Spatial clustering of aftershocks explains why simple statistical models often outperform complex physics‐based earthquake forecasting models even if the physical mechanisms are correctly modeled.
Hazards & Disasters
Posted inFeatures
Community Forests Prepare for Climate Change
Cities across the United States are feeling the heat as they struggle to integrate climate science into on-the-ground decisionmaking regarding urban tree planting and management.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Earthquakes Can Acidify Groundwater
Fracturing during microearthquakes can cause groundwater pH drops. The change is temporary but can be equivalent to the difference between water and vinegar.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Evaluating Environmental Predictors of Western U.S. Wildfires
A new analysis highlights the importance of carefully selecting the environmental variables used to drive future changes in wildfire burn area in climate models.
Posted inFeatures
Ham Radio Forms a Planet-Sized Space Weather Sensor Network
For researchers who monitor the effects of solar activity on Earth’s atmosphere, telecommunications, and electrical utilities, amateur radio signals a golden age of crowdsourced science.
Posted inNews
Ancient Eruption May Change Our Understanding of Modern Volcanoes
Bubbles trapped in magma from a 1,000-year-old event reveal how scoria cones might erupt and what impact they may have on the landscape and atmosphere.
Posted inEditors' Highlights
Deciphering Reactive Nitrogen Emissions from Wildfire Smoke
In-situ data gathered from an aircraft flying over 23 western US wildfires in 2018 reveal the importance of reduced nitrogen, shedding insights on ozone and aerosol formation from wildfires.
Posted inNews
Finding “Glocal” Solutions to Flooding Problems
Scientists call for joint efforts to combine real-time global rainfall data with high-resolution local hydrology to better forecast floods.
Posted inNews
Simultaneous Drought and Heat Wave Events Are Becoming More Common
As the world heats up, the number and duration of combined stress events are increasing, causing harmful environmental and human impacts.
Posted inEditors' Highlights
Devastation of Hurricane Maria to Puerto Rican Landscape
The destructive winds and rain of Hurricane Maria in 2017 caused a dramatic transformation to Puerto Rico’s landscape and altered the characteristics of land-air interaction.