GeoLog

Geosciences Column

Geosciences Column: Do coastlines have memories?

January 6, 2017
do coastlines have memories
Man O' War Cove Credit: Sarah Weick, (distributed via imaggeo.egu.eu

Did you know that the shape of coastlines is determined by the angle at which waves crash against the shoreline. It has long been thought that fluctuations in the wave incidence angle are rapidly felt by coastlines, which change the shapes of their shores quickly in response to shifting wave patterns. Or do they? Researchers at the British Geological Survey, Duke University (USA) and Woods Hole Oc ...[Read More]

Geosciences Column: The complex links between shrinking sea ice and cloud cover

December 2, 2016
Sea ice breaking on the Chukchi Sea, Barrow, July 2014
Sea Ice . Credit: Scott Davidson (distributed via imaggeo.egu.eu)

The global climate system is complex. It is composed of, and governed by, a plethora of interconnect factors. Solar radiation, land surface, ice cover, the atmosphere and living things, as well as wind and ocean currents, play a crucial role in the climate system. These factors are intricately connected; changes to some can have significant effects on others, leading to overall consequences for th ...[Read More]

GeoSciences Column: The ‘dirty weather’ diaries of Reverend Richard Davis

November 4, 2016
GeoSciences Column: The ‘dirty weather’ diaries of Reverend Richard Davis
A digital scan of the Davis meteorological diary for July 1849 which also includes commentary about dirty weather and snow. From A. M. Lorrey et al. 2016.

Researching the Earth’s climate of the past, helps scientists make better predictions about how the climate and our environment will continue to be affected by, change and adapt to rising temperatures. One of the most invaluable sources of data, when it comes to understanding the Earth’s past climate, are historical meteorological records. Accounts of weather and climate conditions for the Souther ...[Read More]

Geosciences column: Making aurora photos taken by ISS astronauts useful for research

October 7, 2016
Geosciences column: Making aurora photos taken by ISS astronauts useful for research
Northern lights appeared over Murphy Dome, Alaska. Credit: Taro Nakai (distributed via imaggeo.egu.eu)

It’s a clear night, much like any other, except that billions of kilometers away the Sun has gone into overdrive and (hours earlier) hurled a mass of charged particles, including protons, electrons and atoms towards the Earth.  As the electrons slam into the upper reaches of the atmosphere, the night sky explodes into a spectacular display of dancing lights: aurora. Aurora remain shrouded in myste ...[Read More]