A 14-year-old girl's chance encounter with a random sample of tanzanite led scientists to find an entirely new mineral.
geophysics
Even the Magnetosphere Has Problems
In a new conference and collection of papers, international space physicists narrow down the enigmas that puzzle magnetospheric science.
Robert L. "Bob" Carovillano (1932–2015)
As a theoretical physicist, he contributed strongly to magnetospheric and space physics since the 1960s, both in research and as a program leader at Boston College and NASA.
Permafrost Area Is Sensitive to Key Soil and Snow Physics
Accounting for key soil and snow variables shows a much higher impact on simulated permafrost area than uncertainties in land cover and climate data.
Seeing the Gravitational Waves, Despite the Seismic Waves
For detectors to sense the minute jolt of a gravitational wave announced last week, savvy geophysicists and engineers had to keep Earth's tiniest jiggles from reaching ultrasensitive instruments.
Chappell, Jones, and McBean Receive 2015 Ambassador Award
Charles R. Chappell, Lucile Jones, and Gordon McBean were awarded the 2015 Ambassador Award at the American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting Honors Ceremony, held on 16 December 2015 in San Francisco, Calif. The award is in recognition for "outstanding contributions to the following area(s): societal impact, service to the Earth and space community, scientific leadership, and promotion of talent/career pool."
What Makes Jupiter's Aurora Pulse?
The aurora crowning Jupiter's poles—the most powerful in the solar system—flares up when plasma is injected into its magnetic field.
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.
Physics Nobel Winners Also Solved Solar Mystery
Although they won the prize for showing neutrinos have mass, the two Nobel-winning physicists also solved a long-standing mystery of solar neutrinos.
Gleason Receives 2014 Mineral and Rock Physics Early Career Award
Arianna Gleason received the 2014 Mineral and Rock Physics Early Career Award at the 2014 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, held 15–19 December in San Francisco, Calif. The award is for promising young scientists (current Ph.D. students and individuals who have completed the degree requirements for a Ph.D. or highest equivalent terminal degree up to 12 months prior to the nomination deadline) in recognition of outstanding contributions achieved during their Ph.D. research.