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Plumes across the Pacific Deliver Thousands of Microbial Species to West Coast

By Guest PostDecember 20, 2012Environmentaerobiology, aerosol, air pollution, aircraft, asia, atmospheric particle, bacterial, balloons, biomass, cascade mountains, central oregon, dale griffin, daniel jaffe, david j smith, dilution, DNA, dust, dust plume, earth, ecosystem, fungal, global wind circulation, harmless, hilkka timonen, kevin perry, michael roberts, michele birmele, microorganism, molecular method, mount bachelor, NASA, North America, old classification, pacific ocean, peter ward, plume event, pollutant, traditional paradigm, trans pacific trip, troposphere, university of utah, university of washington, west coast

A surprising number of microorganisms – more than 100 times more kinds than reported just four months ago – are leaping the biggest gap on the planet. Hitching rides in the upper troposphere, they’re making their way from Asia across the Pacific Ocean and landing in North America.

For the first time researchers have been able to gather enough biomass in the form of DNA to apply molecular methods to samples from two large dust plumes originating in Asia in the spring of 2011. The scientists detected more than 2,100 unique species compared to only 18 found in the very same plumes using traditional methods of culturing, results they published in July. (more…)

NASA Finds Sea Ice Driving Arctic Air Pollutants

By Guest PostMarch 4, 2012Environmentamundsen gulf, arctas, arctic ocean, arctic sea, Arctic sea ice, arizona, atmosphere, atmospheric model, beaufort sea, bromex, bromine, bromine explosion, bromine monoxide, bromine plume, bromine release, canada, canadian arctic, chemical process, depletion, Germany, ground-level ozone, mercury experiment, molecules, NASA, ozone, pollutant, radiation, reduction, salt, sea ice, son nghiem, texas, toxic mercury, troposphere, united kingdom, united states

PASADENA, Calif. – Drastic reductions in Arctic sea ice in the last decade may be intensifying the chemical release of bromine into the atmosphere, resulting in ground-level ozone depletion and the deposit of toxic mercury in the Arctic, according to a new NASA-led study.

The connection between changes in the Arctic Ocean’s ice cover and bromine chemical processes is determined by the interaction between the salt in sea ice, frigid temperatures and sunlight. When these mix, the salty ice releases bromine into the air and starts a cascade of chemical reactions called a “bromine explosion.” These reactions rapidly create more molecules of bromine monoxide in the atmosphere. Bromine then reacts with a gaseous form of mercury, turning it into a pollutant that falls to Earth’s surface. (more…)

Lower Part of Earth’s Atmosphere is Warming, Data Review Concludes

By Guest PostNovember 16, 2010Environmentatmosphere, climate models, earth, lower part, north carolina state university, troposphere, warming

The troposphere, the lower part of the atmosphere closest to the Earth, is warming in ways that are broadly consistent with both theoretical expectations and climate models, according to a new scientific study from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the NOAA-North Carolina State University Cooperative Institute for Climate and Satellites (CICS).

Since the development of the first climate models in the 1960s, the troposphere has been projected to warm along with the earth’s surface because of the increasing amounts of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. This expectation has not significantly changed even with major advances in climate models. (more…)

NASA infrared imagery shows well-defined eye in Category 5 Celia

By Guest PostJune 25, 2010Scienceairs, atmospheric infrared sounder, baja California, category 5 storm, celia, eastern pacific, ed olsen, hurricane celia, infrared image, moderate imaging spectroradiometer, modis, nasa aqua satellite, nasa jpl, national hurricane center, tropical cyclones, tropopause, troposphere

Celia has exploded into a monster hurricane in the Eastern Pacific, and is now a Category 5 storm over open waters.

NASA’s Aqua satellite captured an infrared image (that shows temperature) of Celia’s clouds and clearly shows an eye in the storm.

(more…)

Tag Archives: troposphere

Plumes across the Pacific Deliver Thousands of Microbial Species to West Coast

NASA Finds Sea Ice Driving Arctic Air Pollutants

Lower Part of Earth’s Atmosphere is Warming, Data Review Concludes

NASA infrared imagery shows well-defined eye in Category 5 Celia