Research on measuring and modeling the climate. Covers climate extremes, carbon sequestration, monitoring methods, and urban heat exposure.
Volunteers are transcribing decades-old pen strokes from historic log entries to add to the climate record, revealing past weather and climate patterns. The project aims to provide valuable data for scientists studying the Arctic's dramatic melt back.
The new themed issues explore the geological consequences of lithospheric removal in the Sierra Nevada, California, and the ignimbrite province and flareup swarms of subduction-related supervolcanoes. These events are linked to colossal explosive volcanic eruptions that spread ash across western Utah, Nevada, and eastern California.
Researchers analyzed over 70 years of hourly precipitation data from 13 US sites to test the hypothesis that storms are becoming more frequent and intense as the climate warms. They found a significant steady increase in stormy activity on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State, which is famously prone to drizzle.
A long-term climate monitoring network in Nevada is being expanded to include hazard monitoring, providing researchers, educators, and the public with access to real-time data and tools. The network aims to support sustainable research and education, as well as inform community planning and disaster preparedness.
Researchers at IBM have developed a prototype optical link that shatters the previous power efficiency record by half, paving the way for faster supercomputers. The link operates at 25 gigabits per second using just 24 milliwatts of total wall-plug power.
A NASA-funded study reveals that higher northern latitudes are getting warmer, leading to a shift in the growing season and changes in vegetation growth. Temperatures at northern latitudes now resemble those found 250-430 miles south, with large patches of vigorously productive vegetation spanning over 3.5 million square miles.
Household carbon emissions in Northwestern China are mainly affected by geographic environment, family size, and income, with a relatively low per capita emission of 2.05 tons CO2. Household carbon emission varies between urban and rural households, as well as between provinces.
Scientists reconstructed Earth's climate history using data from 73 sites worldwide, revealing that the planet today is warmer than during 70-80% of the last 11,300 years. The study suggests that global temperature will rise significantly by the end of this century under all plausible greenhouse gas emission scenarios.
A Network Integrated Biocollections Alliance (NIBA) aims to provide online access to digitized data from biological specimens held in various repositories. The initiative will help cope with environmental problems such as climate change and invasive species.
The Aquarius instrument captures the first full year of surface salinity data, revealing rapid evolutions of salt patterns in the tropics. Salinity variations drive ocean circulation and provide valuable insights into global climate change.
Using ocean WiFi hotspots, Stanford professor Barbara Block is tracking animal movements in real-time, enabling new insights into marine ecosystems and fisheries management. Her 'Wired Ocean' project aims to establish a global network of instruments to study the biosphere under unprecedented human impact.
The HIPPO dataset provides high-resolution measurements of over 90 unique atmospheric species, including greenhouse gases and aerosols. Key findings include quantified seasonal amounts of carbon dioxide taken up and released by land plants and oceans, as well as elevated concentrations of methane near the Arctic Ocean.
A new study using NASA's Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellites has found that the Middle East region lost 117 million acre feet of freshwater reserves between 2003 and 2012. The majority of this loss, approximately 73 million acre feet, was due to reductions in groundwater.
A team of scientists, led by University of Florida researchers, has generated the most comprehensive tree of life on placental mammals, which includes humans. The study reveals that these mammals diversified after the extinction of dinosaurs 65 million years ago.
A new book edited by Emilio Moran joins social and natural scientists to explore human role in addressing health challenges, managing forests and animal species. The study highlights the importance of understanding people's motivations and decisions in solving environmental problems.
Researchers found that plant water demand fluctuates in response to water availability, but may eventually approach a threshold that limits production. The study suggests that ecosystem resilience will decline as regions experience continued warming and drying trends.
The JPSS-1 Spacecraft has completed its delta Critical Design Review, demonstrating that the development of the spacecraft is on track to provide critical environmental data. The success of this review marks an important milestone in the project, with the spacecraft now approved to proceed into implementation.
Researchers find earliest recorded spring flowering in the eastern United States, exceeding 161-year history, due to warmer springs caused by climate change. Plants flower up to 4.1 days earlier with each degree Celsius rise in mean spring temperatures.
Researchers found that record warm temperatures in 2010 and 2012 resulted in the earliest spring flowering in the eastern United States. Spring is arriving much earlier today than it has in the past, with plants flowering over three weeks earlier than when they were first observed.
Scientists study snow bunting populations in North America, revealing east-west migratory divide and mixed-data approach for tracking connectivity. The research supports the need for a versatile mix of data to assess habitat changes and climate change effects on breeding success.
The Landsat Data Continuity Mission will extend over 40 years of global land observations, critical in energy and water management, forest monitoring, and disaster recovery. The mission's instruments, including Operational Land Imager and Thermal Infrared Sensor, promise improved data quality and quantity.
Researchers at UW and PNNL will collaborate on advanced computer system designs, accelerating data-driven scientific discovery and improving computational modeling and simulation. The institute aims to solve pressing problems like climate change, energy management, and disease determination.
Justin Huntington, a Desert Research Institute assistant research professor, has been selected to join the National Science Team supporting the new Landsat Data Continuity Mission Satellite. The team will focus on developing and enhancing Landsat derived evapotranspiration and surface energy products.
The Geological Society of America published a special series of invited papers to mark its 125th anniversary, including a revised geologic time scale. The articles cover various topics such as mammal fossils, sediment delivery rates, volcanic material provenance, and ecosystem changes.
The University of Copenhagen's researchers have produced a next-generation map depicting the organization of life on Earth, combining evolutionary and geographical information for over 20,000 species. The new map shows 11 large biogeographic realms and has major conservation significance in light of the ongoing biodiversity crisis.
Regional climate models project warmer temperatures and wetter winters in the Northeast US by 2070, with temperatures rising 2-3 degrees C and winter precipitation increasing 12-15%. However, confidence in spring, summer, and autumn precipitation changes is lower.
Researchers found average wind speeds declined by 15% inland while remaining steady on the coast. Climate change and urbanization are potential factors contributing to this trend.
Global carbon dioxide emissions are projected to rise by 2.6% in 2012, reaching a record high of 35.6 billion tonnes, with China contributing 28% and the US 16%. The analysis highlights the urgent need for radical emission reductions to keep global warming below 2 degrees.
A new approach enables scientists to use past climate data to improve future projections, reducing divergent results. The method classifies and compares over 20 studies, providing a consistent framework for calculating climate sensitivity.
A team of international scientists has developed a more consistent definition of climate sensitivity in prehistoric times, which helps improve comparison with IPCC estimates. The study found that the likely range of climate sensitivity consistently has been of the order of 2.2 to 4.8 degrees C per doubling of CO2.
Data from NASA's Cassini spacecraft show a shift in seasonal sunlight causing a sudden change in atmospheric circulation on Saturn's moon Titan. This unexpected turn reveals the key factor in Titan's atmosphere circulation is the slant of light, which led to sinking air at altitudes previously thought to be upwelling.
Sea levels are rising at a rate of 60% faster than the IPCC's latest best estimates, with satellite data recording a rate of 3.2 mm per year compared to projected 2 mm per year. This increase in sea-level rise is likely due to global warming and correlates well with the increase in global temperature.
A Tel Aviv University team uses NASA satellites to measure pollution hovering over world's megacities, tracking pollution trends for 189 megacities. The method provides standardized global testing of pollution levels, holding countries accountable for their emissions and encouraging environmentally friendly practices.
A new method developed by Princeton researchers provides a more accurate account of Greenland's complex ice melt by 'seeing through' data noise. The technique reveals that the annual acceleration in ice loss is much lower than previously estimated, with some areas showing no ice mass loss.
The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on NASA/NOAA's Suomi NPP captured a composite image of Hurricane Sandy just hours before its historic landfall. The satellite's day-night band sensor revealed city lights and clouds illuminated by the full moon, providing a unique view of the storm's structure.
Researchers developed a new randomization protocol to accurately estimate total biomass in forests. The GLAS approach shows promise in standardizing global forest biomass inventory and improving spatial and temporal coverage.
A special supplement to Medical Care presents a progress report on the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) surveys, which capture patients' perspectives on healthcare. The CAHPS project aims to move beyond simple patient satisfaction surveys by asking patients about their experiences with health care services.
The South Central Climate Science Center has received funding for seven projects, including studies on terrestrial connectivity, marsh types, and submersed aquatic vegetation in the Gulf of Mexico. These projects aim to improve management decisions for wildlife populations and coastal ecosystems.
Scientists at the University of Hawaii found a significant decrease in northeast trade wind days from 291 to 210 per year. This change is linked to an increase in eastern trade winds and may impact climate patterns, including droughts in Hawaii.
A new study by Ohio State University graduate student Kellen Calinger reveals that non-native plant species are more adaptable to climate change, while native wildflowers show a weaker response. This difference in adaptability could lead to the displacement of native species and alter ecosystem balances.
Researchers developed a mathematical model to analyze data from North American forests, finding that warmer climates accelerate leaf decay uniformly, while plant composition determines the range of rates. The study reveals surprising commonality among diverse leaf decay patterns, shedding light on global carbon flux and climate change.
A yearlong marine deployment of the ARM Mobile Facility AMF2 on the Horizon Spirit aims to collect extensive data on clouds and their transitions, improving climate modeling. The project will provide valuable insights into Earth's energy and water balance, enhancing our understanding of climate change.
Researchers have found malaria in birds in Alaska, predicting the disease's spread due to global warming. The northerly spread may devastate arctic bird species with no resistance.
The Arctic Ocean's sea ice cover has reached its annual minimum extent of 1.32 million square miles, a new record low in the satellite era. This represents a decline of almost 300,000 square miles from the previous lowest extent set in 2007, and is approximately half the size of the average extent from 1979 to 2000.
The new LandEx tool uses the National Land Cover Dataset 2006 to enable example-based queries for localities with similar patterns of land cover. The tool allows researchers and educators to explore its capabilities online, providing a total search for a sense of place.
Researchers are developing a new computing approach to discover new materials by harnessing the key characteristics of data: volume, velocity, variety and veracity. The approach helps identify promising solutions by applying statistical learning techniques to large datasets.
A new study by CU-Boulder researchers finds mid-elevation mountain ecosystems sensitive to rising temperatures and changes in precipitation and snowmelt. The 'tipping point' where these forests switch from moisture-dependent to sunlight-temperature dependent is crucial for understanding climate change's impact.
A new study suggests that a warmer Earth generally increases biodiversity, but only after millions of years. However, current trends of increasing temperature are expected to cause diversity loss in the short term due to the speed of change.
Research at the US Department of Agriculture found that no-till farming can reduce yield losses caused by climate change. The study simulated different climate factors on three cropping systems, finding declines in corn and millet yields over time. No-till management helped maintain wheat yields for up to 2075.
Researchers studied Dead Sea sediment cores to reconstruct climate conditions over the past 10,000 years, finding rapid changes between moist and dry phases. They linked pollen data to plant species that can tolerate specific temperature and precipitation levels.
A study by Harvard University researchers found that Massachusetts butterfly populations are moving north as the climate warms, with subtropical species such as the giant swallowtail and zabulon skipper increasing in abundance. In contrast, more than three quarters of northerly species are declining, particularly those that overwinter ...
Researchers from the University of Washington's Polar Science Center have made a prediction for Arctic sea ice, expecting 4.4 million square kilometers of remaining ice, barely more than the 2007 record low. They improved their ability to predict by including new NASA sea ice thickness data collected by airplane.
A new NASA study has found that the likelihood of experiencing an extreme summer heat wave has increased significantly since the middle of the 20th century. The researchers analyzed mean summer temperatures and found that 'extremely hot' summers, previously rare, have become routine in recent decades.
DataONE enables researchers worldwide to discover, integrate, and analyze massive amounts of diverse environmental and Earth science data. The platform facilitates universal access to data, addressing critical questions about the environment and human role within it.
The Global Alliance of Continuous Plankton Recorder Surveys has been formed to standardize methods and share data on plankton biodiversity globally. The initiative aims to provide a comprehensive perspective on ocean basin scales, crucial for understanding climate change impacts.
A team of Harvard and Nanjing University scientists has developed a new method for estimating China's CO2 emissions, combining field studies, satellite data, and provincial-level energy statistics. The resulting estimates offer an unbiased basis for measuring China's progress toward its climate change goals.
Research in southeastern Mongolia reveals evidence of ocean basin collapse, while placer mining in British Columbia affects river geometry. New fossil discoveries in Algeria shed light on early mammal evolution.
Researchers at Winrock International developed a more accurate estimate of gross carbon emissions from tropical deforestation for the early 2000s. The study found that global emissions from deforestation were approximately one-third lower than previously published estimates, with Brazil and Indonesia accounting for 55% of total emissions.
A new system, Terra-i, monitors deforestation across Latin America every 16 days, revealing significant increases in deforestation rates in Colombia and Paraguay. The system uses NASA's MODIS satellite sensor to assess land cover change and highlight emerging hotspots of deforestation.
Landsat satellites offer high-resolution data for tracking forest change and storing carbon, supporting REDD+ efforts. The program's long-term continuity and free access to data have contributed to a decrease in deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions.