In the Madden-Julian Oscillation, shear forces caused by air layers slipping and sliding near the equator play a critical role in forming enormous thunderstorms and monsoons.
tropics
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Illuminating the Controls of Convection
Researchers compare observations and models of air circulation over the tropics to determine if simulations capture how the environment shapes convection.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Methyl Chloride Can Track Tropical Air in the Lower Stratosphere
A new study shows that trace gas samples collected aboard commercial airliners can be used to determine the origin and dynamics of atmospheric air masses.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
New Insights into the Complicated World of Tropical Convection
New study identifies key variables that move solar heat from the ocean to the troposphere in the tropics.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Low-Altitude Clouds Play an Important Role in a Changing Climate
Scientists uncover the mechanics behind tropical marine low cloud cover and its influence on models of anthropogenic climate change.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Tropical Deforestation Accelerated Faster Than Initially Thought
New satellite-based analysis of forest cover in the humid tropics from 1990 to 2010 contradicts previous estimates of rate of loss.
Posted inScience Updates
GREAT ICE Monitors Glaciers in the Tropical Andes
An international program strengthens glaciological studies in the tropical Andes, promotes collaborative projects, and develops educational programs with local universities.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Ocean Lightning Storms Are Larger Than Land Lightning Storms
A new study uses data from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission to demonstrate that electrified storms in the tropics are 10 times larger over the ocean than those over land.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Rethinking How Tropical Convection Works
Researchers look at previous Walker circulation models and ask, Does damping truly matter?
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Conquering Uncertainties in Tropical Climate Forecasts
The key to better predictions of atmospheric temperature trends in the tropics may lie in more accurate measurements of sea surface temperatures.