Articles tagged with Atmosphere
Astronomers predict that combining NIRISS and NIRSpec on James Webb Space Telescope will maximize information content about exoplanet atmospheres. This combination allows for the observation of key chemical compounds such as water, methane, and carbon dioxide.
Researchers analyzed atmospheric temperatures and dust for 720,000 years, finding frequent climate fluctuations during glacial periods. Climate simulations revealed global cooling and freshwater inflow as key factors causing instability.
The CARAFE airborne campaign will gather data on greenhouse gas levels and vertical wind speeds over a range of vegetation types in the Mid-Atlantic region. This will help improve computer models that predict Earth's carbon sinks and inform greenhouse gas policy decisions.
Scientists have created a global map measuring the cooling effect of forests by regulating water and energy exchange between the Earth's surface and atmosphere. This new statistical model allows communities to pinpoint ideal locations for forest protection or reforestation efforts.
Astronomers have discovered a super-Earth orbiting a quiet red dwarf star, LHS 1140, in the habitable zone where liquid water can exist. The exoplanet's large size and dense iron core suggest it may have retained an atmosphere long after its star calmed down.
A University of Washington study shows that two leading methods for calculating the planet's response to greenhouse gas emissions are not as far apart as previously thought. The study, published in Nature Climate Change, found that recent observations support a climate sensitivity of about 2.9 degrees Celsius.
A new study finds that climate change will lead to a significant increase in severe turbulence, with some flights experiencing turbulent conditions twice as often as currently. The research suggests that the average amount of light turbulence will rise by 59% and moderate turbulence by 94%.
A recent study found that a specific wave pattern in the upper atmosphere, called wavenumber-5, is associated with California's droughts and floods. The wave pattern emerges during the northern winter and can lead to persistent extreme events like heat waves, droughts, and floods. Scientists hope that this new understanding of wavenumb...
A new study in Space Weather suggests that aircrews may experience increased radiation exposure due to weak solar activity, which could impact flight safety and radiation exposure for frequent flyers. Researchers also found auroral activity on Uranus, providing fresh clues about its magnetosphere.
New measurements reveal that 66% of Mars' argon has disappeared from its thin atmosphere since formation, leading to huge climate changes. The research suggests that Mars once had a thicker atmosphere composed mainly of carbon dioxide, which was largely lost due to solar wind bombardment.
The study found that most of the Martian gas has been lost to space due to solar wind and radiation stripping, altering the planet's climate and habitability. The loss of argon and CO2 indicates that the atmosphere was once warm enough to support liquid water and life.
Researchers found that forests cool the surface in temperate and tropical regions but warm high-latitude areas through mechanisms like water and heat transfer, evapotranspiration, and convection. This new insight highlights the importance of forest conservation in mitigating climate change.
A global study found steadily increasing ammonia concentrations from 2002 to 2016 over four major agricultural regions. The increases are broadly tied to crop fertilizers, livestock animal wastes, changes to atmospheric chemistry, and warming soils.
A USGS study reveals that changes in temperature and precipitation patterns may cause desert surfaces to become lighter, altering energy exchange between the planet and its atmosphere. This could lead to increased albedo, slowing the earth's warming rate, but also resulting in soil erosion and decreased fertility.
A new study from the University of Washington finds that natural variability in the atmosphere over the Arctic Ocean has accelerated summer sea ice loss in recent decades. The research suggests that climate change is still dominant, but natural variability played a significant role in the trend.
Researchers identified 49 persistent haze events in China's capital region, with a significant increase in events since the 2000s. The scientists found that specific circulation patterns can trap pollutants close to the Earth, leading to prolonged haze events.
A new European Union-funded project will develop satellites that can operate at lower altitudes, revolutionizing remote sensing technology. The project aims to create smaller, cheaper satellites with improved image quality, utilizing advanced materials and electric propulsion systems.
A new study by Australian National University has found evidence of seawater cycling as deep as 2,900km into the Earth's mantle, raising questions about how the atmosphere and oceans formed. The research suggests alternative theories, such as icy comets or meteorites bringing water to Earth, could be plausible.
Scientists have observed the first time a star pulsates in response to its orbiting planet, HAT-P-2b. The star's brightness oscillates ever so slightly every 87 minutes, suggesting that the massive exoplanet may periodically distort its star, causing it to flare or pulse.
New NASA research suggests that young red dwarf stars can make planets uninhabitable through frequent stellar eruptions, potentially erasing the water supply and preventing life from developing. This challenges traditional definitions of habitable zones.
A two-year study found that Penn State's power plants on campus pose no radon-related health risks, despite high concentrations of radon in the natural gas used. Researchers measured radon levels downwind and upwind from the plants, finding them to be far below a health threat.
A recent study published in PNAS reveals that Mars' primitive atmosphere had a low CO2 level, making it inhospitable for the formation of liquid water lakes. This finding contradicts previous assumptions and suggests that the planet's climate may have been colder than previously thought.
Researchers found that low atmospheric oxygen levels from the Middle Ages lasted for 2 billion years, hindering complex life forms' emergence. The Great Oxidation Event introduced modern oxygen levels, and land plants played a crucial role in this change.
Researchers have discovered a new explanation for climate change using long-term variations of the Lorenz energy cycle, a complex formula describing atmospheric interaction. The study found that Earth's global atmosphere is increasing in efficiency as a heat engine, leading to more potential energy converted to kinetic energy and great...
Researchers create swirling winds in laboratory using spinning table and massive garbage can, demonstrating that Jupiter's jets likely extend into its gaseous interior. The team's analog model mimics the planet's rapid rotation and turbulence conditions necessary for jet formation.
The frequency of meteorological disasters has increased due to global warming, causing severe social and economic losses in China and globally. The Collaborative Innovation Center on the Forecast and Evaluation of Meteorological Disasters aims to resolve key issues related to these phenomena through joint research.
The Cuvette Centrale peatlands in the central Congo Basin cover 145,500 square kilometres, locking in 30 billion tonnes of carbon. These peatlands store the equivalent of three years of the world's total fossil fuel emissions.
A new study from Georgia Institute of Technology reveals that Charon, Pluto's largest moon, significantly reduces the stripping of Pluto's atmosphere by solar wind when positioned between the sun and Pluto. This barrier creates a more acute angle of Pluto's bow shock, slowing down atmospheric loss.
A new study predicts that California will experience three more extreme precipitation events per year by 2100 as the Earth's climate warms. The researchers developed a technique to identify large-scale patterns in atmospheric data, significantly reducing uncertainty in extreme storm predictions.
A new study links rapid increase in sediment burial of carbon-rich organic matter to the surge in atmospheric oxygen during the Cambrian explosion. This process prevented dead plant material from burning and allowed oxygen to build up. Fossil fuel formation played a crucial role in supporting advanced animal life on Earth.
New research on Mars suggests that finger-like rock structures could be evidence of ancient microbes, potentially harboring past life. Thousands of geese have died due to toxic waters in Montana's Berkeley Pit, highlighting the spread of heavy metals and acid into groundwater.
Researchers have discovered powerful changing winds on a gas giant planet, HAT-P-7b, which is 16 times larger than Earth and orbits a star 50% more massive and twice as large as the Sun. The planet's atmosphere is affected by strong winds moving across the planet, leading to catastrophic storms.
Global methane concentrations have grown faster than at any point in the past two decades, posing a significant threat to climate change mitigation efforts. The rapid increase in methane emissions is attributed primarily to agricultural sources, particularly rice paddies and cattle pastures.
The University of Oklahoma will monitor plant health and vegetation stress throughout the Americas using a commercial communications satellite. The mission aims to examine natural sources and processes that control carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and methane in the atmosphere.
Researchers reconstructed ocean chemistry records from quahog clam shells to analyze past 1000 years of North Atlantic Ocean changes. They found that prior to industrial period, solar variability and volcanic eruptions drove climate and weather patterns.
A team of planetary scientists suggests that dramatic climate cycles on early Mars could have created the planet's deep canyons and extensive valley networks. The researchers propose a glacier-covered Mars with long warm periods lasting up to 10 million years, producing enough water to form these features.
IRIS collects data on the temperature and movement of solar material to determine how it drives the constant changes on our sun. The mission aims to answer questions about coronal heating and solar activity, with recent studies suggesting distinct bomb-like events.
A new study by the University of Delaware and colleagues reveals that oceans play a crucial role in absorbing excess heat from the atmosphere, redistributing it within the Earth system. This redistribution explains the observed decrease in global mean surface temperature, considered a key indicator of climate change.
CIMMS and NOAA announce a five-year, $95.3 million collaboration to support Weather Ready Nation and Climate Adaptation and Mitigation initiatives. The university will provide expertise in long-term planning, stormscale meteorological phenomena research, and forecast improvements.
Researchers from Colorado State University found that seabird guano emissions influence Arctic cloud properties and climate cooling. The study revealed a link between ammonia-rich bird poop and the formation of atmospheric aerosol particles, which can reflect sunlight back to space.
A new study challenges the understanding of subtropical rainfall decline in response to increased greenhouse gases. Researchers found that land will warm faster than oceans, leading to less severe impacts on people living in these regions.
Global carbon emissions have shown almost no growth for three years, with a projected rise of only 0.2% in 2016. The slowdown is attributed to decreased coal use in China, which saw emissions decrease by 0.7% in 2015. However, the reduction is not enough to limit climate change below 2 degrees Celsius.
Robert McGraw's 1997 paper introduced a new method to mathematically characterize aerosol dynamics, which has been widely used in various fields. The award recognizes his work's significant impact on aerosol research and climate modeling.
Scientists discover that rising CO2 levels have boosted terrestrial carbon uptake, slowing the growth rate of atmospheric CO2. The increase in carbon absorption is attributed to enhanced photosynthesis and plant respiration, particularly in tropical and high-latitude ecosystems.
Scientists from the Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research have published a comprehensive study revealing that current climate models overestimate the impact of dimethyl sulfide on oceanic clouds. The study found that aqueous-phase chemistry significantly reduces sulfur dioxide emissions, contradicting earlier projections.
A study published in Nature reveals that atmospheric aerosols above the Amazon rainforest originate from nanoparticles formed in the upper atmosphere. These particles are transported to the ground by clouds and rain, forming new populations of aerosol particles that act as cloud condensation nuclei.
At Syowa Station, a daily mean CO2 concentration of 400.06 ppm was recorded on May 14, 2016, surpassing the previous threshold. This observation highlights the impact of human activities on the Antarctic region, contributing to global warming.
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University discovered that semi-volatile organic compounds can easily diffuse between atmospheric particles, altering their behavior. The findings provide greater understanding of how these particles change in the atmosphere, crucial for understanding their impact on environment and human health.
The MAVEN mission provides unprecedented detail on hydrogen escape from Mars' upper atmosphere, revealing a dramatic variation in loss rates throughout the year. The research suggests that water escape is not a steady leak but rather an episodic flow influenced by seasonal and solar activity.
A Cornell-led study finds that the American Southwest is at risk of megadroughts due to climate change, but reducing emissions can significantly lower this risk. The study suggests that even a moderate warming of 2 degrees Celsius could lead to a 20-50% chance of a megadrought.
A team of scientists from NCAS and the Met Office observed an unusual reversal of the expected pattern in equatorial winds. The quasi-biennial oscillation is a regular feature of the climate system, but its recent disruption may impact seasonal forecasts and future climate predictions.
Researchers observed a reversal of the expected pattern in equatorial winds, known as the quasi-biennial oscillation, which has significant implications for Northern European weather. The team believes that similar disruptions could become more frequent as the climate warms.
New research on brown dwarfs has found that atmospheric properties may be behind their incredible variation in size, temperature, chemistry, and more. The discovery may also apply to planets outside the solar system, making brown dwarfs a valuable tool for studying exoplanet evolution.
Ancient Venus may have had a shallow liquid-water ocean and a habitable surface due to its slow spin, which exposed the dayside to sunlight for almost two months at a time. This warmed the surface and created rain, leading to a thick layer of clouds that shielded the surface from solar heating.
Researchers from Boston University found that Jupiter's Great Red Spot is responsible for heating the planet's upper atmosphere to unusually high temperatures. The team used infrared observations to map temperature anomalies across the planet, revealing that the Great Red Spot's heat distribution matches the observed values.
Naturally occurring carbon dioxide concentrations allowed for a relatively slow onset of climate change effects. Scientists have a longer window to understand and mitigate human-induced climate change.
Researchers from MIT and the University of Liège announce a new study on the TRAPPIST-1 planetary system, which hosts three potentially habitable, Earth-sized worlds. The team discovers that two innermost planets have compact atmospheres similar to those of rocky planets like Earth, Venus, and Mars.
Researchers from KU Leuven show that surface composition and atmosphere interaction on exoplanets affect their temperature and habitability. A well-functioning 'air conditioning' system can make even planets with permanent day and night sides potentially habitable.
Global Aerospace Corporation and Northrop Grumman will develop a new exploration vehicle for Saturn's moon Titan, addressing technical challenges with innovative engineering approaches. The Titan Winged Aerobot concept incorporates ultra-low power requirements and extended vertical range, enabling long-lived flight at low altitudes.
Researchers identified human fingerprint on Indo-Pacific warm pool growth using climate model simulations and fingerprinting technique. Human-induced greenhouse gas increase is the dominant cause of IPWP warming and expansion, with a small contribution from natural climate variability.