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At least 253 records · Page 14

Evidence for multi-decadal fuel buildup in a large California wildfire from smoke radiocarbon measurements

In recent decades, there has been a significant increase in annual area burned in California's Sierra Nevada mountains. This rise in fire activity has prompted the need to understand how historical forest management practices affect fuel composition and emissions. Here we examined the total carbon (TC) concentration and radiocarbon abundance (Δ 14 C) of particulate matter (PM) emitted by the KNP Complex Fire, which occurred during California's 2021 wildfire season and affected several groves of giant sequoia trees in the southern Sierra Nevada. During a 26 h sampling period, we measured concentrations of fine airborne PM (PM 2.5 ), as well as dry air mole fractions of carbon monoxide (CO) and methane (CH 4 ), using a ground-based mobile laboratory. We also collected filter samples of PM 2.5 for analysis of TC concentration and Δ 14 C. High correlation among PM 2.5 , CO, and CH 4 time series confirmed that our PM 2.5 measurements captured variability in wildfire emissions. Using a Keeling plot approach, we determined that the mean Δ 14 C of PM 2.5 was 111.6 ± 7.7‰ (n = 12), which was considerably enriched relative to atmospheric carbon dioxide in the northern hemisphere in 2021 (-3.2 ± 1.4‰). Combining these Δ 14 C data with a steady-state one-box ecosystem model, we estimated that the mean age of fuels combusted in the KNP Complex Fire was 40 years, with a range of 29–57 years. These results provide evidence for emissions originating from woody biomass, larger-diameter fine fuels, and coarse woody debris that have accumulated over multiple decades. This is consistent with independent field observations that indicate high fire intensity contributed to widespread giant sequoia mortality. With the expanded use of prescribed fires planned over the next decade in California to mitigate wildfire impacts, our measurement approach has the potential to provide regionally-integrated estimates of the effectiveness of fuel treatment programs.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Examining future changes in coastal low-level jet properties offshore California through dynamical downscaling

The coastal low-level jet, or coastal low-level jet (CLLJ), is a synoptically-forced meteorological feature frequently present offshore the western United States (U.S.). Characterized by a wind speed maximum that resides at the top of the marine boundary layer, the CLLJ is largely controlled by the location and strength of the North Pacific High (NPH) as well as the coastal geometry. Considering the rich wind resource available in this offshore region, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management identified wind energy lease areas offshore California and supported the deployment of two U.S. Department of Energy wind lidar buoys near Morro Bay and Humboldt. Despite our relatively good understanding of the fundamental mechanisms responsible for large-scale CLLJ properties offshore the western U.S., future changes in CLLJ characteristics are less clear. To address this research challenge, and ultimately to better inform future wind turbine deployments, we use simulations driven by three global climate models (GCMs). We apply self-organizing maps to the model outputs for a historical and two future climate periods to show the range of NPH regimes that support CLLJ conditions during the warm seasons, as well as the subtle contribution from land-falling cyclones approaching the mainland during the cold seasons. Compared to the historical period, the three GCM-driven simulations agree that CLLJ conditions will become more (less) prevalent from central California northward (southward). They agree less with respect to future changes in maximum CLLJ wind speeds and CLLJ heights. However, after considering model biases present during the historical period, wind speeds between the models are actually more similar during the 2070–2095 period than during the historical period. The potential combination of more frequent CLLJ conditions characterized by relatively consistent wind speeds occurring at lower heights across northern California suggests that the Humboldt lease area may be ideal for a long-term wind turbine deployment.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Modulation of seismic noise near the San Jacinto fault in southern California: origin and observations of the cyclical time dependence and associated crustal properties

SUMMARY We examine the cyclic amplitude variation of seismic noise recorded by continuous three-component broad-band seismic data with durations spanning 91–713 d (2008–2011) from three different networks: Anza seismic network, IDA network and the transportable seismic array. These stations surround the San Jacinto Fault Zone (SJFZ) in southern California. We find the seismic noise amplitudes exhibit a cyclical variation between 0.3 and 7.2 Hz. The high-frequency (≥0.9 Hz) noise variations can be linked to human activity and are not a concern. Our primary interest is signals in the low frequencies (0.3–0.9 Hz), where the seismic noise is modulated by semi-diurnal tidal mode M2. These long-period (low-frequency) variations of seismic noise can be attributed to a temporal change of the ocean waves breaking at the shoreline, driven by ocean tidal loading. We focus on the M2 variation of seismic noise at f = 0.6 Hz, travelling distances of ∼92 km through the crust from offshore California to the inland Anza, California, region. Relative to the shoreline station, data from the inland stations show a phase lag of ∼ –12°, which we attribute to the cyclic change in M2 that can alter crustal seismic attenuation. We also find that for mode M2 at 0.6 Hz, the amplitude variations of the seismic quality factor (Q) depend on azimuth and varies from 0.22 per cent (southeast to northwest) to 1.28 per cent (northeast to southwest) with Q = 25 for Rayleigh waves. We propose the direction dependence of the Q variation at 0.6 Hz reflects the preferred orientation of subfaults parallel to the main faulting defined by the primarily N45°W strike of the SJFZ.

Geochemistry & Geophysics↗

Gene and genome duplications have contrasting impacts on biosynthetic and flower developmental pathways in California poppy

Benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs) represent a vast group of specialized plant metabolites with diverse pharmaceutical applications, synthesized by a variety of gene families. Among the multiple plant lineages that produce BIAs, the most notable is the poppy family (Papaveraceae), with California poppy (Eschscholzia californica) emerging as a model organism. Here, we report a haplotype-resolved genome assembly, in combination with a high-density expression atlas, for California poppy. Genome analyses reveal recent diversification of BIA biosynthesis genes in poppy through localized duplications. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the degree of phylogenetic relatedness among paralogs within BIA biosynthesis-associated gene families correlates with similarities in gene expression. In contrast, gene families involved in carotenoid biosynthesis, which contributes to the intense orange petal pigmentation, are not phylogenetically clustered, and floral developmental regulators exhibit a high degree of retention of gene duplicates associated with ancient polyploidy events. These findings illustrate alternative roles for gene and genome duplications as drivers of trait evolution. Given the position of California poppy in the angiosperm phylogeny, the high-quality genomic resources generated for this work constitute a valuable resource for comparative genomic and transcriptomic analyses for poppies and flowering plants more generally.

Rössner, Le-Han [Justus-Liebig University, Giessen↗

Forecast of Wildfire Potential Across California USA Using a Transformer

Wildfires are a major issue facing the United States, a matter further exacerbated by an ever-changing climate. In California alone, wildfires are responsible for billions of dollars in damages and take lives each year. Accurately predicting fire danger conditions allows preparation awareness before wildfires start. Transformers are a class of deep learning models designed to identify patterns in sequential datasets. In recent years, transformers have gained popularity through their impressive performance in natural language processing and other applications of signal recognition. This analysis demonstrates the ability of a transformer with a residual connection to forecast fire danger potential over the state of California. Wildland fire potential index (WFPI) maps collected from the US Geological Survey database from January 1st 2020 to December 31st 2023 were used to tune, train and evaluate the transformer. Meteorological inputs (provided by Daymet daily weather and climatological summaries), the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) (calculated from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS)), and outputs from the Scott and Burgman fire behavior fuel models (to characterize maps of fuel types), were used as inputs. Our results show that a transformer can effectively emulate the US Forest Service modeled WFPI maps of California USA for four week long forecasts over the month of July, 2023, with correlations ranging from 0.85 – 0.98.

Limber, Russell [ORNL]↗

Potential Benefits of Vehicle-to-Grid Technology in California: High Value for Capabilities Beyond One-Way Managed Charging

With Electric Vehicles (EVs) Rapidly becoming more popular, combined with a need for flexible energy storage resources in the electric grid, the development of vehiclegrid integration (VGI) technology has taken on a new urgency. VGI encompasses any technology that helps EVs better integrate with the grid, including management of charging and control of bidirectional charging and discharging. The habit of managing the one-directional flow of power from the grid to vehicles (V1G) is currently being rolled out across California and in many places where EVs have become popular. V1G programs in California include San Diego Gas and Electric's Power Your Drive, EV-specific retail tariffs from Southern California Edison, and the Charge Forward smart charging pilot program from Pacific Gas and Electric in collaboration with automaker BMW.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Value to the Grid From Managed Charging Based on California's High Renewables Study

Managed charging of electric vehicle (EV) loads has the potential to use renewable energy more effectively, shave peak demand, and fill demand valleys while serving transportation needs. However, the potential value to the grid from managed charging has not been fully quantified. This paper adopts the tools used in the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's California Low Carbon Grid Study to quantify value to the grid from managed charging by using three levels of managed loads for 13 terawatt-hours of annual load from three million EVs in a 2030 California grid scenario. Simulation results show that management of the EV fleet's aggregate load from unmanaged to 100% managed results in savings between 210 million and 660 million annually in generation system costs, depending on grid conditions. The simulation results also suggest that targeted EV supply equipment (EVSE) deployments at workplaces and other mid-day parking locations will be needed to support managed charging in a high-renewables California and enable the identified value to the grid. Although the value of generation to the grid from managed EV load paired with high renewables seems substantial, we estimate that the installed cost of an EVSE must be between 1,000 and 3,000 for a 10-year life to be cost neutral, depending on grid conditions.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

The good, the bad, and the future: Systematic review identifies best use of biomass to meet air quality and climate policies in California

Abstract California has large and diverse biomass resources and provides a pertinent example of how biomass use is changing and needs to change, in the face of climate mitigation policies. As in other areas of the world, California needs to optimize its use of biomass and waste to meet environmental and socioeconomic objectives. We used a systematic review to assess biomass use pathways in California and the associated impacts on climate and air quality. Biomass uses included the production of renewable fuels, electricity, biochar, compost, and other marketable products. For those biomass use pathways recently developed, information is available on the effects—usually beneficial—on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and there is some, but less, published information on the effects on criteria pollutants. Our review identifies 34 biomass use pathways with beneficial impacts on either GHG or pollutant emissions, or both—the “good.” These included combustion of forest biomass for power and conversion of livestock‐associated biomass to biogas by anaerobic digestion. The review identified 13 biomass use pathways with adverse impacts on GHG emissions, criteria pollutant emissions, or both—the “bad.” Wildfires are an example of one out of eight pathways which were found to be bad for both climate and air quality, while only two biomass use pathways reduced GHG emissions relative to an identified counterfactual but had adverse air quality impacts. Issues of high interest for the “future” included land management to reduce fire risk, future policies for the dairy industries, and full life‐cycle analysis of biomass production and use.

Agriculture↗

Indoor air quality in new and renovated low-income apartments with mechanical ventilation and natural gas cooking in California

This work presents pollutant concentrations and performance data for code-required mechanical ventilation equipment in 23 low-income apartments at 4 properties constructed or renovated 2013-2017. All apartments had natural gas cooking burners. Occupants pledged to not use windows for ventilation during the study but several did. Measured airflows of range hoods and bathroom exhaust fans were lower than product specifications. Only eight apartments operationally met all ventilation code requirements. Pollutants measured over one week in each apartment included time-resolved fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ), nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ), formaldehyde and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and time-integrated formaldehyde, NO 2 and nitrogen oxides (NO X ). Compared to a recent study of California houses with code-compliant ventilation, apartments were smaller, had fewer occupants, higher densities, and higher mechanical ventilation rates. Mean PM 2.5 , formaldehyde, NO 2 , and CO 2 were 7.7 µg/m 3 , 14.1 ppb, 18.8 ppb, and 741 ppm in apartments; these are 4% lower, 25% lower, 165% higher, and 18% higher compared to houses with similar cooking frequency. Four apartments had weekly PM 2.5 above the California annual outdoor standard of 12 µg/m 3 and also discrete days above the World Health Organization 24-h guideline of 25 µg/m 3 . Two apartments had weekly NO 2 above the California annual outdoor standard of 30 ppb.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Characterization of a monoclonal antibody specific to California serogroup orthobunyaviruses and development as a chimeric immunoglobulin M-positive control in human diagnostics

ABSTRACT California serogroup viruses (CSGVs) of medical importance in the United States include La Crosse virus, Jamestown Canyon virus (JCV), California encephalitis virus, and snowshoe hare virus. Current diagnosis of CSGVs relies heavily on serologic techniques for detecting immunoglobulin M (IgM), an indication of a recent CSGV infection. However, human-positive control sera reactive to viruses in the serogroup are scarce because detection of recent infections is rare. Here, we describe the development of new murine monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) reactive to CSGVs and the engineering of a human-murine chimeric antibody by combining the variable regions of the broadly CSGV cross-reactive murine MAb, 3-3B6/2-3B2 and the constant region of the human IgM. MAb 3-3B6/2-3B2 recognizes a tertiary epitope on the Gn/Gc heterodimer, and epitopes important in JCV neutralization were mapped to the Gc glycoprotein. This engineered human IgM constitutively expressed in a HEK-293 stable cell line can replace human-positive control sera in diagnostic serological techniques such as IgM antibody capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (MAC-ELISA). Compared to the parent murine MAbs, the human-chimeric IgM antibody had identical serological activity to CSGVs in ELISA and demonstrated equivalent reactivity compared to human immune sera in the MAC-ELISA. Importance Orthobunyaviruses in the California serogroup cause severe neurological disease in children and adults. While these viruses are known to circulate widely in North America, their occurrence is rare. Serological testing for CSGVs is hindered by the limited availability and volumes of human-positive specimens needed as controls in serologic assays. Here, we described the development of a murine monoclonal antibody cross-reactive to CSGVs engineered to contain the variable regions of the murine antibody on the backbone of human IgM. The chimeric IgM produced from the stably expressing HEK293 cell line was evaluated for use as a surrogate human-positive control in a serologic diagnostic test.

Microbiology↗

Bacterial response to the 2021 Orange County, California, oil spill was episodic but subtle relative to natural fluctuations

ABSTRACT An oil spill began in October 2021 off the coast of Orange County, California, releasing 24,696 gallons of crude oil into coastal environments. Although oil spills, such as this one, are recurrent accidents along the California coast, no prior studies have been performed to examine the severity of the local bacterial response. A coastal 10-year time series of short-read metagenomes located within the impacted area allowed us to quantify the magnitude and duration of the disturbance relative to natural fluctuations. We found that the largest change in bacterial beta-diversity occurred at the end of October. The change in taxonomic beta-diversity corresponded with an increase in the sulfur-oxidizing clade Candidatus Thioglobus, an increase in the total relative abundance of potential hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria, and an anomalous decline in the picocyanobacteria Synechococcus . Similarly, changes in function were related to anomalous declines in photosynthetic pathways and anomalous increases in sulfur metabolism pathways as well as aromatic degradation pathways. There was a lagged response in taxonomy and function to peaks in total PAHs. One week after peaks in total PAH concentrations, the largest shifts in taxonomy were observed, and 1 week after the taxonomy shifts were observed, unique functional changes were seen. This response pattern was observed twice during our sampling period, corresponding with the combined effect of resuspended PAHs and increased nutrient concentrations due to physical transport events. Thus, the impact of the spill on bacterial communities was temporally extended and demonstrates the need for continued monitoring for longer than 3 months after initial oil exposure. IMPORTANCE Oil spills are common occurrences in waterways, releasing contaminants into the aquatic environment that persist for long periods of time. Bacterial communities are rapid responders to environmental disturbances, such as oil spills. Within bacterial communities, some members will be susceptible to the disturbance caused by crude oil components and will decline in abundance, whereas others will be opportunistic and will be able to use crude oil components for their metabolism. In many cases, when an oil spill occurs, it is difficult to assess the oil spill’s impact because no samples were collected prior to the accident. Here, we examined the bacterial response to the 2021 Orange County oil spill using a 10-year time series that lies within the impacted area. The results presented here are significant because (i) susceptible and opportunistic taxa to oil spills within the coastal California environment are identified and (ii) the magnitude and duration of the in situ bacterial response is quantified for the first time.

Brock, Melissa L. (ORCID:0000000340329241)↗

Characterizing Spatial and Temporal Variability of California’s Coastal Upwelling Using a Satellite-Derived CUTI Index

Ocean upwelling off California is a wind-driven coastal process with complex interactions between spatial wind patterns and sea surface temperatures. Large-scale spatial and temporal upwelling characterizations are traditionally based on numerical models, while quantifying upwelling with direct observations is not straightforward. To complement model-based upwelling characterizations, here we use satellite estimates of winds, sea surface temperatures, and ocean currents along the California coast to calculate the coastal upwelling transport index (CUTI), originally calculated from a numerical ocean model. The CUTI framework accounts for both Ekman and geostrophic offshore-directed ocean transport, the latter of which is often neglected in satellite-based upwelling assessments. The approach yields the CUTI over a 30-yr period at a daily temporal and 0.25° spatial resolution to analyze upwelling patterns, with focus on potential Morro Bay and Humboldt wind energy areas. Morro Bay (CUTI median of 0.63 m 2 s −1 ) exhibits stronger, more consistent upwelling throughout the year, whereas Humboldt (CUTI median of 0.45 m 2 s −1 ) exhibits a pronounced seasonal cycle with strongest upwelling in the summer and occasional downwelling in winter. The cluster analysis of 1993–2022 satellite maps of CUTI identifies four characteristic spatial upwelling patterns along the coast, corresponding to distinct spatial distributions of sea surface temperature anomalies, Ekman transport, and geostrophic ocean water transport. This dataset provides an observation-based foundation for characterizing natural coastal upwelling off the California coast, showing good agreement with the original model CUTI while being based on satellite data and offering increased spatial resolution.

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗

Identifying Meteorological Drivers for Errors in Modeled Winds along the Northern California Coast

Abstract An accurate wind resource dataset is required for assessing the potential energy yield of floating offshore wind farms that are expected along the California outer continental shelf. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has developed and disseminated an updated wind resource dataset offshore of California, using the Weather Research and Forecasting Model, referred to as the CA20 dataset. As compared to buoy lidar measurements that have become available recently, the CA20 dataset showed significant positive biases for 100-m wind speeds along Northern California wind energy lease areas. To investigate the meteorological drivers for the model errors, we first consider two 1-yr simulations run with two different planetary boundary layer (PBL) parameterizations: the Mellor–Yamada–Nakanishi–Niino (MYNN) PBL scheme (the chosen configuration in the CA20 dataset) and the Yonsei University PBL scheme (which significantly reduces the bias in modeled winds). By comparing the 1-yr simulations to the concurrent lidar buoy observations, we find that errors are larger with the MYNN PBL scheme in warm seasons. We then dive deeper into the analysis by running simulations for short-term (3-day) case studies to evaluate the sensitivity of initial/boundary condition forcings on model results. By analyzing the short-term simulations, we find that during synoptic-scale northerly flows driven by the North Pacific high and inland thermal low, a coastal warm bias in the MYNN simulation is mainly responsible for the modeled wind speed bias by altering the boundary layer thermodynamics. The results of our analysis will help guide the creation of an updated version of the CA20 dataset.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

Pollutant Exposures from Natural Gas Cooking Burners: A Simulation-Based Assessment for Southern California

Background: Residential natural gas cooking burners (NGCBs) can emit substantial quantities of pollutants, and they are typically used without venting range hoods. Objective: We quantified pollutant concentrations and occupant exposures resulting from NGCB use in California homes. Methods: A mass-balance model was applied to estimate time-dependent pollutant concentrations throughout homes in Southern California and the exposure concentrations experienced by individual occupants. We estimated nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and formaldehyde (HCHO) concentrations for 1 week each in summer and winter for a representative sample of Southern California homes. The model simulated pollutant emissions from NGCBs as well as NO2 and CO entry from outdoors, dilution throughout the home, and removal by ventilation and deposition. Residence characteristics and outdoor concentrations of NO2 and CO were obtained from available databases. We inferred ventilation rates, occupancy patterns, and burner use from household characteristics. We also explored proximity to the burner(s) and the benefits of using venting range hoods. Replicate model executions using independently generated sets of stochastic variable values yielded estimated pollutant concentration distributions with geometric means varying by < 10%. Results: The simulation model estimated that—in homes using NGCBs without coincident use of venting range hoods—62%, 9%, and 53% of occupants are routinely exposed to NO2, CO, and HCHO levels that exceed acute health-based standards and guidelines. NGCB use increased the sample median of the highest simulated 1-hr indoor concentrations by 100, 3,000, and 20 ppb for NO2, CO, and HCHO, respectively. Conclusions: Reducing pollutant exposures from NGCBs should be a public health priority. Simulation results suggest that regular use of even moderately effective venting range hoods would dramatically reduce the percentage of homes in which concentrations exceed health-based standards.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

The Monkeys and Parrots of Gold Rush-era California

As immigrant gold miners migrated en masse to San Francisco and northern California during the Gold Rush-era (ca. 1849–1855), they experienced new animals. Stopping in ports throughout Central and South America, these argonauts saw, felt, smelled, heard, and occasionally consumed, mammals, birds, reptiles, and many more creatures, which were wholly exotic to those species found at home. Two types of animals that the Gold Rush populace encountered during this era include parrots and monkeys. Although found throughout tropical environments in areas far distant from northern California, these animals became quickly imported to San Francisco during the early 1850s. A wild, turbulent Gold Rush-era helped facilitate the importation of these exotic animal types, both for comfort and entertainment, as they helped provide a source of companionship for miners unaccustomed to the shock of 1850s northern California.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

2015-2017 California Vehicle Survey

The 2015-2017 California Vehicle Survey of residential and commercial light-duty vehicle owners in California assessed consumer preferences for vehicles and included a targeted sample of plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) owners. Resource Systems Group conducted the survey on behalf of the California Energy Commission. In addition to economic and demographic data, the survey integrated light-duty vehicle holding and use information with vehicle choice data collected via the stated preferences survey's set of eight vehicle and fuel type choice exercises. The PEV owner survey participants provided additional data on charging behavior, electricity rates, and their main motivations for purchasing PEVs.

1Hz data↗

2009 National Household Travel Survey - California Add-On

The California add-on survey supplements the 2009 National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) with additional household samples and detailed travel behavior for an assigned travel day. The NHTS was conducted by the Federal Highway Administration, which collected data on the demographic and socioeconomic composition of households, as well as detailed information on travel behavior nationwide. State transportation departments and metropolitan planning agencies had the opportunity to purchase extra household samples as part of the NHTS add-on program. These additional samples, along with national samples collected in the add-on areas, are compiled for use in transportation planning, forecasting, and research. The California Department of Transportation participated in the NHTS add-on program and received a total of 21,225 household samples in California, from March 2008 through May 2009.

1Hz data↗

2017 National Household Travel Survey - California Add-On

The California add-on survey supplements the 2017 National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) with additional household samples and detailed travel behavior for an assigned travel day. The NHTS was conducted by the Federal Highway Administration, which collected data on the demographic and socioeconomic composition of households, as well as detailed information on travel behavior nationwide. State transportation departments and metropolitan planning agencies had the opportunity to purchase extra household samples as part of the NHTS add-on program. These additional samples, along with national samples collected in the add-on areas, are compiled for use in transportation planning, forecasting, and research. The California Department of Transportation participated in the NHTS add-on program and received a total of 26,095 household samples in California, from April 2016 through April 2017.

1Hz data↗