Articles tagged with Atmosphere
Researchers measured carbon dioxide fluxes in the North Atlantic using an autonomous system, making nearly 4,000 flux measurements. The study found that formation of bubbles in breaking waves may increase gas transfer at high wind speeds.
The team made the first measurements of GJ 1214b's atmosphere, revealing a featureless spectrum that could be caused by a thick cloud or haze. The data suggests that the atmosphere is either dense with hydrogen or composed of steam vaporized by the nearby star.
A Texas A&M University geoscientist is mapping the meaning of mid-level clouds using NASA satellite data. She aims to develop a common nomenclature for these understudied clouds, which play a crucial role in the climate-change equation. Her research has revolutionized atmospheric studies and will help create more accurate climate models.
More intense storms will occur in the Southern Hemisphere year-round, while the Northern Hemisphere will experience stronger storms during winter and weaker ones in summer. Global warming's effects on storm patterns can lead to increased air pollution and changes in ocean circulation.
The study predicts that severe and prolonged droughts will affect much of the globe in the next 30 years, with dry conditions increasing substantially across Eurasia, Africa, Australia, and parts of North America. By the end of the century, densely populated regions may face extreme drought conditions.
A new study predicts widespread droughts across much of the globe within decades, with most of Western Hemisphere and Eurasia at risk. Drought conditions are expected to worsen as warming temperatures lead to reduced rainfall and increased evaporation.
A UT Dallas professor designed a mass spectrometer that analyzed soil samples from Mars, revealing the ratio of carbon dioxide isotopes and their reaction to volcanic activity. This provides a more complete understanding of the current Martian atmosphere and climate history.
Researchers discover biogenic secondary organic aerosol (SOA) particles formed from vegetation are solid and glass-like, affecting their ability to absorb water and act as cloud nuclei. This finding redirects the atmospheric fine particle research worldwide.
Research found a decline in global evapotranspiration, a key component of the global climate system, over the past decade, mainly in the Southern Hemisphere. The shift coincided with reduced precipitation and increased drought stress on vegetation.
A study published in PNAS reveals that large predatory fish and vascular plants emerged around 400 million years ago, coinciding with a significant increase in oxygen levels. This finding suggests that animals evolved under lower oxygen conditions than previously thought.
The Center for Aerosol Impacts on Climate and the Environment (CAICE) will use a wave tank simulator to study aerosol particles' impact on climate. Researchers will add various atmosphere-changing ingredients to measure effects of different variables, aiming to improve representation of aerosol mechanisms in global climate models.
The sun uses its solar wind and ultraviolet radiation to strip Mars' atmosphere, making it cold and dry. MAVEN will examine the ways the sun loses the Martian atmosphere and measure hydrogen isotope ratios to discover how much water has been lost to space.
Researchers have found potassium in the atmosphere of a giant planet, HD 80606 b, using narrow-band transit spectrophotometry. The discovery supports previous computer models and demonstrates the value of this observational technique for characterizing planets that might support life.
Researchers find that increasing Antarctic sea ice extent is due to stabilization of the upper ocean by increased precipitation, which reduces melting from both above and below. Climate models predict faster melting in the future, leading to a potential decrease in sea ice extent.
A new analysis suggests that a prolonged phase of low activity in solar cycle 23 could be caused by changes in the sun's conveyor belt. The study's findings provide insight into factors controlling solar cycles and may lead to improved predictions.
Researchers demonstrate how rain causes air movement that breaks down and builds up cloud walls, forming honeycomb clouds with self-organizing patterns. These clouds cycle regularly due to the interaction between rising and falling air, resulting in shifting showers over time.
A team of researchers has discovered that Saturn's aurora pulses in tandem with its radio emissions, providing a long-suspected link between the two phenomena. The discovery offers new insights into Saturn's irregular heartbeat and has significant implications for understanding the planet's rotation period.
A team of 300 scientists and students from 14 countries drilled over 1.5 miles into the North Greenland ice sheet, recovering ice from the Eemian interglacial period. The cores will provide crucial information on past temperatures and greenhouse gas concentrations, helping to predict future climate change.
A new study by Mark Z. Jacobson suggests that reducing soot emissions is the best hope for saving Arctic sea ice within the next two decades. Soot contributes to global warming and kills over 1.5 million people prematurely, but eliminating it could reduce warming above parts of the Arctic Circle in just 15 years.
Researchers found that marine microorganisms are attracted to dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP), a chemical involved in ocean sulphur and carbon cycles. The team's study visualized microbial behavior for the first time using microfluidic technology, shedding light on the importance of these tiny organisms in climate regulation.
Two international studies reveal the world's plant life inhales an estimated 123 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide annually, with tropical forests accounting for 34% of this uptake. The research also shows that factors like water availability and soil transformations play crucial roles in long-term ecosystem carbon balances.
A new study has accurately measured global carbon cycles, enabling more precise predictions of climate change's impact. The research found tropical forests and savannahs are key drivers of carbon dioxide uptake, with precipitation playing a significant role in determining global productivity.
Researchers at the Carbfix Project have found a way to capture and dissolve CO2 in water, then inject it into basalt rocks where it forms solid carbonates. This method aims to provide a long-term, thermodynamically stable solution for storing excess CO2.
Researchers developed a new model to understand the impact of urbanization on human health and comfort. By analyzing the urban boundary layer in Phoenix, Arizona, they created a framework to predict periods of high particulate pollution and extreme temperature fluctuations.
Associate Professor Huiming Bao has published research in Nature about massive volcanic eruptions and their atmospheric consequences. The study used computer models and geological data to simulate the sulfur gas oxidation chemistry and atmospheric conditions of North America long before human activities impacted air quality.
A breakthrough discovery by Colette Heald simplifies our understanding of atmospheric organic aerosols, a key factor in climate change. By identifying common characteristics among these tiny particles, scientists can now accurately represent their composition in climate models.
Researchers from the University of the Basque Country and American scientists publish first results of a study on the impact of a large-sized celestial body on Jupiter last July. The impact created a massive ash cloud of around 5,000 km in size, with surrounding halo effects.
Researchers verified reductions in sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide emissions from Chinese power plants using satellite monitoring. The study also predicts the evolution of central Pacific El Niño events, finding links to thermocline depth and its impact on weather patterns.
A recent study published in Nature found that rapidly melting sea ice is a major cause of warming in the Arctic. The research, conducted by the University of Melbourne, discovered a positive feedback loop between sea ice melting and atmospheric warming, leading to increased warming rates in the region.
Scientists found 7,000 times less methane and plenty of carbon monoxide on GJ 436b, challenging standard chemistry theories about planetary atmospheres. The discovery suggests that scientists should be more flexible in their theories about similar planets.
Researchers at NCAR suggest that half of the heat believed to have built up on Earth is unaccounted for due to inadequate measurement tools. The scientists call for additional ocean sensors and better data analysis to track the flow of energy through the climate system.
A new study led by Ohio University scientists suggests that early Native Americans left a bigger carbon footprint than previously thought. By analyzing chemical composition of stalagmites, the researchers found evidence of greenhouse gas emissions due to land use practices such as burning trees for nut production.
Researchers develop a method to determine wine vintages using radioactive carbon dioxide produced by atomic bomb tests. The technique uses accelerator mass spectrometry to analyze the carbon-14 levels in wine alcohol, allowing for reliable detection of vintage authenticity.
Scientists discover a disused SCUBA tank filled with air in 1968, extending the longest record of greenhouse gases in the Southern Hemisphere. The find uses archived data to analyze propellants, refrigerants and aluminium smelter emissions not widely used in Melbourne at that time.
Researchers at the University of Missouri are studying how increasing carbon dioxide levels and global temperatures may impact atmospheric blocking, a rare but significant weather event. They aim to improve forecasting accuracy by identifying cues that can warn people of long-lasting, severe weather.
Researchers found that small increases in carbon dioxide led to substantial global warming about 4.5 million years ago. Slow changes in ice sheets and other factors amplify the effects of greenhouse gas composition.
PNNL scientists Scott Chambers, Yuehe Lin, Moe Khaleel, Philip Rasch, John Wacker, and Sotiris Xantheas recognized for their groundbreaking research in semiconductors, nanotechnology, computational engineering, climate modeling, nuclear signature analysis, and aqueous systems.
Astronomers have discovered a 'super-Earth' orbiting a red dwarf star 40 light-years from Earth. The planet, GJ1214b, is about 6.5 times as massive as the Earth and orbits its star once every 38 hours.
Meteorology Professor Evgeni Fedorovich has been recognized with the Humboldt Research Award for his contributions to fundamental discoveries in atmospheric flow dynamics. He will conduct research on numerical algorithms for simulating turbulent flows in Germany.
A major study led by Jose-Luis Jimenez from the University of Colorado at Boulder has discovered a common ground in organic material floating through the skies, leading to more accurate predictions of air quality and climate. The finding presents a workable solution that will improve the speed and accuracy of prediction models.
The study documents spatial and temporal distributions of atmospheric CO2 over China, with varying levels of human activity influence. Long-term observations show changes in CO2 mixing ratios at multiple sites, shedding light on carbon source and sink distribution.
Scientists have discovered that extremely strong turbulent convection can lead to two distinct states of heat transport, defying the previously established law. The researchers found an exponential increase in heat transport that decreases by a power of two as the turbulence strengthens.
A team of researchers has created a technique using traditional GPS satellite signals to measure snow depth and soil/vegetation moisture. This new method has the potential to benefit climate modelers, atmospheric researchers, farmers, and water resource managers by providing accurate and relatively inexpensive data.
Global fossil fuel CO2 emissions increased by 29% between 2008 and 2000 due to growing coal use and international trade. The natural carbon sinks' efficiency has decreased, allowing more CO2 to remain in the atmosphere. This rise highlights the need for drastic reduction in global CO2 emissions.
Carbon dioxide emissions from human activities reached an all-time high of 1.3 tonnes of carbon per capita per year in 2008, driven mainly by increased use of coal. The global effort to reduce emissions from human activity must be accelerated to avoid the worst-case scenario of climate change.
Researchers have found two Earth-sized bodies with oxygen-rich atmospheres, which are not planets but rather unusual white dwarf stars. The discovery was made using data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and suggests that these stars may have descended from massive progenitor stars.
A UH Mānoa team led by Ralf Kaiser discovered triacetylene formation in Titan's atmosphere through simulation experiments and theoretical calculations. This finding sheds light on the origin and chemical evolution of Saturn's moon, which may serve as a building block for more complex polyynes.
A new analytical method developed by researchers at the University of Copenhagen reveals a significant correlation between oxygen content in seawater and global cooling. The study indicates two periods in Earth's history with large increases in oxygen content, which led to temperature decreases and potentially enabled life in deep oceans.
A new MIT study forecasts an increase in extreme rainfall events, with precipitation in these events expected to rise by 6% for every one degree Celsius temperature increase. Climate models show varying results within the tropics, prompting further research to determine outcomes in tropical regions.
Researchers from Caltech have observed a large system of storm clouds on Titan, revealing clouds near the equator for the first time. The discovery has significant implications for understanding the hydrological cycle on Titan and challenges previous speculations about cloud formation in dry regions.
A team of researchers from Caltech and University of Copenhagen have discovered a new chemical compound in the atmosphere that may help explain how clouds form over forests. The compound, dihydroxyepoxide, is formed when tree-released hydrocarbons interact with atmospheric compounds, providing a missing link in cloud formation.
New research confirms human-induced warming increases atmospheric water vapor content, a greenhouse gas amplifying global warming. Climate models' ability to identify this effect is not influenced by their quality.
Scientists have found that when sulfate and soot mix in the atmosphere, the sulfate shell enhances the absorption of light by coated soot particles. This mixing happens quickly and affects the role of soot in climate change, potentially leading to more warming.
The Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) is the world's largest network of ground-based sensors for aerosols, crucial to understanding Earth's climate. AERONET was born from a need to study vegetation using satellites, but Holben shifted focus to aerosols, leading to a better understanding of their role in climate change.
Researchers propose reducing atmospheric pressure to extend Earth's lifespan by 1.3 billion years, doubling the chances of finding intelligent life elsewhere. This mechanism could occur on any extrasolar planet with an atmosphere and biosphere.
Scientists have discovered magnetic tornadoes on Mercury that could be replenishing its extremely thin atmosphere. These 'tornadoes' form when magnetic fields carried by the solar wind connect to Mercury's magnetic field, twisting into vortex-like structures.
Researchers found that a surge in atmospheric methane gas 11,600 years ago was more chemically consistent with an expansion of wetlands rather than a large-scale melting of frozen methane deposits. This discovery suggests that wetland regions may have played a significant role in regulating global warming during past events.
Research finds that atmospheric pollution has enhanced global plant productivity by up to a quarter since 1960, leading to a 10% increase in carbon stored by the land. This unexpected effect occurs due to increased diffuse radiation reaching the Earth's surface under hazy conditions.
Lead from human activities causes clouds to form at warmer temperatures with less water, altering rain and snow patterns. The presence of lead also changes the distribution and density of clouds, affecting the amount of earth's heat that escapes into space.
The Hypersonic Control Modeling and Simulation Tool (HyperCMST) will be used for control studies of planetary atmospheric entry and descent, aerodynamic orbital capture, and aerodynamic gravity assist. The tool allows engineers to model optimal control trajectories for hypersonic vehicles.