Weather spotters who report storm measurements and observations to a U.S. national compendium of storm data often exaggerate winds speeds—by about one third, on average.
Hazards & Disasters
Deepwater Horizon Oil Lingered and Sank, Stuck to "Marine Snow"
A new study may explain how supposedly buoyant oil from the huge 2010 oil spill coated corals and other organisms on the ocean floor.
A New View of the Plate Dynamics Behind Earthquakes in Ecuador
Scientists get one step closer to an updated seismic hazard map that could help Ecuador prepare for future tremors.
How Tropical Cyclones Influence Photosynthesis
A new modeling study gives insight into how tropical cyclones affected ecosystems in the southeastern United States between 2002 and 2012.
Science Academies Urge Stronger Action on Disaster Resilience
A separate statement calls for nurturing new scientists, promoting science education, and supporting women and minorities in science.
Chemical Boosts Ozone Production over Southern China
The presence of nitryl chloride in polluted urban air can enhance the production of ozone by up to 41%, according to a new modeling study constrained by ground-based measurements.
Storms Cause Infrequent Turbulence for Aircraft, New Study Finds
Scientists using lightning sensors to automate air-turbulence detection have found evidence that storms jostle aircraft much less than previously thought.
Flash Heating May Lubricate Rubbing Rock Faces in Earthquakes
A new laboratory study examines the small-scale physics at play as two pieces of granite are smashed together in a scaled-down version of a real earthquake.
Streamlining Rapid Tsunami Forecasting
With enough sensors, traditional forecasting methods could be replaced by models continuously updated with real-time wave data.
Satellite Radar to Observe Earth’s Changing Surface
NASA-ISRO SAR Mission Science and Applications Workshops; Ahmedabad, India, 19–20 November 2015