Earth Observatory has a satellite image of the heaviest snowfall to occur in China in the past several decades. The image shows part of the North China Plain near the city of Shijiazhuang. Small cities and towns are easy to spot in this image.
It appears that lightning patterns on Earth may fluctuate in sync with the sun’s rotation. This discovery could warrant further research in the fields of astronomy, meteorology and “space weather”.
“California experienced centuries-long droughts in the past 20,000 years that coincided with the thawing of ice caps in the Arctic, according to a new study by UC Davis doctoral student Jessica Oster and geology professor Isabel Montañez.” Quoted from the UCDavis press release.
New research shows that daily record high temperatures have occurred twice as often as record lows over the last decade across the continental United States.
A new satellite is scheduled to launch from Russia’s Plesetsk Cosmodrome on November 2. It will be able to measure soil moisture and ocean salinity from orbit.
“We have observed the ozone hole again in 2009, and it appears to be pretty average so far,” said ozone researcher Paul Newman of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “However, we won’t know for another four weeks how this year’s ozone hole will fully develop.” Quoted from the Earth Observatory press release.
Astronomers have captured images of some storm clouds hovering near the equator of Saturn’s moon Titan. This is unusual, as Titan has very little cloud cover, and it usually accumulates at the poles.
“NOAA now expects a near- to below-normal Atlantic hurricane season, as the calming effects of El Niño continue to develop. But scientists say the season’s quiet start does not guarantee quiet times ahead. The season, which began June 1, is entering its historical peak period of August through October, when most storms form.”
“Heat is the number one weather-related killer. On average, more than 1,500 people in the U.S. die each year from excessive heat. This number is greater than the 30-year mean annual number of deaths due to tornadoes, hurricanes, floods and lightning combined.” Quoted from the NOAA article.
An article in the Journal of Geophysical Research suggests that the eruption of Indonesia’s Toba supervolcano about 74,000 years ago triggered a volcanic winter that reduced human population and caused ice sheet advance.
Here is an article that provides a definition of earth science, explains why it is important and points to a few career opportunities in the Earth Sciences.
This article from the University of Michigan discusses the occurrence of lightning, in conjunction with dust storms, on Mars. The lightning has apparently occurred in the absence of rain.
Why do hurricanes tend to occur in some coastal areas but not others? This image from Earth Observatory shows the relationship between ocean temperature and hurricane risk.
NASA produced a map that shows the areas on Earth that have the highest frequency of lightning. You might be surprised when you learn about the areas that experience the most lightning.
An article at CNN reports that 11 people were killed by lightning in the United States during the first 23 days of June. Summer is the season with the most lightning deaths because storms are frequent and many people are outdoors.
One of the projects from EarthTrek is a global study of marble gravestone weathering rates. As a part of this study researchers around the world will visit graveyards, collect information from marble gravestones and submit that information to the project website.
Louisiana State University has some new technology to help people prepare for hurricanes. They have made improvements to their Wave-Current-Surge Information System (WAVCIS).
This article explains why the Intertropical Convergence Zone in the Atlantic can be a dangerous area for aircraft. Storms and high winds can make it difficult for pilots to navigate effectively.
“By sampling clouds – and making their own – researchers have shown for the first time a direct relation between lead in the sky and the formation of ice crystals that foster clouds.” Quoted from the PNL news release.
“Soot from pollution causes winter snowpacks to warm, shrink and warm some more. This continuous cycle sends snowmelt streaming down mountains as much as a month early.”
The NOAA has predicted that 2009 may witness another El Nino. That assessment is published here. What exactly are El Nino and La Nina? This FAQ answers many common questions.
The Cloud Appreciation Society believes that there should be a new classification of cloud: the asperatus. These are some photos of the strange-looking clouds.
“Heavy rain began to fall over northern Brazil in early April 2009, and persisted for several weeks, causing the most severe flooding in more than two decades. This image shows the unusually heavy rainfall the Intertropical Convergence Zone brought to northern Brazil.” Quoted from the Earth Observatory release.
Solar storms can affect Earth in many ways. Two NASA observatories are orbiting the sun to provide data on the storms in 3D, helping scientists to better understand them.
This satellite image from NASA’s Earth Observatory shows two cyclones in the South Atlantic Ocean. The width of the image spans thousands of kilometers.
This article by Brentwood Higman features photographs of lightning in the Redoubt Volcano ash cloud that he took on March 27, 2009 from a location about 80 miles from the volcano.
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