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  • Irish Chronicles Document Links Between Volcanoes and Weather
    A study of over 40,000 written entries in Irish Annals and ice core measurements shows a strong corr...Read more

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    Irish Chronicles Document Links Between Volcanoes and Weather

    A study of over 40,000 written entries in Irish Annals and ice core measurements shows a strong correlation between the occurrence of volcanic eruptions and extreme cold weather in Ireland over a 1200 year period. Data analyzed in this study cover the period from 431 to 1649, during which time up to 48 volcanic eruptions are identified in Greenland ice core records through deposition of volcanic sulfate in annual layers of ice. You can find the study (open access), published on 6 June 2013 in IOP Publishing's journal Environmental Research Letters, at http://iopscience.iop.org/1748-9326/8/2/024035/article. Find out more about how volcanoes can influence climate.
  • EF-5 Tornado in El Reno, Oklahoma Widest Ever Recorded in US
    The EF-5 tornado that hit El Reno, Oklahoma on May 31st was the widest ever recorded in the US, acco...Read more

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    EF-5 Tornado in El Reno, Oklahoma Widest Ever Recorded in US

    The EF-5 tornado that hit El Reno, Oklahoma on May 31st was the widest ever recorded in the US, according to the National Weather Service in Norman Oklahoma. The tornado, which remained on the ground for 40 minutes and reached 2.6 miles across (4.2 km), took the lives of 18 people including storm chasers Tim Samaras, Paul Samaras and Carl Young. For more information on the tornado, visit http://ow.ly/i/2hfDG.
  • Atmospheric CO2 Level Tops 400 ppm
    During the week of May 13th, the CO2 level at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii topped 400 ppm rep...Read more

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    Atmospheric CO2 Level Tops 400 ppm

    During the week of May 13th, the CO2 level at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii topped 400 ppm repeatedly. Daily levels of CO2 can vary due to weather, and there are seasonal trends as well. The level of atmospheric greenhouse gases continues to increase, now over 120 ppm since the Industrial Revolution began. For more on the Keeling Curve, see http://keelingcurve.ucsd.edu/. Find out more about greenhouse gases and warming.

   Image courtesy of Andy Berner

From: Rhea George
Altiplano,Chile, November 8, 2008

'Rhea' Birds!

On November 6th and 7th, we had an 'all hands' science meeting in Arica, where most of the people involved in VOCALS got together for some presentations and discussions about the science we've been doing. It seems there is much interesting data being collected on this field campaign, and I gave a short 10 minute talk on some of my work as well. After all the work that has been done, it was time for a day off. The next day I took a trip up to the altiplano with a few other scientists and students, and we saw many spectacular views at very high altitudes (up to 14,700 feet!): snow-capped peaks, beautiful lakes, deserts, and a wide variety of unique animals I'd never even heard of, much less seen.

Despite all of the beauty that enveloped us, I chose this photo because it shows the thing I was most personally excited to see. Here we see 'Rhea-birds,' also known as Nandu, hanging out far from the road. I'm 75% sure my parents didn't name me after this ostrich-like bird, but I was nonetheless thrilled to see this creature I share a name with in person, even from a distance.

Postcards from the Field: Climate Science from the Southeast Pacific

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