To put a price tag on climate change, some approaches focus on whether it made an event more likely, whereas others focus on whether it made an event more severe and damaging. A new study examines the validity of both approaches.
Research Spotlights
Research spotlights are plain-language summaries of recent articles published in AGU’s suite of 24 journals.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Clouds over the Highest Mountains Dance a Little Differently
Clouds over the Tibetan Plateau and the Andes are growing colder and higher than other clouds in response to climate change. That could affect local hydrology and radiation.
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Measuring Deep-Ocean Oxygen with Microscopic Magnetic Fossils
A global comparison of microbial magnetic minerals unlocks a new tool for glimpsing the future of oxygen in Earth’s changing oceans.
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Patchier Permafrost Is Linked to More Intense Hillslope Erosion
Arctic landscapes with spots of disconnected permafrost erode faster than those with continuous permafrost, a new study finds.
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The Ocean Circulation That Persists Even After a Key AMOC Component Fails
A new study suggests cross-hemispheric overturning circulation could continue for centuries, even as North Atlantic Deep Water formation shuts down.
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Mapping Childhood Lead Exposure Risk in the United States, Neighborhood by Neighborhood
A researcher uses housing and poverty data to identify locations where children are more likely to be exposed to lead.
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Shooting Light Pulses Down a 3-Kilometer Borehole Could Illuminate Seismic Hazards
Borehole distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) offers a more precise way to measure small earthquakes, if appropriate care is taken.
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Preserving Soil Carbon by Preserving the Forest Floor
A 20-year study of British Columbia forests examines how soil carbon is affected by logging.
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Scientists Zero In on Tiny Particles to Improve Weather and Air Quality Forecasts
A new method for handling satellite aerosol observations boosts simulation accuracy, with potential benefits for weather and climate forecasting.
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In Alaska, Wildfires Help Prevent Future Burns. Will That Feedback Loop Hold?
Without the suppressive effects of younger vegetation, Alaskan fire activity would be 5 times higher.