Moving 150 tonnes of equipment more than 450km across the Greenland Ice Sheet sounds like a crazy idea. In that context, moving a 14-metre high, dome-shaped, wooden structure seems like a minor point, but it really is not. I do not think I realised what an awesome and awe-inspiring project I was part of, until I was out there, in the middle of the blindingly white ice sheet, and I saw the enormous ...[Read More]
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GeoLog
Geosciences Column: Fire in ice – the history of boreal forest fires told by Greenland ice cores.
Burning of biomass contributes a significant amount of greenhouses gases to the atmosphere, which in turn influences regional air quality and global climate. Since the advent of humans, there has been a significant increase in the amount of biomass burning, particularly after the industrial revolution. What might not be immediately obvious is that, (naturally occurring) fires also play a part in e ...[Read More]
GeoLog
Geosciences Column: From the desolate to the diverse, a story of volcanic succession
When a volcano erupts and spews lava onto the surrounding terrain, it is merciless in its destruction. All that is green on the land is engulfed in flame, or buried by an insurmountable mass of molten rock. Whatever charred remains of what lies beneath it will not see the light of day once the lava cools, turning the landscape into a barren black mass of solid basalt. But volcanoes around the worl ...[Read More]
GeoLog
Geosciences column: Shelter island – building a barrier to protect the coast
The latest Geosciences Column features recent research into tsunami hazards and explains how island building out to sea can help protect buildings on the shore… Barrier reefs are well known for holding off the wrath of the ocean and sheltering the serene lagoons that stretch between them and the mainland. Barrier islands possess the same protective power, taking the impact of waves that have built ...[Read More]
Soil System Sciences
Monday paper: Soil organic carbon dynamics of black locust plantations in the middle Loess Plateau area of China
Lu, N., Liski, J., Chang, R. Y., Akujärvi, A., Wu, X., Jin, T. T., Wang, Y. F., Fu, B. J. 2013. Soil organic carbon dynamics of black locust plantations in the middle Loess Plateau area of China. Biogeosciences 10, 7053-7063. DOI: 10.5194/bg-10-7053-2013 Abstract Soil organic carbon (SOC) is the largest terrestrial carbon pool and sensitive to land use and cover change; its dynamics are critical f ...[Read More]
GeoLog
A sky-high view on pollution in the Himalayas: the science
Jane Qiu shares her experience of shadowing atmospheric scientists some 5000 metres above sea level after being awarded the EGU’s science journalism fellowship. To find out how she got there, see her last post, A sky-high view on pollution in the Himalayas: the journey. Lab with a view After six days of strenuous hike, the Pyramid was finally in sight. At the foot of the majestic Khumbu Glacier, ...[Read More]
GeoLog
Geosciences Column: Stitching the seafloor together
You’re standing on a mountain peak, with a fabulous field site before you. Wanting to capture the moment, you take out your iPhone, snap a dozen pictures and your mobile stitches them together beautifully – a nice record to show your colleagues back in the office. Unfortunately, not all field sites are so easy to capture – especially when you need to do a little science with the images. Seafloor p ...[Read More]
GeoLog
Geosciences Column: How curbing HFC emissions could reduce warming
Carbon dioxide is without a doubt the most famous of warming culprits. But would reducing emissions of this greenhouse gas be enough to mitigate climate change within this century? A recent paper published in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics focuses on a less known substance that, if phased out, could avoid as much as 0.5 °C of warming by 2100. Hydroflurocarbons (HFCs) have an interesting history ...[Read More]
GeoLog
GeoCinema Online: Space & Planetary Science
If you were at our General Assembly, you probably spotted GeoCinema, or took a moment to catch your breath between sessions and relax with a geological film. But with all the science to be heard and discussions to join, watching the full programme would have been impossible. How do we get around this? By bringing GeoCinema straight to your living room! Over the next few weeks we’ll be sharing a de ...[Read More]
GeoLog
Imaggeo on Mondays: Sunset on the Black Sea coast
In the context of human history, few bodies of water are as storied as the Black Sea, located at the juncture of Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Countless cargo ships and frigates have sailed its waters, over 1,100 km in length from east to west, daunting enough that the Ancient Greeks believed its eastern shores (now Georgia) marked the edge of the known world. However, perhaps the Black Sea’s ...[Read More]