Tag: Atmospheric Chemistry and Carbon

How Will Clouds Affect Climate Change?

April 22, 2024

One of the most critical questions in climate research today is how global clouds will change in a warmer environment. Physical mechanisms in the atmosphere have the potential to moderate or accelerate the warming from greenhouse gases. These mechanisms are called feedbacks. Even with today’s improved forecasts, feedback from clouds is uncertain – meaning scientists don’t know how much Earth’s average temperature will warm as the CO2 atmospheric concentrations continue to increase. A new University of Maryland and NASA study attempts to reduce this uncertainty by constructing a long-term trend in cloudiness using NASA and NOAA satellite observations going back to 1980.

Eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano in the South Pacific on 14 January 2022, one day prior to the larger eruption plume that would significantly impact stratospheric composition. (Tonga Geological Services, Adapted from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0)

Massive 2022 eruption reduced ozone levels

November 20, 2023

The Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano changed the chemistry, dynamics of Earth’s stratosphere

Rising to a Grand Challenge: Climate-Related Disasters, Farming Crises

April 27, 2023

A multidisciplinary group of researchers focused on Earth system science and global change is preparing to leverage the latest scientific tools and discoveries in their fields to meet the existential threats of climate change in Maryland head-on.

Can Li receiving his award from Dean Amitahb Varshney

Can Li is CMNS’ 2023 Distinguished Research Scientist

April 21, 2023

Congratulations to ESSIC Scientist Can Li, the newest recipient of CMNS’ Distinguished Research Scientist Prize.

Corporate Investment Could Boost Climate-tech Innovation

April 6, 2023

Corporate investments in climate-tech startups are a growing but overlooked aspect of energy innovation, according to a new report co-led by a University of Maryland researcher.

The Arctic “ozone hole” in March 2020. (NASA)

Five Ozone-Depleting CFCs Increased Globally From 2010-2020

April 3, 2023

A new paper in Nature Geoscience written by an international team of scientists led by Dr. Luke Western of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shows that atmospheric abundances and emissions of five chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) increased between 2010 and 2020, despite the 2010 Montreal Protocol that banned CFC production for dispersive use.

Jifu Yin presents “Refinement of NOAA AMSR-2 Soil Moisture Data Product using an Optimal Machine Learning Model”

ESSIC Scientists Present at NCWCP-UMD Mini-Conference

March 27, 2023

Recently, researchers from NOAA Center for Weather and Climate Prediction (NCWCP) and University of Maryland gathered for a mini-conference to share presentations from recent conferences such as the American Geophysical Union (AGU) and American Meteorological Society (AMS) annual meetings.

ESSIC Scientists to Address Climate Change, Predict Future COVID Variants, and Remediate Methane with Grand Challenges Grants

February 17, 2023

The University of Maryland today awarded $30 million to 50 projects through its Grand Challenges Grants Program, an institution-wide initiative to tackle major societal issues.

The College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences (CMNS) received 16 Grand Challenges grants, five of which include ESSIC scientists.

ESSIC/CISESS at the AMS Annual Meeting

February 1, 2023

ESSIC/CISESS had a large presence at the AMS Annual Meeting, held in mid-January in Denver and virtually.

Figure: Joseph Patton presenting his poster live and in person at AMS. He presented research on the relationship between lightning observations from the Geostationary Lightning Mapper and the circuitous paths aircraft have to take to avoid turbulent thunderstorms. GLM observations, showing the unique spatial footprint of lightning flashes with rapid updates, play a critical role in enhancing the forecasts of operational aviation meteorologists who are in direct communication with Air Traffic Control and pilots during severe weather events.

ESSIC/CISESS Lightning Group Presented at the 2023 AMS Annual Meeting