Spacecraft sometimes produce a form of electrical self-interference as they zip through plasmas in space—a previously unreported effect that may be lurking in old data sets.
Research Spotlights
Research spotlights are plain-language summaries of recent articles published in AGU’s suite of 24 journals.
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Santa Ana Winds and Wildfires Influence Air Pollution
Inhaling particulate matter is hard on human health. New research shows that Southern California’s Santa Ana winds can clear or exacerbate fine-particulate pollution depending on wildfire conditions.
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Deciphering Electron Signatures in Earth’s Magnetic Tail
A new analysis of spacecraft data collected near the tip of Earth’s magnetotail sheds light on how geomagnetic activity affects the motion of electrons in this region.
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Wildfire Smoke Boosts Photosynthetic Efficiency
Wildfires can destroy large tracts of vegetation. But their smoke plumes may help crops and other plants use sunlight more efficiently.
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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.