Dr Sanja Panovska has been awarded an ERC Consolidator Grant for her EXCURSION project, which aims to develop the first data-based model of the Earth's magnetic field over the last 780,000 years. The project will investigate geomagnetic excursions and their impact on technological infrastructure, environment, and climate.
A large landslide triggered a megatsunami in Greenland's Dickson Fjord, causing a standing wave that sloshed back and forth for over a week. Researchers detected the unusual event using seismic signals recorded at stations worldwide.
A 1,500 year long sediment core off the Nile mouth recorded past floods with varying amounts of fluvial particulate matter. The analysis suggests that the North African Humid Period was characterized by extremely strong and variable Nile floods, with a period of strong erosional activity between 9,200 and 8,600 years ago.
Viable microbes detected down to depths of 4.20 meters, expanding understanding of desert biodiversity and search for life on other planets.
Researchers found that weathering in the region leads to an overall CO2 uptake, but near-surface processes only determine the CO2 balance in areas with a thick and cold crust. In contrast, the western side of the Central Apennines is a significant CO2 emitter due to deep-seated outgassing from carbonate rocks.
A recent study has mapped over 1,500 earthquakes and their respective fault planes using high-resolution data from a dense network of seismometers. The research suggests that earthquakes do not release stress by a single strong quake along a single fault plane, but rather across multiple parallel fault planes.
Researchers develop hypothetical extreme flooding scenarios by shifting precipitation events, showing regions previously spared could have been hit hard. The approach aims to motivate society to prepare for exceptional flooding events in a warming world.
Researchers created a comprehensive map of land use after deforestation in Africa, identifying 15 forms of land use including crops, pastureland, and mining. The study provides improved insights for enhancing transparency on commodity expansion leading to deforestation.
A new study found that the roughness of pre-existing faults and associated stress heterogeneity play a key role in causing large induced events during fluid injection. The researchers developed laboratory experiments to investigate this phenomenon, which has important implications for preventing runaway induced earthquakes.
Researchers analyzed seismic data from the region since 2014, detecting a 8-month long crustal seismicity transient suggesting a preparation process before the M 7.8 Kahramanmaraş earthquake. This highlighted high and increasing seismic hazard in the area.
A recent study estimates that healthy forests could absorb up to 328 billion tons of carbon, with a significant portion of this potential achievable through sustainable forest management. By protecting existing forests and reconnecting fragmented landscapes, we can sequester an additional 139 Gt of carbon.
Researchers deciphered when genes responsible for producing 2-methylhopanes were acquired by certain groups of organisms. They found that these genes were likely present in the last common ancestor of Cyanobacteria over two billion years ago.
A recent study analyzed sediment cores from a Philippine lake, revealing a 200-year period of drought in the western Pacific during the Little Ice Age. The researchers attribute this change to zonal gradients in sea surface temperature, which highlights the importance of understanding past climate dynamics for predicting future climate...
Researchers have uncovered previously unknown biomarker signatures pointing to a vast array of ancient organisms that thrived on Earth about a billion years ago. These 'protosteroids' offer an unprecedented glimpse into the conditions surrounding the emergence of complex life.
A new model of the Earth's ionosphere has been developed using neural networks, which can reconstruct the topside ionosphere with high accuracy. This improvement is crucial for satellite navigation systems, such as global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), which require precise correction of radio signals to mitigate ionospheric delays.
A new approach uses crowdsourced data from affected people to estimate earthquake impact within 10-20 minutes, potentially aiding early disaster management. The system analyzes 'felt intensity' reports, providing a basis for quickly assessing the severity of damage.
Researchers uncovered evidence of blue-green algae presence in a German lake dating back 11,000 years, with species diversity increasing significantly after Bronze Age burials. Climate change and industrial agriculture have since accelerated the growth of these toxic algae.
A worldwide Citizen Science project has collected data on light pollution over eleven years, revealing a faster decline in star visibility than previously thought. The rate of change is attributed to increased sky brightness, with dramatic consequences for stargazing and astronomy.
Scientists propose a new classification scheme using the Beaumont number to describe whether mountain elevation is controlled by weathering and erosion or properties of the Earth's crust. The study resolves a long-standing question about the controlling factors of mountain growth, finding that it depends on geographic location, climate...
A new study reveals that large-scale tree restoration can increase evaporation globally by nearly 10 litres per square meter, leading to a net decrease in water availability. However, the impact varies by region, with some river basins experiencing increased water flow due to enhanced rainfall.
Researchers discovered that periods of drought were interrupted by wetter phases lasting several decades or even centuries, challenging the understanding of climate change in the region. The study's findings have significant implications for archaeological considerations and future climate scenarios.
Friedhelm von Blanckenburg's project DEVENDRA explores the weathering of basalt and carbonate rocks, measuring their transformation into soil and subsequent erosion. The goal is to establish a novel method for calibrating the laws governing weathering and CO2 drawdown.
Researchers identify magma intrusion as cause of 85,000-quake swarm in Antarctica, largest ever recorded. The swarm peaked with two large earthquakes before subsiding, marking the end of a sustained magmatic unrest.
A fibre optic cable was used to record volcanic events at Mount Etna, detecting seismo-acoustic activity and mapping hidden structural features. The Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) method proved suitable for volcano monitoring and hazard assessment.
Researchers use white laser beam and diamond anvil cell to measure SiO2 glass density, yielding key information on its refractive index and path length. This breakthrough helps geoscientists understand Earth's interior and solid mantle formation.
Researchers at GFZ found that undisturbed meandering sections of a river deposit and reabsorb organic carbon, transporting it into the sea. In contrast, straight river sections only pass through suspended particles, with carbon decomposing to CO2 by microorganisms.
Researchers found three phases of landscape development over 800 years, influenced by wars, politics and climate. Wars led to devastation and 'renaturalization', while agriculture and settlements had a lasting impact.
Researchers have created superionic ice phases XVIII and XX by subjecting water to record-breaking pressures and temperatures. The study provides insights into the formation of these conductive forms of ice and their potential role in explaining the mysterious magnetic fields of Uranus and Neptune.
Researchers from GFZ and NGRI used seismic data to identify three phases of a catastrophic flood, including rockslide and debris flow. The study found that seismic networks can be used to warn of impending flash floods, with available warning times varying by distance and speed.
Researchers say the July 2021 flood in western Germany was more destructive than predicted, with mobilization of dead wood and sediment contributing to its impact. The event highlights the need for science to better understand precipitation-induced floods and their associated self-reinforcing effects.
The article explores the potential of AI in improving climate modeling by proposing a hybrid approach combining classical and machine learning methods. Researchers found that AI can help improve forecasts, but limitations include computational resource requirements and uncertainties in predictions.
A new algorithm detects small surface deformations in satellite images, allowing for earlier warnings of volcanic eruptions. This enables more precise monitoring of over 1,500 active volcanoes worldwide, providing a significant basis for improving eruption forecasts.
A new study published in Nature Communications reveals that seismicity at the Castor gas reservoir was triggered by pore pressure diffusion and the failure of loaded asperities on a shallow fault. The research identified three phases of the crisis, including a fast backward migration of earthquakes that resulted in the largest tremors.
Researchers say surprise is a key factor in disastrous river floods, with improved flood warnings and protection measures contributing to declining casualties. Asia is the worst-hit region, with over 125 million people affected annually by such disasters.
The Dead Sea is shrinking at a rate of about one meter per year, causing land subsidence of 15 centimeters annually. Researchers have linked this trend to hydro-meteorological fluctuations, revealing a direct connection between water table fluctuations, evaporation, and land movement.
Scientists investigate the Alum Shale rock to reconstruct processes of oil and gas formation, identify possible traces of past life on Mars, and explore its potential as a site for nuclear waste disposal.
The SaferPlaces web service uses open data to identify areas at risk and plan protection measures, such as building modifications and new dikes. By mapping hazards and damages, users can simulate the effects of measures on the platform, ensuring user-friendliness and efficiency.
Scientists found that a rift in the Earth's crust was caused by a super volcano splitting the Indian Plate from Africa. The process involved the rotation of the continental plates due to the subcontinent acting like an axis.
A new model simulates tortuous magma pathways feeding eruptions, identifying three forces: hotspot rise, volcanic rock weight, and buoyancy. This understanding lays foundations for predicting fissure eruptions and reducing dangers.
Researchers found significant amounts of mercury in meltwater rivers from Greenland's glaciers, with concentrations comparable to industrial China. The discovery highlights the need for rethinking conservation measures and management strategies to address mercury pollution.
New experiments show that water selectively leaches magnesium from typical rock minerals under extreme pressure and temperature conditions. This process could produce chemical gradients in the early history of water-rich sub-Neptune exo-planets, potentially preserving tracks of initial interactions between water and rocky material.
Researchers used seismic waves to monitor groundwater dynamics in high mountains, tracking changes in soil saturation and predicting runoff. The study provides valuable insights into the function of the vadose zone as a link between precipitation and groundwater reservoirs.
A study in Taiwan found that mountain growth influences the greenhouse effect, with high erosion rates releasing more CO2 than sequestering it. Low erosion rates, on the other hand, lead to greater CO2 sequestration due to weathering processes that bind carbon dioxide.
A research team has discovered organic carbon compounds in fluid inclusions from the Dresser Mine in Australia, dating back 3.5 billion years. These findings suggest that primordial microbes may have had the necessary conditions to exist on Earth at this time.
Researchers have found that 42,000-year-old New Zealand kauri trees can accurately analyze the last complete reversal of the Earth's magnetic field. The study's findings suggest that the weak magnetic field had a significant impact on the atmosphere, leading to increased cosmic radiation and changes in ozone levels.
Electrons in Earth's radiation belt can be accelerated to ultra-relativistic energies when plasma density is extremely low, enabling them to surf on plasma waves and take energy from them. This two-stage acceleration process may also occur in other astrophysical objects.
A team of researchers analyzed sediment cores from the Mediterranean Sea and combined them with Earth system models to reconstruct major environmental changes in North Africa. The study reveals that rivers were active in the region thousands of years ago, driven by slight changes in Earth's orbit and polar ice sheet variations.
Researchers have found that tiny diamonds can form in the presence of small electric fields, which play a central role in their creation. The experiments conducted by the Russian research team showed that applying less than one volt triggers a chemical transformation process, resulting in pure carbon in the form of diamond.
Researchers found that subglacial lakes and rivers release significant amounts of trace elements, exceeding oceanic and riverine concentrations. These findings suggest that ice sheets play a key role in regional nutrient mobilization, with implications for climate change and the global carbon cycle.
The study uses Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometry (InSAR) to investigate lignite regions in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It finds significant land subsidence in open-cast mining areas, with rates of up to 50 centimeters per year.