Down in the slumps: Tracing erosion cycles in arctic permafrost
In the Arctic, landslide-like features known as mega retrogressive thaw slumps are threatening infrastructure, altering regional biogeochemistry, and emitting carbon......»»
Researchers reveal linkage between wildfire activity and abrupt climate events during the Holocene
As a major Earth system component, wildfire plays an important role in the Earth's terrestrial ecosystems and climate system, with significant impacts on the atmosphere, radiation effects, vegetation, surface properties, global biogeochemical cycles.....»»
Contact-tracing software could accurately gauge COVID-19 risk
Time spent with infected individuals is a key determinant of risk. Enlarge (credit: Maridav) It’s summer 2021. You rent a house in the countryside with a bunch of friends for someone’s birthday. The weather’s gorge.....»»
Permafrost: A ticking time bomb beneath our feet
Nearly a quarter of the Earth's land surface is permanently frozen. These areas, known as permafrost, are found in northern polar regions and at high altitudes. But the permafrost is now starting to thaw—with potentially disastrous consequences for.....»»
Mollusks from polar expeditions reveal new details about the ocean
In the early hours of 30 October 1961, a Russian bomber took off and flew north. The plane was headed for the Novaya Zemlya archipelago in the Russian part of the Arctic. When the pilot saw the islands far below, he released the cargo—a bomb the si.....»»
Scientists use fiber optic cable to study Arctic seafloor permafrost
The Arctic is remote, with often harsh conditions, and its climate is changing rapidly—warming four times faster than the rest of the Earth. This makes studying the Arctic climate both challenging and vital for understanding global climate change......»»
Ensuring proof of origin through marker-free tracing of logs
Until now, reliably tracing logs to their origin has been difficult to achieve. Researchers at Fraunhofer IPM and their partners have now shown that logs and trunk sections can be identified based on the structure of the cut surfaces. The recent rese.....»»
Move over, Blitzen: Geese outpace reindeer impacts on Arctic ecosystems
In the frigid seas halfway between mainland Norway and the North Pole, two types of animals browse the palatable vegetation of a high-tundra archipelago, munching on thick moss, cropped grasses, and low-lying shrubs......»»
Seals stay warm and hydrated in the Arctic with larger, more convoluted nasal passages
Arctic seals have evolved many adaptations to cope with their frosty environment—one that you might not immediately think of is the bones in their nasal cavity. Arctic seals have more convoluted nasal passages than seal species that live in milder.....»»
Natural gas is actually migrating under permafrost, and could see methane emissions skyrocket if it escapes
Beneath Svalbard's permafrost, millions of cubic meters of methane are trapped—and scientists have now learned that it can migrate beneath the cold seal of the permafrost and escape. A large-scale escape could create a cycle of warming that would s.....»»
Warmest Arctic summer caused by accelerating climate change
Summer surface air temperatures in 2023 were the warmest ever observed in the Arctic as a result of accelerating human-caused climate change, an official report card published Tuesday said......»»
Indigenous peoples" dissenting views on Arctic drilling fuels debate
Members of Congress agree that the administration needs to consider the concerns of indigenous communities when taking actions on oil and gas leasing in the Arctic. There is just disagreement on whose concerns should be prioritized......»»
Video: Permafrost thaw: A silent menace
Ice is without doubt one of the first casualties of climate change, but the effects of our warming world are not only limited to ice melting on Earth's surface. Ground that has been frozen for thousands of years, called permafrost, is thawing—addin.....»»
New study sheds light on how much methane is produced from Arctic lakes and wetlands
When it comes to greenhouse gases, methane is one the biggest contributors. Not only is it massively abundant—it's about 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere......»»
The mysterious "speeding up" glaciers of Svalbard
Spectacular Svalbard sits halfway between mainland Norway and the North Pole and is one of the fastest warming places in the Arctic......»»
Researchers investigate how climate change drivers reshape ocean methane and nitrous oxide cycles
The ocean is a critical life-support system for our planet through its role in global climate regulation. It absorbs most of the carbon emissions and heat trapped in the atmosphere, which result from human activities. Over the years, this has led to.....»»
Study reveals changes in glaciers, snow cover and permafrost in Chinese Altai mountains since 2000
The Altai Mountains are located in the eastern hinterland of Central Asia, bordering Russia, China, Mongolia, and Kazakhstan. Chinese Altai Mountains, located in the north of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, belongs to the southern slope of the midd.....»»
Sulfur-cycling microbes could lead to new possibilities in river-wetland-ocean remediation
Nutrient cycles such as the carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous and sulfur cycles are critical processes that free up elements essential to life by recycling them through our water, air, and soil. Sulfur, specifically, is an integral element in producing a.....»»
Unexpected discovery at the air-water interface for CO₂ reaction impacting geophysical and biological cycles
Ocean acidification, mammal respiration, and aerosol formation all depend on chemistry that occurs at air-water interfaces. In new research, scientists from the Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have discover.....»»
Following in polar bears" footprints: DNA from snow tracks could help monitor threatened animals
Polar bears are icons of the Arctic, elusive and vulnerable. Detailed monitoring of their populations is crucial for their conservation—but because polar bears are so difficult to find, we are missing critical data about population size and how wel.....»»
Qlik Sense flaws exploited in Cactus ransomware campaign
Attackers are exploiting three critical vulnerabilities in internet-facing Qlik Sense instances to deliver Cactus ransomware to target organizations, Arctic Wolf researchers have warned. The exploited vulnerabilities Qlik Sense is a business intellig.....»»