Articles tagged with Atmosphere
New research suggests that climate change increases the risk of a major slowdown in global crop yields over the next two decades. The odds of such an event are about 1 in 10 for corn and 1 in 20 for wheat, even with a warming climate.
A team of astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope measured water vapour in the atmospheres of three gas giants, finding levels one-tenth to one-thousandth that predicted by standard theory. This discovery raises questions about exoplanet formation and highlights challenges in searching for water on Earth-like planets.
Researchers found water vapour abundance to be between ten and a thousand times less than predicted models, raising questions about the chemical processes involved in planet formation. The discovery has implications for searching for life on exoplanets capable of supporting it.
A new study found that turbulent mixing in the deep waters of the Southern Ocean varies with surface eddy strength and possibly wind speeds, impacting global ocean circulation and climate. This insight will enable scientists to build better computer models predicting future climate change.
French and Russian scientists have identified two types of dust particles in the Martian atmosphere, contradicting previously obtained data on supersaturated steam formation. The coarser mode consists of larger ice grains, while the finer mode is an aerosol with tiny particles that play a key role in climate formation.
Researchers Guillaume Avice and Bernard Marty found the Earth is approximately 60 million years older than previously thought. The team analyzed xenon gas sealed in quartz samples to refine dating techniques and estimate the Moon-forming impact timing, now believed to be around 40 million years after solar system formation.
A research group from the University of Exeter has discovered a possible mechanism behind Earth's rising oxygen concentration. The team suggests that as continents grew, chemical processes on land took over controlling CO2 levels, leading to increased phosphate availability in oceans and ultimately, oxygen production.
Scientists found that expanded sea ice in the Southern Ocean led to a massive drop in atmospheric CO2 levels during the Last Glacial Maximum. The study suggests a dynamic link between sea-ice expansion and ocean water insulation, providing new insights into past climate changes.
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.
Researchers at University of Washington estimate up to half of recent Greenland warming is caused by tropical Pacific climate variations rather than global warming. This finding highlights the complexity of regional climate changes and the need for more accurate long-range projections.
A new study suggests that detecting life on exoplanets is more difficult than previously thought, as a lifeless planet can mimic the same results as one with a biosignature. The resolution needed to distinguish between genuine and false positives is impossible with current telescopes.
Researchers studied Saturn's northern polar region and confirmed the hexagon's stability and unchanged jet stream. They suggest it's a manifestation of a Rossby wave similar to those on Earth, with implications for understanding Saturn's atmosphere.
Researchers found that arid ecosystems, which cover nearly half the earth's land surface, can take up a significant amount of carbon as CO2 levels rise. The study suggests that these ecosystems could account for 15-28% of current carbon absorption, potentially offsetting 4-8% of current emissions by 2050.
Scientists at NRL detected water vapor in the atmosphere of tau Boo b, a hot Jupiter outside our solar system. The team measured the motion of the planet to establish its presence and determined it's six times more massive than Jupiter.
New research suggests that the first animals oxygenated the deep oceans, creating conditions for more complex life to evolve. This finding challenges the long-held belief that a rise in atmospheric oxygen triggered the development of complex life forms.
Scientists have made the first detection of water in the atmosphere of a hot Jupiter, tau Boötis b, using a novel technique that expands on the radial velocity method. The study confirms the presence of water vapor and also reveals the planet's mass, which was previously difficult to determine.
Scientists at NPL have created a synthetic air reference standard to measure carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere, providing a trusted base unit for global monitoring. This innovation addresses the growing demand for standards comparable to the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) scale.
A team of scientists at Penn State University has detected water vapor in the atmosphere of a hot-Jupiter exoplanet, tau Boötis b. This discovery could help researchers understand how many planets like Earth exist throughout the universe and provides new insights into the formation and evolution of exotic hot-Jupiter planets.
Despite recent advances, reliable information about exoplanet atmospheres is scarce due to flawed methods like photometric interpretations. New techniques like spectrometry hold promise for a more comprehensive understanding of exoplanets.
A study of a sea sponge reveals that complex life can survive with extremely low oxygen levels, challenging the long-held theory that high oxygen levels were necessary for animal evolution. This finding suggests alternative ecological and evolutionary mechanisms may have played a role in the origin of animals.
The new four-year grant will help operators of near-earth satellites and air traffic radar systems safeguard against radiation bursts and energetic particles. Yue Deng's research aims to improve the understanding of neutral wind dynamics in the upper atmosphere, which is crucial for mitigating space weather effects.
Researchers find Pacific trade winds have driven more heat into oceans, slowing global warming; however, when winds weaken, heat will rapidly return to atmosphere. The study suggests a hiatus in global warming is temporary and temperatures will soon rise rapidly.
A new Yale study reveals that ancient forest emissions and wildfires had a significant impact on global warming, even before human-generated CO2 emissions. The research found that concentrations of tropospheric ozone, aerosol particles, and methane during the Pliocene epoch were twice those observed in the pre-industrial era.
The Opportunity rover has discovered evidence of conditions that support the chemistry of life in Mars' past, earning a spot in Science magazine. The 10-year-old rover explored Martian geology and environmental processes, searching for signs of habitability and life.
Astronomers have detected clear evidence of clouds in the atmosphere of GJ 1214b, a super-Earth exoplanet, using data from the Hubble Space Telescope. The findings suggest that high-altitude clouds blanket the planet, hiding information about its composition and behavior.
A novel chemical, perfluorotributylamine (PFTBA), has been found to be a long-lived greenhouse gas with the most radiatively efficient impact on climate, according to a study by the University of Toronto chemistry team. Calculated over a 100-year timeframe, PFTBA's global warming potential is equivalent to that of 7100 molecules of CO2.
Three mass spectrometers from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center conducted simultaneous experiments on the moon and Mars to analyze atmospheric and rock samples. This milestone demonstrates the value of these instruments for understanding planetary environments.
Two teams of scientists used NASA's Hubble Space Telescope to detect faint water signals in the atmospheres of five distant planets. The strengths of their water signatures varied, with some planets having stronger signals than expected.
Researchers find Coriolis force crucial for creating hypnotic patterns on Dervish skirts, reproducing sharp peaks and gentle troughs. The study uses simple equations to govern cone-shaped structures' behavior when rotating.
Researchers found rich deposits of feldspar, a mineral common in granite, in an ancient Martian volcano. The discovery suggests prolonged magmatic activity on Mars, leading to the formation of granite-like rocks, challenging previous assumptions about Martian geology.
A NASA-led mission called Firefly aims to study lightning and terrestrial gamma ray flashes from space. The instrument will gather data for up to a year, shedding light on the global electric circuit's most critical component.
Researchers find Amazon deforestation could reduce rain and snowfall in the western US, resulting in water and food shortages. A study suggests a 50% reduction in Sierra Nevada snowpack could occur if the Amazon is stripped bare.
A team of geoscientists is building a whole-Earth model to understand long-term climate change on Earth. They will examine how carbon moves between the planet's external and internal systems, including the oceans, atmosphere, and deep Earth.
Researchers at NCAR have fingerprinted a distinctive atmospheric wave pattern that can foreshadow the emergence of summertime heat waves in the United States. By analyzing a 12,000-year simulation of the atmosphere, they found that this pattern is associated with an increased likelihood of US heat waves 15-20 days out.
The Curiosity rover's direct measurement of argon gas on Mars pinpoints the origins of Martian meteorites, shedding light on atmospheric loss. The discovery provides a clear signature of the planet's history and supports previous findings of atmospheric decline on Mars.
A new study suggests that a 'stadium wave' signal in ocean, ice, and atmospheric circulation regimes may explain the recent global warming hiatus. The 'stadium wave' propagates like a sports stadium crowd standing and sitting, with different regions responding to changes in temperature and sea ice extent.
Researchers at CU-Boulder created a global electric circuit model using a climate model, revealing that the atmosphere is generally less conductive over the equator and above Southeast Asia. The model shows seasonal changes in conductivity and its impact on lightning currents.
A Stanford University study projects a significant increase in severe thunderstorms across the US, with an estimated 40% rise in eastern US storms by late 21st century. The research suggests global warming will drive more days with high convective available potential energy and sufficient wind shear to form severe thunderstorms.
Researchers launched an online platform called Plankton Portal, allowing citizens to classify millions of underwater images to study plankton diversity. The project uses high-resolution digital sensors from the In Situ Ichthyoplankton Imaging System (ISIIS) to detect plankton and other organisms in the open ocean.
Dennis Hansell, a renowned chemical oceanographer, has been awarded the Sverdrup Lecture at the AGU Ocean Sciences Meeting. He will focus on the dynamics of organic material dissolved in the ocean and its role in elemental cycling.
The ancient greenhouse world had few large reefs and a poorly oxygenated ocean, supporting minute picoplankton instead of larger diatoms. Large marine animals became abundant when algae became large enough to support top predators in cold oceans.
Climate scientists warn that the likely rate of change over the next century will be 10 times quicker than any climate shift in the past 65 million years. The rapid pace of modern climate change poses a challenge to species, ecosystems, and human societies.
New research led by Michigan State University scientists predicts that climate change will continue to fuel larger and more extreme wildfires in the western United States, posing a significant challenge to fire and forest management.
Researchers found that year-round ice-free conditions in the Arctic could explain amplified warming during the Pliocene Epoch, with warmer temperatures and reduced seasonal cycles. The study used climate models to simulate the effects of ice-free winters and summers, revealing a possible mechanism for Pliocene warming.
Researchers at Oregon State University have obtained multi-year records of mixing in the Pacific equatorial cold tongue, showing that it cools the sea surface temperature and is influenced by equatorial currents. This discovery could improve climate models and help understand seasonal weather patterns and global warming.
Marine scientists have decoded the mechanism for long-term climate fluctuations in the Atlantic, revealing that ocean currents significantly affect long-term climate variability. The study found that heat exchange between ocean and atmosphere influences decadal climate fluctuations, which are superimposed on the general warming trend.
A new study by Oregon State University found that nighttime heat waves are on the rise in the Pacific Northwest, with five occurring between 2006-09 and another since this June. Elevated humidity traps heat at night, unlike daytime events influenced by downslope warming.
The Curiosity rover has made high-precision measurements of Mars' atmosphere, revealing it was much thicker in the past. Heavy isotopes of carbon and oxygen were more abundant, indicating a warmer and wetter climate.
The Neutral Gas and Ion Mass Spectrometer (NGIMS) instrument on the MAVEN spacecraft will collect data on charged gas particles in Mars' upper atmosphere, helping scientists understand how the planet lost its majority of atmosphere. The data will also be used to build models of the Martian atmosphere billions of years ago.
A new study estimates that global sea levels will rise 2.3 meters over the next several thousand years for every degree Celsius the planet warms. The four major contributors to sea-level rise on a global scale are melting of glaciers, Greenland ice sheet, Antarctic ice sheet, and ocean expansion as it warms.
Research at University of Liverpool found variations in Earth's core affect day length over periods of one to 10 years. The study resolves previously poorly characterised changes and provides new insight into the chemistry and mineralogy of the Earth's deep interior.
For the first time, Hubble has measured the visible color of an exoplanet, revealing HD 189733b to be a deep azure blue due to its hazy and turbulent atmosphere. The planet's atmosphere is scorching with temperatures over 1000 degrees Celsius and features glass rain.
Researchers at UCLA have discovered a previously unknown third radiation ring, which briefly appeared between the inner and outer Van Allen belts in September 2012. The new study provides insight into the formation and decay of this temporary radiation belt, revealing its distinctively slow decay rate.
A team of researchers from the University of Sheffield found that unusual atmospheric jet stream circulation caused the exceptional surface melt of the Greenland Ice Sheet in summer 2012. The analysis revealed a record surface melt extent of over 90%, far exceeding the previous record of 52% in 2010.
A new CU-Boulder study reveals a significant increase in dust emissions across the Western United States over the past 17 years. The research found that dust erosion is linked to an increase in calcium deposition in precipitation, with major increases observed in Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah.
Research explores Arctic sea ice impact on atmospheric circulation and surface temperatures, revealing significant effects beyond the Arctic region.
The Landsat thermal sensor has successfully imaged the heat emanating from Paluweh volcano in Indonesia, capturing a hot spot at the top of the volcanic island. The sensor's ability to distinguish between the hot lava and cooler ash is crucial for scientists studying volcanic activity.
Research from IIASA and the University of Helsinki found that plants release gases that stick to aerosol particles, growing them into larger-sized particles that reflect sunlight and serve as cloud droplets. This feedback loop can counteract up to 30% of warming in forested areas, particularly in regions like Finland, Siberia, and Canada.
Simulations suggest a shift northward, which could increase or decrease seasonal rainfall in areas such as the Amazon, sub-Saharan Africa or East Asia. A warmer northern hemisphere causes atmospheric overturning to weaken in the north and strengthen in the south, shifting rain bands northward.
The MAVEN magnetometer will study the planet's magnetic field to infer how the atmosphere evolved, helping answer why Mars became a frozen desert. By measuring sections of the planet's magnetic field, scientists can create a bigger picture of the overall atmosphere and understand its interactions with solar wind.