Phys.org: Earth science

A new study from the University of British Columbia shows that even modest increases in river flows can dramatically raise flood frequency, with major implications for infrastructure and community safety. The researchers call for a shift in flood management—from focusing solely on rare, large floods to tracking how often floods occur.

Georgia Tech researchers have developed a mathematical formula to predict the size of lakes that form on melting ice sheets—discovering their depth and span are linked to the topography of the ice sheet itself.

An analysis of forest-based projects funded through the sale of carbon credits shows that 10% of them may have a net warming effect on the climate because of the way they alter Earth's albedo, or how much sunlight is reflected back into space.

The June 2023 heat wave in northern European seas was "unprecedented but not unexpected," new research shows.

Because the hustle and bustle of cities is driven largely by fossil fuels, urban areas have a critical role to play in addressing global greenhouse gas emissions. Currently, cities contribute around 75% of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, and urban populations are projected only to grow in the coming decades.

Earth's climate has fluctuated between cold and warm periods for millions of years. During the so-called "lukewarm interglacials"—warm phases between 800,000 and 430,000 years ago—atmospheric CO2 concentrations were only around 240 to 260 ppm (parts per million, i.e., molecules per 1 million molecules of air). Later interglacials reached values of 280 to 300 ppm.

Coastal communities around the world have long faced challenges related to flood risks. But as sea levels continue to rise and extreme weather events become more frequent, the need for more effective response strategies is greater than ever.

Bivalves, such as clams, oysters and mussels, record seasonal environmental changes in their shells, making them living chronicles of climate history. A new study of bivalve shells has detected two major episodes of instability in the North Atlantic Ocean's circulation systems, suggesting that the region may be heading toward a tipping point that could trigger sudden, dramatic changes in global weather patterns.

The Colorado River, which provides water across the Southwest, has lost about 20% of its flow in the last quarter-century, and its depleted reservoirs continue to decline. But negotiations aimed at addressing the water shortage are at an impasse, and leaders of environmental groups say the secrecy surrounding the talks is depriving the public of an opportunity to weigh in.

Sir Ernest Shackleton's ship, Endurance, was crushed by Antarctic sea ice and sank in November 1915. Emblematic of the heroic age of Antarctic exploration, it is widely considered the strongest polar ship of its time, albeit with a fatal flaw—a weakness in the rudder that caused the ship to sink.

New research shows that marine heat waves can reshape ocean food webs, which in turn can slow the transport of carbon to the deep sea and hamper the ocean's ability to buffer against climate change.

For people living near volcanoes, danger goes well beyond lava flows and clouds of ash. Some explosive eruptions can lead to dramatic collapses of the sides of a volcano, like those at Mount St. Helens, Washington, and Anak Krakatau, Indonesia. The latter triggered tsunamis blamed for most deaths from its historic eruptions in 1883.

Sea level rise could put more than 100 million buildings across the Global South at risk of regular flooding if fossil fuel emissions are not curbed quickly, according to a new McGill-led study published in npj Urban Sustainability.

Rivers in northern Sweden do not always become wider or richer in species further downstream. Natural barriers shape the flow and stop plants from spreading, new research from Umeå University shows. The study is published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment.

The planet's warming climate is having effects in Antarctica that increasingly resemble those observed in the Arctic, meaning global sea levels could rise faster than previously predicted, Danish researchers warned on Friday.

When the tectonic subduction zone beneath the Pacific Northwest moves, it does so in dramatic fashion. Not only is ground shaking from a magnitude 9+ earthquake incredibly destructive, the event triggers tsunamis and landslides to compound the damage. Now, a new study in the Geosphere suggests the "really big one" could also trigger a major earthquake in California.

An international research collaboration has harnessed supercomputing power to better understand how massive slabs of ancient ocean floors are shaped as they sink hundreds of kilometers below Earth's surface.

Earth's nastiest and costliest wildfires are blazing four times more often now than they did in the 1980s because of human-caused climate change and people moving closer to wildlands, a new study found.

The ocean holds gigantic amounts of carbon, much more than all land-based plants and soil. Scientists previously studied these carbon stocks in spring and summer. Now, in two published studies, they have looked at what happens in winter.

A team of scientists has uncovered a rare isotope in microscopic fossils, offering fresh evidence that ocean ecosystems may be more resilient than once feared.