New Papers & Articles Published from 12/02/2012 to 12/09/2012
Nature (News in Focus) Volume 492 (12/06/2012)
(1) Megacities move to track emissions
doi:10.1038/492020
* With $1.1 million funding, Los Angeles is taking a lead to gauge its CO2 emission accurately with advanced systems including instrumented aircraft.
Nature (Research Highlights)
(2) Climate fingerprints
doi:10.1038/492010d
* 20 climate models from IPCC 5th assessment were analyzed, and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory found out that these models typically overestimate warming in the lower atmosphere while underestimating cooling trends higher up, in the stratosphere.
(3) Tohoku quakes predecessor
doi:10.1038/492011b
* Sediment samples from Sendai region showed Japan had the earthquake that was magnitude 8.4 or higher around 869 AD. The findings were reported before the Tohoku quakes in 2011, and it could have helped hazard assessment...
(4) Ever faster polar ice loss
doi:10.1038/492011c
* NASA studied the uncertainty and discrepancy of ice loss, and they concluded that Antarctica and Greenland are now losing mass three times faster than they were 20 years ago.
Science (News & Analysis) Volume 338 (12/07/2012)
(5) Peering Inside the Moon to Read Its Earliest History doi: 10.1126/science.338.6112.1272
* Two satellites from NASA have been mapping gravity distribution on the moon. This map will tell us the locations and sizes of fractures on the moon. The deep fractures could be paths of previous magma flow.
(6) Putting a Greenhouse Gas to work
doi: 10.1126/science.1231092
* The unwanted greenhouse gas fluroform, CHF3, a byproduct of refrigerants, can be helpful to synthesize pharmaceuticals.
(7) India Barred Entry to U.S. Author of Seismic Review
doi: 10.1126/science.338.6112.1275
* U.S. geophysicist, Dr. Bilham from the University of Colorado, couldn’t visit India for his research after publishing 81 articles about Indian tectonics.
Science (Brevia)
(8) Drought in Africa Caused Delayed Arrival of European Songbirds
A. P. Tottrup et al
doi:10.1126/science.122754
* An extreme drought in Africa in 2011 delayed the migration of European songbirds.
PNAS Volume 109 (12/04/2012)
(9) Meltwater routing and the Younger Dryas Alan Condron and Peter Winsor doi:10.1073/pnas.1207381109
* Broecker suggested that meltwater via St. Lawrence Valley weakened AMOC, but this study suggested it was the Mackenzie Valley that delivered meltwater.
Nature (News in Focus) Volume 492 (12/06/2012)
(1) Megacities move to track emissions
doi:10.1038/492020
* With $1.1 million funding, Los Angeles is taking a lead to gauge its CO2 emission accurately with advanced systems including instrumented aircraft.
Nature (Research Highlights)
(2) Climate fingerprints
doi:10.1038/492010d
* 20 climate models from IPCC 5th assessment were analyzed, and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory found out that these models typically overestimate warming in the lower atmosphere while underestimating cooling trends higher up, in the stratosphere.
(3) Tohoku quakes predecessor
doi:10.1038/492011b
* Sediment samples from Sendai region showed Japan had the earthquake that was magnitude 8.4 or higher around 869 AD. The findings were reported before the Tohoku quakes in 2011, and it could have helped hazard assessment...
(4) Ever faster polar ice loss
doi:10.1038/492011c
* NASA studied the uncertainty and discrepancy of ice loss, and they concluded that Antarctica and Greenland are now losing mass three times faster than they were 20 years ago.
Science (News & Analysis) Volume 338 (12/07/2012)
(5) Peering Inside the Moon to Read Its Earliest History doi: 10.1126/science.338.6112.1272
* Two satellites from NASA have been mapping gravity distribution on the moon. This map will tell us the locations and sizes of fractures on the moon. The deep fractures could be paths of previous magma flow.
(6) Putting a Greenhouse Gas to work
doi: 10.1126/science.1231092
* The unwanted greenhouse gas fluroform, CHF3, a byproduct of refrigerants, can be helpful to synthesize pharmaceuticals.
(7) India Barred Entry to U.S. Author of Seismic Review
doi: 10.1126/science.338.6112.1275
* U.S. geophysicist, Dr. Bilham from the University of Colorado, couldn’t visit India for his research after publishing 81 articles about Indian tectonics.
Science (Brevia)
(8) Drought in Africa Caused Delayed Arrival of European Songbirds
A. P. Tottrup et al
doi:10.1126/science.122754
* An extreme drought in Africa in 2011 delayed the migration of European songbirds.
PNAS Volume 109 (12/04/2012)
(9) Meltwater routing and the Younger Dryas Alan Condron and Peter Winsor doi:10.1073/pnas.1207381109
* Broecker suggested that meltwater via St. Lawrence Valley weakened AMOC, but this study suggested it was the Mackenzie Valley that delivered meltwater.
(10)Mapping Greenland’s mass loss in space and time
Christopher Harig and Frederik J. Simons
doi:10.1073/pnas.1206785109
*Previous estimates of the mass lost from Greenland’s ice cap varied from -100 Gt to -250 Gt per year. This study used the new method using a spherical Slepian basis and concluded that the loss is −199.7 ± 6.3 Gt per year.
(11) Methane generation during experimental serpentinization of olivine
Thomas McCollom
doi/10.1073/pnas.121462910
* Oze et al (2012) stated that they observed generation of methane while serpentinization of olivine, but the possible problems of their experiments were pointed out.
*Previous estimates of the mass lost from Greenland’s ice cap varied from -100 Gt to -250 Gt per year. This study used the new method using a spherical Slepian basis and concluded that the loss is −199.7 ± 6.3 Gt per year.
(11) Methane generation during experimental serpentinization of olivine
Thomas McCollom
doi/10.1073/pnas.121462910
* Oze et al (2012) stated that they observed generation of methane while serpentinization of olivine, but the possible problems of their experiments were pointed out.
