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Categories: Geoscience: Environmental Issues, Geoscience: Volcanoes
Published Less ice in the Arctic Ocean has complex effects on marine ecosystems and ocean productivity
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Most of the sunlight reaching the Arctic Ocean is reflected to space by sea ice, effectively shielding ocean ecosystems from sunlight. As the Arctic sea ice continues its downward trend, larger areas of the ocean become exposed to sunlight for longer periods, potentially allowing more primary production on the seafloor. However, according to a new study, this anticipated increase in primary production does not seem to be occurring uniformly across the Arctic Ocean.
Published Antarctica's coasts are becoming less icy
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists found unexpected evidence the area of polynyas around Antarctica is increasing dramatically, and it follows an intriguing cycle, growing and shrinking roughly every 16 years.
Published Humans have driven the Earth's freshwater cycle out of its stable state
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New analysis shows that the global freshwater cycle has shifted far beyond pre-industrial conditions.
Published Cost of direct air carbon capture to remain higher than hoped
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers estimate the cost of removing 1 ton of CO2 from the air in the year 2050 to be between 230 and 540 US dollars to remove 1 ton. This is twice as high as previous estimates. The researchers compared the potential costs of three technologies that are already in use. From today's perspective, none of these technologies has clear advantages over the others in terms of potential costs. All three technologies should therefore be further developed, say the researchers.
Published 2020 extreme weather event that brought fires and snow to western US
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The same weather system that led to the spread of the devastating Labor Day wildfires in 2020 brought record-breaking cold and early-season snowfall to parts of the Rocky Mountains. Now, new research is shedding light on the meteorology behind what happened and the impacts of such an extreme weather event.
Published Researchers use GPS-tracked icebergs in novel study to improve climate models
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Research unearthed new information to help scientists better understand circulation patterns of ocean water around glaciers. In the summers of 2014 and 2019, a group of pioneers in glacial research attached GPS devices to 13 icebergs and tracked hourly changes in their positions as they passed through Greenland's Ilulissat Icefjord toward the ocean. Study results showed circulation in the primary fjord is greatly affected by freshwater flow from connecting tributary fjords, which is critically important to consider in circulation models.
Published Light into the darkness of photosynthesis
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers succeed at generating 3D visualizations of chloroplasts' copying machines.
Published Glacier shrinkage is causing a 'green transition'
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Glacier-fed streams are undergoing a process of profound change, according to scientists. This conclusion is based on the expeditions to the world's major mountain ranges by members of the Vanishing Glaciers project.
Published Hurricanes and power grids: Eliminating large-scale outages with a new approach
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Large scale-power outages caused by tropical cyclones can be prevented almost entirely if a small but critical set of power lines is protected against storm damages, a new study finds. Scientists developed a new method that can be used to identify those critical lines and increase the system's resilience.
Published Tiny magnetic particles in air pollution linked to development of Alzheimer's
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Magnetite, a particle found in air pollution, can induce signs and symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, new research suggests.
Published Mercury rising: Study sheds new light on ancient volcanoes' environmental impact
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Massive volcanic events in Earth's history that released large amounts of carbon into the atmosphere frequently correlate with periods of severe environmental change and mass extinctions. A new method to estimate how much and how rapidly carbon was released by the volcanoes could improve our understanding of the climate response, according to an international team.
Published Climate change disrupts seasonal flow of rivers
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Climate change is disrupting the seasonal flow of rivers in the far northern latitudes of America, Russia and Europe and is posing a threat to water security and ecosystems, according to new research.
Published Improving energy security with policies focused on demand-side solutions
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Energy systems essential to supporting our everyday activities face increasing threats from wars, pandemics, climate change, and other unexpected events. An international team of researchers found that demand-oriented solutions have a significantly greater potential to reduce our vulnerability to energy crises compared to supply measures.
Published Cyber-physical heating system may protect apple blossoms in orchards
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Spring frosts can have devastating effects on apple production, and a warming climate may be causing trees to blossom early, making them more susceptible to the damaging effects of extreme cold events. Growers' attempts to prevent the flowers from freezing by attempting to heat the canopies of their orchards largely have been inefficient.
Published Microbial viruses act as secret drivers of climate change
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have discovered that viruses that infect microbes contribute to climate change by playing a key role in cycling methane, a potent greenhouse gas, through the environment.
Published Researchers use AI, Google street view to predict household energy costs on large scale
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An interdisciplinary team of experts has found a way to use artificial intelligence to analyze a household's passive design characteristics and predict its energy expenses with more than 74 percent accuracy. By combining their findings with demographic data including poverty levels, the researchers have created a comprehensive model for predicting energy burden across 1,402 census tracts and nearly 300,000 households in Chicago.
Published How climate change risks increase at a national scale as the level of global warming increases
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have quantified how climate change risks to human and natural systems increase at a national scale as the level of global warming increases. A collection of eight studies -- all focusing on Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana and India -- shows that the risks of drought, flooding, declines in crop yields, and loss of biodiversity and natural capital greatly increase for each additional degree of global warming. The overarching picture for the accrual of climate risk across these countries as global warming increases from 1.5 C to 4 C above pre-industrial levels is presented.
Published Turning waste into gold
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have recovered gold from electronic waste. Their highly sustainable new method is based on a protein fibril sponge, which the scientists derive from whey, a food industry byproduct.
Published Researchers improve the stability of perovskite solar cells
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Perovskite solar cells are considered the strongest contender to replace silicon solar cells. While they achieve high power conversion energy, they also suffer from lead leakage and perovskite degradation due to moisture. Now scientists leverage the technique of interfacial passivation, where lead ions are bound by crown ether B18C6, obtaining 21.7% power conversion energy. The crown ether also resists degradation due to moisture for 300 hours at room temperature and 85% humidity.
Published Small dietary changes can cut your carbon footprint by 25%
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New research provides compelling evidence that partially substituting animal with plant protein foods can increase life expectancy and decrease greenhouse gas emissions. Importantly, it also suggests that benefits depend on the type of animal protein being replaced. The study drew data from a national nutrition survey to analyze Canadians' dietary records. The study modeled partial replacements (25% and 50%) of either red and processed meat or dairy with plant protein foods like nuts, seeds, legumes, tofu, and fortified soy beverages, on a combination of nutrition, health, and climate outcomes.