Weather stations can be used to calibrate and validate albedo measurements from satellites, but they fail to account for variability across landscapes, overestimating how reflective our planet is.
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Posted inResearch Spotlights
Autonomous Floats Shed New Light on the Ocean’s Many Hues
Argo float data reveal regional deviations from existing models of the relationship between ocean color and biogeochemistry.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Sun Glitter Provides a Detailed Map of Ocean Waves
European scientists use satellite sensors to detect light reflected off waves at the ocean's surface, which could help improve wave forecasts.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Tiny Creatures Form Massive, Bright Ring Around Antarctica
Dense algae populations in the Great Calcite Belt could cause carbon dioxide release from the ocean into the atmosphere.
Posted inNews
A Date Under the Stars? Maybe Not with Aerosol Injection
Injecting aerosols into the atmosphere on purpose could help cool Earth, but new research shows that it could also make the night sky brighter and negatively affect human health.
Posted inNews
Faster-Merging Snow Crystals Speed Greenland Ice Sheet Melting
Satellite data and modeling reveal a trend toward coarser-grained, more-light-absorbent snow.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Aerosols Make Cumulus Clouds Brighter but Shorter Lived
Computer simulations show that although adding aerosol particles to clouds can make them more reflective, the cooling effect from clouds is largely counterbalanced by a reduction in overall cloud cover.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Satellites Track Chlorophyll Fluorescence to Monitor Drought
New satellite observations show connection between solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence and soil moisture—a key mechanism behind drought onset.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Night Lights Illuminate Human Presence near Rivers
Nocturnal satellite imagery and other fine-scale data could improve global water resources management.