Phys.org: Earth science

Marine heat waves—periods in which the upper water layers in the sea temporarily become exceptionally warm—are occurring with increasing frequency worldwide. Recent studies by the Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemünde (IOW) have now confirmed this trend also for the Baltic Sea. The first study is published in the journal Climate Dynamics.

A team of researchers has made strides in understanding the formation of massif-type anorthosites, enigmatic rocks that only formed during the middle part of Earth's history. These plagioclase-rich igneous rock formations, which can cover areas as large as 42,000 square kilometers and host titanium ore deposits, have puzzled scientists for decades due to conflicting theories about their origins.

The churning of the upper ocean in the tropics of the Atlantic Ocean plays a crucial role in shaping long-term climate patterns across the world, a new study has found.

The ocean has a major influence on weather and climate. Scientists estimate it has absorbed more than 90% of the heat and 25% of the excess carbon released into the atmosphere by human activities.

As sea levels rise around the world, communities in coastal areas are more frequently seeing the impact of routine high tide flooding. These incursions of sea water may weaken foundations and infrastructure, slow down traffic and curb business activities in affected areas.

Among the many devastating impacts in the aftermath of a hurricane are power outages, which can take days or even weeks to restore. Communities grappling with the loss of electricity may encounter obstacles in accessing vital services, including food, fuel and health care.

In 2017, the Minamata Convention on Mercury went into effect, designed to help curb mercury emissions and limit exposure across the globe. However, a new study of mercury levels in soil suggests that the treaty's provisions might not be enough. A study published in Environmental Science & Technology estimates that soil stores substantially more mercury than previously thought, and it predicts that increases in plant growth due to climate change may add even more.

Unprecedented wildfires in Canada and parts of Amazonia last year were at least three times more likely due to climate change and contributed to high levels of CO2 emissions from burning globally, according to the first edition of a new systematic annual review.

The oxygen fugacity (fO2) of the mantle controls the speciation and mobility of volatiles within it, influencing the composition of volatiles released during mantle-derived magmatic activity, and thereby regulating the composition of the atmosphere.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season will be more active than normal. This comes after an energetic 2023 season, which brought the fourth-most named storms since 1950.

If you were to slice through it, you would see the Earth is divided into distinct layers. On top is the relatively thin crust where we live. Beneath that is the 2,900 km thick mantle layer. Then, enclosed within the mantle is the innermost metallic core of our planet.

Last year marked Earth's warmest year on record. A new study finds that some of 2023's record warmth, nearly 20%, likely came as a result of reduced sulfur emissions from the shipping industry. Much of this warming is concentrated over the northern hemisphere.

New research from a team at Los Alamos National Laboratory is improving landslide prediction capabilities, making simulations faster and more accurate, which in turn will improve safety for communities that are at risk of their infrastructure being washed away.

A new study that explores ancient temperatures and rainfall patterns in the tropical Andes of South America has revealed how 16,000 years of climate history in this part of the world was driven by carbon dioxide levels and ocean currents from global climate events.

As Earth warms, the Arctic Ocean's ability to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is waning due to melting permafrost and worsening coastal erosion, according to new research.

According to the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL), large parts of the German forest show an increase in damage as a result of the extreme drought period in Germany during recent years. However, hardly any data is available capturing the dynamic spatio-temporal changes in forested landscape at large scales.

As many as 300 people were killed in landslides triggered by higher than normal rainfall in south-western Ethiopia in July 2024. More than 15,000 were also forced to leave their homes. Another less deadly landslide that occurred two weeks later killed a dozen. Getnet Mewa, a geophysicist who studies landslides and associated landmass movements, explains where and how landslides occur in Ethiopia.

Despite advancements in clean energy, global CO2 emissions continue to rise. IIASA researchers contributed to a new international study that underscores the importance of integrating technological advancements with robust institutional capacities to formulate effective climate policies.

Phytoplankton are small but mighty. As one of the biggest drivers of primary production in Earth's oceans, they convert sunlight and carbon dioxide (CO2) into chemical energy, forming the base of the aquatic food web and transferring about 10 billion metric tons of carbon from the atmosphere to the deep ocean annually.

Researchers from the University of Cambridge and the British Antarctic Survey tracked fire activity over the past 150 years by measuring carbon monoxide trapped in Antarctic ice. This gas is released, along with smoke and particulates, by wildfires, cooking and communal fires.