Without the suppressive effects of younger vegetation, Alaskan fire activity would be 5 times higher.
Research Spotlights
Research spotlights are plain-language summaries of recent articles published in AGU’s suite of 24 journals.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Making Sense of Shallow-Water Waves with Advanced Statistics
Low-frequency infragravity waves shape shorelines, but exactly how they contribute is mysterious. A technique from Bayesian probability theory might change that.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Briny “Death Pools” Hold Clues to Early Life
New evidence from the depths of the Red Sea supports the oxidation of manganese and iron as an engine for life in the earliest oceans.
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Presumed Role of Chorus Waves Out of Tune with New Data
Distinctive plasma ripples are thought to play a big role in electron loss from Earth’s radiation belts, but a new study suggests a more limited influence.
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Of Cosmic Rains and Delayed Trains
Scientific detective work corrected the date of an early disruption in telegraph service, solidifying the links between solar weather and technological disturbances.
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Wind Works: The Atmosphere’s Invisible Energetic Tug-of-War
Two basic atmospheric factors can explain the weak and, at times, contrasting trends in global wind energy dissipation under climate change.
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Volatile Organic Compounds Have Been Underestimated in the Carbon Cycle
Better tracking of these reactive compounds is essential for understanding how the atmosphere and terrestrial biosphere interact.
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How the 2024 Solar Superstorm Drained Earth’s Radiation Belt
Researchers dig into storm processes linked to dramatic electron loss from the outer Van Allen belt.
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Tiny Cyanobacteria May Be the Secret Heroes of Ocean Carbon Sequestration
Even when larger phytoplankton produce more carbon, much of it is lost on the journey to the ocean floor.
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Four in Five Researchers Report Harmful Interactions During Geoscience Fieldwork. A New Survey Suggests a Path Forward.
A new survey documents the prevalence of harmful interactions that occur during fieldwork. Many instances go officially unreported.