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Abstract. Flooding in the Amazon basin is frequently attributed to modes of large-scale climate variability, but little attention is paid to how these modes influence the timing and duration of floods despite their importance to early warning systems and the significant impacts that these flood characteristics can have on communities. In this study, river discharge data from the Global Flood Awareness System (GloFAS 2.1) and observed data at 58 gauging stations are used to examine whether positive or negative phases of several Pacific and Atlantic indices significantly alter the characteristics of river flows throughout the Amazon basin (1979–2015). Results show significant changes in both flood magnitude and duration, particularly in the north-eastern Amazon for negative El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phases when the sea surface temperature (SST) anomaly is positioned in the central tropical Pacific. This response is not identified for the eastern Pacific index, highlighting how the response can differ between ENSO types. Although flood magnitude and duration were found to be highly correlated, the impacts of large-scale climate variability on these characteristics are non-linear; some increases in annual flood maxima coincide with decreases in flood duration. The impact of flood timing, however, does not follow any notable pattern for all indices analysed. Finally, observed and simulated changes are found to be much more highly correlated for negative ENSO phases compared to the positive phase, meaning that GloFAS struggles to accurately simulate the differences in flood characteristics between El Niño and neutral years. These results have important implications for both the social and physical sectors working towards the improvement of early warning action systems for floods.

Abstract. Flooding in the Amazon basin is frequently attributed to modes of large-scale climate variability, but little attention is paid to how these modes influence the timing and duration of floods despite their importance to early warning systems and the significant impacts that these flood characteristics can have on communities. In this study, river discharge data from the Global Flood Awareness System (GloFAS 2.1) and observed data at 58 gauging stations are used to examine whether positive or negative phases of several Pacific and Atlantic indices significantly alter the characteristics of river flows throughout the Amazon basin (1979–2015). Results show significant changes in both flood magnitude and duration, particularly in the north-eastern Amazon for negative El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phases when the sea surface temperature (SST) anomaly is positioned in the central tropical Pacific. This response is not identified for the eastern Pacific index, highlighting how the response can differ between ENSO types. Although flood magnitude and duration were found to be highly correlated, the impacts of large-scale climate variability on these characteristics are non-linear; some increases in annual flood maxima coincide with decreases in flood duration. The impact of flood timing, however, does not follow any notable pattern for all indices analysed. Finally, observed and simulated changes are found to be much more highly correlated for negative ENSO phases compared to the positive phase, meaning that GloFAS struggles to accurately simulate the differences in flood characteristics between El Niño and neutral years. These results have important implications for both the social and physical sectors working towards the improvement of early warning action systems for floods.

In the past decade, inverter-integrated energy sources have experienced rapid growth, which leads to operating challenges associated with reduced system inertia and intermittent power generation, which can cause instability and performance issues of the power system. Improved control schemes for inverters are necessary to ensure the stability and resilience of the power system. Grid-forming inverters dampen frequency fluctuations in the power system, while grid-following inverters can aggravate frequency problems with increased penetration. This paper aims at reviewing the role of grid-forming inverters in the power system, including their topology, control strategies, challenges, sizing, and location. In order to facilitate continued research in this field, a comprehensive literature review and classification of the studies are conducted, followed by research gaps and suggestions for future studies.

In the past decade, inverter-integrated energy sources have experienced rapid growth, which leads to operating challenges associated with reduced system inertia and intermittent power generation, which can cause instability and performance issues of the power system. Improved control schemes for inverters are necessary to ensure the stability and resilience of the power system. Grid-forming inverters dampen frequency fluctuations in the power system, while grid-following inverters can aggravate frequency problems with increased penetration. This paper aims at reviewing the role of grid-forming inverters in the power system, including their topology, control strategies, challenges, sizing, and location. In order to facilitate continued research in this field, a comprehensive literature review and classification of the studies are conducted, followed by research gaps and suggestions for future studies.

Spinel LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 as one of the high-energy positive electrode materials for next generation Li-ion batteries has attracted significant interest due to its economic and environmental advantages. However, the sensitivity of this type of material upon short to long term ambient storage conditions and the impact on the electrochemical performances remains poorly explored. Nevertheless, this remains an important aspect for practical large-scale synthesis, storage and utilization. Herein, we study and compare the evolution of surface chemistry, bulk crystal structure and elemental content evolution and distribution of LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 using a variety of characterization techniques including XPS and STEM-EDS-EELS, as well as electrochemical analysis. We show that Mn species dominate the outer surface (0–5 nm), while Ni and Li are preferentially located further away and in the bulk. The studied LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 material is found to be stable, with minor changes in surface or bulk characteristics detected, even after 12 months of storage under ambient air conditions. The low surface reactivity to air also accounts for the minor changes to the electrochemical performance of the air-exposed LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4, compared to the pristine material. This study provides guidance for the appropriate storage, handling and processing of this high-performance cathode material.

Spinel LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 as one of the high-energy positive electrode materials for next generation Li-ion batteries has attracted significant interest due to its economic and environmental advantages. However, the sensitivity of this type of material upon short to long term ambient storage conditions and the impact on the electrochemical performances remains poorly explored. Nevertheless, this remains an important aspect for practical large-scale synthesis, storage and utilization. Herein, we study and compare the evolution of surface chemistry, bulk crystal structure and elemental content evolution and distribution of LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 using a variety of characterization techniques including XPS and STEM-EDS-EELS, as well as electrochemical analysis. We show that Mn species dominate the outer surface (0–5 nm), while Ni and Li are preferentially located further away and in the bulk. The studied LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 material is found to be stable, with minor changes in surface or bulk characteristics detected, even after 12 months of storage under ambient air conditions. The low surface reactivity to air also accounts for the minor changes to the electrochemical performance of the air-exposed LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4, compared to the pristine material. This study provides guidance for the appropriate storage, handling and processing of this high-performance cathode material.