USGCRP Archives
July - September 2004

July - September 2004

Changes in Ecosystems

Human Contributions and Responses

Climate Variability and Change

Paleoenvironment & Paleoclimate

NOAA's 
Image of the Day 

For documents from the Intergovern-
mental Panel on Climate Change, 
see our IPCC page.

Our Changing Planet.  The U.S. Climate Change Science Program for Fiscal Years 2004 and 2005.  A Report by the Climate Change Science Program and the Subcommittee on Global Change Research.  A Supplement to the President’s Fiscal Year 2004 and 2005 Budgets. See also press release (dtd 25 Aug 2004) (posted 25 August 2004).

Global climate hot topic for AAAS [American Association for the Advancement of Science] conference in Anchorage, AK. Press release (dtd 29 Sep 2004) from University of Alaska, Fairbanks.   (link posted 8 October 2004)

Global Earth Observation moves ahead. Press release (dtd 28 Sep 2004) from European Commission.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

IPCC/TEAP Special Report on Safeguarding the Ozone Layer and the Global Climate System: Issues Related to Hydrofluorocarbons and Perfluorocarbons.  U.S. Government Review.   Draft special report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the Technology and Economic Assessment Panel (TEAP).  The draft report, posted for review, assesses scientific and technical information related to alternatives to ozone-depleting substances.  The draft is open for comments until 2 November 2004.   (link posted 8 October 2004)

Euro space leaders outline new phase for monitoring the planet's environment. Press Release (dtd 22 Sep 2004) from United Kingdom's Natural Environment Research Council (NERC).  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Climate change experts gather in Anchorage, Alaska. "Experts on climate change in Alaska and the Arctic will gather in Anchorage on Friday, Sept. 24 to give presentations on thinning Alaska glaciers, melting permafrost, and the possibility of shipping routes through the Canadian Arctic in the near future." Press release (dtd 22 Sep 2004) from University of Alaska, Fairbanks.   (link posted 8 October 2004)

Europe's MSG [Meteosat Second Generation] weather satellite serves scientists as well as forecasters. Article (dtd 15 Sept 2004) from European Space Agency (ESA).   (link posted 8 October 2004)

Media Advisory 1 - AGU Fall Meeting. Press release (dtd 27 Aug 2004) from American Geophysical Union. AGU's Fall Meeting returns to San Francisco, California, 13-17 December.   (link posted 8 October 2004)

EPA, NOAA Officials Detail Global Earth Observing System Benefits. Article (dtd 17 Aug 2004) from U.S. Department of State.   (link posted 8 October 2004)

Climate of Uncertainty. A documentary and Web site produced (August 2004) by American RadioWorks, focusing on abrupt climate change and featuring interviews with scientists and researchers who study ice caps, glaciers, snowfields, seas, wildlife movements and computer models for signs of climate change. See also press release (dtd 11 Aug 2004) from American Public Media.   (link posted 8 October 2004)

Decadal Survey. In August 2004, the National Research Council (NRC) held a workshop in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, to organize an important new "decadal study," Earth Science and Applications from Space: A Community Assessment and Strategy for the Future. The study, to be carried out over a two-year period, will articulate priorities for Earth system science and opportunities for addressing them through space-based observations.

Antarctic Summit Gets Underway in Bremen. Article (dtd 26 July 2004) from Deutsche Welle. Discussion of the 28th Scientific Committee for Antarctic Research (SCAR) Meeting.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Recent reports from the National Research Council (links posted 8 October 2004):

• Steps to Facilitate Principal-Investigator-Led Earth Science Missions.  (2004)
• Climate Data Records from Environmental Satellites: Interim Report (2004).

New Zealand - U.S. consolidate partnership on climate change. Press release (dtd 16 July 2004) from New Zealand Government.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Earth Science Outreach Investigator Awards   "This NASA Research Announcement (NRA) solicits proposals to support innovative and effective outreach strategies, products or services to assist the NASA Earth Science Enterprise to engage the public in shaping and sharing the experience of exploration and discovery." Issued 14 July 2004. NOI due date is 16 August 2004. Proposal due date is 14 October 2004.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Earth Sciences Research at the National Science Foundation [NSF].  Program solicitation from the NSF, Directorate for Geosciences,  Division of Earth Sciences.   "The Division of Earth Sciences (EAR) supports research and education focused on understanding Earth dynamics. Deciphering the complex record of the planet's past or investigating the forces actively changing it today, EAR's research portfolio centers on the Earth's interior and terrestrial surface, including freshwater systems and interactions with the biosphere and atmosphere. Support is available for field, laboratory, and theoretical studies in any discipline of earth science including geology, geobiology, geophysics, geochemistry, geodesy, geolimnology, geomorphology, economic geology, environmental science, hydrology, paleontology, petrology, sedimentology, seismology, stratigraphy, structural geology, tectonics, and volcanology. Given the complexity of Earth systems, multidisciplinary research is strongly encouraged and supported."  (link posted 8 October 2004)

UCI chancellor wins prestigious Einstein award. Press releases (dtd 18 June 2004) from the University of California, Irvine (UCXI). UCI Chancellor Ralph J. Cicerone has won one of the most prestigious awards in science, the Albert Einstein World Award of Science.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Ralph J. Cicerone Nominated to Be Next National Academy of Sciences President.  Press release (dtd 15 June 2004) from the National Academies NAS.   (link posted 8 October 2004)

Scientists Call Air Pollution Global Problem. Segment (originally broadcast 7 Sep 2004) from PBS's Online NewsHour with Jim Lehrer. Available as transcript, audio and video files.   (link posted 8 October 2004)

8th International Global Atmospheric Chemistry (IGAC) Conference: Abstracts.   Abstracts from conference held 4-9 September 2004 in New Zealand in Christchurch, New Zealand.   (link posted 8 October 2004)

Envisat witnesses return of the South Polar ozone hole.  Press release (dtd 1 September 2004) from the European Space Agency.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

What actually influences air pollution over the Indian Ocean? Press release (dtd 25 Aug 2004) from the Max-Planck-Institute.   (link posted 8 October 2004)

Scientists Studying Desert Air to Understand Weather and Climate. Press release (dtd 18 Aug 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory. NASA, Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) and Scripps Institution of Oceanography scientists have assembled in the Arabian Desert to study tiny airborne particles called aerosols and their effect on weather and climate.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Siberian forest fires partly to blame for Seattle area violating EPA ozone limit. Press release (dtd 17 Aug 2004) from the University of Washington.   (link posted 8 October 2004)

Largest Air Quality, Climate Study Offers New Insights on Complex Questions. Press release (dtd 26 July 2004) from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).  (link posted 8 October 2004)

NASA Helps Track Global Air Quality. Press release (dtd 28 June 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Largest-ever air quality study poised to begin in seacoast N.H. Press release (dtd 29 June 2004) from the University of New Hampshire.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

DOE Scientists Sample the Skies. Press release (dtd 28 June 2004) from Brookhaven National Laboratory. For a month during the summer of 2004, scientists from several U.S. Department of Energy laboratories sampled the air above Western Pennsylvania for aerosol pollutants to evaluate their effects on climate.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

CU-Boulder [University of Colorado at Boulder] satellite instrument to provide new details on ozone.  Press release (dtd 21 June 2004) from the University of Colorado at Boulder.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Fossils provide proof that global warming affects wildlife evolution. Press release (dtd 22 Sep 2004) from Stanford University.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

K-State, other universities to study how climate affects plant evolution. Press release (dtd 16 Sept 2004) from Kansas State University.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Oceans to acid. Article (dtd 9 Sept 2004) from The Christian Science Monitor . "Oceans act as giant sponges for CO₂ - but what eases global warming harms marine life."  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Modest climate change could lead to substantially more and larger fires. Press release (dtd 31 Aug 2004) from USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

NASA Satellites Detect "Glow" of Plankton in Black Waters. Article (dtd 31 Aug 2004) from NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Unicellular organisms contribute more nitrogen to ocean that reported earlier. Press release (dtd 25 Aug 2004) from Georgia Institute of Technology.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Bogs Watched for Warning Signs of Carbon Upset. Audio segment (originally broadcast 25 Aug 2004) and text summary from National Public Radio's (NPS) All Things Considered. "Peat bogs soak up more carbon dioxide than all the world's tropical rainforests. These vast carbon sinks are crucial to keeping global warming in check. But scientists wonder if bogs can maintain their roles as carbon sinks as humans pump more pollutants into the atmosphere."   (link posted 8 October 2004)

Global warming's surprising fallout. Feature story (dtd 19 Aug 2004) from The Christian Science Monitor. "The buildup of carbon dioxide (CO2) is forcing scientists to rethink their expectations - not only about the buildup of heat on Earth but also about the implications for the natural world far beyond warming."   (link posted 8 October 2004)

Climate change could doom Alaska's tundra. Press release (dtd 3 Aug 2004) from Oregon State University.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Warmer weather, human disturbances interact to change forests. Press release (dtd 1 Aug 2004) from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

New study to investigate demise of coral reef ecosystems. Press release (dtd 30 July 2004) from University of Newcastle upon Tyne.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Changing with the climate. Transcript of story (dtd 30 July 2004) from Radio Netherlands. "A general rise in the average temperature is the main factor behind the recent appearance in the Netherlands of some 50 plants that are not native to this part of Europe. Global warming is not only responsible for the arrival of exotic plant life, however, there’s also a more negative side. While plants and flowers are beginning to bloom increasingly early each year, the insects and birds that rely on them are not necessarily prepared for an early `harvest.'"  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Urban Heat Islands Make Cities Greener. Press release (dtd 29 July 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

NASA Plays Key Role in Largest Environmental Experiment in  History. Article (dtd 27 July 2004) from NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, discussing Third International Scientific Conference of the Large-Scale Biosphere Atmosphere Experiment in Amazonia (LBA).  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Springtime blooms seen earlier now than in the past, say Boston University biologists. Press release (dtd 26 Jul 2004) from Boston University.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

NSF Awards $10 Million in Grants to Ocean Sites for Long-Term Ecological Research. Press release (dtd 26 July 2004) from National Science Foundation (NSF).  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Plant Respiration Not Just an Evolutionary Leftover, Study Shows. Press release (22 July 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory. A biological process in plants, thought to be useless and even wasteful, has significant benefits and should not be engineered out -- particularly in the face of looming climate change, says a team of UC Davis researchers."  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Scientists: Carbon Dioxide Buildup in Oceans Could Threaten Some Marine Life. Audio Article and transcript (dtd 16 July 2004) from the Voice of America (VOA).  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Sea survey measures acid increase. Article (dtd 15 July 2004) from Nature. (link posted 8 October 2004)

Climate-based Model to Predict West Nile Virus Activity. Press release (dtd 14 July 2004) from Cornell University.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Chipmunks Refute Ice Age Conventional Wisdom. Audio segment (originally broadcast 12 July 2004) on National Public Radio's (NPR) All Things Considered. "During the Ice Age, some populations of the eastern chipmunk persisted in the northern United States instead of migrating south to evade encroaching glaciers. That's according to new research to be published by the National Academy of Sciences. The new theory has implications for understanding animal migrations in light of global warming."   (link posted 8 October 2004)

Melting ice cap gives urgency to new census of marine life project in Arctic Ocean. Press release (dtd 24 Jun 2004) from Census of Marine Life.   (link posted 8 October 2004)

NASA Data Shows Hurricanes Help Plants Bloom in “Ocean Deserts”. Press release (dtd 17 June 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Deep Suffocation and Climate Change. Audio segment (originally broadcast 16 June 2004) on National Public Radio's (NPR) All Things Considered. "Scientists have identified how an ocean 'dead zone,' an area deficient in oxygen, was created off the coast of Oregon in 2002. Scientists say this event shows how variation in ocean currents and conditions linked to climate change will damage sensitive marine communities."  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Can Iron-Enriched Oceans Thwart Global Warming?  Article (dtd 9 June 2004) from National Geographic.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Earth's mantle can generate methane. Article (dtd 14 Sep 2004) from news@nature.com.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Oceans to acid. Article (dtd 9 Sept 2004) from The Christian Science Monitor . "Oceans act as giant sponges for CO₂ - but what eases global warming harms marine life."  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Natural mineral locks up carbon dioxide. Press release (dtd 2 Sept 2004) from Penn State University.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

NASA Scientists Develop Tools for Carbon Management. NASA scientists have recently unveiled Internet software tools that will aid in the removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Press release (dtd 2 Sept 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory.   (link posted 8 October 2004)

Methane: A Scientific Journey from Obscurity to Climate Super-Stardom. Article (dtd Sep 2004) from NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS).   (link posted 8 October 2004)

Direct and Indirect Human Contributions to Terrestrial Carbon Fluxes:A Workshop Summary.  Report (published 2004) from the National Research Council.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Bogs Watched for Warning Signs of Carbon Upset. Audio segment (originally broadcast 25 Aug 2004) and text summary from National Public Radio's (NPS) All Things Considered. "Peat bogs soak up more carbon dioxide than all the world's tropical rainforests. These vast carbon sinks are crucial to keeping global warming in check. But scientists wonder if bogs can maintain their roles as carbon sinks as humans pump more pollutants into the atmosphere."   (link posted 8 October 2004)

The Orbiting Carbon Observatory: Understanding Atmospheric CO2 and its Impact on Climate Change. Webcast. Presented by Charles Miller, JPL, Orbiting Carbon Observatory Deputy Principal Investigator. See also press release (dtd 18 Aug 2004) from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Free Talks Focus on Link Between Carbon Dioxide and Climate.   (link posted 8 October 2004)

NASA Selects Proposals to Study Global Carbon Cycling. Press release (dtd 4 Aug 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory.  See also Selected Carbon Cycle Science Proposals,  list (posted 9 July 2004) of 59 proposals selected by NASA in partnership with DOE and USDA, under NASA research announcement NRA 04-OES-01 (Carbon Cycle Science). NASA in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Biological and Environmental Research and with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service offered opportunities for "research to improve our understanding of changes in the distribution and cycling of carbon among the active land, ocean, and atmospheric reservoirs with emphasis on the factors that affect changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations and the impact of such changes on carbon management."  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Impact of Earth's Rising Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Found in World Oceans. Press release (dtd 15 July 2004) from National Science Foundation (NSF).  See also Research shows oceans are becoming more acidic,  press release (dtd 16 Jul 2004) from Intergovernmental Oceanographic Committee.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Sea survey measures acid increase. Article (dtd 15 July 2004) from Nature. (link posted 8 October 2004)

Scientists: Carbon Dioxide Buildup in Oceans Could Threaten Some Marine Life. Audio Article and transcript (dtd 16 July 2004) from the Voice of America (VOA).  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Oceans Found to Absorb Half of All Man-Made Carbon Dioxide. Article (dtd 15 July 2004) from National Geographic.   (link posted 8 October 2004)

Can Iron-Enriched Oceans Thwart Global Warming?  Article (dtd 9 June 2004) from National Geographic.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Urban Heat Islands Make Cities Greener. Press release (dtd 29 July 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Rapid urbanization in China warming region's climate faster than other areas. Press release (dtd 22 Jun 2004) from Georgia Institute of Technology.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Scientists Track the Paving of America. Audio segment (originally broadcast 19 June 2004) on National Public Radio's (NPR) Weekend Edition. "Government scientists have determined exactly how much of the United States is covered by paved roads, parking lots, sidewalks and other impervious surfaces. The figures are already affecting developmental decisions and being used to calculate the nation's contribution to global climate change."  (link posted 8 October 2004)

NASA Data Shows Deforestation Affects Climate in the Amazon.  Press release (dtd 9 June 2004) from NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

DEFRA Announces Cross-Regional Research Programme to Boost Understanding of Climate Change. Press release (dtd 30 September 2004) from UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs ( Defra).  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Climate change a focus of new NSF-supported research on how decisions are made in a world of uncertainty. Press release (dtd 28 Sep 2004) from NSF. Five interdisciplinary research teams will share some $25 million from the National Science Foundation (NSF) over the next five years to study important aspects of problems associated with understanding climate-related decisions under uncertainty.  See also press release (dtd 28 Sep 2004) from Carnegie Mellon, Carnegie Mellon receives $6.9 million to create new climate center.   (link posted 8 October 2004)

Decision Support through Earth Science Results.  "NASA (with partnering federal agencies) is soliciting proposals for projects to begin in FY05 to support the goal "to extend the societal and economic benefits of NASA research in Earth science, information, and technology." NASA Cooperative Agreement Notice NNH04ZYO010C. Issued: September 17, 2004. Step 1 (Pre-Proposals) are due 22 October 2004.  Step 2 (Final) proposals are due 17 December 2004.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Experts warn of more climate shocks from global warming at hill-sponsored briefing. Press release (dtd 16 Sept 2004) from Harvard Medical School.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Statement of Daniel Cayan.  Written statement of Dr. Cayan, Research Meteorologist, Scripps Institution of Oceanography (University of California, San Diego), before U.S. Congress, Senate, Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation.  Hearing on Impacts of Climate Change, 15 Sept 2004.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Climate change to Knock Chinese Agriculture, Study Shows. Press release (dtd 13 September 2004) from UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs ( Defra).   (link posted 8 October 2004)

Hazards Watch: Reducing the Impacts of Disasters Through Improved Earth Observations -- Summary of a Workshop, 22 October 2003, Washington, DC.  Report (published 2004) from the National Research Council.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

NOAA’S Oceans and Human Health Initiative. Article (dtd 2 Sep 2004) from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Climate Change and California Wine Country. Audio segment (originally broadcast 27 Aug 2004) from National Public Radio's (NPR) Talk of the Nation.   (link posted 8 October 2004)

Landslides, flooding and climate change in the UK. Press Release (25 Aug 2004) from United Kingdom's Natural Environment Research Council (NERC).  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Mayan Mysteries. Feature story (dtd 24 Aug 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory. Satellite data help scientists understand Mesoamerica's past and point the way toward a brighter future.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Global warming's surprising fallout. Feature story (dtd 19 Aug 2004) from The Christian Science Monitor. "The buildup of carbon dioxide (CO2) is forcing scientists to rethink their expectations - not only about the buildup of heat on Earth but also about the implications for the natural world far beyond warming."   (link posted 8 October 2004)

Europe needs adaptation strategies to limit climate change impacts. Press release (dtd 18 Aug 2004) from the European Environment Agency. See also Europe Heats Up, Article (dtd 19 Aug 2004) from Deutsche Welle.   (link posted 8 October 2004)

Future Heat Waves: More Severe, More Frequent and Longer Lasting -. Press release (dtd 12 Aug 2004) from National Science Foundation (NSF). See also Model Predicts Future Heat Waves Will be More Intense, article (dtd 13 Aug 2004) from Scientific American.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Climate change — flood or drought?. Press release (dtd 11 Aug 2004) from UK Met. "The Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research at the Met Office has made a major step forward in climate prediction. They have developed a way of using complex climate models to generate probabilistic climate predictions which will enable decision makers and planners to better assess the risks of climate change and to develop appropriate response strategies."   (link posted 8 October 2004)

Retreating Glaciers Spur Alaskan Earthquakes. Press release (dtd 2 Aug 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

ASP Summer Colloquium on Climate and Health. Presentations from the colloquium held on 21-28 July 2004, Boulder, Colorado. The meeting was hosted by the Advanced Study Program of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and the NCAR Weather and Climate Impacts Assessment Science Initiative, in partnership with the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and World Health Organization/Pan American Health Organization. (link posted 8 October 2004)

The Weather Channel Explores Effect of Global Warming on Residents of Alaska. Press release (dtd 15 July 2004) from the Weather Channel.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Climate-based Model to Predict West Nile Virus Activity. Press release (dtd 14 July 2004) from Cornell University.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Heritage at risk from climate change. Press Release (dtd 25 June 2004) from the  University of East Anglia (UEA) announcing a 3-year project that brings together experts from 10 European countries to "investigate the effects of climate change and pollution on Europe's historic built environment over the next 100 years."  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Global Study Links Climate to Rates of Childhood Asthma. Article (dtd 21 June 2004) from Scientific American.   (link posted 8 October 2004)

New National Research Effort Needed to Secure Clean, Adequate Water Supply in Coming Decades. Press release (dtd 17 June 2004) from the National Academies (NAS).   (link posted 8 October 2004)

Past climate change questioned. "Swings in temperature might be more common than thought." Article (dtd 30 Sep 2004) from news@nature.com.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

UMaine shares ice core technology with China. Press release (dtd 16 Sept 2004) from the University of Maine.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Past Antarctic ice sheet development linked to ocean temperatures and carbon dioxide. Press release (dtd 16 Sept 2004) from the University of Calif at Santa Barbara.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Ice core reveals gentle start to last ice age. Article (dtd 8 Sep 2004) from news@nature.com.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Subtropical Arctic. Press Release (dtd 8 Sep 2004) from United Kingdom's Natural Environment Research Council (NERC).  See also North Pole once enjoyed Mediterranean climate,   article (dtd 7 Sep 2004) from news@nature.com.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Ice and a slice of climate history. Press Release (25 Aug 2004) from United Kingdom's Natural Environment Research Council (NERC).  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Climate Scientists Mining Historic Marine Data   Press release (dtd 23 Aug 2004) from U.S. Department of State. An international team of researchers is collecting and reviewing ships' logbooks from the mid-1700s onwards in order to build an electronic database of historic global climate data.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Droughts like 1930s Dust Bowl may have been unexceptional in prehistoric times, new study suggests. Press release (dtd 1 Aug 2004) from Duke University.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Mediterranean sun seekers should thank Antarctica. Press release (dtd 20 Jul 2004) from the University of New South Wales . "Europeans who enjoy sunning themselves on the shores of the Mediterranean should thank Antarctica for their good fortune. If it weren't for Antarctic events 30 million years ago, sunbaking would be a much chillier affair. Climate modelling by Australian scientists at the University of New South Wales reveals that Antarctica's icy sea currents allow the balmy Gulf Stream to dictate warm weather conditions over much of the North Atlantic."  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Floating University Expedition to Unravel Ocean Bed Secrets of Climate Change.   Press release (dtd 30 June 30 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory. Researchers from Cardiff University have sailed into Cardiff Bay, returning from a major research expedition to unravel the complex history of ice-ocean and climate change over the past 50,000 years.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Inaugural voyage of the integrated ocean drilling program sets sail. Press releast (dtd 29 June 2004) from the National Science Foundataion (NSF).  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Research supports theory that ocean currents redistribute heat during warming & cooling. Press release (dtd 24 June 2004) from Georgia Institute of Technology Research News.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

New ice core record will help understanding of ice ages, global warming, CU prof says.  Press release (dtd 9 June 2004) from University of Colorado at Boulder (CU).  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Up-to-Date Weather, Climate & Wildfire Summaries

Study Shows Potential for Antarctic Climate Change. Press release (dtd 6 October 2004) from NASA. (link posted 8 October 2004)

Arctic Sea Ice Decline Continues.  Article (dtd 4 Oct 2004) from National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC).  See also Arctic sea ice declines again in 2004, according to CU-Boulder Researchers, press release (dtd 4 Oct 2004) from NSIDC.   (link posted 8 October 2004)

Past climate change questioned. "Swings in temperature might be more common than thought." Article (dtd 30 Sep 2004) from news@nature.com.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Project investigates lightning's impact on climate change. Press release (dtd 22 Sep 2004) from South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Researchers Discover ‘Hole’ in Global Warming Predictions. "Temperatures may not rise as high in the central United States;" Press release (dtd 21 Sep 2004) from Saint Louis University.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Climate prediction goes BOINC (Berkeley Open Infrastructure for Network Computing). Press release (dtd 16 Sept 2004) from the University of California Berkeley.   (link posted 8 October 2004)

Past Antarctic ice sheet development linked to ocean temperatures and carbon dioxide. Press release (dtd 16 Sept 2004) from the University of Calif at Santa Barbara.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Gravity Field Measurements Can Track Climate Change, Scientists Say. Press release (dtd 10 Sep 2004) from the U.S. Department of State.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

NASA's Grace Gravity Mission Weighs in on Earth's Changing Climate. Press release (dtd 9 Sep 2004) from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Higher Water Temperatures and Reduced Ice Cover in the Arctic Ocean. Press release (dtd 27 Aug 2004) from the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research.   (link posted 8 October 2004)

Falloff in Freezes: NCAR Study Projects Decrease in Frost Days. Press release (dtd 25 Aug 2004) from National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR).   (link posted 8 October 2004)

The Orbiting Carbon Observatory: Understanding Atmospheric CO2 and its Impact on Climate Change. Webcast. Presented by Charles Miller, JPL, Orbiting Carbon Observatory Deputy Principal Investigator. See also press release (dtd 18 Aug 2004) from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Free Talks Focus on Link Between Carbon Dioxide and Climate.   (link posted 8 October 2004)

Modeling, Analysis and Prediction; Climate Variability and Change. NASA Research Announcement (NRA) NNH04ZYS008N. This NRA invites proposals that include research and applications development in four areas: (1) the Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO); (2) the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) research supporting modeling and analysis; (3) a new Cloud Modeling and Analysis Initiative (CMAI) to utilize surface, in situ and satellite remote sensing data toward improvement of cloud model representation in climate and weather models; and (4)  the NASA Global Modeling Initiative (GMI).  Issued 16 August 2004. Proposal due date is 16 November 2004.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Modeling Ocean Behavior: The Key to Understanding Our Future Climate. Article (dtd 12 Aug 2004) from NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS).   (link posted 8 October 2004)

How Strongly Does the Sun Influence the Global Climate? Press release (dtd 2 Aug 2004) from the Max Planck Society.   (link posted 8 October 2004)

NASA Plays Key Role in Largest Environmental Experiment in  History. Article (dtd 27 July 2004) from NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, discussing Third International Scientific Conference of the Large-Scale Biosphere Atmosphere Experiment in Amazonia (LBA).  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Clouds are Cooler than Smoke. Article (dtd 27 July 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Largest Air Quality, Climate Study Offers New Insights on Complex Questions. Press release (dtd 26 July 2004) from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).  (link posted 8 October 2004)

NASA Goes to the `SORCE' of Earth Sun-blockers. Article (dtd 22 July 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory, discussing NASA's Solar Radiation and Climate Experiment (SORCE) satellite.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Largest-ever deployment of ocean floats. Press release (18 July 2004) from New Zealand's National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA).  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Saved by the storm? Article (dtd 24 June 2004) from the Christian Science Monitor. "Clouds formed by thunderstorms may help brake global warming. They're already challenging climate forecasts."  (link posted 8 October 2004)

NCAR [National Center for Atmospheric Research] Computer Modelers to Use Powerful New Linux System. Press release (dtd 23 June 2004) from NCAR and the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

LSU researchers examine 100+ years of hurricane hits along East Coast, Gulf.  Press release (dtd 23 Jun 2004) from Louisiana State University.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

NCAR Releases New Version of Premier Global Climate Model. Press release (dtd 22 June 2004) from the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) & University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR).  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Can Iron-Enriched Oceans Thwart Global Warming?  Article (dtd 9 June 2004) from National Geographic.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Climate Models: A Primer [PDF].  Report (2004) by  William O’Keefe and Jeff Kueter, published by the Marshall Institute.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

• Up-to-Date Weather, Climate & Wildfire Summaries
• NOAA Reports Cool Summer, Seventh Coldest August on Record. Press release (dtd 16 Sep 2004) from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).  (link posted 8 October 2004)
• Climate of 2004: Global hazards and significant events Aug 2004. Report (updated 16 Sep 2004) from the National Climatic Data Center.  (link posted 8 October 2004)
• Climate of 2004 - August. Report (updated 15 September 2004) from the National Climatic Data Center.  (link posted 8 October 2004)
• Record Number of Tornadoes Reported in U.S. . Press release (dtd 2 Sep 2004) from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).  (link posted 8 October 2004)
• Climate of 2004: Global hazards and significant events, July 2004. Report (updated 16 Aug 2004) from the National Climatic Data Center.  (link posted 8 October 2004)
• Climate of 2004 - July. Report (updated 16 Aug 2004) from the National Climatic Data Center.  (link posted 8 October 2004)
• Climate of 2004: Global hazards and significant events, June 2004.   Report (updated 15 July 2004) from the National Climatic Data Center.  (link posted 8 October 2004)
• Climate of 2004 - June. Report (updated 15 July 2004) from the National Climatic Data Center.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Hurricanes.  Links to background information on the connection between climate change and hurricanes.  Other useful links related to hurricanes also provided.

• Impact of CO2-Induced Warming on Simulated Hurricane Intensity and Precipitation: Sensitivity to the Choice of Climate Model and Convective Parameterization. [PDF] Article by Thomas R. Knutson (NOAA/Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, Princeton, New Jersey) and Robert E. Tuleya (Center for Coastal Physical Oceanography, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia), published in Journal of Climate, 17(18), 15 September 2004.    (link posted 8 October 2004)
• Stormy onslaught continues. "But experts say no trend underlies the increase in hurricane damage." Article (dtd 15 Sep 2004) from news@nature.com.  (link posted 8 October 2004)
• What's Behind the Flurry of Hurricanes? Audio segment from National Public Radio's (NPR) All Things Considered (originally broadcast 10 Sept 2004). "Not since the 1960s has Florida been battered by such a rapid succession of hurricanes. But predicting the frequency of hurricanes remains an inexact science."   (link posted 8 October 2004)
• Hurricanes and Global Warming. Audio segment (originally broadcast 10 Sept 2004) from National Public Radio's Living on Earth.  "As images of hurricane destruction pepper the news, host Steve Curwood talks with Kevin Trenberth of the National Center for Atmospheric Research, about the link between hurricane intensity and global warming."   (link posted 8 October 2004)
• Forecast of Atlantic Hurricane Activity for September and October 2004 And Seasonal Update Through August. Report by William Gray et al. (dtd 3 Sept 2004).   (link posted 8 October 2004)
• TRMM Sees Rain from Hurricanes Fall Around the World. Article (dtd 17 August 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory.   (link posted 8 October 2004)
• NASA Data Shows Hurricanes Help Plants Bloom in “Ocean Deserts”. Press release (dtd 17 June 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

NASA Satellites Allow USDA [U.S. Department of Agriculture] to See World's Lakes Rise and Fall. Article (dtd 27 August 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Higher Water Temperatures and Reduced Ice Cover in the Arctic Ocean. Press release (dtd 27 Aug 2004) from the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research.   (link posted 8 October 2004)

When it rains, it pours - Even for the drops that lead to drizzle. Press release (dtd 26 Aug 2004) from DOE/Brookhaven National Lab . In research that could lead to more accurate weather forecasts and climate models, scientists at Brookhaven National Laboratory say a physical limit on the number of cloud droplets that grow big enough to form drizzle paradoxically makes drizzle form faster.   (link posted 8 October 2004)

Moist Soil 'Hot Spots' May Affect Rainfall. Press release (dtd 19 Aug 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory.   (link posted 8 October 2004)

TRMM Sees Rain from Hurricanes Fall Around the World. Article (dtd 17 August 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory.   (link posted 8 October 2004)

Modeling Ocean Behavior: The Key to Understanding Our Future Climate. Article (dtd 12 Aug 2004) from NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS).   (link posted 8 October 2004)

Scientists' Showdown With Soil Moisture At The O.K. Corral. Press release (dtd 30 July 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Monsoons, North American style: NCAR helps probe the Southwest's summer rains. Press release (dtd 29 July 2004) from National Center for Atmospheric Research & University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (NCAR/UCAR).  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Is Less Snow in New England's Forecast? [PDF] Press release (dtd 26 July 2004) from U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the American Meteorological Society.  (link posted 15 October 2004)

Ship-sinking monster waves revealed by ESA satellites. Article (dtd 21 July 2004) from the European Space Agency (ESA).  (link posted 8 October 2004)

Largest-ever deployment of ocean floats. Press release (18 July 2004) from New Zealand's National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA).  (link posted 8 October 2004)

NASA to Decommission Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission. Article (dtd 16 July 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory.  (link posted 8 October 2004)

150 Years of Tides on the Western Coast: The Longest Series of Tidal Observations in the Americas. Feature article (dtd 30 June 2004) from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The U.S. Coast Survey tide station installed in San Francisco Bay, California has produced a 150-year water level record.  (link posted 8 October 2004)  

Changes in water cycle through Australian landscape  Press release (dtd 30 June 2004) from the Cooperative Research Centre for Greenhouse Accounting. "The first reported analysis of evaporation trends in the southern hemisphere has identified significant changes in the cycle of water through the Australian landscape over more than 30 years."  (link posted 8 October 2004)

New National Research Effort Needed to Secure Clean, Adequate Water Supply in Coming Decades. Press release (dtd 17 June 2004) from the National Academies (NAS).   (link posted 8 October 2004)