Six up-to-date reconstructions of hemispheric and global temperature and two indices of volcanic activity were analyzed using both Fourier and wavelet approaches over time intervals up to 1500 years. A cyclicity with a period of 188-250 years was found present in both Northern Hemisphere temperature and volcanic activity. These cycles were found to be negatively correlated, with the maximum correlation coefficient being reached when volcanic variations lead temperature vari-ations by 20 years. The combined probability of the null hypothesis – the proposition that in the Northern Hemisphere there is no real association between the bicentennial change in volcanic activity and temperature and that the revealed correlations arose purely by chance – was found to be no more than 1.2×10-2 over the entire time interval and less than 10-2 over the time interval AD 1270-1980. The effect was weaker in global temperature and was not detected in the Southern Hemisphere. Possible origins of the identified bicentennial correlations are discussed and guidelines for further research are proposed.

Albedo is a key variable in the response of glaciers to climate. In Iceland, large albedo variations in the ice caps may be caused by the deposition of volcanic ash (tephra). Sparse in situ field measurements are insufficient to characterize the spatial variation of albedo over the ice caps. Here we evaluate the latest MCD43 MODIS albedo product (collection 6) to monitor albedo over the Icelandic ice caps using albedo from ten automatic weather stations in Vatnajökull and Langjökull as ground truth. We examine the influence of the albedo variability within MODIS pixels by comparing the results with a collection of Landsat scenes. The results indicate a good ability of the MODIS product to characterize the seasonal and interannual albedo changes with correlation coefficients ranging from 0.47 to 0.90 (median 0.84) and a small bias ranging from -0.07 to 0.09. The root-mean square errors (RMSE) ranging from 0.08 and 0.21, is larger than that from previous studies, but we did not discard the retrievals flagged as bad quality to maximize the amount of observations given the frequent cloud obstruction in Iceland. We find a positive but non-significant relationship between the RMSE and the subpixel variability as indicated by the standard deviation of the Landsat albedo within the MODIS pixel (R=0.48). The summer albedo maps and time series computed from the MODIS product show that the albedo decreased significantly after the Eyjafjallajökull and Grímsvötn eruptions in 2010 and 2011 in all the main ice caps (except the northernmost Drangajökull), with albedo reduction up to 0.6 over large regions of the accumulation areas. Following this validation, these data will be assimilated in an energy and mass balance model of to better understand the relative influence of the volcanic and climate forcing to the ongoing mass losses of Icelandic ice caps.

Ground-based infrared cameras can be used effectively and safely to provide quantitative information about small to moderate-sized volcanic eruptions. This study describes an infrared camera that has been used to measure emissions from Mt Etna and Stromboli (Sicily, Italy) volcanoes. The camera provides calibrated brightness temperature images in a broadband (8--14 µm) channel that is used to determine height, plume ascent rate and volcanic cloud/plume temperature and emissivity at temporal sampling rates of up to 1 Hz. The camera can be operated in the field using a portable battery and includes a microprocessor, data-storage and WiFi. The processing and analyses of the data are described with examples from the field experiments. The updraft speeds of the small eruptions at Stromboli are found to decay with a timescale of $\sim$10 min and the volcanic plumes reach thermal equilibrium within $\sim$2 min. A strong eruption of Mt Etna on 1 April 2021 was found to reach $\sim$9 km, with ascent speeds of 10--20 ms$^{-1}$. The plume, mostly composed of water vapour and SO$_2$ gas became bent over by the prevailing winds at high levels.

The 1783-1784 Laki eruption was one of the most severe natural catastrophes to occur in Iceland in historical times (since 1140 years). Vegetation damage by sulphate aerosol and fluorine poisoning caused a massive decimation of livestock. The impact of fluorine poisoning and sulphate aerosol on human mortality is uncertain, but the loss of animals caused a famine which took many lives. The vulnerability of the Icelandic society to famine is discussed. 18th Century Iceland was a Danish dependency and, despite the abundance of fish in the surrounding waters, a subsistence farming community and thus highly dependent on livestock. On the other hand, the farming community possessed coping strategies which mitigated the impact of livestock loss. During the famine, the Danish government was in principle willing to provide relief. However, local authorities in Iceland were slow to ask for help, and did not dare to exploit the means at their disposal (e.g. the right to ban the export of Icelandic foodstuff) without consent from Copenhagen. The Danish officials in turn were unwilling to act decisively upon incomplete information. These two factors prevented timely measures. While 4.4 × 10^5kg of grain were provided for famine relief in summer 1784, the merchants exported 1.2 × 10^6kg of fish, which greatly aggravated the hunger in the second winter. The effects of this ‘natural’ catastrophe could therefore have been significantly reduced by efficient government.

Ultraviolet imaging has been applied in volcanology over the last ten years or so. This provides considerably higher temporal and spatial resolution volcanic gas emission rate data than available previously, enabling the volcanology community to investigate a range of far faster plume degassing processes, than achievable hitherto. To date this has covered rapid oscillations in passive degassing through conduits and lava lakes, as well as puffing and explosions, facilitating exciting connections to be made for the first time between previously rather separate sub disciplines of volcanology. Firstly, there has been corroboration between geophysical and degassing datasets at ≈ 1 Hz expediting more holistic investigations of volcanic source-process behaviour. Secondly, there has been the combination of surface observations of gas release, with fluid dynamic models (numerical, mathematical and laboratory) for gas flow in conduits, in attempts to link subterranean driving flow processes to surface activity types. There has also been considerable research and development concerning the technique itself, covering error analysis and most recently adaptation of smartphone sensors for this application, to deliver gas fluxes at a significantly lower instrumental price point than possible previously. At this decadal juncture in the application of UV imaging in volcanology, this article provides an overview of what has been achieved to date as well as a forward look to potential future research directions, in particular covering the first use of UV cameras to generate volcanic gas composition ratio imagery.

The hazard and the carcinogenic risks due to the exposure to some potentially toxic elements by the Santiago Island (Cape Verde) population where calculated, considering soil ingestion, inhalation and dermal contact as exposure pathways. The topsoil of Santiago Island is enriched in Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, V, Zn, Mn and Cd to upper crust values. Hazard indices (HI) were calculated for these metals and As exposures, of Santiago Island population and the calculations were performed for children and adults. For children HI are higher than 1 for Co, Cr and Mn. So there is indication of potential non-carcinogenic risk for children, due to the high Co (HI=2.995), Cr (HI=1.329) and Mn (HI=1.126), values in soils. For the other elements and for adults there is no potential non-carcinogenic risk. Cancer risk was calculated for As, Cd, Cr and Ni exposures, for adults and children and the results are always lower than the carcinogenic target risk of 1x10-6, for As, Cd, and Ni. However, cancer risk are higher than the carcinogenic target risk for Cr, for adults. Regarding As, for children the fraction due to Riskingestion represents 51.6%, while Riskinhalation represents 48.0% and Riskdermalcontact represents only 0.4% of total risk. For adults Riskinhalation represents 81.3%, Riskingestion represents 16.6% and Riskdermal contact represents 2.1%. These results reflect the higher daily ingestion dose for children and the higher inhalation rate and higher dermal contact surface for adults. For the other elements and for adults the cancer risk due to Cr, Ni and Cd inhalation is always higher than for children, reflecting the higher inhalation rate for adults.

The role of natural factors mainly solar eleven-year cycle variability, and volcanic eruptions on two major modes of climate variability the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) are studied for around last 150 years period. The NAO is the primary factor to regulate Central England Temperature (CET) during winter throughout the period, though NAO is impacted differently by other factors in various time periods. Solar variability indicates a strong positive influence on NAO during 1978-1997, though suggests opposite in earlier period. Solar NAO lag relationship is also shown sensitive to the chosen times of reference and thus points towards the previously proposed mechanism/ relationship related to the sun and NAO. The ENSO is influenced strongly by solar variability and volcanic eruptions in certain periods. This study observes a strong negative association between the sun and ENSO before the 1950s, which is even opposite during the second half of 20th century. The period 1978-1997, when two strong eruptions coincided with active years of strong solar cycles, the ENSO, and volcano suggested a stronger association, and we discussed the important role played by ENSO. That period showed warming in central tropical Pacific while cooling in the North Atlantic with reference to the later period (1999-2017) and also from chosen earlier period. Here we show that the mean atmospheric state is important for understanding the connection between solar variability, the NAO and ENSO and associated mechanism. It presents a critical analysis to improve knowledge about major modes of variability and their role in climate. We also discussed the importance of detecting the robust signal of natural variability, mainly the sun.

The research aims to improve some of the physical and hydro-physical properties of some Vertisols in the southern region (part of the eastern Houran Plateau) in Sweda Governorate at the south of Syria. Using different quantities of volcanic ash, soil samples were collected from the Al-Thahallah village from a depth of (0-30) cm, The experiment was designed according to the complete random design with one factor that represents the ash quantity (1.25, 2.5, 5) %, with three replicates for each treatment in addition to the control treatment a0. The experiment was carried out within the plastic pots during agricultural season 2018/2019, in which the wheat of the Sham variety 3 were cultivated as a cover plant. The results showed that the addition of volcanic ash at the quantity of 5% led to a significant increase in the infiltration rate by (328.60) %,%, where the filtration rate increased from 0.42 cm/hr -1 to 1.80 cm.h-1, as well as for each of the air porosity by (89) % and the volume of infiltrate water by (40) %, compared with the control. The above-mentioned addition also resulted in a decrease in both dry bulk density, total soil porosity and volumetric swelling coefficient by (18.60, 5.80, 314) % Respectively, compared to the control. The addition also contributed to the reduce in the weighted moisture content when saturation and the field capacity, at the level of significance of 5%. The research recommends adding volcanic ash to the soil at a quantity of 5%, and adding enhancements with volcanic ash at various levels such as organic waste.

Persistent, non-explosive passive degassing is a common characteristic of active volcanoes. Distinct periodic components in measurable parameters of gas release have been widely identified over timescales ranging from seconds to months. The development and implementation of high temporal resolution gas measurement techniques now enables the robust quantification of high frequency processes operating on timescales comparable to those detectable in geophysical datasets. This review presents an overview of the current state of understanding regarding periodic volcanic degassing, and evaluates the methods available for detecting periodicity, e.g., autocorrelation, variations of the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), and the continuous wavelet transform (CWT). Periodicities in volcanic degassing from published studies are summarised and statistically analysed, together with analyses of literature-derived datasets where periodicity had not previously been investigated. Finally, an overview of current knowledge on drivers of periodicity is presented and discussed in the framework of four main generating categories, including: (1) non-volcanic (e.g., atmospheric or tidally generated); (2) gas-driven, shallow conduit processes; (3) magma movement, intermediate to shallow storage zone; and (4) deep magmatic processes.

This study aims to find a communication model of contingency plan for disaster risk management of Sinabung Volcano eruption, in North Sumatera. The object of the research is communication and coordination across the government, non-government organization, and community. This study used planning theory, the concept of communication planning, and types of disaster management plan as tools for analysing. Descriptive qualitative is used as the method. Data collection was obtained from the focus group discussion (FGD), in-depth interviews, observation, and study documentation. There are three stages in descriptive qualitative research that is data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion. An analysis was conducted qualitatively on the program and competence actors. The results found the communication model of disaster risk management through documents of contingency planning to overcome the threat of Mount Sinabung eruption. During the emergency response period a core model was used to reduce the impact of the Mount Sinabung eruption. The contingency plan becomes the Karo District Government’s document. This document were authorized by an authorized official and is ready to be applied to the Emergency Response Operation Plan. Plans for emergency response operations are carried out based on information regarding damage and the need to obtain results of a quick review. Contingency plans are submitted to the legislature for political commitment and support and budget allocation.

Collapse calderas often experience large up and down movements, which rarely give rise to eruptions. The pattern of vertical deformation has generally an elliptical geometry, very close to a circular one. A simple and powerful method to explore second order anomalies of the volcanic caldera deformation patterns can enlighten important structural features. This method is here presented and applied to the case study of Campi Flegrei caldera ground deformation, representing a typical example of such a quasi-circular geometry, with dominant ground uplift occurring since 1950. Despite a markedly radial dependence of the vertical displacement, with a very constant shape in the time, we explore in the paper the second order anomalies, with respect to a purely radial behavior. To this aim, we have used a procedure based on the polynomial fit of the vertical displacement data, assuming they only depend on the distance from the maximum uplift point (i.e. deformation center); then, we have obtained anomalies map by subtracting from the theoretical deformation so determined the true data. We then obtain very peculiar results, which put in evidence a sharp separation between a less uplifted zone and a more uplifted one than expected, along a NE-SW alignment which approximately define the most seismically active area, in which most of the largest magnitude earthquakes occur. This very peculiar feature is likely to represent a main volcano-tectonic structure in the area, which can be of leading importance for evaluating both the highest seismic hazard area and the most likely zone of possible eruptive vent opening. The results obtained here indicate that the proposed method can be useful to analyze unrest related hazards.

Abstract: The present work evaluates the feasibility of using volcanic fly ash (VFA), generated by the eruption of the Tajogaite volcano on the island of La Palma (Spain) in 2021, as a precursor in the preparation of cementitious materials with different Portland cement (PC) replacement levels (0%, 30%, 70% and 100%), in the absence (Blended Cement, BC) and presence of an alkaline ac-tivator (Hybrid Alkaline Cement, HAC, and Alkaline Cements, AC). Hydration kinetics (isother-mal conduction calorimetry), paste mechanical strengths and reaction products were character-ised by XRD, FTIR, TG/DTG and BSEM/EDX. The results obtained indicate that the strengths de-veloped by the hybrid alkaline cements (HAC) are higher than those of the blended cements (BC), especially at the age of 2 days, where 25 MPa was obtained with the replacement of 70% PC by VFA. Alkaline cements (AC, 100% VFA) prepared with 8M NaOH solution as activator reached 40 MPa after 2 days. It was observed that in all the binders, depending on the initial composition of the binder mixture and the percentage of replacement and/or activator, VFA reacts to form cementitious gels, C-A-S-H and N-A-S-H type, which supports its use as a mineral addition to blended cement or as a precursor in the preparation of alkaline and hybrid alkaline cements.

The Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai underwater volcano (20.57°S, 175.38°W) violently erupted on 15 January 2022. The volcanic plume evolution during its initial stages is delineated by using Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate (COSMIC)-2 radio occultation (RO) measurements. The bending angle (BA) anomaly over the Tonga volcanic plume (within 200 km from the eruption center) at 5:17 UTC on 15 January shows a prominent peak at higher stratospheric heights. The top of the BA anomaly revealed that negative to positive change occurred at ~38 km indicating the first height where the RO line-of-sight encounters the volcanic plume. The BA anomaly further revealed an increase of ~50% at ~36 km and confirms the volcanic plume reached above ~36 km. Further, the evolution of BA perturbations within 24 hours after the initial explosion is also discussed. From collocated RO profiles with the volcanic plume, we find a clear descending of the peak altitude of the BA perturbation from ~36 km to ~30 km within 24 hours after the initial eruption. The results from the study will provide some insights into advancing our understanding of volcanic cloud dynamics and their implementation in volcanic plume modeling.

Fogo (Fogo island, Cape Verde Republic) is the youngest and most active volcano of the archipelago. The last eruption occurred in 2014–2015. Aiming at studying dust emissions and transport during the eruption period and assessing their impact on air quality and human health, a mineralogical and chemical characterization was undertaken in outdoor dust from all over the island, as well as in the lava resulting from this event. Air quality monitors were used to obtain concentrations of atmospheric particulate matter (PM) and gaseous pollutants. The mineralogical constitution of the samples was analysed by X-ray diffraction and Electron Microprobe, while the chemical characterization was performed through X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry and ICP-MS. The volcanic rock was found to be tephritic to basanitic, with high potassium content. Several minerals were identified, such as titanian augite with ilmenite, basaltic hornblendes, pyrrhotites, apatites, pyroxenes, basaltic hornblendes and hematites. Concentrations of the particulate matter inhalable fraction (PM10) exceeded the 24-hour mean of 50 µg/m3 recommended by the World Health Organization. Nevertheless, total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs) showed levels lower than the worrying range. The highest levels of CO2 were recorded in more populated villages and farthest from the volcano. The Pollution Load Index (PLI) for outdoor dust collected on rooftops was always above 1, suggesting enrichment, with higher values in the dust size fraction < 63 µm. In the same way, the Contamination Factor pointed to high enrichment of As, Ni and Pb, and very high enrichment of Cd in the same size fraction. The Non-carcinogenic Hazard Quotient and Hazard Index estimated for Children suggest that health problems may arise. The Carcinogenic Risk, for all size fractions, was above the target risk. The element that most contributed to the global risk was As, followed by Pb and Co. Ingestion was the main exposure route for all size fractions. The dust size fraction that represented the highest risk was < 63 µm, mostly due to the As concentration.

This paper has experimentally measured volcanic tufa electrical conductance. The calculations are carried out in accordance with the potential of cyclic voltammetry in a constant state. The cyclic voltammograms nanoelectrode platinum prepared electrochemically were examined in the range -0.2 to 1.2 V vs. AgCl [Cl^-]:1.0 M in the presence and absence of volcanic tuff in the aqueous solution of 1.0 M HCl. The cyclic voltammetry studies show that the Nano platinum film suffers degradation when the potential exceeds +0.85 V, and below this potential, it is quite stable. The redox reaction of the electrode is reversible. The nanoparticle platinum synthesized at low temperature and high acid concentration exhibits higher electronic conductivities. It has been observed that, relative to area under the peak aggregate tests, the use of volcanic concrete was showing a large increase in electrical conductivity. It was shown that with cyclic voltammetry, three well-defined anode peak could be achieved at a power of 0.0, 0.4 and 0.6 V versus Ag/AgCl.

Research into lightweight structural concrete using volcanic tuff is of great importance to the construction industry. These materials have excellent thermal insulation properties, which helps improve the energy efficiency of buildings. A three-factor experimental design was used to build the statistical model. The test methods used were methods for determining the crushability of volcanic tuff, determining the average density, compressive strength and thermal conductivity of lightweight structural concrete. The influence of basalt fiber on the properties of lightweight structural concrete has been determined. The optimal compositions of lightweight structural concrete using tuff have been selected. The compressive strength of lightweight structural concrete reached 32.0 MPa. The average density range is 1754.6-2114.0 kg/m³. Good thermal conductivity values ​​were obtained in the range of 0.653-0.818 W/m·K. The article obtained the optimal compositions of lightweight structural concrete using volcanic tuff as a filler.

We used population reconstruction techniques to assess for the first time the population dynamics of a seagrass, Cymodocea nodosa, exposed to long-term elevated CO₂ near three volcanic seeps and compare them with reference sites away from the seeps. Under high CO₂, the density of shoots and of individuals (apical shoots), and the vertical and horizontal elongation and production rates, were higher. Nitrogen effects on rhizome elongation and production rates and on biomass, were stronger than CO₂ as these were highest at the location where the availability of nitrogen was highest. At the seep where the availability of CO₂ was highest and nitrogen lowest, density of shoots and individuals were highest, probably due to CO₂ effects on shoot differentiation and induced reproductive output, respectively. In all three seeps there was higher short- and long-term recruitment and growth rates around zero, indicating that elevated CO₂ increases the turnover of C. nodosa shoots.

Archaeometry can help archaeologists in multiple instances, one of the common archaeometric goals are the provenance analyses. Volcanic stones appear frequently in archaeological sites as materials used to build grinding tools like millstones and mortars or as building materials. Petrographic characterization is commonly applied to identify their main mineralogical components. However, provenance of volcanic stones is usually undertaken by comparison with geochemical data from reference outcrops using common descriptive statistical tools such as biplots of chemical elements, and unsupervised multivariate data analysis like principal component analysis (PCA). Recently, the use of supervised classification methods has shown a superior performance in assigning provenance to archaeological samples. However, these methods require the use of reference databases for every possibly provenance class to be able to train the used classification algorithms. The existence of comprehensive collections of published geochemical analyses of igneous rocks enables the use of the supervised approach for provenance determination of volcanic stones. In this paper, the provenance of volcanic grinding tools from two archaeological sites (Iulia Libica, Spain and Sidi Zahruni, Tunisia) is attempted using data from the GEOROC Database through unsupervised and supervised approaches.

UV SO₂ cameras have become a common tool to measure and monitor SO₂-emission-rates, mostly from volcanoes but also from anthropogenic sources (e.g. power plants or ships). In the past years, the analysis of UV SO₂ camera data has seen many improvements. As a result, for many of the required analysis steps, several alternatives exist today. This inspired the development of Pyplis, an open-source software toolbox written in Python 2.7, which aims to unify the most prevalent methods from literature within a single, cross-platform analysis framework. Pyplis comprises a vast collection of algorithms relevant for the analysis of UV SO₂ camera data. These include several routines to retrieve plume background radiances as well as routines for cell and DOAS based camera calibration. The latter includes two independent methods to identify the DOAS field-of-view within the camera images. Plume velocities can be retrieved using an optical flow algorithm as well as signal cross-correlation. Furthermore, Pyplis includes a routine to perform a first order correction of the signal dilution effect. All required geometrical calculations are performed within a 3D model environment allowing for distance retrievals to plume and local terrain features on a pixel basis. SO₂-emission-rates can be retrieved simultaneously for an arbitrary number of plume intersections. Pyplis has been extensively and successfully tested using data from several field campaigns. Here, the main features are introduced using a dataset obtained at Mt. Etna, Italy on 16 September 2015.

Volcanic emissions (ash, gas, aerosols) dispersed in the atmosphere during explosive eruptions generate hazards affecting aviation, human health, air quality and the environment. We document for the first time the contamination of airspace by very fine volcanic ash due to sequences of tran-sient ash plumes from Mount Etna. The atmospheric dispersal of sub-10 μm (PM10) ash is mod-elled using the WRF-Chem model coupled online with meteorology and aerosols and offline with Mass Eruption Rates (MER) derived from near-vent Doppler radar measurements and inferred plume altitudes. We analyse two sequences of paroxysms with widely varied volcanological conditions and contrasted meteorological synoptic patterns in October–December 2013 and on 3-5 December 2015. We analyse the PM10 ash dispersal simulation maps in terms of time-averaged columnar ash density, concentration at specified flight levels averaged over the entire sequence interval, and daily average concentration during selected paroxysm days at these flight levels. The very fine ash from such eruption sequences is shown to easily contaminate the airspace around the volcano within a radius of about 1000 km in a matter of a few days. Synoptic patterns with relatively weak tropospheric currents lead to the accumulation of PM10 ash at a re-gional scale all around Etna. In this context, closely interspersed paroxysms tend to accumulate very fine ash more diffusively in the lower troposphere and in stretched ash clouds higher up in the troposphere. Low-pressure, high-winds weather systems tend to stretch ash clouds into ~100 km-wide clouds forming large-scale vortices 800-1600 km in diameter. Daily average PM10 ash concentrations commonly exceed the aviation hazard threshold up to 1000 km downwind from the volcano and up to the upper troposphere for intense paroxysms. Vertical distributions show ash cloud thicknesses in the range 0.7–3 km, and PM10 sometimes stagnating at ground level, represent a potential health hazard.

The main features of the instrumental global mean surface temperature (GMST) are reasonably well described by a simple linear response model driven by anthropogenic, volcanic and solar forcing. This model acts as a linear long-memory filter of the forcing signal. The physical interpretation of this filtering is the delayed response due to the thermal inertia of the ocean. This description is considerably more accurate if El Ni\~{n}o Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Atlantic Multi-decadal Oscillation (AMO) are regarded as additional forcing of the global temperature and hence subject to the same filtering as the other forcing components. By considering these as predictors in a linear regression scheme, more than 92\% of the variance in the instrumental GMST over the period 1870-2017 is explained by this model, and in particular all features of the 1998 -- 2015 hiatus, including its death. While the more prominent pauses during 1870 -- 1915 and 1940 -- 1970 can be attributed to clustering in time of strong volcanic eruptions, the recent hiatus is an unremarkable phenomenon that is attributed to ENSO and a small contribution from solar activity.

Zircon xenocrysts from alkali basalts in Ratanakiri Province, Cambodia, represent a unique low-Hf zircon, within a 12,000 km long Indo-Pacific megacryst zone. Colourless, yellow, brown and red crystals ({100}, {101}, subordinate {211}, {1103}), with hopper growth and corrosion features, range up to 20 cm in size. Zircon chemistry implicates juvenile, Zr-saturated, mantle-derived alkaline melt (Hf 0.6–0.7 wt%, Y <0.2 wt%, U+Th+REE <600 ppm, Zr/Hf 66–92, Eu/Eu*_N ~ 1, positive Ce/Ce*_N, HREE enrichment). Incompatible element depletion with increasing Yb/Sm_N from core to rim at ~ constant Hf suggests single stage growth. Ti-in-zircon temperatures (~570–740 °C) are lower than predicted by crystal morphology (800–900 °C) and decrease from core to rim (D_T = 10–50 °C). The d¹⁸O values (4.88 to 5.01‰ VSMOW) are relatively low for xenocrysts from the zircon Indo-Pacific zone (ZIP). The ¹⁷⁶Hf/¹⁷⁷Hf values (+ εHf 4.5–10.2) give T_{Depleted Mantle} model source ages of 260–462 Ma and T_Crustal ages of 391–754 Ma. The source magmas reflect variably depleted lithospheric mantle with little supracrustal input. Zircon U-Pb (0.88–1.56 Ma) and (U-Th)/He (0.86–1.02 Ma) ages are older than host basalt ages (~0.7 Ma), suggesting limited residence before transport. Zircon genesis suggests Zr-saturated, Al-undersaturated, carbonatitic-influenced, low-degree partial melting (<1%) of peridotitic mantle at ~60 km beneath the Indochina terrane.

The pride of power of the Spanish preachers of religious art is reflected in the church of Santo Domingo built between 1541 and 1688. This work of heritage architecture, one of the first to be built in the colonized city, was affected by multiple earthquakes, interventions, and constructions that do not have a clear record. A total of 13 samples were taken from the lining mortar inside the cloister, central nave, and side chapel, following the nondestructive testing protocols and standards suggested by the research team. The analysis included mineral characterization studies and quantitative analysis by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy with microanalysis of the samples. The results showed the presence of volcanic aggregates and lime lining and joint mortars, mortars of rustic composition and coarse manufacture. The resolution of the data of mineralogical composition and texture has allowed us to corroborate the historical information described by the chroniclers and to date relatively the studied sites and to establish a hypothesis of constructive stages.

We re-inventoried red wood ant nests (RWA) in 12 study sites (≈1281 ha) in the Westeifel Volcanic Field, Germany, in an area-wide and integrated ecosystem approach after 12 years. Combined with the re-identification of previously mapped nests using a photo database, this approach leads to more accurate nest counts in (re)inventories. A total increase of nests from 1144 (2009) to 1252 (2021), and a dramatic one for the Heidberg site by 52-fold (2009) and 85-fold (2021) compared to a 1984 inventory was observed, contrasting with earlier postulations of a decline in RWA. Early to medium mature (41-80 years) and mature (³81–140 years) spruce forests were the preferred habitat. Large increase in small nest sizes suggests an increase in new nest settlements also in clearings, despite climate-induced forest dieback over the past decade. A decline in biodiversity in the herbaceous layer was observed; highly proliferating blackberries had no negative impact on RWA nests. Monitoring of woodpecker cavities in RWA nests is suggested as an indirect indicator tool for evaluating populations in forests. Positive ground movement rates caused by the Eifel plume are suggested another factor favoring nest settlements. This study contributes to the urgent update of statistically valid data required to a) effectively substantiate the status-quo of RWA occurrences, b) protect RWA as ecosystem engineers, c) advance understanding of Geo-Bio-Interactions in the wake of climate change, and c) contribute to the German government's Insect Conservation Action Program.