Using data from the European Space Agency's Swarm mission, scientists find that abrupt drops in the ionosphere's electron density may cause low-orbiting satellites to lose contact with GPS satellites
Research Spotlights
Research spotlights are plain-language summaries of recent articles published in AGU’s suite of 24 journals.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
What Drives Variation in the Ionosphere’s Electron Density?
The long-term trend in the electron density of the ionospheric F layer may be natural, not man-made.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
No Evidence for Unknown Source of Ozone Precursor
A study suggests that known combustion and photochemical sources of nitrous acid, a precursor to ground-level ozone, are enough to explain levels seen in the atmosphere.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Jupiter's Auroras Recharge Between Solar Storms
New research suggests that Jupiter's magnetic field replenishes its stock of plasma during lulls in solar activity, creating spectacular displays when a solar storm hits.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
All Earthquakes Are Created Equal
A study of the development of earthquakes shows that the size of the initial rupture does not determine its intensity or range later on.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Climate Change May Reduce Future Corn Supply
A suite of simulations run with a spectrum of starting conditions shows that climate change will reduce corn crop yield, although the degree of reductions varies widely.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Air-Sea Interactions Influence Major Southern Wind Belt
Ocean and atmospheric data provide evidence for how sea surface temperatures affect the Southern Annular Mode.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
How Vague Historical Writings Help Scientists Predict Floods
By including imprecise historical written records in their calculations, researchers were able to decrease uncertainty in estimations of future flood frequency.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
New Technique Tracks Rock Deformation at a Micrometric Scale
Scientists explore microscopic marble deformation at high pressures and temperatures using a novel experimental technique that could improve our understanding of rock deformation in nature.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Melting Ice Could Reveal Toxic Cold War Era Waste in Greenland
Unforeseen political disputes could arise as countries assess who's responsible for the cleanup of the Cold War relics.