Researchers discovered that nocturnal moths rely on turbulent fluctuations in the airstream to determine wind direction, whereas songbirds do not. This ability helps them cope with wind when traveling at high altitudes and allows for more accurate navigation.
Researchers at the University of Kansas found that large wind farms can trigger a slowdown effect in atmospheric flow, resulting in less renewable energy generated. This phenomenon, known as the 'turbulence-attenuation effect,' affects wind turbines' ability to generate electricity.
A new study maps potential wind-power sites and nesting patterns of golden eagles, revealing 'sweet spots' where wind power can coexist with eagle habitats. The research provides a framework for industry and managers to assess potential development and minimize bird deaths.
A Dartmouth study reveals that strong winds blowing off the Greenland Ice Sheet are eroding soil and vegetation in the surrounding tundra, making it less productive for grazing animals. The study found that wind-driven soil erosion is more widespread near the ice sheet but restricted to steep south-facing slopes farther away.
Wind energy pricing has reached new lows in the US, with turbines becoming economically viable in more locations. The report highlights improvements in turbine scaling and manufacturing costs, making wind power a credible source of new electricity generation.
A new statistical technique predicts wind speeds more accurately than existing methods, even with limited data. The model uses non-Gaussian distributions and nonlinear correlations to improve accuracy, doubling predictions in some cases.
Researchers have found that wind turbines can be installed under viaducts to produce electricity, offering a new source of renewable energy. The study suggests that this concept could be applied in heavily built-up territories or natural areas with limited space for new constructions.
Researchers at Eindhoven University of Technology found that following a team car reduces wind resistance and saves crucial seconds. The effect can add up to tens of seconds, making it a game-changer for Tour de France riders in time trials.
Researchers have developed a prototype coating for wind turbine blades that mimics the intricate structure of an owl's wing, reducing noise production by up to 30dB. The coating, made of 3D-printed plastic, has shown promising results in wind tunnel tests, potentially leading to more efficient and quieter wind turbines.
Researchers found that Titan's atmosphere loses hydrocarbons and nitriles due to a polar wind powered by sunlight and the Saturnian magnetic field. This phenomenon has been observed on Earth in polar regions, suggesting Titan may have a similarly widespread 'polar wind' beyond its poles.
The partnership aims to enhance the operation and development of testing facilities, enabling better understanding of wind turbine drivetrain systems. The collaboration will also promote public-private partnerships and workforce education in the energy industry.
A fully renewable energy system featuring high shares of wind and solar energy is economically feasible for Finland by 2050, producing over 166 TWh of electricity annually. The system also includes power-to-gas technology and energy storage solutions, with total annual costs estimated at around 25 billion euros.
A study found that consumers in a wind power program valued community membership over direct personal benefits, driven by a sense of shared risk and responsibility. Participants felt connected to others who lived environmentally conscious lives, influencing their actions and behaviors.
Researchers aim to identify annoying features of wind power plants from people's experiences in Finnish climatic conditions. A real-time feedback system and statistical models will be used to model the formation and dissemination of sound.
Scientists used NASA's ISS-RapidScat to measure the winds of Tropical Storm Ana in May 2015. The instrument provided accurate data on wind speed and direction near the ocean surface.
Researchers found that Chinook winds precede significant shifts in wind power output, allowing grid operators to better manage energy supply. The study's findings have implications for wind energy's success on a massive scale.
A new study found that wind instrument players have a reduced risk of developing obstructive sleep apnoea. The researchers believe this is due to increased muscle tone in the upper airways, common among wind instrument players.
A new study finds that wind bursts in the western Pacific can significantly impact El Niño events and their severity. The research identifies three distinct varieties of El Niño and explains how westerly wind bursts determine which flavor will occur. This finding could help improve future predictions of these global-scale climate events.
Physicist Ramon Lopez will use a combination of computer simulation models and real observations to understand the role of solar wind fluctuations in space weather. The research aims to enhance our understanding of the near-Earth space environment and provide critical information for managing satellite and communications technology.
Scientists observed a young, massive star changing shape over 18 years, revealing key stages of its formation. A torus-shaped dusty environment slowed down an initially spherical outflow, resulting in an elongated, beam-like structure.
Researchers connect a black hole's 'wind' to an outward torrent of cold gas in a galaxy, validating feedback mechanisms that influence galaxy evolution. The discovery resolves a long-standing puzzle and sheds light on the relationship between supermassive black holes and their host galaxies.
The 2013 Renewable Energy Data Book reports a significant increase in installed renewable capacity in the US. Key findings include solar electricity's rapid growth and renewable sources accounting for 23% of global electricity generation worldwide.
NASA's Aqua satellite revealed cloud top temperatures of -28C/-18F and -23C/-9F over the northeastern US, significantly colder than surface temperatures, which ranged from 4F/-16C to 23F/-5C in affected areas. The extreme cold was part of an Arctic air mass that brought wind chills below zero and single numbers across the region.
The NOAA DSCOVR satellite is launching to study the solar wind and forecast space weather at Earth. It will measure the movement of positively-charged particles, negatively-charged electrons, and magnetic fields to determine what heats the solar wind.
The ISS-RapidScat instrument provided forecasters with wind speed data on the hurricane-force nor'easter. The storm brought heavy snow and blizzard conditions to the Northeast region, with sustained winds reaching up to 35 meters per second (78.2 mph/126 kph).
The ISS-RapidScat instrument measured high wind speeds off the Atlantic Ocean near the northeastern and Mid-Atlantic states. Wind chills were reported near zero in several cities, posing a risk of frostbite, with temperatures 20-25 degrees below average.
Tropical Cyclone Kate experienced rapid weakening after passing over NASA's Aqua satellite on December 31. The storm lost significant cloud cover in the northern and eastern quadrants due to northeasterly wind shear.
Tropical Depression Jangmi encountered strong southeasterly vertical wind shear, causing its north, northeast, and eastern quadrants to become almost cloud-free. The satellite image revealed the effects of this wind shear, showing weakening thunderstorms northwest of the center.
The MAVEN mission has made groundbreaking discoveries about the loss of Mars' atmosphere to space over time. The spacecraft has detected a stream of solar-wind particles that penetrate deep into the planet's upper atmosphere and ionosphere, revealing a new process by which atmospheric loss occurs.
A new study from the University of Guelph analyzed over 7,000 home and farm sales in Ontario and found that wind farms have no statistically significant impact on property values. The research used a unique method to capture property value fluctuations before, during, and after wind farm development.
Researchers say that improved storage technologies and hybrid systems could address the variable nature of alternative energy, making them more cost-effective and efficient. Advanced energy storage and smart-grid connections are being explored to match different forms of renewable energy and provide a consistent power supply.
Researchers at NEIKER felled pine trees and attached sensors to measure the force exerted on them, recording the degree of tilt to determine the roots' resistance and trunk strength. The study aims to provide forestry experts with tools to manage woodlands better and mitigate wind damage risks.
The US Army and NREL have validated energy savings for net zero energy installations, reducing energy consumption by 25% and annual costs by up to $300 million. Six pilot sites achieved net zero energy, with varying approaches to energy efficiency and renewable energy production.
Scientists have made groundbreaking discoveries about how space weather affects our planet, including the role of magnetic reconnection in accelerating solar wind particles. Researchers have also found significant differences in plasma density between the solar wind and magnetosphere, shedding light on this complex phenomenon.
The WB-57 aircraft flew over Hurricane Gonzalo on Oct. 15 carrying two HS3 mission instruments called HIWRAP and HIRAD, providing unique observations of sea surface wind speed, temperature, and rain. The data gathered will advance understanding and predictability of hurricane intensity.
A study recommends ongoing assessment of offshore wind farm impacts on marine species, particularly sound emissions and behavioral responses. The researchers suggest targeted data collection to inform regulatory decisions, minimizing negative environmental impacts.
A French scientist has developed an open source simulation method to calculate the actual cost of relying on a combination of electricity sources. The study found that an optimal mix contains a large amount of nuclear power and a small amount of fluctuating energies like wind and solar.
The Simulator for Wind Farm Applications (SOWFA) tool simulates complex variables to optimize wind farm energy production. It enables developers to improve individual turbine performance and reduce wake losses, potentially cutting costs by billions of dollars.
The study reveals two distinct stages in Earth's response to solar wind forcing, with most energy deposited in the polar atmosphere during the second stage. Researchers are working to understand a potential delay between stages, which could provide near-term warnings for space weather disruptions.
Research by Brandon Barton suggests that slower natural wind speeds could reduce the number of soybean aphids on plants, allowing lady beetles to hunt more effectively. This could lead to a decrease in pesticide required for crop protection.
A new statistical model complements hurricane forecasting by showing the size of storms, not just wind speed. This metric allows forecasters to better assess the risk of hurricanes that make landfall.
Two massive buoys equipped with meteorological and oceanographic equipment will be deployed off the US coastline to evaluate the power-producing potential of offshore winds. The buoys will provide accurate wind speed and direction data, enabling better understanding of air-sea interactions and turbine performance.
Hurricane Cristobal caused deaths in the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Jamaica due to strong winds and flooding. The satellites provided critical data on rainfall rates and wind speeds, tracking the storm's intensification and forecasted path.
Hurricane Karina's vertical wind shear was evident in NASA imagery captured on August 14, with clouds being pushed to the western side of the storm. The National Hurricane Center predicts further weakening over the next two days as Karina moves over sea surface temperatures near 26C.
The Hurricane Imaging Radiometer (HIRAD) will fly aboard a NASA Global Hawk aircraft during the HS3 mission, providing unique observations of sea surface wind speed, temperature, and rain. HIRAD's data will advance understanding and predictability of hurricane intensity, helping to determine maximum wind speed and structure of the vortex.
A study published in Fire Safety Science found that wind turbines experience a significant number of fires annually, with estimates suggesting ten times more fires than reported. The research highlights the need for improved fire protection engineering solutions to address this issue.
Researchers tracked seals' movements using GPS and found some individuals repeatedly visiting offshore wind farms, where they foraged on turbines and pipelines. This behavior suggests that man-made structures serve as attractive hunting grounds, potentially impacting seal populations and prey availability.
EPFL researchers have developed a novel method to increase the accessible active sites of metal oxide catalysts in water splitting reactions, resulting in improved catalytic properties. The exfoliation method shows increased rates of up to 4.5-fold compared to conventional methods.
Researchers found a slight increase in lower back pain risk with higher wind speed but it was not clinically significant. This contradicts previous studies that linked cold or humid weather to increased symptoms.
Using high-brilliance X-rays, researchers have gained a better understanding of the chemical reactions in fuel cells, leading to the development of more efficient systems. This knowledge will help make large-scale alternative energy power systems more practical and reliable.
Finland is developing a new energy system for storing solar and wind energy, targeting greenhouse gas reduction and energy self-sufficiency. The NEO-CARBON ENERGY project aims to create Finnish companies' international RÝ competitiveness and explore business opportunities in the global market.
The Precourt Institute and KQED have developed a two-part e-book series on energy, exploring its basics and applications. The interactive Energy iBooks Textbooks aim to promote energy literacy among students aged 8-13.
A NASA model can predict and visualize the interaction between solar wind, solar radiation, and asteroid surfaces in unprecedented detail. The model adapts to complex activities and provides highly efficient simulations, potentially identifying hazards for human explorers.
Net energy analysis provides a quantitative way to compare energy production with energy required for technology development and maintenance. The technique can identify potential costs and barriers to technology development that conventional financial analysis might not reveal.
A team of University of Minnesota researchers used natural snow to measure airflow around large wind turbines, revealing significant differences in patterns at the large-scale compared to lab measurements. This technique is crucial for improving wind energy efficiency, which can reduce our reliance on fossil fuels.
Researchers at the Swedish Institute of Space Physics studied solar wind interactions with the Earth's magnetic field. They found that asymmetrical reconnection can occur when two regions of plasma have different characteristics.
The Sopcawind project develops a multidisciplinary database to analyze the impact of wind farms on telecommunications systems, ensuring fluid design processes and minimizing potential interference. The tool facilitates wind farm development while preserving existing telecommunications systems.
A new concept for counter-rotating wind turbines in tandem arrangements has been developed to improve power production performance. Experimental studies have shown that this configuration can increase energy utilization by up to 20%, particularly beneficial for onshore wind farms with smaller spacing between turbines.
Wind speeds on migration predicted annual survival, male arrival date, female egg laying, and productivity of yellow warblers. Higher westerly wind speeds associated with lower apparent annual survival due to increased in-flight mortality risk.
The Solar Wind Ion Analyzer will measure solar wind ions and density to understand Mars' atmospheric loss. Scientists believe interactions between solar wind ions and Martian particles are key to escape, leading to a barren planet.