EurekAlert December 9, 2019 At AGU’s 2019 Fall Meeting researchers unveiled the world’s largest open-access database of ELF/VLF data, Worldwide Archive of Low-frequency Data and Observations (WALDO). Researchers will be able to access nearly 1000 terabytes (TB) of data to further scientific efforts in fields like space weather, ionospheric remote sensing, earthquake forecasting, and subterranean prospecting. This is a joint project of Stanford University, Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of Colorado Denver with support from the National Science Foundation and Department of Defense. Most data are from the last 20 years, some recordings date back to the 1970s […]
Category Archives: Atmospheric science
A missing link in haze formation
Science Daily November 25, 2019 Particles in the atmosphere that are 2.5 to 10 micrometers in size, can be inhaled, are potentially harming the heart and lungs. Alcohols in general and methanol in particular are believed to play a small role in atmospheric new particle formation (NPF) largely due to the weak binding abilities of alcohols with the major nucleation precursors. An international team of researchers (USA – University of Nebraska, University of Pennsylvania, Finland, China) has identified a catalytic reaction between methanol and sulfur trioxide (SO3) which can have unexpected quenching effects on the NPF process, particularly in dry […]
Rarely Seen Gravity Waves Captured Rippling in Earth’s Atmosphere
Science Alert October 28, 2019 Gravity waves, also known as buoyancy waves, are a physical phenomenon where waves are generated in any fluid medium, such as waves at the beach, or ripples in a glass of water. They also take place in gases, like our atmosphere, and are called gravity waves because gravity is the force that restores equilibrium. In the atmosphere, they are generally created by obstructions to airflow, such as mountain ranges (on Venus, this creates enormous atmospheric waves), and by collisions between air masses of different temperatures. The latter is what caused the waves over Western Australia. […]
Researchers rise to challenge of predicting hail, tornadoes three weeks in advance
Science Daily November 28, 2018 A team of researchers in the US (Colorado State University, Stoney Brook University) used a reliable tropical weather pattern called the Madden-Julian Oscillation, which can influence weather in distant parts of the Earth, to demonstrate the ability to make skillful predictions of severe weather across the Plains and southeastern United States, including hail and tornadoes, in 2-to-5-weeks-in-advance period. They validated their predictions using available datasets looking at what the Madden-Julian Oscillation was doing about three weeks ahead of severe weather in these areas during the typical severe-weather months of March through June. Although forecasting weeks […]