Satellite data reveals that urban vegetation, especially urban forests, is the most important factor regulating Urban Heat Island intensity.
Land/atmosphere interactions
Pollution over the Tibetan Plateau Linked to Sea Ice Loss in the Arctic
New research suggests an atmospheric connection between Arctic sea ice melt and anthropogenic aerosol pollution over the Tibetan Plateau.
Starting (and Stopping) a Fire to Study It
Fire experiments on peatlands in Southeast Asia have identified previously unknown emissions patterns and could point to ways to detect these smoldering fires before they become too big to fight.
New England Winters Are “Losing the Cold”
As extreme cold days wane, the northeastern United States has experienced an increase in mud days.
Stocking a Proper Buffet for a Megadiverse Smorgasbord
Mexico’s megadiverse biota challenge observation network design for efficient sampling, but novel methods can provide guidance and tests of representativeness.
Diagnosing Soil Moisture Impacts on Model Energy Fluxes
Do climate models truthfully mimic how drying soil affects land-surface budget partition?
Westward Expansion, Technology, and Tornado Fatalities
By mining records from 1808 to 2017, researchers can now show just how many lives have likely been saved by technology like radar.
What Lies and Waits Beneath Lake Ice?
Rarely made detailed measurements of carbon dioxide and methane under lake ice reveal a story more complex than simple models of gas buildup, with surprising findings for climate change impacts.
Autumn Warming No Longer Accelerating Carbon Loss in the North
An analysis of Point Barrow’s 40-year record points to the importance of calculating the carbon cycle’s response to temperature during the northern latitudes’ non-growing season.
Restored Wetlands Could Lower Local Surface Temperatures
A 3-year study of wetlands and cropland in a major California delta highlights the need to consider the physical effects of vegetation when planning land use changes.
