In an African region where continental crust is pulling apart and fracturing—the East African Rift zone—the area's many faults are slowly releasing a large amount of carbon dioxide.
Hazards & Disasters
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Forecasting Eruptions at Restless Calderas
Scientists review decades of data on swarms of earthquakes, surface deformation, degassing, and microgravity changes around calderas to determine when such forms of unrest may result in eruptions.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Oklahoma's Dormant Faults Hide Huge Seismic Risk Potential
Researchers look at induced seismicity data in Oklahoma to spot an increase of stress in faults that could cause even more damage than recent quakes.
Posted inOpinions
Call Scientists Before Disaster Strikes
When governments respond to natural disasters, experts with some of the greatest potential to help—scientists—are often missing in action. It's time to change that.
Posted inScience Updates
Creating Resilient Communities Through Earth Science Data
Federation of Earth Science Information Partners 2015 Summer Meeting; Pacific Grove, California, 14–17 July 2015
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Hawaii’s Swelling Lava Lake Charts a Volcano’s Hidden Plumbing
Geophysicists used unique seismic signatures to track the cyclic rise and fall of lava inside Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park's Overlook crater.
Posted inNews
Group Pushes for Using Earth Observations in Decision Making
Earth observation "system of systems" could help with disaster resilience, sustainability, and other objectives beneficial to society, according to one organization.
Posted inNews
Oil Dispersants Deadly to a Common Estuary Species
Research on two dispersants used to break up spilled oil suggests that the chemicals can kill or harm a widely–found shrimp important to estuary habitats. The toxicity increases in less salty water.
Posted inNews
Assessing U.S. Fire Risks Using Soil Moisture Satellite Data
NASA satellite data and models provide information for mapping fire risks nationwide, giving agencies tools for fire response, say scientists at the AGU Fall Meeting.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
The Coming Blue Revolution
Managing water scarcity, one of the most pressing challenges society faces today, will require a novel conceptual framework to understand our place in the hydrologic cycle.