PMEL in the News
This alga may be seeding the world’s skies with clouds
An algae-killing virus may be helping seed the skies with clouds. That’s the implication of a new study, which finds that—after it dies—one of the ocean’s most abundant microorganisms provides the kernel on which water vapor can condense to form droplets, which in turn become clouds.Trish Quinn is quoted.
Viruses may help phytoplankton make clouds — by tearing the algae apart
When tiny sea algae get sick, they may sneeze the seeds of clouds. Phytoplankton (Emiliania huxleyi) infected with a virus shed the small calcium carbonate plates that make up their shells much more quickly than healthy phytoplankton. Kicked up by thrashing waves into sea spray, those calcium bits may ultimately become part of the complex dance of cloud formation, researchers report August 15 in iScience. Trish Quinn is quoted.
Are smoky summer skies the new normal in Seattle?
At Log Boom Park in Kenmore, the view of Lake Washington on Tuesday was mostly lost in the haze. "You can really feel it, especially today," said Neli Popov, as she stayed in the shade. Nick Bond is quoted.
Audio Reveals Sizes of Methane Bubbles Rising from the Seafloor
A sensitive underwater microphone captures the sounds of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, escaping into waters off the coast of Oregon. Using this sound, researchers can estimate the bubbles’ sizes. Bob Dziak and Tamara Baumberger are quoted.
Why a Quiet Hurricane Season Isn't Necessarily a Good Thing
Forecasters at Colorado State University say the approaching peak of the 2018 hurricane season will be relatively quiet in the Atlantic Basin. But a report released Wednesday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration pointed out a troubling trend that could have implications for future hurricane forecasting: Warming in the Arctic could drive future Atlantic hurricane tracks farther west and thus make a U.S. landfall more likely. Jim Overland is quoted.