Researchers could launch an electron beam device into space to study the Earth's magnetic field and trigger artificial auroras and lightning.
cool tools
Fire in the Hole: Recreating Volcanic Eruptions with Cannon Blasts
Artificial volcanic plumes, fired from cannons loaded with ash plucked from the slopes of Iceland, may help researchers better monitor disruptive eruptions.
What Instruments Are Available for Polar Studies?
Instrumentation for Polar Glaciology and Geophysics Research Workshop; Baltimore, Maryland, 9–10 October 2014
Radio Blackout! Ham Radio as an Operational and Scientific Instrument
Monitoring solar activity that disrupts communications can be helped by crowdsourced and automated reports from amateur radio operators.
Exploring How Water Flow Affects Bed Forms in Different Environments
In a flat sand bed, water creates undulating features.
Fiber Optics Can Improve Borehole Measurements
Scientists demonstrate the potential of fiber optics to measure fluid flow in boreholes as an alternative to traditional measurement techniques.
Measuring Rainfall in West Africa Using Cellular Networks
Scientists demonstrated that rainfall can be monitored using the network of cellular towers throughout West Africa.
Time-Lapse Imaging in Polar Environments
New techniques are speeding up the slowest-changing landscapes on Earth.
The Impact of Coronagraphs
Observations of the Sun’s extended atmosphere with coronagraphs have become indispensable to both basic and applied research.
Using Lidar to Advance Critical Zone Science
The Next Generation of LiDAR Analysis for Critical Zone Research;
Boulder, Colorado, 12–14 May 2014