Wikipedia: A flood basalt is the result of a giant volcanic eruption or series of eruptions that coats large stretches of land or the ocean floor with basalt lava. Flood basalt provinces are often called traps, which derives from the characteristic stairstep morphology of many associated landscapes. Related Greenland ice sheet collapse, triggered ancient sea…
By Laura Naranjo (NSIDC), first published January 31, 2014. In the following an edited version, reposted here with permission. Antarctic sea ice is ruled by very different systems than Arctic sea ice. The reasons behind this increase are complex, and several recent studies show that scientists are still trying to understand them. Ice and wind Atmospheric…
An Australian-led research team found that sea levels may rise much faster than previously predicted by models, because changes by disruptive westerly winds, weren’t taken into account. Conservative estimates so far, projected irreversible melting in the course of a few centuries, depending on the temperature increase. Related Each degree of global warming might ultimately raise…
Introduction to Methane Hydrate “Methane Hydrates and Contemporary Climate Change” (2011) IDENTIFICATION This post “A Mechanism for Shallow Methane Hydrate Dissociation”, explores possible mechanism which could release vast quantities of shallow Methane Hydrate into the ocean and atmosphere. CH4 Release The following studies explore the release of CH4 emissions in the Arctic region. OBSERVATION…
A new study paper out in nature (Nature Climate Change / 2014 / doi:10.1038/nclimate2159), explores why the rise of sea-level has slowed in the last decade. Unsurprisingly the slow-down coincidences with the observed climate hiatus (IPCC AR5, Ocean heat content uptake). Because heat is distributed differently, depending on the state of ENSO (between El Nino or La Nina). Abstract: Present-day sea-level…
PBS: Flood-prone South Florida considers proactive investment against rising seas March 19, 2014 (with Transcript). White House starting to make bigger climate change push – will help protect #SWWater if successful, but … http://t.co/OA7EX3OhgQ — Jonathan Overpeck (@TucsonPeck) March 21, 2014 Visit the new White House climate website https://climate.data.gov
By Tim Radford (Climate News Network): Scientists think the amount of methane emitted to the atmosphere from freshwater ecosystems will increase as the climate warms, triggering further warming. LONDON, 20 March – British scientists have identified yet another twist to the threat of global warming. Any further rises in temperature are likely to accelerate the release of methane from…
ClimateCrocks: Dr. Richard Rood is a Veteran NASA Atmospheric Scientist, currently teaching at theUniversity of Michigan’s College of Atmopheric, Oceanic, and Space Sciences. Dr. Rood also posts regularly on Dr. Jeff Master’s Weather Underground. I sat down with Dr. Rood not long ago to talk about developments in climate science. This is a small, but significant…
By FishOutOfWater (DailyKos): The largest source of the coldest water in the world’s oceans ceased producing Antarctic Bottom Water in 1976. The surface water around Antarctica, which has be been freshening since the 1950’s, formed a lid of low-density water stopping the overturning process in the Weddell sea near the coast of Antarctica. The Weddell…