In the 2000s, the North Atlantic stopped absorbing as much atmospheric warmth. However, the ocean lost only a little heat—the rest was held deeper below the surface by altered circulation patterns.
Research Spotlights
Research spotlights are plain-language summaries of recent articles published in AGU’s suite of 24 journals.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Unknown Tsunami Trigger Hides Along a Creeping Aleutian Fault
A seismically quiet part of the Aleutian Subduction Zone may have caused tsunamis in the past—and may cause future tsunamis that could travel across the Pacific Ocean.
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Characterizing Interglacial Periods over the Past 800,000 Years
Researchers identified 11 different interglacial periods over the past 800,000 years, but the interglacial period we are experiencing now may last an exceptionally long time.
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Soil Loses Pyrogenic Carbon by an Unexpected Pathway
Fresh insight into pyrogenic carbon disappearance suggests that erosion is not responsible.
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Are Earthquakes Predictable?
Researchers have been searching for precursory warning signals for decades with little success.
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Characterizing the Fault Beneath the Marmara Sea
Researchers mine seismic wave data to elucidate the stress relief system of the Main Marmara Fault beneath Turkey's inland sea.
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Half of Atmospheric Joule Heating Is Due to Small Oscillations
Scientists use sounding rockets to show that small oscillations in electric fields can be just as important for atmospheric Joule heating as the presence of the electric field itself.
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Ocean Waves Vibrating the Ross Ice Shelf
Scientists use seismic stations to study ice shelf vibrations generated by ocean waves to better understand their impact on the integrity of the Ross Ice Shelf.
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New Solar Wind Model Could Improve Space Weather Forecasts
Real-world data drive a simulation that successfully predicts Sun structures and interplanetary solar wind dynamics.
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Predicting Changing Human Preferences in Water Basin Management
A model of human-water interactions in Florida's Kissimmee River Basin demonstrates the potential for sociohydrologic models to assist with strategic water management decisions.