Wildfires can destroy large tracts of vegetation. But their smoke plumes may help crops and other plants use sunlight more efficiently.
Research Spotlights
Research spotlights are plain-language summaries of recent articles published in AGU’s suite of 24 journals.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Southern California Climate Change over 100,000 Years
Researchers used a sediment core from a lake in California’s San Bernardino Mountains to track the effect of climate on vegetation, fire, and erosion between about 120,000 and 15,000 years ago.
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How to Read Atmospheric History Written in Flowstones
Oxygen isotope ratios in cave deposits reflect past climates, but interpreting these data is not straightforward. A new study explores what these ratios really tell us.
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Atmospheric Drag Alters Satellite Orbits
A new modeling study shows how the density of the thermosphere influences the paths of satellites in low Earth orbit.
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Anaerobic Activity Is a Big Contributor in Marine “Dead Zones”
Climate models that do not account for anaerobic microbial activity may underestimate future expansion of oxygen-depleted waters.
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Investigating Rates of Microbial Methane Munching in the Ocean
Analyses of microbial activity in seawater samples help clarify the fate of methane released from the seafloor.
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Fault Dips Figured in Kīlauea’s Caldera Collapse
Large-volume volcanic eruptions can create instabilities in the ground above magma chambers, leading to massive collapses and telltale calderas.
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Stored Nutrients and Climate Warming Will Feed More Algal Blooms
High nutrient concentrations cause water quality problems in lakes, and as the climate warms, these issues will only get worse. A new model assesses future scenarios and explores solutions.
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Observational Data Validate Models of Sun’s Influence on Earth
Using a combination of independent models and observations over multiple timescales, scientists verify two important models that gauge the amount of solar radiation Earth receives.
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Reconstructing 150 Million Years of Arctic Ocean Climate
A new summary of past Arctic climate conditions gives insight into anthropogenic influences on today’s climate and on the need for future drilling studies to further improve our understanding of the past.