Highlight articles

Brief communication: Residence time of energy in the atmosphere

We deduce that after a global thermal perturbation, the Earth’s
atmosphere would need about a couple of months to come back to equilibrium.

Drainage divide networks – Part 1: Identification and ordering in digital elevation models

Drainage divides are believed to provide clues about divide migration and the instability of landscapes. Here, we present a novel approach to extract drainage divides from digital elevation models and to order them in a drainage divide network. We present our approach by studying natural and artificial landscapes generated with a landscape evolution model and disturbed to induce divide migration.

Statistical estimation of global surface temperature response to forcing under the assumption of temporal scaling

This paper presents efficient Bayesian methods for linear response models of global mean surface temperature that take into account long-range dependence. We apply the methods to the instrumental temperature record and historical model runs in the CMIP5 ensemble to provide estimates of the transient climate response and temperature projections under the Representative Concentration Pathways.

Run-up, inundation, and sediment characteristics of the 22 December 2018 Sunda Strait tsunami, Indonesia

Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences
DOI 10.5194/nhess-20-933-2020
21 April 2020

This article reports the results of a field survey carried out in the disaster area of the December 2018 Sunda Strait tsunami, Indonesia. It provides data covering run-up heights, inundations, tsunami directions, and sediment characteristics. The data can be used for the validation of hydrodynamic models, and they contribute to a better understanding of the Sunda Strait tsunami caused by the Anak Krakatau volcano. In addition, they are important for spatial planning and mitigation efforts.

Baroclinic and barotropic instabilities in planetary atmospheres: energetics, equilibration and adjustment

Baroclinic and barotropic instabilities are well known as the processes responsible for the production of the most important energy-containing eddies in the atmospheres and oceans of Earth and other planets. Linear and nonlinear instability theories provide insights into when such instabilities may occur, grow to a large amplitude and saturate, with examples from the laboratory, simplified numerical models and planetary atmospheres. We conclude with a number of open issues for future research.

Back to the future II: tidal evolution of four supercontinent scenarios

We have confirmed that there is a supertidal cycle associated with the supercontinent cycle. As continents drift due to plate tectonics, oceans also change size, controlling the strength of the tides and causing periods of supertides. In this work, we used a coupled tectonic–tidal model of Earth’s future to test four different scenarios that undergo different styles of ocean closure and periods of supertides. This has implications for the Earth system and for other planets with liquid oceans.

“This bookmark gauges the depths of the human”: how poetry can help to personalise climate change

To many non-specialists, the science behind climate change can appear confusing and alienating, yet in order for global mitigation efforts to be successful it is not just scientists who need to take action, but rather society as a whole. This study shows how poets and poetry offer a method of communicating the science of climate change to the wider society using language that they not only better understand, but which also has the potential to stimulate accountability and inspire action.

On the alignment of velocity and magnetic fields within magnetosheath jets

Jets of solar-wind plasma commonly hit the Earth’s magnetosphere. Using data from the four Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) spacecraft, we show statistically that within jets the magnetic field is more aligned with the plasma flow direction than outside of these jets. Our study confirms prior simulation results, but it also shows that the average effect is moderate. The jets’ magnetic field is important with respect to their impact on space weather.

Earth system data cubes unravel global multivariate dynamics

The ever-growing availability of data streams on different subsystems of the Earth brings unprecedented scientific opportunities. However, researching a data-rich world brings novel challenges. We present the concept of Earth system data cubes to study the complex dynamics of multiple climate and ecosystem variables across space and time. Using a series of example studies, we highlight the potential of effectively considering the full multivariate nature of processes in the Earth system.

Modelling global tropical cyclone wind footprints

Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences
DOI 10.5194/nhess-20-567-2020
10 March 2020

Assessing tropical cyclone (TC) wind risk is challenging due to a lack of historical TC wind data. This paper presents a novel approach to simulating landfalling TC winds anywhere on Earth. It captures local features such as high winds over coastal hills and lulls over rough terrain. A dataset of over 700 global historical wind footprints has been generated to provide new views of historical events. This dataset can be used to advance our understanding of overland TC wind risk.

TS Tectonics and Structural Geology Highlight articles

Highlight articles

Information for

External links