Search

Clouds are a major unknown in predicting future climate change and understanding their impact on global warming. Researchers are studying ice crystals in clouds, using cloud chambers, and developing new satellites and artificial intelligences to gain a better understanding of clouds. However, uncertainties remain due to the complexity of clouds and the difficulty of representing them in climate models. Cloud feedbacks, such as changes in cloud cover and altitude, are expected to increase warming, but the magnitude of their effect is still unclear. Efforts to improve cloud modeling and observations are ongoing to reduce uncertainty and improve climate predictions. [Extracted from the article]

It's "the only thing political leaders can do that would have a discernible influence on temperature within their term in office", says Ken Caldeira, a climate scientist emeritus at the Carnegie Institution for Science, who is also a senior scientist at Breakthrough Energy, an organization founded by Bill Gates. Almost as soon as scientists understood that rising CO2 could warm the planet, some of them proposed making Earth more reflective to counter the effect. In 2008 Bala, the scientist at Livermore who first tested SRM in a model, moved to the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore and began to study how human activities might affect that country's monsoons. On February 27, 2023, a few days after Iseman and Song sent barbecued sulfur into the sky, 110 climate scientists, including climate change pioneer James Hansen, published a different open letter urging government support for SRM research. [Extracted from the article]

Scientists are still trying to understand a mysterious purple light phenomenon known as STEVE. STEVE is a natural light show that was previously unknown to science and was initially mistaken for a proton arc. The cause of STEVE's purple light and the picket fence of green stripes that sometimes accompanies it are still puzzles. Recent photos have also shown a connection between STEVE and another non-aurora light show called a stable auroral red arc. Understanding STEVE could have practical applications, as its presence can affect satellite signals. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the potential increase in government spending on the Livestock Forage Disaster Program due to more frequent and severe drought conditions. The program provides payments to livestock producers impacted by drought, covering about 60% of monthly feed and forage costs. Modeling results indicate that federal spending on the program could increase by over 100% by 2100 compared to average expenditures between 2014 and 2022. The article also highlights the financial-climate risk of the program and the potential impact of greenhouse gas emissions on future program spending. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses how Earth's heat gain has slowed down, despite record high temperatures in 2024. This decrease in heat gain has alleviated concerns that climate change was accelerating beyond projections. Factors such as reductions in air pollution and variations in climate patterns like La Niña and El Niño contribute to fluctuations in Earth's energy imbalance. Scientists use satellite data to measure the planet's energy imbalance, which has more than doubled since 2001. [Extracted from the article]

A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Arizona suggests that climate change will increase the frequency of strong El Niño events, leading to more extreme weather. The study used a reconstruction of Pacific Ocean temperatures from 21,000 years ago, based on the chemistry of microscopic plankton shells, to validate climate models' projections of El Niño's behavior in a hotter future. The researchers found that the response of El Niño to temperature in the past was similar to the present, indicating that as global temperatures rise, the occurrence of extreme El Niño events could happen every decade this century. However, more evidence is needed to definitively determine the impact of global warming on El Niño variability. [Extracted from the article]

Climate models have predicted that global warming would cause a shift in the planet's jet streams towards the poles, and recent evidence suggests that this shift has begun. Jet streams are bands of rapid winds in the atmosphere that play a crucial role in weather patterns. The shift in the jet streams could worsen heat and drought in regions that rely on these winds to steer storms. While the short satellite record makes it difficult to determine the extent of this shift, models project that it will continue in the coming decades. This shift in the jet streams could have significant impacts on global weather patterns, affecting regions such as the western US, the Mediterranean, Chile, South Africa, and Australia. [Extracted from the article]

Representing atmospheric transport of constituents accurately in a chemistry climate model is a challenge. This is true in particular for a realistic representation of atmospheric transport barriers, e.g. at the edge of the polar vortices or at the tropopause. When transport is represented employing Lagrangian methods, numerical problems representing transport barriers may be obviated. Here, we present a first implementation of a Lagrangian transport model (the Chemical Lagrangian Model of the Stratosphere, CLaMS) driven by horizontal winds and vertical velocities of the icosahedral nonhydrostatic model (ICON) using the Modular Earth Submodel System (MESSy). The diabatic heating rates deduced from the temperature tendencies in the (free-running) ICON model allow vertical velocities to be determined and transport calculations in isentropic (diabatic) coordinates. The deduced diabatic heating rates agree qualitatively well with ERA5 reanalysis values in the zonal annual mean, but some discrepancies remain. Further, there is an overall agreement between the simulation and N2O observations by the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) satellite instrument; in particular regarding N2O gradients at the edge of the polar vortex. Overall, the Antarctic vortex and the associated transport barrier at its edge are well represented in the simulation, although the simulated polar vortex is larger than observed. Some differences between the observations and the Lagrangian simulation may be caused by the underlying ICON winds. The coupled ICON/MESSy-CLaMS transport scheme allows realistic simulations of tracer distributions in the free troposphere and in the stratosphere, including the representation of tracer gradients across transport barriers, a feature generally more difficult to obtain by classical Eulerian schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obstacle resolving micro-scale atmospheric models (ORMs) are important to assess atmospheric processes within urban areas. However, the data generated from such models are not standardised yet and existing data standards do not fit properly to those data. Standardised model data can help to prepare FAIR data publications, which foster the process of data reuse, sharing, comparison and distribution. Therefore, an online survey was distributed among ORM users and developers in the urban meteorology and urban climate community. The survey should help to assess, which models are currently in use and to collect suggestions and requirements from the participants on how a data standard should look like. The aim of the survey was not to test the knowledge of the participants about the model they use but rather to get an overview of how they understand, use and work with ORMs. Based on 14 finished survey entries, it shows that ORMs provide and handle their data differently. The participants are aware of the need for standardisation, preferring netCDF as data format and suggesting extending existing standards to the needs of ORM data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to new research, three to five billion people, or up to two-thirds of the world's population, will be impacted by changes in rainfall by the end of the century if CO2 emissions are not reduced. Climate models have been uncertain about the effects of climate change on global rainfall, making it difficult to prepare for natural disasters. The research identified regions where multiple climate models agree on future rainfall impacts, revealing global hotspots for drier and wetter conditions. The findings have significant implications for a large portion of the world's population, including millions of Australians. [Extracted from the article]

In order to design aircraft for minimum impact on climate, appropriate evaluation tools must be integrated early in the aircraft design loop and account for both CO2 and non-CO2 effects. This paper evaluates the impact of CO2, NOx emissions, and contrail formation from turboprops (D328 and D328eco) compared to jets (A320, ERJ135) using simplified evaluation tools, namely the climate response models AirClim and LEEA. Operational parameters such as distance and altitude are varied, and we propose two one-dimensional correction methods to adjust the climate impact of contrails for aircraft size. Compared to turboprops, jets have higher fuel burn and fly on average at higher altitudes, where the impact from contrails is higher. Based on our assumptions, we show that turboprop aircraft have the capability to compete with larger aircraft and outperform regional jets in terms of climate impact per passenger-kilometre. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Finland, snow dens have traditionally protected seal pups from the harsh winter climate. However, due to climate change and a lack of snow, humans have had to step in and construct artificial snowdrifts to provide shelter for the endangered Saimaa ringed seals. These human-made snowdrifts, built using handheld snowplows, have been successful in helping the seal population rebound from near extinction. In addition to the snowdrifts, researchers are also exploring the use of reusable floating artificial nest structures as a long-term solution. The goal is to create a seal-safe shelter that can be easily transported and accepted by the seals themselves. [Extracted from the article]

Record rainfall in the Arabian peninsula caused flooding in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, with some areas receiving 25 centimeters of rain in 24 hours. The flooding prompted speculation about whether the UAE's cloud-seeding program played a role, but experts say it is unlikely. Cloud seeding, which involves spraying particles into clouds to increase precipitation, would have had at most a marginal effect on the amount of rain and only in local areas. The extreme rain event was driven by a large storm called a mesoscale convective system, and while more analysis is needed, climate change likely played a role in increasing the intensity of the rain. [Extracted from the article]

A recent study suggests that Europe may experience hotter and drier summers in the future due to increased melting of Greenland's ice sheet. The research shows that the release of large amounts of freshwater from Greenland's ice sheet triggers feedback effects that impact the atmospheric jet stream over Europe. These effects, combined with the underlying warming trend from fossil fuel emissions, could lead to more extreme heatwaves and droughts in Europe. The study also highlights the missed inclusion of these feedback effects in computer models. Researchers predict that Europe will experience stronger heatwaves and droughts in the coming years as a result of increased melting. [Extracted from the article]

The wind-shear reports from pilots from a particular springtime wind-shear season at the Hong Kong International Airport, namely, January to April 2021, are considered in order to study the performance of a meteorological model in large-eddy simulations in capturing the low-level wind shear and turbulent flow under a variety of weather conditions. It could be seen that, from a statistical comparison of the results, the low-level wind-shear reports are reasonably well captured. This is re-enforced in two selected cases of typical, low-level wind shear at the airport, namely, terrain-disrupted airflow and a sea breeze front. The turbulent flow feature is also reproduced reasonably well from the structure function and eddy dissipation rate (EDR). The scatter plot of actual and model-simulated EDR reveals a reasonable comparison. Through case studies, the major features of turbulent airflow are well reproduced. This paper suggests that large-eddy simulation could have reasonable skill in capturing the low-level wind shear using a large wind-shear sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides seasonal weather predictions for various regions in Canada for the winter of 2024/2025. The Atlantic Provinces can expect near-average temperatures but heightened precipitation, with New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and PEI experiencing above-average precipitation rates. Quebec should prepare for a winter dominated by cold temperatures and stormy weather, while Ontario can expect a varied winter with alternating cold and mixed precipitation events. The Prairies will see regional contrasts, with persistent cold in Manitoba and northern Saskatchewan and Alberta, and stormier conditions in the southern regions. British Columbia will have near-average temperatures with heightened precipitation in southern regions, and Yukon and Western Northwest Territories will experience much-below-normal temperatures and increased precipitation. Eastern Northwest Territories and Nunavut will have much-below-normal temperatures and dry conditions. [Extracted from the article]

The article announces the winners of two 2023 Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) prizes: the Gordon Bell Prize, given to several researchers for their joint project entitled "Large-Scale Materials Modeling at Quantum Accuracy: Ab Initio Simulations of Quasicrystals and Interacting Extended Defects in Metallic Alloys," and the Gordon Bell Prize for Climate Modelling, given to several researchers for their joint project entitled "The Simple Cloud-Resolving E3SM Atmosphere Model Running on the Frontier Exascale System."

According to an article in New Scientist, it is predicted that the global average surface temperature will exceed 1.5°C above preindustrial levels by around 2030. However, under the current definition accepted by most climate scientists, it would not be officially known that this limit has been passed until around 2040. This delay in knowing when the limit has been exceeded could waste valuable time that could be spent on finding solutions to cool the world down. To address this issue, researchers have proposed a solution that involves defining the 1.5°C limit in advance and using a combination of temperature measurements and climate model projections to calculate a 20-year average 10 years ahead. This approach is consistent with existing definitions and could help avoid delays in taking action to address climate change. [Extracted from the article]

News UNPRECEDENTED bouts of extreme weather and related events around the world (see page 8) raise the question of whether climate scientists have underestimated how fast the world is warming and how severe the consequences will be. Compared with earlier assessments, the risks of serious impacts "increase to high and very high levels at lower global warming levels" states the 2022 IPCC report on climate impacts. Are weather events of this kind more extreme than those the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has projected for the current level of warming?. [Extracted from the article]

Climate indices are used to reduce the complex climate system and its changes to simple measures. The data basis – whether observational data or climate model data – to which the climate indices are applied, is usually subject to uncertainties. For threshold-based climate indices, the data uncertainty influences the threshold value, and, hence, the uncertainty can influence the values for the climate index. What the actual impacts of these uncertainties are on threshold-based climate indices is examined in this paper. The focus is not only on the climate model uncertainty, but also on the observational data uncertainty. The general sensitivity of each of the chosen climate indices to arbitrary changes in the threshold is studied. This shows a higher sensitivity of indices assessing extremes (ice days, heavy precipitation days) to changes in the threshold than indices that integrate a quantity over a given time interval (coldsum, consecutive days). For assessing an ensemble of climate model data with respect to their ability to reproduce the index values for current climate, the reference data uncertainty is applied to the chosen threshold-based climate indices by changing their threshold value by its corresponding uncertainty. It is shown that the climate model uncertainty can be within the range of the reference data uncertainty. When using threshold-based climate indices to assess changes in future climate periods, uncertainties should always be taken into account and ideally corrected in an appropriate way. This is especially important for indices that assess extremes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of brand eins is the property of brand eins Medien AG and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study investigates whether the recent extremely hot and dry summers (2003, 2015, 2018 and 2019) in Germany will be normal summer conditions under future climate change scenarios. Abnormally persistent high-pressure systems during these recent German summers maintained clear skies and dry conditions on the ground, resulting in record-breaking heat and drought conditions. Here, climate indices are calculated from the German Meteorological Service's (DWD) climate model reference-ensembles for periods 2031-2060 and 2071-2100 under greenhouse gas emission scenarios RCP 2.6 (11 ensemble members) and RCP 8.5 (21 ensemble members) and are compared with climate indices calculated from three DWD observational datasets (station data and gridded datasets: HYRAS and DWD Climate Monitoring Grids). The climate projections show increasing summer heat conditions for Germany throughout this century and a slight shift to dryer conditions, especially for the RCP 8.5 scenario. These recent extreme summers are often in the 15% hottest summers for RCP 2.6 in 2031-2060, 2071-2100 and the RCP 8.5 2031-2060 scenarios, but would be considered normal or even cool summers under the RCP 8.5 scenario in 2071-2100. Due to the combination of extreme heat and strong precipitation deficits, the climatic water balance and derived meteorological drought indicator values of these recent summers are often within the top 15% of projected extreme summer drought indices and are sometimes only matched by the most anomalous hot and dry summers in the DWD reference-ensembles, even for the high-emission RCP 8.5 scenario in 2071-2100. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extreme precipitation has the potential to induce flash floods, causing severe damage on infrastructure at the local to regional scale. Simulating the most extreme rainfall intensities is still very challenging and highly uncertain under climate change. A convection-permitting regional climate model is used to estimate return levels dependent on the rainfall duration and return period for Germany. A comparison to radar- and station-based datasets reveals high-resolution model abilities to reproduce observed extreme precipitation statistics ranging from hourly to daily timescales. Among others, the model performance reveals a good agreement for extreme rainfall intensities for durations above 12 hours independent of the return period. An overestimation for hourly extreme precipitation intensities is still apparent. A comparison to several lower-resolution models using convection parameterisations shows the advantage of applying a convection-permitting setup for improving the spatial distribution and reducing the mean relative bias of extreme precipitation estimation over Germany. Finally, changes in extreme precipitation statistics are estimated under climate change for the convection-permitting model and placed in contrast to results obtained by state-of-the-art regional climate models. A 30% mean increase in intensity is projected for the end of the 21st century assuming a high-end emission scenario for daily precipitation extremes over Germany. The convection-permitting simulation does not show a further increase in intensity for sub-daily heavy rainfall estimates under global warming, as contrasted with regional climate models using parameterised convection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants are not storing carbon for as long as previously believed, according to a study published in Science. The analysis of carbon-14 pulses from nuclear bomb tests in the 20th century suggests that plants store more carbon in short-lived tissues like leaves, which are more vulnerable to releasing carbon back into the atmosphere. This could potentially impact estimates of how much carbon plants and soil can hold. The study highlights the need to reduce fossil fuel emissions and raises questions about the accuracy of climate models in simulating plants' role in carbon storage. [Extracted from the article]

The article focuses on U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) choosing RTX's Blue Canyon Technologies to build CubeSat (miniature satellite) buses for the Polarized Submillimeter Ice-cloud Radiometer (PolSIR) mission, studying high-altitude ice clouds.

A recent assessment by climate researchers suggests that if it takes longer to reach net zero emissions, there is a greater risk that global warming will continue for decades or even millennia after greenhouse gas emissions have stopped. This means that we may need to emit even less carbon dioxide than previously thought in order to limit warming to 2°C. While some climate models suggest that surface warming will halt within a few years of emissions stopping, more comprehensive models indicate that there is a 33% chance that the planet will continue to warm past 2.3°C. However, these models do not include all feedbacks, such as the melting of ice sheets. The uncertainties surrounding the timescales of warming and cooling are still not fully understood, but reaching net zero emissions is seen as an important milestone in preventing additional warming. [Extracted from the article]

Pollution TINY particles of plastic may float higher in Earth's atmosphere than previously thought. If these fragments were to degrade at this height due to solar radiation, they could release chemicals that damage the ozone layer, says Bagheri. [Extracted from the article]

A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Tasmania focused on the influence of regionality on Australian apple cider quality. The study analyzed ciders produced from three dessert apple varieties sourced from nine major growing regions across Australia over two seasons. Results showed that differences in climate accounted for most of the regional variation observed in cider quality measurements, emphasizing the significant impact of apple growing regions on the final product. This research provides valuable insights for cider producers to make informed decisions when sourcing fruit. [Extracted from the article]

The article titled "Model Manners" provides tips and advice for artists working with live models. It emphasizes the benefits of working with a live model, such as gaining a better sense of proportions and movement, as well as the potential for increased creativity and energy. The article suggests different options for working with a model, including live painting sessions, using photographs as references, or combining live sketching with a photo shoot. It also emphasizes the importance of building rapport with the model, setting expectations and boundaries, and ensuring a comfortable working environment. The article concludes with tips on selecting poses and managing time during the session. [Extracted from the article]

According to a recent analysis by the climate science group World Weather Attribution, Hurricane Milton was made more intense and likely due to greenhouse gas pollution. The analysis suggests that the rainfall from a storm like Milton's is 20% to 30% more intense and twice as likely in a world with climate change. The study also found that maximum wind speeds in a hotter world are about 10% stronger. The analysis was conducted quickly after landfall, using existing data histories to estimate the increased likelihood and intensity of rainfall and wind speeds. The study also highlights the increasing occurrence of "compound events" where multiple disasters unfold simultaneously or sequentially. The analysis praises Florida's hurricane-resistance measures and acknowledges the higher costs and damage caused by more powerful storms. A separate economic impacts analysis conducted by researchers at Imperial College London suggests that climate change may be responsible for nearly half of the direct damage caused by Hurricane Milton and Hurricane Helene. However, the analysis does not account for longer-term economic implications. [Extracted from the article]

Climate change is often discussed in terms of rising temperatures, but scientists also use a measure called "equilibrium climate sensitivity" to describe the potential temperature increases caused by a doubling of pre-industrial carbon dioxide levels. The predicted range of temperature increase has remained wide, between 2°C and 5.5°C, despite efforts to narrow it down. The complexity and uncertainties in climate models, as well as self-enforcing feedback loops, contribute to the wide range of estimates. While it is important to understand climate sensitivity, focusing solely on one number may distract from the urgent need to address the impacts of climate change that are already being felt. [Extracted from the article]

A recent report from the Australian National University discusses the importance of psychosocial workplace safety in mental health services. The report highlights the link between unsafe workplaces and burnout among trainees and psychiatrists. The researchers suggest that adopting and formalizing psychosocial workplace safety as a key performance indicator could improve working conditions, reduce adverse outcomes, and enhance the recruitment and retention of healthcare workers in mental healthcare services. The report emphasizes the need for organizational governance to balance job demands and resources in order to reduce negative professional and patient outcomes. [Extracted from the article]

Record rainfall in Europe in September that led to deadly floods was found to be twice as likely due to manmade climate change, according to a study by World Weather Attribution. The flooding affected several countries in central Europe, resulting in the death of 24 people and impacting almost two million individuals. The researchers used weather data and climate models to demonstrate the effects of climate change on weather patterns, and they predict that similar storms will become 50% more frequent in central Europe and drop 5% more rain if warming reaches 2C. Despite the lower death toll compared to previous flooding events, the impacts were still significant, causing widespread damage to homes and infrastructure. [Extracted from the article]

Severe rainfall has caused chaotic floods across central Europe, Africa, Shanghai, and the US Carolinas, highlighting the impact of climate change on weather patterns. Climate scientists attribute the heavy rainfall to global warming, which allows hotter air to carry more moisture and cause intense precipitation. The effects of climate change are not evenly distributed, with Africa experiencing the highest death toll and displacement, while Europe has been better prepared and has pledged significant funding for recovery. The jet stream, influenced by global warming, has caused the heavy rains in Europe, while distinct circumstances in Africa and the Pacific have also contributed to the extreme weather events. These events are occurring sooner than predicted by climate models, indicating the urgency of addressing climate change. [Extracted from the article]

The article looks at efforts to reform weather forecasting methods in the U.S. in an effort to better predict weather patterns, protect businesses, and prevent loss of life. It cites the erroneous forecasting of Superstorm Sandy in 2012 by U.S. weather models as a motivating factor for improving processes. Topics covered include the FV3 weather forecast model, the work of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration scientist Shian-Jiann Lin, and disaster preparedness.

Scientific data should be published in a way so that other scientists can benefit from these data, enabling further research. The FAIR Data Principles are defining the basic prerequisite for a good data publication: data should be Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable. Increasingly, research communities are developing discipline-specific data publication standards under consideration of the FAIR Data Principles. A very comprehensive yet strict data standard has been developed for the climate model output within the Climate Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP), which largely builds upon the Climate and Forecast Metadata Conventions (CF conventions). There are, however, many areas of atmospheric modelling where data cannot be standardised according to the CMIP data standard because, e.g., the data contain specific variables which are not covered by the CMIP standard. Furthermore, fulfilling the strict CMIP data standard for smaller Model Intercomparison Projects (MIPs) requires much effort (in time and manpower) and hence the outcome of these MIPs often remains non-standardised. For innovative model diagnostics, preexisting standards are also not flexible enough. For that reason, the ATMODAT standard, a quality guideline for atmospheric model data, was created. The ATMODAT standard defines a set of requirements that aim at ensuring the high reusability of atmospheric model data publications. The requirements include the use of the netCDF file format, the application of the CF conventions, rich and standardised file metadata, and the publication of the data with a DataCite DOI. Additionally, a tool for checking the conformity of data and metadata to this standard, the atmodat data checker, was developed and is available on GitHub under an open licence. By using the more flexible ATMODAT standard, the publication of standardised datasets is simplified for smaller MIPs. This standardisation process is presented as an example using the data of an aerosol-climate model from the AeroCOM MIP. Furthermore, the landing pages of ATMODAT-compliant data publications can be highlighted with the EASYDAB logo. EASYDAB (Earth System Data Branding) is a newly developed quality label for carefully curated and highly standardised data publications. The ATMODAT data standardisation can easily be transferred to data from other disciplines and contribute to their improved reusability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing frequency of flooding in Balochistan is sometimes attributed to these westerly weather influences, rather than the traditional eastern monsoon originating from the Bay of Bengal. This change in the weather cycle seems to have added to the frequency and severity of floods in the typically non-monsoon areas of Balochistan. No doubt the downpour itself was unprecedented in many areas, but the monsoon waters are furious primarily because we have choked their passages and encroached on banks and shoulders. [Extracted from the article]

The Geodetic Observatory Wettzell in Germany has developed a ring laser that can capture the most precise measurements of Earth's rotation to date. The laser provides daily current data that improves climate models and helps determine the Earth's position in space. The device measures the difference in frequencies between two laser beams to accurately measure the Earth's rotation. The laser system has been overhauled to improve precision and timing, allowing for shorter measurement periods and higher time resolution. In Switzerland, a consortium is testing the use of drones for large-scale, high-resolution laser scanning in the Swiss Alps. The project aims to demonstrate the efficiency and sustainability of using drones for aerial laser scanning activities, which are currently done with airplanes and helicopters. The drones will be equipped with laser scanners to collect data for assessing environmental hazards and energy production. The project will also address technical challenges and regulatory considerations for the future use of drones in this field. [Extracted from the article]

According to the article, El Niño is expected to diminish quickly this spring. The transition from El Niño to La Niña will play a role in the weather patterns for spring planting and early growing conditions. The article provides specific information about different regions, including the Pacific Northwest, Southwest, Northern Plains, Central and Southern Plains, Coastal Texas and Louisiana, Midwest, Delta/Lower Mississippi Valley, Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, and Southeast. Overall, the article discusses the impact of El Niño on drought conditions and soil moisture in these regions, as well as the potential effects on planting and crop growth. [Extracted from the article]

Climate change and extreme weather events are an increasing challenge for society and the economy, including the transport sector. A sustainable and resilient transportation system therefore requires information on the temporal and spatial pattern of risks induced by climate change and the assessment of resulting vulnerabilities. Such analyses in the past were usually made separately for each mode of transport based on different observational and climate model datasets and using different methodological approaches to analyse climatic changes and their impacts on the transport infrastructure. Within the research network "BMDV Network of Experts" an intermodal perspective is taken on transportation. Common observational and climate model datasets as well as a standardized analysis framework were coordinated and agreed upon to form the basis for comparable climate impact assessments for roads, railways and inland waterways. This manuscript introduces the climatological datasets and methodological approaches for the climate change and climate impact analysis used for the transportation sector and beyond. Selected results on the projected increases of extreme temperature and heavy precipitation are exemplarily presented in order to illustrate the need for developing climate change adaptation measures for the German inland transport system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An interview with Climatologist Jean Jouzel, is presented. Topics include urgency of achieving carbon neutrality to stop global warming and it's consequences; and developed the first climate models to deal with doubled quantity of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere as reported by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report (2021-2022).

A new report from the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute discusses the growing field of research on climate anxiety. The report explores the prevalence of climate anxiety, its contributing factors, and strategies to transform anxiety into helpful action. The researchers propose a theoretical model of climate anxiety and coping, which suggests that climate change evokes an existential conflict that manifests as climate anxiety. The model also highlights the continuum of adaptivity in coping processes, ranging from meaningful engagement to maladaptive strategies. The report concludes by suggesting applications of this model in research and practice. [Extracted from the article]

A recent scientific research expedition to the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, also known as Asia's "water tower," has found that the plateau currently holds over 10 trillion cubic meters of surface water, equivalent to the total runoff of the Yellow River over 200 years. Climate models predict that by the end of the 21st century, some regions may lose more than half of their glacier mass, leading to potential rises in lake water levels of over 10 meters. Experts emphasize the need for differentiated strategies and international coordination to manage future water resources downstream of the plateau. China initiated this research expedition in 2017 to understand environmental changes and support the plateau's ecological security. [Extracted from the article]

A recent study by researchers at Brown University, Princeton University, and Johns Hopkins has found that temperature plays a role in the transmission of enteroviruses, which cause diseases such as hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) and polio. The study suggests that temperature increases enterovirus transmission, and this finding has implications for climate change. The researchers used an epidemiological model to show that temperature and demographic factors can explain the seasonal patterns of HFMD outbreaks in southern China. Climate change could potentially increase the size of enterovirus outbreaks, but the effects vary by location and climate model. [Extracted from the article]

A research report from Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands provides new insights into geology and atmospheric chemistry. The report discusses the development and evaluation of the adjoint of the GEOS-Chem atmospheric chemistry-transport model, which enables the calculation of sensitivities that include stratospheric chemistry and interactions. This development expands the scope of research questions that can be addressed and allows for the consideration of stratospheric interactions and feedbacks in tropospheric sensitivity and inversion applications. The report concludes by describing the spatial variations in the sensitivity of stratospheric ozone to NO emissions. [Extracted from the article]