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Not many people would voluntarily fly through plumes of smoke emitted from wildfires. But atmospheric scientists from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Brookhaven National Laboratory do, repeatedly tracing flight paths. Their goal? Measure properties of the soot particles emitted by wildfires so they can learn how these plumes affect Earth’s climate.

Hurricanes are among the most destructive weather systems that annually affect U.S. coastal regions, making it important to understand how their associated risks may evolve under 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

In this study, researchers addressed the problem using a hierarchical modeling framework.

Sandia volunteers in NM and CA organize four successful events. Hundreds of high school and middle school students from New Mexico and California put their knowledge to the test in regional science bowl competitions sponsored by Sandia and Los Alamos national laboratories. The winners advance to the DOE National Science Bowl in Washington, D.C.

The project will help underrepresented students at the University of Puerto Rico-Río Piedras get involved in the atmospheric sciences workforce. Each year, the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico receives atmospheric dust transported all the way from Africa. These mineral-enriched tiny dust particles can have important implications.

Marine boundary-layer stratocumulus and shallow cumulus clouds are maintained by boundary-layer turbulence through the transport of water vapor above the lifting condensation level. Hence changes in boundary-layer water vapor critically impact cloud properties.

To understand how water moves on the land and make predictions about the future, scientists use computer models called large-scale land surface models. One example is the Community Land Model version 5 (CLM5). However, these models have uncertainties, especially when it comes to how much water is in the ground and how it moves.

To understand Earth’s changing climate, scientists often turn to science-based computer simulations. Researchers strive to make these Earth system models

earth system model (ESM)

A model that simulates how chemistry, biology, and physical forces work together. These models are similar to, but much more comprehensive than, global climate models.

Source: U.S. Department of Energy Source

as accurate as possible. Factors such as wind currents, air quality, and weather patterns all play a role. But current modeling has often overlooked one important activity: agriculture.

We developed an improved parameterization of dynamic phytoplankton iron-to-carbon ratios (Fe:C) and examined the biogeochemical impacts and potential feedbacks to climate change in simulations with varying levels of atmospheric iron deposition.

We use unsupervised learning (k-means clustering), ERA5 reanalysis, and the CESM2 subseasonal initialized prediction system (with 11 ensemble members) to assess the sources and limits of predictability of North American weather regimes.

Utah is a fantastic destination for summertime outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, rafting, and sports. Unfortunately, the air quality in Utah can be a concern, particularly for people with asthma, children, and the elderly. Our research has found that the degraded air quality is caused by a combination of factors, including wildfires in the Pacific Northwest and a specific climate pattern.

Jingshan Du, a Washington Research Foundation postdoctoral fellow at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), was selected for a Distinguished Student Award from the American Physical Society (APS). The award provides financial support for young, non-U.S. citizen researchers to attend APS annual meetings. Du attended the recent APS March meeting, where he received the award.

Modeling aersol particles that could initiate cloud formation is an uncertainty in climate models. Finding ways to bring modeled values closer to observations is essential to increasing the accuracy of model results. In this study, researchers analyzed aerosol

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

data taken onboard research aircraft in cloud-free conditions and compared them to modeled aerosol concentrations to assess the closure.