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Rate-induced tipping in ecosystems and climate: the role of unstable states, basin boundaries and transient dynamics

Many systems in nature are characterized by the coexistence of different stable states for given environmental parameters and external forcing. Examples can be found in different fields of science, ranging from ecosystems to climate dynamics. Perturbations can lead to critical transitions (tipping) from one stable state to another. The study of these transitions requires the development of new methodological approaches that allow for modelling, analysing and predicting them.

A spectrum of geoscience communication: from dissemination to participation

In this article, I explore the various ways the geosciences can be communicated to a wider audience. I focus on creative methods that range from sharing information to involving the public in the research process. By using examples from my own work and the wider literature, I demonstrate how these approaches can engage diverse communities and promote greater recognition for geoscience communication.

N2O as a regression proxy for dynamical variability in stratospheric trace gas trends

This paper presents a technique for understanding the causes of long-term changes in stratospheric composition. By using N2O as a proxy for stratospheric circulation in the model used to calculated trends, it is possible to separate the effects of dynamics and chemistry on observed trace gas trends. We find that observed HCl increases are due to changes in the stratospheric circulation, as are O3 decreases above 30 hPa in the Northern Hemisphere.

Opinion: Recent developments and future directions in studying the mesosphere and lower thermosphere

The mesosphere or lower thermosphere region of the atmosphere borders the edge of space. It is subject to extreme ultraviolet photons and charged particles from the Sun and atmospheric gravity waves from below, which tend to break in this region. The pressure is very low, which facilitates chemistry involving species in excited states, and this is also the region where cosmic dust ablates and injects various metals. The result is a unique and exotic chemistry.

Mapping Antarctic crevasses and their evolution with deep learning applied to satellite radar imagery

The presence of crevasses in Antarctica influences how the ice sheet behaves. It is important, therefore, to collect data on the spatial distribution of crevasses and how they are changing. We present a method of mapping crevasses from satellite radar imagery and apply it to 7.5 years of images, covering Antarctica’s floating and grounded ice. We develop a method of measuring change in the density of crevasses and quantify increased fracturing in important parts of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet.

ESD Ideas: Translating historical extreme weather events into a warmer world

Adapting to climate change requires an understanding of how extreme weather events are changing. We propose a new approach to examine how the consequences of a particular weather pattern have been made worse by climate change, using an example of a severe windstorm that occurred in 1903. When this storm is translated into a warmer world, it produces higher wind speeds and increased rainfall, suggesting that this storm would be more damaging if it occurred today rather than 120 years ago.

Global observations of aerosol indirect effects from marine liquid clouds

Interactions between aerosol pollution and liquid clouds are one of the largest sources of uncertainty in the effective radiative forcing of climate over the industrial era. We use global satellite observations to decompose the forcing into components from changes in cloud-droplet number concentration, cloud water content, and cloud amount. Our results reduce uncertainty in these forcing components and clarify their relative importance.

Technical note: NASAaccess – a tool for access, reformatting, and visualization of remotely sensed earth observation and climate data

We present an open-source platform in response to the NASA Open-Source Science Initiative for accessing and presenting quantitative remote-sensing earth observation,and climate data. With our platform scientists, stakeholders and concerned citizens can engage in the exploration, modelling, and understanding of data. We envisioned this platform as lowering the technical barriers and simplifying the process of accessing and leveraging additional modelling frameworks for data.

The dehydration carousel of stratospheric water vapor in the Asian summer monsoon anticyclone

We studied water vapour in a critical region of the atmosphere, the Asian summer monsoon anticyclone, using rare in situ observations. Our study shows that extremely high water vapour values observed in the stratosphere within the Asian monsoon anticyclone still undergo significant freeze-drying and that water vapour concentrations set by the Lagrangian dry point are a better proxy for the stratospheric water vapour budget than rare observations of enhanced water mixing ratios.

Late Cenozoic sea-surface-temperature evolution of the South Atlantic Ocean

We present two new sea surface temperature (SST) records in comparison with available SST records to reconstruct South Atlantic paleoceanographic evolution. Our results show a low SST gradient in the Eocene–early Oligocene due to the persistent gyral circulation. A higher SST gradient in the Middle–Late Miocene infers a stronger circumpolar current. The southern South Atlantic was the coldest region in the Southern Ocean and likely the main deep-water formation location in the Middle Miocene.

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