GeoLog

Atmospheric Sciences

Imaggeo on Mondays: Northern lights in northern Norway

March 18, 2019
Imaggeo on Mondays: Northern lights in northern Norway
Northern lights in northern Norway. Credit: Rita Nogherotto (distributed via imaggeo.egu.eu)

Northern lights in Tromsø, displaying the collisions between electrically charged particles from the sun which penetrate the earth’s magnetic shield and strike atoms and molecules in our atmosphere. Collisions excite the atoms causing electrons to move to higher-energy orbits, further away from the nucleus. When electrons move back to lower-energy orbits, they release particles of light call ...[Read More]

Imaggeo on Mondays: Air samples from afar

February 25, 2019
Imaggeo on Mondays: Air samples from afar
Air samples from afar. Credit: Emma Elvidge (distributed via imaggeo.egu.eu)

I’ve taken many photos on fieldwork, everywhere from Malaysia to Antarctica but this particular photo was taken in my ‘home’ lab at the University of East Anglia (UEA) in Norwich, UK. Atmospheric scientists collect air samples canisters such as these from around the world: from high altitude research aircraft (such as the Geophysica), long-term measurement time series (such as Ca ...[Read More]

GeoTalk: Research reflections and lessons learned from Pinhas Alpert

January 30, 2019
GeoTalk: Research reflections and lessons learned from Pinhas Alpert
Meet Pinhas Alpert (pictured left), professor in geophysics and planetary sciences at Tel Aviv University and recipient of the 2018 Vilhelm Bjerknes Medal. (Credit: EGU/Foto Pfluegl)

GeoTalk interviews usually feature the work of early career researchers, but this month we deviate from the standard format to speak to Pinhas Alpert, professor in geophysics and planetary sciences at Tel Aviv University and recipient of the 2018 Vilhelm Bjerknes Medal. Alpert was awarded for his outstanding contributions to atmospheric dynamics and aerosol science. Here we talk to him about his c ...[Read More]

Imaggeo on Mondays: A pink and blue evening

January 28, 2019
Imaggeo on Mondays: A pink and blue evening
A pink and blue evening. Credit: Claudine Vanbauce (distributed via imaggeo.egu.eu)

At sunset, the light travels a longer path in the atmosphere to reach our eyes than when the sun is high in the sky. At this time of the day, the light is more subject to scattering, as it interacts with more air (molecules and particles) before reaching our eyes, which explains why the sun is much less luminous and can be observed directly without being dazzled. The sun appears redder because amo ...[Read More]