In the age of climate extremes, Earth is sending signals we can now decode. Across South Africa, scientists have noticed an unusual phenomenon: the land is rising. 



This isn’t a minor wobble or a passing shift. Measurements show consistent uplift of up to two millimeters per year in many regions. It’s slow, silent, and until recently, misunderstood.



For decades, researchers believed that mantle <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-wins-in-2025-came-from-unexpected-places/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">activity</a>, such as the presence of a deep-seated plume, explained this movement. The idea fit well with established geophysical models.



But recent findings from the <a href="https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/home" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Bonn</a> paint a very different picture - one that traces these land movements not to the deep Earth, but to its parched and drying surface.



This study, led by geodesists and climate scientists, offers not only an explanation but also a new way to measure drought. Using GPS networks and satellite data, the team discovered that declining water reserves - not mantle forces - are driving South Africa’s gradual rise.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gps-reveals-subtle-land-movement">GPS reveals subtle land movement</h2>



South Africa has a unique advantage: a dense network of <a href="https://www.euspa.europa.eu/eu-space-programme/galileo/what-gnss#:~:text=Global%20Navigation%20Satellite%20System%20(%20GNSS,Galileo%20(EU)" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">GNSS</a> (Global Navigation Satellite System) stations known as TrigNet. 



Originally built for land surveys and atmospheric studies, these stations have become unexpected tools in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-now-impacting-earths-rotation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate</a> research. From 2000 to 2021, data from 88 of these stations revealed a subtle yet consistent vertical rise.



Dr. Makan Karegar of the University of Bonn, along with Christian Mielke, Helena Gerdener, and Professor Jürgen Kusche, carefully filtered this data. 



The goal was to separate meaningful signals from noise. To do this, the team applied singular spectrum analysis - a technique that decomposes the time series into seasonal, annual, and long-term trends. This made it possible to see past fluctuations and identify genuine patterns of uplift.



Most of the stations recorded a positive trend starting around 2012. “This data showed an average rise of six millimeters between 2012 and 2020,” explained Dr. Karegar. That shift coincided with drought years. But how does dry weather make land rise?



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-water-loss-and-rising-land-in-africa">Water loss and rising land in Africa </h2>



To understand the process, imagine pressing down on a sponge. When you release it, it springs back. Earth’s crust <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-day-2025-our-power-our-planet/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">behaves</a> in a similar way. When water saturates the land, it weighs it down. When that water disappears - whether from rivers, soil, or aquifers - the crust rebounds.



“During droughts, water loss from the ground can cause the Earth's surface to rise slightly and can therefore be used to estimate water mass loss, assuming the elastic response of the Earth,” said Mielke.



The researchers cross-validated their findings with data from NASA’s <a href="https://gracefo.jpl.nasa.gov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">GRACE</a> satellites, which detect changes in Earth’s gravity to infer shifts in mass. Although GRACE has limited resolution, it showed the same trend: in areas where water disappeared, land lifted. 



Further confirmation came from hydrological models like GLDAS-Noah and GLWS, which simulate the water cycle. Together, these tools formed a consistent story of surface dehydration and upward movement.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-africa-s-driest-land-is-rising-the-most">Africa's driest land is rising the most</h2>



The most severe uplift in South Africa occurred in provinces that suffered major droughts. Western Cape, Gauteng, and Limpopo displayed especially strong signals. 



From 2012 to 2020, some regions showed water mass loss equivalent to 0.10 meters of water. This, in turn, triggered an average rise of 6 millimeters across the country.



The impact of Cape Town’s “Day Zero” drought between 2015 and 2017 was particularly striking. The GNSS station near the city captured a strong uplift signal. Gauteng also showed marked increases in elevation. The likely reason: the depletion of numerous reservoirs near Pretoria and Johannesburg.



“The GNSS network in South Africa has the potential to estimate the impact of drought on water <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/astonishing-global-heat-in-january-2025-defied-climate-expectations/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">resources</a>,” the researchers emphasized in their paper.



These patterns of uplift can thus serve as indirect indicators of how much groundwater has been used or lost - a vital insight in a water-stressed country.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-land-uplift-follows-el-nino-cycles">Land uplift follows El Niño cycles</h2>



Climate <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wealthier-nations-set-bold-climate-targets-but-citizens-give-less/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">patterns</a> provided further support. South Africa’s rainy seasons are closely tied to El Niño and La Niña events. These oceanic shifts alternate between warm, dry years and cool, wet ones. 



The researchers found that land uplift followed dry El Niño phases and slowed or reversed during wetter La Niña periods.



Time-series data revealed that water loss correlated strongly with El Niño events in 2002, 2015, and 2019. Conversely, La Niña years such as 2010 and 2021 showed increases in water mass. These trends confirmed that the uplift wasn’t random - it followed the rhythm of precipitation.



In the Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces, GNSS stations displayed high correlation with hydrological models. Correlation coefficients reached 90% with GLWS and 94% with GLDAS-Noah in some locations. These alignments confirmed that the uplift reflected hydrological rather than geodynamic changes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-drought-drives-south-africa-s-rising-land">Drought drives South Africa’s rising land </h2>



For decades, scientists suspected that mantle plumes - especially the Quathlamba hotspot - were pushing South Africa upward. While these features still exist, their influence on current land motion appears limited.



“We believe that it also possible that a loss of groundwater and surface water is responsible for the land uplift,” said Karegar.



The team did not dismiss mantle flow entirely. Some uplift could still result from deep Earth <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pests-are-moving-to-cooler-regions-due-to-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">processes</a>. But their data showed that hydrological changes accounted for most of the recent vertical movement. A region’s elevation rose or fell in step with drought severity.



The analysis ruled out tectonic activity as the main cause. Earthquakes in South Africa are rare, and the crustal strain rate is minimal. Instead, the findings support a view where surface processes - not deep mantle forces - dominate short-term land deformation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gps-tracks-hidden-water-loss">GPS tracks hidden water loss </h2>



With water scarcity expected to worsen under climate change, the ability to track groundwater loss is vital. 



Current drought monitoring systems rely on rainfall, vegetation, or surface water. But these can miss the hidden reservoir: groundwater. That’s where GPS-based monitoring becomes revolutionary.



GNSS offers a cheap, passive way to detect unseen changes beneath our feet. It doesn’t require drilling wells or installing new satellites. The infrastructure already exists. With improved processing and station density, GNSS could transform how countries like South Africa prepare for water shortages.



Despite sparse coverage in regions like the Northern Cape, the results still delivered valuable insights.



Compared to similar studies in the United States, South Africa has fewer GNSS sites. This results in lower‐quality estimates of total water storage. Yet the study also showed that even limited networks can yield high-value information.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-warning-signs-from-a-drying-earth">Warning signs from a drying Earth</h2>



The success of this study suggests a path forward. Expanding the GNSS network into under-monitored areas could improve national drought forecasting. It could also help verify water policies, especially those aimed at managing aquifer extraction.



Services like the United Nations African Flood and Drought Monitor and ESA’s ANIN project aim to improve drought tracking. 



But GNSS-based hydrogeodesy brings something unique: the ability to measure total water storage, including the deep underground reserves that satellites can’t see.



“This effect can be used to record the extent of a drought more precisely than ever before – using a method that is comparatively inexpensive and requires less effort,” Mielke explained.



In a world where water grows scarcer each year, these ground motions are more than geological curiosities. They’re warning signs - gentle but persistent - that tell of the urgency of a drying Earth.



The study is published in the <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2024JB030350" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Geophysical Research Solid Earth</a>. 



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South Africa is literally rising out of the ocean, scientists think they know why

In the age of climate extremes, Earth is sending signals we can now decode. Across South Africa, scientists have noticed an unusual phenomenon: the land is rising. This isn’t a minor wobble or a passing shift. Measurements show consistent uplift of up to two millimeters per year in many regions. It’s slow, silent, and until recently, misunderstood. For decades, researchers believed that mantle activity, such as the presence of a deep-seated plume, explained this movement. The idea fit well with established geophysical models. But recent findings from...

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NASA analyzes surface winds around Hurricane Darby. NASA found the strongest winds in <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/future-hurricanes-wetter-and-windier/">Hurricane</a> Darby were occurring on its eastern side before northeasterly wind shear started affecting the storm.

<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA">NASA's</a> RapidScat instrument measured the surface winds around Hurricane Darby on July 14 between 0731 to 0904 UTC (3:31 to 5:04 a.m. EDT) and found the strongest winds east of the center of circulation near 30 meters per second (67 mph/108 kph). Hurricane-force winds were found to extend outward up to 25 miles (35 km) from the center, and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 90 miles (150 km).

NASA analyzes surface winds around Hurricane Darby. The RapidScat instrument that flies aboard the International Space Station measures Earth's ocean surface wind speed and direction over open waters. Surface wind speed is always lower than speeds at higher altitude

On July 14 at 09:35 UTC (5:35 a.m. EDT) infrared data from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder or AIRS instrument aboard NASA's Aqua satellite showed that Darby's strong convection (rising air that condenses into clouds and thunderstorms that make up a tropical cyclone) and coldest cloud top temperatures were south and southwest of the center of circulation. Those cloud top temperatures were as cold as minus 63 Fahrenheit/minus 53 Celsius indicating they stretched high into the troposphere.

The National Hurricane Center said Darby still appears to be feeling the effects of 10 to 15 knots of northeasterly vertical wind shear. Recent microwave images continue to show a mid-level eye, but the deep convection has an asymmetric structure, primarily focused to the south and southwest of the center.

At 11 a.m. EDT (1500 UTC) on July 14 the center of Hurricane Darby was located near latitude 15.9 North latitude and 116.9 west longitude. That puts the center of Darby about 665 miles (1,070 km) southwest of the southern tip of Baja California, Mexico. Darby is moving toward the west near 13 mph (20 kph), and this general motion is expected to continue during the next few days. The estimated minimum central pressure is 989 millibars.

Maximum sustained winds remain near 80 mph (130 kph) with higher gusts. The National Hurricane Center said that some gradual strengthening is forecast during the next day or two.


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NASA analyzes surface winds around Hurricane Darby

NASA analyzes surface winds around Hurricane Darby. NASA found the...

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Tropical Depression 6E forms in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. The sixth tropical depression of the Eastern <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/dust-asia-fertilizes-north-pacific/">Pacific Ocean</a> formed on July 15 and was captured in an image from NOAA's GOES-West satellite.

The image NOAA's GOES-West at 1500 UTC (11 a.m. EDT) showed the center of Tropical Depression 6E (TD6E) about 370 miles (595 km) south-southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico. NOAA manages the GOES series of satellites. The NASA/NOAA GOES Project at <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA">NASA's</a> Goddard Space Flight Center uses the satellite data to create images and animations. Tropical Depression 6E forms in the Eastern Pacific Ocean

Daniel Brown, Forecaster at the National Hurricane Center noted in the Discussion at 11 a.m. EDT "Visible satellite and overnight ASCAT data indicate that the large low pressure area located southwest of the coast of Mexico has acquired a well-defined circulation and enough convective banding to classify the system as a tropical cyclone."

At 11 a.m. EDT 1500 UTC), the center of Tropical Depression Six-E was located near latitude 14.0 North, longitude 106.3 West. The depression is moving toward the west-northwest near 8 mph (13 kph) and this general motion is expected over the next couple of days. Maximum sustained winds are near 35 mph (55 kph) with higher gusts.

Strengthening is expected during the next 48 hours, and the depression is forecast to become a tropical storm tonight or early Saturday. The estimated minimum central pressure is 1007 millibars.

There are no coastal watches or warnings in effect.


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Tropical Depression 6E forms in the Eastern Pacific Ocean

Tropical Depression 6E forms in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. The...

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How much water does your lawn really need? A University of Utah study re-evaluated lawn watering recommendations by measuring water use by lawns in Los Angeles. The standard model of turfgrass water needs, they found, lacked precision in some common urban southern California conditions, like the Santa Ana winds, or in the shade.

"The current method of estimating water use is very arbitrary," says postdoctoral scholar Elizaveta Litvak, first author on the new study, published today in the Journal of Arid Environments. "And there has been no scientific ground for more precise recommendations."

Field of steam

Scientists study how much water plants lose so that landscape managers can know how much water they need to put back in. Water evaporates in a straightforward physical process that depends primarily on the temperature and humidity of the air. But plants also lose water through transpiration, breathing out water vapor as part of their metabolism. Transpiration is less predictable, because it's controlled by the plant's biological processes. Plants may restrict transpiration in drought conditions, for example. Transpiration rates can also vary from species to species. The combined measure of evaporation and transpiration is called "evapotranspiration" (ET) and it's a difficult quantity to measure. "There is no direct way to measure it," Litvak says. "It's like trying to capture what's not capturable."

Researchers attempt to determine a crop's ET rates by placing a large greenhouse-like chamber over an area of plants and measure how temperature and humidity changed within the chamber. But the presence of such a large chamber changes the plants' environment so much that the method is far from ideal.

The current state-of-the-art method involves placing tall towers, festooned with scientific instruments, in large crop fields. The towers measure slight atmospheric changes multiple times per second, and researchers feed the data into a mathematical model to compute ET rates for that field.

The lawns of LA

The present-day turfgrass ET model serves for estimating water use by forests and agricultural crops in various weather conditions. Urban lawns, however, are much smaller than crop fields. Although turfgrass is the largest irrigated crop in the U.S., researchers aren't certain how the ET model holds up in the fragmented urban landscape. Tall water vapor flux towers are not the answer. "You can't use that method in urban lawns because they're too small," says U biology professor Diane Pataki. "It just can't be done where lawns form a patchwork with streets and buildings. People hadn't gone in to cities and measured what turfgrass was actually doing."

Urban lawns present challenges to the model. First, urban environments create heat islands as air heats up in developed areas like parking lots. The hot dry air likely enhances evaporation rates and changes plant water responses, compared with natural and agricultural settings. Second, shade from landscape trees and buildings may create the opposite effect and mitigate ET rates, perhaps on an hourly basis.

<img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-2403267" src="http://cff1.greenatom.net/uploads/2016/07/14091146/cff1.greenatom.netuploads20160714091143media.eurekalert.orgmultimedia_prodpubweb119770_web-b8cfea053b48e7cbbd2fb65290164fd908a3a23b-a3e9270f2df02e19a52cd4df3230b3351d38ddd3-150x150.jpg" alt="Elizaveta Litvak" width="150" height="150" />Yet, as the best method available, the turfgrass ET model is the foundation of California's watering recommendations and guides the actions of advanced irrigation systems via nearby weather stations. "That's the gold standard in California for watering," Pataki says.

Because of the impracticality of building water vapor flux towers in residential lawns, Pataki and Litvak turned to the simple chamber method for measuring ET. They built a small clear box a bit bigger than a shoebox equipped with sensors that would instantaneously measure temperature and humidity within the box and, when set on a lawn, would provide a rapid estimate of ET. They carefully calibrated the method by weighing lawn pieces on a precise scale to capture weight losses caused by ET.

Litvak says that she got some puzzled looks and questions while toting the mini-chamber around the LA area. Some asked if it was a science fair experiment. "It looks so primitive," she says of the box. "It looks so simple."

Throw some shade

Litvak and Pataki found that their measurements of turfgrass ET didn't always match modeled predictions. The model's recommendations for watering shaded lawns are very vague, Pataki says, and most lawns are shaded, to some degree at some parts of the day by trees or buildings. Shade dramatically reduces plants' water needs, so a partly-shaded lawn will need less water than unshaded.

The model also doesn't account for the Santa Ana winds, masses of hot dry air that periodically tumble out of the mountains and through the LA area. Temperatures go up and humidity plummets. "The models can't deal with that at all," Pataki says. "They predict very high ET, but not as high as what we observed during those time periods."

Litvak says that the model performs best on dense unshaded grass, possibly intentionally overwatered to keep it green. On such lush lawns, actual ET is very close to predicted. Litvak and Pataki developed an approach to adjust ET rates for different urban conditions, including dry air or partial shade, that could lead to adjusted watering recommendations. "At some level, modeled methods work," Litvak says. "But when we transition to really low humidity, they just don't match our findings."

"The water use we measured in the field was higher than the recommendations that California was already making," Pataki says. "So if all people did was follow the recommendations, that's a significant water savings right there. Plus the recommendations could be improved as well."

On home turf

Turfgrasses in California are typically fescue or Bermuda grass species, instead of the Kentucky blue grass that's common in Utah. While the precise ET numbers may not be directly applicable in Utah, the general lessons of the study hold. Pataki and Litvak have one resounding suggestion for managing your grass in the summer: "Shade your lawn!" Then dial back irrigation water use accordingly.

"Do you know how much water you use to irrigate your lawn?" Litvak says. Many people don't, including landscape managers she interviewed in her research. Utah water managers recommend two irrigations per week in early and late summer and three irrigations in the hottest months. Each irrigation should deliver half an inch of water, which should take 20-40 minutes, depending on the sprinkler system type.

"A lot of the lawn space we see in people's yards doesn't seem to be used for anything other than aesthetics," Pataki says. "So that is going to cost some water."

The urban jungle

Litvak's doctoral dissertation work, of which this study is a continuation, results in an upcoming analysis of water use by plants in the entire LA area, including the "urban forest" of trees. The analysis, once completed, will be the first of its kind, a large-scale transpiration measure that can be applied to other urban areas as well.

"If you look out at this landscape in Salt Lake, how much water is coming off of this vegetation?" Pataki says, gesturing at her office window that overlooks the bustling Salt Lake Valley, covered with a canopy of trees. "No one knows."
<a href="http://unews.utah.edu/throw-shade-on-lawns/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"></a>

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How much water does your lawn really need?

How much water does your lawn really need? A University...

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Tropical Storm Celia move into central Pacific and has crossed 140 degrees west longitude line, which means the storm has moved from the Eastern into the Central Pacific Ocean. Infrared imagery from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA">NASA's</a> Aqua satellite showed Celia had lost most of its punch.

Enhanced infrared imagery from the MODIS instrument that flies aboard NASA's Aqua satellite on July 14 at 22:15 UTC (6:15 p.m. EDT) and microwave imagery showed all that remains of Celia's thunderstorms was a fragmented curved band storms about 60 nautical miles north-northeast of the exposed circulation center.

As of July 14, NOAA's Central <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/pacific-salmon-water-temperatures/">Pacific</a> Hurricane Center (CPHC) was issuing advisories on Celia. At 5 a.m. EDT (0900 UTC), the center of Tropical Storm Celia was located near 22.0 degrees north latitude and 140.2 degrees west longitude. That's about 975 miles (1,570 km) east-northeast of Hilo, Hawaii. Maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 45 mph (75 kph).

Celia is moving toward the west-northwest near 13 mph (20 kph). The system is expected to turn toward the west at about the same forward speed later today and continue in this general motion during the next couple of days.Tropical Storm Celia move into central Pacific

NOAA's CPHC said that Celia should continue to gradually spin down, due to the sea surface temperatures below 24 degrees Celsius and the surrounding stable air mass, and become a post-tropical cyclone by tonight. Tropical cyclones need sea surface temperatures of at least 26 degrees Celsius (80 degrees Fahrenheit) to maintain intensity.

NOAA's Central Pacific Hurricane Center noted that Celia will likely become a post-tropical cyclone today and a remnant low on Saturday.


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Tropical Storm Celia move into central Pacific

Tropical Storm Celia move into central Pacific and has crossed...

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NASA sees Hurricane Darby's clouded eye. The Suomi NPP satellite passed over Hurricane Darby and saw clouds in its eye as the storm continued tracking west in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.

On July 14 at 21:05 UTC (5:05 p.m. EDT the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument aboard the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA">NASA</a>-NOAA-DOD Suomi NPP satellite captured a visible light image of Hurricane Darby in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. The VIIRS image revealed an eye with bands of powerful thunderstorms wrapping into the low level center of circulation.NASA sees Hurricane Darby's clouded eye

Forecaster Beven at the National Hurricane Center in <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/bromeliads-blame-zika-virus-miami/">Miami</a>, Florida noted that Darby has changed little in organization during the early morning hours on July 14, with satellite imagery showing a ragged 25 nautical mile-wide eye embedded in the central dense overcast. Central dense overcast is the large central area of thunderstorms surrounding its circulation center, caused by the formation of its eye wall. It can be round, angular, oval, or irregular in shape. Sometimes finding the center of circulation can be difficult and in those cases, forecasters use microwave imagery.

VIIRS collects visible and infrared imagery and global observations of land, atmosphere, cryosphere and oceans.

At 5 a.m. EDT (0900 UTC) on July 14 the center of Hurricane Darby was located near latitude 16.1 North, longitude 120.0 West. That puts Darby's center about 805 miles (1,300 km) southwest of the southern tip of Baja California, Mexico.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said that maximum sustained winds are near 90 mph (150 kph) with higher gusts. Some strengthening is possible today, with weakening expected tonight and Saturday. Darby is moving toward the west near 12 mph (19 kph) and the NHC expects a turn toward the west-northwest later today and this motion should continue through Saturday. The estimated minimum central pressure is 982 millibars.

The NHC noted that some strengthening is possible today, July 14 while the center of Darby remains over relatively warm water. After that, the forecast track takes the cyclone over decreasing sea surface temperatures through 72 to 96 hours, possibly as cold as 24 degrees Celsius (75.2 degrees Fahrenheit). Because Tropical cyclones need sea surface temperatures of at last 26.6 degrees Celsius (80 degrees Fahrenheit) to maintain intensity, Darby is expected to weaken after today.


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NASA sees Hurricane Darby's clouded eye

NASA sees Hurricane Darby's clouded eye. The Suomi NPP satellite...

Oil giant BP PLC has put a final price tag on what its catastrophic Gulf of <a href="http://www.earth.com/image/samalayuca-sand-dunes/">Mexico</a> oil spill cost the company, and it's a hefty sum: $61.6 billion.
The company issued the estimate Thursday, the first time it has put a total cost on the catastrophe.
BP said it expects to spend a total of $44 billion after tax deductions are factored in. The new estimate included $5.2 billion in new pre-tax costs. Als the BP: Gulf of Mexico oil spill cost $61.6 billion causing a mass problem.
In 2010, one of the company's deep-sea wells blew out off the coast of Louisiana, leading to the sinking of the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig. Eleven rig workers were killed in the explosions and millions of gallons of oil spewed into the Gulf for 87 days.
BP said the cost estimate included all "remaining material liabilities."
The company has settled the majority of the claims filed against it by companies, local, state and federal governments and individuals, such as scores of fishermen.
It said its new pre-tax $5.2 billion cost estimate covers "all outstanding business and economic loss claims" stemming from litigation filed by individuals and companies.
In April, a federal judge approved a $20 billion settlement over economic and environmental damage between BP and state and federal governments, one of the largest corporate penalties in U.S. history.
"Importantly, we have a clear plan for managing these costs and it provides our investors with certainty going forward," Brian Gilvary, BP's chief financial officer, said in a news release.
The cost estimate was not far from what was expected, analysts said.
"It's important to put a figure on it and move on," said Eric Smith with the Energy Institute at Tulane University in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Orleans">New Orleans.</a> "They are trying to put a cap on it and reassure that there is an end to this and that they are now confident enough to say what the end is."
© 2016 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.

BP: Gulf of Mexico oil spill cost $61.6 billion

Oil giant BP PLC has put a final price tag...

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Satellite spots remnants of Ex-Tropical Cyclone Celia. Tropical Cyclone Celia weakened to a remnant low pressure area. NOAA's GOES-West satellite provided an infrared look at the clouds associated with the low.

GOES-West captured an infrared image of Celia's remnant clouds at 1500 UTC (11 a.m. EDT). The image showed an open circulation with the bulk of clouds to the northeast of the low-level center. NOAA manages the GOES series of satellites, and the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA">NASA</a>/NOAA GOES Project at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland uses the data to create images and animations.

OAA's Central Pacific Hurricane Center said that a surface low, the remnant of ex-Tropical Cyclone Celia, was centered about 300 miles northeast of Honolulu on July 18 at 1:50 a.m. HST (7:50 a.m. EDT). The remnant low pressure area was moving to the west at 10 mph. Satellite spots remnants of Ex-Tropical Cyclone Celia

Atmospheric conditions are not conducive for tropical<a href="http://www.earth.com/image/tropical-cyclone-hikaa-reaches-the-arabian-sea/"> cyclone</a> redevelopment. The chance for development is near zero over the next two days. Although the tropical storm has developed a long the way it has caused massive amounts of damage and surrounding areas. Also the Central Pacific is known to have a lot of strong storms causing disasters and nature changing.


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Satellite spots remnants of Ex-Tropical Cyclone Celia

Satellite spots remnants of Ex-Tropical Cyclone Celia. Tropical Cyclone Celia...

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Realistic evolution of global mean surface temperature A research team including a Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego climate scientist simulated in a computer model, for the first time, the realistic evolution of global mean surface temperature since 1900.

In doing so, the researchers also created a new method by which researchers can measure and monitor the pace of anthropogenic global warming, finding that the contribution of human activities to warming in the surface waters of the <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=pacific+ocean&amp;form=EDGEAR&amp;qs=PF&amp;cvid=712703b34dec4d33aa0168b885bb0baf&amp;cc=US&amp;setlang=en-US&amp;elv=AY3%21uAY7tbNNZGZ2yiGNjfNcI5dP9v9G08gsHOyyYrAt1rrvN86nJ3Ajl2fTDy0S0ACqGtJw4hGjXMXfJPE%21bHsOVEJA38YYauOBT*golxS7&amp;plvar=0&amp;PC=HCTS">Pacific Ocean</a> can be distinguished from natural variability.

Former Scripps researcher Yu Kosaka, now at the University of Tokyo, and Shang-Ping Xie, the Roger Revelle Chair in Environmental Science at Scripps, created the simulation by forcing sea surface temperature over the tropical Pacific to follow the observed variability.

"The climate system includes naturally occurring cycles that complicate the measurement of global warming due to the anthropogenic increase in atmospheric greenhouse gases," said Xie. "We can isolate the anthropogenic warming by removing the internally generated natural variability."

Climate policymakers have sought to limit the rise of global temperatures to 2° Celsius higher than pre-industrial levels. That figure is considered a threshold beyond which society and natural systems are virtually assured of experiencing significant and dangerous instability. Scientists have estimated that the planet is already roughly 1° C warmer at the surface than before the Industrial Revolution.

The 2° C target was reaffirmed during the 2015 Conference of the Parties, known as COP21, that was held in Paris in December. Kosaka and Xie's research could provide an easily generated and more accurate means to measure society's success in keeping temperatures below that threshold.

The research is further confirmation of the primary importance of the Pacific in controlling global-scale climate that researchers have come to understand in recent decades. Kosaka and Xie plotted the rise of global mean temperatures over the past 120 years. The rise of temperatures ascends in a staircase fashion with the steps becoming larger over the past 50 years.

When Kosaka and Xie removed as a variable the natural warming and cooling of the Pacific Ocean, the rise of <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/ships-must-urgently-cut-co2-emissions-to-meet-global-climate-goals/">global</a> mean surface temperature became a more linear increase, one that began to accelerate more sharply in the 1960s. It had been natural Pacific decadal variations that temporarily slowed down or speeded up the warming trend, leading to the staircase pattern.

For example, global mean surface temperature has not changed much for 1998-2014, a time period known as the hiatus that has been tied to naturally occurring tropical Pacific cooling. Raw data show a warming of 0.9° C for the recent five-year period of 2010-2014 relative to 1900 while Kosaka and Xie's calculation yields a much higher anthropogenic warming of 1.2° C after correcting for the natural variability effect.

"Most of the difference between the raw data and new estimates is found during the recent 18 years since 1998," said Xie. "Because of the hiatus, the raw data underestimate the greenhouse warming."

Kosaka and Xie suggest that though Pacific Ocean trends are an essential variable control on global temperature rise, the accuracy of their warming estimate will be improved in the future as other climate modes are added as variables. An international initiative involving more than a dozen climate models is being planned to improve the estimates included in upcoming assessments by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
###
The paper, "The tropical Pacific as a key pacemaker of the variable rates of global warming," appears in the journal Nature Geoscience.

The National Science Foundation and NOAA supported Xie's contribution to the research. The Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology supported Kosaka's.

</div>

Realistic evolution of global mean surface temperature

Realistic evolution of global mean surface temperature A research team...

Florida algae outbreak is a man-made affliction The enormous algae outbreak that has coated swaths of Florida's St. Lucie River with guacamole-like sludge is a man-made affliction, arising from political and economic decisions made over the past 140 years.
Chasing dollars, Florida land developers and their government allies broke up nature's flow that used rivers, Lake Okeechobee and the Everglades to move water south from central Florida to the Florida Bay at the peninsula's tip. That spurred Florida's economic growth, but it came with a price: Rivers and lagoons have periodically become so toxic with green and brown slime that fish die off, residents are sickened and tourists stay away.Florida algae outbreak is a man-made affliction
The algae-laden runoff flowing down rivers and estuaries after this year's heavy winter rains has hit especially hard along the St. Lucie River nearing the heavily populated Atlantic beaches.
It's an oft-recurring problem. Yet joint federal and state projects agreed upon in 2000 by former Democratic President Bill Clinton and then-Republican Gov. Jeb Bush have been slow to materialize amid tight budgets and political opposition.
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WHAT CAUSES SEVERE ALGAE OUTBREAKS?
It's complicated, but the simple answer is humans. From the late 1800s well into the 1900s, business interests with government cooperation sought to drain the Everglades so land could be developed. Water that naturally flowed south from Lake Okeechobee through the Everglades to Florida Bay was diverted east and west into the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers and out to sea.
Around the lake, farms, ranches and homes sprang up, producing human and animal waste and fertilizer, all laden with phosphorus and nitrogen that fast-reproducing algae feast upon. Florida's heavy seasonal rains wash the pollutants into the lake and slow-moving rivers, prompting massive blooms almost annually in Florida's summer heat.
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WHAT ARE THE OUTBREAKS' CONSEQUENCES?
Environmental, health and economic. Outbreaks kill fish and other plants by sucking oxygen from the water and releasing toxins. Toxins in the food chain can kill birds, reptiles and mammals. Humans fall sick by touching or breathing toxins. Boaters, fishermen and beachgoers stay away as waters look and smell rancid.
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WHAT ARE THE SHORT-TERM SOLUTIONS?
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the South Florida Water Management District, which control much of the flow through levees and gates, are holding more water north of Lake Okeechobee and sending less water into the rivers. That has alleviated the immediate outbreak, at least in the river. An algae bloom in the lake covers 200 square miles.
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WHAT ABOUT LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS?
Gov. Rick Scott wants to spend unspecified millions to get homeowners off septic tanks and onto sewer lines, reducing nutrient runoff.
Scott also wants federal authorities to expedite an $880 million project strengthening a dike which surrounds <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=lake+okeechobee&amp;form=EDGEAR&amp;qs=LS&amp;cvid=2cff9f8c6b4842eba2d936e1995498be&amp;cc=US&amp;setlang=en-US&amp;elv=AY3%21uAY7tbNNZGZ2yiGNjfMc6Hc5uhW2sqhHiyprBz7DAdZnMqGpHrjP7LLlBt4laqBWiq7zyDCFdjvZZH8MlVhcGYwsVm*3H0wsfne90lSU&amp;plvar=0&amp;PC=HCTS">Lake Okeechobee</a>, controlling its water flow. The 18-year project is scheduled for completion in 2025; Scott wants it done faster. Democrats and Republicans are at odds over who's to blame for not allocating extra money.
Eric Draper, Audubon Florida's executive director, said strengthening the Herbert Hoover Dike "won't do anything" to alleviate algae because the <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/dakota-access-easement/">Army Corps</a> of Engineers will never significantly raise Lake Okeechobee's water level.
John Campbell, a Corps spokesman, said even with expedited funding, it's unclear how much faster the project could be completed - given there are only so many qualified contractors to do the work.
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WHAT ARE ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS PROPOSING?
Some environmentalists say nature has the best solution: Let the water flow south into the Everglades as it did before man intervened. That's what was proposed in the then-$7.8 billion pact Clinton and Bush negotiated 16 years ago.
To achieve that end, retention reservoirs covering 90 square miles would be built south of Lake Okeechobee. Supporters say the water could be cleaned of phosphorus, nitrogen and other pollutants before releasing it into the Everglades. They say that also would improve the health of Florida Bay, which lost seagrass when dwindling freshwater turned the bay water too salty.
---
DOES EVERYONE AGREE?
No. Brian LaPointe, an algae researcher at Florida Atlantic University's Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, said scrubbing the water of so much nitrogen would be nearly impossible. Besides, nitrogen-laden water would be a disaster for the Florida Bay, its seagrass and its coral, he said. Instead, he recommends reducing the amount of nutrients that farmers, ranchers and residents near the lake leech into the water.
---
COULD THE RESERVIOR PLAN BE ENACTED?
That's doubtful in the current political climate. The plan would require buying land owned by powerful cane growers U.S. Sugar Corp. and Florida Crystals. U.S. Sugar struck a deal in 2008 to sell 300 square miles of land to the state for $1.7 billion, but Florida's economy tanked, the state ran low on money, legislators balked and the company changed its mind. Only 42 square miles were purchased for $197 million.
© 2016 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.

Florida algae outbreak is a man-made affliction

Florida algae outbreak is a man-made affliction The enormous algae...

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The hint of an eye in Tropical Storm Estelle. Tropical Storm Estelle continues to strengthen in the Eastern Pacific Ocean and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA">NASA</a> satellite imagery showed what appears to be a developing eye in the storm.

On July 17 at 09:30 UTC (5:30 a.m. EDT), the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument aboard the Suomi NPP satellite captured an image of Tropical Storm Estelle. The VIIRS image showed the hint of a cloud-covered eye in Estelle surrounded by a ring of powerful thunderstorms. The Suomi <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/suomi-npp-satellite-sees-depression-becoming-tropical-storm-darby/">NPP</a> satellite is managed by NASA and NOAA with support from the U.S. Department of Defense.

On July 17 at 5 a.m. EDT, infrared data showed Estelle's cloud tops near the center were as cold as minus 80 Celsius (minus 112 Fahrenheit) and colder during the past couple of hours. On July 18 at 0905 UTC (5:05 a.m. EDT) the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder or AIRS instrument that flies aboard NASA's Aqua satellite provided more infrared temperature data on Estelle. NHC forecaster Brown said, "Although the cloud tops are not as cold as they were yesterday, the area of convection is a little more symmetric around the center indicating that the northwesterly (wind) shear is relaxing."

On July 18 at 11 a.m. EDT (1500 UTC), the center of Tropical Storm Estelle was located near latitude 17.7 North, longitude 114.9 West. That's about 485 miles (780 km) southwest of the southern tip of Baja California, Mexico. Estelle is moving toward the west-northwest near 10 mph (17 kph) and the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said that this general motion is expected to continue for the next couple of days.

Maximum sustained winds are near 70 mph (110 kph) making it just shy of hurricane-strength. NHC said strengthening is likely during the next day or so, and Estelle is forecast to become a hurricane later today or tonight.

At 11 a.m. EDT on July 18, an automated weather observing site on Clarion Island recently reported sustained winds of 59 mph (95 kph) and a gust to 82 mph (133 kph). The estimated minimum central pressure is 991 millibars. A pressure of 995.3 millibars was recently reported on Clarion Island.

Estelle is only expected to be a short-lived hurricane. Within a day and a half to two days, Estelle is forecast to move over cooler sea surface temperatures and later a more stable air mass. Both of those factors are expected to weaken the storm.


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The hint of an eye in Tropical Storm Estelle

The hint of an eye in Tropical Storm Estelle. Tropical...

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NASA sees a tightly wrapped Tropical Cyclone Abela. NASA satellite imagery shows that Tropical Cyclone Abela's center has become tightly wrapped.

On July 16 the first Tropical Cyclone of the year formed in the Southern <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=indian+ocean&amp;form=EDGEAR&amp;qs=PF&amp;cvid=513d3f2dd809473e8060183b8e9b47f7&amp;cc=US&amp;setlang=en-US&amp;elv=AY3%21uAY7tbNNZGZ2yiGNjfMc6Hc5uhW2sqhHiyprBz7D1VYxgDhpVZRVajhrTON3dnqPvB6uRsn4mWW6Iau9YNbpeWCjv3rXFHbvNcIcgkhC&amp;plvar=0&amp;PC=HCTS">Indian Ocean</a>. Tropical cyclone 01S, now known as Abela, developed about 320 nautical miles west-southwest of Diego Garcia.

<a href="http://www.earth.com/news/nasa-provides-key-insights-into-sea-level-rise/">NASA's</a> RapidScat instrument measured the surface winds around Tropical Cyclone Abela on July 17 and found the strongest winds stretching from northeast to southeast of the center of circulation (red) near 30 meters per second (67 mph/108 kph). Winds around the rest of the storm were around or less than 22 m/s (50 mph/80 kph). NASA sees a tightly wrapped Tropical Cyclone Abela

RapidScat flies aboard the International Space Station and is helpful to forecasters because it shows where the strongest winds are in the storm (winds are not evenly distributed).

At 1500 UTC (11 a.m. EDT) on July 18, Tropical Cyclone Abela was located near 13.6 degrees south latitude and 59.8 degrees east longitude. That's about 440 nautical miles (506 miles/815 km) north-northeast of Port Louis, Mauritius. Abela has been moving to the west-southwest at 14 knots (16.1 mph/25.9 kph). Maximum sustained winds were near 50 knots (57 mph/92 kph).

On July 18 at 09:30 UTC (5:30 a.m. EDT), the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument aboard the Suomi NPP satellite captured an image of Tropical Cyclone Abela east of Madagascar. The VIIRS image showed a tightly-wrapped low-level center with bands of thunderstorms spiraling into it.NASA sees a tightly wrapped Tropical Cyclone Abela

Tropical Cyclone Abela is forecast to move west-southwest towards Madagascar and will begin weakening because of adverse atmospheric conditions and cooler waters.


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NASA sees a tightly wrapped Tropical Cyclone Abela

NASA sees a tightly wrapped Tropical Cyclone Abela. NASA satellite...

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A cloud-filled eye in a weaker Hurricane Darby. NASA satellite imagery revealed a cloud-filled eye in a weaker Hurricane Darby. Although obscured by clouds in previous days, the eye was apparent in wind data from NASA's RapidScat instrument.

On July 16, NASA's RapidScat instrument measured the surface winds around Hurricane Darby and found the strongest winds all around the storm with the exception of the southwestern quadrant. Sustained winds were greater than 30 meters per second (67 mph/108 kph).

RapidScat flies aboard the International Space Station and is helpful to forecasters because it shows where the strongest winds are in the storm (winds are not evenly distributed).

On July 17 at 09:30 UTC (5:30 a.m. EDT), the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument aboard the Suomi NPP satellite captured an image of Hurricane Darby. The VIIRS image showed cloud-filled eye surrounded by a ring of powerful thunderstorms, and bands of thunderstorms wrapping into the low-level center. A cloud-filled eye in a weaker Hurricane Darby

The Suomi NPP satellite is managed by <a href="https://www.bing.com/search?q=nasa&amp;cvid=0f93214717cd4de1b256392b5c5ecf9e&amp;FORM=ANAB01&amp;PC=HCTS">NASA</a> and NOAA with support from the U.S. Department of Defense.

At 5 a.m. EDT (0900 UTC) on Monday, July 18, the center of Hurricane Darby was located near latitude 18.5 north and longitude 130.2 west. That's about 1,345 miles (2,165 km) west of the southern tip of Baja California, <a href="http://www.earth.com/news/experts-track-the-flow-of-nutrients-in-the-gulf-of-mexico/">Mexico.</a> Darby is moving toward the west near 10 mph (17 kph). NOAA's National Hurricane Center (NHC) said that a westward to west-northwestward motion at a slightly faster forward speed is expected during the next couple of days. Maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 80 mph (130 kph) with higher gusts.

NHC forecaster Roberts noted that "Deep convection associated with Darby continues to diminish this morning with a couple of thin, fragmented curved bands located just to the southwest of the center of circulation."

NHC said additional weakening is forecast during the next 48 hours, and Darby should become a tropical storm later today. For updated forecasts on Darby, visit: <a href="http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://www.nhc.noaa.gov</a>.


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A cloud-filled eye in a weaker Hurricane Darby

A cloud-filled eye in a weaker Hurricane Darby. NASA satellite...

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.



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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...

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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



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



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Designing crops that can beat the heat

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

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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;



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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...

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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;



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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"

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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



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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

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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



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



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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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



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



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2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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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;



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



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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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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



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



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Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

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

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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;



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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

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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



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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

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

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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;



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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

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

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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



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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

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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;



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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

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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



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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

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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;



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



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Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz

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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



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



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Inhambane Bay in southeast Mozambique

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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



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



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Kangerlussuaq Glacier on the Greenland ice sheet

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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



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



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Ocean heat influences regional climate

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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



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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

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