Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

Simple equations clarify cloud climate conundrum      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

New analysis based on simple equations has reduced uncertainty about how clouds will affect future climate change.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

How extratropical ocean-atmosphere interactions can contribute to the variability of jet streams in the Northern Hemisphere      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Ocean-atmosphere coupling, the exchange in energy between the ocean and atmosphere, influences teleconnection patterns, the climate effects across vast geographical areas. However, its impact outside the tropics is unclear. A group of researchers examined the effect of ocean coupling on atmospheric circulation patterns in the Northern Hemisphere. They found that extratropical ocean-atmosphere coupling enhances teleconnection patterns and causes more meandering westerly jet streams, which are linked to extreme weather events.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Oceanography Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

Artificial reef designed by MIT engineers could protect marine life, reduce storm damage      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Engineers designed an 'architected' reef that can mimic the wave-buffering effects of natural reefs while providing pockets for marine life. The sustainable and cost-saving structure could dissipate more than 95 percent of incoming wave energy using a small fraction of the material normally needed.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Marine Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Ecosystems Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

Severe hurricanes boost influx of juveniles and gene flow in a coral reef sponge      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A study is the first to evaluate substrate recolonization by sponges in the U.S. Virgin Islands after two catastrophic storms using genetic analyses to understand how much clonality verses sexual recruitment occurs on coral reefs post-storms. Results show that populations of clonal marine species with low pelagic dispersion, such as A. cauliformis, may benefit from increased frequency and magnitude of hurricanes to maintain genetic diversity and combat inbreeding, enhancing the resilience of Caribbean sponge communities to extreme storm events.

Ecology: General Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Wildfires Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

Unintended consequences of fire suppression      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new study reveals how fire suppression ensures that wildfires will burn under extreme conditions at high severity, exacerbating the impacts of climate change and fuel accumulation.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

A new way to quantify climate change impacts: 'Outdoor days'      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

'Outdoor days,' a new measure, describes climate change impacts by noting the number of days per year that outdoor temperatures are comfortable enough for normal outdoor activities.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

Satellite data assimilation improves forecasts of severe weather      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

In 2020, a line of severe thunderstorms unleashed powerful winds that caused billions in damages across the Midwest United States. A new technique that incorporates satellite data could improve forecasts -- including where the most powerful winds will occur -- for similar severe weather events.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

The heat index -- how hot it really feels -- is rising faster than temperature      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers showed in 2022 that heat index calculations by NOAA based on analyses from the 1970s don't adequately reflect the heat stress humans feel during the extremes of heat and humidity accompanying climate change. Using their revised heat index, the researchers looked at Texas's summer 2023 heat wave and found that the 3 degree F rise in global temperatures has increased the state's heat index as much as 11 degrees F on the hottest days.

Computer Science: Encryption Computer Science: General Computer Science: Quantum Computers Mathematics: Puzzles
Published

Where quantum computers can score      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The traveling salesman problem is considered a prime example of a combinatorial optimization problem. Now a team has shown that a certain class of such problems can actually be solved better and much faster with quantum computers than with conventional methods.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

Self-heating concrete is one step closer to putting snow shovels and salt out of business      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers recently reported on the science behind its special concrete, that can warm itself up when it snows, or as temperatures approach freezing.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

Meteorology: Weak polar vortex makes weather more predictable      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Events in the stratosphere are making long-range weather in Northern Europe easier to forecast, researchers have discovered.

Biology: General Biology: Marine Biology: Zoology Ecology: Animals Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

Diverse habitats help salmon weather unpredictable climate changes      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Restored salmon habitat should resemble financial portfolios, offering fish diverse options for feeding and survival so that they can weather various conditions as the climate changes, a new study shows.

Biology: Zoology Ecology: Animals Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Invasive Species Ecology: Nature Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

Tropical birds could tolerate warming better than expected, study suggests      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

We expect tropical animals to handle a certain degree of heat, but not wild swings in temperature. That seems to be true for tropical ectotherms, or 'cold-blooded' animals such as amphibians, reptiles, and insects. However, in a new study of 'warm-blooded' endotherms, a research team found tropical birds can handle thermal variation just fine.

Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

Ready for the storm: Researchers analyze infrastructure, demographics to see where tornadoes are most disruptive      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers examined demographics, infrastructure and more than seven decades of weather data to determine which places in Kentucky are most vulnerable to tornadoes.

Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

Drought, soil desiccation cracking, and carbon dioxide emissions: an overlooked feedback loop exacerbating climate change      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Soil stores 80 percent of carbon on earth, yet with increasing cycles of drought, that crucial reservoir is cracking and breaking down, releasing even more greenhouse gases creating an amplified feedback loop that could accelerate climate change.

Computer Science: Encryption Computer Science: Quantum Computers Mathematics: General Mathematics: Puzzles Physics: General Physics: Optics Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics Space: Exploration Space: General
Published

Satellites for quantum communications      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Through steady advances in the development of quantum computers and their ever-improving performance, it will be possible in the future to crack our current encryption processes. To address this challenge, researchers are developing encryption methods that will apply physical laws to prevent the interception of messages. To safeguard communications over long distances, the QUICK space mission will deploy satellites.

Biology: Botany Ecology: Nature Ecology: Trees Environmental: Ecosystems Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

Summer solstice triggers synchronized beech tree reproduction across Europe      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new study has found that the summer solstice acts as a 'starting gun' to synchronize beech tree reproduction across vast distances in Europe, affecting ecosystem functions.

Biology: Marine Biology: Zoology Ecology: Extinction Ecology: Sea Life Environmental: Ecosystems Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

History repeats as Coral Bay faces mass loss of coral and fish life      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A perfect storm of environmental factors has seen a monumental loss of fish and coral life at a popular area of Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia's Gascoyne region -- however research into the event shows there is hope it will recover. In March 2022, during the annual coral spawning event, calm weather and limited tidal movement combined to trap the coral's eggs within Bills Bay, at the town of Coral Bay. This led to an excess of nutrients in the water which consumed more oxygen than usual -- causing massive numbers of fish and corals to die from asphyxiation.

Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

India's water problems set to get worse as the world warms      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Winter storms known as western disturbances that provide crucial snow and rainfall to northern India are arriving significantly later in the year.

Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Oceanography Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

Study explores impacts of Arctic warming on daily weather patterns in the U.S.      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Arctic sea ice is shrinking as the world continues to warm, and a new study may provide a better understanding of how the loss of this ice may impact daily weather in the middle latitudes, like the United States.