Articles tagged with Geology
The analysis of particles from asteroid Ryugu has revealed a high carbon content, similar to the Sun, and the presence of rare earth metals in concentrations 100 times higher than elsewhere in the solar system. The findings suggest that Ryugu originated from a parent asteroid formed in the outer solar nebula.
Geologists mapped how historical coking and smelting led to toxic metal pollutants in Pittsburgh's soil, particularly in the eastern half of the city. The team found that concentrations of soil metals were higher in valleys influenced by rivers, with cadmium posing a lesser-known risk.
Recent findings from Iceland's Fagradalsfjall eruptions reveal a highly dynamic process that challenges traditional understanding of volcanoes. The eruption showed more compositional variability than expected, with rapid changes in chemical indicators over the course of just one month.
A new study suggests that massive volcanic eruptions were the primary cause of mass extinctions, including the one that wiped out the dinosaurs. The research found a strong temporal connection between flood basalt eruptions and significant climatic events.
Researchers discovered hydrated glass in Antarctic rocks that indicates polar glaciation during the Late Cretaceous, around 66-100 million years ago. The findings suggest that climate conditions in Antarctica were more complex than previously thought, with evidence of ice sheets existing alongside a generally warm and humid environment.
A new study reveals two preserved slabs in the upper mantle beneath Myanmar, strongly supporting the double subduction model. The findings provide convincing geoscientific evidence to consolidate this model, which explains anomalously fast India-Asian convergence.
The Perseverance rover has revealed a crater floor composed of igneous rocks altered by water, with core samples stored for potential return to Earth. The rover's radar scans also suggest a layered structure beneath the surface, indicating history of igneous activity and repeated exposure to liquid water.
A team of researchers from ETH Zurich and WSL reconstructed the topography of all Swiss glaciers in 1931 using stereophotogrammetry. They found that the glacier volume halved between 1931 and 2016, with some glaciers losing mass at varying rates depending on factors like altitude, snout shape, and debris coverage.
The Louisiana State University campus mounds are the oldest known man-made structures in North America, with construction beginning at approximately 11,000 years ago. The mounds were built by ancient indigenous people and feature a coordinated alignment with the brightest star in the night sky.
A new study from the University of Washington and the National Park Service measured 38 years of change for glaciers in Kenai Fjords National Park. The study found that 13 of 19 glaciers have shown significant retreat, while two have advanced. Lake-terminating glaciers are retreating at a faster rate than other types.
Scientists studied oxygen isotopes in lava samples from the Fagradalsfjall eruption to understand magma sources and mantle dynamics. The research revealed diverse mantle components with uniform oxygen isotope ratios, shedding light on Iceland's geology and refining mantle models.
Researchers at Mainz University found the Cumbre Vieja lava to be exceptionally low in viscosity, resulting in rapid flow and devastating damage. The study published in Nature Communications revealed that the lava's composition, particularly its silica content, contributed to its fluidity.
Global river sediment flux is changing due to human activities like land use change, dam building, and climate change. Sediment flux decreases in the northern hemisphere but increases in the southern hemisphere, with SSC on average rising by 41% since 1980.
Researchers at UT Austin discovered a rule connecting channel belts to river patterns, finding that channels in ancient rivers lead to narrower belts. Multichannel rivers take up more space on the belt and are closer to the floodplain, influencing landscape shaping.
Researchers analyzed burnt artifacts, volcanic samples, and sediment cores to recreate the Earth's magnetic field over 9,000 years. Their new modeling technique predicts that the South Atlantic Anomaly will disappear within 300 years, ruling out an impending polarity reversal.
A team of geologists successfully forecasted a Sierra Negra volcano eruption in June 2018 using a supercomputer-powered model. The model predicted an imminent eruption five months before it occurred, highlighting the power of high-performance computing in volcanic forecasting.
Scientists propose a new classification scheme using the Beaumont number to describe whether mountain elevation is controlled by weathering and erosion or properties of the Earth's crust. The study resolves a long-standing question about the controlling factors of mountain growth, finding that it depends on geographic location, climate...
A joint research team has discovered ancient continental rocks at the Southwest Indian Ridge, dating back 2.7 billion years. The rocks' composition suggests they were recycled from the neighboring African continent through the asthenosphere, challenging current understanding of oceanic crust formation.
A study using 50 years of satellite imagery found that avulsions occur more frequently in steep, sediment-rich rivers in tropical and desert environments. The research suggests that climate change and land use can increase the risk of avulsions in upstream locations.
Researchers analyzed iron samples from asteroid cores to determine the timing of asteroid core cooling and collisions. The study suggests that violent collisions occurred within a 7.8-11.7 million year window after solar system formation, indicating a chaotic early phase.
Researchers have taken a detailed image of an unusual pocket of rock at the boundary layer with Earth's core, revealing complex internal variability. The discovery supports existing proposals that the zone contains more iron than surrounding rocks, potentially linking it to ancient rocks or unknown core leakage.
A new study published in Science Advances suggests that life on Mars is unlikely due to limited water circulation. Researchers used neutron and X-ray tomography to analyze a 1.3 billion-year-old meteorite, finding only small amounts of water reacted with the rock.
Researchers have found a deep sub-ice stream groundwater system in West Antarctica, containing more than ten times the volume of shallow hydrologic system above. This discovery highlights the critical role of groundwater hydology in understanding ice sheet dynamics and its potential impact on sea level rise.
Researchers found that a 2019 landslide on the Amalia Glacier in Chile caused it to grow in size and slow down its melting process. The study suggests that landslides can have a major impact on glacier movement, which could help scientists better predict future changes due to climate change.
Researchers discovered that periods of drought were interrupted by wetter phases lasting several decades or even centuries, challenging the understanding of climate change in the region. The study's findings have significant implications for archaeological considerations and future climate scenarios.
The study found that stream gauges are disproportionately located in large rivers and human-occupied watersheds, but sparsely distributed in protected areas and non-perennial rivers. This is critical information for freshwater conservation and water security concerns.
A seismic algorithm has been developed to detect and locate volcanic eruptions in near real-time. The algorithm was tested using the Hunga Tonga Ha'apai eruption, which ejected around 10 km³ of ash and lava, making it the largest explosive eruption of the 21st century.
New PSU research predicts the disappearance of Olympic Peninsula glaciers by 2070, with some remaining as tiny shells. The study highlights the impact of global warming on glacier mass and ecology in the region.
A new study by Hiroshima University introduces a novel AI-based technique for estimating site amplification factors from microtremor data. The model demonstrated potential as a predictive tool for characterizing site amplification factors, but notes are needed for further optimization with a larger dataset.
A fibre optic cable was used to record volcanic events at Mount Etna, detecting seismo-acoustic activity and mapping hidden structural features. The Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) method proved suitable for volcano monitoring and hazard assessment.
A massive volcanic eruption at the end of the Triassic period caused a global cooling effect, leading to the mass extinction. The event paved the way for the rise of dinosaurs as their natural predators went extinct.
The Chengjiang Biota, an ancient group of animal fossils, has been found to inhabit a shallow-marine, nutrient-rich delta environment. This discovery sheds new light on the possible causal factors for the Cambrian Explosion and how early animals adapted to stressful conditions.
Researchers from Vrije Universiteit Brussel used new techniques to determine the age of limestone layers and fossils in Maastricht quarries, dating back to the last dinosaur age. The study found that the shallow sea was rich in oxygen, suitable for sustaining a diverse ecosystem.
The Bushveld Complex functioned as a gigantic magma body, with a column of melt likely several km thick, contradicting the prevailing theory of non-existent large, long-lived and largely molten magma chambers. This discovery was made possible by 3D high-resolution X-ray computed tomography studies of chromitite.
Scientists propose a new mechanism by which oxygen accumulated in the atmosphere, shifting the planet out of its low-oxygen equilibrium. Interactions between certain marine microbes and minerals in ocean sediments may have prevented oxygen consumption, setting off a self-amplifying process.
A new study reconstructs changes in global biosphere productivity during the past 800,000 years using ancient air bubble data. The findings show that GPP has always been lower during glacial intervals compared to interglacial periods, with most cases exhibiting a rise in productivity before glacial terminations.
A new study led by Smithsonian volcanologist Dan Rasmussen finds that water content in magma is a significant factor controlling its storage depth. The research provides crucial insights into the physics of magma storage beneath volcanoes, which can aid in predicting volcanic eruptions.
Researchers found exceptionally preserved fossils from different locations, suggesting that rising global temperatures during the Early Jurassic period may have created favorable conditions for fossilization. The study suggests that past climate change could have enabled exceptional preservation in various environments.
Researchers at Cornell University have reevaluated earthquake models, discovering that fracture energy relates to how quakes stop rather than fault weakening. This breakthrough may help improve earthquake forecasting by understanding rupture styles and the role of seismic observations.
Researchers used lab-based mimicry to reveal a new crystal structure that has major implications for our understanding of the interiors of large, rocky exoplanets. This discovery could have revolutionary implications for how we think about the dynamics of exoplanet interiors.
Researchers propose new dynamic model suggesting thermal energy causes continental plates to drift, but the main driving force is supplied by a gravitational slip of the continental crust and hot mantle upwelling. This model explains why the opening of the Atlantic Ocean is wider in the south than in the middle.
Researchers found that tectonic processes, not climate changes, drove erosion in the Cauca River canyon. The team used thermochronology and other techniques to analyze rock samples and satellite imagery, revealing a plateau formed ~2.5 km above river level.
The discovery of Balkanatolia reveals a unique fauna that enabled Asian mammals to colonize Western Europe 34 million years ago. A new fossil deposit in Turkey dated 38-35 million years ago supports this finding, shedding light on the evolution of mammals.
New research reveals that asteroid Ryugu samples brought back by Hayabusa2 spacecraft exhibit similar properties to the asteroid's larger boulders. The samples' colors, shapes, and structures are consistent with material surrounding each collection site on Ryugu's surface and sub-surface.
A study in the journal Geology explores the formation of rifts as tectonic plates pull apart, finding that slow plate movement is the primary driver. The research focuses on a newly formed rift in Iceland, where magma did not play a key role in its creation.
Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst developed a physical model that yields unprecedented high-resolution look at slip rates of faults, determining likelihood of earthquakes. The study reveals fault lines in kitchen sinks can predict earthquake-causing forces.
A team of researchers from Lund University analyzed ice cores from Greenland and Antarctica to discover a massive solar storm occurring during a quiet phase about 9,200 years ago. The study challenges the current understanding that solar storms are more likely to occur during active phases of the sun.
Researchers developed a new avalanche forecasting method using computer simulations of snow cover, which can detect weak layers and identify hazard in a different way. The approach showed consistent results with observed frequencies over 16 years, offering potential to support forecasting in the future.
New research on the world's largest pterosaur, Quetzalcoatlus, reveals that it likely leaped into the air before lifting off, using its wings to generate lift. The study, published by the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, is the most comprehensive on the species yet and provides new insights into its flight mechanics.
The Cumbre Vieja volcano eruption revealed a four-year period of increased seismic activity, suggesting early warning signs of unrest. This discovery has significant implications for eruption forecasting at quiescent volcanoes.
Researchers found that intense volcanic activity led to a surge in phosphorus levels, driving ocean oxygen levels down and triggering a severe mass extinction. The study suggests that natural weathering of volcanic material may have been responsible for the sudden cooling events.
A team of scientists has discovered a thick layer of paleoregolith on the lunar surface, which could provide insight into the Moon's early asteroid impact and volcanic history. The findings suggest the paleoregolith formed much faster than previously estimated, with implications for understanding meteoric activity in the solar system.
Research reveals Arctic rivers are discharging much more water than previously thought, with acceleration up to three times higher than estimated. The RADR project assimilates satellite information into hydrologic models for the entire pan-Arctic region.
Researchers from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution have discovered a 900-mile-long mantle conduit beneath Panama, which allows hot material to travel laterally through the shallow mantle. This 'mantle wind' helps explain why plume-derived volcanic material appears in central America despite the absence of active volcanoes.
A recent study found that earthquakes and extreme rainfall lead to a significant increase in landslide rates in Nepal during the monsoon season. The research, published in Nature Communications, reveals that landscape damage caused by the April 2015 Gorkha earthquake increased landslide risk by six times.
Researchers have proposed new radioisotopic dates for Ediacaran fossil assemblages and carbon isotope perturbations, providing age constraints for both. The study reveals two negative carbon isotope excursions in the 575–550 Ma period, with the Shuram event occurring between 575 Ma and 565 Ma.
A new study presents a broad survey of monogenetic volcanoes in the US Southwest, providing insights into their characteristics and potential hazards. The research reveals that over 1,800 volcanoes have erupted in the region over the past 2.58 million years, with some still posing threats despite being dormant.
A new study reveals that many cratons were uninhabitable for microbes for much of their existence, with the longest period of habitability not much beyond a billion years. The deep biosphere, home to microbial life, has evolved over geologic history, and modern microbes are related to ancient ancestors in the subsurface.
A new study reveals that rivers in High Mountain Asia have experienced significant increases in sediment flux over the past 60 years, with projected doubling of sediment flow by 2050 under extreme climate change. This change has far-reaching implications for hydropower generation and environmental security in the region.
A new study reveals that early dinosaurs, such as Mussaurus patagonicus, likely formed complex herds with adults foraging and taking care of young. Fossils found in southern Patagonia indicate an age segregation, suggesting a larger community structure where adults shared in raising the whole community.