For decades, oceanographers assumed the surface waters circling Antarctica were becoming progressively fresher - a shift that helped lock deep heat away and nurture expansive winter sea ice.



However, new observations show the opposite is now happening. An international team led by the <a href="https://www.southampton.ac.uk/">University of Southampton</a> reported a sudden rise in surface <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/salinity-is-rising-in-coastal-areas-and-hurting-farmlands/">salinity</a> south of 50° latitude. This shift coincided with the steepest drop in Antarctic sea-ice extent ever recorded.



The analysis combines European satellite data with readings from autonomous floats that profile the water column. The result reveals an unanticipated pivot in the Southern Ocean’s salt balance sometime after 2015.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-excessive-salt-melts-sea-ice">Excessive salt melts sea ice</h2>



Cold, fresh surface water normally overlies warmer, saltier layers at depth, creating strong density “stratification” that traps heat below. When the surface grows saltier, that barrier weakens. Heat then mixes upward, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antarcticas-melting-ice-shelves-threaten-global-sea-levels/">melting sea ice</a> from beneath and preventing extensive winter growth.



“Saltier surface water allows deep ocean heat to rise more easily, melting sea ice from below," said lead author Alessandro Silvano, an oceanographer at the University of Southampton. "It's a dangerous feedback loop: less ice leads to more heat, which leads to even less ice.” 



Since 2015, the continent has shed sea ice equivalent to the area of Greenland. Researchers call it the largest environmental shift detected anywhere on Earth in recent decades.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sea-ice-hole-returns-after-decades">Sea ice hole returns after decades</h2>



One striking symptom is the re-opening of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/massive-hole-polynya-the-size-of-switzerland-appeared-in-the-antarctica-sea-ice/">Maud Rise polynya</a> - a yawning hole in the Weddell Sea ice cover. It spans nearly four times the size of Wales and last appeared in the late 1970s.



“The return of the Maud Rise polynya signals just how unusual the current conditions are,” Silvano said. “If this salty, low-ice state continues, it could permanently reshape the Southern Ocean - and with it, the planet.”



Reduced Antarctic ice darkens the ocean, absorbing more sunlight and already feeding back into the global climate system. This, as Silvano put it, will give rise to “stronger <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rapid-antarctic-sea-ice-loss-is-causing-severe-storms-around-the-world/">storms</a>, warmer oceans, and shrinking habitats for Antarctic wildlife.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-old-predictions-fall-short">Old predictions fall short</h2>



Climate models had projected eventual Antarctic sea-ice loss under greenhouse forcing. However, many scientists believed that enhanced snowfall and increased melt from continental ice sheets would keep surface waters fresh for decades, delaying large declines. The new evidence challenges that assumption.



“While scientists expected that human-driven climate change would eventually lead to Antarctic sea ice decline, the timing and nature of this shift remained uncertain,” said co-author Aditya Narayanan, a physical oceanographer at the University of Southampton.



“Previous projections emphasized enhanced surface freshening and stronger ocean stratification, which could have supported sustained sea ice cover. Instead, a rapid reduction in sea ice - an important reflector of solar radiation - has occurred, potentially accelerating global warming.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-eyes-on-the-southern-ocean">Eyes on the Southern Ocean</h2>



Because this turnaround was detected only after <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/satellites-reveal-a-sudden-drop-in-global-freshwater-levels/">satellites</a> began tracking sea-surface salinity in detail, researchers worry that other rapid transitions might be missed without constant observation.



“The new findings suggest that our current understanding may be insufficient to accurately predict future changes,” said senior author Alberto Naveira Garabato, a professor of physical oceanography at the University of Southampton.



“It makes the need for continuous satellite and in-situ monitoring all the more pressing, so we can better understand the drivers of recent and future shifts in the ice-ocean system.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sea-ice-loss-changes-the-planet">Sea ice loss changes the planet</h2>



Antarctic sea ice acts as a reflective shield, bouncing sunlight back to space and modulating heat exchange between ocean and atmosphere.



Its precipitous decline could amplify warming worldwide, disturb wind patterns, and alter the formation of the deep water masses that power global ocean circulation.



Saltier surface layers may also influence how much carbon the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/carbon-storage-mystery-emerges-in-the-southern-ocean/">Southern Ocean</a> can absorb, potentially weakening one of Earth’s most important climate buffers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heat-and-salt-reinforce-sea-ice-loss">Heat and salt reinforce sea ice loss</h2>



The study leaves open questions about what triggered the sudden salinity jump. Possibilities include shifts in wind patterns, changes in precipitation, or increased intrusion of warm Circumpolar Deep Water onto the continental shelf.



Whatever the cause, the new feedback between salt and sea ice could lock the region into a self-reinforcing cycle of warming and ice loss.



Scientists stress that only sustained measurements - combining satellites, autonomous floats, and ship-based surveys - will reveal whether the Southern Ocean snaps back to its former fresher state or continues toward an unfamiliar, saltier future.



For now, the message is clear: Antarctica’s floating fringe, once thought relatively resistant to near-term change, is undergoing a rapid transformation that matters far beyond the frozen continent.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2500440122">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



-----



Like what you read? <a href="https://www.earth.com/subscribe/">Subscribe to our newsletter</a> for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.&nbsp;



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.earth.com/author/eralls/">Eric Ralls</a> and Earth.com.



-----

Antarctic sea ice collapse linked to a sudden surge in ocean salt

For decades, oceanographers assumed the surface waters circling Antarctica were becoming progressively fresher - a shift that helped lock deep heat away and nurture expansive winter sea ice. However, new observations show the opposite is now happening. An international team led by the University of Southampton reported a sudden rise in surface salinity south of 50° latitude. This shift coincided with the steepest drop in Antarctic sea-ice extent ever recorded. The analysis combines European satellite data with readings from autonomous floats that profile the water column. The...

Large Quantities of Nitrous Oxide Found in Southeast Pacific. Originally it became famous as an anesthetic gas used by dentists. However, laughing gas, or chemically correct nitrous oxide, is also found in large quantities in nature and has serious effects on climate: In the lower atmosphere it is a strong greenhouse gas, and in higher layers of the atmosphere it contributes indirectly to the destruction of ozone. "A global assessment of marine nitrous oxide emissions is, however, difficult because we do not know exactly where and how much nitrous oxide is produced," says marine chemist Damian L. Arévalo-Martínez from GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel. Together with colleagues from GEOMAR and the University of Kiel (CAU), he presents new data in the international scientific journal Nature Geoscience, showing that the <a href="http://www.earth.com/image/lituya-bay-on-the-southeastern-coast-of-alaska/">Southeast</a> Pacific has been significantly underestimated as a source of nitrous oxide. Large Quantities of Nitrous Oxide Found in Southeast Pacific

The published data are based on three expeditions of the German research vessel METEOR, which took place off Peru between November 2012 and March 2013. Together, the Kiel-based collaborative research centre "SFB 754" and the SOPRAN project have studied the extensive oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) off Peru since 2008. "In that area, like on the eastern boundaries of other tropical oceans, nutrient-rich waters from deeper water layers are transported to the surface," explains co-author Prof. Dr. Hermann Bange, also from GEOMAR. This results in intense plankton growth close to the surface, which upon death, sinks on the water column.

When microorganisms decompose this biomass, they thereby consume more oxygen than can be supplied by surrounding waters and thus the oxygen concentration decreases. Of all the tropical OMZs the one in the <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=pacific&amp;cvid=211f7afc86c345b5b835ee5027493005&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">Pacific</a> is the largest. "We know that oxygen depletion also affects the nitrogen cycle and favors the production of nitrous oxide," says Damian L. Arévalo-Martínez. However, previous measurements allowed only rough estimations of its release to the atmosphere.

During the expeditions in 2012 and 2013, the researchers were able to measure nitrous oxide concentrations continuously from the METEOR for the first time. "Before, the ship had to stop every few miles. We took seawater samples, analyzed them and had data for one point only," explains Professor Bange. He adds: "With the new continuous measurement method we get a lot more data, which also enable us to make better extrapolations for the whole area."

These new data include, among others, the highest ever measured nitrous oxide concentrations in marine surface waters. "Our estimates revealed that each year about 0.3 to 1.4 megatons of nitrous oxide are emitted to the atmosphere from the oxygen minimum zone in the tropical Southeast Pacific. This is up to a fifth of the estimated marine nitrous oxide emissions worldwide and significantly exceeds similar upwelling areas in other tropical oceans," says Arévalo-Martínez.

The investigation of greenhouse gas emissions, such as nitrous oxide, is also important to anticipate future changes in time and to assess their impact on climate. "The OMZs have expanded in recent years, but before we can see an increase or decrease of greenhouse gas emissions, we need to know the actual state," says Professor Bange.

Large Quantities of Nitrous Oxide Found in Southeast Pacific

Large Quantities of Nitrous Oxide Found in Southeast Pacific. Originally...

Top Doctors Urge the Earth to Cut out Coal. Some top international doctors and public health experts have issued an urgent prescription for a feverish planet Earth: Get off coal as soon as possible.
Substituting cleaner energy worldwide for coal will reduce air pollution and give Earth a better chance at avoiding dangerous climate change, recommended a global health commission organized by the prestigious <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/new-species-of-sea-sponge-discovered-in-british-columbia/">British</a> medical journal Lancet. The panel said hundreds of thousands of lives each year are at stake and global warming "threatens to undermine the last half century of gains in development and global health." Top Doctors Urge the Earth to Cut out Coal
It's like a cigarette smoker with lung problems: Doctors can treat the disease, but the first thing that has to be done is to get the patient to stop smoking, or in this case get off coal in the next five years, commission officials said in interviews.
"The prescription for patient Earth is that we've got a limited amount of time to fix things," said commission co-chairman Dr. Anthony Costello, a pediatrician and director of the Global Health Institute at the University College of<a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=london&amp;cvid=96ae517bb0df4e8396197a3a9ccc2dc9&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS"> London.</a> "We've got a real challenge particularly with carbon pollution."
He called it a "medical emergency" that could eventually dwarf the deadly toll of HIV in the 1980s. He and others said burning coal does more than warm the Earth, but causes even more deaths from other types of air pollution that hurt people's breathing and hearts.
Unlike its earlier report in 2009, which laid out the health problems of climate change, this report was more about what can be done to improve the planet's health. It calls for cutting air pollution, more walking and cycling and less driving, better urban design, putting a price on the cost of each ton of carbon being used, improved health care planning for extreme weather and every two year check-ups on how the world is doing to get healthier.
"Virtually everything that you want to do to tackle climate change has health benefits," Costello said. "We're going to cut heart attacks, strokes, diabetes."
The Lancet commission report came out days after an impassioned plea to fight global warming by Pope Francis and hours after the President Barack Obama's administration issued a report emphasizing the costs of inaction on climate change and the benefits of doing something now. The Obama administration said if nothing is done, at the turn of the next century about 57,000 Americans will die each year from polluted air and at least another 12,000 yearly from extreme temperatures.
"Obama is not a doctor; people trust doctors more," Costello said.
In a companion posting in Lancet, World Health Organization director general Margaret Chan also compares fighting climate change to fighting smoking and saving lives. Both Chan and the Lancet commission quote WHO studies that say by 2030 climate change would "be likely to cause about 250,000 additional deaths per year" around the world.
Poverty is the main problem and burning coal to produce electricity helps fight that, said National Mining Association spokesman Luke Popovich. He said, "it makes far more sense to support the technologies that make coal cleaner to use than to support policies that would deny its use to those who rightfully want the comforts of civilization."
But Harvard School of Public Health epidemiologist Joel Schwartz called the Lancet study's coal phase-out "a reasonable prescription for planet Earth. Burning coal has terrible health effects, is bad for global warming and it is destructive of the ecosystem."
---
Online:
The Lancet: <a href="http://www.thelancet.com/commissions/climate-change" target="-blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://www.thelancet.com/commissions/climate-change</a>
---
Seth Borenstein can be followed at <a href="http://twitter.com/borenbears" target="-blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://twitter.com/borenbears</a>
© 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Top Doctors Urge the Earth to Cut out Coal

Top Doctors Urge the Earth to Cut out Coal. Some...

More Solar Storms Expected to Bombard Earth. The sizable solar storm that reached Earth on Monday continues to pepper the planet's magnetic field, and forecasters say they have the potential to disrupt power grids and GPS systems.

[caption id="attachment_2382450" align="alignleft" width="300"]<a href="http://cff1.greenatom.net/uploads/2015/06/Solar-storms-slam-Earth_NOAA.jpg"><img class="wp-image-2382450 size-medium" src="http://cff1.greenatom.net/uploads/2015/06/Solar-storms-slam-Earth_NOAA-300x200.jpg" alt="Solar-storms-slam-Earth_NOAA" width="300" height="200" /></a> Geomagnetic storming reaches G4 (severe) levels. Image by NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center[/caption]

And there are more on the way, meaning stargazers will have a few days to catch a glimpse of the aurora borealis (or northern lights).

"Solar wind conditions remain highly favorable for continued Strong Geomagnetic storming, with both fast solar wind and strong magnetic fields," NOAA officials <a class="tpstyle" href="http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/news/geomagnetic-storming-reaches-g4-severe-levels" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">wrote in a forecast update</a>. "Aurora watchers in North America, especially northern tier states of the US, should stay alert."

The storm's solar winds -- buoyed by a solar flare released Sunday -- have continued to bombard <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=earth&amp;cvid=39aa78650a5c4da1a3365d9f7e8307fd&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">Earth</a>, leading officials at NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center to categorize the storm as a G4 level, or severe, geomagnetic storm.

<a href="http://cff1.greenatom.net/uploads/2015/06/Scott-Kelley-solar-flare_NASA.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-2382449" src="http://cff1.greenatom.net/uploads/2015/06/Scott-Kelley-solar-flare_NASA-271x300.jpg" alt="Scott-Kelley-solar-flare_NASA" width="271" height="300" /></a>The unusually intense aurora was seen Monday from space as the storm first arrived. NASA astronaut <a class="tpstyle" title="Scott Kelly" href="http://www.upi.com/topic/Scott_Kelly/">Scott Kelly</a>, currently aboard the International<a href="http://www.earth.com/video/happy-4th-from-the-international-space-station/"> Space Station</a>, posted a series of photos showcasing the glowing interactions between solar radiation and Earth's magnetic field.

The most intense solar storms tend to be red, with less intense winds resulting in blues and greens.

As of Tuesday, no significant communications disruptions had been reported. It's likely local power grids have witnessed minor current fluctuations as a result of the radiation, but modern electrical systems are designed to withstand such circumstances.

Another flare was launched from the solar surface on Monday, sending out another wave of radiation. Those storming solar winds are expected to arrive late Wednesday and last through Thursday.

"This timing bodes well for aurora watchers in North America," SWPC forecasters <a class="tpstyle" href="http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/news/another-storm-forecast-wednesday-nightthursday" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">wrote in a recent update</a>.

More Solar Storms Expected to Bombard Earth

More Solar Storms Expected to Bombard Earth. The sizable solar...

Tacolaban, il disastro dopo il tifone nelle Filippine

Climate Change Increases Poverty in Asia-Pacific. Climate change has been making the poor in the Asia-Pacific region even poorer and is also setting back efforts to haul them out of poverty, the Asian Development Bank said in a report Wednesday.
Combined with rising inequality, the two forces could make the more equal distribution of the fruits of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/new-model-predicts-economically-important-traits-in-crops/">economic</a> growth a "distant goal" for the world's most populous region, where 700 million people - two thirds of the world's poor - still wallow in poverty.
"In one country after another, climate change frequently threatens to offset decades of gains in poverty reduction," the report said. Climate Change Increases Poverty in Asia-Pacific
The report by the Manila-based lender says 1.5 million Filipinos have been pushed deeper into poverty and about 6 million lost their jobs in 2013, as a result of Typhoon Haiyan, one of the world's most powerful storms.
Rising inequality exacerbated by climate change risks from extreme weather also slowed poverty reduction efforts in Indonesia. If inequality and environmental factors had remained constant, the poverty rate would not have risen from 3.6 percent in 2010 to 11.3 percent in 2014, said ADB evaluation specialist Hyun Son.
"Environmental shocks push the poor into direr straits. Hence, responding to climate change helps to reduce inequality," said Vinod Thomas, head of the bank's Independent Evaluation Department, which published the report.
Haiyan, which devastated the central Philippines, drove more Filipinos into extreme hardship of living on less than $1.25 a day. Those who lost their jobs were mostly retailers, service crew, coconut farmers and fishermen. They now are even more exposed to greater hardships from another extreme weather event, the report said.
For a country like Indonesia, whose urban population is expected to rise to 65 percent of the entire nation by 2025 from 50 percent currently, there likely will be a rise in "urban deprivation" that will cause overcrowding and reduction in resources. This will strain public services, resulting in job and income losses as well as environmental shocks for the poor, the report said.
It said building "climate-resilient" infrastructure will help ensure that people, especially the poor, continue to have access to health facilities and market when disasters strike.
Such infrastructure is also crucial in other disaster-prone countries like Tajikistan in Central Asia, which is mostly mountainous, and Papua New Guinea, an island nation. However, climate change and its risks aren't viewed as an urgent development issue by their governments, the report said.
Social safety nets like cash transfers conditioned on improvements in health and education can also help mitigate the impact of climate change on the poor.
In Vietnam, the report said that such measures should be utilized for ethnic minorities who live in remote mountainous areas where people will be further cut off from basic services in case of a major calamity.
---
Online:
<a href="http://www.adb.org/" target="-blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://www.adb.org/</a>
© 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Climate Change Increases Poverty in Asia-Pacific

Climate Change Increases Poverty in Asia-Pacific. Climate change has been...

Study: Illegal Pot Growing is Hurting the Environment. Illegal pot growers are hurting the environment in California. According to a new study by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, marijuana farmers are poisoning local food chains and wastefully diverting previous water.

The blame doesn't fall on legal growers with legitimate growing operations; instead, the ecological damage is being done by farmers who stealthily cultivate crops on parklands and on unmonitored rural properties -- typically in remote forested watersheds.

In monitoring the Northern California's Eel River watershed, researchers found illegal pot growing operation using networks of pipes and hoses to siphon water from streams already diminished by drought.

In addition to robbing what little water there is for wildlife and plants, farmers are also polluting the wilderness with pesticides and poison to keep rodents away from their plants. Toxins in the poisoned rats can travel up the food chain, potentially affecting predators like Pacific fishers, a species currently awaiting a ruling on its Endangered Species Act candidacy.

"The environmental harm caused by marijuana cultivation has largely been ignored, but this is a mistake," researcher Stephanie Carlson, a freshwater fish ecologist and an associate professor of environmental sciences at Berkeley, <a class="tpstyle" href="http://news.berkeley.edu/2015/06/24/marijuana-environmental-impact/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">explained in a press release</a>.

Carson is one of the authors of a new report on the ecological consequences of marijuana production, published this week <a class="tpstyle" href="http://bioscience.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2015/06/19/biosci.biv083.abstract?sid=0cdb9909-9da8-421f-9054-e0c311a06347" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">in the journal Bioscience</a>.

"Marijuana is a thirsty crop that often relies on surface water diversions during California's summer dry season," Carlson said. "While many of our native aquatic organisms are adapted to California's Mediterranean seasonality, the combination of our current drought and summer water diversions for marijuana could be a one-two punch that drives declines in several sensitive populations."

By-the-books pot farmers aren't directly on the hook for the environmental damages detailed in the latest study, but the legalization of medical marijuana has only spurred illicit growing operations.

Making matters worse, scientists say the watersheds most affected are those that are already exceedingly vulnerable -- rivers and streams only recently nursed back to health in the wake of heavy logging.

"The sad fact is that the Eel and coastal rivers like it are on a knife edge," said Mary Power, a professor of integrative <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/compassionate-conservation-animal-welfare/">biology.</a> "All of these wonderful native fishes are on the brink of coming back, and it is very frustrating that their recovery -- which has taken 50 years and is actually a fairly encouraging recovery for the fish and for the older Eel habitat -- is being derailed by the marijuana 'green rush.'"

---

<a href="http://www.upi.com/">UPI</a>

Study: Illegal Pot Growing is Hurting the Environment

Study: Illegal Pot Growing is Hurting the Environment. Illegal pot...

Study: Illegal Pot Growing is Hurting the Environment. Illegal pot growers are hurting the environment in California. According to a new study by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, marijuana farmers are poisoning local food chains and wastefully diverting previous water.

The blame doesn't fall on legal growers with legitimate growing operations; instead, the ecological damage is being done by farmers who stealthily cultivate crops on parklands and on unmonitored rural properties -- typically in remote forested watersheds. Study: Illegal Pot Growing is Hurting the Environment

In monitoring the Northern California's Eel River watershed, researchers found illegal pot growing operation using networks of pipes and hoses to siphon water from streams already diminished by drought.

In addition to robbing what little water there is for wildlife and plants, farmers are also polluting the wilderness with pesticides and poison to keep rodents away from their plants. Toxins in the poisoned rats can travel up the food chain, potentially affecting predators like Pacific fishers, a species currently awaiting a ruling on its Endangered Species Act candidacy.

"The environmental harm caused by marijuana cultivation has largely been ignored, but this is a mistake," researcher Stephanie Carlson, a freshwater fish ecologist and an associate professor of environmental sciences at Berkeley, <a class="tpstyle" href="http://news.berkeley.edu/2015/06/24/marijuana-environmental-impact/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">explained in a press release</a>.

Carson is one of the authors of a new report on the ecological consequences of marijuana production, published this week <a class="tpstyle" href="http://bioscience.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2015/06/19/biosci.biv083.abstract?sid=0cdb9909-9da8-421f-9054-e0c311a06347" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">in the journal Bioscience</a>.

"Marijuana is a thirsty crop that often relies on surface water diversions during California's summer dry season," Carlson said. "While many of our native aquatic organisms are adapted to California's Mediterranean seasonality, the combination of our current drought and summer water diversions for marijuana could be a one-two punch that drives declines in several sensitive populations."

By-the-books pot farmers aren't directly on the hook for the environmental damages detailed in the latest study, but the legalization of medical marijuana has only spurred illicit growing operations.

Making matters worse, scientists say the watersheds most affected are those that are already exceedingly vulnerable -- rivers and streams only recently nursed back to health in the wake of heavy logging.

"The sad fact is that the Eel and coastal rivers like it are on a knife edge," said Mary Power, a professor of integrative biology. "All of these wonderful native fishes are on the brink of coming back, and it is very frustrating that their recovery -- which has taken 50 years and is actually a fairly encouraging recovery for the fish and for the older Eel habitat -- is being derailed by the marijuana 'green rush.'"

---

<a href="http://www.upi.com/">UPI</a>

Study: Illegal Pot Growing is Hurting the Environment. Illegal pot growers are hurting the environment in California. According to a new study by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, marijuana farmers are poisoning local food chains and wastefully diverting previous water.

The blame doesn't fall on legal growers with legitimate growing operations; instead, the ecological damage is being done by farmers who stealthily cultivate <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/bacteria-work-better-together-to-improve-crops/">crops</a> on parklands and on unmonitored rural properties -- typically in remote forested watersheds.

In monitoring the Northern California's Eel River watershed, researchers found illegal pot growing operation using networks of pipes and hoses to siphon water from streams already diminished by drought. Study: Illegal Pot Growing is Hurting the Environment

In addition to robbing what little water there is for wildlife and plants, farmers are also polluting the wilderness with pesticides and poison to keep rodents away from their plants. Toxins in the poisoned rats can travel up the food chain, potentially affecting predators like Pacific fishers, a species currently awaiting a ruling on its Endangered Species Act candidacy.

"The environmental harm caused by marijuana cultivation has largely been ignored, but this is a mistake," researcher Stephanie Carlson, a freshwater fish ecologist and an associate professor of environmental sciences at Berkeley, <a class="tpstyle" href="http://news.berkeley.edu/2015/06/24/marijuana-environmental-impact/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">explained in a press release</a>.

Carson is one of the authors of a new report on the ecological consequences of marijuana production, published this week <a class="tpstyle" href="http://bioscience.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2015/06/19/biosci.biv083.abstract?sid=0cdb9909-9da8-421f-9054-e0c311a06347" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in the journal Bioscience</a>.

"Marijuana is a thirsty crop that often relies on surface water diversions during California's summer dry season," Carlson said. "While many of our native aquatic organisms are adapted to California's Mediterranean seasonality, the combination of our current drought and summer water diversions for marijuana could be a one-two punch that drives declines in several sensitive populations."

By-the-books pot farmers aren't directly on the hook for the environmental damages detailed in the latest study, but the legalization of medical marijuana has only spurred illicit growing operations.

Making matters worse, scientists say the watersheds most affected are those that are already exceedingly vulnerable -- rivers and streams only recently nursed back to health in the wake of heavy logging.

"The sad fact is that the Eel and coastal rivers like it are on a knife edge," said Mary Power, a professor of integrative biology. "All of these wonderful native fishes are on the brink of coming back, and it is very frustrating that their recovery -- which has taken 50 years and is actually a fairly encouraging recovery for the fish and for the older Eel habitat -- is being derailed by the marijuana 'green rush.'"

---

<a href="http://www.upi.com/">UPI</a>

House Leaders Want Answers from California Oil Spill. Congressional leaders said they want explanations from the company behind the May oil spill in California, as well as from federal safety regulators.

A pipeline system operated by Plains All American, which has headquarters in Houston, leaked as much as 2,500 barrels of oil in Santa Barbara County in mid-May, the worst spill in <a href="http://www.earth.com/image/tule-fog-across-californias-central-valley/">California</a> in 25 years. About 500 barrels may have reached the waters off the coast of Refugio State Beach and oil migrated more than 100 miles along the coastline. House Leaders Want Answers from California Oil Spill

The federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration released their preliminary findings of the integrity of the pipeline system. PHMSA said it found "extensive" corrosion, with walls degraded by as much as 74 percent of their original thickness in some locations.

Bipartisan leaders of the House Energy and Commerce Committee sent letters to Plains and the PHMSA seeking explanations on pipeline safety. To Plains, the congressional leaders said they <a class="tpstyle" href="http://energycommerce.house.gov/sites/republicans.energycommerce.house.gov/files/114/Letters/062515PlainsPipelineLetter.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">wanted details</a> on the company's maintenance procedures.

Plains is called on to "explain any corrosion or other anomalies identified and what you did to address and validate that any identified issues were resolved effectively" on the pipeline system.

Plains said it had conducted a <a class="tpstyle" href="http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Energy-Resources/2015/05/27/Plains-defends-California-pipeline-infrastructure/5881432729104/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">system inspection</a> two weeks before the May 19 spill, though results weren't returned until after the incident.

A court ruling issued in the late 1980s allowed the pipeline's former operators to use the pipeline without an automatic shutoff value after a county decision to require them. Plains purchased the pipeline in 1998.

Plains said it's "much safer" for a controller who understands the hydraulics of crude oil pipelines to shut down operations using a controlled and planned sequence of events.

To federal authorities, the representatives said they wanted updates on the implementation of "long overdue" safety rules <a class="tpstyle" href="http://energycommerce.house.gov/press-release/bipartisan-committee-leaders-request-information-pipeline-safety" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">spelled out in 2011 legislation</a>. The measure, they said in their letter, is meant to prevent such tragedies from occurring.

Response crews last week started removing containment boom deployed off the Santa Barbara coast, though cleanup operations continue to gather oiled soils and vegetation. Some beaches have since reopened as well.

There was no response to the congressional leaders from Plains or the federal pipeline safety agency.

---

UPI

House Leaders Want Answers from California Oil Spill

House Leaders Want Answers from California Oil Spill. Congressional leaders...

Shell Drill Rig Headed for Alaska Despite Lacking Permits. One Royal Dutch Shell offshore drill rig is headed to Alaska and a second is poised to leave, despite lacking final federal permits that would allow exploratory drilling and possible confirmation of rich oil reserves under the Chukchi Sea.
A spokesman for Royal Dutch Shell PLC said that's routine. But an attorney for Oceana, one of dozens of groups objecting to Arctic offshore drilling, said seeing Shell's flotilla sail north puts pressure on federal agencies to sign off on the permits. Shell Drill Rig Headed for Alaska Despite Lacking Permits
"They're not conditions that lead to good decision-making, good governance and good protections for our ocean," Mike LeVine said. "These are the kind of situations that the public rightfully is concerned about."
The rigs were the target of protests when they docked in Seattle earlier this month. Protesters formed a blockade with kayaks and other vessels as one of the rigs left the Port of Seattle on its way to explore for oil in the Arctic Ocean.
Starting next month, Shell proposes to drill up to four exploration wells over two years in the Chukchi Sea. Exploration wells could confirm economically recoverable oil in what's suspected to be one of the last untapped prospects on the planet. The U.S. Geological Survey estimates there are more than 26 billion barrels of oil in the Alaska outer continental shelf.
Drilling is bitterly opposed by environmental groups that say Arctic offshore oil is best left in the ground. Burning Arctic oil will add to climate warming, disturb an ecosystem under stress from a severe summer sea ice loss, and put polar bears, whales, walrus and ice seals in harm's way from a blowout or spill, according to critics.
Shell spent $2.1 billion for Chukchi leases in 2008.
Transocean's Polar Pioneer, a semi-submersible drilling unit, is on its way north behind two tug boats to a final staging port, Dutch Harbor, in the Aleutian Islands, Shell spokesman Curtis Smith said.
Crews are fastening materials onto the Noble Discoverer, a 572-foot drill ship, at the Port of Everett, <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=washington&amp;cvid=be923ff971c14829b3888946b76a2ac1&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">Washington,</a> for the voyage to Alaska.
If the company receives all its permits, it could begin drilling July 15 on the Burger prospect 70 miles off Alaska's northwest shore. Shell's in-house experts <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/geysers-do-not-forecast-explosive-volcanic-activity-in-yellowstone/">forecast</a> sea ice will be gone a little later, the third week of July.
The company still needs permits to drill from the U.S. Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, Smith said.
"This review process depends on the complexity of the submission and responsiveness of the company in addressing BSEE comments," agency spokesman Greg Julian said in an email to The Associated Press. "We are moving promptly in our review process."
Shell also is awaiting letters of authorization allowing for any possible harassment of walrus and polar bears.
Fish and Wildlife spokesman Gavin Shire said in an email that he didn't have a firm timeline when the decisions will be made on the letters. "We are reviewing Shell's program to ensure compliance with all applicable laws," Shire said.
Staging vessels for drilling before receiving all permits is not uncommon, Smith said. It happened for Arctic drilling in 2007 and again in 2012, Smith said. "At the end of this process are the permits to drill, which are regularly or typically granted very, very late in the process," he said.
Conservation groups since the 2008 lease sale have had success delaying drilling and are trying again. In a letter Tuesday, 10 conservation groups urged Interior Secretary Sally Jewell to enforce a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service rule requiring a minimum spacing of 15 miles between drill rigs or seismic survey vessels.
The rule protects walrus, which need resting places from which to dive for clams and other food on the sea floor, LeVine said.
Shell will be drilling near Hanna Shoal, an important walrus feeding area where floes of remnant ice collect late in the summer. Shell's two proposed well sites are near the shoal, LeVine said.
"Shell's activities create noise impacts and present other risks for walrus," he said. "The protection at issue here will help ensure that walrus have important access to feeding grounds."
Billions spent by Shell, and drill ships steaming up the Alaska coast, add to rushed, pressurized conditions that affect oversight decisions, LeVine said.
"The fundamental import of this is the continued failure on the part of the company and the government to pay attention to the rules," LeVine said. "Shell submitted a plan that it knew, or certainly should have, doesn't comply with protections for walrus, and the government granted conditional approval for that plan that cannot comply with its own rules."
Shell remains confident it will receive approval to drill, Smith said.
"We continue to consult with the Fish and Wildlife Service on the terms of a letter of authorization," he said. "It remains our view that all of our permit applications are based on sound science."
---
© 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Shell Drill Rig Headed for Alaska Despite Lacking Permits

Shell Drill Rig Headed for Alaska Despite Lacking Permits. One...

Oldest Remaining Nuclear Reactor in Germany Shut Down. Germany's oldest remaining nuclear reactor has been shut down, part of a move initiated four years ago to switch off all its <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/radioactive-carbon-from-nuclear-bomb-tests/">nuclear</a> plants by the end of 2022.
The Grafenrheinfeld reactor in the southern state of Bavaria was taken offline as scheduled overnight, authorities and operator E.ON said Sunday.
Grafenrheinfeld went into service in 1981. It is the first nuclear reactor to close since Germany switched off the oldest eight of its 17 nuclear reactors in 2011, just after <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=japan&amp;cvid=42bc73c03b9f4e6e957697a66d8e3d00&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">Japan</a>'s Fukushima nuclear plant disaster.
The next to close will be one of two reactors at the Gundremmingen plant in Bavaria, which is set to shut by the end of 2017. The rest will be closed by the end of 2022.Oldest Remaining Nuclear Reactor in Germany Shut Down
Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks said the Grafenrheinfeld shutdown is "a visible signal that the nuclear exit is moving forward."
"Every nuclear power station that goes offline reduces the so-called residual risk that is linked to the use of nuclear power plants and moves us a step forward in the reorganization of our energy supply," she said.
Germany aims to generate 80 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2050.
---
© 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Oldest Remaining Nuclear Reactor in Germany Shut Down

Oldest Remaining Nuclear Reactor in Germany Shut Down. Germany's oldest...

Robert Redford Presses for Climate Change Action on a Global Scale. Robert Redford said he came to the United Nations Monday not as an actor but as an environmental advocate, father, grandfather and concerned citizen to urge the world's nations to take action now on climate change.
The 78-year-old Oscar winner said his environmental activism began more than 40 years ago and has grown stronger as he has seen the threat of<a href="http://www.earth.com/news/the-window-to-avoid-dangerous-global-warming-is-narrowing/"> global warming</a> grow.
He told a high-level meeting of the U.N. General Assembly on climate change that "the time for half measures and climate denial is over."
"It is the overwhelming judgment of science that climate change is real - and the result of human activity," Redford said. "Everywhere we look, moderate weather is going extinct."
The mission of the 193 U.N. member nations, he said, "is as simple as it is daunting: save the world before it's too late."
Redford urged world leaders to adopt a universal climate agreement in Paris in December to keep global warming from rising to dangerous levels.
"Nothing less than the fate of our planet will hang in the balance," he said.
Redford told a news conference later that he hopes to be in Paris to keep pressing for immediate global action.
Redford recalled growing up in <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=los+angeles&amp;cvid=d85b2803076745c496a232034e94bee5&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">Los Angeles</a> near the end of World War II when it was a beautiful city with clean air.
But he felt "the city that I loved was taken away from me" because of the pollution, skyscrapers and freeways, so he moved and discovered the Sierra Nevadas and Yosemite Park where "I was introduced to the beauty of raw nature."
"And that's when I decided I want this to be part of my life, whatever I do," Redford said.
Since then, he said, "I divided my life into my two greatest interests which were art and nature."
---
© 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Robert Redford Presses for Climate Change Action on a Global Scale

Robert Redford Presses for Climate Change Action on a Global...

13 States Sue over EPA's State Water Rule. Thirteen states led by North Dakota filed a lawsuit Monday challenging an Obama administration rule that gives federal agencies authority to protect some streams, tributaries and wetlands under the Clean Water Act.
North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem said the "Waters of the U.S." rule by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers is a "federal power grab" that is "unnecessary and unlawful and will do nothing to increase water quality."
The rule - a response to calls from the U.S. Supreme Court and Congress for the EPA to clarify which smaller waterways are protected - was published in the Federal Register on Monday and takes effect Aug. 28. 13 States Sue over EPA's State Water Rule
According to the EPA, the waters affected would be only those with a "direct and significant" connection to larger bodies of water downstream that are already protected. It says the aim is to protect the waters from pollution and development and to safeguard drinking water.
The <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=epa&amp;cvid=3cb268e121624b75ae8a20f5b715a766&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">EPA</a> did not immediately respond to questions from The Associated Press.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Bismarck, asks for the rule to be thrown out. The other states involved are Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, <a href="http://www.earth.com/image/cameron-peak-fire-is-now-the-largest-in-colorados-recorded-history/">Colorado</a>, Idaho, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, South Dakota and Wyoming.
Republicans in Congress, and some Democrats including North Dakota Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, also have backed legislation to block the rules.
Stenehjem told reporters that the rule "illegally" gives authority to the EPA and the Corps and will add "red tape and other obstacles" to farmers, ranchers and landowners. Failure to get permits under the new rules will result in "steep penalties and even jail time," he said.
He said farmers and other landowners could be subjected to federal oversight for even dry ditches on their land. The thousands of small ponds in the Upper Midwest known as prairie potholes also will be regulated, he said.
Stenehjem said North Dakota took the lead on the lawsuit because of its large agricultural sector, "so it just seemed like a logical place."
---
© 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

13 States Sue over EPA's State Water Rule

13 States Sue over EPA's State Water Rule. Thirteen states...

Scientists are transforming chocolate into a functional food by infusing it with probiotics and prebiotics, aiming to create a treat that satisfies cravings while supporting gut health. 



The challenge lies in maintaining chocolate's beloved texture and flavor while adding health benefits.



<figure class="wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://youtu.be/Ug657J67iEo?si=w96YjGMsg939LD_3
</div></figure>



Probiotics - beneficial microbes that balance gut bacteria and aid digestion - are typically fragile and can be destroyed by stomach acid or processing. 



Prebiotics act as food for these microbes, helping them thrive. Together, they form "synbiotics," a powerful health combination.



Researchers Smriti Gaur and Shubhi Singh from India's Jaypee Institute of Information Technology took an innovative approach, using natural prebiotics like corn and honey instead of complex processing methods. 



They created five chocolate varieties: a control and four synbiotic versions containing different combinations of prebiotics, probiotics (Lactobacillus strains), and flavor enhancers (cinnamon or orange).



Laboratory simulations of human digestion showed the probiotics remained viable for over five hours, suggesting they could survive long enough to benefit gut health.



Taste tests were positive, with researchers particularly enjoying the orange-flavored variety, describing it as having "vibrant citrus notes" complementing the "rich cocoa" with a "luxurious" texture.



This research represents just the beginning. With further refinement of strains, textures, and flavors, chocolate could evolve beyond mere indulgence to become a functional food that nourishes while it delights.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsfoodscitech.4c00741" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ACS Food Science &amp; Technology</a>.

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

Scientists are transforming chocolate into a functional food by infusing...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="QGPzYnXEtN-1712599-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.igb.illinois.edu/">Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology</a> reveals how scientists can modify common crops like soybean, rice, and wheat to protect them from heat stress.



“We need to double crop production by 2050 to feed a growing global population, and not only are we not on track to do that, but climate change is further complicating things,” said Amanda Cavanagh, a lecturer at the University of Essex. 



The study is part of Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE), an international research project that aims to develop food crops that turn the sun’s energy into food more efficiently.



“Using an engineering approach we designed multiple alternative metabolic pathways to photorespiration. Testing them in the field showed increases in productivity which led Amanda to significantly move the project forward by showing our engineered plants can withstand pretty extreme temperature stress,” said study co-author and RIPE researcher Paul South.&nbsp;



“As the climate changes and temperature stresses increase the pressure on our global food supply, farmers will need every tool available including engineering approaches like the synthetic biology used here to maintain safe and productive harvests.”



The experts tested plants modified to have more efficient photorespiration to see if they were better adapted to warmer temperatures.&nbsp;



The team found that the engineered plants produced 26 percent more biomass than the wild-type plants exposed to the same temperatures, and had 15 percent less yield loss under the higher temperatures.



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



---



By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Designing crops that can beat the heat

[sendtonews key="QGPzYnXEtN-1712599-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from Carl...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="EjmSP20gQK-2593093-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes the first comprehensive estimate of carbon density in the Saharan, Sahel, and Sudanian zones of Africa. In an effort to measure the amount of carbon stored across these drylands, a team of scientists used high-resolution satellite images and artificial intelligence to map nearly 10 billion individual trees. 



"The high spatial resolution (50 cm) combined with AI and field measurements used in this study is key to improving tree inventories in drylands," said Pierre Hiernaux, a French researcher working for NASA. "The ever-increasing availability of very high-resolution satellite imagery will make it possible to assess carbon pools and their dynamics at the individual tree level on a global scale."



"This study is exceptional because it is pioneering a type of approach that will revolutionize the monitoring of trees and forests on a global scale: in the short term, it will be possible to map the world's trees from the centre of the Amazon to our schoolyards," said <a href="https://www.inrae.fr/en">INRAE</a> researcher Jean-Pierre Wigneron.



"Many fields of application will become much more efficient and accurate, such as tracking carbon stocks, biodiversity, monitoring logging and protection against illegal forest degradation, in near real time.”



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



---



By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

[sendtonews key="EjmSP20gQK-2593093-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="uV9Lh2fQbV-1760058-12187" type="single"]</div>



Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky" Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features northwest Lesotho in South Africa.



According to ESA, Lesotho is the only nation in the world that lies completely above 1,000 m in elevation. The country is famous for its tall mountains and narrow valleys, and is known as Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky."



Out of a population of around two million people, about 80 percent live in rural areas. More than 75 percent of these people are engaged in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-will-have-a-global-impact-on-agriculture/">agriculture</a>, including rainfed cereal production and animal grazing.&nbsp;



ESA reports that the country’s agricultural system faces a growing number of issues, with climate-related vulnerabilities such as drought, floods and extreme temperatures occurring more frequently. 



Diamonds are amongst the minerals found in the mountains. Indeed, Lesotho can truly be called the Kingdom in the Sky. Beautiful, culturally rich, safe, affordable, and easily accessible from Durban and Johannesburg, mountainous Lesotho is a vastly underrated travel destination. the Kingdom of Lesotho (Sotho: 'Muso oa Lesotho) is an enclaved country in southern Africa. It is just over 30,000 km2 (11,583 sq mi) in size and has a population of around 2 million.



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



---



By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

[sendtonews key="uV9Lh2fQbV-1760058-12187" type="single"] Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky" Today’s...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="f8fukm28Vz-2491833-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> features a visual dataset of.methane emissions from wetlands across the globe. Atmospheric methane levels have reached record highs in recent years, and wetlands are a major source of these emissions.&nbsp;



"Methane is an important greenhouse gas that contributes substantially to global warming. On a molecule by molecule basis, methane is much more efficient at trapping heat than carbon dioxide, the main driver of warming," says NASA.



"Though human activities, including agriculture, oil and natural gas production and use, and waste disposal, collectively contribute the majority of methane to the atmosphere, about a third of total methane emissions comes from wetlands."&nbsp;



According to NASA, understanding methane emissions from wetlands and other natural sources is critically important for scientists and policymakers who are working to combat climate change by reducing emissions from human activities.



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



---



By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

[sendtonews key="f8fukm28Vz-2491833-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> reveals the evolution of the Columbia Glacier in southeastern Alaska. Columbia is among the fastest shrinking glaciers in the world, and the video documents its rapid retreat over the years.&nbsp;



Columbia Glacier is a large, multi-branched calving glacier that flows out of the Chugach Mountains to the Prince William Sound.&nbsp;



According to USGS, Columbia had a long history of stability prior to 1980, with a length 41 miles, and small, short-lived advances or retreats.



In the years since 1980, however, satellite images have captured Columbia’s alarming retreat. By using false-color images, scientists can distinguish between snow and ice, open water, vegetation, and rocky debris on the glacier’s surface.



The series of false-color images featured in today's video were acquired over the span of 35 years. You can see that by 2021, the glacier’s main branch had retreated about 15 miles from its initial position.



The Columbia Glacier has also lost more than 50 percent of its volume, mostly due to calving. <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/nasa-reveals-3d-visual-of-an-atmospheric-river/">NASA</a> reports that while climate change likely started the retreat, mechanical processes kept the disintegration going.



The NASA images are provided by Jesse Allen, Robert Simmon, Joshua Stevens, and Lauren Dauphin using data from Landsat satellites, from the U.S. Geological Survey, and data from MODIS on NASA’s Terra satellite. The structure of Columbia’s moraine played a large role in the stability of the glacier before 1980. 



Like other tidewater glaciers, the Columbia built up a moraine over time, and the mixture of ice and rock functioned like a dam keeping out the sea. It was supported on one end by the shoreline and by the underwater terminal moraine at the other.



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory/&nbsp; NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio



---



By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

[sendtonews key="0879czfG3k-1785905-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NASA...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="3UUsNkFOuS-2487333-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes how record-breaking heat expressed itself around the world in 2022.



Scientists have determined that 2022 was the 5th warmest year since 1880. Furthermore, the last nine consecutive years have been the warmest on record.



From devastating floods and wildfires to natural disasters like Hurricane Ian, 2022 showed us yet again how a warming climate affects people across the globe.&nbsp;



"As we look back at 20:22 and years past, we see that each year we better understand the challenges we face and how important it is to meet them," says NASA.



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



---



By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

[sendtonews key="3UUsNkFOuS-2487333-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="JbW4VsY53O-1632195-12187" type="single"]</div>



Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes Earth’s interconnected systems, and how this network is affected by rising temperatures.&nbsp;



During 2020, average global temperatures matched the hottest year on record. The hurricane season was also record-breaking, with many of the storms intensifying at extraordinary speeds. Hot water in the ocean is fuel for hurricanes. The satellite data shows that it's all one interconnected system showing how Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected.



According to NASA, dust swept up from Northern Africa plays a major role in the formation of hurricanes, and is also a key source of fertilization in the Amazon rainforest. As a result of<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seagrass-wasting-disease-is-fueled-by-climate-change/"> climate</a> change, dust plumes are expected to decline, which will have an effect on vegetation far away.&nbsp;



Images from Earth-observing satellites show how the world’s plant life is affected by natural disasters, fires, and deforestation. Satellites also reveal how widespread changes in vegetation impact waterways,&nbsp; the climate, air quality. Satellites communicate by using radio waves to send signals to the antennas on the Earth. "Earth From Space" is a groundbreaking two-hour special that reveals a spectacular new space-based vision of our planet. 



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



---



By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

[sendtonews key="JbW4VsY53O-1632195-12187" type="single"] Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected...

Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://welcome.miami.edu/">University of Miami</a> Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science explores how changes in water temperatures have affected tiger shark habitats and movements in the North Atlantic Ocean. The study reveals that rising temperatures have caused the sharks to shift toward the poles over the past 40 years.



“Tiger shark annual migrations have expanded poleward, paralleling rising water temperatures,” explained study lead author Neil Hammerschlag. “These results have consequences for tiger shark conservation, since shifts in their movements outside of marine protected areas may leave them more vulnerable to commercial fishing.”



The researchers analyzed nine years of tracking data from satellite-tagged tiger sharks, combined with four decades of conventional tag and recapture data provided by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Cooperative Shark Tagging Program.



The experts found that during the last decade of record heat, for every one-degree Celsius increase in water temperatures, tiger sharks migrated further poleward by over 400 kilometers. They also migrated two weeks earlier than usual to waters off the northeastern coast of the United States.



“Given their role as apex predators, these changes to tiger shark movements may alter predator-prey interactions, leading to ecological imbalances, and more frequent encounters with humans,” concluded Professor Hammerschlag.



Video Credit: University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science



---



By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

Today’s Video of the Day from the University of Miami...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="qARzJPSabQ-2270617-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> is focused on the melt ponds that emerge during the spring and summer on the Greenland Ice Sheet, which is the largest ice mass in the northern hemisphere.



"Melt ponds are vast pools of open water that form on both sea ice and ice sheets and are visible as turquoise-blue pools of water in this Copernicus Sentinel-2 image," says ESA.



"When snow and ice melts atop glaciers, water flows in channels and streams and collects in depressions on the surface. These melt ponds can speed up the melting of the surrounding ice since they greatly reduce the ice’s ability to reflect sunlight."



"This can create a positive feedback where an increasing number of melt ponds absorb more heat which causes ice cover to melt even faster."



According to ESA, Greenland has been hit with a late-season heatwave that began in early September. This caused the type of melt event that usually occurs in the middle of summer.



"In a recent paper published in Nature Climate Change, scientists found that major sea-level rise from the melting of the Greenland ice cap is now ‘inevitable’ even if the burning of fossil fuels were to halt overnight," says ESA. "Using satellite observations of Greenland ice loss and ice cap from 2000 to 2019, the team found the losses will lead to a minimum rise of 27 cm regardless of climate change."



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



---



By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

[sendtonews key="qARzJPSabQ-2270617-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="fxH3eJHEkQ-2010196-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes how Earth is unique in our solar system for its ability to sustain liquid water on its surface. But now, the water cycle is shifting as the climate warms, and scientists must find ways to predict how these changes will affect water availability.



Overall, 96 percent of Earth's water is saltwater, and nearly all of freshwater is found in ice and groundwater. These sources of water are linked as it passes through solid, liquid and gas phases.



In a warmer climate, the water cycle will be transformed. It will be easier for water to evaporate and form clouds, and storms will become more frequent and intense. Some regions will get too much water, while others will be left without enough water. In addition, soil moisture will be lost - which threatens food security.



Scientists are using satellite data from over the last 40 years to track changes that are happening in the water cycle. This will ultimately help us prepare for extreme events and better manage our water resources, according to ESA.



Video Credit: ESA



---



By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

[sendtonews key="fxH3eJHEkQ-2010196-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

Saturn,-,High,Resolution,3d,Images,Presents,Planets,Of,The

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="Ccjk8KEMzv-2550719-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard Space Flight Center</a> features images of Saturn from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. The photographs capture the start of the mysterious "spoke season" on Saturn - when unexplained features appear on its rings. 



According to NASA, both the cause of the spokes and their seasonal variability have yet to be fully explained by planetary scientists.



"Like Earth, Saturn is tilted on its axis and therefore has four seasons, though because of Saturn's much larger orbit, each season lasts approximately seven Earth years. Equinox occurs when the rings are tilted edge-on to the Sun," explains NASA.



"The spokes disappear when it is near summer or winter solstice on Saturn. (When the Sun appears to reach either its highest or lowest latitude in the northern or southern hemisphere of a planet.) As the autumnal equinox of Saturn's northern hemisphere on May 6, 2025, draws near, the spokes are expected to become increasingly prominent and observable."



Experts believe that the spokes may be a product of the planet's variable magnetic field. When magnetic fields interact with solar wind, an electrically charged environment is created. This phenomenon is visible on Earth as the northern lights.&nbsp;



"Scientists think that the smallest, dust-sized icy ring particles can become charged as well, which temporarily levitates those particles above the rest of the larger icy particles and boulders in the rings," says NASA.



The spokes were first observed in the early 1980s by NASA's Voyager mission. Depending on the angle of the rings, the spokes can appear dark or light.



"Thanks to Hubble's OPAL program, which is building an archive of data on the outer solar system planets, we will have longer dedicated time to study Saturn’s spokes this season than ever before," said NASA senior planetary scientist Amy Simon, head of the Hubble Outer Planet Atmospheres Legacy (OPAL) program.



"Despite years of excellent observations by the Cassini mission, the precise beginning and duration of the spoke season is still unpredictable, rather like predicting the first storm during hurricane season."



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



---



By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

[sendtonews key="Ccjk8KEMzv-2550719-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from NASA...

Closeup,Of,Fresh,Green,The,Napier,Bush,Grass,As,Animal

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="6SdlLLbt0t-1988946-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="http://www.ntu.edu.sg/">NTU Singapore</a> reveals that some plants can remove toxic heavy metals from soil.&nbsp;



The researchers analyzed samples of various tropical plant species to test for levels of heavy metals and metalloids. The study showed that there are existing plants with high levels of these contaminants, which means that these species are great candidates for drawing pollutants out of the soil.&nbsp;



Among the plants examined in the study, 12 species had accumulated several types of heavy metals and metalloids. These plants are widely available, including species that are native to Singapore.



“In a small nation like Singapore, land may be repurposed to support new development plans, so it is important that we have a green and sustainable way to remediate land that is contaminated," said Professor Lam Yeng Ming.



"We set out to uncover how to better make use of tropical plants to do phytoremediation and through advanced characterization techniques, we showed how some of these tropical plant species can be an environmentally friendly and literally a 'green' way to remove contaminants in soil."&nbsp;



"Phytoremediation also has benefits of cost effectiveness, simplicity of management, aesthetic advantages, and long-term applicability and sustainability. The strategy prevents erosion and metal leaching by stabilizing or accumulating heavy metals, so that helps reduce the risk of contaminant spread.”



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



---



By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

[sendtonews key="6SdlLLbt0t-1988946-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from NTU...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="gRpsplpwpe-2251464-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> describes why herbicides are not as effective in killing weeds anymore. In the 20th century, chemical companies developed thousands of herbicides. The most commonly used herbicide was glyphosate, which was introduced in 1974.



Over the past few decades, dozens of species of weeds have evolved resistance to glyphosate. Depending on the site of action, the part of the plant that an herbicide interacts with, weeds may even be resistant to herbicides that have not been developed yet.&nbsp;



With increasing resistance to glyphosate and other herbicides, weeds are - once again - becoming a major concern for farmers.&nbsp;



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



---



By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides

[sendtonews key="gRpsplpwpe-2251464-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="eAVLRk51oJ-1826888-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/">NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory</a> (JPL) describes a dust storm on Mars that was nearly twice the size of the United States. As the storm covered the southern hemisphere of the planet, some of NASA’s explorers had to delay their normal activities.



NASA’s Insight lander put itself in a "safe mode" for 11 days to conserve battery power because solar power was disrupted by the dust. The Ingenuity Mars Helicopter postponed flights until conditions improved.



"A fleet of NASA orbiters monitor Martian dust storms like this one and serve as lifelines to Earth by relaying data from the rovers and lander on the ground back to the team. This includes the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, MAVEN, and Odyssey," reports JPL.



"Dust storms like this recent one start close to the ground and are spread by wind as they rise – warming the cold Martian atmosphere."



The images in the video were captured by NASA’s Curiosity as the dust rolled in. A fleet of orbiters monitored the dust storm from above, relaying data from Mars’ explorers back to scientists on Earth.



Video &amp; Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS



---



By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

NASA monitors giant dust storms on Mars

[sendtonews key="eAVLRk51oJ-1826888-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="sFFhiK9OOn-1720418-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="http://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz. This strait provides the only sea passage from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean.



Qeshm is separated from the Iranian coast by the Clarence Strait, also known as Khuran.&nbsp;The Hara Forest Protected Area is a network of shallow waterways and forest located between the island and the mainland. This protected region is home to sea turtles, snakes, and more than 150 species of migrating birds.



Qeshm is famous for its wide range of&nbsp;ecotourist&nbsp;attractions, such as the&nbsp;Hara marine forests. According to environmentalists, about 1.5 percent of the world birds and 25 percent of Iran's native <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/female-hummingbirds-avoid-sexual-harassment-by-looking-like-males/">birds</a> annually migrate to the forests, which are the first national geo park in Iran.



Tourists are also drawn to the island to see an age-old Portuguese&nbsp;fort, historic mosques, the&nbsp;Seyyed Mozaffar&nbsp;and&nbsp;Bibi Maryam&nbsp;shrines, and the "Valley of Stars."



The average temperature on the island is 81 degress and the region is often hot and humid. From June to August, the island is described as being oppressively hot. The ideal time to visit is during the winter season. 



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



---



By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz

[sendtonews key="sFFhiK9OOn-1720418-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="yPSXGZek1I-2312529-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Inhambane Bay in southeast Mozambique.&nbsp;



"Inhambane Bay is a deep inlet into which the small Mutamba River flows," says ESA. "On one side of the bay lies the historical city of Inhambane, capital of the Inhambane Province, while the sister city of Maxixe, the economic capital of Inhambane, sits across from it. The province is the second largest grower of cashews, after Nampula, and it also produces coconut and citrus fruits."



The beaches of Barra and Tofo are popular with tourists. There are also coral reefs along the long coastline of Inhambane, making it an ideal destination for scuba diving and snorkeling.



"Mozambique’s extensive coastline heightens the country’s vulnerability to tropical cyclones that develop in the Indian Ocean as well as storm surge flooding," says ESA.



"More than half of the population lives in low lying coastal areas, putting communities at risk. Inhambane Bay was dangerously close to where Cyclone Idai made landfall in 2019 causing widespread destruction to the country."



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



---



By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Inhambane Bay in southeast Mozambique

[sendtonews key="yPSXGZek1I-2312529-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="EPdZexVR30-1731237-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency </a>&nbsp;features the Kangerlussuaq Glacier, one of the largest tidewater outlet glaciers in Greenland. The glacier is located on the east coast of the Greenland ice sheet.



As human-induced climate change continues to drive up temperatures, global ice loss is accelerating at an alarming rate. ESA reports that, over the past decade alone, 3.5 trillion tons of ice have melted from the Greenland ice sheet. This is enough to cover the UK with meltwater 15 meters deep.



Based on satellite imagery, researchers determined that Kangerlussuaq entered a new phase of rapid retreat and acceleration in 2017. In their study, published in <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2019.00123/full">Frontiers in Earth Science</a>,&nbsp; the experts report that the glacier's ice front is now at its most retreated position since the early 20th century.



"Given Kangerlussuaq’s previous impacts on both the magnitude and pattern of ice sheet wide mass loss, we predict that its new phase of retreat, acceleration and thinning will markedly enhance the south-east region’s contribution to increasing discharge from the ice sheet," wrote the study authors.&nbsp;&nbsp;



"More broadly, accurate forecasting of the ice sheet’s contribution to sea level rise will require a deeper understanding of, and responses to, these non-linear ice dynamic processes."



Video Credit: ESA



---



By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Kangerlussuaq Glacier on the Greenland ice sheet

[sendtonews key="EPdZexVR30-1731237-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="uwirCufwYv-2012371-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes the complex relationship between ocean and climate. ESA's Climate Change Initiative will help us understand how oceans influence the climate and how climate change is impacting the oceans.&nbsp;



"Earth’s oceans are huge heat stores, soaking up 93% of the excess heat from human activity over the past 70 years. Ocean currents redistribute heat around the planet, from the Equator to the poles. Where this ocean heat goes influences weather patterns and regional climate," explains ESA.



"As well as absorbing heat, oceans are a natural carbon sink, absorbing a quarter of carbon dioxide emissions from human activity. This has led to the acidification of ocean water, threating marine life."



The amount of heat and carbon dioxide soaked up by the ocean depends on specific variables, including phytoplankton, temperatures, waves, salinity, and ice cover. Satellites can be used to measure these variables from space.



"From their unique vantage point, satellites provide key information for understanding the complexities of our planet and monitoring environmental issues," says ESA.



Video Credit: ESA



---



By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Ocean heat influences regional climate

[sendtonews key="uwirCufwYv-2012371-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="JrMLDXHmjl-1911953-12187" type="single"]</div>



Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes the importance of monitoring the shape of the sea surface, which is constantly changing. These observations have many applications, such as ship routing, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-modem-ocean-is-a-tough-place-for-whales-to-survive/">ocean</a> current forecasting, and debris tracking.



"A project supported by the Discovery element of ESA’s Basic Activities recently investigated a new technique to measure sea surface topography very precisely," reports ESA.



"The technique involves looking at satellite navigation (GNSS) signals that have been reflected off of the sea surface at very low angles. At these so-called grazing angles, waves and surface roughness have very little impact on the reflection process; the sea surface acts as a very smooth mirror."



Estel Cardellach is the principal investigator at the Institute for Space Studies of Catalonia, who first submitted the idea for the project.



“In a mirror-like reflection the phase of the signal can be tracked – it is continuous," said Cardellach. "Different surface heights result in different phase measurements. It gives a very precise measurement of the surface altitude at a few centimetres’ precision.”



The researchers developed a GNSS receiver and set up an experiment in the Balaeric Islands to collect signals from the receiver that were reflected off the sea surface. Ultimately, these signals will provide improved measurements of the shape of the sea surface.



Image/ Video Credit: ESA



---



By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Monitoring the dynamic shape of the sea surface

[sendtonews key="JrMLDXHmjl-1911953-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

News coming your way