New NASA Index Sheds Light on Droughts
August 30 — NASA has a new tool designed to keep a close watch over our plants and help researchers do a better job of monitoring periods of drought. The new Multi-spectral Drought Index measures the impacts of too little water or too much rainfall on vegetation. More

New View on the Culprits Behind Climate Warming
August 29 — New research by James Hansen of the Goddard Institute for Space Studies suggests that fossil fuel burning may not be as important in the mechanics of climate change as previously thought. Hansen's research suggests that recent climate warming has been mainly caused by air pollution containing non-carbon dioxide greenhouse gases. More

Pacific Calms Down After Los Niños Depart
August 29 — After three years of El Nino and La Nina with their often devastating climate consequences, the Pacific is finally calming down in the tropics but still shows signs of being abnormal elsewhere, according to the latest satellite data from the U.S.-French TOPEX/Poseidon mission. More

New View of the Shifting Arctic Ice Cover
August 21 — NASA researchers have new insights into the mysteries of Arctic sea ice, thanks to the unique abilities of Canada's RADARSAT satellite. Scientists can now see the complete ice cover of the Arctic and track any shifts and changes, in unprecedented detail, over the course of an entire winter. More

Terra Spacecraft and ER-2 Aircraft Begin South Africa Environment Study
August 18 — NASA's Terra spacecraft and ER-2 high-altitude aircraft began synchronized scientific observations over Southern Africa, as part of a six-week Southern African Regional Science Initiative (SAFARI 2000) to study the region's ecosystems, air quality and land use. More

"Pacific Decadal Oscillation" Packs a One-Two Punch
August 1 — The Pacific Ocean suffers periodic "mood swings" that have a dramatic impact on our weather. These climate phenomenon, known as Pacific Decadal Oscillation, are shifts in the ocean's temperature that scientists once thought cycled every 15-20 years. New NASA research shows there may be a second, much longer, pattern that lasts about 70 years. More

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