ABSTRACT Geothermal energy is central to the global green energy transition, but its development has long focused on regions with positive thermal anomalies. Through a semi‐quantitative global‐scale review and spatial analysis of 361 geothermal sites, we show that 56.2% of global geothermal electricity production occurs in regions with thermal conditions typical of average continental crust, challenging conventional models that prioritize heat flow as the main exploration criterion. Our results indicate that crustal permeability, especially fault‐related permeability linked to active seismicity, is a major control on geothermal viability and remains underestimated in resource assessments. In these geothermal contexts, permeable structural networks can sustain deep fluid circulation, even without recent magmatic activity. Rather than replacing thermal criteria, we propose that permeability should be considered as a complementary and, in many cases, decisive parameter in geothermal exploration. This perspective provides a refined framework for identifying underexplored regions and improving global geothermal resource assessment.
This study presents new zircon U-Pb-Hf isotopic and whole-rock geochemical data for Early Cretaceous igneous rocks in the Great Xing'an Range, NE China, with the aim of constraining the subduction and rollback history of the Paleo-Pacific Plate. The results indicate that late Early Cretaceous magmatism (ca. 130-112 Ma) involved both intermediate and felsic magmas. Trachyandesite was derived from a depleted mantle wedge metasomatized by subduction-related fluids, whereas trachydacite, dacite and granite porphyries were generated mainly by melting of newly accreted lower crust. Combined with the final emplacement of the Raohe Accretionary Complex and coeval calc-alkaline magmatism in eastern NE China, these data indicate that the late Early Cretaceous magmatism formed in a back-arc extensional setting related to westward subduction of the Paleo-Pacific Plate. From ca. 112 Ma to the Late Cretaceous, the eastward narrowing of magmatism records rollback of the Paleo-Pacific Plate.
ABSTRACT Within an area of approximately 140 km 2 in Ruichang Basin section of the Ruichang‐Wuning fault, concentrations of soil gases (Rn, CO 2 ) were measured at 139 sampling points. Two surveys of cross‐fault flow observation were conducted in areas with anomalous soil gas concentrations, during which CO 2 samples were collected for carbon isotope composition analysis. Geostatistical analysis revealed that the background concentrations of Rn, CO 2 in Ruichang Basin are 7.33 kBq/m 3 and 0.50%, respectively, while the anomalous threshold concentrations are 27.50 kBq/m 3 and 6.00%. The spatial distribution results indicate a significant correlation between the synchronous anomalies of Rn, CO 2 concentrations and the branch faults of the Ruichang‐Wuning fault, particularly aligning with the Liujiaba‐Fanjiaopu‐Chengmenshan fault zone (F 1 ) and the southeastern edge fault of Ruichang Basin (F 2 ). Comparative analysis of Rn, CO 2 concentration anomalies suggests that the fault activity in the southeast direction of Ruichang Basin is stronger than that in the northwest direction. This leads to the hypothesis that tectonic activities within the basin may be more closely related to the southeast‐directed faults. Moreover, flow observations and carbon isotope values along the F 2 indicate that the CO 2 primarily originates from shallow organic matter decomposition. Additionally, the temporal and spatial variations in soil gas concentrations demonstrate a notable relationship with tectonic activities surrounding the fault, making it suitable for long‐term continuous monitoring of geochemical soil gases related to earthquakes.
Present-day lithosphere and upper-mantle structure of the Himalaya-Tibet region is key to understanding Tibetan plateau formation. Competing models propose either a thick lithosphere or lateral variations resulting from the destabilisation of the thickened lithospheric mantle. Using integrated geophysical-petrological modelling along north-south profiles across western, central, and eastern Tibet, we jointly model seismic, gravity, geoid, and topographic data within a self-consistent thermodynamic framework. Results show that the Proterozoic Indian lithosphere continues and thickens from the foreland to beneath southern Tibet, whereas northern Tibet shows Phanerozoic lithosphere. Lithosphere-scale low seismic velocities beneath northern Tibet in the central and eastern plateau could be explained by radiogenic heating from thick orogenic crust, provided that thick crust existed before the collision. These findings support a thermally and compositionally modified thick lithosphere beneath Tibet as an alternative to the replacement by asthenosphere.
This study selected seven soil gas (Rn, H2) measurement lines across Keping fault zone at the front of the Keping block in southwestern Tianshan. By integrating these measurements with InSAR techniques, we investigated the temporal and spatial characteristics of soil gases along the fault zone and analyzed the coupling relationship between soil gas geochemistry and tectonic activity. The average concentration variation characteristics of seven measurement lines, analyzed concurrently, along with the InSAR cross-fault profile data, collectively identified three soil gas measurement lines that more effectively reflect the regional tectonic stress features. Furthermore, the maximum anomaly contrast (I gas) of soil gases for three key soil gas measurement lines exhibited a clear pattern of pre-earthquake increase, followed by a significant post-earthquake decrease returning to background levels during three moderate to strong seismic events in the vicinity of the study area. These temporal and spatial features indicate that the three lines possess geochemical sensitivity.
Significant porosity of more than 5% was found at depths of more than 8500 m in poorly sorted, calcareous mudstones of the Malmian Mikulov Formation. These overpressured rocks are the main hydrocarbon source rock in the Vienna Basin. Core samples from present-day depths of 8150 m to 8550 m were analysed using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The mudstones are composed of calcite, clay minerals and quartz, with minor amounts of ankerite, albite and pyrite. SEM imaging reveals various pore types, including phyllosilicate framework pores, carbonate framework pores, carbonate dissolution pores, and organic matter pores ranging from 10 nm to 2 mu m. The preservation of porosity is attributed to several factors, including their dominant calcareous composition, poor sorting, early carbonate cementation, and overpressuring due to rapid burial by Alpine Nappes. These findings provide valuable insights into the diagenetic processes and porosity evolution in deeply buried mudstones.
Objective Gender differences in body image are reported consistently, with women generally having poorer body image which harms their good health and well-being. Nevertheless, the mechanism explaining women's poor body image requires further clarification. This study suggests that the social factor of physical appearance comparison and the personality factor of neuroticism explain the association between gender and body image. Methods Data collected from 458 higher education students in Israel were analyzed using structural equation modeling, examining the mediation model. Results The results indicated that gender is associated with body image through the mechanisms of physical appearance comparison and neuroticism. Women tend to have a poorer body image, primarily because of their greater propensity to compare their physical appearance with others and their higher levels of neuroticism compared to men. Conclusion Overall, the results suggests that both social factors and personality are important in explaining women’s poorer body image. The findings are discussed in terms of the social comparison perspective, gender models of objectification and sociocultural models.
Boron is an essential element for the development of life on Earth; borates stabilize ribose in prebiotic reactions and facilitate metabolism in higher plants. There is, however, a relatively narrow surface boron concentration range over which borates stabilize and serve as a micronutrient rather than a toxin. That life evolved to utilize borates suggests that the boron concentration in surface waters must have remained relatively stable over much of Earth's history. Here we show that natural tourmaline nucleation is facilitated by epitaxy on the mica minerals; common constituents of peraluminous continental crust. By reducing the kinetic barrier to tourmaline nucleation, epitaxy has helped to enable the long-term sequestration of boron within Earth's continents and has helped maintain a stable abundance of bioavailable boron going back at least ca. 3.7 Ga.
Late Carboniferous-Permian sediments in the North China block (NCB) were deposited during the assembly of Pangea and the Late Palaeozoic Ice Age (LPIA). Despite their significance for understanding global tectonics, palaeogeography and paleoclimate, the tectonic setting remains poorly constrained. Here we present new sedimentological and detrital zircon (DZ) geochronological data from three Late Carboniferous-Permian sections in the northern NCB. Detrital grain compositions indicate derivation from a recycled orogen. DZ ages are dominated by Archean-Paleoproterozoic and Carboniferous-Permian populations, matching the cratonic basement and a coeval magmatic arc. These results provide evidence for significant source uplift and deposition within a retroarc foreland basin. Initial foreland subsidence (303-298 Ma) coincided with the LPIA peak. The foreland basin promoted organic carbon burial, and together with intensive arc weathering, drove atmospheric CO2 drawdown and glaciation. Accretionary orogenesis on the northern margin of the NCB was thus critical in sustaining the LPIA.
Introduction: Social interactions appear to be linked to the way individuals assess their daily well-being. Stressful day-to-day events may substantially impair psychosocial functioning and trigger coping responses. Objective(s): The main aim of the study was to determine the role of the number and quality of online and offline social interactions in the relationship between daily stressful events and daily well-being. Method: The study included N = 372 participants (273 females; M = 22.22 years, SD = 4.06; age range: 15-50). The authors used the Daily Inventory of Stressful Events, the Scale of Online and Offline Interactions, and the Scale of Positive and Negative Experience. A 7-day diary study was conducted. Results: The study revealed that stressful events were negatively related to affective balance. Moreover, there was an indirect effect between daily stressors and affective balance via social interactions. Specifically, the more daily stressors, the more negative emotional experiences both directly and indirectly through lower-quality social interactions. Conclusion: Daily stressors undermine the quality of both online and offline interactions, leading to a poorer emotional balance each day. As everyday stress increases, social relationships tend to deteriorate, resulting in a greater prevalence of negative emotions.
Background Understanding how people construe new health behaviours is important for public health policy and pandemic preparedness. Research suggests that people are willing to adhere to facemask guidance over time, but that this willingness can depend on various factors. To understand people's construal of mandated protective health behaviours, we explored a previously untapped source of knowledge - people's memories from lockdown concerning facemasks - through the Value Belief Norm theory. Methods The sample comprised 68 participants aged 18-72, 53% female, who spontaneously identified facemasks as a lockdown-related object in their prompted memories. Memories were elicited via three open-ended questions involving a general period-cue (i.e., lockdown). The analytical procedure involved (1) Inductive thematic analysis, (2) Theory-led thematic analysis. Results Our thematic analysis showed that facemask wearing was predominantly viewed in self-enhancing, normative, and moral terms. Although participants' responses were not uniformly positive, they showed acceptance and adherence to mandated facemask wearing in memories elicited >9 months after UK guidance announcement. This variability was further evident in expressions of contrasting values. Conclusions The complexity and heterogeneity of the facemask memories revealed a storied and constructed nature of facemask memories, with a remarkable level of details and vividness. Our findings suggest that people's values and individual beliefs contributed to various ways of sensemaking around facemask wearing. In the current exploratory research, the overall picture of the public response to health guidance was that of psychological resilience - people's construed facemask-wearing as a protective health behaviour and supported its uptake. Future directions to enhance public health policy are discussed.
The Borborema Province in northeastern Brazil hosts one of the world's largest strike-slip shear zone networks, active during the late Neoproterozoic assembly of West Gondwana. Whether these shear zones initiated during active continental collision or as a post-orogenic response to far-field stresses remains debated. Here, we integrate monazite petrochronology and phase equilibrium modelling of metapelites from the South Borborema Orogen (SBO) to constrain the timing and conditions of continental collision. Our results indicate that foreland-directed nappe stacking in the external zone occurred at 620-590 Ma, whereas peak metamorphism in the internal zone was attained at similar to 580 Ma, coeval with the onset of strike-slip shearing in the overriding plate. We interpret these results to indicate that ductile extrusion in the Borborema Province was triggered by ongoing continental collision, analogous to modern collision-extrusion systems.
The identification of core complex-style extensional detachment faults (CCDFs) in rifted margins is crucial for accurately restoring their stratigraphic and thermal histories. Yet recognising CCDFs in seismic reflection images is challenging due to their faint topographic expression; the lack of associated abrupt offset in seismic reflections; the lack of discernible growth packages in overlying sediments; their overprint by high-angle normal faults or erosion; and the common preconception that rifted margins are dominantly structured by high-angle normal faults. Based on published thermo-mechanical numerical simulations and seismic observations, we show that characteristic fingerprints of CCDFs in seismic sections are: (1) back-tilted pre-tectonic sedimentary sections; (2) back-tilted and fanning reflections beneath the exhumed fault plane; and (3) a corrugated top basement where a mild topographic high, possibly flattened by erosion, is framed by two troughs with often apparently passive infill sediments.
Annual tree-ring oxygen-isotope values were measured from sections of two fossil logs of Picea mariana (black spruce) recovered from last glacial maximum proglacial sediment in Illinois, USA. Collectively, the specimens date from ca. 25,130 to 24,720 cal years BP. Tree-ring oxygen-isotope spectral analysis series for both specimens revealed a 2-6 years periodicity. The Gulf of Mexico was the prominent moisture source during spring-summer growing seasons. Tree-ring oxygen-isotope based reconstruction of last glacial maximum precipitation suggests comparable values to modern El Ni & ntilde;o Southern Oscillation-influenced meteoric water isotopes for the Midwest. Additional factors supporting El Ni & ntilde;o Southern Oscillation-like late glacial maximum climate behaviour include the position of the perihelion and precession timing and a similar Earth-Sun distance.
The mechanical behaviour of large faults presents a fundamental paradox: geophysical evidence suggests they are weak but produce significant coseismic stress drops without the predicted interseismic strain localization. Moreover, earthquake recurrence is clustered and irregular, suggesting residual strain may persist between cycles, as proposed by long-term fault memory models. However, friction during slip is extremely low and near-complete stress drops imply negligible residual strain should survive. Observations of loosely slip-predictable earthquakes further challenge elastic rebound models. Here, I propose that faults are 'short-sighted': tectonic stress is partially screened by adjacent anelastic zones. Using a Burgers rheology model, I identify four different temporal regimes governing stress evolution. Stress initially accumulates within the screening zone and progressively transfers toward the fault. This mechanism reconciles observed coseismic stress drops with broadly distributed interseismic strain and physically explains the irregular recurrence of large earthquakes and long-term crustal memory, with implications for seismic hazard assessment.
Objective The objective of this study is to examine the effects of hybrid work on working conditions and work organization, management styles, work teams and employee relations, and work-life balance. Method Seventy-five semi-structured interviews were conducted with employees and managers at French universities (N teleworkers = 49; N non-teleworkers = 26). Results Lexical and morphosyntactic analysis of the interviews reveals that hybrid work improves productivity but significantly reduces informal interactions. The results indicate that teleworking facilitates tasks that require increased concentration but at the same time presents challenges in terms of organizing meetings and designated conversation times. The study suggests that hybrid work increases managers' involvement in supporting employees and work teams. Conclusion This research therefore contributes to the literature by highlighting the practical implications and guidelines for implementing hybrid work in French universities.
Purpose Women face challenges when entering the sales industry, particularly in the manufacturing and automotive sectors, which are still male-dominated. This study was conducted in a multinational tire manufacturer among its trainees. The aim was to examine the gender stereotypes about salespeople, particularly about saleswomen. Additionally, the study aimed to examine the effects of a counter-stereotypical job advertisement on the attractiveness of this male-dominated job. Methodology The study consisted of two parts: free associations and an exposition to a fictitious counter-stereotypical job advertisement. The free associations were analyzed using prototypical analysis, and the effects of the counter-stereotypical job advertisement on job attractiveness were analyzed using multivariate tests. Results The results reveal gender stereotypes about salespeople, with soft skills seemingly associated with saleswomen and agentic/hard selling skills with salesmen. The second part of the study highlights the positive effect of a counter-stereotypical job advertisement on attitudes towards the saleswoman featured in the fictitious job advertisement. Practical implications We encourage firms to promote communications that present specific counter-stereotyped images, as they can convey a pro-inclusion message. Also, we recommend to private firms to strengthen their awareness-raising programs about stereotypes and gender issues in the workplace for both existing employees and prior to hiring women. Originality/value This research contributes to the understanding of gender stereotypes in sales occupations. It provides an exploratory analysis of the impact of these gender stereotypes on the portrayal of salespeople and the effectiveness of counter-stereotypical job advertisements in the tire industry.
Introduction The psychological health of teachers is a critical determinant of educational outcomes. Understanding the internal mechanisms that foster positive work attitudes is essential for sustainable professional commitment. Objective This study examines the effect of psychological well-being on teachers’ job satisfaction. Specifically, it focuses on identifying the mediating roles of dispositional hope and life satisfaction in this relationship. Method A total of 513 teachers participated in the research. Data were collected using the “Dispositional Hope Scale,” “Life Satisfaction Scale,” “Minnesota Job Satisfaction Scale,” and “Psychological Well-Being Scale.” Structural equation modeling (SEM) was utilized to determine the direct and parallel mediating effects of hope and life satisfaction. Results Findings revealed that dispositional hope and life satisfaction significantly mediate the relationship between psychological well-being and job satisfaction. Additionally, a parallel mediation effect was identified, suggesting a sequential pathway from well-being to hope, life satisfaction, and finally job satisfaction. Conclusion These results underscore the importance of promoting hope and enhancing life satisfaction to improve teachers’ job satisfaction. Educational policymakers should design interventions that target the development of these psychological resources. Addressing emotional and psychological needs holistically is the first step to improving teachers’ professional satisfaction.
