Forest fires can occur naturally, but in the world's largest rain forest, fire can signal large-scale deforestation.
Research Spotlights
Research spotlights are plain-language summaries of recent articles published in AGU’s suite of 24 journals.
Retracing the First Spaceborne Electric Field Measurement
Fifty years ago, a sounding rocket made history by taking the first measurement of an electric field in space. What techniques were used to capture this data?
West Antarctic Ice Shelf Breaking Up from the Inside Out
Researchers trace the origin of a 2015 iceberg to a crack that formed deep beneath the ice.
Wave Gliding in the Eye of the Storm
Scientists use a new remote-controlled robot to capture data from the middle of an open ocean typhoon.
Oil Residues Accelerate Coastal Wetland Losses
Coastal wetland loss after an oil spill can be more extensive than after a hurricane.
Notorious Ocean Current Is Far Stronger Than Previously Thought
The Antarctic Circumpolar Current is the only ocean current to circle the planet and the largest wind-driven current on Earth. It's also 30% more powerful than scientists realized.
How Global Warming's Effect on Clouds May Make It Rain Harder
More clustering of clouds due to higher temperatures increases the likelihood of heavy downpours.
Tracking Trends in U.S. Flood Risk
As floods become more frequent around the globe, scientists work to pinpoint what puts certain regions at risk.
Major Ocean Circulation Pattern at Risk from Greenland Ice Melt
The current warming trend could mean the collapse of ocean's global conveyor belt, which would have far-reaching effects on climate around the world. But this collapse could still be avoided.
Probing the Source Properties of Deep Earthquakes
A global review of earthquake rupture parameters reveals that deep earthquakes have larger fracture energies and may have different rupture mechanisms than shallower seismic events.