Accounting for key soil and snow variables shows a much higher impact on simulated permafrost area than uncertainties in land cover and climate data.
Research Spotlights
Research spotlights are plain-language summaries of recent articles published in AGU’s suite of 24 journals.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Which Geodynamo Models Will Work Best on Next-Gen Computers?
A new study uses identical tests to evaluate the accuracy and performance of current models of Earth's magnetic field, then extrapolates the results to anticipated "petascale" supercomputers.
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Demystifying Mercury "Hollows"
Spectral data from NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft indicate that the properties of the depressions on Mercury's surface can vary within a single crater and that these differences may correlate to age.
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Gamma Ray Bursts Leave Their Mark in the Low Ionosphere
Scientists use very low and low-frequency radio signals to detect short gamma ray bursts and their impact on the low ionosphere.
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Bark Beetles Cause Big Tree Die-Offs, but Streams Flow Steadily
Recent beetle epidemics have driven tree die-offs across North America, and previous studies predicted an increase in annual streamflow would follow—but a new study shows this may not be the case.
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At the Intersection of Ice and Water
Scientists observe ice dynamics in water-terminating glaciers around the world to better understand how the process of subaqueous melt drives ice loss.
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The High Cost of Switching Power Sources
Researchers construct a world where nuclear energy everywhere is replaced with coal, with stark consequences for human health and the environment.
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New GPS Satellite Technique to Monitor Ionospheric Disturbances
Researchers are developing better ways to use satellites to understand space weather events that can interfere with technology.
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How Oceans Could Change If We Reverse Anthropogenic Warming
A computer simulation shows a net increase in primary production by phytoplankton if climate change were mitigated by 2200 but also indicates big changes in the makeup of those species.
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What Causes the Strange Pulses in Saturn's Magnetosphere?
A new model shows that a spiral wave may explain why many phenomena in the gas giant's magnetosphere undergo periodic cycles.