Research News 2003

Study Finds Evidence for Global Methane Release About 600 Million Years Ago

December 18, 2003

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Scientists at the University of California, Riverside and Columbia University have found evidence of the release of an enormous quantity of methane gas as ice sheets melted at the end of a global ice age about 600 million years ago, possibly altering the ocean's chemistry, influencing oxygen levels in the ocean and atmosphere, and enhancing climate warming because methane is a powerful greenhouse gas.
Release of Carbon Dioxide From the Equatorial Pacific Ocean Intensified During the 1990s

October 30, 2003

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The atmosphere and the oceans carry on an exchange of carbon dioxide (CO2), a major greenhouse gas. This is particularly significant in the equatorial Pacific Ocean because it is one of the most important yet highly variable natural source areas for the emission of CO2 to the atmosphere.
Lamont Researchers Discover Currents Connecting Pacific and Indian Oceans Are Colder and Deeper Than Expected

October 24, 2003

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Scientists at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory have found that currents connecting the Indian and Pacific Oceans are colder and deeper than originally believed. This discovery may one day help climate modelers predict the intensity of the Asian monsoon or El Niño with greater accuracy and with more lead-time than is currently possible.
Lamont Doherty Researcher Develops New Use For Seismic Reflection Data: Revealing Locations And Potentials For Mega Earthquakes

August 08, 2003

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Researchers have found an important new application for seismic reflection data, commonly used to image geological structures and explore for oil and gas. Recently published in the journal Nature, new use of reflection data may prove crucial to understanding the potential for mega earthquakes.
Lamont Doherty Research Suggests that Ancient Fault Lines in Indiana Have Been Re-Activated

May 02, 2003

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Detailed analysis of regional and teleseismic waveform data from the June 18, 2002, Evansville, Indiana earthquake indicates that the earthquake occurred at a depth of about 18 km (±2 km).