New research suggests that the dunes are an important source of dust now and potentially in the future. Researchers used the Portable in situ Wind Erosion Laboratory (PI-SWERL) to measure the potential of dunes in the deserts of northern China to emit dust. Large, mobile dunes emit low levels of dust, but vegetated coppice dunes have the greatest potential to … Read More
Vast magma reservoir found hiding beneath Yellowstone park
A massive chamber holding enough magma to fill the Grand Canyon more than 11 times over is hiding beneath the steaming volcanic system of Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. We knew of a smaller magma chamber closer to surface, holding some 10,000 cubic kilometres of magma and feeding heat upwards. The newly discovered reservoir sits under it and has a … Read More
Dot Earth Blog: An Extraordinary Time-Lapse View of the Eruption of Chile’s Calbuco Volcano
A potent volcanic eruption in Chile lights up the sky and the Web.
NASA’s Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 Set to Join the A-Train
NASA’s first satellite devoted to measuring atmospheric CO2 is ready to launch. The Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 will join a constellation of five other satellites gathering information about Earth systems with unprecedented resolution and coverage.