Articles tagged with Antarctica
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A new study of Antarctica's past climate suggests that temperatures during interglacial periods may have been up to 6°C warmer than the present day. This finding could help understand rapid Antarctic climate changes and their connection to greenhouse gases.
Scientists from British Antarctic Survey have discovered a new natural carbon-absorption mechanism in Antarctica, where large blooms of phytoplankton are thriving in areas left exposed by rapid glacier melting. This process stores approximately 3.5 million tonnes of carbon each year, which could help mitigate climate change.
Researchers will drill through the Whillans Ice Stream and Ross Ice Shelf, sampling rivers, lakes, and microbial communities. The study aims to understand how the West Antarctic Ice Sheet responded to past climate changes and potentially discover new organisms that can produce beneficial compounds.
Researchers from the University of Texas at Austin and other institutions have made new ground measurements that suggest the West Antarctic ice sheet is losing ice slightly more slowly than estimated. The findings could improve estimates of ice mass loss and provide a clearer picture of Antarctica's contribution to rising sea levels.
Researchers analyzed ancient air bubbles trapped in Antarctic ice to determine the composition of Earth's atmosphere 20 million years ago. They found that carbon dioxide levels were similar to today's only during this time period, when global temperatures were 5-10 degrees Fahrenheit higher and sea levels were 75-120 feet higher.
Researchers are using NASA's DC-8 plane, equipped with laser mapping instruments and other equipment, to study changes in Antarctica's sea ice, glaciers, and ice sheets. The data collected will help scientists better understand how these changes contribute to future sea level rise.
The Eurofleets project aims to advance the networking of European research fleets, funded by the European Commission with 7.2 million Euros. Researchers will benefit from access to unique ship time on European research vessels.
Researchers found a unique layer in Antarctic sediment with high abundance of marine algae and pollen grains, indicating a sudden warming event around 15.7 million years ago. The findings provide insight into global connections and climate forcing, shedding light on Antarctica's climatic past.
Satellite lasers have created a comprehensive picture of rapidly thinning glaciers along the coastline of both Antarctica and Greenland. The most profound ice loss is attributed to glaciers accelerating as they flow into the sea, with this phenomenon now reaching all latitudes in Greenland and intensifying on key Antarctic coastlines.
A $453,000 NSF grant is funding a research expedition to investigate the return of predatory crabs to Antarctica due to climate change. The team will use advanced technologies to explore the Bellingshausen and Amundsen Seas and understand how warming waters are promoting the invasion of these species.
Research teams need more focused investigation into Arctic effects of global warming, particularly in early spring and winter.
New studies reveal dry years getting drier in Pacific Northwest, explore rainfall-humidity relationship, and analyze ancient solar cycles using radioactive tracers. These findings highlight the impact of climate change and solar activity on Earth's water cycle and atmosphere.
Researchers used NASA's ICESat satellite data to create the most comprehensive inventory of Antarctic lakes that actively drain or fill under ice. The study revealed a continental plumbing system more dynamic than previously thought, with 124 active lakes identified and linked to nearby and distant locations.
Scientists from British Antarctic Survey and University of Durham describe a new 3D map created from radar measurements, revealing features in the landscape beneath a vast river of ice. The study provides insight into how ice streams behave and how they might change in the future.
Researchers will use optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating techniques to determine the past thickness of the Antarctic ice sheet. They aim to understand how ice sheets respond to sea level and climate change by collecting samples from beach deposits along the coast.
Researchers have identified a suite of genes involved in controlling the extreme survival mechanism of Arctic springtails against freezing temperatures. These genes are activated during cold-induced dehydration and play roles in trehalose production, heat shock proteins, and tissue remodeling.
A study published in Nature finds that sea ice formed in the Arctic before it did in Antarctica, contradicting scientific expectation. The researchers analyzed oceanic sediment cores and fossilized diatoms to conclude that episodic sea ice formation began around 47.5 million years ago.
The Antarctic Marine Geology Research Facility at FSU has received a $2.5M grant from the National Science Foundation, double its previous funding. The facility serves as a national repository for marine sediment samples and provides clues to a geologic history stretching back 80 million years.
Scientists have successfully mapped emperor penguin breeding colonies in Antarctica using satellite images, providing a reliable indication of their location through visible guano stains. The study identified 38 colonies, with 10 new discoveries, and will enable researchers to monitor population changes over time.
The Arctic Ocean's ownership is disputed due to varying assumptions about its geography, with countries like Russia and Canada viewing it as land with water on top, while the US sees it as just water. This misunderstanding can lead to large-scale disputes over resource extraction.
The new children's book, Polar Eyes, explores Antarctica's diverse science program through Tanya Patrick's journey. The book features hands-on activities, quizzes, and odd facts to engage young minds, including the penguins' dance destination.
Scientists capture the most comprehensive set of sonar images of Antarctica's seafloor around the Amundsen Sea embayment, providing new insights into past ice flow and potential future sea-level rise. The findings indicate that the controlling mechanisms of the Antarctic ice sheet are more complex than previously thought.
Researchers from British Antarctic Survey and NASA found that the ozone hole has strengthened surface winds around Antarctica, leading to greater flow of cold air over the Ross Sea. This resulted in a small increase in sea ice extent in West Antarctica, contrary to the expected effects of greenhouse gas increases.
Researchers found that dust blown to Antarctica from Patagonia provides vital information about glacier activity and past climates. The study suggests that the coldest periods of the last ice age correspond with the dustiest periods in Antarctica's past.
The Field Museum has received a gift of over $10 million and more than 1,700 meteorite specimens from the Planetary Studies Foundation, establishing the world's largest nongovernment meteorite collection. The collection will be housed in the new Robert A. Pritzker Center for Meteoritics and Polar Studies.
An international team will explore subglacial Lake Ellsworth in Antarctica for unique life forms and clues about climate change. The five-year project aims to acquire technologies needed to sample water from the lake and extract sediment from its bed, shedding light on life's existence in extreme environments.
A team of researchers found evidence of widespread cooling in Antarctica around 35 million years ago, which was caused by a significant drop in greenhouse gases, particularly CO2. The study used computer modeling and temperature proxies to determine the cause of the cooling.
The International Polar Year 2007-2008 provided critical evidence of global warming's impact on polar regions, including sea ice decline and increased ice sheet melting. Researchers also discovered significant carbon storage in permafrost and changes in Arctic vegetation affecting local ecosystems.
Astrophysicists at Washington University in St. Louis will design and build Super-TIGER to measure the abundances of ultra-heavy galactic cosmic ray nuclei. The instrument aims to better understand the mechanism by which elements are accelerated in interstellar dust grains.
The Greenland ice sheet is expected to melt, causing a 23-foot sea level rise, while Antarctica's ice sheet could add up to 190 feet. Recent studies show that the ice sheets are melting faster than snow replacement.
Climate change is causing Antarctic sea life to face an invasion of predatory king crabs and exotic species, potentially devastating the region's unique ecosystem. Rising temperatures are allowing these species to expand their habitats, disrupting delicate ecological relationships and putting the world's last truly wild places at risk.
Scientists embark on three-year project to measure carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases worldwide, shedding light on their distribution and impact on climate change. The research will enable better predictions of greenhouse gas emissions and inform society's decisions about climate change mitigation.
Researchers used a novel combination of historical temperature data and satellite records to reconstruct a 50-year history of surface temperatures across Antarctica. The analysis confirms that West Antarctica warmed at a higher rate than the rest of the continent.
A new study reveals that most of Antarctica has been warming at a rate comparable to the rest of the world, contrary to previous findings on the East Antarctic Ice Sheet. The research used satellite data and weather station measurements to estimate temperature trends and found that West Antarctica warmed more than East Antarctica.
Scientists have discovered that parts of Antarctic bedrock are rising while others sink in response to melting ice. This finding will improve estimates of future sea level rise by providing a better view of what's happening under the ice.
A comprehensive 'inventory' of life in Antarctica has revealed over 1200 known marine and land species, including sea urchins, free-swimming worms, crustaceans, and birds. The study found surprising high biodiversity in the region, with many temperate and tropical species present.
A new study by Anna Dornhaus found that individual rock ants specializing on one task are no more efficient than those performing multiple tasks. Despite concentrating their work on a specific job, specialized ants do not perform better or faster, but instead spend more hours working.
A University of East Anglia study demonstrates that human influence is responsible for warming in both Arctic and Antarctic regions. The findings contradict previous observations and the IPCC's previous stance on Antarctica.
A team led by Professor Douglas Wiens is conducting a comprehensive study of Antarctica's Gamburtsev Province, using radar and seismic imaging to understand the region's geological history. The research aims to shed light on the formation of continental ice sheets and climate models.
A U.S.-led team of scientists will use advanced radar and seismic tools to explore the Gamburtsev Mountain range in Antarctica. They hope to determine how this massive mountain range formed, defying geological understanding, and whether it played a role in shaping the East Antarctic Ice Sheet.
The rapid growth of tourism in Antarctica poses significant challenges, including environmental impact and lack of funding for monitoring. Marketable visitor rights are proposed as a solution to manage demand and generate revenue for enforcement and monitoring purposes.
IU's Polar Grid Project will deploy customized computational resources to Antarctica to enable scientists to process data more efficiently during polar field expeditions. The equipment will support an extensive research expedition expected to begin in November and running through February 2009.
Paleontologists have found a previously unknown amphibious predator species named Kryostega collinsoni, which had large teeth on the roof of its mouth, similar to those at the edge. The discovery sheds new light on Antarctica's climate during the Triassic period and suggests that it was warmer than today.
The need for international cooperation and regulation is growing in response to climate change, overfishing, pollution, and other impacts on polar ecosystems. The conference aimed to identify priorities for law-making and research, as well as offer advice to decision-makers on protecting the Arctic and Antarctic regions.
A new analysis of ice cores reveals that West Antarctica's climate is influenced by atmospheric and oceanic changes in the tropical Pacific, with dramatic year-to-year temperature swings and a century-long warming trend. The findings show the connection between global warming and periodic events like El Niño.
A research team led by Boston University's David Marchant has discovered exceptionally well-preserved freshwater fossils in Antarctica, which reveal the ecological legacy of a unique global climate transition. The findings indicate that tundra and insects went extinct suddenly around 13.9 million years ago due to dramatic cooling.
Researchers found that water temperature in Antarctica was too warm for modern-day ice to exist, with temperatures ranging from 11-13°C at the surface and 23-25°C at the bottom. The study suggests a greenhouse Earth, with warmer seas and little or no ice in Antarctica, according to research published this week in Geology.
The Alfred Wegener Institute has inherited the World Radiation Monitoring Center, providing climate research with accurate meteorological data. The archive contains baseline energy conversion of solar radiation and thermal radiation data from around the world.
Paleontologists have discovered fossilized burrows of tetrapods in Antarctica, dating back to the Early Triassic epoch. The burrows were created when sand poured into animal dens and hardened, preserving track marks and scratch marks from the animals' initial excavation.
A new study by NCAR and Ohio State University found that climate models consistently overstate Antarctic warming, but still project significant sea-level rise due to melting ice sheets. The researchers suggest that warmer temperatures could slow down or speed up sea-level rise depending on future temperature increases.
Scientists predict that a full ozone hole recovery could modify climate change in the Southern Hemisphere, causing Antarctica to warm like the rest of the world. As stratospheric ozone levels recover, atmospheric circulation patterns and air temperatures above 6 miles high could rise by up to 16 degrees Fahrenheit.
Scientists warn of potential sea-level rise as Antarctic ice shelf collapses. The Wilkins Ice Shelf's disintegration is linked to rapid climate change, with the remaining ice supported by a narrow strip between two islands.
Research suggests that animals in Antarctica faced harsher conditions during Ice Ages than today, leading to mass migrations. The study found that polynyas, areas of open water, existed far south of current winter sea-ice boundaries, supporting local food webs.
Australian researchers have discovered ancient crayfish fossils, providing evidence that the crustaceans existed on the continent as far back as the Mesozoic Era. The finds offer insights into the ecology of southern Australia during this period, which saw diverse plants and dinosaurs in prolonged polar darkness.
Researchers have identified nine key components of the Earth's climate system at risk of passing a tipping point, with some elements projected to undergo major transitions within the next 100 years. The study highlights the need for early warning systems and caution against complacency in addressing climate change.
A new study by UC Irvine and NASA scientists has found that Antarctic ice loss increased by 75% in the last 10 years due to accelerated glacier flow. The team mapped patterns of ice loss on a glacier-by-glacier basis and detected a sharp jump in Antarctica's ice loss, now nearly as great as that observed in Greenland.
Research from the University of Bristol finds Antarctic ice loss is concentrated at narrow glacier outlets, driven by accelerating ice flow, and may dominate the ice sheet mass budget. The study estimates a total loss of 192 billion tonnes of ice over the past decade.
New research brings scientists closer to exploring Jupiter's moon Europa, discovering potential for life in its ice-covered ocean. Refined methods and data analysis reveal a habitable environment, with improved measurements potentially detecting compounds indicative of life.
A new genus and species of sauropodomorph, Glacialisaurus hammeri, has been discovered in Antarctica. The massive plant-eating dinosaur lived about 190 million years ago and helps establish that primitive sauropodomorphs were more broadly distributed than previously thought.
A $4.5 million POLENET project aims to cover West Antarctica with GPS trackers and seismic sensors, enabling systems-scale science through the dark polar night. The network will record data from 2010 to 2012, providing insights into climate change's impact on the WAIS.