Better calculations of bolt length could help quantify how much climate-changing nitrogen oxide gas is made when lightning strikes.
Research Spotlights
Research spotlights are plain-language summaries of recent articles published in AGU’s suite of 24 journals.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
North America Does the Wave (Slowly)
Data-driven modeling helps explain how convection currents in Earth's mantle influence the rise and fall of surface features, but these models are in an early stage.
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Birthplace of Pacific Tropical Cyclones on the Move
A study says the point of origin for cyclones in the western North Pacific is moving closer to land because of warming of the tropical troposphere.
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The Curious Case of the Halloween Ghost Electrons
When solar storms pounded Earth during Halloween in 2003, scientists were eager to measure their effects. But new research shows one satellite was seeing "ghost" particles that probably weren't real.
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Earth's Climate Cycles Might Have an Eccentric Explanation
Mid-ocean ridge eruptions follow the cycles of tides and Earth's orbital eccentricity, indicating a possible role in long-term climate shifts.
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Strong Storms Flush Out Particulate Nitrogen
Field observations show that with climate change, fiercer tropical storms may release more particulate nitrogen from temperate forests into aquatic ecosystems.
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The Enigmatic Core Properties of the Inner Earth
A new study explores the possibility of cubic iron alloy structure at our planet's core.
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Tropical Deforestation Accelerated Faster Than Initially Thought
New satellite-based analysis of forest cover in the humid tropics from 1990 to 2010 contradicts previous estimates of rate of loss.
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New Clues to Mysterious Hiss in Earth's Plasmasphere
An analysis of the electromagnetic "hiss" that surrounds Earth reveals it's not just static; there's a signal hidden within, which may help scientists uncover its source.
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Aerosol Cutbacks May Bring Tropical Rains Farther North
Lower anthropogenic aerosol emissions in the 21st century may lead to warming that drives the Intertropical Convergence Zone northward.