Scientists have long interpreted shocked quartz as definitive evidence of a past meteorite impact, but the shock wave caused by lightning striking granite also produces this distinctive feature.
Research Spotlights
Research spotlights are plain-language summaries of recent articles published in AGU’s suite of 24 journals.
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Methane Leaks May Make Natural Gas Worse Than Coal for Climate
The article about which this Research Spotlight was written has been retracted by the authors.
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Quiet Volcanic Activity Changes Speed of Ambient Seismic Waves
Seismic data collected continuously for 4 years could improve understanding of geological structures that underlie Japan’s Izu Oshima volcanic island.
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World’s Biggest Oxygen Producers Living in Swirling Ocean Waters
Oceanographers probe the impact of deep swirling vortices on phytoplankton.
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Revising an Innovative Way to Study Cascadia Megaquakes
Researchers probe natural environments near subduction zones to decrypt underlying mechanisms of major earthquakes.
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Following Carbon in an Age of Fire
As fires become more prevalent in California, researchers work to create a profile of the charred carbon left behind.
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Juno Gets Spectacular View of Jupiter’s Aurora
The NASA spacecraft has taken images of Jupiter’s powerful aurora dancing around its poles, revealing never-before-seen details in their structure.
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India’s Plans for Coal Clash with Paris Agreement
India’s proposed coal plants threaten to lock out its low-emission energy goals under the international climate accord.
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Mystery of the Ionosphere’s “Gyro Line” Solved
A new study provides an updated hypothesis to describe a unique radar signature from plasma waves high above Earth, correcting errors that had stood for decades.
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Federal Space Weather Research Could Improve Hazard Preparation
Researchers outline the history of the U.S. government’s involvement in space weather research, from before World War II, through the Space Race, and beyond.