Division blogs

Hydrological Sciences

Xavier Sánchez-Vila (2020 Henry Darcy Medallist) on these strange times and the usefulness of scientific thinking

EGU Guest blogger August 12, 2020

The EGU 2020 Henry Darcy Medal of the EGU Division on Hydrological Sciences was awarded to Xavier Sánchez-Vila in recognition of his innovative theoretical work and practical solutions regarding aquifer characterisation, subsurface solute transport processes and managed aquifer recharge. Given the online EGU 2020 GA, the medal lecture was however postponed to 2021. We then …[Read More]

OS

Ocean Sciences

Research Cruise in times of COVID-19

Nora Fried August 11, 2020

While the whole world is on stand-by we are in the middle of the North Atlantic and I want to explain you, why! During those crazy times cruise planning also slightly changes. The original plan was to depart and arrive back in Reykjavik which would have only included a short transit to our research area, …[Read More]

GD

Geodynamics

The Sassy Scientist – The Burning Question

The Sassy Scientist August 7, 2020

In the climb on the academic pyramid, Antonia wonders: How do you tell someone “you have not done enough to be included in the co-author list”? Dear Antonia, *arranges Yoda robe*: Big questions you have! Right place you came! I am sure you are not the first or the only scientist with that question. Since …[Read More]

TS

Tectonics and Structural Geology

Features From the Field: Pencil Cleavage

Sandra McLaren August 7, 2020

This edition of ‘Features from the field’ is brought to you by Sandra McLaren, a senior lecturer at the University of Melbourne. She will be talking about type of rock formation called “Pencil Cleavage” so called because it looks like pencils. Sandra even has a small collection of pencil/crayon shale which is the cover image …[Read More]

GMPV

Geochemistry, Mineralogy, Petrology & Volcanology

Ask us (almost) anything: Were Chixculub and Deccan related?

Mike Jollands August 6, 2020

Doc Rock from twitter asks Has anyone investigated the hypothesis that the Deccan Traps basalt flows came after, and were the result of, the Chixculub impact event, based on the DT basalts being on the exact opposite side of Earth at the time of the event? For context, the Chixculub crater is buried under the …[Read More]

CL

Climate: Past, Present & Future

Breathing life into a d(r)ying lake in northwest Iran

P. Saemian, O. Elmi, B.D. Vishwakarma, M.J. Tourian and N. Sneeuw August 6, 2020

Lake Urmia, in Northwest Iran, was once the most extensive and permanent hypersaline lake (salinity >> of ocean) in the world. Since 1995, the lake water level has dropped about 8 m, shrinking to less than 30% of its original surface area and losing more than 90% of its water volume over two decades [1]. …[Read More]

GD

Geodynamics

Watch and learn!

Anne Glerum August 5, 2020

Too envious to watch Netflix’s Selling Sunset? Gone through the top 5 geodynamic movies? Lock-down vacation too boring for words? In need of useful procrastination? Search no longer! We have compiled an extensive list of online webinars and speaker series that were already active pre-Corona or saw the daylight during the pandemic to stay in …[Read More]

OS

Ocean Sciences

Why do mesoscale eddies disappear at ocean western boundaries?

Gwyn Evans August 4, 2020

In the ocean, mesoscale eddies are everywhere. In fact, about 90% of the ocean’s kinetic energy is contained within these ubiquitous, ~100 km swirling vortices. We know how these eddies form, through a process known as baroclinic instability, where density surfaces are tilted too steeply and become unstable. What remains unclear however, is what happens …[Read More]

NH

Natural Hazards

Faults and earthquakes as friends and not foes

Afroz Shah August 3, 2020

The earthquakes’ occurrence on the planet Earth is largely considered synonymous with disasters and people generally perceive geological faults as a threat to life and belongings. However, there are exceptions since a small community of earthquake researchers relate the occurrence of earthquakes with the lithospheric plate interactions where movement on faults causes earthquakes. Therefore, my …[Read More]

GD

Geodynamics

The Sassy Scientist – Out Of Orientation

The Sassy Scientist July 31, 2020

Ravi is done with his research, mentally. As he muses on a potential departure from academia – awaiting an unhackneyed sense of perspective – he asks: I want to leave academia! Where do I go? Dear Ravi, I am sorry to hear you’ve given thought to a termination of your academic career. After years of …[Read More]