USGCRP Archives
October 2004 - January 2005

October 2004 - January 2005

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.

Richard Moss recognized by Secretary of Energy for leadership in global and climate change research.  Press release (dtd 17 February 2005) from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.  Richard Moss, director of the U.S. Climate Change Science Program Office, has received the Distinguished Associate Award from the Department of Energy. (posted 8 March 2005)

17-18 February 2005.  Washington, DC.  Strategic Guidance for NSF's Support of the Atmospheric Sciences. Meeting sponsored by the Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate, The National Academies. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

1-3 Feb 2005.  UK Met Office, Exeter.  Avoiding Dangerous Climate Change.  Conference sponsored by UK Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.  See also:  Climate Stabilisation Conference, Exeter 2005. Press release (dtd 4 Nov 2004) from U.K. Met Office. Many of the presentations are available online: (links updated 7 Feb 2005):

• Day 1: 1 Feb 2005
• Day 2: 2 Feb 2005
• Day 3: 3 Feb 2005
  

NASA funded scientists to present findings at Annual AMS Meeting.  Press release (dtd 7 Jan 2004) from NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

NERC Earth Observation Strategy 2004 - 2009.  Report (dtd  December 2004 ) from the UK Natural Environment Research Council. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

ESA presents space solutions at post-Kyoto climate summit. Press release (dtd 20 Dec 2004) from the European Space Agency (ESA).(link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Presentations by Scientists Affiliated with the Earth Institute at Columbia University to the American Geophysical Union, December 2004 Press release (dtd 13 Dec 2004) from the Earth Institute at Columbia University. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Guidelines for Producing CCSP Synthesis and Assessment Products: Announcement Letter.  Letter (dtd 2 Dec 2004) from James R. Mahoney, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere & Director, U.S. Climate Change Science Program, announcing release of Guidelines for Producing CCSP Synthesis and Assessment Products.  (posted 2 Dec 2004)

New Curriculum Promotes Climate Change Education. Press release (dtd 2 Dec 2004) from the Department of Energy (DOE). The National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) has joined with the Keystone Center in Colorado and teachers from around the nation in a first-of-a-kind effort to teach a new curriculum about climate change and carbon sequestration. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Statement by the Honourable Stéphane Dion, P.C., M.P., Canadian Minister of the Environment. Statement (dtd 29 Nov 2004) from The Green Lane. “Watching the Globe Globally” Opening Plenary Session, Fifth Meeting of the Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Group on Earth Observation, Ottawa. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

New NOAA Web Site Keeps An Eye On The Arctic. Press release (dtd 22 Nov 2004) from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

A cold, hard look at a telltale region. Article (dtd 17 Nov 2004) from Christian Science Monitor about the International Polar Year (IPY), (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

New climate education resource for teachers, students is online. Press release (dtd 8 Nov 2004) from Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). Students, teachers, parents and the general public can access information about climate, weather and atmospheric science online through a program offered by LANL and the Department of Energy. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Impacts of a Warming Arctic: Arctic Climate Impact Assessment [Overview].  Produced (2004) by the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA).  Available in hardcopy from Cambridge University Press in December 2004. See also:(links updated posted 12 Jan 2005)

• In melting Arctic, warming is now.  Article (dtd 6 Jan 2005) from Christian Science Monitor. 
• Hearing on Arctic Climate Impact Assessment.  Hearing (16 Nov 2004) before the U.S. Senate, Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation.   
• U.S.-Led International Assessment Finds Arctic is Warming Rapidly, press release (dtd 8 Nov 2004) from U.S. Department of State. 
• 18-page ACIA Highlights brochure [PDF].  Hard copies of the brochure are available from GCRIO Online Catalog.  
• Impacts of a Warming Climate. An 18 minute movie commissioned by the Center for International Climate and Environmental Research (CICERO; Oslo, Norway). Produced by the BBC Natural History Unit, it presents the key findings of the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA). Distributed at the ACIA Scientific Symposium in Reykjavik in November 2004. (Open captioning by Caption Colorado under guidance from the NOAA Office of Global Programs).

Action Needed to Preserve U.S. Lead in Supercomputing. Press release (dtd 8 Nov 2004) from National Academies. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Secretary Abraham Announces Record Breaking Supercomputer Performance. "DOE and IBM partnership on BlueGene/L breaks record on way to full capability."  Press release (dtd November 4, 2004) from the Department of Energy (DOE).(link posted 13 Jan 2005)

UVic Climate Research Gets Super Boost. Article (dtd 2 Nov 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

NOAA Awards $8.4 Million to BTS Professional Services to Study Climate Change. Press release (dtd 6 Oct 2004) from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Climate Change Science and Technology. [PDF] Presentation (dtd 5 Oct 2004) by Dr. Raymond L. Orbach, Director, Office of Science, at "Meeting the Climate Energy Challenge," the third annual Norwegian Forum for Research in the United States, Carnegie Institution, Washington, DC (756 KB PDF). (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Polar research comes in from the cold. Article (dtd 5 Oct 2004) from swissInfo.  "Switzerland has finally become a full member of the international Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR), after 20 years of regular polar studies." (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Celebrating 50 Years of Atmospheric Research in Boulder. Press release (dtd 1 Oct 2004) from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

U.S. Funds Five New Climate Change Centers. Press briefing excerpt (dtd 30 Sep 2004) from U.S. Department of State. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

NASA Eyes Effects of a Giant 'Brown Cloud' Worldwide. Press release (dtd 15 Dec 2004) from NASA.  See also: NASA Scientists Discuss Giant Atmospheric Brown Cloud. Article (dtd 15 Dec 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory.  (links posted 7 Jan 2005)

NASA's Aura: New Eye for Clean Air. Press release (dtd 14 Dec 2004) from NASA. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Carbon dioxide levels also rising fast in New Zealand. Press release (dtd 13 Oct 2004) from the National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research (NIWA), New Zealand.(link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Global air pollution map produced by Envisat's SCIAMACHY. Article (dtd 11 Oct 2004) from the European Space Agency (ESA).(link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Impact of 2002 Canadian Forest Fires Felt 700 Miles Away in Baltimore, Maryland. Article (dtd 2 Dec 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

A new IDEA in air quality monitoring. Article (dtd 18 Nov 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

New UCI institute will uncover how airborne water droplets and dew on surfaces influence air pollution. Press Release (dtd 7 Oct 2004) from the University of California, Irvine.(link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Scientists Call Air Pollution Global Problem. Video segment and transcript (dtd 7 Sep 2004) from PBS's Online News Hour. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Winter biological processes may help spread shrubs in the Arctic.  Press release (dtd 3 Jan 2005) from American Institute of Biological Sciences. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Research in Biogeosciences 2005 (BioGeo).  The Directorate for Geosciences invites the scientific community to submit proposals to conduct innovative research into fundamental geomicrobial processes, which constitute the foundation of the biogeosciences.  Full Proposal Deadline:  February 10, 2005. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Scientists Studying Global Warming Effect on Penguins.  Segment (dtd 17 Dec 2004) from National Public Radio's Morning Edition. (link posted 16 Jan 2005)

Greenland Ice Cores Offer Glimpse Of Weather System History. Press release (dtd 16 Dec 2004) from Ohio State.

NASA Study Finds Tiny Particles in Air May Influence Carbon Sinks. Article (dtd 16 Dec 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Latest census finds more American pika populations disappear as climate warms. Press release (dtd 16 Dec 2004) from World Wildlife Fund (WWF). (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Microbe's Genome Promises Insight Into Earth's Carbon and Sulfur Cycling . Press release (dtd 15 Dec 2004) from National Science Foundation (NSF).(link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Extreme Weather - Does Nature Keep Up?  [PDF] A report by Rik Leemans & Arnold van Vliet (Wageningen University).  See also Climate change impacts on nature worse than thought, press release (dtd 14 Dec 2004) from World Wildlife Fund (WWF). (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Global bird populations face dramatic decline in coming decades, study predicts. Press release (dtd 13 Dec 2004) from Stanford University.(link posted 13 Jan 2005)

NASA Finds Trees and Insect Outbreaks Affect Carbon Dioxide Levels. Article (dtd 13 Dec 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Global Warming Good for Coral Reefs: Research. Article (dtd 9 Dec 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Carbon Sink or Carbon Source? Aerosols Play Significant Role in Shifts. Press release (dtd 8 Dec 2004) from North Carolina State University. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Earth & Sky.  Daily science radio series, currently funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Both transcripts & audio files are provided.  (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

• Climate Extinctions .  "When Earth's climate warms or cools rapidly -- as it did during the ice ages -- animals respond by migrating to more moderate regions. But as human populations grow, there are fewer places for animals to go. " (originally broadcast 20 Dec 2004).

Say Goodbye to Rudolph and Other Reindeer if Global Warming Continues. Article (dtd 1 Dec 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Delays in Cutting Greenhouse Gasses Could Harm Environment. Article (dtd 18 Nov 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

NASA Research Shows Wetland Changes Affect Florida Freezes. Article (dtd 18 Nov 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

NASA Satellite Data to Aid Global Conservation. Article (dtd 18 Nov 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Plankton Cool the Southern Hemisphere.  Article (dtd 17 Nov 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Effects of Global Warming in the U.S. New report on effects of global warming: Observed Impacts of Climate Change in the U.S. Released 9 Nov 2004 by Pew Center on Global Climate Change.  See also Effects of Global Warming: Observed Impacts in U.S., press release (dtd 9 Nov 2004) from the Pew Center on Global Climate Change. See also Global Warming's Impact on U.S. Plants, Animals Determined from Review of Dozens of Studies, article (dtd 8 Nov 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Scientists Find Acid Rain An Unlikely Ally In The Battle Against A Greenhouse Gas. Article (dtd 5 Nov 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

NASA and Partners Create New Worldwide Coral Reef Library. Article (dtd 4 Nov 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Scientists Hunt for Acid Rain and Methane in Wetlands. Press release (dtd 3 Nov 2004) from NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS). (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Food shortages threaten Antarctic wildlife. Press Release (1 Nov 2004) from British Antarctic Survey. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Plankton cool the southern hemisphere. Press release (dtd 2 Nov 2004) from Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research.(link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Bioaerosols: New Element in Climate Mystery. Article (dtd 14 October 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory. Parisa Ariya’s accidental discovery of the power of bioaerosols to generate rapid and dramatic chemical reactions may change – at the very least alter – the course of climate science. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Amphibians in dramatic decline; Up to 122 extinct since 1980. Press release (dtd 14 Oct 2004) from Conservation International.(link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Researchers Find Frozen North May Accelerate Climate Change. Press release (dtd 7 Oct 2004) from Goddard Space Flight Center. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Old bones unearth new date for giant deer's last stand. Press release (dtd 6 Oct 2004) from University College, London. "A new investigation into extinctions caused by climate change has revealed that the giant deer, previously thought to have been wiped out by a cold spell 10,500 years ago, instead survived well into the modern era." (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Diatom genome reveals key role in biosphere's carbon cycle. Press release (dtd 1 Oct 2004) from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Joint Genome Institute. The first genetic instruction manual of a diatom, from a family of microscopic ocean algae that are among the Earth's most prolific carbon dioxide assimilators, has yielded important insights on how the creature uses nitrogen, fats, and silica to thrive."  See also: Unmasking the molecular secrets of marine diatoms,   press release (dtd 5 Oct 2004) from EUROPA.  (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Climate Change Plus Human Pressure Caused Large Mammal Extinctions in Late Pleistocene. Article (dtd 30 Sep 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Warmer and Warmer  Program (originally aired 17 Sep 2004) from PBS's NOW with Bill Moyers. "NOW visits John Harte, a Professor of Environmental Science at the University of California at Berkeley, and examines his unique global warming experiment in Colorado. For over a decade, Harte has been heating a Rocky Mountain meadow to figure out what global warming is going to mean for life on earth." (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Kansas State, Other Universities to Study How Climate Affects Plant Evolution. Article (dtd 16 Sep 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Earth & Sky.  Daily science radio series, currently funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Both transcripts & audio files are provided.  (links posted 7 Jan 2005)

• Climate Study - Part 1. "For 14 years, scientists have been artificially heating up parts of a Colorado meadow. How a big project is helping to answer big questions about climate change and ecosystems."  (originally broadcast 2 Sep 2004).
• Climate Study - Part 2. "Ecologists have shown that as Earth's climate changes, so do communities of plants and animals. But can plants and animals change climate? Climate feedbacks."  (originally broadcast 3 Sep 2004).

IPCC Special Report on Carbon Dioxide Storage and Capture, U.S. Government Review. Invitation to comment on the draft special report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Working Group III.  Page includes links to instructions and to drafts.  To have comments considered as part of the official U.S. position, all U.S. expert comments must be sent to CCSPO at srccs-USGreview@climatescience.gov by COB 23 February 2005. (links posted 13 January 2005)

Annual Energy Outlook (Early Release) - Carbon Dioxide Emissions. Portion of the Overview section of the Annual Energy Outlook (Early Release) (dtd December 2004).  According to the report, carbon dioxide emissions from energy use in the U.S. are projected to increase from 5,789 million metric tons in 2003 to 8,062 million metric tons in 2025. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

WRI unveils new greenhouse gas data and analysis tools.  Press release (dtd 16 Dec 2004) from World Resources Institute (WRI). "The second version of the Climate Analysis Indicator Tool is more functional, more robust, and includes charting and mapping capabilities."  See also: Climate Data: Insights and Observations [PDF].  Report (released 13 Dec 2004) from Pew Center on Climate Change.(link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Microbe's Genome Promises Insight Into Earth's Carbon and Sulfur Cycling . Press release (dtd 15 Dec 2004) from National Science Foundation (NSF).(link posted 13 Jan 2005)

NASA Study Finds Tiny Particles in Air May Influence Carbon Sinks. Article (dtd 16 Dec 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

DOE Asks Regional Partners to Validate Carbon Sequestration Technologies.  Press release (dtd 14 Dec 2004) from Department of Energy (DOE).  "DOE is releasing a solicitation for the second phase of its Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnerships program which will provide up to $100 million over 4 years for field testing and validation of promising sequestration technologies." (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

NASA Finds Trees and Insect Outbreaks Affect Carbon Dioxide Levels. Article (dtd 13 Dec 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

A Deep Sea Hydrocarbon Factory. Article (dtd 10 Dec 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Carbon Sink or Carbon Source? Aerosols Play Significant Role in Shifts. Press release (dtd 8 Dec 2004) from North Carolina State University. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Earth & Sky.  Daily science radio series, currently funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Both transcripts & audio files are provided.  (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

• Tundra Warming . "Studies by climate scientists have suggested that, in the coming century, Earth will warm most intensely near the poles. How the warming poles might contribute to even greater warming" (originally broadcast 17 Dec 2004).

NU Researcher Finds Missing Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide. Article (dtd 1 Dec 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Earth & Sky.  Daily science radio series, currently funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Both transcripts & audio files are provided.   (links posted 7 Jan 2005)

• CO2 and Oceans Part 1.   "Earth's oceans help remove the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. But we're putting more and more carbon dioxide into the air. Can the oceans keep pace?"  (originally broadcast 24 Nov 2004).
• CO2 and Oceans Part 2.  "Scientists say human activities -- like burning fossil fuels -- have pushed levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide higher than they've been in 400 thousand years. How the effects are being felt underwater."  (originally broadcast 25 Nov 2004).

Scientists Hunt for Acid Rain and Methane in Wetlands. Press release (dtd 3 Nov 2004) from NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS). (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Climate Uncertainty with Carbon Dioxide Rise Due to Uncertainty About Aerosols. Article (dtd 1 Nov 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Ocean sampling resumes to pinpoint carbon dioxide sponge. Press release (dtd 19 Oct 2004) from CSIRO. French and Australian scientists resume measurements of Antarctic waters south of Australia this week to assess their capacity as a massive oceanic sponge to absorb greenhouse gases and store them away for hundreds or perhaps thousands of years. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

France and Australia resume Southern Ocean carbon dioxide research. Press release (dtd 18 Oct 2004) from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Australia.(link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Carbon dioxide levels also rising fast in New Zealand. Press release (dtd 13 Oct 2004) from the National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research (NIWA), New Zealand.(link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Diatom genome reveals key role in biosphere's carbon cycle. Press release (dtd 1 Oct 2004) from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Joint Genome Institute. The first genetic instruction manual of a diatom, from a family of microscopic ocean algae that are among the Earth's most prolific carbon dioxide assimilators, has yielded important insights on how the creature uses nitrogen, fats, and silica to thrive."  See also: Unmasking the molecular secrets of marine diatoms,   press release (dtd 5 Oct 2004) from EUROPA.  (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Natural Mineral Locks Up Carbon Dioxide. Article (dtd 2 Sep 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

NASA Scientists Develop Tools for Carbon Management. Article (dtd 2 Sep 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

High-flying observatory reveals land changing to desert. Press release (dtd 20 Dec 2004) from Carnegie Institution.(link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Potential for Enhanced Sequestration of Carbon in Soils Supports Evaluations. Article (dtd 30 Sep 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

The Impact of Climate Change & Variability on Human Health.  Initial announcement of funding opportunity from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). As part of its Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program, EPA seeks applications proposing to conduct assessments of the Impact of Climate Change & Variability on Human Health. Solicitation Opening Date: December 23, 2004.  Solicitation Closing Date: March 24, 2005.  (link posted 16 Jan 2005)

Decision Support Systems Involving Climate Change and Public Health.   Initial announcement of funding opportunity from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).   As part of its Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program, EPA is seeking applications proposing to research decision support systems involving climate change and public health. Solicitation Opening Date: December 23, 2004.  Solicitation Closing Date: March 29, 2005.  (link posted 16 Jan 2005)

Broad Agency Announcement, Department of Transportation (DOT) Center for Climate Change and Environmental Forecasting - Transportation and Climate Change Research. Notice (posted on 23 December 2004) in which the DOT solicits "white papers on original scientific and policy research on the potential links between transportation and climate change and strategies that address the challenges posed by these links." (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

The Indian Ocean Tsunami and Sea Level Rise
Lessons to be Learned.  [PDF]  Brief (dtd 7 Jan 2005) from the Australia Institute.  (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Africa Climate Change Research Report Published. Press release (dtd 16 Dec 2004) from UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs ( Defra). (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

WRI unveils new greenhouse gas data and analysis tools.  Press release (dtd 16 Dec 2004) from World Resources Institute (WRI). "The second version of the Climate Analysis Indicator Tool is more functional, more robust, and includes charting and mapping capabilities." See also Climate Data: Insights and Observations [PDF], report (released 13 Dec 2004) from Pew Center on Climate Change.(link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Emissions of Greenhouse Gases in the United States 2003.  Report (dtd Dec 2004) from the US Energy Information Administration. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Annual Energy Outlook (Early Release) - Carbon Dioxide Emissions. Portion of the Overview section of the Annual Energy Outlook (Early Release) (dtd December 2004).  According to the report, carbon dioxide emissions from energy use in the U.S. are projected to increase from 5,789 million metric tons in 2003 to 8,062 million metric tons in 2025. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

The Benefits of Climate Change Policies: Analytical and Framework Issues. Report (dtd Dec 2004) from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

Permafrost warming a challenge to Tibetan train route, says U. of Colorado researcher. Press release (dtd 13 Dec 2004) from University of Colorado.(link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Come together: US researcher calls for integration on climate. Press release (dtd 6 Dec 2004) from Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). "Policies to address climate change could reduce the odds of extreme warming, but researchers urgently need to bring together predictions from diverse areas of the economy, society and environment to inform such policies." (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Man mostly to blame for 2003 heat wave. Press release (dtd 1 Dec 2004) from UK Met Office. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Trace Gases Key to Halting Global Warming, NASA Scientists Say. Press release (dtd 19 Nov 2004) from the U.S. Department of State. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Global warming is not urban. Press release (dtd 18 Nov 2004) from U.K. Met Office. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Valuing Ecosystem Services: Toward Better Environmental Decision-Making.  Report (released 26 Oct 2004) from the National Research Council. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Threat of future climate shift looms. Article (dtd 6 Oct 2004) from The California Aggie. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

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 the National Science Foundation (NSF). (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Scientists study ocean to understand global cooling.  Press release (dtd 6 Jan 2005) from University of Rhode Island.   "In the current issue of Nature, URI Graduate School of Oceanography (GSO) visiting scientist Helen Coxall describes how the deepening of the CCD in the Pacific Ocean correlated to global cooling approximately 34 million years ago, when the first significant permanent ice sheets appeared on Antarctica." (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Antarctic iced over when greenhouse gases – not ocean currents – shifted, study suggests. Press release (dtd 27 Dec 2004) from Purdue University. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Evidence for sun-climate link reported by UMaine scientists. Press release (dtd 22 Dec 2004) from University of Maine.(link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Major Climate Change Occurred 5,200 Years Ago: Evidence Suggests That History Could Repeat Itself. Press release (dtd 15 Dec 2004) from Ohio State. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

50,000-Year-old Plant May Warn Of The Death Of Tropical Ice Caps. Press release (dtd 15 Dec 2004) from Ohio State. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

New Ocean Drilling Research Findings Presented at American Geophysical Union. Press release (dtd 13 Dec 2004) from National Science Foundation (NSF).(link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Historic Himalayan ice dams created huge lakes, mammoth floods. Press release (dtd 13 Dec 2004) from University of Washington. "Ice dams across the deepest gorge on Earth created some of the highest-elevation lakes in history. New research shows the most recent of these lakes broke through its ice barrier somewhere between 600 and 900 AD, causing massive torrents of water to pour through the Himalayas into India from Tibet." (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Research icebreaker ‘Polarstern’ drifting in Antarctic ice. Press release (9 Dec 2004) from the Alfred-Wegener-Institut fuer Polarforschung Bremerhaven. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Earth & Sky.  Daily science radio series, currently funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Both transcripts & audio files are provided.(link posted 13 Jan 2005)

• New Ice Core.    "What was the climate like three quarters of a million years ago? In the Antarctic, scientists are finding out. Drilling down -- to look back in time."  (originally broadcast 29 Nov 2004).(link posted 13 Jan 2005)
• Oxygen from the Sea . "Two and a half billion years ago, tiny marine organisms evolved the ability to photosynthesize, and released oxygen into the sea and the air. " (originally broadcast 6 Nov 2004).

New Findings from Arctic Coring Expedition Decipher Arctic Climate Puzzles. Article (dtd 17 Nov 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Not the end, but beginning of the world as we know it. Press release (dtd 10 Nov 2004) from Penn State. "Widespread volcanic activity, cyanobacteria and global glaciation may sound like the plot of a new, blockbuster disaster movie, but in reality, they are all events in the mystery surrounding the development of our oxygen-rich atmosphere, according to a Penn State geoscientist." (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Look at Past Sea-Level Rise Points to Troubling Future. Article (dtd 9 Nov 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

The Sun Is More Active Now Than Over The Last 8000 Years. Article (dtd 28 Oct 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Two Thousand Years of American Drought. Article (dtd 18 Oct 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory. See also Scientists Reconstruct the History of Drought for North America,  press release (dtd 7 Oct 2004) from The Earth Institute at Columbia University. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Arctic expedition breaks ice on global warming. Article (dtd 7 Oct 2004) from The Michigan Daily. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Old bones unearth new date for giant deer's last stand. Press release (dtd 6 Oct 2004) from University College, London. "A new investigation into extinctions caused by climate change has revealed that the giant deer, previously thought to have been wiped out by a cold spell 10,500 years ago, instead survived well into the modern era." (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Twentieth “Polarstern” expedition to Arctic is drawing to a close. Press release (dtd 1 Oct 2004) from the Alfred-Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Evidence Shaky for Sun's Major Role in Past Climate Changes. Article (dtd 30 Sep 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

University of Maine Shares Ice Core Technology with China. Article (dtd 16 Sep 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Past Antarctic Ice Sheet Development Linked to Ocean Temperatures and Carbon Dioxide. Article (dtd 16 Sep 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

North Greenland Reveals Gradual, Abrupt Climate Swings. Article (dtd 8 Sep 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

For lots of other links especially useful to students and teachers, see our general page on Educational Resources

Up-to-Date Weather, Climate & Wildfire Summaries

Uncertainty in predictions of the climate response to rising levels of greenhouse gases. [PDF] Article published in the journal Nature (27 January 2005). "Here we present results from the ‘climateprediction.net’ experiment, the first multi-thousand-member grand ensemble of simulations using a general circulation model and thereby explicitly resolving regional details." (posted 27 January 2005)

Drought's growing reach: NCAR study points to global warming as key factor.   Press release (dtd 10 Jan 2005) from NSF and NCAR. The percentage of Earth's land area stricken by serious drought has more than doubled since the 1970s, according to a new analysis by scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). Rising global temperatures appear to be a major factor. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Most changes in Earth's shape are due to changes in climate.  Press release (dtd 7 Jan 2005) from NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Living in Sunny Times. Article (dtd Jan/Feb 2005) from American Scientist Online. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Black Soot and Snow: A Warmer Combination.  Press release (dtd 22 Dec 2004) from NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS). (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Radiative Forcing of Climate Change: Expanding the Concept and Addressing Uncertainties.  Report (released 16 Dec 2004) from the National Academies' Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate. The report, requested by the CCSP, examines the current state of knowledge regarding the direct and indirect radiative forcing effects of gases, aerosols, land-use, and solar variability on the climate of the Earth's surface and atmosphere. It also identifies research needed to improve our understanding of these effects.

Shutdown of Circulation Pattern Could Be Disastrous, Researchers Say. Article (dtd 14 Dec 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

The secret life of acid dust. Press release (dtd 14 Dec 2004) from Department of Energy (DOE), Pacific Northwest Laboratory. "Dry dust reacts with gaseous pollutants to form dewy particles whose sunlight-reflecting and cloud-altering properties are unaccounted for in atmospheric climate models, according to a new study from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory." (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Researchers Improve Predictions of Cloud Formation For Better Global Climate. Press release (dtd 13 Dec 2004) from National Science Foundation (NSF).(link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Columbia Team Shows How Stratospheric Conditions Affect Weather. Article (dtd 8 Dec 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

NASA Study Links Wind and Current Changes to Indian Ocean Warming. Press release (dtd 2 Dec 2004) from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Earth & Sky.  Daily science radio series, currently funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Both transcripts & audio files are provided.   (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

• Climate Change Causes .  "In the past couple of decades, climate scientists have speculated that the sun might play a large role in the changing of Earth's climate. How a new study casts doubt on that idea."  (originally broadcast 1 Dec 2004).

Sea-Level Clue to Climate Change. Article (dtd 1 Dec 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Man mostly to blame for 2003 heat wave. Press release (dtd 1 Dec 2004) from UK Met Office. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Stratosphere Temperature Data Support Scientists' Proof for Global Warming. Article (dtd 29 Nov 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

U.S. Climate Reference Network Proves Valuable. Press release (dtd 18 Nov 2004) from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Global warming is not urban. Press release (dtd 18 Nov 2004) from U.K. Met Office. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Trace gases are key to halting global warming. Press release (dtd 18 Nov 2004) from the Earth Institute at Columbia University. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Earth & Sky.  Daily science radio series, currently funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Both transcripts & audio files are provided.  (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

• Oceans and Climate . "Earth's climate is affected by many things, including the sun's heat, the frequency of volcanoes, greenhouse gases, and the flow of ocean water." (originally broadcast 7 Nov 2004).

Researchers Find Frozen North May Accelerate Climate Change. Article (dtd 12 Oct 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Earth & Sky.  Daily science radio series, currently funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Both transcripts & audio files are provided. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

• Sun and Climate.  "The sun's energy powers everything here on Earth. So people have wondered how much and how often the sun changes its energy output. The sun's effect on Earth's changing climate.  (originally broadcast 7 Oct 2004).

Drought in the West Linked to Warmer Temperatures. Article (dtd 7 Oct 2004) from The Earth Institute News, Columbia University.(link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Study Shows Potential for Antarctic Climate Change. Article (dtd 6 Oct 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Project Investigates Lightning's Impact on Climate Change. Article (dtd 22 Sep 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Researchers Discover 'Hole' in Global Warming Predictions. Article (dtd 21 Sep 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

NASA's Grace Gravity Mission Weighs in on Earth's Changing Climate. Press release (dtd 9 Sep 2004) from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Earth & Sky.  Daily science radio series, currently funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Both transcripts & audio files are provided. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

• Earthshine.  "An unusual way to get a tan in the winter is by basking in the snow -- and its reflected sunlight. A scientist talks about the reflection from all of Earth, and climate change."  (originally broadcast 9 Sep 2004).

Ocean Sponging Up Some Warmth Over Next 50 Years. Research news story (dtd 3 Sep 2004) from NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS). (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Modeling Ocean Behavior: The Key to Understanding Our Future Climate. Research news story (dtd 12 Aug 2004) from NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS). (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Recent Atmospheric Conditions & Impacts:

• Up-to-Date Weather, Climate & Wildfire Summaries
• 2004 in Historical Perspective.  Press release (dtd 13 Jan 2005) from National Climatic Data Center. (link posted 13 Jan 2005).
• NOAA Reports Wet, Warm Year for the U.S. in 2004. Press release (16 Dec 2004) from National Weather Service. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)
• 2004: Another warm year. Press release (dtd 16 Dec 2004) from UK Met Office. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)
• Global Temperatures in 2004 Fourth Warmest [MS Word file].  Press release (dtd 15 Dec 2004) from the World Meteorological Organization (WHO). 
• Global hazards and significant events. Nov 2004. Monthly summary (last updated 13 Dec 2004) from the National Climatic Data Center.(link posted 13 Jan 2005)
• Global hazards and significant events. Reports from the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) (links posted 7 Jan 2005)
  • Nov 2004 (updated 13 Dec 2004)
  • Oct 2004 (updated 16 Nov 2004).
  • Sept 2004 (updated 21 Oct 2004)
  • Aug 2004 (updated 16 Sept 2004)

Hurricanes:

• Extended Range Forecast of Atlantic Seasonal Hurricane Activity for 2005. Report (dtd 3 Dec 2004) by William M. Gray and Philip J. Klotzbach (Colorado State University). (link posted 13 Jan 2005)
• Highlights of NOAA's 2004 Hurricane Research. Press release (dtd 1 Dec 2004) from NOAA. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)
• NOAA Provides Wrap-Up on Very Active 2004 Atlantic Hurricane Season. Press release (dtd 30 Nov 2004) from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). (link posted 13 Jan 2005)
• Summary of 2004 Atlantic Tropical Cyclone Activity and Verification of Author's Seasonal and Monthly Forecasts. Report (dtd 19 Nov 2004) from William M. Gray and Philip J. Klotzbach (Colorado State University).(link posted 13 Jan 2005)
• Atlantic Hurricane Season Summary. Report (Updated 14 October 2004) from The National Climatic Data Center (NCDC). (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Get Ready for the Largest Demolition Derby on the Planet.  Press release (dtd 6 Jan 2005) from NASA.  "Scientists say Slow-Motion Collision Near Antarctic Research Station Imminent." (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

NASA Will Operate TRMM Satellite Through Spring 2005.  Press release (dtd 4 January 2005) from NASA's Earth Observatory.

Greenland´s thinning ice sheet could be saved by snow. Press release (dtd 20 Dec 2004) from University of Sheffield (UK). (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

B-15A Iceberg Blocks McMurdo Sound. Article (dtd 14 Dec 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Researchers Improve Predictions of Cloud Formation For Better Global Climate. Press release (dtd 13 Dec 2004) from National Science Foundation (NSF).(link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Researchers improve predictions of cloud formation for better global climate modeling. Press release (dtd 10 Dec 2004) from Georgia Institute of Technology Research News.(link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Ocean Tides Spread Massive Icebergs: Study. Article (dtd 8 Dec 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Observed Changes in Arctic Sea Ice Cover and Projections for the Future.   Press release (dtd 16 Nov 2004) from National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC). (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Climate change to increase extreme rainfall. Press release (dtd 9 Nov 2004) from Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO).  "The climate of 2040 is likely to bring more intense and more frequent extreme rainfall events to coastal eastern Australia, according to a CSIRO climate expert." (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

TRMM Satellite Proves El Niño Holds the Reins on Global Rains. Article (dtd 8 Nov 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Warming signs: thinner glaciers and saltier oceans. Commentary (dtd 7 Oct 2004) from the Christian Science Monitor.(link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Arctic Sea Ice Decline Continues. Press release (dtd 4 Oct 2004) from the National Snow and Ice Data Center.(link posted 13 Jan 2005)

New Structure Found Deep within West Antarctic Ice Sheet. Article (dtd 23 Sep 2004) from NASA's Earth Observatory. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

Glaciers Surge When Ice Shelf Breaks Up. Press release (dtd 21 Sep 2004) from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). See also: (links posted 13 Jan 2005)

• Study Links Glaciers, Warmer Waters. Audio Segment (dtd 23 Sep 2004) from National Public Radio's (NPR) All Things Considered. 
• Scientists Report Increased Thinning of West Antarctic Glaciers. Press release (dtd 23 Sep 2004) from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). (link posted 13 Jan 2005)

News from NSIDC, National Snow and Ice Data Center.  Press release (21 Sep 2004) from the NSIDC. (link posted 13 Jan 2005)