Articles tagged with Oceans
Tropical Depression 6 formed in the Eastern Atlantic Ocean with a well-defined circulation and organized convective banding near the center. The depression has maximum sustained winds near 35 mph and is expected to move northwest or west-northwest over the next couple of days.
A new study published in Journal of Evolutionary Biology found that natural oceanic barriers significantly influence linguistic diversity by reducing contact between speech communities. As a result, spatially isolated languages gradually diverge from each other.
Tropical Storm Karina weakened due to strong wind shear from Hurricane Marie, according to NASA satellite data. Karina's maximum sustained winds dropped to 40 mph on August 25 as it moved east-southeast around the western edge of Marie.
Tropical Storm Lowell poses a threat to Baja California with strong ocean swells and life-threatening surf conditions. The storm's size and weakening trend indicate it may become a post-tropical cyclone by the weekend.
Tropical Storm Karina intensified on August 22 with moderate rainfall and towering thunderstorms, dropping rain at a rate of near 25 mm/1 inch per hour. The storm is moving to the northeast near 3 mph (6 kph) and is expected to weaken in two days as it enters cooler waters and stable dry air.
Tropical Storm Karina appeared as a giant number nine due to strong thunderstorms spiraling into its center. The storm is now weakening due to moderate-to-strong vertical wind shear and dry air affecting its development of thunderstorms.
NASA's Aqua satellite captured a visible image of Tropical Storm Karina on August 13, revealing a concentration of strong thunderstorms around its center. The storm is strengthening and expected to become a hurricane late on August 14 as it moves westward through the Eastern Pacific Ocean.
A survey of scientists from 94 countries reveals the top research priorities for sustaining ocean health, including climate change's impact on plankton growth and ocean biodiversity. Social scientists highlight the need to better communicate science to policy-makers and the public as a key priority.
Tropical Depression Genevieve dissipated in the Northwestern Pacific Ocean after a two-week journey through three Pacific regions. Maximum sustained winds dropped to 25 knots as the storm moved northwest at 8 knots.
Super Typhoon Genevieve rapidly intensified into a Category 5 storm after crossing the International Dateline. The NASA-NOAA Suomi NPP satellite captured infrared images of the storm, revealing a symmetrical structure with a clear eye and powerful thunderstorms.
Hurricane Iselle is expected to bring heavy rains, high surf, and damaging winds to Hawaii. Rainfall totals of 5-12 inches are predicted along its track, with storm surge up to 3 feet expected on the Big Island.
A major study analyzing all penguin species highlights the need to mitigate effects of habitat degradation, food scarcity, and climate change. The authors recommend measures such as establishing marine protected areas and implementing ecosystem-based management methods to protect biodiversity.
Dr. Kattawar's work on polarization and radiative transfer theory has advanced knowledge of the ocean's nature and consequences of light. He has received numerous teaching awards, mentored over 40 students, and served on academic advisory committees.
Tropical Depression Genevieve is located near latitude 13.1 north, longitude 150.5 west, about 550 miles southeast of Hilo, Hawaii. It's moving west at 6 mph with minimal intensity changes forecasted through Friday night.
Tropical Storm Genevieve has weakened to a tropical depression, but its remnants are being chased by two developing low-pressure areas. NASA's GOES-West satellite imagery shows these systems moving westward towards Hawaii, with a 30% chance of development over the next couple of days.
The seventh tropical depression of the Eastern Pacific Ocean formed on July 25, with maximum sustained winds near 40 mph. The storm is expected to continue moving westward, with NHC forecasting no strengthening due to increased wind shear.
Researchers at University of East Anglia have developed a new model that takes into account the impact of oceans on climate, finding they play a vital role in moderating temperatures and habitability. This breakthrough helps answer whether other planets could sustain alien life.
Tropical Storm Wali formed in Central Pacific Ocean as NASA's Terra satellite passed overhead, with maximum sustained winds initially at 35 mph. The storm is expected to maintain tropical storm status until Saturday before weakening to a depression.
Researchers discovered how viruses affect phytoplankton, like Emiliania huxleyi, altering global carbon cycle and marine food chain. Viruses rewire host lipid metabolism, diverting fixed carbon from traditional food web, with implications for ocean ecosystems.
Tropical Depression 08W formed on July 3 with maximum sustained winds near 30 knots, moving west-northwestward. NASA's TRMM satellite captured rainfall data indicating strong bands of thunderstorms and heavy rainfall rates up to 2 inches per hour.
Tropical storm Hagibis made a brief landfall in China's Guangdong Province, bringing heavy rainfall and significant precipitation. The storm dissipated over mainland China after a short lifetime, with NASA's Terra satellite capturing the event.
Former Hurricane Cristina has lost all its convection and thunderstorms, becoming a ghost of its former self. The system has weakened to a remnant low pressure area with maximum sustained winds near 20-25 knots (23-29 mph/37-46 kph) in the Eastern Pacific.
Hurricane Cristina has reached Category 4 status with maximum sustained winds near 155 mph. The National Hurricane Center expects the storm to maintain major hurricane strength for another 36 hours, posing life-threatening surf and riptide conditions along Mexico's west coast.
Environmental scientists Drs Carol Turley and Phil Williamson and Professor Richard Thompson will discuss ocean acidification and plastic pollution at the US Department of State conference. They emphasize the urgent need for a coordinated, global approach to address these pressing issues.
A UK team discovered that summer meltwaters from ice sheets are rich in bioavailable iron, which boosts phytoplankton growth and captures carbon, thus buffering the effects of global warming. The researchers estimate that the flux of bioavailable iron associated with glacial runoff is between 400,000 and 2,500,000 tonnes per year.
A genetic study has identified three distinct subspecies of humpback whales in the North Pacific, North Atlantic, and Southern Hemisphere. The findings suggest that these populations have been isolated for thousands of years, with some populations migrating only between warm equatorial waters.
Researchers used JeDI to map jellyfish biomass in the upper 200m of the world's oceans, revealing that jellyfish are present throughout the globe, with greatest concentrations in mid-latitudes. The study highlights the importance of understanding jellyfish distribution and potential impacts on ecosystems and biogeochemical processes.
Tropical Storm Tapah is moving north through the Northwestern Pacific Ocean, bringing a tropical storm warning for Saipan and Tinian. The storm is expected to strengthen into a typhoon by April 29 and may cause significant weather conditions.
Researchers reconstructed ancient ocean chemistry and found spontaneous occurrence of reaction sequences enabling metabolite formation. These findings suggest that metabolism predates the origin of life and evolved through early ocean conditions.
Tropical Cyclone Jack had weakened to a tropical depression when NASA's TRMM satellite passed above on April 22, 2014. Rainfall rates reached over 130mm/hr near the center, while wind shear continued to impact the system, ultimately leading to its dissipation in the Southern Indian Ocean by April 23.
Tropical Depression Peipah has brought clouds, showers, and gusty winds to the southern and central Philippines. NASA's Suomi NPP satellite captured images showing the remnant clouds covering the Visayas and Mindanao regions.
Researchers found long-term cycles in oceanic carbon isotope sequence, suggesting a connection between ice-sheet and carbon cycles. The study reveals that the Southern Ocean's nutrient transfer led to major changes in global ocean biogeochemistry.
A new species of horseshoe worm, Phoronis emigi, has been discovered in Japan after a 62-year gap, shedding light on the global diversity of the Phoronida phylum. The discovery is significant as it highlights the need for further investigations to reveal additional species.
A team of MIT researchers suggests that methane-producing archaea, specifically Methanosarcina, were responsible for the largest mass extinction in Earth's history. The microbe's explosive growth was fueled by a sudden increase in nickel, emitted by massive volcanic eruptions.
Tropical Cyclone Gillian's maximum sustained winds peaked at 140 knots/161.1 mph/259.3 kph on March 23 as it pulled away from Indonesia. The storm began to weaken due to upper-level northwesterly wind shear and a mid-level trough approaching its path.
The TRMM satellite has been monitoring the persistent remnants of Tropical Cyclone Gillian since its formation in March 2014. The storm's coherent remnants have moved westward over 2,700 km and are re-organizing in the Southern Indian Ocean.
Tropical Cyclone Mike formed and strengthened rapidly before transitioning into an extra-tropical system. The storm's remnants were visible on NOAA's GOES-West satellite imagery, appearing as a wisp of clouds by March 20.
Tropical Storm Mike formed in the Southern Pacific Ocean on March 19, according to NOAA's GOES-West satellite. The storm has generated warnings for the Southern Cook Islands and is expected to move quickly to the south-southeast before potentially becoming extra-tropical.
The remnants of Tropical Cyclone Gillian have moved into the Indian Ocean and triggered warnings for parts of Indonesia. NASA's Aqua satellite captured a visible image of the re-organizing tropical low pressure area, showing it to be well-defined and consolidated.
Tropical Cyclone Lusi battled vertical wind shear pushing precipitation away from its center. The storm showed strongest thunderstorms being pushed south of the circulation center.
A massive earthquake triggered a global 'stress shadow' where nearly all potential faults remained inactive for 95 days. This rare phenomenon suggests that large quakes can temporarily relieve stress on nearby faults.
Tropical Cyclone Lusi has become better organized, with strong thunderstorms surrounding its center. The storm is expected to weaken due to cooler waters and increasing vertical wind shear.
Tropical Cyclone Kofi was captured by NASA's Terra satellite on March 3 as it became an extra-tropical storm. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument showed good circulation despite the storm's transitioning phase.
Tropical cyclone Faxai reached typhoon strength with maximum sustained winds near 65 knots/74.8 mph on March 4. The NASA Aqua satellite captured an image of the storm, showing tightly wrapped bands of thunderstorms around its center. Forecasters predict Faxai will maintain typhoon strength for a day before weakening.
Researchers investigated the break-up of supercontinent Gondwana, finding that a nearly orthogonal West African rift was stopped by an opposing Equatorial Atlantic rift, preventing the formation of a Saharan Atlantic Ocean. This study highlights the importance of rift orientation and extension direction in shaping Africa's margin.
Researchers investigate the impact of Saharan dust on ground-level pollution in Houston, with a focus on regulatory limits and measurable air quality. They plan to use samples collected in Barbados and Houston to confirm previous findings.
The IPRC Ocean Drift Model has been charting the possible paths of tsunami driftage for nearly 3 years, improving its accuracy by accounting for different shapes and buoyancies. The model predicts the type and timing of material that washes up along windward shores, including oyster buoys, crates, and wood pieces from Japan.
A recent study reveals that bottle gourds originated from Africa and were likely domesticated multiple times in the New World. The research found that modern bottle gourd samples from the Americas matched African genetic profiles, supporting the idea that gourds floated across the Atlantic Ocean frequently.
Tropical Cyclone Fobane is weakening due to increasing vertical wind shear and cooler sea surface temperatures. The storm is moving southward through the Southern Indian Ocean, with maximum sustained winds near 45 knots/51.7 mph/83.3 kph.
Researchers at MIT determine the end-Permian extinction occurred over 60,000 years, killing 96% of marine species and 70% of life on land. The new timescale suggests massive volcanic eruptions from the Siberian Traps triggered a rapid collapse of global ecosystems.
The fourteenth tropical cyclone of the Southern Indian Ocean season was identified by NASA's Terra satellite on February 7. Cloud top temperatures indicating strong convection and powerful thunderstorms were observed north of the center of circulation. The cyclone is expected to intensify before turning southwest and weakening.
Tropical Cyclone Edilson was consolidating over the Southern Indian Ocean with strong curved bands of thunderstorms around its western quadrant. Forecasters predict it will become a hurricane within the next day.
Tropical Cyclone Edna's convection breaks up as it approaches cooler waters and stronger wind shear near northern New Zealand.
Lorena Moscardelli presents a terrestrial, deep-water analogy to support the existence of an ancient Martian ocean. She documents boulder-size rocks on Mars' northern plains that are similar to blocks transported by subaqueous mass-transport events in Earth's deep water environments.
Researchers have discovered that dust infiltration into the South Pacific Ocean was 2-3 times higher during ice ages than in warm phases. This increased dust supply stimulated biological production and increased the ocean's capacity to bind carbon, leading to a cooling effect on Earth.
Tropical Cyclone Deliwe forms in the Mozambique Channel and Southern Indian Ocean after a tropical depression developed on January 16. Forecasters predict it will move southwest and then curve northwest due to high pressure system changes.
Tropical Cyclone Colin is becoming an extra-tropical system in the Southern Pacific Ocean, with NASA's Aqua satellite capturing an image of the transitioning storm. The storm had maximum sustained winds near 35 knots/40 mph/62 kph and was weakening.
Tropical Cyclone Colin is experiencing heavy rainfall, with TRMM satellite data showing rates of up to 2 inches per hour. The storm is moving south-southeast towards cooler sea surface temperatures, which will cause it to weaken.
Tropical Cyclone Bruce's eye showed distinct features on December 21, but became cloud-filled two days later. The cyclone weakened rapidly due to wind shear and was expected to turn extra-tropical by December 25.
Tropical Cyclone Amara is affecting Rodrigues Island in the Southern Indian Ocean, bringing hurricane-force winds and heavy rains. NASA's Terra satellite captured an image showing the storm's eye was more cloudless than the day before.