Preprints
Filtering by Subject: Physical Sciences and Mathematics
First-principles theory for Earth's tropical-midlatitude climate boundary
Published: 2026-04-22
Subjects: Physical Sciences and Mathematics
In Earth's climate, the boundary between the tropics and midlatitudes is a key determinant of temperature and precipitation characteristics, influencing human societies through daily weather, atmospheric chemistry, carbon cycling, and vegetation distribution. The physical origin of these climate zones has been investigated through idealized simulations, observations, and state-of-the-art climate [...]
A hybrid physics–ML framework for integrating groundwater dynamics into land surface modeling
Published: 2026-04-22
Subjects: Engineering, Physical Sciences and Mathematics
Settling and Rising Dynamics of River Litter
Published: 2026-04-22
Subjects: Engineering, Life Sciences, Physical Sciences and Mathematics
Global assessments of river litter transport, accumulation, and export to the oceans remain constrained because the particle-scale hydrodynamic variables governing litter movement are currently unknown. We resolve this by explaining the vertical dynamics of full-scale river litter in quiescent water through multi-camera, three-dimensional trajectory reconstructions of over a thousand litter items [...]
A Meteorological Indicator for Particulate Matter Emissions: Adapting the Hot-Dry-Windy Index to Predict Feedlot Evening Dust Peaks
Published: 2026-04-21
Subjects: Agriculture, Animal Sciences, Bioresource and Agricultural Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Environmental Sciences, Life Sciences, Physical Sciences and Mathematics
Particulate matter emissions from cattle feedlot operations pose significant challenges to both livestock productivity and air quality in surrounding communities. The evening dust peak (EDP) has been documented for decades, but comprehensive long-term studies examining its meteorological drivers are very limited. While laboratory and field-scale investigations have demonstrated that feedlot [...]
Regional Economic Impacts and Emission Responses under Solar Radiation Modification
Published: 2026-04-20
Subjects: Atmospheric Sciences, Climate, Nature and Society Relations, Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology, Physical Sciences and Mathematics, Social and Behavioral Sciences
Solar Radiation Modification (SRM) has been proposed as a potential tool to limit increases in global or regional temperatures caused by anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. While previous research has extensively examined the climate system's response to various SRM strategies, as well as their aggregate economic consequences, the regional distribution of economic impacts has received less [...]
Storm life cycle modulates extreme hydroclimate impact risk: a Great Lakes Region case study
Published: 2026-04-18
Subjects: Atmospheric Sciences, Fresh Water Studies, Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology, Physical Sciences and Mathematics
Extratropical cyclones (ETCs) drive hydroclimate variability in the Great Lakes, yet their impacts vary widely between events. Here, we classify ETCs into two storm types using an unsupervised clustering approach based on storm properties and evolution. The resulting classes differ systematically in life cycle stage at Great Lakes entry. Using bootstrap-estimated risk ratios and risk differences, [...]
Beyond universal access: mapping regional inequalities and spatial coldspots in India’s WaSH sector toward SDG 6
Published: 2026-04-17
Subjects: Life Sciences, Physical Sciences and Mathematics
National averages can conceal significant sectoral disparities and long-standing subnational injustices, despite the fact that India’s flagship programs had significantly improved access to water and sanitation. This report provided a thorough, data-driven evaluation of the water, sanitation, and hygiene (WaSH) in all 37 Indian states and union territories (UTs) using 25 indicators. Pearson’s [...]
Meteorite Classification Using Triple Oxygen Isotopes
Published: 2026-04-17
Subjects: Physical Sciences and Mathematics
For decades, measurements of all three isotopes of oxygen have been made in a handful of specialized laboratories around the world. These measurements either confirm meteorite classifications or prevent misclassification of terrestrial materials. Isotope geochemists making these measurements, in collaboration with meteorite enthusiasts and scientists, frequently receive questions regarding best [...]
Beyond national averages: a multi-method assessment of sub-national environmental sustainability and inequality in India
Published: 2026-04-17
Subjects: Life Sciences, Physical Sciences and Mathematics
India’s rapid economic growth regularly jeopardizes its environmental foundation, although important sub-national differences were typically hidden by national-level evaluations. For all 37 Indian states and union territories (UTs), this study creates the Composite index of Environmental Sustainability (CoES), a comprehensive multi-dimensional framework that integrates 36 indicators across 4 [...]
VolcAshDB open services for visualization and semi-automated classification of volcanic ash particles
Published: 2026-04-16
Subjects: Physical Sciences and Mathematics
Volcanic ash particles contain critical pieces of information about their origin and the processes driving the eruptive activity. However, the classification of particles into different types (juvenile, lithic, free crystal, altered material) is not standardized and varies from observer to observer. As a result, datasets produced by different research groups are often difficult or not possible to [...]
A prescribed wave probe reveals phase hidden vortex force memory in turbulence
Published: 2026-04-16
Subjects: Fluid Dynamics, Physical Sciences and Mathematics
Phase averaging closes the equations of multi scale flows by removing bilinear couplings with vanishing one time means. Their two time correlations can still survive. We test this distinction for waves passing through turbulence. We study the stochastic vortex force in direct numerical simulation of homogeneous isotropic turbulence. This wave vorticity coupling is removed by classical phase [...]
The Geological Pathway Diversity Model (GPDM): A Unified Classification and Predictive Framework for Anomalous Luminous Phenomena
Published: 2026-04-16
Subjects: Atmospheric Sciences, Geology, Geophysics and Seismology, Other Physics, Physical Sciences and Mathematics, Tectonics and Structure
This version supersedes v2.4 (April 2026). Following publication, the authors conducted a systematic adversarial self-review, submitting specific claims to independent multi-model critique with instruction to attack from the strongest available disciplinary angle. Four peripheral elements were identified as not meeting the evidentiary standard of the core framework and have been [...]
Width-Saturated Fault Scaling and AI-Driven Seismic Hazard: A Global First-Principles Machine Learning Framework
Published: 2026-04-16
Subjects: Physical Sciences and Mathematics
Traditional probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA) relies on empirical magnitude-area scaling relationships that systematically overestimate energy release in large, geometrically saturated fault systems. This study presents a dynamic, data-driven framework integrating first-principles geophysics with Gaussian Process Regression (GPR) to produce a physics-informed global seismic hazard [...]
A Google Earth Engine Tool for Mapping Key Metrics of Glacier Health from Space
Published: 2026-04-14
Subjects: Physical Sciences and Mathematics
Satellite-based observations enable monitoring of glacier health metrics, essential for assessing glacier response to climate change and the environmental services they provide. Here, we present a Google Earth Engine tool for automated mapping of key climate- and mass balance- modulated parameters, including total visible ice area, snow-covered area (SCA), accumulation-area ratio, and snowline [...]
Estimating the ice thickness and water depth of a frozen lake using flexural waves recorded by distributed acoustic sensing
Published: 2026-04-14
Subjects: Earth Sciences, Geophysics and Seismology, Physical Sciences and Mathematics
Information about frozen lakes, including ice rigidity, ice thickness, and water depth, is essential for both environmental studies and practical applications. Although these properties can be measured in the field, such measurements are labor-intensive and spatially limited, motivating the development of alternative observation methods. Seismic waves offer an alternative approach to studying [...]