NASA: National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationEarth Observatory

Media Alerts: June 2005

  1. May 2005
  2. July 2005
  1. Are Aerosols Reducing Coastal Drizzle and Increasing Cloud Cover? June 30, 2005

    Scientists are involved in new research to determine if small particles such as soot, dust and smoke, influence the structure of marine stratus clouds and how these particles are associated with drizzle. (U.S. Department of Energy press release)

  2. Oceans Turning to Acid from Rise in Carbon Dioxide June 30, 2005

    A new report suggests that if carbon dioxide emissions from human activities continue to rise, the oceans will become so acidic by 2100 it could threaten marine life in ways we cannot anticipate. (Carnegie Institution press release)

  3. UCAR Training Helps Forecasters Predict Rip Currents June 30, 2005

    Innovative online courses developed at the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research are helping forecasters protect the public from rip currents. (University Corporation for Atmospheric Research press release)

  4. Warmer Air May Cause Increased Antarctic Sea Ice Cover June 29, 2005

    Predicted increases in precipitation due to warmer air temperatures from greenhouse gas emissions may actually increase sea ice volume in the Antarctic's Southern Ocean. (American Geophysical Union press release)

  5. Sunshine Mapping from Space Means Brighter Solar Energy Future June 29, 2005

    Accurate and continent-wide scale measurements of ground radiances are now provided every 15 minutes by ESA's Meteosat Second Generation satellite. (European Space Agency press release)

  6. NCAR Analysis Shows Widespread Pollution from 2004 Wildfires June 29, 2005

    Wildfires in Alaska and Canada in 2004 emitted about as much carbon monoxide as did human-related activities in the continental United States during the same time period, according to new research. (National Center for Atmospheric Research press release)

  7. Research: Florida Getting Better at Protecting Homes from Hurricanes June 28, 2005

    New Florida homes withstood last year's four hurricanes better than their older counterparts -- thanks in large measure to continued improvements in the state's hurricane building code, say University of Florida engineers. (University of Florida press release)

  8. Growth Secrets of Alaska's Mysterious Field of Lakes June 27, 2005

    The thousands of oval lakes that dot Alaska's North Slope are some of the fastest-growing lakes on the planet and new research suggests heat waves are the likely cause. (University of Arizona press release)

  9. 'Apollo Program' for Hydrogen Energy Needed, Stanford Researcher Says June 24, 2005

    Researchers find that vehicles powered with hydrogen fuel cells will greatly improve air quality, health and climate - especially if wind is used to generate the electricity needed to split water and make hydrogen in a pollution-less process. (Stanford University press release)

  10. New Findings Show Persistent El Nino-Like Conditions during Past Global Warming June 23, 2005

    During the most recent period in Earth's past with a climate warmer than today, the tropical Pacific was in a stable state of El Ni�o-like conditions, according to a new study. (University of California-Santa Cruz press release)

  11. Deep Sea Algae Connect Ancient Climate, Carbon Dioxide and Vegetation June 22, 2005

    Researchers have mapped the first detailed history of atmospheric carbon dioxide between 45 and 25 million years ago based on stable isotopes of carbon. (Yale University press release)

  12. Jet Skis and Quad Bikes Help Scientists Predict and Monitor Storm Damage June 21, 2005

    Every winter hundreds of British homes are at risk from being flooded when storms strike and now quad bikes, jet skis and computer models are being used by scientists and engineers to measure and predict storm damage. (Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council press release)

  13. Researchers Find Evidence of Photosynthesis Deep Within the Ocean June 20, 2005

    A team of researchers has found evidence of photosynthesis taking place deep within the Pacific Ocean, with significant implications for the resiliency of life on Earth and possibly on other planets. (Arizona State University press release)

  14. Could Better Mangrove Habitats Have Spared Lives in the 2004 Tsunami? June 20, 2005

    In the aftermath of the December 2004 tsunami disaster in Southeast Assa, academics and politicians alike are trying to investigate how the number of casualties could have been reduced and how such severe damage can be avoided if a tsunami ever strikes again. (Cell Press news release)

  15. Assessing the Amazon River's Sensitivity to Deforestation June 20, 2005

    Understanding how the Amazon River varies in time, what causes those variations, and how sensitive it will be to ongoing and accelerating deforestation is a focus of new research. (Woods Hole Research Center press release)

  16. Street-level London Air Pollution Warnings Coming via Mobile Phones June 17, 2005

    The air pollution in Central London and the London borough of Croydon is being forecast daily as part of a pioneering ESA-backed project. (European Space Agency press release)

  17. Millennium Ecosystem Assessment: Many of 2 Billion Dryland Dwellers at Risk as Land Degrades June 16, 2005

    Growing desertification worldwide threatens to swell by millions the number of poor forced to seek new homes and livelihoods. (United Nations University press release)

  18. NCAR Climate Expert: Hurricanes to Intensify as Earth Warms June 16, 2005

    Warmer oceans, more moisture in the atmosphere, and other factors suggest that human-induced climate change will increase hurricane intensity and rainfall, according to a climate expert. (National Center for Atmospheric Research press release)

  19. New NIST Method Improves Accuracy of Spectrometers June 16, 2005

    Measurements of the intensity of light at different wavelengths can be made more accurately now, thanks to a new, simple method for correcting common instrument errors. (National Institute of Standards and Technology press release)

  20. Improved Water Vapor Sensor Takes to the Skies June 15, 2005

    A new water vapor sensor will improve a wide range of weather forecasts to make flying safer, allow airlines to expand routes, provide alternate landing options, and save fuel. (National Center for Atmospheric Research press release)

  21. Study Shows Eutrophic Lakes May Not Recover for a Millennium June 13, 2005

    Although it has taken just 60 years for humans to put many freshwater lakes on the eutrophication fast track, a new study shows their recovery may take a thousand years under the best of circumstances. (University of Wisconsin-Madison press release)

  22. First Test of Predictions of Climate Change Impacts on Biodiversity June 13, 2005

    A study published in the journal Global Ecology and Biogeography represents the first real test of the performance of computer models used to forecast how species will change their geographic ranges in response to the Earth's changing climate. (Blackwell Publishing press release)

  23. Scientists Gain Insight into Spring Onset, Better Forecasting Expected June 13, 2005

    Scientists have discovered that the interplay between two layers of the atmosphere plays a major role in the arrival of spring, a finding that could lead to improved weather and climate forecasting. (Georgia Institute of Technology press release)

  24. GINA Collaboration to Boost Response to Summer Fires June 13, 2005

    Armed with images from Landsat 5 and MODIS satellites, fire personnel will use the Geographic Information Network of Alaska to track hot spots and fire movement, even under smoke that may ground mapping aircraft. (University of Alaska-Fairbanks press release)

  25. Scripps Studies Provide New Details about Antarctic Iceberg Detachment June 13, 2005

    Research has uncovered details of ice shelf "rifting" - ice fracturing that cuts through the entire thickness of an ice shelf and represents the first stage of the process in which icebergs eventually break away from the main ice mass - on East Antarctica's Amery Ice Shelf. (Scripps Institution of Oceanography press release)

  26. Hot Volcanic Eruptions Could Lead to a Cooler Earth June 10, 2005

    Volcanic eruptions may be an agent of rapid and long-term climate change, according to new research by British scientists. (American Geophysical Union press release)

  27. "Sinkers" Provide Missing Piece in Deep-Sea Puzzle June 10, 2005

    Scientists may have solved one of the biggest questions in modern oceanography: how animals in the deep sea get enough to eat. (Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute press release)

  28. Space Measurements of Carbon Offer Clearer View of Earth's Climate Future June 10, 2005

    Follow the carbon - this is the mantra of researchers seeking to understand climate change and forecast its likely extent. (European Space Agency press release)

  29. Tsunami Research Shows Destructive Path Worse in Developed Areas June 9, 2005

    Some areas of Sri Lanka were devastated more than others in last December's tsunami and the increased destruction follows human development along coastal regions. (Arizona State University press release)

  30. York Scientists Warn of Dramatic Impact of Climate Change on Africa June 9, 2005

    Scientists at the University of York are warning that dramatic changes may soon occur in Africa's vegetation in response to global warming. (University of York press release)

  31. Study Shows Radars Save Lives June 9, 2005

    Tornado warnings have improved significantly and the number of tornado casualties has decreased by nearly half since a network of Doppler weather radars were installed nationwide, according to a new study. (American Meteorological Society press release)

  32. World Ocean Day: How Satellites Safeguard Our Waters June 8, 2005

    Our seas influence the climate, produce most of the oxygen we breathe, serve as a means of transport and a major source of food and resources - and satellite monitoring helps protect them. (European Space Agency press release)

  33. Soil Emissions are Much-Bigger-Than-Expected Component of Air Pollution June 6, 2005

    Nitrogen oxides produced by huge fires and fossil fuel combustion are a major component of air pollution and are the primary ingredients in ground-level ozone, a pollutant harmful to human health and vegetation. (University of Washington press release)

  34. New Findings Show a Slow Recovery from Extreme Global Warming Episode 55 Million Years Ago June 6, 2005

    Most of the excess carbon dioxide pouring into the atmosphere from the burning of fossil fuels will ultimately be absorbed by the oceans, but it will take about 100,000 years. (University of California - Santa Cruz press release)

  35. Disappearing Arctic Lakes Linked to Climate Change June 3, 2005

    New research shows continued arctic warming may be causing a decrease in the number and size of Arctic lakes. (University of Alaska-Fairbanks press release)

  36. Scripps-led Global Ocean Warming Research Paper Published in Science June 2, 2005

    Research by scientists at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography describes the first clear evidence of human-produced warming in the world's oceans. (University of California-San Diego press release)

  37. Rapid-Scanning Doppler on Wheels Keeps Pace with Twisters June 1, 2005

    A multi-beam Doppler radar that scans storms every 5 to 10 seconds is prowling the Great Plains this month in search of its first close-up tornado. (National Center for Atmospheric Research press release)

  38. Looking Deep In Earth, Researchers See Upwellings That Could Be Root of Volcanic Islands June 1, 2005

    Seismologists have located a relatively small and isolated patch of exotic material deep within the Earth that may be a "root" for mantle plumes that connect Earth's hot and tumultuous core to the surface. (Arizona State University press release)