International regulations have reduced aerosol pollutants released from ships. Now, researchers want to use ship tracks to better understand the ambiguous effects that cleaner air has on climate.
Oceans
Can These Rocks Help Rein in Climate Change?
Spreading olivine on beaches could accelerate ocean uptake of carbon dioxide and potentially limit climate change. The concept and execution still face some scrutiny from scientists.
Seismic Sources in the Aleutian Cradle of Tsunamis
Research over the past decade in Alaska’s Aleutian Islands has offered surprising insights into the pulses of great earthquakes that generate dangerous, often long-distance tsunamis.
Unchecked Ocean Warming Threatens Many Gulf and Caribbean Corals
Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean sea surface temperatures could surpass coral bleaching thresholds in the region as soon as 2050, motivating the need for prompt mitigation, researchers say.
Variability of ENSO Forecast Skill Over the 20th Century
El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) predictability is examined in a new global coupled retrospective forecast ensemble for the 20th Century.
Capturing Ocean Turbulence at the Underbelly of Sea Ice
A specially designed instrument enabled researchers in the Arctic to measure turbulence within 1 meter of the interface where ice meets ocean.
Early Life Learned to Love Oxygen Long Before It Was Cool
Laboratory experiments show that earthquakes may have helped early life evolve in an oxygen-free world.
The Long-Lasting Impact of a Nuclear War on the Ocean
Model simulations of the impact of a large-scale nuclear war reveal long lasting effects with much of the ocean not returning to pre-war levels despite the cessation of the initial cooling.
Harmful Algal Blooms: No Good, Just the Bad and the Ugly
Natural and human factors are leading to larger, more frequent, and longer-lasting algae blooms. Recent research is increasingly revealing the scope of the problem and informing potential responses.
Oceans Warming Increases Xinjiang’s Precipitation, but Scarcity Stays
A transition toward an unusually wet condition due to ocean surface warming-induced increased precipitation will not alleviate the water scarcity risk in Xinjiang, China.