Articles tagged with Geomorphology
A study by UC Santa Barbara researchers found that California has lost more than 60% of its coastal dune systems, primarily due to human activity. The assessment highlights the importance of preserving these ecosystems for biodiversity and coastal resilience.
New study by University of Southampton confirms the universe's expansion is still accelerating as previously found, debunking 2025 claims that the cosmos was slowing. The team re-evaluated data using Type Ia supernovae to calculate vast cosmic distances and found no error in their methods.
A global study of marine litter has identified food and beverage plastics as the leading contributors to ocean pollution, with plastic packaging, caps, and bottles dominating shoreline debris worldwide. The research highlights the urgent need for reduced plastic production and more efficient waste management practices.
Researchers at the University of Arizona used drones equipped with ground-penetrating radar to map the thickness of rocky debris covering glaciers on Earth. The technology could help future astronauts locate accessible water locked in buried ice on Mars.
Researchers used LiDAR surveys to analyze medieval mountain castles' topography, distinguishing between human-made and natural landscapes. The study found that castle sites exhibit greater variability in slope compared to unmodified natural ridges, with high slope variability linked to landslide traces within the castle boundaries.
A study published in Geology found that up to 75.7% of landslides occur during low or no rainfall periods, with early-stage rainfall reaching the sliding surface through three runoff supply modes and two migration stages. The team recommends mass monitoring, public education, and engineering mitigation measures to prevent such disasters.
Researchers from the University of Tokyo have discovered a link between tropical volcanic eruptions and droughts in Asia. The study found that large eruptions can suppress monsoon convection, leading to reduced precipitation and droughts.
Seabirds have a significant impact on plant growth and dune formation on uninhabited islands, with guano providing essential nutrients. The research highlights the importance of protecting seabird habitats to maintain ecosystem balance.
Researchers used UAV-LiDAR technology to measure deposits on abandoned mountain roads, estimating decadal-scale debris supply. The study found that debris supply increases with steeper slope angles and larger contributing areas, posing a risk for debris flows.
Researchers found the Cascadia Subduction Zone to be more active than previously thought, with signs of shallow earthquakes and fluid flow detected offshore. The study suggests variable fluid pathways could alter the behavior of large earthquakes on the fault, potentially influencing the severity of future events.
The University of Washington's STRIVE team will examine the atmosphere where weather forms, while the EDGE team will study the three-dimensional structure of the Earth's surface. These satellite missions aim to provide new insights into temperature, trace gases, and air pollution.
West Virginia University scientists create digital twin models using AI technology to monitor astronaut movements and muscle activity, predicting potential health risks. The system can detect subtle early signs of trouble, providing personalized exercise routines and helping astronauts cope with balance issues upon return to Earth.
Researchers are utilizing the SWOT satellite to study how rivers and streams shape the Earth's surface, transforming scale in river studies. By covering all rivers worldwide, SWOT enables tracking of dam failures and understanding their long-term effects on ecosystems.
A team of researchers led by Alian Wang has discovered the isotopic geochemical consequences of Martian dust activities. The study reveals that dust-induced electric discharges can lead to various oxidized chemicals, including volatile chlorine species, activated oxides, and airborne carbonates.
A new study suggests that Europa's seafloor is geologically inactive, with no signs of tectonic motion or warm hydrothermal vents that could support life. The team calculated the gravitational forces from Jupiter and concluded that the tidal heating on Europa is not strong enough to drive significant geologic activity.
A collaboration of bacteria, including Sporosarcina pasteurii and Chroococcidiopsis, produces natural cement-like materials that can turn Martian regolith into solid concrete. This discovery has the potential to revolutionize construction on Mars and provide benefits for habitat integrity and life-support systems.
Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin have mapped Mars' large river drainage systems, outlining 16 areas where life could have existed. These systems are crucial for understanding Martian habitability and potential past life.
Researchers have discovered that tidal heating can cause ice shells to melt, leading to ocean boiling and unique geological features. The process can also drive compressional tectonics, shaping the surface of icy moons.
A new unified mathematical description model for coastal tipping points has been introduced, addressing escalating risks in coastal zones. The model classifies tipping points into six types, including bifurcation-driven, noise-driven, and shock-driven, highlighting the need for integrated strategies to mitigate regime shifts.
A new study has analyzed a rare flooding event in the Maldives in July 2022 and found it could become a far more common occurrence in the future. By 2050, predicted rises in sea levels, coupled with increased extreme weather events, may result in such flooding happening every two to three years.
Researchers from Poland, USA, and Slovenia found a mathematical description of stalagmite shapes, revealing that shape matters for climate science. The study provides an analytical solution for the growth of ideal stalagmites in constant cave conditions.
Research from Umeå University reveals that natural barriers shape the flow of water and hinder plant dispersal in rivers shaped by the last Ice Age. The study found no clear correlations between drainage area and channel width, or consistent increase in plant species diversity downstream.
Two studies reveal that natural processes can bring organic-rich materials to the Mars rover, increasing its diversity of samples. Rockfalls in Oxia Planum may have originated from elsewhere on Mars and were deposited through a series of floods over 3.5 billion years ago.
An international team of researchers proposes that a meteorite impact just west of Winslow, Arizona, created Meteor Crater and triggered a massive landslide in the Grand Canyon. The study found evidence of a paleolake forming at the same time, with driftwood dating back to around 55,000 years.
Researchers discovered that rivers develop multiple channels if erosion outpaces deposition on their banks, leading to a widening and division of the channel over time. This understanding could revolutionize flood planning and restoration efforts for over 3 billion people worldwide.
A team of scientists from the University of Warsaw discovered that karstic solution pipes preserve a record of Earth's climatic history. The pipes evolve into an invariant shape as they deepen, encoding ancient rainfall patterns.
A 1,200-tonne boulder in Tonga is one of the largest known wave-transported rocks, providing new insights into past tsunamis. Numerical modelling suggests tsunami heights of 50m lasting 90 seconds dislodged the boulder from its cliff-edge origin.
Researchers precisely mapped how magma storage changes as Hawaiian volcanoes age, revealing new insights into the volcanic pluming system. The study found that magma flow diminishes and shifts deeper underground as volcanoes move away from a heat-rich hotspot.
Researchers studied corona features on Venus' surface, finding signs of tectonic activity and buoyant mantle material beneath them. This discovery suggests ongoing processes driving coronae formation, potentially similar to Earth's past.
A collaborative research project led by Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz aims to understand the impact of thermally induced fracture formation on mineral rock properties. The study will help reduce associated risks and improve geothermal energy's efficiency.
A new study from geologists at the University of Colorado Boulder found that ancient Mars was likely warm and wet, with valleys and channels formed by heavy precipitation. The team's findings add new evidence to a long-running debate in planetary science and suggest that water played a key role in shaping the Martian surface.
A recent PNAS study suggested Mars has a significant amount of liquid water in its mid-crust, but LASP Senior Research Scientist Bruce Jakosky challenges this conclusion. Using InSight mission data, the team found that the presence of water is not required by the data.
Scientists have discovered that channels carved by rivers have distinct curves compared to those cut by lava or ice. The research could be used as a diagnostic tool for sinuous channels on other worlds with unknown fluid origins.
A global synthesis identifies 603 species that shape the Earth's surface, with tiny ants shifting soil and salmon reshaping riverbeds. This study highlights the diversity and scale of animals' impact across freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems.
Researchers found evidence that repeated earthquakes like the 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake shaped the region's topography. The study used satellite radar images to measure displacements caused by the earthquake, resulting in over 4m of uplift and emergence of new terraces along the northern coast.
New research from Macquarie University identifies the probable locations and mechanisms of accumulations of critical metals at the margins of old cores of continents. These areas have been found to contain more sulfur and copper than elsewhere on the continents, making them potential targets for future exploration activities.
Scientists have discovered birth sites of gigantic elliptical galaxies, suggesting large gas flows and galaxy collisions created these ancient systems. The research, published in Nature, may finally unravel the enigma of how these giant galaxies formed.
The SUPERSLUG initiative aims to forecast the impact of sediment slugs on river catchments and communities. The project will use a range of sensors and numerical models to provide comprehensive predictions of where and how long-term effects might be felt, up to decades or centuries after an event.
A study on the Industrial Revolution in Great Britain found that limited waterpower resources contributed to the adoption of coal-based steam power. Waterpower was scarce in industrial regions like Manchester by 1838, prompting manufacturers to switch to coal.
A recent study has identified over 300 distinct types of bacteria in Roman Baths water, including those with antibiotic-producing capabilities. These microorganisms show promise as a potential source of novel natural products to combat antibiotic resistance.
Researchers used a dynamic model to chart the changing landscape and estimate human migration routes across Sahul, with results consistent with previous findings. The study suggests a radiating wave of migration following rivers and coastlines, correlating with known migration corridors.
Researchers from UC Santa Barbara found a global-scale trend between sediment load and river migration rates, contrasting with previous work that emphasized the stabilizing effect of vegetation. The study reveals that meandering rivers migrate faster when carrying more sediment relative to their size.
A new study using computer models and simple calculations found that ancient Mars' southern highlands aquifer had a miniscule .03 millimeters of groundwater recharge per year on average. This is significantly lower than the annual rate of groundwater recharge for Earth's aquifers, suggesting a different water regime on Mars.
Researchers have found that Titan's 'magic islands' are likely formed by floating chunks of porous, frozen organic solids, explaining their ephemeral nature. The discovery sheds light on the fate of simple organics on Titan's surface and provides insights into the moon's unique environment.
Researchers at Kiel University discovered that porpoises and sand eels create shallow pits in the North Sea seafloor when hunting for buried sand eels. The findings have significant global implications, suggesting that scouring of sediments by vertebrates could modulate the seafloor on a global scale.
Researchers analyzed dolomite rocks and found a high proportion of C-13, indicating strong methane formation by microorganisms in water with low sulphate content. The sediment's chemical development is controlled by crater floor cooling and water supply, not climatic changes.
A team of scientists and philosophers identifies a new law of nature that governs the evolution of complex systems, including plants, animals, stars, and minerals. The law states that complex systems evolve to states of greater patterning, diversity, and complexity, regardless of whether they are living or nonliving.
University of Queensland researchers have developed a new technique using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma quadruple mass spectrometry to analyze the chemical composition of magma. This high-resolution method provides clearer data on the eruption style and lava flow, enabling better forecasting of volcanic eruptions.
Scientists discover hydrothermal deposits at a 5.7 km depth in the Japan Trench, indicating low-temperature hydrothermal activity and elevated CO2 and methane levels. The findings highlight the need for further studies on petit-spot volcanoes and their potential impact on global biogeochemical cycles.
The US has lost 57.6 billion tons of topsoil due to farming practices, but new research suggests no-till methods can drastically reduce erosion and extend fertility for centuries. No-till farming, currently practiced on 40% of Midwest cropland acres, can modelled to slow down soil loss.
A study from Smithsonian researchers deepens understanding of Earth's crust by testing and eliminating the garnet hypothesis about why continental crust is lower in iron and more oxidized. The findings suggest that intense heat and pressure cannot produce the necessary conditions for garnet formation, contradicting a popular explanation.
A new interactive map created by researchers provides detailed information on the extent and characteristics of river channel belts worldwide. The study's findings suggest that these ecosystems play a vital role in carbon storage and climate change predictions.
Researchers used NASA InSight data to directly measure Mars' core properties, finding a completely liquid iron-alloy core with high percentages of sulfur and oxygen. This discovery provides new insights into Martian formation and geological differences between Earth and Mars, potentially impacting planetary habitability.
A detailed and dynamic model of the Earth's surface over the past 100 million years provides a high-resolution understanding of its creation and sediment flow to oceans. The model will help scientists predict future changes and understand ocean chemistry.
The DART mission successfully demonstrates the feasibility of redirecting near-Earth objects like asteroids to prevent large-scale destruction. The spacecraft's impact on Dimorphos, a small asteroid moon, resulted in an orbital change that confirms the viability of asteroid deflection as a planetary defense strategy.
Researchers have discovered that convection of saline water beneath the surface is responsible for the formation of hexagonal honeycomb patterns in salt deserts. The consistent size and shape of these patterns can be attributed to the unique combination of temperature, salinity, and groundwater flow.
Researchers argue that polders are an important part of China's water heritage, reflecting the country's long history of water management. Over 2,500 years, polders have evolved in response to changing societal needs, adapting to agricultural modernisation and urban encroachment.
Researchers identify signs of an impact crater on the Iberian Peninsula for the first time, revealing a 4-kilometer-wide structure surrounded by 20-kilometer-large sedimentary collapse area. The discovery was made after 15 years of research involving international teams from Spain and Europe.
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.