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Born in Romania amid a culture that honors the pursuit of science and mathematics, Texas Southern University (TSU) atomic physics professor Daniel Vrinceanu is a career-long expert in atomic and molecular physics and computational physics. Among other things, he has investigated exoplanet atmospheres and a class of atoms with exaggerated properties (like their large size) found only in the ultracold regions of outer space between stars.

When it comes to fighting global warming, capturing and storing carbon dioxide

carbon dioxide (CO2)

An important heat-trapping gas, also known as a greenhouse gas, that comes from the extraction and burning of fossil fuels (such as coal, oil, and natural gas), from wildfires, and natural processes like volcanic eruptions.

Source: NASA Source

from the atmosphere is an attractive but challenging option. Since oceans cover nearly three-quarters of Earth’s surface, and already absorb at least 25 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions, it is logical to consider the oceans’ role as a natural carbon sink.

No earlier than May 28, 2024, at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, the EarthCARE satellite will launch into orbit among other payloads on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The 900-pound satellite, about the weight of a grand piano, is a joint venture between the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). Over an estimated three-year lifespan, its uniquely coordinated instruments will record unprecedented measurements of how energy is transmitted in Earth’s atmosphere.

Developing a picture of the atmosphere requires measurements from the ground and in the air. The advent of uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) has allowed researchers to develop new platforms for collecting data while in the air. One particularly important quantity to measure are aerosols.

aerosols

Small particles or droplets, such as wildfire smoke, volcanic gases, or salty sea spray, that float in the air. They are emitted by both natural events and human activities.

Source: NASA Global Climate Change Source

Aerosol data collection methods have been in use for decades, but new techniques are enhancing researchers' understanding of aerosols.

Scientists from Michigan Technological University, the College of Charleston, and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Washington state explore long-held assumptions about the microphysical structure of marine stratocumulus clouds.

marine stratocumulus cloud

Marine stratocumulus clouds (MSCs) typically lie at low-altitudes below 6,000 feet, covering about 20 percent of the low-latitude oceans, or 6.5 percent of the Earth’s surface.

Source: NOAA Source

The study shows that droplet size distributions are locally narrow, and the broad gamma distributions only appear when averaging over large cloud volumes.

Jason Roadman, a wind energy field engineer, reflects on equipping eagles with flight trackers, preparing college students for careers in clean energy, and using his knowledge to make a positive impact. Today, Roadman is an applied research engineer at the National Wind Technology Center, where he conducts field experiments on research wind turbines and represents the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) 1.5-megawatt (MW) turbine.

A group of high school graduates and community college students visited Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) on Tuesday to meet staff and find out just what goes on at a Department of Energy national laboratory. The Job Shadow Day was arranged by tnAchieves, a student support organization that works to increase higher educational opportunities for students across Tennessee through scholarships and mentorship.

In the complex dance of atmospheric processes affecting Earth’s energy balance, new particle formation (NPF) is emerging as a center-stage performer—one that helps determine, on a global scale, how clouds absorb and reflect solar radiation. While some aerosols found in the atmosphere are emitted directly as particles from natural or human sources, other aerosols form in the atmosphere from condensation of gases, such as sulfuric acid, that were themselves emitted by various sources.

Registration for the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) 2024 Teacher Research Academy (TRA) is now open. The TRA offers middle-school, high-school and community-college faculty a unique professional development experience through LLNL. Teachers will have the opportunity to learn about cutting-edge scientific research conducted at the Laboratory and experience the application of real-world science.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Decathlon®—DOE's longest-running student competition—announced the winners of the 2024 Design Challenge at a livestreamed awards ceremony on April 21! The University of Arizona won top honors, taking home the Grand Winner trophy for their partnership with the Hopi Tribe on 24 eco-friendly rowhouses that integrate passive design techniques and a microgrid to promote energy sovereignty for the community.

One day, wind turbines may float off the coasts of California and southern Oregon, providing clean, renewable energy

renewable energy

Renewable energy comes from unlimited, naturally replenished resources, such as the sun, tides, and wind. Renewable energy can be used for electricity generation, space and water heating and cooling, and transportation.

Source: U.S Department of Energy Source

to millions of homes. But before construction can start, researchers are studying how to minimize the potential wind farms’ impact on local wildlife. Researchers from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and H. T. Harvey & Associates have deployed technology off the West Coast to study seabird flight heights and potential interactions with wind turbines.

January 2024 marked the first year during which the globe’s surface temperatures rose 1.5 degrees Celsius above average. Although it’s unknown whether this trend will continue, it does mean that temperatures are nearing the limit agreed upon in 2015’s Paris Agreement at the United Nations Climate Change

climate change

A change in the average conditions — such as temperature and rainfall — in a region over a long period of time.

Source: NASA Climate Kids Source

Conference. It’s easy to feel hopeless about curbing greenhouse gas emissions, but a report from the Joint Global Change Research Institute shows that keeping global temperature rise below 1.5 °C is still achievable.