Articles tagged with Earth Systems Science
A study by AWI experts reveals that permafrost soils are thawing in step with global warming, but there is no evidence of a single global tipping point. Instead, numerous local and regional tipping points will be exceeded at different times and warming levels, leading to cumulative effects.
Researchers found that microbial communities can stimulate decomposition of both fresh and old organic matter, with significant implications for the marine carbon cycle. The study suggests that increased input of fresh organic matter due to climate change could lead to a disproportionate effect on degradation of refractory organic matter.
Shifting excess nitrogen from rich countries to poor ones could increase crop production by 12%, with moderate/food insecure regions seeing significant gains in both fertilizer use and food output. Current levels of production could be maintained with only 53-68% of current nitrogen used through redistribution.
Increased collaboration between scientists and K-12 educators can enhance STEM outreach projects, but time management is a significant challenge. Teachers and scientists benefit from mutual growth, improved teaching strategies, and increased content knowledge.
The study found that elevated nutrient levels impacted reef growth, leading to the establishment of slower-growing and more sediment-tolerant coral communities in deeper water. This provides evidence on early Holocene water quality and demonstrates the capacity of the reef to grow under conditions typically considered unsuitable.
Research reveals that the East Asian Monsoon delivers high levels of pollutants to the upper atmosphere, where they can influence the climate system. The findings raise questions about the pace of ozone layer recovery and highlight the need for further research into the implications of these pollutants.
Researchers found that weathering in the region leads to an overall CO2 uptake, but near-surface processes only determine the CO2 balance in areas with a thick and cold crust. In contrast, the western side of the Central Apennines is a significant CO2 emitter due to deep-seated outgassing from carbonate rocks.
A team of over 100 scientists from Brazil and the US ran high-resolution simulations of South America's past and future climate using a weather research and forecasting model. The goal is to better understand hydroclimatic processes and inform adaptation measures for millions affected by climate change.
According to GIST researchers, extreme cold events (WACC) have intensified until the 2020s but are expected to decline post-2030s. This drastic shift in WACC trajectory has significant implications for global climate systems and weather patterns.
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.
Scientists have developed a new method to estimate soil organic carbon in the US, providing a more accurate benchmark for policymakers. The study reveals how environmental variables affect soil organic carbon and offers insights into mitigating climate change through sustainable land management practices.
A study by Duke University researchers found that manganese stimulates decomposition of soil organic matter and releases more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
A new study by Clark University and partners provides global analysis of tree cover restoration's climate benefits, considering albedo changes. The research identifies locations with greatest climate-cooling potential and tools for practitioners to assess albedo impacts.
Suprina Shrestha, a UT Arlington graduate student, has been awarded the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellowship from the International Atomic Energy Agency. The fellowship aims to support women in studying nuclear-related subjects and will provide financial assistance for her research in isotope hydrology.
Scientists develop a new method to calculate the total carbon emissions consistent with the Paris climate targets of 1.5°C and 2°C of global warming. The study estimates emissions budgets that are at least 10% larger than previous models, indicating a need for urgent action to reduce emissions.
Researchers from Shibaura Institute of Technology develop new methodology to accurately simulate soil behavior in rigid state, leveraging MSP method and Bingham fluid biviscosity model. The study highlights the impact of parameters on simulation accuracy and computational costs.
Researchers have discovered large undersea faults on the Pacific Ocean floor that are pulling the Pacific Plate apart. The newly found faults, some thousands of meters deep and hundreds of kilometers long, are weakening the plate due to immense forces within it.
Researchers reconstructed temperature and precipitation patterns for 200 BC to 600 AD, finding a link between climate change and three major pandemics. The study used high-resolution regional climate records and glass particle analyses to confirm the causal relationship.
New research reveals permafrost's dominant role in shaping Arctic rivers and storing massive amounts of carbon. Thawing permafrost could unleash billions of tons of CO2, exacerbating climate change.
Researchers found that injecting aerosols into the stratosphere can reduce ice sheet loss by up to 37.6 mm sea-level rise, slowing global warming's effects. However, geoengineering addresses only symptoms, not root causes, and may delay necessary changes.
Researchers propose new statistical index to detect river ecosystem changes, potentially preventing tragedies like the Oder River crisis. The developed index is more versatile and responsive to variations in individual parameter values.
The FengYun 3G (FY-3G) satellite is a groundbreaking tool for measuring global precipitation, offering high-resolution 3D renditions of falling precipitation. The satellite's data will aid in predicting extreme weather events and inform the development of future precipitation satellites.
A groundbreaking research paper advocates for a more expansive framework called the "Planetary Commons" to effectively safeguard the Earth's critical systems. The proposed framework addresses unprecedented pressure on Earth's regulatory systems and proposes transnational cooperation to secure critical functions for the collective good.
The Planetary Commons concept aims to establish collective stewardship obligations for nation-states to protect and govern critical biophysical systems. Researchers argue that human activities are pushing the planet beyond its boundaries, requiring a new approach to governance.
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.
The American Meteorological Society's Presidential Forum will discuss how to overcome barriers limiting the use of climate science. The event aims to advance society's acceptance and use of climate science, amidst misinformation and disinformation campaigns.
Researchers discovered frequent aerosol particle formation events in Siberia's West Siberian taiga during heatwave conditions. This may have a mitigating cooling effect on the climate. The study aims to inform decision-making and improve understanding of forest-atmosphere interactions.
A new study from the Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology highlights the importance of ancient cities in understanding contemporary urban challenges. The research provides numerical datasets on road lengths, building types, population sizes, economic output, and environmental impacts to inform urban planning and policy.
An international study classifies groundwater as a keystone ecosystem, emphasizing its critical role in sustaining both humanity and biodiversity. The researchers propose eight key themes for improved groundwater conservation to reduce biodiversity loss and counterbalance climate change.
A study published in Nature Communications reveals the Third Pole is vulnerable to glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) due to climate change, with 1,499 lakes at high risk. The research estimates that 190,000 lives are directly exposed to GLOF paths and $55 billion worth of infrastructure is threatened.
A recent study published in One Earth suggests that triggering positive tipping points is crucial for mitigating the effects of climate change. The research highlights examples like Norway's rapid transition to electric vehicles as evidence of human systems exhibiting positive tipping points, which can help achieve decarbonisation goals.
David J. Stensrud has been elected as the new President-Elect of the American Meteorological Society (AMS) for 2024, serving a one-year term before becoming President in 2025. The AMS Council, comprising five new members, will take office beginning in 2024.
Researchers have long debated the cause of the Late Devonian mass extinction event, with some attributing it to large-scale volcanic eruptions and others to a mass deoxygenation event caused by land plants. A new study now posits that both factors played a role, highlighting the environmental tipping points the planet faces today.
The report highlights six key recommendations to change course, including coordinated action to trigger positive tipping points. Averting the crisis and doing so equitably must be the core goal of COP28 and ongoing global cooperation.
New data analysis reveals that regional temperature patterns are crucial for evaluating climate models, with warmer temperatures in the North Atlantic and a cooler North Atlantic found to be more accurate. This approach provides better insights into the spatial impact of climate change and its effects on ecosystems and human societies.
A scientific model published in Nature shows a striking correlation between landscape dynamics and the evolution of life on Earth. The study proposes that sediment pulses controlled by past landscapes have played a key role in shaping biodiversity.
A Northwestern University and University of Copenhagen study reveals that Greenland's thousands of peripheral glaciers have rapidly retreated over the past two decades. The research team combined satellite images with historical aerial photographs to document changes in over 1,000 glaciers over a century.
Scientists have improved estimating Arctic sea ice thickness by assimilating satellite-based summer data. The new approach achieves stronger correlations with independent SIT observations, particularly in areas with strong deformation.
Researchers used a well-tested climate model to depict changes in natural climate variability during the last peak glacial period. The study found that internal mechanisms, such as variations in salinity and temperature, drove the multi-centennial climate variability, resulting in fluctuations in sea ice extent and Greenland temperatures.
New studies show that giant gas planets in nearby star systems can prevent life on smaller, rocky planet neighbors by kicking them out of orbit and wreaking havoc on their climates. Researchers found that four giant planets in the HD 141399 system are likely to destroy the chances for life on Earth-like planets.
Researchers will study past 'greenhouse' periods in the Arctic to understand the impact of an ice-free region on the environment and society. The six-year project aims to quantify changes in sea ice and land ice dynamics, as well as ecosystems, to inform climate projections.
A recent study reveals that climate adaptation efforts globally are largely isolated and uncoordinated, with a lack of cohesion in task distribution among various actors. Comprehensive, just, and forward-thinking adaptation requires involvement from multiple groups, including governments, organizations, and individuals.
Scientists have found evidence of past oxygen loss in the world's oceans during glacial periods, indicating that current climate change may not be permanent. The discovery was made by analyzing seafloor sediments from the past 145,000 years, which showed a build-up of cobalt during the last ice age.
A study led by the University of Texas at Austin found that certain groupings of iron atoms in the Earth's inner core are able to move about rapidly, changing their places in a split second. This collective motion could help explain numerous intriguing properties of the inner core and shed light on its role in powering Earth's geodynamo.
A new modeling method powered by interconnected processors removed human bias from the debate over dinosaurs' demise. The study suggests that the outpouring of climate-altering gases from the Deccan Traps alone could have been sufficient to trigger global extinction, consistent with volcanic eruptions contributing to the mass extinction.
A research team led by Yongjie Huang is exploring the complex interactions between convective clouds and their surrounding environments. They aim to understand how convection initiates and how convective cells interact with their environment, ultimately improving computer models for forecasting.
A new inventory from Portland State University researchers reveals that some glaciers have disappeared entirely, while others have shrunk to tiny sizes. The loss of these natural regulators has significant impacts on streamflow, drought susceptibility, and sea level rise.
The State of the Climate report confirms record highs in greenhouse gas concentrations, global sea levels, and ocean heat content. Scientists from over 60 countries contributed to the annual review, providing a comprehensive update on Earth's climate indicators and notable weather events.
Researchers have created a new model using deep learning to forecast aftershocks, outperforming the current ETAS model on larger datasets. The Recurrent Earthquake foreCAST (RECAST) model demonstrates better performance and computational efficiency.
The American Meteorological Society recognizes Benjamin Santer for his work on climate change detection and attribution. William Kustas receives the Hydrologic Sciences Medal for foundational advances in evapotranspiration measurement and theory. Lixin Wu is awarded the Henry Stommel Research Medal for studies of multi-scale ocean circ...
Scientists discovered that climate shifts during the last 400,000 years influenced the frequency of Neanderthal-Denisovan interbreeding. The researchers found that temperature changes triggered habitat overlaps, leading to increased contact between the two species.
New research found that plant water use efficiency has stalled since 2001 due to climate change, contradicting earlier hopes it would help improve water consumption. The study's findings suggest that rising temperatures and atmospheric CO2 may be undermining nature-based methods to achieve carbon neutrality.
Researchers from Macquarie University have found that the Earth's gradual cooling led to a flip in the deep cycling of carbon and chlorine between the surface and interior. Most carbon accumulates into solid carbonate sediments, while chlorine typically returns to the surface as volcanic gases.
For the past 66 million years, Earth's climate has been dominated by two significant climate events that marked distinct eras. The analysis reveals a hierarchy of abrupt transitions in climate evolution during the Cenozoic era.
The Department of Energy's Office of Science has selected five Oak Ridge National Laboratory scientists for the Early Career Research Program. The awardees include Matthew Brahlek, Jack Cahill, Eugene Dumitrescu, and two additional researchers. Their research focuses on creating new chiral systems, elucidating genes associated with bio...
Researchers developed a new method to estimate soil organic carbon stocks in agricultural fields, reducing the number of samples needed by 30%. The approach uses doubly balanced sampling and accounts for auxiliary information available in elevation maps, satellite images, and previous surveys. By improving soil sampling efficiency, thi...
A new CU Boulder-led study suggests the global economy will grow slower in the 21st century, leading to a larger income gap between wealthier and poorer nations. Wealthier countries may need to help finance climate change adaptations for lower-income nations, as debt-ceiling crises become more common.
New research by Oregon State University suggests the Ontong Java Plateau is younger and its eruption was more protracted than previously believed. The findings contradict long-held assumptions about the formation of the plateau being linked to a global oxygen-depletion event that formed black shale deposits worldwide.
Researchers at Colorado State University have made a groundbreaking discovery in understanding how mountains form, revealing that deep Earth processes are the primary drivers of mountain building in subduction zones. By combining novel data sets and techniques with traditional geomorphology measurements, the team generated a long-term ...
The study assesses and quantifies safety and justice for humanity on Earth, finding that numerous boundaries are already transgressed. The results conclude that a just approach is essential to planetary stability, and setting targets can prevent significant harm.