ScienceDaily: Air Quality News

Team wins Cubesat berth to gather Earth energy imbalance measurements

Thu, 16 May 2013 16:57:57 EDT

A team of scientists has won a berth on a tiny satellite to explore one of NASA's most important frontiers in climate studies: the imbalance in Earth's energy budget and the extent to which fast-changing phenomena, like clouds, contribute to that imbalance.

Research into carbon storage in Arctic tundra reveals unexpected insight into ecosystem resiliency

Thu, 16 May 2013 14:27:27 EDT

When a doctoral student and her advisor went north not long ago to study how long-term warming in the Arctic affects carbon storage, they had made certain assumptions.

Jekyll into Hyde: Breathing auto emissions turns HDL cholesterol from 'good' to 'bad'

Wed, 15 May 2013 17:40:40 EDT

Academic researchers have found that breathing motor vehicle emissions triggers a change in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, altering its cardiovascular protective qualities so that it actually contributes to clogged arteries. The finding, shown in mice, reveals how car emissions activate the early cell and tissue damage called oxidation that causes inflammation leading to hardening of the arteries and HDL cholesterol may play a key role.

Strategies to achieve net-zero energy homes

Wed, 15 May 2013 16:50:50 EDT

Chances are you know how many miles your car logs for each gallon or tankful of gas, but you probably have only a foggy idea of how much energy your house consumes, even though home energy expenditures often account for a larger share of the household budget.

Methane emissions higher than thought across much of U.S.

Wed, 15 May 2013 16:50:50 EDT

After taking a rented camper outfitted with special equipment to measure methane on a cross-continent drive, a scientist has found that methane emissions across large parts of the US are higher than currently known, confirming what other more local studies have found.

Nanoscavengers could usher in next generation water purification

Wed, 15 May 2013 15:15:15 EDT

A new synthetic nanoparticle could disinfect, depollute, and desalinate contaminated water and then get removed magnetically. This improves upon existing technologies through ultraresponsiveness to magnetism.

Fall warming on Antarctic Peninsula driven by tropically forced circulation

Wed, 15 May 2013 13:14:14 EDT

New research shows that, in recent decades, fall is the only period of extensive warming over the entire Antarctic Peninsula, and it is mostly from atmospheric circulation patterns originating in the tropics.

Groundwater unaffected by shale gas production in Arkansas

Wed, 15 May 2013 11:38:38 EDT

A new study finds no evidence of groundwater contamination from shale gas production in Arkansas.

European winter weather harder to forecast in certain years

Wed, 15 May 2013 08:52:52 EDT

Weather forecasters have a tougher job predicting winter conditions over Europe in some years over others, concludes a new study.

Microbes capture, store, and release nitrogen to feed reef-building coral

Tue, 14 May 2013 08:54:54 EDT

Microscopic algae that live within reef-forming corals scoop up available nitrogen, store the excess in crystal form, and slowly feed it to the coral as needed, according to a study published in mBio.

Sulfate aerosols cool climate less than assumed

Tue, 14 May 2013 08:53:53 EDT

Life span of cloud-forming sulfate particles in the air is shorter than assumed due to a sulfur dioxide oxidation pathway which has been neglected in climate models so far.

Could carbon dioxide be injected in sandstone? Would it stay there?

Tue, 14 May 2013 08:53:53 EDT

As carbon dioxide levels in the Earth's atmosphere top 400 parts per million, options such as storing the greenhouse gas in porous sandstone rock formations found in abundance on the sea floor are of increasing interest. But how do we know if carbon dioxide can be safely injected into spongy sandstone, and that once it is there, that it will stay there?

Living close to major road may impair kidney function

Mon, 13 May 2013 20:24:24 EDT

Living close to a major road may impair kidney function -- itself a risk factor for heart disease and stroke -- and so help contribute to the known impact of air pollution on cardiovascular risk, suggests new research.

North Carolina coal plant emissions might play role in state suicide numbers

Mon, 13 May 2013 15:24:24 EDT

New research finds that suicide, while strongly associated with psychiatric conditions, also correlates with environmental pollution. Researchers looked specifically at the relationship between air pollution and emissions from coal-fired electricity plants in North Carolina.

Less oxygen triggers grasshopper molting, farmers could benefit

Mon, 13 May 2013 09:50:50 EDT

Less oxygen means shorter time between molts, which means shorter life-span, which means fewer hungry grasshoppers. And for farmers, that’s very good news. A recent study offers insight into the relationship between respiratory function and molting that could help farmers save more of their crops.

As Canada takes Arctic Council helm, experts stress north's vulnerability to spills, emergencies

Mon, 13 May 2013 08:33:33 EDT

It is crucial that northern nations strengthen response capabilities to shipping-related accidents foreseen in newly-opened northern waters, as well as to more-common local emergencies such as floods, forest fires and rescue situations, experts say.

Climate change will cause widespread global-scale loss of common plants and animals, researchers predict

Sun, 12 May 2013 14:09:09 EDT

Climate change will cause widespread global-scale loss of common plants and animals. More than half of common plants and one third of the animals could see a dramatic decline this century due to climate change, according to new research. The study looked at 50,000 globally widespread and common species and found that more than one half of the plants and one third of the animals will lose more than half of their climatic range by 2080 if nothing is done to reduce the amount of global warming and slow it down.

Carbon dioxide at NOAA's Mauna Loa Observatory reaches new milestone: Tops 400 parts per million

Fri, 10 May 2013 18:06:06 EDT

On May 9, the daily mean concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of Mauna Loa, Hawaii, surpassed 400 parts per million (ppm) for the first time since measurements began in 1958. Independent measurements made by both NOAA and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography have been approaching this level during the past week. It marks an important milestone because Mauna Loa, as the oldest continuous carbon dioxide measurement station in the world, is the primary global benchmark site for monitoring the increase of this potent heat-trapping gas.

Revealing hidden fungal species using DNA: The importance of recognizing cryptic diversity

Fri, 10 May 2013 12:45:45 EDT

In contrast to traditional approaches using morphological characters to delimit species, five new lichen-forming fungal species were described from what was traditionally considered a single species using genetic data exclusively. The new species can be identified using DNA barcoding. This pioneering study marks an alternative approach for discovering species and will promote effective research through correct specimen identification in closely related species groups.

No-win situation for agricultural expansion in the Amazon

Fri, 10 May 2013 07:55:55 EDT

The large-scale expansion of agriculture in the Amazon through deforestation will be a no-win scenario, according to a new study. The study shows that deforestation will not only reduce the capacity of the Amazon’s natural carbon sink, but will also inflict climate feedbacks that will decrease the productivity of pasture and soybeans.

Air pollution increases risk of insulin resistance in children

Thu, 09 May 2013 18:48:48 EDT

New research shows that growing up in areas where air pollution is increased raises the risk of insulin resistance (the prescursor to diabetes) in children.

Dust in the clouds: Cirrus clouds form around mineral dust and metallic particles

Thu, 09 May 2013 14:21:21 EDT

Cirrus clouds influence global climate, cooling the planet by reflecting incoming solar radiation and warming it by trapping outgoing heat. Understanding the mechanisms by which these clouds form may help scientists better predict future climate patterns. Scientists have now identified the major seeds on which cirrus clouds form.

Coral reefs suffering, but collapse not inevitable

Thu, 09 May 2013 12:34:34 EDT

Coral reefs are in decline, but their collapse can still be avoided with local and global action. That's according to findings based on an analysis that combines the latest science on reef dynamics with the latest climate models.

Geologists study mystery of 'eternal flames'

Thu, 09 May 2013 09:07:07 EDT

"Eternal flames" fueled by hydrocarbon gas could shine a light on the presence of natural gas in underground rock layers and conditions that let it seep to the surface, according to new research.

PCBs are everywhere: Problem exists in industrial city and rural community

Wed, 08 May 2013 17:22:22 EDT

Despite the expectation of a large environmental exposure difference, researchers report that mothers and children in East Chicago, Ind., and residents in a rural area in Iowa have the same PCB levels in their blood as residents in urbanized East Chicago.

Setting the standard for sustainable bioenergy crops

Wed, 08 May 2013 17:19:19 EDT

Bioenergy crops, such as Miscanthus and switchgrass, appear to be promising resources for renewable energy, but these new crops did not come with a manual on how to measure details on their sustainability impacts.

World's most extreme hearing animal: The greater wax moth

Wed, 08 May 2013 09:28:28 EDT

Researchers have discovered that the greater wax moth is capable of sensing sound frequencies of up to 300 kHz -- the highest recorded frequency sensitivity of any animal in the natural world.

U.S. urban trees store carbon, provide billions in economic value, finds state-by-state analysis

Tue, 07 May 2013 19:58:58 EDT

America's urban forests store an estimated 708 million tons of carbon, an environmental service with an estimated value of $50 billion, according to a recent study.

Rats take high-speed multisensory snapshots: Smell and touch, sniffing and 'whisking,' are locked in sync

Tue, 07 May 2013 19:56:56 EDT

New research from the laboratory shows that rats create high-speed "snapshots" of the environment by synchronized use of the senses of smell (sniffing) and touch (through their whiskers). Furthermore sniffing and "whisking" movements are synchronized at the same phase even when they are running at different frequencies, facilitating integration of multisensory information. The research sheds new light on biological rhythms that may evolutionarily underpin much animal behavior.

You are what (and where) you eat: Mercury pollution threatens Arctic foxes

Mon, 06 May 2013 19:10:10 EDT

New scientific results show that arctic foxes accumulate dangerous levels of mercury if they live in coastal habitats and feed on prey which lives in the ocean.

Landsat thermal sensor lights up from volcano's heat

Mon, 06 May 2013 18:17:17 EDT

As the Landsat Data Continuity Mission satellite flew over Indonesia's Flores Sea April 29, it captured an image of Paluweh volcano spewing ash into the air. The satellite's Operational Land Imager detected the white cloud of smoke and ash drifting northwest, over the green forests of the island and the blue waters of the tropical sea. The Thermal Infrared Sensor on LDCM picked up even more.

Scaling up gyroscopes: From navigation to measuring Earth's rotation

Mon, 06 May 2013 16:12:12 EDT

Researchers discuss “large ring laser gyroscopes” that are six orders of magnitude more sensitive than gyroscopes commercially available.

Brighter clouds, cooler climate? Organic vapors affect clouds, leading to previously unidentified climate cooling

Sun, 05 May 2013 14:58:58 EDT

Scientists have shown that natural emissions and humanmade pollutants can both have an unexpected cooling effect on Earth's climate by making clouds brighter.

Toxic waste sites cause 'healthy years of life lost' for people living in India, Philippines and Indonesia

Sat, 04 May 2013 16:31:31 EDT

Toxic waste sites with elevated levels of lead and chromium cause a high number of “healthy years of life lost” in individuals living near 373 sites located in India, Philippines and Indonesia, according to a new study.

How to clean seaweed from beaches: Dry it and use the biomass for energy

Fri, 03 May 2013 09:41:41 EDT

Scientists have developed an algae removal and treatment system that turns this underused residue into a renewable source of energy: biomass. The process involves several stages of washing, drying and compacting without leaving the beach. The system is cheaper, more efficient and more environmentally friendly than the procedure commonly followed now.

Primate hibernation more common than previously thought

Thu, 02 May 2013 09:47:47 EDT

Until recently, the only primate known to hibernate as a survival strategy was a creature called the western fat-tailed dwarf lemur, a tropical tree-dweller from the African island of Madagascar. But it turns out this hibernating lemur isn't alone.

Dustless chalk may cause allergy and asthma symptoms in students with milk allergy, study finds

Thu, 02 May 2013 08:01:01 EDT

Many of today's schools and school teachers opt for dustless chalk to keep hands and classrooms clean. But according to a new study, this choice in chalk may cause allergy and asthma symptoms in students that have a milk allergy.

Progress in introducing cleaner cook stoves for billions of people worldwide

Wed, 01 May 2013 11:28:28 EDT

It may be the 21st century, but nearly half the world's population still cooks and heats with open fires or primitive stoves that burn wood, animal dung, charcoal and other polluting solid fuels. A new article describes impressive progress being made to remedy that situation and the obstacles that remain.

Bird fossil sheds light on how swift and hummingbird flight came to be

Wed, 01 May 2013 09:18:18 EDT

A tiny bird fossil discovered in Wyoming offers clues to the precursors of swift and hummingbird wings. The fossil is unusual in having exceptionally well-preserved feathers, which allowed the researchers to reconstruct the size and shape of the bird's wings in ways not possible with bones alone.

Storm study reveals a sting in the tail

Wed, 01 May 2013 09:06:06 EDT

Meteorologists have gained a better understanding of how storms like the one that battered Britain in 1987 develop, making them easier to predict.

Exploring the saltiness of the ocean to study climate change

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:13:13 EDT

Details are emerging from a recent research expedition to the Sub-Tropical North Atlantic. The objective of the expedition was to study the salt concentration (salinity) of the upper ocean. Scientists explored the essential role of the ocean in the global water cycle.

Lake found in Sierra Nevada with the oldest remains of atmospheric contamination in Southern Europe

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 09:23:23 EDT

Scientists found, in the Laguna de Rio Seco lagoon, at an altitude of 3,020 m., evidence of atmospheric pollution caused by lead and linked to metallurgical activities from 3,900 years ago (Early Bronze Age). Lead pollution increased gradually during the Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age, coinciding with the development and expansion of metallurgy in southern Europe.

Cicadas get a jump on cleaning

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 15:41:41 EDT

As cicadas on the East Coast begin emerging from their 17-year slumber, a spritz of dew drops is all they need to keep their wings fresh and clean.

Warning system predicts outbreaks of dengue fever

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 09:50:50 EDT

With the help of a warning system which measures the risk of dengue incidence using precipitation and air temperature, it is possible to forecast the outbreak of dengue fever up to 16 weeks in advance.

Pennsylvania residents concerned about health effects of hydrofracking

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 23:04:04 EDT

Some residents living in areas in Bradford, Co, Pa., near natural gas operations, also known as hydraulic fracturing, are concerned their illnesses may be a result of nearby drilling operations. Twenty-two percent of the participants in a small pilot study surmise that hydrofracking may be the cause of such health concerns as sinus problems, sleeping difficulties, and gastrointestinal problems.

Plants can moderate climate warming, new research shows

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 14:49:49 EDT

As temperatures warm, plants release gases that help form clouds and cool the atmosphere, according to new research. The new study identified a negative feedback loop in which higher temperatures lead to an increase in concentrations of natural aerosols that have a cooling effect on the atmosphere.

NASA mission to study what disrupts radio waves

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 11:56:56 EDT

A NASA-funded sounding rocket mission will launch from an atoll in the Pacific in the next few weeks to help scientists better understand and predict the electrical storms in Earth's upper atmosphere These storms can interfere with satellite communication and global positioning signals.

Scientists investigate release of bromine in polar regions

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 11:48:48 EDT

Researchers have employed a novel measurement device for new studies in Alaska.

How trees play role in smog production

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 13:28:28 EDT

After years of scientific uncertainty and speculation, researchers have shown exactly how trees help create one of society's predominant environmental and health concerns: air pollution.

Ceramic foam cleans up exhaust gases

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 13:25:25 EDT

The introduction next year of the Euro 6 exhaust-gas standard means that catalytic converters will become more expensive, above all for diesel vehicles. Scientists are working on a catalytic substrate made of ceramic foam which, because of its structure, is more efficient and therefore more economic. Not only that – it also requires less noble metal coating.

Scientists detect 'dark lightning' energy burst linked to visible lightning

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 21:03:03 EDT

Researchers have identified a burst of high-energy radiation known as 'dark lightning" immediately preceding a flash of ordinary lightning. The new finding provides observational evidence that the two phenomena are connected, although the exact nature of the relationship between ordinary bright lightning and the dark variety is still unclear, the scientists said.

The microbes you inhale on the New York City subway

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 18:52:52 EDT

The microbial population in the air of the New York City subway system is nearly identical to that of ambient air on the city streets. This research establishes an important baseline, should it become necessary to monitor the subway's air for dispersal of potentially dangerous microbes.

Ancient Earth crust stored in deep mantle

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 13:27:27 EDT

Scientists have long believed that lava erupted from certain oceanic volcanoes contains materials from the early Earth's crust. But decisive evidence for this phenomenon has proven elusive. New research now demonstrates that oceanic volcanic rocks contain samples of recycled crust dating back to the Archean era 2.5 billion years ago.

A simple solution to air pollution from wood-burning cookstoves

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 13:26:26 EDT

Wood-burning cookstoves, used by millions of people worldwide, cause air pollution, disease and death. A team of university students studied the problem and came up with a simple, low-cost solution: better ventilation.

Sunlit snow triggers atmospheric cleaning, ozone depletion in the Arctic

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 11:23:23 EDT

Researchers have discovered that sunlit snow is the major source of atmospheric bromine in the Arctic, the key to unique chemical reactions that purge pollutants and destroy ozone.

Cooling properties of atmospheric molecule discovered

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 08:13:13 EDT

Scientists have discovered further evidence for the existence of new molecules in the atmosphere that have the potential to off-set global warming by reacting with airborne pollutants.

Air pollution and hardening of arteries

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 17:27:27 EDT

Long term exposure to air pollution may be linked to heart attacks and strokes by speeding up atherosclerosis, or "hardening of the arteries", according to a new study.

Source of organic matter affects Bay water quality

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 13:51:51 EDT

Organic carbon in runoff from urbanized landscapes is more likely to persist as it is carried downstream, thus contributing to low-oxygen "dead zones" in coastal waters.

Residential lawns efflux more carbon dioxide than corn fields, study finds

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 11:07:07 EDT

More carbon dioxide is released from residential lawns than corn fields according to a new study. And much of the difference can likely be attributed to soil temperature. The data suggest that urban heat islands may be working at smaller scales than previously thought.

Less rainfall expected for the Hawaiian Islands

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 10:24:24 EDT

Almost imperceptibly, rainfall over the Hawaiian Islands has been declining since 1978, and this trend is likely to continue with global warming to the end of this century, according to scientists.