{"title":"The Lightning Return Stroke Current: Formation, Propagation, Attenuation, and Dispersion Through the Lens of the Telegrapher's Equations","authors":"C. L. da Silva, L. Baeza, J. Wemhoner, S. Orizaga","doi":"10.1029/2025RG000914","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1029/2025RG000914","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The lightning return stroke is the most impactful aspect of a lightning flash. It has a transformative effect on the Earth system by igniting wildfires and by fixing nitrogen oxides in the atmosphere. It also has important detrimental impacts on societal infrastructure by causing billions of dollars in losses every year to power transmission and communications industries. The impacts of a lightning return stroke are due to its intense electrical current, which surges when lightning channels connect to a ground structure, and travels rapidly through those channels toward the cloud. The intense energy deposition in the atmosphere results in emissions across the entire electromagnetic spectrum. In this work, we present an overview on how to calculate the lightning return stroke electrical current using the Telegrapher's Equations, which describe the propagation of electrical signals guided by a conductor. This article has three main goals. First, it presents a tutorial overview on how to assemble a basic model of the lightning return stroke. Second, the article explains from basic principles the dominant features of the current wave, including: the genesis of channel-base current, and the subsequent propagation, attenuation, and dispersion. Third, it also serves as a literature review by drawing parallels between the return stroke properties inferred from the Telegrapher's Equations and those established in previous theoretical and experimental research.</p>","PeriodicalId":21177,"journal":{"name":"Reviews of Geophysics","volume":"64 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":38.5,"publicationDate":"2026-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148533211","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Dario Grana, Brady A. Flinchum, Denys Grombacher, Andrew D. Parsekian, Clifford S. Riebe, W. Steven Holbrook
{"title":"Rock Physics of the Critical Zone: Models, Inversion, and Interpretation","authors":"Dario Grana, Brady A. Flinchum, Denys Grombacher, Andrew D. Parsekian, Clifford S. Riebe, W. Steven Holbrook","doi":"10.1029/2025RG000912","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1029/2025RG000912","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Rock physics models link geophysical measurements with subsurface petrophysical properties, such as porosity, mineral composition, and fluid saturation. While originally developed for hydrocarbon exploration, these models are increasingly applied in the near surface for quantitative interpretation of geophysical data. This review focuses on their application to the subsurface component of the critical zone, which extends from soil to the base of weathered bedrock and controls key hydrological, geomorphological, and ecological processes. Its structure and heterogeneity remain difficult to characterize due to limited direct subsurface observations. As a result, critical zone studies of the subsurface have relied on indirect geophysical measurements, which are spatially extensive and are used to interpret structural variations, property heterogeneity, and physical processes. However, geophysical measurements alone do not yield petrophysical properties. Rock physics models combined with geophysical inversion provide a tool to translate geophysical data into subsurface petrophysical properties. In this review, we present a synthesis of rock physics models for the prediction of geophysical properties of unsaturated and saturated porous media, focusing on their formulations and assumptions in near-surface applications involving seismic, electrical, electromagnetic, and nuclear magnetic resonance methods. We then discuss their integration in geophysical inversion studies for the petrophysical characterization of the critical zone. We assess the capabilities, strengths, and limitations of rock physics models and inversion methods in critical zone applications, illustrated with case studies from the Southern Sierra and Laramie Range, and show how the resulting quantitative estimates of petrophysical properties inform hydrogeological studies and reduce uncertainty in model predictions.</p>","PeriodicalId":21177,"journal":{"name":"Reviews of Geophysics","volume":"64 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":37.3,"publicationDate":"2026-05-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1029/2025RG000912","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148167120","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"","authors":"","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":21177,"journal":{"name":"Reviews of Geophysics","volume":"64 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":37.3,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148103419","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"","authors":"","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":21177,"journal":{"name":"Reviews of Geophysics","volume":"64 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":37.3,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148062173","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"","authors":"","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":21177,"journal":{"name":"Reviews of Geophysics","volume":"64 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":37.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148097370","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"","authors":"","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":21177,"journal":{"name":"Reviews of Geophysics","volume":"64 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":37.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148125729","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"","authors":"","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":21177,"journal":{"name":"Reviews of Geophysics","volume":"64 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":37.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148073986","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"","authors":"","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":21177,"journal":{"name":"Reviews of Geophysics","volume":"64 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":37.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148107147","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
A. Costa, A. Folch, Y. J. Suzuki, L. Mingari, G. Macedonio
{"title":"Eruption Source Parameters in Volcanic Plume Modeling: Advances, Challenges, and Future Directions","authors":"A. Costa, A. Folch, Y. J. Suzuki, L. Mingari, G. Macedonio","doi":"10.1029/2025RG000897","DOIUrl":"10.1029/2025RG000897","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Accurately predicting the atmospheric dispersion of volcanic ash and gases is crucial for both scientific understanding and hazard mitigation. Estimating Eruption Source Parameters (ESP), such as mass eruption rate, plume height, duration, and particle size distribution and properties, remains challenging due to the complex nature of volcanic processes and measurement uncertainties. This review examines recent advancements in assessing ESPs from the perspective of modeling, evaluating current limitations and potential future improvements. We overview how current models quantify crucial ESPs, either directly from observations or indirectly from proxies or modeling strategies, and address the inherent uncertainties. We identify critical areas needing further research and emphasize the importance of developing more robust and widely applicable methodologies. Finally, we propose innovative strategies to enhance ESPs estimations, ultimately improving volcanic hazard assessments and our understanding of eruption dynamics and their atmospheric interactions.</p>","PeriodicalId":21177,"journal":{"name":"Reviews of Geophysics","volume":"64 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":37.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1029/2025RG000897","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147664426","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
S. E. Ingebritsen, Kazuki Sawayama, Yuri Taran, Giovanni Chiodini, Tsuneomi Kagiyama, Hiroshi Shinohara, Julie V. Rowland, Benjamin A. Black
{"title":"Arc Heat Flow and Magmatic Heat Budgets","authors":"S. E. Ingebritsen, Kazuki Sawayama, Yuri Taran, Giovanni Chiodini, Tsuneomi Kagiyama, Hiroshi Shinohara, Julie V. Rowland, Benjamin A. Black","doi":"10.1029/2025RG000922","DOIUrl":"10.1029/2025RG000922","url":null,"abstract":"<p>We evaluate hydrothermal heat loss from 11 volcanic-arc segments (∼6,000 km of arc length, ∼10% of the global total), motivated by the observation that much magmatic heat ultimately crosses the land surface as heated aqueous fluid. Heat loss takes place by volcanic eruption, geothermal heat conduction to the surface, fumarolic (vapor) discharge, thermal springs, and discharge of groundwater that has been heated by only a few degrees. Heat loss by extrusion of volcanic products ranges from 0.1 to ∼4 MW/km. For some arc segments, the hydrothermal heat loss is dominated by “slightly thermal” springs (maximum ∼10 MW/km arc length) or thermal springs (maximum ∼21 MW/km), but more commonly by hydrothermal steam vents and volcanic fumaroles (maximum ∼7 MW/km). Total hydrothermal heat-loss rates range from <2.5 MW/km (Southwest Japan, Cascade Range, Northeast Japan, Kurils) to ≥8 MW/km (Ryukyu, Apennines, Taupo Volcanic Zone). We use these hydrothermal heat losses to estimate rates of magma supply, and combine these estimates of magma supply with existing estimates of eruption rates to obtain intrusion:extrusion ratios. Potential causal influences include state-of-stress and the abundance of silicic magma in the midcrust. Likely causes of along-arc variations range from the near-surface (0–5 km) hydraulic architecture (Cascade Range) to the nature of the subducting plate (Ryukyu vs. the rest of southwest Japan). Inferred intrusion: extrusion ratios are generally between 0.5 and 9. Whole-arc comparisons between heat-flow-based intrusion rates and those based on volatile fluxes and petrologic models are complicated by the wide range of along-arc behavior and the fact that we sometimes rely on volatile fluxes (e.g., SO<sub>2</sub>) to help calculate hydrothermal heat losses, so that the data sets are not fully independent. However, reasonable agreement can be demonstrated in some examples of arc subsections.</p>","PeriodicalId":21177,"journal":{"name":"Reviews of Geophysics","volume":"64 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":37.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1029/2025RG000922","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147649381","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}