Atmosphere

Atmosphere is the layer of gases surrounding a planet, moon, or other astronomical object, held by the object’s gravity. A planet’s atmosphere influences its climate, weather, and surface conditions, and its composition depends on factors such as gravity, temperature, chemical interactions, and solar radiation. Earth’s atmosphere is primarily nitrogen and oxygen, with trace gases that regulate temperature, support life, and drive weather and climate systems.

Image: ground station of the European research infrastructure ACTRIS
EarthCARE’s lidar provides new insights into atmospheric particlesScience

EarthCARE’s lidar provides new insights into atmospheric particles

First results and ground campaigns enhance data accuracy The European Space Agency's (ESA) EarthCARE satellite, launched in May 2024, has now fully activated its atmospheric…
Adrian AlexandreAdrian AlexandreSeptember 16, 2024 Full article
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Rainfall patterns have become more erratic over the past century: Solid evidence of human impactClimateScience

Rainfall patterns have become more erratic over the past century: Solid evidence of human impact

Rainfall fluctuates more vigorously. Why? Scientists say it's because of us. By Institute of Atmospheric Physics | Chinese Academy of Sciences Many people around the…
SourceSourceJuly 26, 2024 Full article
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Trees reveal climate surprise: bark removes methane from the atmosphereClimateScience

Trees reveal climate surprise: bark removes methane from the atmosphere

By University of Birmingham Tree bark surfaces play an important role in removing methane gas from the atmosphere, according to a study published in Nature.…
SourceSourceJuly 25, 2024 Full article
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Oil and natural gas development in Permian is a key source of ozone pollution in Carlsbad Caverns National ParkClimate

Oil and natural gas development in Permian is a key source of ozone pollution in Carlsbad Caverns National Park

By Colorado State University New research shows that ozone concentrations at Carlsbad Caverns National Park frequently exceed Environmental Protection Agency health standards, likely due to…
SourceSourceJuly 16, 2024 Full article
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Complex impact of large wildfires on ozone layer dynamicsScience

Complex impact of large wildfires on ozone layer dynamics

Huge smoke-charged vortex doubles aerosol burden in the middle stratosphere and buffers ozone depletion. By Max Planck Institute for Chemistry In a revelation highlighting the…
SourceSourceJuly 13, 2024 Full article
Image: Phytoplankton
Climate change may cause lake phytoplankton to become predatory, putting more CO₂ into the atmosphereClimate

Climate change may cause lake phytoplankton to become predatory, putting more CO₂ into the atmosphere

Plankton – tiny organisms that are present in salt and freshwater – account for about half of the photosynthesis on the planet. But what scientists…
SourceSourceJuly 12, 2024 Full article
Image: Ocean
Weaker ocean circulation could enhance CO2 buildup in the atmosphere, study showsClimate

Weaker ocean circulation could enhance CO2 buildup in the atmosphere, study shows

New findings challenge current thinking on the ocean’s role in storing carbon. By Jennifer Chu | Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) As climate change advances,…
SourceSourceJuly 8, 2024 Full article
Image: Foggy shot of the floating torii of miyajima, japan during rain
Early-onset El Niño means warmer winters in East Asia, and vice versaClimate

Early-onset El Niño means warmer winters in East Asia, and vice versa

By Masahiro Shiozaki | Kyushu University The phenomenon known as El Niño can cause abnormal and extreme climate around the world due to it dramatically…
SourceSourceJuly 3, 2024 Full article
Image: Earth seen from space (s. global warming, typhoon, storm)
El Niño forecasts extended to 18 months with innovative physics-based modelClimate

El Niño forecasts extended to 18 months with innovative physics-based model

AI helps power new forecast Climate model shortcomings, improvements Future directions Across Asia, the Pacific Ocean, and the Americas, El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) brings…
SourceSourceJune 26, 2024 Full article
Image: View of green forest trees with CO2 (s. temperature, climate change)
CO₂ puts heavier stamp on temperature than thoughtClimate

CO₂ puts heavier stamp on temperature than thought

A doubling of the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere could cause an increase in the average temperature on earth from 7 to even a…
SourceSourceJune 24, 2024 Full article
Image: Silhouette of Trees in the Burning Forest
Large wildfires create weather that favors more fireClimateScience

Large wildfires create weather that favors more fire

By Jules Bernstein, University of California - Riverside A new UC Riverside study shows soot from large wildfires in California traps sunlight, making days warmer…
SourceSourceJune 18, 2024 Full article
Image: Artist's view of EarthCARE satellite on board a Falcon 9 launch vehicle
EarthCARE satellite to probe how clouds affect climateNewsClimate

EarthCARE satellite to probe how clouds affect climate

Vandenberg Air Force Base, United States | AFP A rocket carrying a sophisticated satellite blasted off Tuesday from California on a mission to investigate what…
SourceSourceMay 29, 2024 Full article