Feed aggregator | Отдел физики околоземного космического пространства

Melting sea ice combines with Arctic sea to make clouds

Phys.org: Earth science - Wed, 08/05/2026 - 09:00

Scientists have uncovered a previously unknown natural process that dramatically increases the number of cloud-forming particles in the Arctic atmosphere—potentially altering cloud cover, sunlight reflection and future climate change.

East Africa's iconic snow peaks will soon disappear for good. What will be lost when they melt?

Phys.org: Earth science - Tue, 08/04/2026 - 23:20

East Africa's shrinking mountain glaciers on three peaks in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania will soon be no more. The 2025 State of the Climate in Africa report (page 13) estimates that the ice areas on Mount Kenya, the continent's second-highest peak, have shrunk 96% in the past 115 years. The ice cap will cease to exist in three to five years, says the report. Rainer Prinz, who studies climate-glacier relationships, explains the intricate processes behind the retreat and what the consequences will be.

Cannabis farming is changing streams in California, experts warn

Phys.org: Earth science - Tue, 08/04/2026 - 22:20

Groundwater pumped to irrigate cannabis crops in California's Emerald Triangle can cause some streams that normally run year-round to dry up entirely during summer, say researchers from Simon Fraser University, the University of California, Berkeley and the United States Department of Agriculture.

Early snow loss exposes Barnes Ice Cap bare ice by mid-July

Phys.org: Earth science - Tue, 08/04/2026 - 18:30

For most of the year, the Barnes Ice Cap in the Canadian Arctic lies quiet under a blanket of snow. By summer, that snow melts back, and the ice cap transforms in texture, its bare ice dotted with turquoise ponds and its surface threaded with meltwater channels. In summer 2026, this seasonal awakening arrived fast and early.

New findings on the eruption history of the West Eifel maar volcanoes

Phys.org: Earth science - Tue, 08/04/2026 - 17:00

The West Eifel Volcanic Field comprises more than 100 maars—circular lakes formed by explosive eruptions. Until now, little was known about when these volcanic eruptions occurred. A research team from Heidelberg University, Curtin University in Perth, Australia, and the University of Göttingen has now reliably dated the most recent eruptions of the maar volcanoes.

Mechanical shortcut' rapidly carries organic particles into the deep ocean

Phys.org: Earth science - Mon, 08/03/2026 - 23:40

The processes that capture carbon from the atmosphere and store it on the seabed are crucial for climate balance. However, assessing these mechanisms is often complicated because it requires measurements ranging from the surface to the deep ocean.

Marine microbes point to ancient seawater source beneath Antarctica's Blood Falls

Phys.org: Earth science - Mon, 08/03/2026 - 21:00

Salty water flowing through Antarctica's Blood Falls contains a distinct community of marine-specific microorganisms, providing evidence that the brine system beneath the glacier has a marine origin, according to a paper published in Nature Geoscience. The findings offer new insights into how microbial communities can persist through major environmental transitions.

World Meteorological Organization says prepare for a strong El Niño

Phys.org: Earth science - Mon, 08/03/2026 - 20:00

El Niño continues to intensify steadily and is expected to dominate global climate patterns in the August to October 2026 season, increasing the likelihood of above-normal temperatures across much of the world and driving significant shifts in rainfall patterns, according to the World Meteorological Organization.

Hurricane storm surge follows predictable patterns, study finds

Phys.org: Earth science - Mon, 08/03/2026 - 18:40

When a hurricane roars toward land, forecasters try to predict how high sea levels will rise to help coastal communities prepare for the worst impacts.