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11 March 2013
Triple blow lowered arctic ozone in 2011
A combination of extreme cold temperatures, man-made chemicals and a stagnant atmosphere were behind what became known as the Arctic ozone hole of 2011, a new study finds.
15 June 2012
Volcanic impacts on everyday life — circa 1600
Massive volcanic eruptions that spew sulfur-rich particles into the atmosphere can disrupt climate around the globe, leading to cooler temperatures worldwide. Researchers can track the impacts by looking at ice cores or tree rings that record summer growth, but a different approach involves scouring through historical records to see what kind of an impact these volcanic explosions had on everyday life.
Quiet Eyjafyallajökull littered with reminders of 2010 explosion
Three years ago, icebergs floated at the base of this glacier, in the milky water of a glacial lagoon. But in May 2010, Eyjafjallajökull erupted forcefully beneath Gígjökull, causing torrents of melted water called jökulhlaups to surge down the valley and into the lagoon, carrying with them enough boulders and debris fill it up, displacing all the water.
11 June 2012
Potential Iceland eruption could pump acid into European airspace
A modern recurrence of an extraordinary type of volcanic eruption in Iceland could inject large quantities of hazardous gases into North Atlantic and European flight corridors, potentially for months at a time, a new study suggests. Using computer simulations, researchers are investigating the likely atmospheric effects if a “flood lava” eruption took place in Iceland today.
29 May 2012
Massive biofuel production could affect ozone layer
Already in doubt as an alternative to fossil fuels, biofuels might also contribute to destruction of the protective layer of ozone in the upper atmosphere, a new study says.
30 April 2012
Smoking out an air pollutant’s hot spots
A smoke-related chemical may be a significant air pollutant in some parts of the world, especially in places where forest fires and other forms of biomass burning are common, according to new research.
22 March 2012
Penguin “emissions” acidify air over Antarctic site
After some scientific sleuthing, researchers have tracked down the cause of a mysterious spike in atmospheric acidity over an Antarctic site made famous by the documentary March of the Penguins. The culprit? Penguin poop.
15 December 2010
Chemicals unleashed: Air quality during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill
For me, the term volatile organic compounds sounds like a group of renegade chemicals on a bender. Sadly, there were no pictures of “chemicals gone wild” in this morning’s poster session A31B Gulf of Mexico Air Quality and Climate Impacts: Urban and Regional Pollution Including the 2010 Oil Spill I Posters. Bottom line? The oil released when the rig exploded and sank not only pumped pollution into the ocean. It affected the air too.
5 October 2010
Climate Change Worsens Air Quality
Climate change will exacerbate air quality problems, says Jeffrey Stehr, atmospheric scientist at the University of Maryland, by increasing heat that causes some pollutants to form, and changing air circulation patterns. He says researchers from different disciplines have begun collaborating more to understand better what these long-term changes will bring. Stehr spoke with AGU after a Congressional briefing co-hosted by the US EPA and AGU on Sept. 28, 2010 that …
GeoSpace is a blog on Earth and space science, managed by AGU’s Public Information staff. The blog features posts by AGU writers and guest contributors on all sorts of relevant science topics, but with a focus on new research and geo and space sciences-related stories that are currently in the news.