Add BrightSurf on Google Email

Continental interiors may not be as tectonically stable as geologists think

Researchers identified unexpected geophysical signals beneath stable continental interiors of South America and Africa, suggesting recent geologic activity. Cratons, ancient rocks on Earth's surface, may have experienced delamination, a process where the denser lower mantle layer peels away from the buoyant upper layer.

GIS -- a powerful tool to be used with caution

A recent study challenges GIS credibility in assessing shoreline erosion to archaeological sites, highlighting the need for more current imagery sources and semi-regular updates. The research suggests that while GIS can be useful in identifying areas at risk, its limitations due to volatile weather conditions must be acknowledged.

SourceDe Gruyter·JournalOpen Archaeology·DateMay 18, 2017

Doctoring the soil

Researchers found that minimizing soil disturbance, ensuring permanent organic cover crops, and diversifying crops through crop rotation improved soil properties. These techniques created a beneficial environment for microorganisms, fungi, and earthworms, ultimately leading to increased crop productivity and reduced erosion.

SourceAmerican Society of Agronomy·JournalSoil Science Society of America Journal·DateMay 3, 2017

Beach bashing

Researchers assess seasonal beach behavior for 29 beaches along the Pacific coast, finding 76% above normal erosion during the 2015-16 El Niño winter. The study highlights the increasing vulnerability of California's coastline to coastal hazards as climate events intensify.

SourceUniversity of California - Santa Barbara·JournalNature Communications·DateFeb 14, 2017

Graffiti for science

Researchers from GFZ GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam developed a new method called 'erosion painting' to visualize erosion rates. By applying paint patterns on rock surfaces and monitoring their removal over time, scientists can analyze the spatial distribution and intensity of erosive processes.

SourceGFZ GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam, Helmholtz Centre·JournalEarth Surface Dynamics·DateDec 16, 2016

A mystery of form and structure

Researchers built a stream table experiment to test a theory about the erosion of the Tarim Basin's flat surfaces. They found that channel switching played a crucial role in beveling these areas due to rapid changes in sediment flux and water flow. The study provides insights into the geological history of the region.

SourceUniversity of California - Santa Barbara·JournalNature Geoscience·DateAug 24, 2016

Do witchcraft beliefs halt economic progress?

A study by American University Economics Professor Boris Gershman found a negative correlation between witchcraft beliefs and trust, eroding social capital and cooperation. In regions with widespread witchcraft beliefs, mistrust and property destruction are common, stifling economic progress.

SourceAmerican University·JournalJournal of Development Economics·DateMay 9, 2016

Landscape evolution and hazards

Researchers study coastal uplift and erosion in Northern California, discovering rivers cut down hillslopes, triggering landslides that balance uplift. Landslides also deliver resistant rocks to rivers, delaying erosion, with implications for landscape evolution and hazards like landslides.

SourceGeological Society of America·JournalGeology·DateMar 31, 2016

Climate change speeds up gully erosion

Heavy rainfall causes gullies to expand rapidly, with predicted climate change increasing rates up to three times faster. Researchers have developed a model to predict gully expansion and warn of devastating consequences for agriculture, water quality, and infrastructure.

SourceKU Leuven·JournalEarth-Science Reviews·DateFeb 25, 2016

Increase in volcanic eruptions at the end of the ice age caused by melting ice caps and erosion

Numerical simulations found that erosion played a key role in driving magma production and subsequent volcanic activity at the end of the last ice age. The study's results may have implications for understanding climate change and atmospheric CO2 levels, as similar mechanisms are expected to occur at shorter timescales.

SourceUniversity of Cambridge·JournalGeophysical Research Letters·DateFeb 1, 2016

Normal weather drives salt marsh erosion

Researchers found that waves driven by moderate storms cause the most loss in salt marshes, not severe events like hurricanes. This knowledge brings new tools for managing and restoring wetlands, enabling predictions of erosion based on wind and wave climates.

SourceBoston University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateDec 21, 2015

Climate can grind mountains faster than they can be rebuilt

Erosion caused by glaciation during ice ages can wear down mountains faster than plate tectonics can build them, according to a new study. The research, conducted over more than a decade, revealed that erosion rates accelerated sharply about 1 million years ago when global climate cooling triggered stronger and more persistent ice ages.

SourceUniversity of Texas at Austin·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateNov 23, 2015

Fingerprinting erosion

A recent study uses color fingerprinting to identify the origin of sediments in the South Tobacco Creek watershed. The technique reveals that nature is more often responsible for sedimentation than previously thought, while human activities have a significant impact on hydrology and erosion.

SourceAmerican Society of Agronomy·JournalJournal of Environmental Quality·DateSep 2, 2015

Rupture along the Himalayan Front

A recent study by Kristin Morell and colleagues reveals the Himalayan Front's central seismic gap is overdue for a major earthquake. The researchers used geomorphic and erosion rate data to define the active detachment fault likely to host a large earthquake, pinpointing a distinctive physiographic transition in Uttarakhand, India.

SourceGeological Society of America·JournalLithosphere·DateApr 30, 2015

The creation of Shangri-La

Researchers used a new computer model to simulate the formation of high-lying valleys in the southeastern Tibetan plateau. They found that these valleys developed in place, not as remnants of former lowlands, and were shaped by river disruption due to tectonic movement.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalNature·DateApr 23, 2015