River restoration is something that is often used to help restore watercourses that were historically used for timber floating. In these restorations, instream wood (IW) plays a big role in increasing biodiversity and habitat heterogeneity in watercourses. Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have proven to be useful when monitoring changes following river restoration but there is a need for less time-consuming methods to detect IW. This study’s objective was to investigate IW following a river restoration in an alluvial reach in Vargån, Northern Sweden and how well UAVs can be used to do this. Manual digitizing of IW was done in GIS from orthomosaics of three different flight occasions: pre-restoration, directly after and one year after restoration. An object- and color-based automated image thresholding was done to investigate if it could be used to automatically detect IW. The results showed that there were differences in number of IW, volume, width, and length between the different flight occasions. There was also indication that there had been movement of IW as well as changes in cluster composition, with more clusters with a higher number of wood pieces in the latest flight occasion. The automated image thresholding was able to accurately detect IW with an accuracy of 47,4 %, but it had limitations due to natural conditions. However, it showed the possibility of using automated methods to detect IW and with improvements it could become a faster and more accessible way of detecting IW in river monitoring.

Groundwater abstraction for irrigation use has steadily increased over the past decades, resulting in additional evaporation to the atmosphere, and increased precipitation. The precipitation stemming from groundwater irrigation (or Groundwater-dependent precipitation) has received little attention during recent years and is solely researched by the Eulerian model. This study aims to provide a supplement and improvement of the global fate of groundwater-dependent precipitation with the Lagrangian model outcome. The analysis combines the UTrack model output between 2008 to 2017, a global groundwater irrigation area map, groundwater abstraction from PCR-GLOBWB version 1, and groundwater irrigation efficiency to generate the global groundwater-dependent precipitation trajectory from 2001 to 2010. The primary assumption is that atmospheric factors do not change significantly in all pressure levels during 2001 – 2010 and 2008 – 2017. The simulation result shows that groundwater-dependent precipitation is generally more substantial in Asia than in other continents. Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal, India, Yemen, and Afghanistan are the top six countries receiving high groundwater-dependent precipitation contributions monthly and yearly. Moreover, groundwater-dependent precipitation in the continent and country shows a significant seasonal change in the monthly average. A country or continent with a high groundwater abstraction does not necessarily receive a massive amount of groundwater-dependent precipitation regardless of monthly and yearly scale. For instance, China has a yearly average groundwater abstraction of 100 km3 year-1 but receives less than 1% groundwater-dependent precipitation contribution per year. Approximately 75% of groundwater-dependent precipitation falls into the land, and 25% ends in the ocean from 2001 to 2010. The groundwater-dependent precipitation does not significantly contribute to land and ocean, with 0.16% and 0.015%, respectively. Consequently, the study suggests groundwater-dependent precipitation does not have a greater effect on downwind area precipitation on a yearly scale but a larger effect during a specific month. The highest monthly average groundwater-dependent contribution is 18% in January, whereas the highest yearly groundwater-dependent contribution is 2.5% in 2006. Major regions with high groundwater-dependent precipitation contributions are found along the Himalayas Range from January to April and moving eastward to Arabic Peninsula in July.

The Sub artic regions are becoming increasingly important due to the effects of climate change. In northern Sweden, thawing of permafrost has led to significant increases in annual minimum flows in several catchments. This has led to studies of groundwater flow, responses to precipitation and runoff, and subsurface connectivity of springs on slopes. However, there remains a limited understanding of the interplay between surface flow and subsurface flow in the hillslopes of subarctic region. There is a need to better understand the flow pathways and connectivity of groundwater flows within the slopes. This study aims to analyze the interactions between surface flow and subsurface flow on an Sub artic mountainside. Utilizing tracer experiments and a hydrological model, the complex dynamics governing water movement within this intricate system have been studied.  Tracer experiments affirmed the hydraulic connection between hillslope and spring. The spring's response to tracer injection hinted at dominant preferential flow paths within the regolith layer's base. Nonetheless, only 40% mass recovery raised queries about factors affecting the flow in the hillslope. Thus, in this project, a model was developed using Advanced Terrestrial Simulator (ATS) to examine the dominant flow processes and evaluate the influence of various hydrogeology parameters and fluid flow properties on tracer movement. The results highlight the dominance of subsurface flows occurring close to the surface. The parameter sensitivity analysis conducted in the study showed that roughness coefficient and permeability significantly influenced specific pathways and directions that water, and tracers took as they moved through the hillslope's subsurface layers and regolith.  However, the model has limitations, such as neglecting the lateral variations of the subsurface material, seasonal freeze-thaw processes and the simplified representation of the slope and catchment. The results of this study show the need for utilizing more field-based methodologies and further refinement of the modeling approach to improve our understanding of hydrologic processes in high latitude areas.

This study aims at increasing the amount of data available on recent past Swedish glacier front variations, at improving the knowledge on the present behavior of these glaciers, and at contributing to the defnition of the guideline for future of glacier front observations in Sweden. To do so, the study proposes Sentinel-2 based yearly front variation measurements for 22 Swedish glaciers between 2015 and 2022, calculated based on the multicentreline approach of the MaQiT tool. It also assesses the uncertainty of Sentinel-2 based mapping by comparing it to 0.48 m spatial resolution aerial imagery based mapping and to field based mapping conducted on four northern Sweden glaciers during the end of the summer 2022: Kaskasatj SE, Kebnepakteglaciären, Mårmaglaciären, and Storglaciären. The fieldwork included handheld GNSS, UAV photogrammetry, and total station survey in order to compare the three methods in the mapping of glacier fronts. This study also compares the measured glaciers front variations to climatic factors and glaciers boundary conditions. The resulting glacier front variations in Sweden between 2015 and 2022, averaged over all glaciers studied, is −10.28 m yr−1. Small glaciers retreated on average 0.51 % of their length per year, while large glaciers retreated on average 0.35 % per year. This study highlights the importance of recording yearly front positions of a large amount of glaciers, and therefore encourages for the future the use of satellite imagery to observe all Swedish glaciers fronts on a yearly basis. It also supports the conduction of regular UAV photogrammetry surveys to provide high resolution mapping of a sample of glacier fronts chosen for their vicinity with the Tarfala Research Station, the Swedish field centre for glaciological and alpine research.

No description available.

As the climate change affects the world, a huge number of people are expected to be displaced from their homes, either voluntarily or involuntarily. These events are expected to increase during the second half of the century in the current state. The unique geographical location of northern Europe provides favorable conditions for agriculture, energy production, and water resources. Furthermore, the politically stable situation contributes to the many pull factors and is likely to result in increased immigration to Sweden, both within EU borders as well as outside the EU. This requires that Sweden's communities are socially sustainable. However, municipalities generally lack developed planning for social sustainability, and there is significant disagreement on how social sustainability should be interpreted and then applied in Sweden's communities. Often, the municipalities turn to Agenda 2030, the UNDP Sustainable Development Goals, and their interpretation of social sustainability. According to researchers, the level of trust between people as well as the strengthening of social capital in the communities, both at the local level and nationwide, are of utmost importance to ensure a functioning democratic society. At the same time, trust and social capital are missing as Sustainable Development Goals and as goal targets, which means that Swedish municipalities tend not to discuss how to implement building interpersonal trust into their plans. Interpersonal trust is also on the decline in Sweden, which traditionally always had a high level of interpersonal trust. Therefore, a clearer definition of the concept of social sustainability is requested, as well as the inclusion of "Interpersonal Trust" as a goal target in Goal 11 of the Sustainable Development Goals.In addition to existing economic models, a model that focuses more on social sustainability is needed. Such an economic model is Doughnut Economics. The economic model must include interpersonal trust and social capital in the social foundation, which is not the case as of now. Therefore, an adjustment of that model is required. A shift from the classical growth goals to social and ecological goals is needed in order to make the shift. An implementation of an economic model that includes social sustainability and goals for interpersonal trust and social capital is requested. By doing this, Swedish municipalities are better prepared to meet the challenges with increasing migration in the second half of the century

Aeolian dust is an important but poorly understood component of the climate system, which both responds to and drives global climate. Recently, dust produced at the high latitudes is also gaining attention as a possible contributor to the atmospheric dust load. However, little is known about its past dynamics and well­ dated records close to the former ice margins at the higher latitudes are scarce. Loess in Brittany region, France, is, therefore a valuable archive of the past dustiness, climate and landscape dynamics close to the former margins of the British–Irish and Fennoscandian ice sheets. However, knowledge of the timing of its deposition and accumulation dynamics, based on a detailed and independent chronology, is mostly lacking. Here, loess stratigraphy at the newly established site Primel Trégastel (Brittany, France) is presented. Loess deposits are dated in detail by optically stimulated luminescence of quartz. Moreover, to account for a variable past dust activity, loess sedimentation and dust mass accumulation rates are derived from a continuous Bayesian age model. Furthermore, this thesis tests the hypothesis of whether the same wind and dust accumulation patterns from the north of the Channel system can also be traced south the English Channel. Luminescence ages and Bayesian age modelling results show a phase of enhanced dust accumulation between 22.5–25.5 ka, coinciding with the Heinrich event 2 and Greenlandstadial 3. Although the proposed model with two phases of the enhanced dust accumulation between 25–19 ka does not exactly match the record at Primel Trégastel, the hypothesis of the glacial dynamics, associate glacial lake drainage and linked atmospheric circulation reorganisation controlling the loess accumulation in western France cannot be rejected with certainty. / Eoliskt damm är en viktig, men illa förstådd komponent av klimatsystemet som både reagerar på, såväl som driver, det globala klimatet. Nyligen har damm som producerats vid höga latituder också fått uppmärksamhet som ett möjligt bidrag till den atmosfäriska dammbelastningen. Kunskapen är dock liten gällande dess föregående dynamik och väl daterade uppgifter om tidigare isgränser vid höga latituder är fortfarande undermåliga. Loess i regionen Bretagne i Frankrike är därför ett värdefullt arkiv av tidigare dammhalter, klimat och landskapets dynamik nära de tidigare gränserna av de Brittiskt­-Irländska och Fennoskandiska istäckena. Men kunskap om timingen mellan dess deposition och ackumuleringsdynamik, baserad på en detaljerad och självständig kronologi, saknas till stor del. Här kan loess stratigrafi, vid den nyligen etablerade utgrävningsplatsen Primel Trégastel (Bretagne, Frankrike), presenteras. Loess avlagringar är daterade i detalj genom optiskt stimulerad luminescens av kvarts. Ytterligare, för att tamed variationen av dammets aktivitet i beräkningarna, är loess sedimentering och ackumuleringstakt av dammets massa härledda från en kontinuerlig Bayesiansk åldersmodell. Vidare så testar detta arbete hypotesen om huruvida samma vindar och ackumuleringsmönster av damm, som ses norr on kanalsystemet, även kan ses söder om den engelska kanalen. Resultat från luminescensåldrar och Bayesiansk åldersmodellering visar en fas av ökad dammackumulering mellan 22.5–25.5 ka, något som sammanfaller med Heinrich händelse 2 och Grönland stadial 3. Även om den föreslagna modellen med två faser av den ökade dammackumuleringen mellan 25–19 ka inte exakt överensstämmer med uppgifterna från Primel Trégastel, så kan inte hypotesen rörande den glaciala dynamiken med tillhörande dränering av glaciärsjöar och den sammankopplade atmosfäriska cirkulativa omorganisationen som kontrollerar loess ackumulering i västra Frankrike avvisas med säkerhet.

This thesis investigates the impact of Green Infrastructure (GI) and Local Climate Zones (LCZs) on air temperature at 2 meters above the ground (T2m) in Norrköping and Linköping, Sweden, with a focus on urban planning and climate resilience strategies. Two concepts of LCZ and the newly developed “3-30-300” GI rule are applied. Two concepts are evaluated under summer 2018 strong heatwave conditions and project future scenarios with a 3°C rise in global temperatures during extreme heatwaves. The results show an increase in mean temperature of about 2.9 °C and an extended duration of heatwaves in 17 days from the summer of 2018 to the possible future. Findings indicate that urban areas adhering to 30% tree canopy coverage and within 300 meters or less of a park show a 0.7°C reduction in median T2m during heatwaves. LCZs with more natural environments and less paved surfaces, such as open low-rise, sparsely built, and open midrise, exhibit lower air temperatures, while densely built areas (compact high-rise) show higher temperatures at night, and wide-open paved areas (large low-rise, heavy industry) show higher temperatures during days. The study underscores the necessity of increasing GI coverage and parks in both cities, highlighting the challenges of equitable GI distribution. Recommendations for future research include selecting cooling-effective indigenous tree species and expanding the scope to additional climate variables. This work provides crucial insights for urban areas in Nordic countries and similar climates, contributing to sustainable urban planning and enhanced climate resilience.

The widespread degradation of permafrost-cored palsa mires due to global warming necessitates accurate quantification to estimate potential greenhouse gas (GHG) flux changes. This study utilized high-resolution Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) imagery to quantify palsa degradation dynamics, including lateral, vertical, and geomorphological changes in the Storflaket palsa mire in north-west Sweden. A GIS-based analysis of UAV-derived differential Digital Elevation Models (DEM) between 2016–2023 revealed subsidence on >99 % of the palsa, active lateral erosion, and thermokarst formation. Despite near-double marginal subsidence rates, interior degradation accounted for ~95 % of the total volumetric decrease, attributed to a substantially larger interior area. The mean height, area, and volume changes for the whole palsa were -43.28±7.33 %, -6.66±0.74 %, and -47.00±7.26 %, respectively. However, the large decreases in height and volume are likely overestimations. The geomorphological analysis revealed landform element changes in ~46 % of the palsa and indicated some level of predictability in these changes. The results suggest that palsa degradation induces pronounced local landscape variation, which, in combination with fragmentation, affects the degradation rate. Furthermore, geomorphological changes provide a warning of an impending increase in CH4 emissions at Storflaket. These findings highlight the importance of high-resolution remote sensing techniques to survey palsa degradation dynamics, which is essential to enhance the understanding of these processes and, in continuation, their contribution to GHG fluxes.

The Arctic climate is changing fast, and Svalbard is one place that shows major evidence of climate change. Refreezing of meltwater is one process that can delay mass loss through runoff by water retention. It can act as a storage and is an important part of the total surface mass balance. Until now, no study has quantified the impact refreezing has on the surface mass balance and that is why the purpose of this study is to model the surface mass balance of all glaciers in Svalbard and compare it to a model that excludes the refreezing. This will show both the direct effect and indirect effect refreezing has on the surface mass balance. To be able to do this, a coupled model by Van Pelt and others (2012) was used.   The result shows that refreezing has a considerable effect on the surface mass balance. If the refreezing is turned off, this negatively affects the surface mass balance. The indirect effect is shown to always be negative meaning that the mass loss (additional melting after refreezing) counteracts some of the mass gains (melt water retention). In conclusion is it thus important to recognize all the effects refreezing has on the surface mass balance. / På Svalbard sker klimatförändringar dubbelt så snabbt som i övriga världen vilket gör detta till en känslig plats. För att se förändringarna brukar massan i glaciärerna beräknas för att se om dem förlorar eller ökar i massa. En viktig del som fördröjer en förlust av massa är återfrysning av smältvatten. Det för att vattnet håller sig kvar i glaciären och är en viktig del av den totala massbalansen. Dock kan denna återfrysning även påverka glaciären negativt. Hittills har ingen studie kvantifierat hur mycket återfrysningens påverkan på massbalansen, och därför är syftet med denna studie att modellera massbalansen för alla glaciärer på Svalbard och jämföra det med en modell som utesluter återfrysning. Detta kommer att visa både den direkta och indirekta effekten återfrysning har på massbalansen. För att kunna göra detta användes en modell av Van Pelt och andra (2012).  Resultatet visar att återfrysning har en betydande effekt på massbalansen. Om återfrysning utesluts påverkar detta massbalansen negativt. Den indirekta effekten visar sig alltid vara negativ, vilket innebär att massförlusten (ytterligare smältning från värmen efter återfrysning) motverkar en del av massvinsten (återfrysning av vatten). Sammanfattningsvis är det därför viktigt att undersöka alla effekter som återfrysning har på massbalansen.