Oceanography – PossibleThreat Articles

GIS-based analysis of fault zone geometry and hazard in an urban environment

October 24, 2019 0 Comments Earth Science, Earthquakes, Geoengineering, Geography, Geology, Landslides, Natural Disasters, Oceanography

Typical geologic investigations of active earthquake fault zones require that the fault can be observed at or near the Earth's surface. However, in urban areas, where faults present a direct hazard to dense populations, the surface expression of a fault is often hidden by development of buildings and infrastructure. This is the case in San Diego, California, where the Rose Canyon fault zone trends through the highly developed downtown.

News Science

The shelf life of pyrite

October 24, 2019 0 Comments Climate, Early Climate, Early Mammals, Environmental Awareness, Fossils, Global Warming, Oceanography, Origin of Life

What exactly triggers the increase in carbon dioxide concentrations that causes the transition from a glacial stage to a warm stage is not fully understood. Scientists have developed a new model in which the weathering of pyrite, a common mineral containing sulfur, plays a key role.

News Science

Structural protein essential for ciliary harmony in comb jellies

October 24, 2019 0 Comments Cell Biology, Exotic Species, Genetics, Molecular Biology, New Species, Oceanography, Tsunamis

Researchers have identified a structural protein that is essential for the coordinated beating of millions of tiny cilia on the surface of comb jellies. When the protein was eliminated, the cilia began beating out of formation, stalling the locomotion of the jellies. These findings will help uncover how various organisms have adapted to life in different aquatic environments.

News Science

Underwater grandmothers reveal big population of lethal sea snakes

October 23, 2019 0 Comments Environmental Awareness, Exotic Species, Fish, Frogs and Reptiles, Geography, Marine Biology, Oceanography, Sea Life

A group of snorkelling grandmothers is helping scientists better understand marine ecology by photographing venomous sea snakes in waters off the city of Noumea, New Caledonia.

News Science

Scientists tout ocean protection progress, give road map for more

October 23, 2019 0 Comments Earth Science, Ecology, Ecosystems, Environmental Awareness, Geography, Global Warming, Oceanography, Water

World governments and other leadership bodies are taking vital steps to protect the ocean but more progress is urgently needed, scientists reported today at the Our Ocean Conference.

News Science

Mapping international drug use through the world's largest wastewater study

October 23, 2019 0 Comments Addiction, Controlled Substances, Crystal Meth, Environmental Policy, Geography, Illegal Drugs, Ocean Policy, Oceanography, Pharmaceuticals, Pharmacology, Transportation Issues, Travel and Recreation

A seven-year project monitoring illicit drug use in 37 countries via wastewater samples shows that cocaine use was skyrocketing in Europe in 2017 and Australia had a serious problem with methamphetamine.

News Science

Antarctic ice cliffs may not contribute to sea-level rise as much as predicted

October 21, 2019 0 Comments Climate, Floods, Global Warming, Ice Ages, Oceanography, Severe Weather, Snow and Avalanches, Storms

Researchers report that in order for a 90-meter ice cliff to collapse entirely, the ice shelves supporting the cliff would have to break apart extremely quickly, within a matter of hours — a rate of ice loss that has not been observed in the modern record.

News Science

California's crashing kelp forest

October 21, 2019 0 Comments Exotic Species, Fish, Geography, Global Warming, Invasive Species, Marine Biology, Oceanography, Sea Life

First the sea stars wasted to nothing. Then purple urchins took over, eating and eating until the bull kelp forests were gone. The red abalone starved. Their fishery closed. Red sea urchins starved. Their fishery collapsed. And the ocean kept warming. This ecological horror story movie took place between 2013-2017, with lasting impacts. This study chronicles the catastrophic shift in 2014 from a robust bull kelp forest to a barren of purple sea urchins.

News Science

New study uncovers 'magnetic' memory of European glass eels

October 17, 2019 0 Comments Atmosphere, Environmental Awareness, Fish, Geography, Marine Biology, Oceanography, Sea Life, Wild Animals

A new study has found that European glass eels use their magnetic sense to 'imprint' a memory of the direction of water currents in the estuary where they become juveniles.

News Science

Strong storms generating earthquake-like seismic activity

October 15, 2019 0 Comments Earth Science, Earthquakes, Hurricanes and Cyclones, Natural Disasters, Oceanography, Severe Weather, Storms, Tsunamis

Researcher have uncovered a new geophysical phenomenon where a hurricane or other strong storm can spark seismic events in the nearby ocean as strong as a 3.5 magnitude earthquake.

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