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Improved classification of star and galaxy from telescope by using a spatio-spectral feature ResNet model

Publication date: 15 February 2026

Source: Advances in Space Research, Volume 77, Issue 4

Author(s): Sevilay Tufenkci, Baris Baykant Alagoz

Rigid-flexible-thermal coupling dynamic modeling and attitude control of large spaceborne deployable parabolic truss antenna

Publication date: 15 February 2026

Source: Advances in Space Research, Volume 77, Issue 4

Author(s): Shijie Zhou, Zhen Yang, Kaicheng Zhang, Xiang Liu, Guoping Cai

Autonomous path planning for stratospheric airships via deep reinforcement learning with wind field fusion

Publication date: 1 March 2026

Source: Advances in Space Research, Volume 77, Issue 5

Author(s): Shaofeng Bu, Wenming Xie, Xuchen Shen, Xiaodong Peng, Cheng Liu, Jingyi Ren

Two overshielding events and apparently inconsistent impact on equatorial ionosphere: Possible role of other drivers

Publication date: 15 February 2026

Source: Advances in Space Research, Volume 77, Issue 4

Author(s): A. Kumar, D. Chakrabarty, D. Rout, K. Pandey, B.G. Fejer, G.D. Reeves, S. Sripathi, P.R. Fagundes, A.K. Yadav

Ionospheric and radiophysical effects of the polar region according to the data of the research vessel Professor Molchanov arctic expedition

Publication date: 15 February 2026

Source: Advances in Space Research, Volume 77, Issue 4

Author(s): A.I. Sapunova, I.A. Ryakhovsky, Y.V. Poklad, B.G. Gavrilov, V.S. Lobanova, V.M. Ermak, E.N. Kozakova

Comparative study of Jason-3 ionospheric correction products and calibrated TEC data from GNSS and GIM

Publication date: 15 February 2026

Source: Advances in Space Research, Volume 77, Issue 4

Author(s): Tiezhu Li, Biyan Chen, Xiaoman Wang, Ning Huang, Yehan Liu

Reinforcement learning-based winding capture and obstacle-avoidance path planning for rope-driven manipulator

Publication date: 15 February 2026

Source: Advances in Space Research, Volume 77, Issue 4

Author(s): Ziliang Zhao, Xiaofeng Li, Haiyu Gu, Kangjia Fu, Cheng Wei, Yatao Zhao

A dual-capsule structural airship for flight in the stratosphere

Publication date: 15 February 2026

Source: Advances in Space Research, Volume 77, Issue 4

Author(s): Zhiguang Shi, Zongyu Zuo, Jiawei Song, Jingchuan Tang, Gang Wang

Ionospheric response to extreme geomagnetic storm (<math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" altimg="si35.svg" class="math"><mrow><mi>G</mi><mn>5</mn></mrow></math>) of 10 May 2024 over the African Sector

Publication date: 15 February 2026

Source: Advances in Space Research, Volume 77, Issue 4

Author(s): Geletaw Behailu, Abdu Mohammed, Yibekal Kassa, Michael W. Liemhon

Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility: Excellent IDEA! 

EOS - 4 hours 21 min ago
Editors’ Highlights are summaries of recent papers by AGU’s journal editors. Source: AGU Advances

Inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA) are recognized as central ethical commitments that strengthen science and expand its impact. However, their contribution to support continued innovation and the factual barriers and enablers are under-documented.

A new study from Naji and Reyes et al. [2026] addresses this gap. The authors conducted semi-structured interviews with underrepresented and underserved Earth observation professionals and identified challenges and support they received during their career. Through these conversations, they identify barriers and enablers and discuss solutions. The authors present interesting quotes from the interviews that excellently convey the feelings and discouragement caused by the barriers and the enthusiasm and scientific benefit stimulated by successful enablers. The article provides an illuminating perspective on the real value of IDEA for the benefit of science and humanity.

Citation: Naji, N., Reyes, S. R., Crowley, M. A., Schenkein, S. F., González, M., Siwe, R., et al. (2026). Global perspectives on barriers and enablers to inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA) in the field of Earth observation. AGU Advances, 7, e2025AV001858. https://doi.org/10.1029/2025AV001858

—Alberto Montanari, Editor-in-Chief, AGU Advances

Text © 2026. The authors. CC BY-NC-ND 3.0
Except where otherwise noted, images are subject to copyright. Any reuse without express permission from the copyright owner is prohibited.

Storms and shifting sands—assessing the ocean's impact on Start Bay coastline in UK

Phys.org: Earth science - 5 hours 14 min ago
Experts have warned that extensive storm damage caused to one of South Devon's most iconic routes is likely to become more frequent as global sea levels rise and the impacts of extreme wave events increases. Members of the University of Plymouth's Coastal Processes Research Group have been conducting detailed measurements and visual assessments along Start Bay for the past 20 years.

Cracks in snow propagate faster than expected

Phys.org: Earth science - 5 hours 48 min ago
Since 10 January 2026, the WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF) has received reports of hundreds of "whumpfs" (i.e., sounds indicating a collapse in the snowpack) and of remote triggering events—unmistakable signs of a critical avalanche situation involving a weak snowpack. A whumpf is where snow sports enthusiasts cause a fracture in a weak layer of the snow, which within seconds propagates as a crack across the terrain. If the crack reaches steep terrain, this may trigger an avalanche—a remote triggering event.

The Olympics Just Saw Its First “Forever Chemical” Disqualifications

EOS - 6 hours 31 min ago

This story was originally published by Grist. Sign up for Grist’s weekly newsletter here.

Heading into the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympics, skiers and snowboarders were already adjusting to a ban on fluorinated waxes long prized for making their equipment faster. Last week, the Winter Games saw their first enforcement of that rule, which is aimed at protecting public health and the environment.

South Korean cross-country skiers Han Dasom and Lee Eui-jin were disqualified from the women’s sprint event on 10 February. That came one day after Japanese snowboarder Shiba Masaki was disqualified from the men’s parallel giant slalom. In all three cases, routine testing found banned compounds on their equipment.

The so-called “fluoro” waxes provide a “really ridiculous speed advantage.”

For decades, elite snow sports athletes have relied on waxes with fluorocarbons that are exceptional at repelling water and dirt. Former U.S. cross-country racer Nathan Schultz told Grist the so-called “fluoro” waxes provide a “really ridiculous speed advantage,” especially in warmer conditions like those experienced at these Games.

But these waxes also contained PFAS, short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. This class of 15,000 so-called “forever chemicals” are notorious for never breaking down. Studies have linked exposure to PFAS to thyroid disease, developmental problems, and cancer, and research has found elevated levels in ski technicians who regularly handled the waxes. PFAS have also been detected in soil and water near ski venues, including wells drawing from aquifers in Park City, Utah, suggesting broader environmental contamination.

Amid growing concern over the environmental impacts and the risks to skiers, their technicians, and others, the International Ski and Snowboard Federation, or FIS, called for a ban in 2019. The prohibition took effect in 2023, and applies to all events governed by the federation, including nordic, alpine and freestyle skiing, ski jumping, and snowboarding.

Officials test multiple points on each competitor’s equipment, using a technique known as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to detect fluoros. If a given spot on a ski or snowboard turns green, it passes. A red result indicates the presence of the banned substance. Three or more red spots leads to disqualification.

Representatives for the Japan team did respond to comment. A spokesperson for the Korea Ski Association initially told the South Korean news agency Newsis that the organization was “perplexed” by the results. “They tested negative in all previous international competitions with no prior issues,” they said. “We will consult experts from wax and ski manufacturers to investigate whether the issue lies with the wax or skis.”

In an emailed statement, the Korean Olympic Committee told Grist that fluoride was detected in what it believed to be fluoride-free waxes. “The Ski Association has purchased fluoride-free wax products, so it will protest,” wrote the spokesperson. The team will also replace the wax and check the skis again after cleaning to “prevent recurrence.”

It is unclear if a protest was ever officially filed or what the outcome was. The Korean team declined to elaborate and FIS did not immediately respond to Grist’s questions. But unlike some infractions, like those related to doping, discipline for unintentional fluoro use generally applies only to the event in question. The Korean athletes competed again Thursday in the 10-km freestyle event, finishing 73rd and 80th.

This time the results stood.

—Tik Root, Grist

This article originally appeared in Grist at https://grist.org/accountability/the-olympics-just-saw-its-first-forever-chemical-disqualifications/.

Grist is a nonprofit, independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of climate solutions and a just future. Learn more at Grist.org.

Liquefaction induced by the 29 March 2025 Mw=7.7 Mandalay earthquake

EOS - 12 hours 2 min ago

The Landslide Blog is written by Dave Petley, who is widely recognized as a world leader in the study and management of landslides.

Of all the ground impacts induced by large earthquakes, liquefaction often feels to be the most neglected. The costs can be savage, and the long term implications wide ranging.

In this context, a very interesting paper (Valkaniotis et al. 2026) has been published in the journal Engineering Geology, which documents the liquefaction induced by the 29 March 2025 Mw=7.7 Mandalay earthquake in Myanmar. Given the challenges of fieldwork in this highly contested area, the work has been conducted medium resolution remote sensing.

It is an excellent study that demonstrates that liquefaction was extremely wide-ranging. The authors have documented 18,000 locations in which liquefaction has occurred, with the distribution being controlled by both proximity to the rupture (and not to the epicentre) and by the geology. The presence of thick deposits of Holocene fluvial materials, which occur widely in this area, allowed extensive liquefaction to occur.

One aspect that I found particularly interesting, and highly informative, is the comparison of the utility of satellite images with different resolutions for mapping liquefaction features. In particular, they show that 10 metre resolution Sentinel 2 images are useful for mapping liquefaction. So, I thought I’d take a look at the utility of Planet Labs imagery in this context.

One example that Valkaniotis et al. (2026) provide lies at [22.311, 96.012]. The Planet Labs image below shows this area as of 16 March 2025, a few days before the Mandalay earthquake:-

Satellite image of an area of Myanmar prior to the 2025 Mandalay earthquake. Image copyright Planet Labs, used with permission, collected on 16 March 2025.

And this is the same area on 31 March 2025, three days after the eartuqkae:-

Satellite image of an area of Myanmar after the 2025 Mandalay earthquake. Image copyright Planet Labs, used with permission, collected on 31 March 2025.

And here is a slider to compare the two images:-

Images by Planet Labs.

In the second image, there are hundreds of areas of exposed fluvial deposits (the light coloured patches) that are not present in the first image. These are the areas of liquefaction mapped by Valkaniotis et al. (2026). I think there may also be some locations in which lateral spreads are visible too, but this is less clear.

This is a fascinating finding, which will be very helpful in assessing post-seismic impacts in the future.

The extant of the liquefaction after the 2025 Mandalay earthquake is very interesting. At the end of the day, studies like this provide insight into the response of the ground to large earthquakes, and in turn this is intended to allow us to build resilience to these events. Valkaniotis et al. (2026) conclude their article as follows:-

“The 2025 Mandalay event serves as a reminder that liquefaction remains one of the most devastating secondary hazards associated with strong earthquakes, especially in densely populated floodplains with complex dynamic fluvial histories. The insights gained from this inventory can not only enhance national seismic resilience efforts in Myanmar but also contribute to the better understanding of liquefaction behavior in large strike-slip earthquakes worldwide.”

Quite.

Reference and acknowledgement

Valkaniotis, S. et al. 2026. Regional-scale inventory and initial analysis of liquefaction triggered by the 2025 Mw 7.7 Mandalay earthquake, Myanmar. Engineering Geology,
363. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2026.108543.

Many thanks to the wonderful people at Planet Labs for providing access to the satellite imagery.

Return to The Landslide Blog homepage Text © 2026. The authors. CC BY-NC-ND 3.0
Except where otherwise noted, images are subject to copyright. Any reuse without express permission from the copyright owner is prohibited.

Image: Winter grips Hokkaido, Japan

Phys.org: Earth science - 16 hours 38 min ago
Northern Japan, especially the island of Hokkaido, is home to some of the snowiest cities in the world. Sapporo, the island's largest city and host of an annual snow festival, typically sees more than 140 days of snowfall, with nearly six meters (20 feet) accumulating on average each year. The ski resorts surrounding the city delight in the relatively dry, powdery "sea-effect" snow that often falls when frigid air from Siberia flows across the relatively warm waters of the Sea of Japan.

Expedition to investigate coastal Kelvin waves and marine heat waves in the tropical Atlantic

Phys.org: Earth science - 19 hours 48 min ago
Yesterday, an international team of researchers from various disciplines set off aboard the German research vessel METEOR for an expedition along the west coast of Africa, led by the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel. The expedition focuses on two poorly understood phenomena: the Benguela upwelling system off the coasts of Angola and Namibia, which partly operates independently of the wind, and the recurring marine heat waves known as Benguela Niños, which have a significant impact on the local climate and cause flooding in Angola and Namibia.

How 1.5 million km of undersea internet cables can double up as an earthquake and tsunami warning system

Phys.org: Earth science - 20 hours 8 min ago
Forecasting earthquakes presents a serious challenge on land, but in the oceans that cover around 70% of Earth's surface it is all but impossible. However, the vast network of undersea cables that crisscross the world's seas could soon change this. As well as transmitting data around the planet, they can also monitor the tectonic movements that cause earthquakes and tsunamis.

Analytical Expression for Cross-Spectrum of Ambient-Noise Surface Waves in Distributed Acoustic Sensing with Multiple or Winding Cables

Geophysical Journal International - 20 hours 28 min ago
SummaryIn recent years, distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) has enabled the observation of strain over tens of kilometres at metre-level intervals by using optical fibre as a sensor. This study presents an analytical solution for the cross-spectrum of ambient noise with DAS data acquired from arbitrarily shaped and/or multiple fibre-optic cables, with the aim of estimating subsurface S-wave velocity structures using the spatial autocorrelation (SPAC) method. Our formulation accounts for both isotropic and anisotropic wave incidence. The analytical cross-spectrum depends on the angles between the horizontal direction connecting the two measurement points and the axial strain directions at the two points. This study demonstrates that both Rayleigh and Love waves contribute to the cross-spectrum, and that their contributions vary in a complex manner depending on the cable geometry, seismic velocity structure, interstation distance between observation points, and source amplitudes. By using this analytical solution, an integrated analysis combining the SPAC method and the ambient noise tomography method is applicable to DAS data acquired from arbitrarily shaped and/or multiple cables. In addition, the analytical expression considering anisotropic wave incidence will be useful for correcting travel-time anomalies caused by source heterogeneity. The application of our formulation to DAS data from winding or multiple cables will facilitate high-resolution and precise imaging of the three-dimensional structure.

AI model delivers detailed 15-day Mediterranean Sea predictions in seconds

Phys.org: Earth science - Tue, 02/17/2026 - 21:47
SeaCast is an innovative high-resolution forecasting system for the Mediterranean that harnesses AI to deliver faster and more energy-efficient predictions than traditional models. Unlike existing global AI models, which operate at lower resolutions and primarily rely on ocean data, SeaCast integrates both ocean and atmospheric variables, capturing complex regional dynamics. A paper describing the system is published in the journal Scientific Reports.

Climate change widened Valencia's 2024 extreme rain footprint by 55%, study finds

Phys.org: Earth science - Tue, 02/17/2026 - 21:20
Human-driven climate change intensified rainfall that triggered Spain's deadliest natural disaster in a generation when flash floods hit the Valencia region in 2024, a new study showed on Tuesday.

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