Articles tagged with Atmospheric Science
Pastoral communities in Tiaty, Kenya, are adapting to climate variability by changing livestock patterns, farming practices, and settlement arrangements. These adaptations suggest a selective conversion of land from dense shrubland to mixed areas, with a focus on drought-tolerant crops and climate-resilient livestock species.
A new study from Stockholm University found that the most severe droughts in the ancient Eastern Mediterranean arose when multiple natural climate cycles coincided. This helped explain why the drought associated with the Late Bronze Age collapse were so severe, pushing societies beyond a critical hydroclimatic threshold.
Scientists have discovered that record-high Arctic stratospheric ozone levels observed in March 2024 were caused by exceptionally strong planetary waves, El Niño, and other large-scale climate oscillations. The study's findings highlight the growing importance of atmospheric dynamics in controlling Arctic ozone variability.
Researchers have developed a new metric to estimate air-conditioning and refrigeration energy demand, accounting for temperature and humidity. The study found that cooling efficiency has been declining by 2–4% per decade since 1971, with regions facing the steepest future increases in cooling demand expected in the Northwest, Great Lak...
Researchers analyzed the 2025 Texas Hill Country floods, which killed at least 135 people, including 28 at Camp Mystic. Experimental models showed they could have predicted extreme flows with greater lead time.
Scientists use commercially available surfing webcams to measure Oregon's coastal fog, revealing patchy fog patterns along 93 miles of coastline. The study found that airport measurements were a good indication of average monthly fog frequency, but surface weather conditions at the airport were not sufficient for real-time fog detection.
A recent study reveals a significant increase in desert dust pollution in southern Europe, with concentrations more than twice as high as in central and northern regions. The study also highlights the potential health risks of elevated desert dust levels, particularly for respiratory problems.
Researchers used experimental models to forecast 2025 Texas floods, which killed over 120 people. Models also project increased U.S. thunderstorm threat and severe weather season starts earlier in a warmer climate.
The study uses the upgraded GRAVITY+ instrument to measure the carbon isotope ratio in Beta Pic B's atmosphere, but finds inconsistent results that challenge its interpretation. The findings suggest that the planet may have formed outside the snowline, where CO was present as ice, rather than gas.
Researchers found evidence of early ozone loss dating back to the late 1950s, linked to carbon tetrachloride use, in contrast to CFCs' later role. This discovery reveals that modern monitoring tools could have detected earlier signs of human-induced depletion.
A new 3D algorithm detects atmospheric rivers over Antarctica, revealing their role in regulating snowfall variability and influencing sea-level rise. The study found that ARs accounted for 40% of total precipitation at Dome Fuji Station, highlighting their dominant impact on Antarctic climate.
A new study by Osaka Metropolitan University found that levoglucosan, a chemical formed from biomass combustion, loses up to 88% of its mass in the atmosphere due to degradation and volatilization. This suggests that conventional analyses may misidentify emission sources, particularly in tropical areas.
Scientists at Tampere University identified a new chemical process that can influence the formation of air pollution particles in urban environments. Nitric oxide is found to promote the conversion of certain volatile compounds into aerosol precursors, challenging existing assumptions.
A new study finds that approximately 15% of current global warming is attributed to 'indirect greenhouse gases,' including carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides. The authors call for integrating these gases into climate policy frameworks, emphasizing their significant impact on warming.
Researchers find that low-severity fires, such as prescribed burns, can significantly reduce the probability of very high severity wildfires for a decade. This reduction in smoke particulate pollution leads to cumulative benefits of up to 10% over a decade.
Climate change is expected to make historically rare tropical storms in Southern California produce significantly more precipitation, increasing landslide risk. Exposure to landslide risk will grow fastest among low-income households.
A new study from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem reveals that aerosol-cloud interactions can produce opposite climate effects in the short term and long term. In the short term, aerosols initially warm the atmosphere, but over time, the cooling effect takes over.
Research reveals a post-2015 increase in wildfire emissions has halted steady decreases in surface ozone trends in North America, leading to premature mortality and public health concerns. The study attributes an additional 318 deaths per year to wildfire-sourced ozone emissions, highlighting the need for stricter air quality standards.
Researchers propose a framework for on-demand atmospheric observations using lightweight, low-cost profiling systems to improve short-term forecasting and climate resilience. Community-operated systems could fill critical gaps in existing forecasting systems, particularly in remote regions.
Mangrove forests worldwide are no longer in net decline and are now growing overall, driven by natural regeneration and expansion. The research highlights a more hopeful trajectory for these ecosystems, which play a critical role in protecting coastlines and storing climate-warming carbon.
Researchers from Virginia Tech found that airborne particles have an outer alkaline shell, contradicting the traditional view of uniform droplets. This discovery has significant implications for understanding air quality and climate change.
A new study reveals that the Antarctic ice sheet responded sharply to climate change following a major shift in Earth's ice age cycles. The simulation found that below a critical atmospheric CO2 level, the amplitude of Antarctic ice variations increases in response to changes in temperatures.
Researchers at Tokyo Metropolitan University have identified a unique type of heat wave in Japan, known as 'moist heat waves,' which are accompanied by tropical cyclones and high humidity. These heat waves account for a quarter of the days surveyed and pose significant hazards due to extreme temperatures and torrential rain.
Researchers used JWST to observe WASP-94A b and found aerosols dominated by condensation-driven clouds. Clouds form on cooler side, circulate, and evaporate as they move into the hotter day side.
Researchers found that small-scale thunderstorms strengthen over cities, while cold frontal storms weaken their rainfall intensity. Urban heat and roughness disrupt the lower part of storm systems, leading to varying effects on different types of storms.
A team from Hokkaido University found that red auroras can extend to extremely high altitudes even during moderately intense storms, suggesting these storms may be stronger than conventional indices indicate. This could have implications for satellite operations and space weather forecasting.
Researchers identify a 'vertical conveyor' mechanism that transports moisture from the mid-latitudes to the Asian Water Towers through a process of nocturnal decoupling. This process integrates up to 30% of westerlies-advected moisture into the local cycle without precipitation, sustaining near-surface moisture accumulation.
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 reveals Antarctica's sea ice collapse is driven by a triple whammy of climate chaos, resulting in record-breaking lows. The Southern Ocean's transformation led to the loss of vast areas of ice equivalent to Greenland, destabilizing global ocean currents and accelerating global warming.
Researchers use Swarm satellites and ground-based observations to distinguish between space weather effects and natural hazard signatures. This project aims to improve infrastructure protection, early warning systems, and space weather predictions.
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.
A new study reveals that climate models are less confident in predicting regional rainfall patterns due to uncertainties in large-scale wind patterns. This limits confidence in forecasts of floods and droughts, particularly in regions vulnerable to these events.
New high-altitude measurements have revealed a hidden population of extremely small, organic-rich aerosol particles in the lower stratosphere. These ultrafine aerosols are found to dominate the surface area available for heterogeneous atmospheric chemistry and act as a significant condensation sink.
Researchers have forecasted a super El Niño event toward the end of 2026, driven by a rare and extreme surface annular warming pattern in the tropical Pacific. The current heat content buildup alone would generate a moderate El Niño, but adding the influence of annular warming intensifies it into the super category.
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 at Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo and George Mason University developed a new method called Lagged Ensemble Analog Sub-selection (LEAS) to improve air temperature forecasts one to five weeks in advance. This approach selectively retains past ensemble members with high predictive skill, improving fo...
A new study suggests that climate change will shift the balance of macromolecules in phytoplankton from proteins to carbohydrates and lipids, with a 20% increase expected by 2100. This could lead to an unbalanced diet for marine life, with implications for ocean health and human consumption.
A review by an international team of researchers highlights that air monitoring is essential for global public health strategies, as airborne antibiotic resistance genes can spread silently between humans, animals, and the environment.
A new study finds that dairy manure digesters are highly effective in reducing methane emissions from cow manure, with most systems performing well. However, occasional leaks of large magnitude offset the climate benefits, highlighting the need for thorough monitoring and verification.
A new model developed by MIT scientists suggests that the hydroxyl radical, a key air cleanser, may boost methane breakdown levels due to rising water vapor but also reduce them due to increased biogenic emissions, resulting in a small net gain in its effectiveness.
A new satellite-driven model, dEARTH, provides more realistic predictions of sand and dust storm (SDS) severity by accounting for dynamic changes in soil surfaces. The study found that SDS transport is sparse and discontinuous, reducing affected land area by 69% and global transport magnitude by 45%.
Researchers investigated the Mississippi River's hydrological trends, ocean carbon storage, and gender dynamics in flood mortality. A study found that precipitation increases, but soil moisture decreases, while high-resolution models reveal stronger Southern Ocean carbon absorption. Additionally, data showed men are overrepresented in ...
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.
The American Meteorological Society strongly opposes the dismantling of NCAR, highlighting its central role in atmospheric sciences and its impact on the nation's economy. The AMS recommends that NSF engage in a rigorous process to develop a strategy for enhancing scientific innovation in the weather enterprise.
Researchers found that removing typhoon-induced precipitation leads to sharply declining soil moisture and more severe drought conditions worldwide. The effect of typhoons varies by region, acting as a condition that exacerbates drought in some areas, while mitigating it in others.
Leading climate scientists, including Prof Benjamin Santer, reiterate the role of humans in global warming and warn against using an inaccurate government report to inform legal decisions. The report's claims are factually incorrect, contradicting decades of research on human-caused temperature changes.
Researchers used continuous and integrated readings of methane and ethane to identify overlooked emissions from restaurants, commercial facilities, and private residences. The study highlights the need for technology and policy to fix these hidden sources, which are estimated to be higher on weekdays.
Researchers found a strong inverse correlation between Arctic sea ice extent and Indian summer monsoon rainfall on interannual timescales. Decreased Arctic sea ice variability during June to July leads to increased rainfall over western and northwestern India, indicating a westward shift in the monsoon season.
Climate researchers developed a new method for computing hazards from extreme events, finding a tenfold increase in extreme heat over Europe. The study provides a basis for better quantifying damage to people, ecosystems, and infrastructure.
Scientists detected statistically significant changes in global atmospheric temperatures in response to three major natural events: Mount Pinatubo, Australian wildfires, and Hunga Tonga eruption. The study's findings suggest that these events may not have played a role in the acceleration of global surface warming in recent years.
Researchers found that certain salinity patterns can fuel El Niño development, increasing its intensity by 20%. This process makes extreme El Niño events more likely and causes catastrophic flooding and severe droughts. The study identified global patterns in salinity preceding major El Niño events over the past 65 years.
A new study finds that U.S. tornado activity is shifting southeastward due to the relationship between extratropical cyclones and low-pressure systems. Additionally, global warming has led to a fourfold increase in tropical cyclone rapid slowdown events in coastal areas.