Fragestellungen und reflektiert die Nutzung von Twitter im Unterricht. Für die Unterrichtspraxis werden Beispiele zu den Themen Braunkohle, Flutereignisse und Raumwahrnehmungen sowie Anleitungen zur Auswertung, Anwendung und Reflexion von Twitter-Analysen vorgestellt.
Major challenges during geothermal exploration and exploitation include the structural-geological characterization of the geothermal system and the application of sustainable monitoring concepts to explain changes in a geothermal reservoir during production and/or reinjection of fluids. In the absence of sufficiently permeable reservoir rocks, faults and fracture networks are preferred drilling targets because they can facilitate the migration of hot and/or cold fluids. In volcanic-geothermal systems considerable amounts of gas emissions can be released at the earth surface, often related to these fluid-releasing structures.
In this thesis, I developed and evaluated different methodological approaches and measurement concepts to determine the spatial and temporal variation of several soil gas parameters to understand the structural control on fluid flow. In order to validate their potential as innovative geothermal exploration and monitoring tools, these methodological approaches were applied to three different volcanic-geothermal systems. At each site an individual survey design was developed regarding the site-specific questions.
The first study presents results of the combined measurement of CO2 flux, ground temperatures, and the analysis of isotope ratios (δ13CCO2, 3He/4He) across the main production area of the Los Humeros geothermal field, to identify locations with a connection to its supercritical (T > 374◦C and P > 221 bar) geothermal reservoir. The results of the systematic and large-scale (25 x 200 m) CO2 flux scouting survey proved to be a fast and flexible way to identify areas of anomalous degassing. Subsequent sampling with high resolution surveys revealed the actual extent and heterogenous pattern of anomalous degassing areas. They have been related to the internal fault hydraulic architecture and allowed to assess favourable structural settings for fluid flow such as fault intersections. Finally, areas of unknown structurally controlled permeability with a connection to the superhot geothermal reservoir have been determined, which represent promising targets for future geothermal exploration and development.
In the second study, I introduce a novel monitoring approach by examining the variation of CO2 flux to monitor changes in the reservoir induced by fluid reinjection. For that reason, an automated, multi-chamber CO2 flux system was deployed across the damage zone of a major normal fault crossing the Los Humeros geothermal field. Based on the results of the CO2 flux scouting survey, a suitable site was selected that had a connection to the geothermal reservoir, as identified by hydrothermal CO2 degassing and hot ground temperatures (> 50 °C). The results revealed a response of gas emissions to changes in reinjection rates within 24 h, proving an active hydraulic communication between the geothermal reservoir and the earth surface. This is a promising monitoring strategy that provides nearly real-time and in-situ data about changes in the reservoir and allows to timely react to unwanted changes (e.g., pressure decline, seismicity).
The third study presents results from the Aluto geothermal field in Ethiopia where an area-wide and multi-parameter analysis, consisting of measurements of CO2 flux, 222Rn, and 220Rn activity concentrations and ground temperatures was conducted to detect hidden permeable structures. 222Rn and 220Rn activity concentrations are evaluated as a complementary soil gas parameter to CO2 flux, to investigate their potential to understand tectono-volcanic degassing. The combined measurement of all parameters enabled to develop soil gas fingerprints, a novel visualization approach. Depending on the magnitude of gas emissions and their migration velocities the study area was divided in volcanic (heat), tectonic (structures), and volcano-tectonic dominated areas. Based on these concepts, volcano-tectonic dominated areas, where hot hydrothermal fluids migrate along permeable faults, present the most promising targets for future geothermal exploration and development in this geothermal field. Two of these areas have been identified in the south and south-east which have not yet been targeted for geothermal exploitation. Furthermore, two unknown areas of structural related permeability could be identified by 222Rn and 220Rn activity concentrations.
Eventually, the fourth study presents a novel measurement approach to detect structural controlled CO2 degassing, in Ngapouri geothermal area, New Zealand. For the first time, the tunable diode laser (TDL) method was applied in a low-degassing geothermal area, to evaluate its potential as a geothermal exploration method. Although the sampling approach is based on profile measurements, which leads to low spatial resolution, the results showed a link between known/inferred faults and increased CO2 concentrations. Thus, the TDL method proved to be a successful in the determination of structural related permeability, also in areas where no obvious geothermal activity is present. Once an area of anomalous CO2 concentrations has been identified, it can be easily complemented by CO2 flux grid measurements to determine the extent and orientation of the degassing segment.
With the results of this work, I was able to demonstrate the applicability of systematic and area-wide soil gas measurements for geothermal exploration and monitoring purposes. In particular, the combination of different soil gases using different measurement networks enables the identification and characterization of fluid-bearing structures and has not yet been used and/or tested as standard practice. The different studies present efficient and cost-effective workflows and demonstrate a hands-on approach to a successful and sustainable exploration and monitoring of geothermal resources. This minimizes the resource risk during geothermal project development. Finally, to advance the understanding of the complex structure and dynamics of geothermal systems, a combination of comprehensive and cutting-edge geological, geochemical, and geophysical exploration methods is essential.
Quantitative geomorphic research depends on accurate topographic data often collected via remote sensing. Lidar, and photogrammetric methods like structure-from-motion, provide the highest quality data for generating digital elevation models (DEMs). Unfortunately, these data are restricted to relatively small areas, and may be expensive or time-consuming to collect. Global and near-global DEMs with 1 arcsec (∼30 m) ground sampling from spaceborne radar and optical sensors offer an alternative gridded, continuous surface at the cost of resolution and accuracy. Accuracy is typically defined with respect to external datasets, often, but not always, in the form of point or profile measurements from sources like differential Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), spaceborne lidar (e.g., ICESat), and other geodetic measurements. Vertical point or profile accuracy metrics can miss the pixel-to-pixel variability (sometimes called DEM noise) that is unrelated to true topographic signal, but rather sensor-, orbital-, and/or processing-related artifacts. This is most concerning in selecting a DEM for geomorphic analysis, as this variability can affect derivatives of elevation (e.g., slope and curvature) and impact flow routing. We use (near) global DEMs at 1 arcsec resolution (SRTM, ASTER, ALOS, TanDEM-X, and the recently released Copernicus) and develop new internal accuracy metrics to assess inter-pixel variability without reference data. Our study area is in the arid, steep Central Andes, and is nearly vegetation-free, creating ideal conditions for remote sensing of the bare-earth surface. We use a novel hillshade-filtering approach to detrend long-wavelength topographic signals and accentuate short-wavelength variability. Fourier transformations of the spatial signal to the frequency domain allows us to quantify: 1) artifacts in the un-projected 1 arcsec DEMs at wavelengths greater than the Nyquist (twice the nominal resolution, so > 2 arcsec); and 2) the relative variance of adjacent pixels in DEMs resampled to 30-m resolution (UTM projected). We translate results into their impact on hillslope and channel slope calculations, and we highlight the quality of the five DEMs. We find that the Copernicus DEM, which is based on a carefully edited commercial version of the TanDEM-X, provides the highest quality landscape representation, and should become the preferred DEM for topographic analysis in areas without sufficient coverage of higher-quality local DEMs.
Der zentralasiatische Naturraum, wie er sich uns heute präsentiert, ist das Ergebnis eines Zusammenwirkens vieler verschiedener Faktoren über Jahrmillionen hinweg. Im aktuellen Kontext des Klimawandels zeigt sich jedoch, wie stark sich Stoffflüsse auch kurzfristig ändern und dabei das Gesicht der Landschaft verwandeln können. Die Gobi-Wüste in der Inneren Mongolei (China), als Teil der gleichnamigen Trockenregionen Nordwestchinas, ist aufgrund der Ausgestaltung ihrer landschaftsprägenden Elemente sowie ihrer Landschaftsdynamik, im Zusammenhang mit der Lage zum Tibet-Plateau, in den Fokus der klimageschichtlichen Grundlagenforschung gerückt. Als großes Langzeitarchiv unterschiedlichster fluvialer, lakustriner und äolischer Sedimente stellt sie eine bedeutende Lokalität zur Rekonstruktion von lokalen und regionalen Stoffflüssen dar.. Andererseits ist die Gobi-Wüste zugleich auch eine bedeutende Quelle für den überregionalen Staubtransport, da sie aufgrund der klimatischen Bedingungen insbesondere der Erosion durch Ausblasung preisgegeben wird. Vor diesem Hintergrund erfolgten zwischen 2011 und 2014, im Rahmen des BMBF-Verbundprogramms WTZ Zentralasien – Monsundynamik & Geoökosysteme (Förderkennzeichen 03G0814), mehrere deutsch-chinesische Expeditionen in das Ejina-Becken (Innere Mongolei) und das Qilian Shan-Vorland. Im Zuge dieser Expeditionen wurden für eine Bestimmung potenzieller Sedimentquellen erstmals zahlreiche Oberflächenproben aus dem gesamten Einzugsgebiet des Heihe (schwarzer Fluss) gesammelt. Zudem wurden mit zwei Bohrungen im inneren des Ejina-Beckens, ergänzende Sedimentbohrkerne zum bestehenden Bohrkern D100 (siehe Wünnemann (2005)) abgeteuft, um weit reichende, ergänzende Informationen zur Landschaftsgeschichte und zum überregionalen Sedimenttransfer zu erhalten. Gegenstand und Ziel der vorliegenden Doktorarbeit ist die sedimentologisch-mineralogische Charakterisierung des Untersuchungsgebietes in Bezug auf potenzielle Sedimentquellen und Stoffflüsse des Ejina-Beckens sowie die Rekonstruktion der Ablagerungsgeschichte eines dort erbohrten, 19m langen Sedimentbohrkerns (GN100). Schwerpunkt ist hierbei die Klärung der Sedimentherkunft innerhalb des Bohrkerns sowie die Ausweisung von Herkunftssignalen und möglichen Sedimentquellen bzw. Sedimenttransportpfaden. Die methodische Herangehensweise basiert auf einem Multi-Proxy-Ansatz zur Charakterisierung der klastischen Sedimentfazies anhand von Geländebeobachtungen, lithologisch-granulometrischen und mineralogisch-geochemischen Analysen sowie statistischen Verfahren. Für die mineralogischen Untersuchungen der Sedimente wurde eine neue, rasterelektronenmikroskopische Methode zur automatisierten Partikelanalyse genutzt und den traditionellen Methoden gegenübergestellt. Die synoptische Betrachtung der granulometrischen, geochemischen und mineralogischen Befunde der Oberflächensedimente ergibt für das Untersuchungsgebiet ein logisches Kaskadenmodell mit immer wiederkehrenden Prozessbereichen und ähnlichen Prozesssignalen. Die umfangreichen granulometrischen Analysen deuten dabei auf abnehmende Korngrößen mit zunehmender Entfernung vom Qilian Shan hin und ermöglichen die Identifizierung von vier texturellen Signalen: den fluvialen Sanden, den Dünensanden, den Stillwassersedimenten und Stäuben. Diese Ergebnisse können als Interpretationsgrundlage für die Korngrößenanalysen des Bohrkerns genutzt werden. Somit ist es möglich, die Ablagerungsgeschichte der Bohrkernsedimente zu rekonstruieren und in Verbindung mit eigenen und literaturbasierten Datierungen in einen Gesamtkontext einzuhängen. Für das Untersuchungsgebiet werden somit vier Ablagerungsphasen ausgewiesen, die bis in die Zeit des letzten glazialen Maximums (LGM) zurückreichen. Während dieser Ablagerungsphasen kam es im Zuge unterschiedlicher Aktivitäts- und Stabilitätsphasen zu einer kontinuierlichen Progradation und Überprägung des Schwemmfächers. Eine besonders aktive Phase kann zwischen 8 ka und 4 ka BP festgestellt werden, während der es aufgrund zunehmender fluvialer Aktivitäten zu einer deutlich verstärkten Schwemmfächerdynamik gekommen zu sein scheint. In den Abschnitten davor und danach waren es vor allem äolische Prozesse, die zu einer Überprägung des Schwemmfächers geführt haben. Hinsichtlich der mineralogischen Herkunftssignale gibt es eine große Variabilität. Dies spiegelt die enorme Heterogenität der Geologie des Untersuchungsgebietes wider, wodurch die räumlichen Signale nicht sehr stark ausgeprägt sind. Dennoch, können für das Einzugsgebiet drei größere Bereiche deklariert werden, die als Herkunftsgebiet in Frage kommen. Das östliche Qilian Shan Vorland zeichnet sich dabei durch deutlich höhere Chloritgehalte als primäre Quelle für die Sedimente im Ejina-Becken aus. Sie unterscheiden sich insbesondere durch stark divergierende Chloritgehalte in der Tonmineral- und Gesamtmineralfraktion, was das östliche Qilian Shan Vorland als primäre Quelle für die Sedimente im Ejina-Becken auszeichnet. Dies steht in Zusammenhang mit den Grünschiefern, Ophioliten und Serpentiniten in diesem Bereich. Geochemisch deutet vor allem das Cr/Rb-Verhältnis eine große Variabilität innerhalb des Einzugsgebietes an. Auch hier ist es das östliche Vorland, welches aufgrund seines hohen Anteils an mafischen Gesteinen reich an Chromiten und Spinellen ist und sich somit vom restlichen Untersuchungsgebiet abhebt. Die zeitliche aber auch die generelle Variabilität der Sedimentherkunft lässt sich in den Bohrkernsedimenten nicht so deutlich nachzeichnen. Die mineralogisch-sedimentologischen Eigenschaften der erbohrten klastischen Sedimente zeugen zwar von zwischenzeitlichen Änderungen bei der Sedimentherkunft, diese sind jedoch nicht so deutlich ausgeprägt, wie es die Quellsignale in den Oberflächensedimenten vermuten lassen. Ein Grund dafür scheint die starke Vermischung unterschiedlichster Sedimente während des Transportes zu sein. Die Kombination der Korngrößenergebnisse mit den Befunden der Gesamt- und Schwermineralogie deuten darauf hin, dass es zwischenzeitlich eine Phase mit überwiegend äolischen Prozessen gegeben hat, die mit einem Sedimenteintrag aus dem westlichen Bei Shan in Verbindung stehen. Neben der Zunahme ultrastabiler Schwerminerale wie Zirkon und Granat und der Abnahme opaker Schwerminerale, weisen vor allem die heutigen Verhältnisse darauf hin. Der Vergleich der traditionellen Schwermineralanalyse mit der Computer-Controlled-Scanning-Electron-Microscopy (kurz: CCSEM), die eine automatisierte Partikelauswertung der Proben ermöglicht, zeigt den deutlichen Vorteil der modernen Analysemethode. Neben einem zeitlichen Vorteil, den man durch die automatisierte Abarbeitung der vorbereiteten Proben erlangen kann, steht vor allem die deutlich größere statistische Signifikanz des Ergebnisses im Vordergrund. Zudem können mit dieser Methode auch chemische Varietäten einiger Schwerminerale bestimmt werden, die eine noch feinere Klassifizierung und sicherere Aussagen zu einer möglichen Sedimentherkunft ermöglichen. Damit ergeben sich außerdem verbesserte Aussagen zu Zusammensetzungen und Entstehungsprozessen der abgelagerten Sedimente. Die Studie verdeutlicht, dass die Sedimentherkunft innerhalb des Untersuchungsgebietes sowie die ablaufenden Prozesse zum Teil stark von lokalen Gegebenheiten abhängen. Die Heterogenität der Geologie und die Größe des Einzugsgebietes sowie die daraus resultierende Komplexität der Sedimentgenese, machen exakte Zuordnungen zu klar definierten Sedimentquellen sehr schwer. Dennoch zeigen die Ergebnisse, dass die Sedimentzufuhr in das Ejina-Becken in erster Linie durch fluviale klastische Sedimente des Heihe aus dem Qilian Shan erfolgt sein muss. Die Untersuchungsergebnisse zeigen jedoch ebenso die Notwendigkeit einer ergänzenden Bearbeitung angrenzender Untersuchungsgebiete, wie beispielsweise den Gobi-Altai im Norden oder den Beishan im Westen, sowie die Verdichtung der Oberflächenbeprobung zur feineren Auflösung von lokalen Sedimentquellen.
Sediment archives in the terrestrial and marine realm are regularly analyzed to infer changes in climate, tectonic, or anthropogenic boundary conditions of the past. However, contradictory observations have been made regarding whether short period events are faithfully preserved in stratigraphic archives; for instance, in marine sediments offshore large river systems. On the one hand, short period events are hypothesized to be non-detectable in the signature of terrestrially derived sediments due to buffering during sediment transport along large river systems. On the other hand, several studies have detected signals of short period events in marine records offshore large river systems. We propose that this apparent discrepancy is related to the lack of a differentiation between different types of signals and the lack of distinction between river response times and signal propagation times. In this review, we (1) expand the definition of the term ‘signal’ and group signals in sub-categories related to hydraulic grain size characteristics, (2) clarify the different types of ‘times’ and suggest a precise and consistent terminology for future use, and (3) compile and discuss factors influencing the times of signal transfer along sediment routing systems and how those times vary with hydraulic grain size characteristics. Unraveling different types of signals and distinctive time periods related to signal propagation addresses the discrepancies mentioned above and allows a more comprehensive exploration of event preservation in stratigraphy – a prerequisite for reliable environmental reconstructions from terrestrially derived sedimentary records.
Hyperspectral remote sensing of the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of low Arctic vegetation
(2019)
Arctic tundra ecosystems are experiencing warming twice the global average and Arctic vegetation is responding in complex and heterogeneous ways. Shifting productivity, growth, species composition, and phenology at local and regional scales have implications for ecosystem functioning as well as the global carbon and energy balance. Optical remote sensing is an effective tool for monitoring ecosystem functioning in this remote biome. However, limited field-based spectral characterization of the spatial and temporal heterogeneity limits the accuracy of quantitative optical remote sensing at landscape scales. To address this research gap and support current and future satellite missions, three central research questions were posed:
• Does canopy-level spectral variability differ between dominant low Arctic vegetation communities and does this variability change between major phenological phases?
• How does canopy-level vegetation colour images recorded with high and low spectral resolution devices relate to phenological changes in leaf-level photosynthetic pigment concentrations?
• How does spatial aggregation of high spectral resolution data from the ground to satellite scale influence low Arctic tundra vegetation signatures and thereby what is the potential of upcoming hyperspectral spaceborne systems for low Arctic vegetation characterization?
To answer these questions a unique and detailed database was assembled. Field-based canopy-level spectral reflectance measurements, nadir digital photographs, and photosynthetic pigment concentrations of dominant low Arctic vegetation communities were acquired at three major phenological phases representing early, peak and late season. Data were collected in 2015 and 2016 in the Toolik Lake Research Natural Area located in north central Alaska on the North Slope of the Brooks Range. In addition to field data an aerial AISA hyperspectral image was acquired in the late season of 2016. Simulations of broadband Sentinel-2 and hyperspectral Environmental and Mapping Analysis Program (EnMAP) satellite reflectance spectra from ground-based reflectance spectra as well as simulations of EnMAP imagery from aerial hyperspectral imagery were also obtained.
Results showed that canopy-level spectral variability within and between vegetation communities differed by phenological phase. The late season was identified as the most discriminative for identifying many dominant vegetation communities using both ground-based and simulated hyperspectral reflectance spectra. This was due to an overall reduction in spectral variability and comparable or greater differences in spectral reflectance between vegetation communities in the visible near infrared spectrum.
Red, green, and blue (RGB) indices extracted from nadir digital photographs and pigment-driven vegetation indices extracted from ground-based spectral measurements showed strong significant relationships. RGB indices also showed moderate relationships with chlorophyll and carotenoid pigment concentrations. The observed relationships with the broadband RGB channels of the digital camera indicate that vegetation colour strongly influences the response of pigment-driven spectral indices and digital cameras can track the seasonal development and degradation of photosynthetic pigments.
Spatial aggregation of hyperspectral data from the ground to airborne, to simulated satel-lite scale was influenced by non-photosynthetic components as demonstrated by the distinct shift of the red edge to shorter wavelengths. Correspondence between spectral reflectance at the three scales was highest in the red spectrum and lowest in the near infra-red. By artificially mixing litter spectra at different proportions to ground-based spectra, correspondence with aerial and satellite spectra increased. Greater proportions of litter were required to achieve correspondence at the satellite scale.
Overall this thesis found that integrating multiple temporal, spectral, and spatial data is necessary to monitor the complexity and heterogeneity of Arctic tundra ecosystems. The identification of spectrally similar vegetation communities can be optimized using non-peak season hyperspectral data leading to more detailed identification of vegetation communities. The results also highlight the power of vegetation colour to link ground-based and satellite data. Finally, a detailed characterization non-photosynthetic ecosystem components is crucial for accurate interpretation of vegetation signals at landscape scales.