The solar system, billions of years old, holds many secrets about its formation. Among its fascinating residents is Chiron, a centaur orbiting between Jupiter and Neptune. 



New findings by scientists using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) shed light on this hybrid of comet and asteroid, revealing unprecedented insights into its surface chemistry and activity.



The study was led by Dr. Noemí Pinilla-Alonso of the University of Oviedo and Dr. Charles Schambeau from the University of Central Florida (UCF). Their findings could reshape our understanding of centaurs and the solar system’s early history.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-time-capsules-of-the-solar-system">Time capsules of the solar system </h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/deep-space-objects-called-centaurs-29p-continue-to-perplex-nasa/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Centaurs</a> are objects with dual characteristics, straddling the line between asteroids and comets. 



Chiron, discovered in 1977, is unique even among centaurs. It exhibits comet-like behavior, including a coma - a cloud of gas and dust - alongside distinct surface and interior features.



Dr. Pinilla-Alonso emphasizes that centaurs act as “time capsules,” preserving information about the solar system’s formation. "All small bodies in the solar system talk to us about how it was back in time,” she explained. 



Chiron’s activity, driven by solar heating, offers a rare opportunity to explore these preserved secrets.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unprecedented-chemical-diversity-in-a-centaur">Unprecedented chemical diversity in a centaur</h2>



Using <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/webb/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">JWST</a>, the team discovered that Chiron's surface hosts carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide ice. Its coma contains methane and other gases, marking the first detection of such diversity in a centaur. 



“These results are like nothing we’ve seen before,” noted Dr. Schambeau from <a href="https://www.ucf.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UCF</a>.



JWST’s advanced capabilities allowed the researchers to study Chiron even at its farthest point from the Sun. This distance usually limits the activity of similar objects, such as trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs).



Unlike <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/comet-will-be-visible-for-the-first-time-in-50000-years/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">comets</a> closer to the Sun, Chiron’s thinner coma offers clearer insights into its surface chemistry.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chiron-s-ice-and-gas-dynamics">Chiron's ice and gas dynamics</h2>



Dr. Pinilla-Alonso noted that Chiron’s dual nature makes it invaluable for studying processes in both comets and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/two-large-asteroids-will-pass-near-earth-this-week/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">asteroids</a>. 



"What is unique about Chiron is that we can observe both the surface and the coma,” she said.



This dual observation provides critical information about the ice layer's thickness, porosity, and chemical properties.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/2060-Chiron_coma_asteroid-comet-hybrid_credit-USF_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/2060-Chiron_coma_asteroid-comet-hybrid_credit-USF_1s.webp" alt="Artist's impression of 2060 Chiron, an active centaur, surrounded by a faint disc of debris. Bright icy deposits and active areas are visible on its surface. Credtis: William D. González Sierra of the Florida Space Institute, University of Central Florida." class="wp-image-1954508"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Artist's impression of 2060 Chiron, an active centaur, surrounded by a faint disc of debris. Bright icy deposits and active areas are visible on its surface. Credtis: William D. González Sierra of the Florida Space Institute, University of Central Florida.</figcaption></figure>



JWST’s observations revealed the coexistence of primordial ices, such as methane and water, and newer compounds formed through surface processes. 



“Every active centaur we observe shows some peculiarity,” said Dr. Pinilla-Alonso. Understanding these peculiarities may uncover patterns across these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/once-in-a-lifetime-comet-will-be-easily-visible-this-month/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">enigmatic objects</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-an-oddball-among-centaurs">An oddball among centaurs</h2>



Chiron stands out due to its unusual behavior, including comet-like activity and potential rings of debris. 



Dr. Schambeau describes it as “an oddball” with a unique thermophysical process. He analyzed methane in Chiron’s coma, linking its outflow to sun-heated regions on its surface.



These findings deepen our understanding of <a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/2060-chiron_debris-disk_asteroid-comet-hybrid_credit-USF_1big.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">centaurs’ evolution and behavior</a>. 



Chiron’s dynamic environment provides clues about how solar heating influences its surface and subsurface, offering a glimpse into processes shaping similar bodies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-origins-and-future-of-chiron">Origins and future of Chiron</h2>



Chiron likely originated in the TNO region before moving into its current orbit. Gravitational interactions with giant planets alter the paths of centaurs, exposing them to varied environments.



Dr. Pinilla-Alonso explained that centaurs typically remain in the giant planets’ region for about a million years before being ejected. “They may end their lives as Jupiter Family comets or return to the TNOs region."



Chiron’s journey across the solar system exposes it to solar radiation, driving surface changes and creating its unique chemical composition. 



Understanding this evolution provides valuable insights into the early solar system.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-broader-implications-of-chiron-s-discovery">Broader implications of Chiron’s discovery</h2>



The study’s implications extend beyond Chiron. Identifying gases and ices on distant objects enhances our understanding of the solar system’s building blocks. 



These findings could also inform future research on centaurs and other icy bodies.



Dr. Pinilla-Alonso noted that JWST’s spectra revealed intricate details about Chiron’s ices and their interactions. "Based on our new JWST data, I’m not so sure we have a standard centaur."



Further studies may uncover shared traits among centaurs, offering a clearer picture of their origins and diversity.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-learning-more-about-centaurs">Learning more about centaurs</h2>



The researchers from <a href="https://www.uniovi.es" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Oviedo</a> and UCF plan to continue observing Chiron as it approaches the Sun.



Closer proximity will enable more detailed studies of its surface and coma, potentially uncovering new chemical and physical properties.



Future research may also explore seasonal variations and illumination effects on Chiron’s ice reservoir. Such studies could refine our understanding of how centaurs interact with their environments and evolve over time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unveiling-the-mysteries-of-the-solar-system">Unveiling the mysteries of the solar system</h2>



The JWST, an international collaboration led by NASA, has revolutionized space science. 



Its ability to observe distant objects like Chiron is solving long-standing mysteries about the solar system and beyond. These discoveries highlight the telescope’s transformative impact on planetary science.



“JWST has made these detections accessible. These results enhance our understanding of Chiron’s interior composition and its unique behaviors,” concluded Dr. Schambeau.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-chapter-in-solar-system-exploration">New chapter in solar system exploration</h2>



Chiron’s unique chemistry and activity mark a significant milestone in understanding the solar system’s origins. 



The ongoing research, powered by JWST’s capabilities, promises to unravel more secrets about this enigmatic centaur and its <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/its-official-earth-now-has-two-moons-captured-asteroid-2024-pt5/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">counterparts</a>.



Through Chiron, scientists are not just uncovering the past - they are laying the groundwork for future exploration of icy bodies across the solar system.



“The analysis of Chiron’s gases and ices opens new frontiers and opportunities for exciting research,” said Dr. Pinilla-Alonso.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.aanda.org/articles/aa/full_html/2024/12/aa50124-24/aa50124-24.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Astronomy &amp; Astrophysics</a>.



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Rare asteroid-comet hybrid is unlike anything ever seen before

The solar system, billions of years old, holds many secrets about its formation. Among its fascinating residents is Chiron, a centaur orbiting between Jupiter and Neptune. New findings by scientists using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) shed light on this hybrid of comet and asteroid, revealing unprecedented insights into its surface chemistry and activity. The study was led by Dr. Noemí Pinilla-Alonso of the University of Oviedo and Dr. Charles Schambeau from the University of Central Florida (UCF). Their findings could reshape our understanding of centaurs...

<div>The cataclysmic 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/non-human-nature-rights/">Philippines</a> masked the full impact of greenhouse gases on accelerating sea level rise, according to a new study. Mount Pinatubo eruption masked accelerating sea level rise</div>
<div>

"These scientists have disentangled the major role played by the volcanic eruption of Mount Pinatubo on trends in global mean sea level," said Anjuli Bamzai, program director in the National Science Foundation's Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences, which funded the research. "This research is vital as society prepares for the potential effects of climate change." <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA">NASA</a>

Satellite observations of the ocean surface, which began in 1993, indicated the rate of sea level rise was holding fairly steady at about 3 millimeters per year. As the pace of warming oceans and melting glaciers and ice sheets accelerated, scientists expected to see a corresponding increase in the rate of sea level rise. Analysis of the satellite record has not borne that out, however.

Researchers have now determined that the expected increase in sea level rise due to climate change was likely hidden because of a happenstance of timing: Pinatubo erupted in 1991, two years before the first satellite observations of the ocean began. The eruption, which temporarily cooled the planet, caused sea levels to drop and effectively distorted calculations of sea level rise in subsequent decades.

The study lends support to climate model projections that show the rate of sea level rise escalating over time as the climate warms. The findings were published today in the open-access journal Scientific Reports, published by Nature Publishing Group.

"When we used climate model runs designed to remove the effect of the Pinatubo eruption, we saw the rate of sea level rise accelerating in our simulations," said National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) scientist John Fasullo, who led the study. "Now that the impacts of Pinatubo have faded, this acceleration should become evident in the satellite measurements in the coming decade, barring another major volcanic eruption."

Study co-author Steve Nerem of the University of Colorado Boulder, added: "The study shows that large volcanic eruptions can significantly impact the satellite record of global average sea level change. So we must be careful to consider these effects when we look for the effects of climate change in the satellite-based sea level record."

The findings have implications for the extent of sea level rise this century and may be useful to coastal communities planning for the future. Decision-makers have debated whether communities should make plans based on the steady rate of sea level rise as measured by satellites in recent decades, or based on the accelerated rate expected in the future as predicted by climate scientists.

Reconstructing a pre-Pinatubo world

Fasullo and Nerem, along with Benjamin Hamlington of Old Dominion University, wanted to pin down how quickly sea levels were rising in the decades before the satellite record began.

Prior to the launch of the international TOPEX/Poseidon satellite mission in late 1992, sea level was mainly measured using tide gauges. For the researchers, variations in measurement technique and location meant that the pre-satellite record was best used to get a ballpark estimate of global mean sea level.

To complement the historic record, the research team ran the NCAR-based Community Earth System model 40 times with slightly different -- but historically plausible -- starting conditions. The resulting simulations characterize the range of natural variability in the factors that affect sea levels. The model was run on the Yellowstone system at the NCAR-Wyoming Supercomputing Center.

A separate set of model runs that omitted volcanic aerosols -- particles spewed into the atmosphere by an eruption -- was also assessed. By comparing the two sets of runs, the scientists were able to pick out a signal (in this case, the effect of Mount Pinatubo's eruption) from the noise (natural variations in ocean temperature and other factors that affect sea level).

"You can't do it with one or two model runs -- or even three or four," Fasullo said. "There's just too much accompanying climate noise to understand precisely what the effect of Pinatubo was. We could not have done it without large numbers of runs."

Using models to understand observations

Analyzing the simulations, the research team found that Pinatubo's eruption caused the oceans to cool and sea levels to drop by about 6 millimeters immediately before TOPEX/Poseidon began making observations.

As the sunlight-blocking aerosols from Mount Pinatubo dissipated in the simulations, sea levels began to slowly rebound to pre-eruption levels. This rebound swamped the acceleration caused by the warming climate and made the rate of sea level rise higher in the mid- and late 1990s than it otherwise would have been.

This higher-than-normal rate of sea level rise in the early part of the satellite record made it appear as though the rate of sea level rise was not accelerating over time. In fact, according to the study, if the Pinatubo eruption had not occurred -- leaving sea level at a higher starting point in the early 1990s -- the satellite record would have shown a clear acceleration.

"The satellite record is unable to account for everything that happened before the first satellite was launched," Fasullo said. "This study is a great example of how computer models can give us the historical context that's needed to understand some of what we're seeing in the satellite record."

Understanding whether the rate of sea level rise is accelerating or remaining constant is important because it drastically changes what sea levels might look like in 20, 50 or 100 years.

Because the study's findings suggest that acceleration due to climate change is already under way, the acceleration should become evident in the satellite record in the coming decade, Fasullo said.

Since the original TOPEX/Poseidon mission, newer satellites, including the recently launched Jason-3, will continue to track sea level.

"Sea level rise is potentially one of the most damaging effects of climate change, so it's critical that we understand how quickly it will rise in the future," Fasullo said. "Measurements from Jason-3 will help us evaluate what we've learned in this study and help us better plan for the future."
###
NASA and the U.S. Department of Energy also funded the study.

</div>

Mount Pinatubo eruption masked accelerating sea level rise

The cataclysmic 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines...

<div>
<div class="img-wrapper">Tropical Storm Gaston is churning away in the <a href="http://www.earth.com/image/phytoplankton-blooms-persist-in-the-north-atlantic-ocean/">Atlantic Ocean</a> Tropical Storm Gaston is currently sitting smack in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean churning away. Currently it is not near any landmasses and is at tropical storm status having weakened slightly from hurricane force.</div>
The National Hurricane Center reports that Tropical Storm Gaston was located 1110 miles east northeast of Bermuda and is toward the north-northwest at 17 mph. Forecasters expected Gaston to turn back toward the northwest or west-northwest at a slower rate of forward speed during the next couple of days. Currently the maximum sustained winds in the storm are near 65 mph (100 km/h) with higher gusts. Some strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours with Gaston expected to become a hurricane again by Saturday. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 150 miles (240 km) from the center. Tropical Storm Gaston is churning away in the Atlantic Ocean

NASA's AIRS instrument on the Aqua satellite captured this image of the storm in its weakened position. Purple indicates the strongest parts of the storm and in this infrared image the majority showed blue to green and yellow indicating warmer cloud tops and less strength.

NASA's other satellite, the Suomi NPP satellite imaged Tropical Storm Gaston with visible light imagery using its VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) instrument which showed the storm as it now appears in the Atlantic Ocean.

The storm appears somewhat disorganized at this time, but forecaster are warning of a strengthening which will result in the tightening of the storm over the next 48 hours. For the most current updates on Gaston, visit: National Hurricane Center website: <a href="http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://www.nhc.noaa.gov</a>.


</div>
<div></div>

Tropical Storm Gaston is churning away in the Atlantic Ocean

Tropical Storm Gaston is churning away in the Atlantic Ocean...

<div>Earlier snowmelt hinders forests' ability to regulate carbon dioxide. Earlier snowmelt hinders forests' ability to regulate carbon dioxide. Earlier annual snowmelt periods may hinder the ability of forests to regulate atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2), according to the results of a new study.</div>
<div>

The findings, published in Geophysical Research Letters, a journal of the American Geophysical Union, predict that this shift in snowmelt timing each spring could result in a 45 percent reduction of snowmelt period forest carbon by mid-century.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA">NASA</a>

A second study, also published in Geophysical Research Letters, found that earlier, slower snowmelt reduces the amount of streamflow, which has consequences for agriculture, municipal water supplies and recreational opportunities in <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/extra-water-colorado-river-endangered-fish/">Colorado</a> and other states in the western U.S. Earlier snowmelt hinders forests' ability to regulate carbon dioxide

"The recent western drought has been accompanied by a snowpack restricted to higher elevations, with a significant effect on the ski industry," said Tom Torgersen, program director in the National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Earth Sciences, which funded the research. NSF's Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) program also supported the studies through the Niwot Ridge, Colorado, LTER site.

"Climate variability also leads to conditions favoring earlier and slower snowmelt, with a decreased and prolonged peak streamflow," Torgersen said. "This water flow affects mountain fishing and results in less forest growth. The effects of drought and climate variability on snowmelt reach far beyond farm productivity and urban water restrictions."

Implications for western U.S.

Forests in seasonally snow-covered areas serve as key CO2 sinks, thanks to the natural processes by which trees take in carbon. This carbon uptake is restrained during winter, but increases to peak capacity in spring when snowmelt provides abundant water to trees.

University of Colorado Boulder (CU-Boulder) scientists working at Niwot Ridge in Colorado's Rocky Mountains studied 15 years of snowmelt and atmospheric CO2 data to determine the effects of changes in snowmelt periods.

They found that earlier snowmelt triggered by climate change reduces forests' ability to take CO2 out of the atmosphere.

"The implications of this research are profound as mountains in the western U.S. are an important part of the regional cycling of carbon and water," said Noah Molotch, the director of CU-Boulder's Center for Water, Earth Science &amp; Technology, and a co-author of both studies.

Added Taylor Winchell of CU-Boulder's Institute for Arctic and Alpine Research (INSTAAR) and lead author of one of the studies: "Early melting reduces trees' ability to uptake carbon during the snowmelt period, a key time for seasonal carbon uptake."

Downstream water resources

Snowmelt also provides water resources to downstream communities. Previous research shows that the timing and rate at which snow melts can affect the amount and quality of water available for vegetation, farming and fishing.

The researchers used a unique modeling system to study the effects of earlier snowmelt across various regions of the western U.S., including the Cascade Range, the Sierra Nevada, the Wasatch Range and the Rocky Mountains. These areas see significant seasonal snow accumulations that generate water resources for downstream communities.

The results show that earlier, slower snowmelt, triggered by warmer temperatures, reduces streamflow. These slower "trickle" melts reduce percolation in hillslope soils and allow more water to evaporate, resulting in less streamflow overall.

"Of all the regions we studied, streamflow from Colorado's Rocky Mountains is most sensitive to changes in snowmelt," said Theodore Barnhart of INSTAAR, lead author of the second study. "This analysis suggests that all the regions studied will experience a decrease in streamflow with a decrease in snowmelt rate, with some regions having more streamflow sensitivity than others."

CU-Boulder's Molotch added that the findings have broad implications for the scientific community.

"Given that 60 million people in the western U.S. depend on snowmelt for their water supply, the future decline in snowmelt-derived streamflow may place additional stress on over-allocated water supplies," he said. "These two studies are reshaping the way scientists -- and land and water managers -- think about climate change in mountain regions."


</div>
<div></div>

Earlier snowmelt hinders forests' ability to regulate carbon dioxide

Earlier snowmelt hinders forests' ability to regulate carbon dioxide. Earlier...

<div>Coral reefs use sound to attract new animals A new study from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) will help researchers understand the ways that marine animal larvae use sounds as a cue to settle on coral reefs. The study, published on August 23rd in the online journal Scientific Reports, has determined that sounds created by adult fish and invertebrates may not travel far enough for larvae --which hatch in open ocean--to hear them, meaning that the larvae might rely on other means to home in on a reef system. Coral reefs use sound to attract new animals shown in image above.</div>
"To keep a reef healthy, you need a constant supply of new larvae to repopulate animals that die off," said Max Kaplan, the lead author of the paper and a graduate student in the MIT/WHOI Joint Program in <a href="http://www.earth.com/video/sentinel-3-joins-a-satellite-revolution-in-oceanography/">Oceanography</a>. "How larvae find reefs has been a big question, though. We think sound may play a role in attracting them, but exactly how far away they can sense those sounds has not yet been accurately measured."

To address that problem, Kaplan and his PhD adviser, WHOI Associate Scientist Aran Mooney, a co-author on the paper, traveled to the Hawaiian island of Maui to make painstaking acoustic measurements of a healthy reef system. The pair focused their efforts on recording two different components of sound--pressure waves (the element of sound that pushes on a human eardrum), and particle motion (the physical vibration of the water column as a sound wave travels through it). The latter, Kaplan explained, is how the majority of fish and marine species detect sound, yet no previous studies have focused on recording it.

"Think of it like being at a loud concert--if you're standing next to a huge speaker, you effectively feel the sound as it vibrates your skin," Kaplan said. "Fish and invertebrates sense sound in a similar way." Species like squid, octopus, and shrimp, for example, can detect vibrations through nerves embedded in their flesh. Similarly, adult fish sense them through the motion of tiny bone-like structures called otoliths inside their skulls.

Although researchers in the past have detected reef sounds from many kilometers away, Kaplan says that most of those studies rely on a hydrophone, an underwater microphone, which can only detect pressure waves. In their Maui study, however, the researchers recorded particle motion as well, using a sensitive accelerometer alongside a hydrophone. The data the accelerometer provides is directly relevant to how marine organisms sense sound, said Mooney.

"Particle motion is really the relevant cue for marine animals," Mooney said. "When we're measuring pressure, we're measuring the wrong thing--it only gives a ballpark sense of what marine species hear. We think studying particle motion is a big step to figuring out how larvae find their way to a reef."

Using an accelerometer to measure that motion, however, comes with a few challenges, said David Mann, President of Loggerhead Instruments, which designs small accelerometers for marine research. "To sense particle motion, an accelerometer has to be able to move along with the water as the sound passes by. It can't be mounted rigidly on frame or on the bottom, but it also can't be allowed to drift loosely with the currents. It's a lot harder to use than a hydrophone."

Kaplan worked with Canadian company GeoSpectrum Technologies to fine-tune existing accelerometers for use in the study, then deployed them at multiple sites around the reef. Over three days, he and Mooney measured sound levels at dawn and mid-morning, placing the sensors at distances ranging from zero to 1500 meters away from the reef itself. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA">NASA</a>

In doing so, the pair found that particle motion was much lower than expected, dropping rapidly below levels that most marine species can sense--even just a few meters away from the reef.

"It's possible that larvae are still able to use chemical signals from other animals to locate the reef, or maybe can read the currents to move towards shore," Kaplan said, "but based on this data, it seems unlikely that they'd be able to use sound to find the reef. That was a surprise to us."

Once larvae do locate a reef, Kaplan thinks sound may play an important role in finding a suitable location to settle down. Many species living on reef systems are extremely localized, he notes. For example, some damselfish species live their entire adult lives within one square meter, so finding the best possible location is key to their survival. "In cases like that, sensing sound on order of meters would make a big difference," Kaplan said. "If you hear sounds of your species instead of predators, you might be more inclined to settle in a specific spot."

The researchers's findings might also be useful for reef conservation efforts. Past studies have shown that larvae are attracted to reef sounds when played through an underwater loudspeaker, so Kaplan thinks that playing back recorded biological sounds at high volumes could be used to steer larvae to damaged reef areas.

"You'd have to boost sound levels by quite a bit to get the response you want, but it could be one solution," said Kaplan. "If we can figure out the hearing threshold of each species' ability to sense particle motion, we might be able to amplify that motion to make it audible to them at a distance."

Kaplan notes that the Maui study only covers one shallow reef, so further study is needed to gain a full understanding of how sound propagates from other types of reef systems. "Recording particle motion in the field hasn't really been done before," said Kaplan, "but now that we've worked out these methods, we can start to expand our work." Coral reefs use sound to attract new animals.
###
The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution is a private, non-profit organization on Cape Cod, Mass., dedicated to marine research, engineering, and higher education. Established in 1930 on a recommendation from the National Academy of Sciences, its primary mission is to understand the ocean and its interaction with the Earth as a whole, and to communicate a basic understanding of the ocean's role in the changing global environment. For more information, please visit <a href="http://www.whoi.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://www.whoi.edu</a>.

Coral reefs use sound to attract new animals

Coral reefs use sound to attract new animals A new...

ORACLES mission is studying the impact that smoke has on clouds. NASA scientists and two research aircraft are on their way to a unique natural laboratory off the Atlantic coast of southwest Africa to study a major unknown in future climate prediction.

The coast of Namibia is one of three places on Earth with persistent low-level clouds, and the only such location with a steady supply of tiny aerosol particles in the form of smoke from inland fires that mix with the clouds. <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=nasa&amp;cvid=f5d2be46214d40faa1be8c225c3a1373&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">NASA's</a> Observations of Aerosols Above Clouds and their Interactions ORACLES mission will observe and measure how these particles interact with clouds and change their ability to warm or cool the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/every-planet-in-our-solar-system-is-visible-this-month/">planet</a>. ORACLES mission is studying the impact that smoke has on clouds

"This is the perfect natural laboratory to study aerosol-cloud interactions, which are some of the largest uncertainties in the prediction of future climate," said Jens Redemann, ORACLES principal investigator at NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California.

Some aerosols, such as dust and sea salt, have a natural origin. But others, such as soot and smoke released by fires and industry, are the result of human activities. Once aerosols enter the atmosphere, they can cause either a warming or cooling effect.

"Human activities currently are estimated to be responsible for perhaps half of all the aerosol particles in the atmosphere," said Robert Wood, a cloud scientist at the University of Washington in Seattle and ORACLES deputy principal investigator. "Smoke particles both reflect sunlight back to space, thus cooling the Earth, and absorb sunlight, which has the opposite effect of warming the Earth. When aerosols encounter clouds, they also change the properties of the clouds they are ingested into."

Understanding which effect is dominant, and under what conditions, is essential for improving the regional and global computer models that predict what may occur with future climate change. Changes in the properties of the cloud layer caused by aerosols could also have an effect on regional coastal fisheries by altering the amount of sunlight reaching the ocean surface that drives currents and ocean upwelling.

The initially separate cloud and aerosol layers off the Namibian coast are relatively stable. As the cloud layers thicken away from shore like a wedge, it gradually mixes with the aerosol layer. The result is a range of steadily changing conditions that allow the ORACLES science team to probe several different types of cloud-aerosol interactions.

The ORACLES field campaign is based out of Walvis Bay in Namibia, where faculty and students from Namibian universities will be working alongside the ORACLES team. The project team has built new relationships with African colleagues, in particular, the Namibia University of Science and Technology in Windhoek. University personnel support logistics for ORACLES field work and will collaborate in data analysis and modeling. The Gobabeb Research and Training Centre in the Namib Desert, which previously has worked with NASA using the desert as an analog for the surface of other planets, is providing ground-based remote sensing of the atmosphere.

"Science is a great unifier," said Bernadette Squire Luna, ORACLES project manager at Ames. "We are building relationships with Namibian scientists that will outlast this project and will lead to yet more science and more interactions. We're connecting our countries in a very grassroots way."

NASA's P-3 aircraft, managed by the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Wallops Island, Virginia, carries five remote sensing instruments and flies through the cloud and aerosol layers at up to 20,000 feet to gather direct measurements from more than a dozen cloud and aerosol probes attached to the wings and inlets on the windows. NASA's ER-2 aircraft, managed by the agency’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, will fly at 65,000 feet with instruments that make measurements similar to those acquired from satellites.

ORACLES flights will complement and validate current satellite observations of aerosols and clouds, and test instruments that may fly on future satellites, by making detailed observations that are impossible to make from space with current capabilities.

Unlike a satellite, which generally gets one pass per day over a certain location, both aircraft will be able to sample clouds and aerosols throughout the day over the entire study area to see how they evolve. Together, data from the two aircraft will provide a comprehensive picture of how aerosols behave in the presence of clouds – and how aerosols directly or indirectly change how clouds behave.

ORACLES is a collaborative research effort that involves more than a hundred scientists from five NASA centers, two national laboratories, 10 U.S. universities, and five African research institutions. It’s a multi-year NASA Earth Venture suborbital investigation to probe Earth system processes that are not completely understood. These flights from Namibia are the first of several planned field seasons for the mission. Earth Venture investigations are part of NASA's Earth System Science Pathfinder program managed at the agency’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.

For more information about ORACLES, visit:
<a href="https://espo.nasa.gov/oracles">https://espo.nasa.gov/oracles</a>
NASA collects data from space, air, land and sea to increase our understanding of our home planet, improve lives and safeguard our future. NASA develops new ways to observe and study Earth's interconnected natural systems with long-term data records. The agency freely shares this unique knowledge and works with institutions around the world to gain new insights into how our planet is changing.

For more information about NASA Earth science, visit:
<a href="http://www.nasa.gov/earth">http://www.nasa.gov/earth</a>

ORACLES mission is studying the impact that smoke has on clouds

ORACLES mission is studying the impact that smoke has on...

New England is running out of mussels.
The Gulf of Maine's once strong population of wild blue mussels is disappearing, scientists say. A study led by marine ecologists at the University of California at Irvine found the numbers along the gulf coastline have declined by more than 60 percent over the last 40 years.
Once covering as much as two-thirds of the gulf's intertidal zone, mussels now cover less than 15 percent.
"It would be like losing a forest," said biologist Cascade Sorte, who with her colleagues at the university conducted the study and recently published their findings in the Global Change Biology journal.
The Gulf of Maine stretches from Cape Cod to Canada and is a key marine environment and important to commercial fishing. Blue mussels are used in seafood dishes and worth millions to the economy of some New England states, but are also important in moving bacteria and toxins out of the water.
"It's so disheartening to see it (the loss) in our marine habitats. We're losing the habitats they create," she said. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA">NASA</a>
Disheartening, and also sometimes a smelly nuisance. Thousands of dead mussels washed up last week on the shores of Long Island, <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-2080-new-york-arkansas/">New York</a>, and a Stony Brook University professor said the die-off could be attributable to warm water temperature.
The Sorte study focused on 20 sites along the gulf, using historical data to compare today's mussel populations to those of the past. She said the decline of mussels isn't due to just one factor - warming ocean water, increases in human harvesting and the introduction of new predatory invasive species all appear to play a role.
The marine environment will suffer, she said, if they continue to decline, and it's possible they could become extinct in some areas.
Scott Morello, a researcher who has studied mussels with The Downeast Institute for Applied Marine Research &amp; Education in Maine, said Sorte's work reflects observations that people who work on the water have made in recent years.
"It's not just scientists," he said. "I can tell you that most residents I've talked to, most fishermen I've talked to will point out the same dramatic decrease in mussels."
The nationwide value of wild blue mussels has reached new heights in recent years, peaking at more than $13 million at the dock in 2013 - more than twice the 2007 total. They were worth more than $10 million in 2014, when fishermen brought nearly 4 million pounds of them ashore.
Maine and Massachusetts are by far the biggest states for wild mussel harvesting, and many are also harvested in Washington state. They are also farmed in aquaculture operations. The vast majority of the mussels that people eat are farmed, and most that are available to U.S. consumers are imported from other countries, such as Canada.
Mussel farming is dependent on wild mussels, which produce the larvae needed for the farmed shellfish to grow. Andrew Pershing, chief scientific officer of the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, said the loss of wild mussels is troubling for aquaculture because if wild populations decline further, it could constrain the growth of the industry.
Pershing also said Sorte's study shows there is a need to get better data about the abundance of mussels and how they are affected by warming waters and commercial harvesting.
"If we had a record of how mussels changed from year to year, it would be possible to see whether declines were more pronounced during particularly warm years or are related to some other event or process," he said.
© 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Mussels are disappearing from New England waters

New England is running out of mussels. The Gulf of...

<div>Tropical Depression 9 forms in the Gulf of Mexico The Global Precipitation Measurement mission or GPM core satellite analyzed Tropical Depression 9 after formed in the Gulf of Mexico after a slow crawl over the last week.</div>
<div>

The frequency of tropical cyclone formation has definitely increased in the <a href="http://www.earth.com/image/phytoplankton-blooms-persist-in-the-north-atlantic-ocean/">Atlantic Ocean</a> basin. A tropical wave that the National Hurricane Center (NHC) had been monitoring for development since it left the African coast almost two weeks ago was upgraded to Tropical Depression Nine (TD9) on August 28, 2016. The low pressure became a little better organized after moving into the Florida Strait and that led to the upgrade. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA">NASA</a>

The GPM core observatory satellite passed above the still relatively poorly organized tropical depression on Aug. 29 at 2:56 a.m. EDT (0656 UTC). Maximum sustained wind speeds were estimated to be only 34.5 mph (30 knots). Since then deep convection associated with the tropical cyclone has increased. Rainfall measurements within TD9 were derived from GPM's Microwave Imager (GMI) and Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) instruments. These measurements showed that precipitation was intense in convective storms over the western side of Cuba. GPM revealed that some showers were coming down at a rate of greater than 7.6 inches (193.514 mm) per hour. Tropical Depression 9 forms in the Gulf of Mexico

GPM's radar (DPR Ku Band) data were used to examine the 3-D structure of precipitation within storms associated with TD09L. Most thunderstorm tops around the tropical depression were found to reach heights of less than 8.7 miles (14 km). However, GPM's radar found that some storm tops in powerful convective storms in the Caribbean Sea south of Cuba were pushing up to heights above 9.9 miles (16 km).

&nbsp;

At 11 a.m. EDT (1500 UTC) the center of Tropical Depression Nine was located near 23.6 degrees north latitude and 84.3 degrees west longitude. That puts the center about 170 miles (275 km) west-southwest of Key West, Florida and 125 miles (200 km) west-northwest of Havana, Cuba.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said that the depression is moving toward the west near 7 mph (11 kph). A turn toward the west-northwest is forecast today, followed by a slow northwestward motion on Tuesday. A turn toward the north is expected Tuesday night. On the forecast track, the center of the depression will be passing north of the north coast of western Cuba today, Aug. 29, and moving farther into the southeastern Gulf of Mexico tonight and Tuesday, Aug. 30. The estimated minimum central pressure is 1007 millibars.

Maximum sustained winds are near 35 mph (55 kph) with higher gusts. Some strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours, and the depression is likely to become a tropical storm later today or tonight.

The NHC predicts that TD9 will become a tropical storm in the Gulf of Mexico this evening but moderate vertical shear over the next couple days is predicted to keep the tropical depression from significantly strengthening. TD9 is expected to move toward the northwest for a couple days and then made a turn toward the northeast. It is then expected to pass over northern Florida as a strong tropical storm.

For updated forecasts, visit the NHC website: <a href="http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://www.nhc.noaa.gov</a>


</div>
<div></div>

Tropical Depression 9 forms in the Gulf of Mexico

Tropical Depression 9 forms in the Gulf of Mexico The...

<div>Tropical Depression 8 forms off the coast of North Carolina The Global Precipitation Measurement mission or <a href="http://www.earth.com/product/low-flow-faucet-aerator-1-0-gpm-2-pack/">GPM</a> core satellite passed over Tropical Depression 8 as it formed off the coast of North Carolina in the Atlantic Ocean. GPM measured rainfall rates and analyzed the heights of storm cloud tops to assess the storm's strength.</div>
<div>

On Aug. 28, 2016 at 11 a.m. EDT (1500 UTC) the National Hurricane Center (NHC) upgraded a low pressure center west of Bermuda to Tropical Depression Eight. Convection near the center of the low had increased markedly since the GPM core observatory passed above the area on Aug. 28 at 2:11 a.m. EDT (0611 UTC). GPM made horizontal and vertical measurements of rainfall within the developing tropical depression. GPM's Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) instrument measured precipitation falling at a rate of over 4.9 inches (124.8 mm) per hour in a few towering tall convective thunderstorms in the middle of the developing tropical cyclone. Tropical Depression 8 forms off the coast of North Carolina

GPM Radar (Ku Band) examined the 3-D structure of rainfall within the forming tropical depression and found that a few storm tops were reaching heights above 9.7 miles (15.7 km). GPM is a joint mission between <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA">NASA</a> and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency JAXA.

On Aug. 29 a Tropical Storm Watch was in effect for the coast of North Carolina from Cape Lookout to Oregon Inlet

The NHC noted at 8 a.m. EDT (1200 UTC), the center of Tropical Depression Eight (TD8) was located near 32.9 degrees north latitude and 73.2 degrees west longitude. That's just 201 miles (340 km) southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. TD8 was moving toward the northwest near 9 mph (15 kph). This general motion with a slower forward speed is expected later today, Aug. 29, with a turn toward the north forecast on Tuesday, Aug. 30 or Tuesday night. On the forecast track, the center of the depression will be near the Outer Banks of North Carolina late Tuesday.

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Maximum sustained winds are near 35 mph (55 km/h) with higher gusts. Slow strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours, and the depression is expected to become a tropical storm by tonight. The minimum central pressure reported by the Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter is 1011 millibars.

That heavy rainfall that GPM observed is expected to affect the North Carolina coast. The NHC noted that TD8 is expected to produce total rain accumulations of 1 to 3 inches with isolated maximum amounts of 5 inches over far eastern North Carolina, including the Outer Banks.

The NHC forecast indicated that the depression is expected to become a tropical storm. The current forecast track takes the center of TD8 just off the coast of North Carolina's Outer Banks before being pushed northeast from an approaching cold front.
###
For updated forecasts, visit the NHC website at <a href="http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://www.nhc.noaa.gov</a>.

</div>

Tropical Depression 8 forms off the coast of North Carolina

Tropical Depression 8 forms off the coast of North Carolina...

<div>
<div class="img-wrapper">Typhoon Lionrock seen approaching Japan Tropical Storm Lionrock continued crawling toward the main island of Honshu, Japan, as NASA's Aqua and NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellites passed overhead and gathered data on the storm.</div>
When <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA">NASA</a>-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite passed over Lionrock it was weakening and moving slowly toward Japan's big island. On Aug. 28 at 11:10 p.m. EDT (Aug. 29 at 0310 UTC), the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument aboard NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite captured a visible image of the storm that showed the eye had become filled with clouds. The storm also appeared somewhat elongated.

When NASA's Aqua satellite passed over the northwestern <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/dust-asia-fertilizes-north-pacific/">Pacific Ocean</a> it gathered temperature data on Tropical Storm Lionrock. The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder or AIRS instrument aboard Aqua looked at Lionrock in infrared light on Aug. 29 at 12:11 a.m. EDT (0411 UTC). AIRS infrared data showed that Lionrock still had powerful thunderstorms with high cold cloud tops (as cold as minus 63 degrees Fahrenheit or minus 53 degrees Celsius). The strongest storms were located around the center of circulation and in a thick band extending southeast of the center. Typhoon Lionrock seen approaching Japan as shown above in image.

On Aug. 29 at 11 a.m. EDT (1500 UTC), the center of Typhoon Lionrock was located near 32.7 degrees north latitude and 143.4 degrees west longitude. That's about 281 nautical miles southeast of Yokosuka, Japan. Maximum sustained winds were near 80.5 mph (70 knots/129.6 kph). Lionrock's typhoon-strength winds extend out 35 nautical miles from the center, while tropical storm-force winds have a much larger reach, out to 215 nautical miles from the center.

Typhoon Lionrock is moving to the northeast at 13.8 mph (12 knots/22.2 kph) and generating waves up to 26 feet (7.9 meters) high.

Lionrock is weakening and is expected to make landfall in northern Honshu on Aug. 30 as it becomes extra-tropical. Once it crosses northern Japan it is forecast to make final landfall in extreme southeastern Russia on Wednesday, Aug. 31.


</div>
<div></div>

Typhoon Lionrock seen approaching Japan

Typhoon Lionrock seen approaching Japan Tropical Storm Lionrock continued crawling...

<div>
<div class="img-wrapper">As Hurricane Lester in the Eastern Pacific Ocean strengthened into a major hurricane, Tropical Storm Madeline in the Central Pacific became a hurricane. NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite captured an image as Madeline was transitioning and organizing.</div>
On Aug. 27 at 11 a.m. EDT (1500 UTC) Tropical Storm Madeline developed just east of the 140 degree longitude line in the Eastern Pacific Ocean located near latitude 15.2 degrees north latitude and 138.5 degrees west longitude. Since that time, it crossed that longitude line and entered the Central Pacific Ocean Basin.

When <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA">NASA</a>-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite passed over Madeline it was strengthening into a hurricane. On Aug. 28 at 6:05 p.m. EDT (2205 UTC) the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument aboard NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite captured an image of Tropical Storm Madeline as it was strengthening and organizing.The image showed the system had a good circulation and a band of strong thunderstorms wrapping tightly into the low-level center from the west. Madeline had taken on a comma shape.

When NASA's Aqua satellite passed over the Central <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/dust-asia-fertilizes-north-pacific/">Pacific Ocean</a> it gathered temperature data on Tropical Storm Madeline. The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder or AIRS instrument aboard Aqua looked at Madeline in infrared light on Aug. 28 at 7:11 p.m. EDT (2311 UTC). AIRS infrared data showed that the depression had some powerful thunderstorms with high cold cloud tops (as cold as minus 63 degrees Fahrenheit or minus 53 degrees Celsius).

On Aug. 29 at 5 a.m. EDT (0900 UTC), Madeline strengthened into a hurricane. At 11 a.m. EDT (5 a.m. HST/1500 UTC), the center of Hurricane Madeline was located near 18.2 degrees north latitude and 144.6 degrees west longitude. Maximum sustained winds are near 100 mph (155 km/h) with higher gusts. Slight strengthening is expected later today and Tuesday, followed by slight weakening early Wednesday. The estimated minimum central pressure is 975 millibars.

Madeline is moving toward the west-northwest near 10 mph (17 kph) and this motion is expected to become westerly later today through early Wednesday.

Forecaster Powell at NOAA's Central Pacific Hurricane Center (CPHC) mentioned in the discussion issued at that time that "Madeline's cloud-covered eye re-emerged by 8 a.m. EDT (1200 UTC) with a cooler-topped and increasingly well-formed eyewall. Organization continues to improve, with little or no [vertical wind] shear deformation present."

CPHC noted that there are no coastal watches or warnings in effect, however, interests in the Hawaiian Islands should monitor the progress of Madeline.

For updated forecasts on Madeline, visit the CPHC website: <a href="http://www.prh.noaa.gov/cphc" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://www.prh.noaa.gov/cphc</a>


</div>
<div></div>

Tropical Storm Madeline becomes a hurricane

As Hurricane Lester in the Eastern Pacific Ocean strengthened into...

<div>Hurricane Gaston strengthens into a major hurricane in the Atlantic NASA's Aqua satellite passed over Hurricane Gaston as it was strengthening into a major hurricane, almost 600 miles away from Bermuda in the<a href="http://www.earth.com/image/phytoplankton-blooms-persist-in-the-north-atlantic-ocean/"> Atlantic Ocean</a>. Aqua provided a visible look at the powerful hurricane.</div>
<div>

On Aug. 28 at 12:45 p.m. EDT (1645 UTC) the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer or MODIS instrument that flies aboard <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA">NASA's</a> Aqua satellite captured a visible image of Hurricane Gaston. At the time, Gaston had maximum sustained winds near 105 mph and was a Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Gaston had developed a clear eye about 15 nautical miles wide that was surrounded by powerful thunderstorms. The storm later strengthened into a major hurricane. Hurricane Gaston strengthens into a major hurricane in the Atlantic

At 5 a.m. EDT (0900 UTC) on Monday, Aug. 29 the center of Hurricane Gaston was located near 30.8 degrees north latitude and 55.2 degrees west longitude. Gaston is about 575 miles (925 km) east of Bermuda.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said that Gaston is currently drifting northward. A turn toward the northeast and a faster forward speed are expected later today, Aug. 29 or tonight, and an east-northeastward motion is expected on Tuesday. Maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 115 mph (185 kph) with higher gusts. Gaston is a category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Additional slow weakening is forecast during the next 48 hours. The estimated minimum central pressure is 960 millibars.

NHC Forecaster Jack Beven stated in the 5 a.m. NHC Discussion, "Gaston remains a well-organized hurricane. However, the satellite appearance is slightly less impressive than 6 hours ago, with the eye becoming less distinct and the deep convection eroding in the northwestern quadrant."

By 5 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, Aug. 30, Gaston is expected to move over decreasing sea surface temperatures and into increasing vertical wind shear. Both of those factors should cause a gradual weakening.
###
For updated forecasts on Gaston, visit the NHC website: <a href="http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://www.nhc.noaa.gov</a>.

</div>

Hurricane Gaston strengthens into a major hurricane in the Atlantic

Hurricane Gaston strengthens into a major hurricane in the Atlantic...

<div>Hurricane Lester becomes fourth major Eastern Pacific hurricane When NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite passed over hurricane Lester it was on the verge of becoming a major hurricane. That happened less than 12 hours later.</div>
<div>

On Aug. 28 at 6:05 p.m. EDT (2205 UTC) the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument aboard NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite captured an image of Hurricane Lester as it was strengthening and organizing in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. The image showed the system was developing a well-defined circulation and a cloud-filled eye. The image also revealed strong thunderstorms wrapping tightly into the low-level center.

Less than 12 hours later by 5 a.m. EDT on Aug. 29, Lester became a major hurricane hitting Category 3 status on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. At that time the ragged eye that had formed earlier had cleared out, exposing the eye to satellites. Lester has become the fourth major hurricane of the 2016 eastern North Pacific hurricane season.

At 5 a.m. EDT (0900 UTC), the center of Hurricane Lester was located near 18.0 degrees north latitude and 127.8 degrees west longitude, about 1,205 miles (1,940 km) west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California, Mexico.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said that Lester is moving toward the west near 15 mph (24 kph), and this general motion is expected to continue for the next couple of days. Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 115 mph (185 kph) with higher gusts.

NHC forecasters noted that little change in strength is expected today, but slow weakening is expected to begin by Tuesday, Aug. 30.
###
For updates on Lester, visit the NHC website: <a href="http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://www.nhc.noaa.gov</a>.

</div>

Hurricane Lester becomes fourth major Eastern Pacific hurricane

Hurricane Lester becomes fourth major Eastern Pacific hurricane When NASA-NOAA's...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Nushagak Bay, a large estuary in southwest Alaska. Nushagak runs mainly north to south and exits in Bristol Bay, a large body of water in the Bering Sea.



"The bay is primarily fed by the Nushagak River, which begins in the Alaska Range and flows southwest approximately 450 km. The bay is also fed by several additional rivers including the Wood, Igushik, Snake and Weary rivers," says ESA.



"The dark colors of the Nushagak River are most likely due to tannins or lignins (chemical substances found in plants). Tannins and lignins from roots, leaves, seeds, bark and soil can leach into the water and give it a brown or even black colour. The sediments then flow southwards where it is mixed with the bluer waters of the bay."



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

[sendtonews key="0ynNMYkMKa-2340414-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> (ACS) reveals that proteins on flu viruses are actually flexible, tilting and waving in a “breath-like” motion. According to the experts, these proteins could be used to better defend against the flu.



"The main antigenic targets of influenza virus are two surface glycoproteins, hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA). Whereas the structural and dynamical properties of both glycoproteins have been studied previously, the understanding of their plasticity in the whole-virion context is fragmented," wrote the researchers.



To investigate, the team conducted detailed simulations of the influenza A H1N1 virion, or the swine flu. The experts concluded that the visualizations show many new vulnerable states of flu viruses, which could improve future vaccines and antiviral drugs.



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

[sendtonews key="G9bUoxcjr4-2511624-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Lake Trasimeno, which is located west of Perugia in central Italy. It is the fourth largest lake in the country. While Trasimeno’s water level varies, it has a maximum depth of approximately six meters.&nbsp;



"In this Copernicus Sentinel-2 image, captured on 6 August 2022, the lake’s emerald green colour is likely due to the presence of phytoplankton. Streaks in the water, particularly visible in the west, indicate the presence of soil and sediments which have been stirred up by winds. Dark colored waters in the southern part of the lake indicate a presence of submerged and floating macrophytes (aquatic plants) as well as algae," says ESA.



"Surrounded by hills on three sides, Trasimeno is subject to heavy storms created by winds, especially from the north and west. There are three islets in the lake: Maggiore, Minore and Polvese (the largest). The lake’s shores are sparsely inhabited with only two popular villages: Castiglione del Lago and Passignano sul Trasimeno."



"Italy is experiencing its worst drought in 70 years which has affected drinking water supplies, hydroelectric power and agricultural production. High temperatures, hot winds and lack of rainfall are the main causes of drought in the Umbrian region which saw Lake Trasimeno’s drop 1.3 m, reaching the limit of the hydrometric zero in July 2022."



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> describes a new self-powered nanosensor that can instantly detect mercury contamination with the tap of a finger.&nbsp;



The oxidized form of mercury can be harmful when it is ingested through contaminated water or food. This makes it necessary for experts to develop sensors that can quickly and accurately detect the presence of mercury.&nbsp;



Zong-Hong Lin and colleagues have now created a triboelectric nanosensor (TENS) that can detect mercury by simply by touching a sample. According to the researchers, their TENS could serve as the basis for similar devices to safely and remotely monitor other pollutants.



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

[sendtonews key="LvS8v8bp9z-2564889-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Kainji Lake, a reservoir on the Niger River.



In 1968, Kainji Lake was created by the construction of the Kainji Dam. The Niger River, the third longest in Africa, enters the lake in the north.&nbsp;



According to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rivers-in-the-american-west-are-a-lifesaving-resource-for-birds/">ESA</a>, the creation of the lake submerged Foge Island and the town of Bussa and permanently flooded other riverine settlements, leaving around 50,000 people displaced.&nbsp;



Large parts of Foge Island are temporarily exposed during low water tides, and the land is often used by migrating fishermen. Kainji Dam is a dam across the Niger River in Niger State of Central Nigeria. 



Wild mammals occur at relatively low densities due to illegal hunting. Lake Kainji has suffered a dramatic decline as a fishery due to the high numbers of artisanal and subsistence fisherfolk using the lake. It has been suggested that a period of closure, together with controlled fishing rights may help improve fish stocks.



Kainji Lake National Park is the oldest of its kind in Nigeria. The park contains three distinct areas: a part of the Kainji Lake, the Borgu Game Reserve to the west of the lake, and the Zugurma Game Reserve to the southeast. The park is home to around 65 mammal species, 350 bird species, and 30 species of reptiles and amphibians. 



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

[sendtonews key="iuA5mpp3jv-1641775-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.igb.illinois.edu/">Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology</a> reveals how scientists can modify common crops like soybean, rice, and wheat to protect them from heat stress.



“We need to double crop production by 2050 to feed a growing global population, and not only are we not on track to do that, but climate change is further complicating things,” said Amanda Cavanagh, a lecturer at the University of Essex. 



The study is part of Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE), an international research project that aims to develop food crops that turn the sun’s energy into food more efficiently.



“Using an engineering approach we designed multiple alternative metabolic pathways to photorespiration. Testing them in the field showed increases in productivity which led Amanda to significantly move the project forward by showing our engineered plants can withstand pretty extreme temperature stress,” said study co-author and RIPE researcher Paul South.&nbsp;



“As the climate changes and temperature stresses increase the pressure on our global food supply, farmers will need every tool available including engineering approaches like the synthetic biology used here to maintain safe and productive harvests.”



The experts tested plants modified to have more efficient photorespiration to see if they were better adapted to warmer temperatures.&nbsp;



The team found that the engineered plants produced 26 percent more biomass than the wild-type plants exposed to the same temperatures, and had 15 percent less yield loss under the higher temperatures.



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Designing crops that can beat the heat

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> explores the ability of salt to transform the way that foods and beverages taste. Salt is known to cover up undesirable flavors, such as bitterness in coffee or beer, but how exactly does sodium chloride change the taste of other compounds?



One previous study showed that, not only does salt suppress bitterness, but also enhances sweetness and sourness. Another study revealed that bitterness reduction by salt seems to be happening at the tongue receptor level as well as in the brain.&nbsp;



While it is known that salt taste is mediated by the presence of sodium channels in the form of taste buds, experts believe that there is also an unknown receptor responsible for how we taste salt that has not yet been identified.&nbsp;



Video Credit: ACS Reactions



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

How does salt makes things taste better?

[sendtonews key="X0f6OHYoI4-2310561-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Santiago, the capital city of Chile. The city is located in the center of the Santiago Metropolitan Region, which has a population of about eight million people.&nbsp;



'The weather of Santiago resembles the Mediterranean climate with dry and warm summers with temperatures reaching up to 35°C (from October to March) and cool and humid winters that can drop to 0°C (from April to September)."



"The city lies in the centre of the country’s central valley around 80 km from the Pacific Ocean to the west and borders Argentina to the east. A tiny part of Argentina is visible in the top-right corner of the image where the mountain crest of the Andes Mountains acts as a divider between the two countries," says ESA.



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Santiago, Chile in South America

[sendtonews key="JRaP49ISmm-2357509-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

Spiral,Galaxy,,Illustration,Of,Milky,Way

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Astronomers at <a href="https://www.jhu.edu/">Johns Hopkins University</a> have created an interactive map of the universe, including the actual position and real colors of 200,000 galaxies. The map allows the public to access data that was previously only available to scientists.



The map was developed using data collected by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. For over two decades, a telescope in New Mexico was aimed at slightly different locations to capture the night sky.&nbsp;



"Growing up I was very inspired by astronomy pictures, stars, nebulae and galaxies, and now it's our time to create a new type of picture to inspire people," said map creator Brice Ménard, a professor at Johns Hopkins. "Astrophysicists around the world have been analyzing this data for years, leading to thousands of scientific papers and discoveries. But nobody took the time to create a map that is beautiful, scientifically accurate, and accessible to people who are not scientists. Our goal here is to show everybody what the universe really looks like."



"In this map, we are just a speck at the very bottom, just one pixel. And when I say we, I mean our galaxy, the Milky Way which has billions of stars and planets. We are used to seeing astronomical pictures showing one galaxy here, one galaxy there or perhaps a group of galaxies. But what this map shows is a very, very different scale."



"From this speck at the bottom, we are able to map out galaxies across the entire universe, and that says something about the power of science."



The <a href="https://mapoftheuniverse.net/">interactive map</a> is available online, where it can be downloaded for free.



Video Credit: Johns Hopkins&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Interactive map of the universe includes 200,000 galaxies

[sendtonews key="e4ZG0Jawp3-2374785-12187" type="single"] Astronomers at Johns Hopkins University have created...

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes the first comprehensive estimate of carbon density in the Saharan, Sahel, and Sudanian zones of Africa. In an effort to measure the amount of carbon stored across these drylands, a team of scientists used high-resolution satellite images and artificial intelligence to map nearly 10 billion individual trees. 



"The high spatial resolution (50 cm) combined with AI and field measurements used in this study is key to improving tree inventories in drylands," said Pierre Hiernaux, a French researcher working for NASA. "The ever-increasing availability of very high-resolution satellite imagery will make it possible to assess carbon pools and their dynamics at the individual tree level on a global scale."



"This study is exceptional because it is pioneering a type of approach that will revolutionize the monitoring of trees and forests on a global scale: in the short term, it will be possible to map the world's trees from the centre of the Amazon to our schoolyards," said <a href="https://www.inrae.fr/en">INRAE</a> researcher Jean-Pierre Wigneron.



"Many fields of application will become much more efficient and accurate, such as tracking carbon stocks, biodiversity, monitoring logging and protection against illegal forest degradation, in near real time.”



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

[sendtonews key="EjmSP20gQK-2593093-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Dublin, the capital and largest city of Ireland. Beyond its pub culture, Dublin is known as a modern culinary destination and a UNESCO City of Literature.



"Dublin is located near the midpoint of Ireland’s east coast in the province of Leinster. The city, which covers an area of around 115 square kilometers, is bordered by the Dublin Mountains, a low mountain range to the south, and is surrounded by flat farmland to the north and west," says ESA.



"The city straddles the River Liffey, which rises in the Wicklow Mountains and flows around 80 kilometers eastwards through the city of Dublin, in which it is canalised and bordered with quays. It then empties into Dublin Bay, an arm of the Irish Sea."



Dublin has an abundance of green spaces, including one of the largest enclosed public parks in any European capital city. Phoenix Park, which was originally formed as a royal hunting park in the 1660s, includes 707 hectares of green space.



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

The city of Dublin on Ireland's east coast

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features the province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain. The image was captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission.



"Together with the provinces of Huesca and Teruel, Zaragoza formed the old kingdom of Aragon. Its capital, also called Zaragoza (not visible in this image) is home to around half of Aragon’s population," says ESA.



"The Ebro River can be seen winding its way through the province from west to east in this image. Between its source in the Cantabrian Mountains in the northwest and its delta on the Mediterranean coast, the Ebro River is fed by more than 200 tributaries as it flows 910 km across much of northern Spain."



Since rainfall is very scarce in this region, irrigation in the Ebro basin is critically important. In the valleys surrounding the Ebro River, many fields are used for growing crops such as corn, wheat, and barley.



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

The province of Zaragoza in northeast Spain

[sendtonews key="oL4FnPTGCV-2384527-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> features a visual dataset of.methane emissions from wetlands across the globe. Atmospheric methane levels have reached record highs in recent years, and wetlands are a major source of these emissions.&nbsp;



"Methane is an important greenhouse gas that contributes substantially to global warming. On a molecule by molecule basis, methane is much more efficient at trapping heat than carbon dioxide, the main driver of warming," says NASA.



"Though human activities, including agriculture, oil and natural gas production and use, and waste disposal, collectively contribute the majority of methane to the atmosphere, about a third of total methane emissions comes from wetlands."&nbsp;



According to NASA, understanding methane emissions from wetlands and other natural sources is critically important for scientists and policymakers who are working to combat climate change by reducing emissions from human activities.



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

[sendtonews key="f8fukm28Vz-2491833-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> reveals the evolution of the Columbia Glacier in southeastern Alaska. Columbia is among the fastest shrinking glaciers in the world, and the video documents its rapid retreat over the years.&nbsp;



Columbia Glacier is a large, multi-branched calving glacier that flows out of the Chugach Mountains to the Prince William Sound.&nbsp;



According to USGS, Columbia had a long history of stability prior to 1980, with a length 41 miles, and small, short-lived advances or retreats.



In the years since 1980, however, satellite images have captured Columbia’s alarming retreat. By using false-color images, scientists can distinguish between snow and ice, open water, vegetation, and rocky debris on the glacier’s surface.



The series of false-color images featured in today's video were acquired over the span of 35 years. You can see that by 2021, the glacier’s main branch had retreated about 15 miles from its initial position.



The Columbia Glacier has also lost more than 50 percent of its volume, mostly due to calving. <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/nasa-reveals-3d-visual-of-an-atmospheric-river/">NASA</a> reports that while climate change likely started the retreat, mechanical processes kept the disintegration going.



The NASA images are provided by Jesse Allen, Robert Simmon, Joshua Stevens, and Lauren Dauphin using data from Landsat satellites, from the U.S. Geological Survey, and data from MODIS on NASA’s Terra satellite. The structure of Columbia’s moraine played a large role in the stability of the glacier before 1980. 



Like other tidewater glaciers, the Columbia built up a moraine over time, and the mixture of ice and rock functioned like a dam keeping out the sea. It was supported on one end by the shoreline and by the underwater terminal moraine at the other.



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory/&nbsp; NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NASA...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features the Pyrenees Mountains, which form a natural boundary between France and Spain in southwest Europe.



The mountain range is 430 kilometers in length. It stretches from the Mediterranean Sea on the east to the Atlantic Ocean on the west.



At an elevation of 3404 meters, Pico de Aneto is the highest mountain peak in the Pyrenees, and the third-highest peak in Spain. Pico de Aneto is located in the Posets-Maladeta Natural Park, which spans more than 82,000 acres.&nbsp;



"Geological studies have revealed that the Pyrenees Mountains have been around for longer than the Alps, with their sediments first deposited in coastal basins during the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras," reports ESA.



"The entire mountain range formed due to the upwelling of large sedimentary rocks by the collision of the Iberian and the Eurasian plate around 100 to 150 million years ago, followed by intense erosion from ice and water."



The western Pyrenees receive more precipitation due to moisture blowing in from the Atlantic Ocean. The mountain range contains many lakes, several small glaciers, and some of the highest waterfalls in Europe.



Video &amp; Image Credit: ESA



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

The Pyrenees Mountains in southwest Europe

[sendtonews key="6HyfrAJTBI-1831843-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.stowers.org/">Stowers Institute for Medical Research</a> describes why experts are studying zebrafish to gain a better understanding of how the immune system responds to injury. Zebrafish have the ability to repair and regenerate organs.



“Organ regeneration offers an exciting opportunity for studying the immune system and to inquire why some species can regenerate organs like the heart or missing limbs while others like humans cannot,” explained Dr. Tatjana Piotrowski.



Zebrafish sensory organ hair cells are an ideal system to investigate the pathways and cell types involved in regeneration since they are easily destroyed with antibiotics and begin regenerating within five hours. This enabled the researchers to identify the exact timing and genetic programs for each anti-inflammatory macrophage activation state.&nbsp;



“Our hypothesis is that human macrophages do not receive the proper chemical activation 'cocktail' to instruct pro-regenerative processes,” said Dr. Nicolas Denans. “Identifying the molecular recipe of macrophage activation in zebrafish may one day enable us to design regenerative immunotherapies in humans.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



“The new evidence is a valuable resource for comparative studies on the genetic programs involved in macrophage-mediated repair and regeneration. In other words, different types of injuries may induce different kinds of inflammatory responses. We want to decipher whether this 'language' is universal or if there are a variety of dialects."



Video Credit: Stowers Institute for Medical Research&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

How the immune system responds to injury

[sendtonews key="0dEcERCq61-2283382-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from Stowers...

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes how record-breaking heat expressed itself around the world in 2022.



Scientists have determined that 2022 was the 5th warmest year since 1880. Furthermore, the last nine consecutive years have been the warmest on record.



From devastating floods and wildfires to natural disasters like Hurricane Ian, 2022 showed us yet again how a warming climate affects people across the globe.&nbsp;



"As we look back at 20:22 and years past, we see that each year we better understand the challenges we face and how important it is to meet them," says NASA.



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

[sendtonews key="3UUsNkFOuS-2487333-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

Earth,Like,Exoplanet,3d,Render

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes two exoplanets that are orbiting a star 218 light-years away. A team of researchers led by the University of Montreal has found evidence that these planets are "water worlds."



The experts used data from NASA’s Hubble and Spitzer Space Telescopes. They discovered that exoplanets Kepler-138 c and Kepler-138 could be composed largely of water.



"We previously thought that planets that were a bit larger than Earth were big balls of metal and rock, like scaled-up versions of Earth, and that's why we called them super-Earths," explained study co-author Björn Benneke.&nbsp;



"However, we have now shown that these two planets, Kepler-138 c and d, are quite different in nature and that a big fraction of their entire volume is likely composed of water. It is the best evidence yet for water worlds, a type of planet that was theorized by astronomers to exist for a long time."



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



Image Credit: NASA, ESA, and Leah Hustak (STScI)



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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Two distant planets may be "water worlds"

[sendtonews key="QIoVYJqRBi-2434608-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes Earth’s interconnected systems, and how this network is affected by rising temperatures.&nbsp;



During 2020, average global temperatures matched the hottest year on record. The hurricane season was also record-breaking, with many of the storms intensifying at extraordinary speeds. Hot water in the ocean is fuel for hurricanes. The satellite data shows that it's all one interconnected system showing how Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected.



According to NASA, dust swept up from Northern Africa plays a major role in the formation of hurricanes, and is also a key source of fertilization in the Amazon rainforest. As a result of<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seagrass-wasting-disease-is-fueled-by-climate-change/"> climate</a> change, dust plumes are expected to decline, which will have an effect on vegetation far away.&nbsp;



Images from Earth-observing satellites show how the world’s plant life is affected by natural disasters, fires, and deforestation. Satellites also reveal how widespread changes in vegetation impact waterways,&nbsp; the climate, air quality. Satellites communicate by using radio waves to send signals to the antennas on the Earth. "Earth From Space" is a groundbreaking two-hour special that reveals a spectacular new space-based vision of our planet. 



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

[sendtonews key="JbW4VsY53O-1632195-12187" type="single"] Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected...

Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://welcome.miami.edu/">University of Miami</a> Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science explores how changes in water temperatures have affected tiger shark habitats and movements in the North Atlantic Ocean. The study reveals that rising temperatures have caused the sharks to shift toward the poles over the past 40 years.



“Tiger shark annual migrations have expanded poleward, paralleling rising water temperatures,” explained study lead author Neil Hammerschlag. “These results have consequences for tiger shark conservation, since shifts in their movements outside of marine protected areas may leave them more vulnerable to commercial fishing.”



The researchers analyzed nine years of tracking data from satellite-tagged tiger sharks, combined with four decades of conventional tag and recapture data provided by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Cooperative Shark Tagging Program.



The experts found that during the last decade of record heat, for every one-degree Celsius increase in water temperatures, tiger sharks migrated further poleward by over 400 kilometers. They also migrated two weeks earlier than usual to waters off the northeastern coast of the United States.



“Given their role as apex predators, these changes to tiger shark movements may alter predator-prey interactions, leading to ecological imbalances, and more frequent encounters with humans,” concluded Professor Hammerschlag.



Video Credit: University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

Today’s Video of the Day from the University of Miami...