Articles tagged with Atmospheric Physics
Researchers at Lancaster University have re-examined the 178-year-old mystery of a train delay in Exeter, dating back to 1841, and found it actually occurred in 1848 due to geomagnetic disturbance from the sun. The study shows that space weather has been disrupting technology for almost as long as electrical technologies have existed.
Researchers at the University of Bath have been awarded £1.9m to develop a 'stratospheric sat-nav' to help high-altitude unmanned aircraft ride atmospheric waves and increase flight endurance. The project aims to provide energy savings similar to carrying a 20-40% bigger battery at no additional cost.
Researchers at Bielefeld University have discovered that microcline's most common surface is sufficient for ice to form in an ordered manner, known as epitaxial growth. This finding provides a new perspective on the importance of uncommon ice faces for understanding ice nucleation.
Two remote Rossby wave trains converged to strengthen pressure gradients over northern China, driving the extreme wind event. The team found that these large-scale patterns were boosted by anomalous atmospheric circulation and enhanced winds in northern China.
Asteroid impact created a massive dust cloud that trapped heat, causing widespread wildfires and spontaneous combustion. The cloud led to population collapse and atmospheric contamination, ultimately killing most dinosaurs and other species.
Damiano Baccarella received a $750,000 NASA award to study the extreme environments encountered by hypersonic spacecraft during atmospheric re-entry. He aims to develop novel strategies for experimental characterization of chemical and vibrational non-equilibrium in high-enthalpy hypersonic wind tunnels.
A team of astronomers has detected the first atmosphere on an Earth-like, rocky planet orbiting within the habitable zone of another star. The discovery provides evidence that worlds with conditions similar to Earth could exist beyond our solar system.
A new study finds that a slowing Atlantic Ocean current will strengthen powerful storms in California while reducing snowfall over Greenland. The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation's weakening is projected to increase atmospheric moisture and high-altitude winds, creating more destructive atmospheric rivers.
Researchers have observed high water-vapor supersaturation in tropical convective clouds, which can enhance condensation and release latent heat. This finding supports the concept of condensational aerosol convective invigoration, where aerosol particles create new droplets and strengthen updrafts.
Researchers used the James Webb Space Telescope to measure how star light absorption changes as WASP-121 b rotates, probing its atmosphere longitude by longitude. The data indicate that hot winds heat the evening terminator region, causing it to absorb more stellar radiation and expand.
Researchers from Columbia University have developed a theory explaining how carbon dioxide cools the stratosphere, even as it warms Earth's surface and lower atmosphere. The study reveals that CO2 molecules interact with infrared light in a specific 'Goldilocks zone' that expands with increasing atmospheric CO2 levels.
A new study by the U.S. National Science Foundation National Center for Atmospheric Research has found that the biological productivity of the Southern Ocean is substantially greater than previously estimated. This discovery has significant implications for our understanding of the global carbon cycle and the marine food web.
Scientists calculate that high leakages of ozone-depleting substances from feedstocks could delay ozone recovery by about seven years. The Montreal Protocol made an exception for the use of these substances in producing other materials, but recent estimates suggest higher leakage rates than initially thought.
New research from the American Meteorological Society explores AI forecasting limits, the impact of climate change on hurricane trends, and simplifies the heat index. The studies find that machine learning can outperform numerical physics-based models in certain conditions, but not universally.
Contrails still form under modern 'lean-burn' aircraft engines, defying scientists' hopes that reducing soot emissions would limit their formation and warming effect. Researchers combined real-world measurements with advanced modeling to understand contrail formation under modern engine conditions.
Researchers from Colorado State University found that tiny particles bubbling up from melting sea ice in the Arctic sky can create clouds, providing a platform for water vapor to freeze onto. This discovery sheds light on why Arctic clouds behave differently and could help improve weather modeling and climate change predictions.
Researchers are using a revolutionary radar system to transform understanding of lightning and electrification, helping to improve storm warnings and assess damage risk. The system, named Horus, can capture rapid scans of storms, allowing for clearer pictures of lightning plasma and its distinctive polarimetric indicators.
A research team analyzed 2.2 million thunderstorm events to identify a physical explanation for their formation. The study found that differences in soil moisture generate near-surface winds, leading to intense thunderstorms. High-resolution satellite measurements of soil moisture were crucial for this analysis.
A team of researchers at the Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, developed an ensemble technique to improve climate modeling by tracing water molecules' movement. They found a general increase in atmospheric water vapor associated with warming temperatures, linking it to large-scale climate phenomena.
Research from the University of Kansas finds that cuts in sulfur emissions from oceangoing vessels have led to a reduction in lightning stroke density along heavily trafficked shipping routes in the Bay of Bengal and South China Sea. The drop in sulfates from ships can cause fewer cloud condensation nuclei, resulting in weaker convecti...
Research shows that intense storms in the Southern Ocean enable it to absorb more heat from the atmosphere. This helps regulate Earth's climate by reducing global warming. The study found that stronger storm activity generates lower surface temperatures across the ocean.
Researchers at Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences quantify the role of climate change in wildfires and air quality, finding that 60-82% of total burned area in western US forests is directly attributable to warming temperatures and drier conditions caused by climate change.
A study published in Science Advances found that unusually large particles of wildfire smoke had a significant cooling effect on the region they were observed in, increasing outgoing radiation by 30-36% compared to smaller smoke particles. This effect has not been included in current climate models.
Researchers found significant SF6 emissions in Heilbronn region, amounting to approximately 30 tons per year, and exceeding previous estimates. The study aims to validate bottom-up assessments of emissions by complementing top-down emission estimates.
The 106th Annual Meeting of the American Meteorological Society will focus on the intersection of technology and human decision-making in weather, water, and climate sciences. The meeting will feature keynote presentations, Presidential Sessions, and named symposia highlighting key Earth science topics.
A new physics-based approach predicts how lightning strikes aircraft, identifying vulnerable regions for protection. The tool can be applied to any shape of aircraft, including unconventional designs.
Researchers at TU Wien uncover how silver iodide crystals interact with water at the atomic scale to form ice crystals. The study reveals that only one surface structure of the crystal promotes ice nucleation, shedding light on the complex mechanisms behind cloud seeding.
Researchers at Kyushu University found that rising CO2 levels in the atmosphere may lead to disruptions in shortwave radio communications, including systems used for air traffic control and maritime communication. The ionosphere's cooling due to global warming causes a decrease in air density and accelerates wind circulation.
Researchers from Tel Aviv University predict that detecting radio waves from the cosmic dark ages can help resolve the nature of dark matter. The study uses computer simulations to show that dense clumps of dark matter formed throughout the Universe, pulling in hydrogen gas and causing it to emit intense radio waves.
Researchers from the University of Maryland tracked lightning storms in real-time using NASA's TEMPO instrument, detecting nitrogen oxide emissions that affect climate and air quality. The study reveals how lightning can produce pollutants that travel long distances, influencing air quality far from the original storm.
New research from Purdue University reveals how moisture influences atmospheric blocking, a phenomenon that often drives heat waves, droughts, cold outbreaks and floods. The study introduces a new mechanism showing that moisture-induced diabatic heating strengthens ridge blocks but weakens dipole blocks.
A new study found that planting trees in tropical regions can cool the climate by up to 0.8° F and reduce fire risk, offering significant benefits for global temperatures and ecosystems. The research emphasizes the importance of location in determining tree planting's impact on climate effects.
Researchers have developed a novel way to reach the unexplored mesosphere using lightweight flying structures that can float using sunlight. The devices, which were built at Harvard and other institutions, levitated in low-pressure conditions and demonstrated potential for climate sensing and exploration.
Researchers used space-based instruments to measure a record-setting megaflash spanning 515 miles from Texas to Kansas City. Megaflashes are rare, occurring less than 1% of the time, and can be deadly, striking people up to 15 miles from their storm origin.
A team of researchers led by Victor Pasko has revealed the atmospheric events that trigger lightning strikes within thunderclouds. The study describes how strong electric fields accelerate electrons, producing X-rays and initiating a deluge of additional electrons and high-energy photons.
Researchers discovered an unexpectedly complex and dynamic filamentary network within a very-high-velocity cloud (VHVC) in the Milky Way using the FAST telescope. The study found that the cloud is primarily composed of warm neutral medium (WNM), with little or no cold component, suggesting a cleaner, earlier phase in cloud evolution.
A recent study from the University of Texas at Austin finds that climate change may be disrupting the natural Pacific Decadal Oscillation cycle, which brings needed rain to the region. This could lead to prolonged droughts in the southwest U.S., affecting water resources like the Colorado River.
Researchers found that indirect effects of tropical cyclones contribute more than twice the direct effect to rainfall during the Habagat season, with 51.5% coming from the monsoon itself. This new understanding can improve extreme weather anticipation and disaster response.
Researchers detected atmospheric methane and silicon monoxide on WASP-121b, suggesting it accumulated most of its gas in a cold region before becoming an ultra-hot giant planet. The team proposes that strong vertical winds on the nightside replenish methane gas to maintain its high abundance.
Researchers from Kyushu University found that climate models significantly overestimate the fraction of ice in wintertime Arctic clouds, leading to skewed warming predictions. This error has significant implications for current and future global warming projections.
Researchers have discovered that urban areas experience a greater difference in wet bulb globe temperature between 0.5 m and 1.5 m above ground due to surface heat radiation, posing health risks to children and pets during extreme heat events. Total solar eclipses also alter atmospheric conditions and insect behavior, with some species...
Researchers developed a large-scale indoor typhoon simulation tank to measure momentum, heat, and CO2 transfer at the air-sea interface. Their findings revealed key correlations between wind speed, wave morphology, and transport phenomena under extreme conditions.
New research reveals oceans are heating at the world's fastest pace in two distinct bands near 40 degrees latitude in both hemispheres. This pattern is linked to poleward shifts in the jet stream and ocean currents, upending marine ecosystems and fueling extreme weather.
Researchers found that ancient Homo sapiens used tailored clothing and ochre-based sunscreens to protect themselves from harmful UV light during the Laschamps excursion. This period of reduced magnetic field strength allowed more cosmic radiation to reach Earth's surface, potentially contributing to the decline of Neanderthals.
Researchers Mohamed Gad-el-Hak and James J. Riley from VCU and the University of Washington found that Van Gogh's painting does not adhere to Kolmogorov's theory of turbulent flow. Instead, they argue that the swirling patterns in 'The Starry Night' are a result of its abstract nature.
The 105th Annual Meeting of the American Meteorological Society will address key issues in weather, water, and climate. The meeting features a Presidential Forum on physical, social, cultural, and economic impacts of climate change, with experts from the region of the Mississippi River Delta.
A recent study identifies 'heatwave hotspots' across the globe, with extreme temperatures breaking records and causing devastating effects. The phenomenon is not limited to specific regions, but its causes are still unclear, highlighting the complexity of climate change.
A new study warns that future climate change will intensify wildfires in the Arctic region, leading to an abrupt switch from no fires to very intense ones within just a few years. The accelerated permafrost thawing is expected to increase soil water and vegetation biomass, exacerbating fire fuel.
Researchers found that for most North Atlantic flights, the climate benefit of avoiding contrails outweighs the extra carbon dioxide emitted from flying a different route. Rerouting flights could reduce global warming by up to 29% in 2039 and 14% in 2119, depending on the method used to measure climate impact.
A new study reveals that plant-derived SOAs can activate defences in nearby plants, persisting even after oxidation. The elemental composition and quantity of SOAs determine their biological functions, allowing plants to tailor their defenses based on different types of chemical cues.
A global study published in PNAS found that most cities (over 60%) receive more rainfall than their surrounding rural areas, leading to worsened flash flooding. This is due to the convergence of air toward city centers caused by tall buildings and population density.
A new study confirms that human-induced climate change is making rainfall patterns more volatile globally, with increased variability observed since the 1900s in 75% of land areas studied. The researchers found daily rainfall variability to have increased by 1.2% per decade.
A new AI technique uses physics-informed machine learning to create high-fidelity atmospheric transmission profiles without prior knowledge, enabling accurate remote sensing data correction. This approach enhances remote sensing capabilities for tasks like target detection, requiring limited data and computational resources.
A new conceptual model, XRO, significantly improves predictive skill of ENSO events at over one year in advance, offering a transparent view into the mechanisms of equatorial Pacific recharge-discharge physics. This improves conventional climate model forecasting and provides robust quantification of extratropical Pacific, tropical Ind...
Scientists uncovered insights into pre-industrial aerosol formation processes in an environment with minimal human influences. Researchers observed the release of highly oxygenated organic molecules at night, leading to aerosol particle formation resembling the pre-industrial atmosphere.
A new study finds that extreme tropical cyclone rainfall is increasing across the continental US, while climate warming restricts 'outdoor days' for people living in developing countries. Additionally, air pollution increases mortality risks from heat, especially when combined with other factors like wildfires and reduced aerosols.
Research suggests polar climates are adjusting to a warming climate with changes in regional climate dynamics. Altered ocean-sea ice interactions may be driving recent fluctuations in sea ice extent, according to new studies.
The AMS 104th Annual Meeting will focus on climate change research, mitigation, and adaptation, with key discussions on overcoming barriers to implementation. The meeting features numerous scientific conferences and symposia covering topics like climate variability, air pollution meteorology, AI for environmental science, and more.
Researchers propose that parallel electric fields in the upper atmosphere could produce the colorful emissions of Steve and the picket fence. This unusual process has implications for understanding energy flow between Earth's magnetosphere and ionosphere.
Researchers found that the coastline produces up to five times more giant sea salt aerosols than the open ocean, affecting cloud formation and rainfall around the Hawaiian Islands. The study's findings can improve numerical weather prediction of nearshore cloud formation and rainfall patterns.