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Categories: Energy: Alternative Fuels, Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published Improving fuel cell durability with fatigue-resistant membranes
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source In hydrogen fuel cells, electrolyte membranes frequently undergo deformation and develop cracks during operation. A research team has recently introduced a fatigue-resistant polymer electrolyte membrane for hydrogen fuel cells, employing an interpenetrating network of Nafion (a plastic electrolyte) and perfluoropolyether (a rubbery polymer). This innovation will not only improve fuel cell vehicles but also promises advancements in diverse technologies beyond transportation, spanning applications from drones to desalination filters and backup power sources.
Published Ammonia attracts the shipping industry, but researchers warn of its risks
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Switching to ammonia as a marine fuel, with the goal of decarbonization, can instead create entirely new problems. This is shown in a study where researchers carried out life cycle analyses for batteries and for three electrofuels including ammonia. Eutrophication and acidification are some of the environmental problems that can be traced to the use of ammonia -- as well as emissions of laughing gas, which is a very potent greenhouse gas.
Published In a warming world, climate scientists consider category 6 hurricanes
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source For more than 50 years, the National Hurricane Center has used the Saffir-Simpson Windscale to communicate the risk of property damage; it labels a hurricane on a scale from Category 1 (wind speeds between 74 -- 95 mph) to Category 5 (wind speeds of 158 mph or greater). But as increasing ocean temperatures contribute to ever more intense and destructive hurricanes, climate scientists wondered whether the open-ended Category 5 is sufficient to communicate the risk of hurricane damage in a warming climate.
Published Death toll shows extreme air pollution events a growing urban threat
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research has estimated that 1454 avoidable deaths (one person every five days) occurred in Australian capital cities in the past 20 years because of fine particle air pollution from extreme events such as bushfires and dust storms, wood-heater smoke or industrial accidents.
Published Unprecedented ocean heating shows risks of a world 3°C warmer
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research examines the causes of the record-breaking ocean temperatures witnessed in 2023.
Published Fungal-rich soil may improve green roofs
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Green roofs have become increasingly popular thanks to their benefits related to climate adaptation, mitigation, and urban biodiversity management. But, in the U.S., green roofs are typically planted with non-native plants in sterile soils, and their effectiveness declines over time. A new study finds that managing green roof soil microbes boosts healthy urban soil development, which is a methodology that could be applied to support climate resilience in cities.
Published Compounding risks of atmospheric river storms
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source When storms hit back-to-back, the flooding -- and economic damages -- are even worse than expected.
Published Diverse forests are best at standing up to storms
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source European forests with a greater diversity of tree species are more resilient to storms, according to new research.
Published Liquid lithium on the walls of a fusion device helps the plasma within maintain a hot edge
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Emerging research suggests it may be easier to use fusion as a power source if liquid lithium is applied to the internal walls of the device housing the plasma. Past experiments studied solid lithium coatings and found they could enhance a plasma. The researchers were pleased they could yield similar results with liquid lithium, as it's better suited for use in a large-scale tokamak.
Published Self-powered movable seawall for tsunami protection and emergency power generation
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A movable seawall system, capable of generating sufficient electricity to raise gates and protect ports against tsunamis, has been proposed by researchers. The system has been found feasible in areas prone to Nankai Trough earthquake tsunamis. Additionally, it can generate surplus energy to supply emergency power to ports during power outages that commonly occur in natural disasters. This innovative system integrates disaster prevention with the use of renewable energy.
Published Global warming has a bigger effect on compact, fast-moving typhoons
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A group has found that larger, slow-moving typhoons are more likely to be resilient to the effects of global warming. However, more compact, fast-moving storms are more likely to be sensitive. These findings suggest an improved method for projecting the strength of typhoons under global warming conditions.
Published Paper provides a clearer picture of severe hydro hazards
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study now provides a global examination of drought-pluvial volatility -- or the tendency to shift from one weather extreme to another.
Published New tool predicts flood risk from hurricanes in a warming climate
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new method predicts how much flooding a coastal community is likely to experience as hurricanes evolve due to climate change. Using New York as a test case, the model predicts Hurricane Sandy-level flooding will occur roughly every 30 years by 2099.
Published Offshore wind farms are vulnerable to cyberattacks
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have presented a new study on cyberattack risks to offshore wind farms in Glasgow, United Kingdom. They looked specifically at wind farms that use voltage-source-converter high-voltage direct-current (VSC-HVDC) connections, which are rapidly becoming the most cost-effective solution to harvest offshore wind energy around the world. They found that their complex, hybrid-communication architecture presents multiple access points for cyberattacks.
Published Links discovered between weather patterns and power outages could help UK protect itself from disruptive weather
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The behavior of specific weather patterns and their impact on power faults could be used to develop a weather pattern - conditioned fault forecasting system for power system operators.
Published New sustainable method for creating organic semiconductors
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have developed a new, more environmentally friendly way to create conductive inks for use in organic electronics such as solar cells, artificial neurons, and soft sensors. The findings pave the way for future sustainable technology.
Published Breakthrough research enhances stability and efficiency of perovskite solar cells
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A research team has achieved remarkable advancements in the stability and efficiency of perovskite solar cells.
Published Wobbling particles in the sky
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Tiny particles such as ice crystals or ash particles tend to oscillate as they settle through the atmosphere. In their experiments, the scientists were able to track non-spherical particles of size smaller than 1 millimeter with unprecedented accuracy. Their observations gave rise to a model which can help to refine prediction on air pollutants or weather forecasts.
Published Climate change linked to spread of diarrheal illness
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Temperature, day length and humidity have been found to be linked to the increased spread of a diarrheal illness a new study reveals. The findings could help predict further outbreaks of the illness, potentially leading to better preparedness within health services.
Published Butterflies could lose spots as climate warms
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Female meadow brown butterflies have fewer spots if they develop in warmer weather -- so climate change could make them less spotty, new research shows.