1/17/2024: What we don’t know about drinking water contamination

 

Close-up view of hands surrounding a pine tree seedling freshly planted in wood mulch.

Caption: Forests are big carbon sinks, but not big enough to mitigate the effects of continuing high carbon emissions, researchers report in JGR Biogeosciences.
Credit: Pacific Southwest Forest Service USDA

AGU News

Nominate yourself or a colleague for AGU’s 2024 Journalism Awards
Awards for news and feature writing honor outstanding reporting in the Earth and space sciences published in the previous year (2023). Self-nominations are encouraged. The deadline is 27 March 2024 at 11:59 p.m. ET. [press release]

Book housing for the Ocean Sciences Meeting by 24 January
Browse nearly 5,000 abstracts for #OSM24, held 18-23 February in New Orleans, and register with housing before the housing deadline on 24 January. [OSM24 scientific program][OSM24 press registration][press release]

Featured Research

Drying, not just dry weather, will dry out central US
Climate change will bring water shortages to many parts of the United States, but today’s least rainy regions are not always the most at risk. Heat-driven evaporation from soil and plants may be a bigger future problem than lack of rain for northern Midwest states, according to a new analysis of water vulnerability and its sources across the contiguous states under high and low carbon emissions. [Geophysical Research Letters research]

Known unknowns and unknown unknowns of drinking water contamination
A review explores the state of the science on “contaminants of emerging concern,” an ever-expanding class of potential chemical and biological hazards, and how future changes in weather, population and demographics could complicate the availability of potable water. [GeoHealth review]

Forestation is not enough to cool the planet
Growing trees can bank a lot of carbon, but not enough to significantly mitigate global warming through carbon dioxide removal if carbon emissions remain high. [JGR Biogeosciences research]

How heat rises through Europa’s ocean
A new study examines how heat may be transferred from the mantle, through the ocean, and into the icy crust of Europa, one of Jupiter’s moons — perhaps among the most promising places in our solar system to search for life. [Eos research spotlight][AGU Advances research]

Glaciers rise and fall — and melt — with tides
The effect of ocean water creeping beneath Greenland ice is stronger than scientists realized. [Eos research spotlight][Geophysical Research Letters research]

Plants reveal the history of Earth’s largest tropical ice cap
Rooted plants buried by advancing outlet glaciers illustrate rapid changes in the extent of Quelccaya Ice Cap in Peru during the Holocene. [Eos editors’ highlight][JGR Earth Surface research]


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AGU (www.agu.org) is a global community supporting more than half a million advocates and professionals in Earth and space sciences. Through broad and inclusive partnerships, AGU aims to advance discovery and solution science that accelerate knowledge and create solutions that are ethical, unbiased and respectful of communities and their values. Our programs include serving as a scholarly publisher, convening virtual and in-person events and providing career support. We live our values in everything we do, such as our net zero energy renovated building in Washington, D.C. and our Ethics and Equity Center, which fosters a diverse and inclusive geoscience community to ensure responsible

1/10/2024: Could seaweed be the food of the post-apocalypse?

Seaweed could be a remarkably resilient food source in the aftermath of a massive volcanic eruption or nuclear event, either of which could devastate global food supplies, according to new Earth’s Future research. Credit: Marco Verch/flickr

AGU News

Ocean Sciences Meeting 2024 housing closes soon
Browse nearly 5,000 abstracts for #OSM24, held 18-23 February in New Orleans, and register with housing before the housing deadline on 24 January. [OSM24 scientific program][OSM24 press registration]

AGU23 live online poster discussion sessions coming 20-25 January
AGU’s 2023 annual meeting continues with discussion sessions for the 900 online-only poster presenters, accessible to registered press through the online conference platform. A free Vimeo account is required. [poster session schedule][AGU23 press event recordings][online conference platform][AGU23 advisories and press releases]

Featured Research

Polynya formation tied to calving at Pine Island Glacier
Polynyas are areas of open ocean encircled by sea ice that form because of heat emanating from the ocean. From 2000 to 2022, annual polynya formation varied, according to the first multi-decadal record of the features in Antarctica. The largest polynya, at 269 square kilometers, formed at the western edge of the Pine Island Glacier 68 days before a large calving event, suggesting a link. [Geophysical Research Letters research]

Low-income groups may see least health improvement from decarbonization
Reducing carbon emissions could also decrease the concentration of fine particulate pollution in the air, improving health outcomes, particularly in Asia, by 2050, a new study finds. Per the study’s models, all income groups would have health benefits, but low-income populations would experience the smallest improvements in air quality. [Earth’s Future research]

How do dams hurt fishies? Let me count the ways
A new review paper synthesizes dams’ physical impacts worldwide, focusing on keystone species across continents, and examines the successes and shortfalls of current fish conservation efforts. [Reviews of Geophysics research]

Record of ancient Turkey quakes suggests max magnitude of 8.2 for East Anatolian Fault
A paleoseismic investigation of the East Anatolian Fault system, which ruptured in the 6 February 2023 magnitude quake, identified 14 quakes of magnitude 7 or greater from 1000 CE onward in the region. An end-to-end rupture could result in a magnitude 8.2 quake, the researchers estimate. [Tectonics research]

Permafrost on Arctic lakebeds is thawing — even when below freezing
Thaw in saline permafrost can occur below 0° Celsius (32° Fahrenheit) because high salinity lowers the thawing point, as demonstrated by a case study in northern Alaska. Over 15 years, salty permafrost beneath a shallow lake  thawed, resulting in 60 centimeters of lake-level rise, a new study reports. [Geophysical Research Letters research]

Seaweed: food of the post-apocalypse?
Following a massive volcanic eruption or nuclear event, clouds may block out the sun’s light, leading to global cooling that would devastate agriculture. Seaweed would likely be remarkably resilient in such conditions and could be a reliable food source, once aquaculture ramped up, according to a new study. [Earth’s Future research][LSU press release]

Uncertainty abounds in seeding the sky to fight climate change
Some scientists have suggested injecting solid particles such as alumina, calcite and diamonds into the atmosphere to temporarily limit climate warming. But new research shows there are still big unknowns. [Eos research spotlight][Geophysical Research Letters research][AGU-led ethical framework for geoengineering research]


AGU (www.agu.org) is a global community supporting more than half a million advocates and professionals in Earth and space sciences. Through broad and inclusive partnerships, AGU aims to advance discovery and solution science that accelerate knowledge and create solutions that are ethical, unbiased and respectful of communities and their values. Our programs include serving as a scholarly publisher, convening virtual and in-person events and providing career support. We live our values in everything we do, such as our net zero energy renovated building in Washington, D.C. and our Ethics and Equity Center, which fosters a diverse and inclusive geoscience community to ensure responsible conduct.

01/03/2024: 34% loss of Alps’ ice inevitable by 2050

Frozen river of a the Aletsch Glacier curves in the forground. The peaks of Jungfrau, Monch and Trogberg are in the background against a blue sky.

Grosser Aletschgletscher, the largest glacier in the Alps at 23 kilometers (14 miles) will lose 34% of its 15.4 cubic kilometers of ice by 2050, according to a new study in Geophysical Research Letters.
Credit: Dirk Beyer CC BY-SA 2.5

Ocean Sciences Meeting 2024 coming soon
The scientific program for #OSM24, held 18-23 February in New Orleans, is now available online. Browse nearly 5,000 abstracts on all things ocean science and register today! [OSM24 scientific program][OSM24 press registration]

AGU23 posters and recordings available through February
AGU’s 2023 annual meeting brought 24,500 Earth and space science experts to San Francisco and an additional 2,500 online participants. Recordings of scientific sessions will remain available to registered attendees on the online conference platform through the end of February. [AGU23 press event recordings][online conference platform][AGU23 advisories and press releases]

Featured Research

Erosion by flowing lava erased Moon’s missing craters
Distinctive dark plains called maria on the Moon’s ever-Earth-facing nearside are the result of ancient volcanic activity triggered by asteroid impacts on the opposite far side. These lowlands are smoother than expected. Impacts smaller than 90 kilometers wide are less common in nearside basins than in the farside highlands, even when scientist look for evidence of crater rings buried under the surface, suggesting the intense heat of lengthy mare flows 3.6 million years ago melted away the older topography. [JGR Planets research]

In the Alps, at least 34% ice loss is inevitable by 2050
Under current climate conditions, glaciers in the Alps will lose, at a minimum, 34% of their 2020 ice volume in the next quarter century regardless of future warming, according to a new study that incorporates advances in 3D modeling of ice dynamics. [Geophysical Research Letters research]

Carbon lost to winter warming in permafrost regions could cost trillions
Permafrost underlays 22% of land in the Northern Hemisphere, impounding about twice as much carbon as Earth’s atmosphere. This vast carbon sink will shrink as warming melts the ice and microbial decomposition releases stored carbon. The economic costs of becoming a carbon source will outweigh expected growth of GDP, a new analysis finds, and this flip could occur as early as 2057 if current emissions are not curtailed. [Global Biogeochemical Cycles research]

Arctic Ocean absorbs more carbon dioxide as sea ice retreats
The Arctic Ocean has been a net sink for carbon dioxide in the atmosphere from 1985 to 2018. Unlike the global ocean, the carbon uptake Arctic has almost kept pace with rising carbon dioxide in the atmosphere over this time period. The shrinking barrier of the sea ice cover has been the most important driver of this acceleration in recent years. [Global Biogeochemical Cycles research]

Ice clouds possible on Venus
Famously hot Venus is cold enough at the top of the atmospheric layer called the mesosphere to form ice clouds of water and carbon dioxide. A new study proposes a 10-kilometer-thick, invisible water ice cloud veil persists 120 kilometers above the surface. Short-lived dry ice clouds have not been observed but could be important “cold-traps” for water, preventing it from being lost to space. [JGR Planets research]

12/20/23: Aerosols are drying out the Southwest US

AGU23 is a wrap! Recordings available thru February
A huge thank-you to everyone who helped make the press room buzz at #AGU23, both in-person and online! Recordings of scientific sessions will be available on the online conference platform through the end of February. [AGU23 press event recordings][online conference platform][AGU23 advisories and press releases] 

AGU23 press attendees: take our brief survey!
We invite press and PIOs who attended AGU23 to fill out our short survey. Let us know what was most useful for you and what you’d like to have next year! And don’t forget to tag @theAGU when sharing stories from the meeting so we can promote your hard work. 

Featured Research

Aerosols are helping dry out the Southwest US
In the southwestern United States, winter-spring precipitation is critical for the year’s water supply, but it has been declining since the 1980s. Anthropogenic aerosols could play a significant role in the drying west, new modeling finds. [Geophysical Research Letters research]

Aerosol injections could dry Africa’s Sahel further
Injecting aerosols into the stratosphere has been proposed to help cool the Earth, but the method could have many knock-on effects. Over the Sahel, where the West African Summer Monsoon is critical for livelihoods, aerosol injection could cause problematic drying. [Earth’s Future research]

Historic corals suggest weakening Atlantic circulation
The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is a critical element of Earth’s climate, facilitating the exchange of heat between the northern and southern hemispheres. Anthropogenic emissions have shifted the salinity and sea surface temperature in the Gulf of Mexico, as recorded by hundreds of years of corals in the Gulf, suggesting a partial weakening of the AMOC in the 1980s. [Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology research]

Beyond Earth, mountaintops can be less cold
On Earth, frosty, snow-capped peaks are a well-known sight thanks in part to the planet’s thick atmosphere, which sets the rate at which the air cools with height. On planets with thin atmospheres, the temperatures near the surface and at mountaintops are likely more similar, with a shallower temperature gradient. [Geophysical Research Letters research]

We need to keep a better eye on dust
Dust can negatively impact air quality, human health and the environment, but it receives less attention than other forms of air pollution. This oversight is due in part to sparse and inconsistent dust monitoring stations and sampling, the authors of a new commentary argue. Improved dust monitoring is necessary to understand both its health and environmental effects as climate change increases dustiness in many regions. [GeoHealth research]

Sustainable sulfur in farming is overdue
Sulfur is widely used to protect crops against fungi, fertilize soil, and adjust farm soils’ chemical compositions. Similarly to nitrogen and phosphorus, applying too much sulfur has negative environmental impacts, but far less attention has been paid on the need for sustainable sulfur use in agriculture. Sulfur needs to be better studied and managed, the authors argue in this new review paper. [Earth’s Future research]


AGU (www.agu.org) is a global community supporting more than half a million advocates and professionals in Earth and space sciences. Through broad and inclusive partnerships, AGU aims to advance discovery and solution science that accelerate knowledge and create solutions that are ethical, unbiased and respectful of communities and their values. Our programs include serving as a scholarly publisher, convening virtual and in-person events and providing career support. We live our values in everything we do, such as our net zero energy renovated building in Washington, D.C. and our Ethics and Equity Center, which fosters a diverse and inclusive geoscience community to ensure responsible conduct. 

 

12/6/2023: Mars has a mini-magnetosphere

Registration to #AGU23, held 11-15 December at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, is free for credentialed members for the press and student journalists. Credit: Shen Pan/unsplash

AGU Annual Meeting: next week in San Francisco!

AGU23 is approaching! Press registration remains open for the duration of the conference. The press event schedule, recommended sessions and tipsheets will be available shortly. For media advisories, head over to the AGU Newsroom and search for posts tagged AGU23. We’ll be posting everything there.
[
AGU23 press center][AGU23 press registration][AGU23 announcements in the Newsroom] 

Featured Research

Mars has a mini-magnetosphere
A mini-magnetosphere, similar to the one found on Venus, has been observed above Mars by NASA’s MAVEN mission. Unlike Venus, whose magnetosphere is solely generated from the clashing of solar wind particles against the planet’s ionosphere, Mars also possesses inherent magnetic fields near its crustal surface that shield parts of the planet from solar winds. This combination of intrinsic and induced properties makes Martian solar defenses unique to the Solar System.
[Geophysical Research Letters research] 

The Amazon is getting drier
The southern Amazon is getting drier, decreasing its ecological health and ability to balance global hydrological and energy cycles. The trend will likely continue, a new study finds, as 2040-2070 is expected to be about 20% drier than the recent historical period. [JGR Atmospheres research] 

California regions prone to clusters of atmospheric rivers
Atmospheric rivers, or long narrow regions that transport water vapor, can arrive one after the other, in clusters and with compounding negative effects. While both the Pacific Northwest and California experience atmospheric rivers, mountainous regions in California tend to get more clusters that also last longer, a new study finds. [JGR Atmospheres research] 

How crabs engineer salt marshes
When fiddler crabs burrow, they create tunnels that speed up groundwater and salt circulation, promoting the export of carbon and nitrogen from salt marshes to the ocean. This process, which is vital for healthy plant production, can vary based on the shape of the burrows and the number of entrances that are dug, a new study finds.
[Water Resources research] 

Some high-threat volcanoes are severely understudied
Scientists have little understanding of where magma is stored along the Cascade Volcanic Arc or how its volcanoes could affect population centers. [Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems research] [Eos Research Spotlight] 


AGU (www.agu.org) is a global community supporting more than half a million advocates and professionals in Earth and space sciences. Through broad and inclusive partnerships, AGU aims to advance discovery and solution science that accelerate knowledge and create solutions that are ethical, unbiased and respectful of communities and their values. Our programs include serving as a scholarly publisher, convening virtual and in-person events and providing career support. We live our values in everything we do, such as our net zero energy renovated building in Washington, D.C. and our Ethics and Equity Center, which fosters a diverse and inclusive geoscience community to ensure responsible conduct. 

 

11/29/23: Lethal, sulfide-filled waters drove mass extinction 500 million years ago

Penitentes, spiked ice structures, on a mountain.

These spiked ice formations, called pentitentes, only form in specific environmental conditions. Europa, one of Jupiter’s moons, may be able to grow penitentes near its equator, according to new JGR Planets research. Credit: flickr

AGU NEWS
AGU23 is approaching! Press registration remains open for the duration of the conference. The press event schedule, recommended sessions and tipsheets will be available beginning on 4 December. No need to worry that you’ll miss a media advisory about the conference just head over to the AGU Newsroom and search for posts tagged AGU23. We’ll be posting everything there. [AGU23 press center][AGU23 announcements in the Newsroom] 

FEATURED RESEARCH
Lethal, sulfide-filled waters drove mass extinction 500 million years ago
Around 500 million years ago, Earth lost up to 45% of known genera in the first major mass extinction of the Phanerozoic Eon. Scientists long thought the extinction event was due to marine anoxia, a lack of oxygen in the oceans. But expanding, deadly sulfidic conditions likely played a role too, according to new molybdenum isotope data. [Geophysical Research Letters research] 

Smaller volcanoes helped cool the climate in the early 1800s, too
In the early 19th century, two large volcanoes erupted and cooled Earth’s surface. However, these two volcanoes alone cannot fully account for the long-term cooling effect following their eruptions. New research finds that clusters of small to medium-sized eruptions, which are often excluded from climate models of the 19th century, amplified the cooling caused by the two larger eruptions. [Geophysical Research Letters research] 

Penitentes could exist near Europa’s equator
Penitentes are pointed snow structures found in cold, dry and sunny environments such as the Andes mountains. New modeling of the environment on Europa, one of Jupiter’s moons, found that penitentes would be most likely to grow near the equator, posing a potential risk for future spacecraft landings. [JGR Planets research] 

Seismometers pick up fireballs when witnesses and photographs miss them
Every year, thousands of meteoroids enter Earth’s atmosphere, form fireballs and go unnoticed by people and cameras. Last summer, a fireball broke up over the Northern Atlantic Ocean. A network of seismometers detected acoustic shockwaves from the explosion, joining the first few cases of fireball documentation without human observers or photographic evidence and increasing our atmospheric observational coverage. [Geophysical Research Letters research] 

Environmental river restoration helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions
Severely polluted urban rivers can be hotspots of greenhouse gas emissions, including carbon dioxide. A study of nine heavily polluted rivers in China reveals that environmental restoration efforts reduce rivers’ gas emissions, especially when projects focused on removing nutrients and sewage from waterways. [JGR Biogeosciences research] 

To meet climate goals, protect Alaska’s Tongass and Chugach forests
Forests can act as massive carbon sinks, counteracting greenhouse gas emissions and protecting biodiversity. However, many forests have been ravaged by wildfires and deforestation, flipping from carbon sinks to carbon sources. The two largest U.S. national forests, both in Alaska, have low wildfire risk and provide crucial forest carbon stocks and biodiversity benefits. [AGU Advances research] [Eos Research Spotlight] 


AGU (www.agu.org) is a global community supporting more than half a million advocates and professionals in Earth and space sciences. Through broad and inclusive partnerships, AGU aims to advance discovery and solution science that accelerate knowledge and create solutions that are ethical, unbiased and respectful of communities and their values. Our programs include serving as a scholarly publisher, convening virtual and in-person events and providing career support. We live our values in everything we do, such as our net zero energy renovated building in Washington, D.C. and our Ethics and Equity Center, which fosters a diverse and inclusive geoscience community to ensure responsible conduct. 

 

 

 

 

11/22/2023: Plague-carrying gerbils to spread in Central Asia with climate change

The great gerbil can carry plague throughout central Asia. Its range, along with other plague-carrying rodents, is expanding due to climate change, increasing the risk of plague spread and outbreaks, according to new research published in GeoHealth. Credit: wikimedia

AGU News

Ocean Sciences Meeting 2024 scientific program online
The scientific program for #OSM24, held 18-23 February in New Orleans, is now available online. Browse nearly 5,000 abstracts on all things ocean science and register today! [OSM24 scientific program][OSM24 press registration]

Climate engagement at AGU23: open dialogue, open minds, open science
On the heels of the National Climate Assessment and looking ahead to COP28, a letter from AGU’s President, Dr. Lisa J. Graumlich, outlines AGU23 Annual Meeting sessions and events at the intersection of climate science and action. [From the Prow post][AGU23 press registration]

Featured Research

Plague-carrying gerbils to spread in Central Asia with climate change
Researchers confirm more than 3,000 cases of plague-infected rodents, including the great gerbil and yellow ground squirrel, between 2000 and 2020 in the Zhambyl region of Southern Kazakhstan. Rising temperatures will only bolster the rodent population, expanding their range northeast toward the Qaragandy and Almaty regions by the year 2100 and increasing the likelihood of an outbreak. [GeoHealth research]

Greener forests can help track volcanic activity
In Yellowstone National Park, scientists observed greener forests associated with volcanic CO₂ emissions. Scientists can use this greening to remotely track the emissions, which are often a precursor to eruptions. The method is a safe and effective way to gauge potential volcanic hazards. [Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems research]

Volcanic origin for ringed Venus structures
The formation of coronae, semi-circular structures on the surface of Venus, may be a result of surface and subsurface volcanism, as suggested by new observations of lava flows which appear to have flowed upslope. But subsurface volcanic activity likely tilted the topography, explaining the curious lava flows and concentric features. [JGR Planets research]

Oysters create more resilient coastlines as sea levels rise
Oyster reefs grow with sea level rise and self-repair after extreme events, making them highly adaptive coastal barriers. When paired with submerged breakwaters, they can reduce wave impacts by up to 75% over a hundred-year period and increase crucial  along sheltered coastlines. [JGR Earth Surface research]

The first slow-slip events seen off southern Costa Rica
Five events observed off the Osa Peninsula shed new light on the role that these small, slow earthquakes can play in strain accumulation and tsunami hazards along subduction zones. [Geophysical Research Letters research] [Eos research spotlight | Spanish translation]


AGU (www.agu.org) is a global community supporting more than half a million advocates and professionals in Earth and space sciences. Through broad and inclusive partnerships, AGU aims to advance discovery and solution science that accelerate knowledge and create solutions that are ethical, unbiased and respectful of communities and their values. Our programs include serving as a scholarly publisher, convening virtual and in-person events and providing career support. We live our values in everything we do, such as our net zero energy renovated building in Washington, D.C. and our Ethics and Equity Center, which fosters a diverse and inclusive geoscience community to ensure responsible conduct.

 

11/15/2023: Early humans in East Asia relocated due to changing climate

About 1.3 million years ago, climate swings and resulting changes in vegetation likely pushed early humans to relocate from sites on the southeastern Chinese Loess Plateau, according to new research in Geophysical Research Letters. Credit: Stefan Wagener

AGU News

AGU23 housing deadline TODAY, 15 November
Press registration for #AGU23 is open and will remain open during the meeting, held in San Francisco and online 11-15 December 2023. Book hotels at the conference rate by the end of today, 15 November. [AGU23 press center] [AGU23 scientific program]

Volcano experts available for comment
AGU supplies a list of volcano experts available for comment to the media. [expert list][recent commentary on the ethics of geoengineering volcanoes]

Featured Research

Early humans in East Asia relocated due to changing climate
During the mid-Pleistocene climate transition, around 1.26 million years ago, changes in climate likely caused early humans to relocate in pursuit of food and shelter. Archaeological evidence suggests that early humans moved to sites that were forested with easy access to water as opposed to exposed and resource-poor areas. [Geophysical Research Letters research]

First earthquake warning system made entirely from artificial intelligence
The Ensemble Earthquake Early Warning System (E3WS) uses machine learning to detect earthquakes, locate their epicenters, and estimate their magnitude from the first three seconds of seismic activity. The E3WS will provide users with the extra seconds necessary to take actions to reduce personal disaster risk. [JGR Solid Earth research]

Aquifer “memory” causes subsidence to shift in California
Historic groundwater pumping in western California led to dramatic subsidence, which made that region less susceptible to drought-driven subsidence today, a new study finds. Southern California is now experiencing the highest rates of subsidence in the state because of drought, but both regions will soon see record-breaking subsidence because of ongoing groundwater depletion. [Water Resources Research research]

Drier soils will bring more iron and phytoplankton to the Pacific Ocean
As temperatures rise, global desertification will increase the amount of dust blown to the Pacific Ocean. This dust contains iron, a necessary nutrient for phytoplankton growth. As a result, climate change will likely increase phytoplankton growth in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, but other nutrient deficiencies will curb growth in other areas of the Pacific. [Geophysical Research Letters research]

A wavier jet stream won’t cause stronger temperature extremes after all
Rapid warming in the Arctic may cause the atmospheric jet stream to slow down and meander, which previous studies suggest could lead to long-lasting extreme temperatures. New research finds that while the jet stream will likely meander as expected, temperature anomalies will be less extreme than previous predicted. [Geophysical Research Letters research]

Climate tipping points could be triggered by “committed warming”
As the planet warms, climate tipping points, such as the loss of the Amazon rainforest, become increasingly likely. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions won’t be enough to avoid tipping points, as the greenhouse gases already in the atmosphere will continue to warm Earth. New research suggests a net-zero emissions approach is necessary to avoid catastrophe. [Earth’s Future research] [Eos research spotlight]


AGU (www.agu.org) is a global community supporting more than half a million advocates and professionals in Earth and space sciences. Through broad and inclusive partnerships, AGU aims to advance discovery and solution science that accelerate knowledge and create solutions that are ethical, unbiased and respectful of communities and their values. Our programs include serving as a scholarly publisher, convening virtual and in-person events and providing career support. We live our values in everything we do, such as our net zero energy renovated building in Washington, D.C. and our Ethics and Equity Center, which fosters a diverse and inclusive geoscience community to ensure responsible conduct.

11/8/2023: Poorer countries pay heaviest price for climate extremes

Climate change threatens many of the world’s glaciers, including those in the Ruwenzori Mountains of Uganda. A new Earth’s Future study examines 25 glaciers from a range of environments and finds that half will be gone by 2050. Credit: Mandala Travel/flickr

AGU News

AGU launches new journal for AI and machine learning in the geosciences
On Wednesday, AGU announced the launch of the Journal of Geophysical Research: Machine Learning and Computation. The new open access journal is dedicated to research that explores data-driven and computational methodologies based on statistical analysis, machine learning, artificial intelligence and mathematical models, with the aim of advancing knowledge in the Earth and space sciences. [press release]

AGU23 housing deadline on 15 November
Press registration for #AGU23 is open and will remain open during the meeting, held in San Francisco and online 11-15 December 2023. Book hotels at the conference rate by 15 November. [AGU23 press center] [AGU23 scientific program]

Press registration for Ocean Sciences 2024 is now open
Press registration for Ocean Sciences 2024 (#OSM24), held in New Orleans and online from 18-23 February 2024, is now open. [media advisory][OSM24 press center]

Featured research

Poorer countries pay heaviest price for climate extremes
Twenty percent of the world’s poorest population has experienced a significant increase in drought-to-downpour events, with some regions enduring a nearly 50% rise in exposure over a 30-year period. These drastic swings have grown in intensity and frequency with climate change and may exacerbate inequalities in an increasingly warmer world. [Geophysical Research Letters research]

Half of these glaciers will disappear by 2050
A new study explores how climate change will impact 25 glaciers around the world, representative of regions with different climate conditions and sensitivities. Nearly half will disappear by 2050 due to widespread warming and drying, despite a trend towards wetter climates in some locations. [Earth’s Future research]

Slow earthquakes detectable with single seismic station
The 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami were preceded by two slow-moving quakes along the Japan Trench. These “slow slip” events have been well studied in recent years and are now easily detectable in areas with dense observational networks. For regions without observation networks, a new study has developed a detection method that only requires a single seismic station. [JGR Solid Earth research]

Atmospheric instability triggers heatwaves and extreme rainfall
Thunderstorms and shifting weather fronts can cause heatwaves, which can then trigger extreme rainfall, a new study says. These downpours often lead to flash floods and are expected to increase in intensity and frequency with climate change. The extreme rainfall adds moisture that is in turn favorable for the development of storms. [JGR Atmospheres research]

Where the wild marsquakes are
A new analysis of the seismic data gathered by the InSight lander reveals that marsquakes occur across a much larger area of the planet than previously known. [JGR Planets research] [Eos Editor Highlight]


AGU (www.agu.org) is a global community supporting more than half a million advocates and professionals in Earth and space sciences. Through broad and inclusive partnerships, AGU aims to advance discovery and solution science that accelerate knowledge and create solutions that are ethical, unbiased and respectful of communities and their values. Our programs include serving as a scholarly publisher, convening virtual and in-person events and providing career support. We live our values in everything we do, such as our net zero energy renovated building in Washington, D.C. and our Ethics and Equity Center, which fosters a diverse and inclusive geoscience community to ensure responsible conduct.

11/01/23: Dam management in US rises to environmental challenges

An image of Link River Dam on Link River at the head of Klamath River and just west of Klamath Falls, Oregon.

The Link River Dam at the head of Klamath River in Oregon. Removal of four dams from the Klamath river will be the largest dam removal project to date. Credits: Bureau of Reclamation (flickr)

AGU News

Press registration for Ocean Sciences 2024 is now open
Press registration for Ocean Sciences 2024 (#OSM24), held in New Orleans and online from 18-23 February 2024, is now open. [media advisory][OSM24 press center] 

AGU23 Annual Meeting press registration open, program online
Press registration for #AGU23 is open and will remain open during the meeting, held in San Francisco and online 11-15 December 2023. Book hotels at the conference rate by 15 November. [AGU23 press center] [AGU23 scientific program] 

Featured Research

Dam management in US rises to environmental challenges
Six decades past the era of big dam construction, a new era of dam removal hits a watershed moment, as work begins on the largest removal project to date on the Klamath River.  [Water Resources Research commentary] 

Biochar helps croplands absorb carbon and water in Europe
Scientists suggest that biochar, the burnt remains of biomass, could be a promising tool for removing carbon from the atmospheric cycle. A recent study examined the use of biochar in Europe’s croplands and found that it increased soil carbon, water holding capacity, and crop production. [Earth’s Future research] 

China’s lakes are experiencing more algal blooms
Fertilizer and rising temperatures may be behind China’s increasing algal blooms over the past two decades, a new study finds. Algal blooms can reduce drinking water quality and threaten aquatic biodiversity. In almost 100 Chinese lakes, algal blooms are occurring earlier, more frequently, and have longer windows to form. [Water Resources Research research] 

Heatwaves make it harder for urban greenery to absorb carbon dioxide
A Chicago study found urban plants could offset almost half the city’s traffic emissions, but heatwaves put a big dent in the plant’s capacity to absorb CO2 that could be partially mitigated by irrigation.  [JAMES research] 

Older, thicker Arctic sea ice is vanishing, export and melting are to blame
The Arctic’s multi-year sea ice is decreasing, leaving behind younger ice that is thinner and has less albedo than multi-year ice. But scientists have been unsure whether the loss was caused by export or melting. New research finds that export caused the first loss of multi-year sea ice in the 1980s, and a combination of melting and export caused the second major loss between 2006 and 2008. [JGR Oceans research] 

Piecing together the roots of the ancient Australian continent
The Kimberley craton in Australia is a classic locality for kimberlite, a mantle-derived igneous rock that delivers diamonds from the mantle lithosphere to near the surface where they can be mined. A recent study analyzed the craton and revealed the thickness, geothermal gradient, and history of melt extraction or addition from each layer of the mantle lithosphere. [Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems research] [Eos Editor Highlight] 


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