Half-hearted engineering - p719

doi:10.1038/ngeo354

Climate warming is not the only consequence of rising levels of atmospheric greenhouse gases. The only way to counter all effects, including those on rainfall and ocean acidity, is to remove carbon from the climate system.

Full Text - Half-hearted engineering | PDF (149 KB) - Half-hearted engineering

See also: Commentary by Boyd

Rare metals getting rarer - pp720 - 721

Kristín Vala Ragnarsdóttir

doi:10.1038/ngeo302

Abstract - Rare metals getting rarer | Full Text - Rare metals getting rarer | PDF (158 KB) - Rare metals getting rarer

Ranking geo-engineering schemes - pp722 - 724

Philip W. Boyd

doi:10.1038/ngeo348

Geo-engineering proposals for mitigating climate change continue to proliferate without being tested. It is time to select and assess the most promising ideas according to efficacy, cost, all aspects of risk and, importantly, their rate of mitigation.

Full Text - Ranking geo-engineering schemes | PDF (152 KB) - Ranking geo-engineering schemes

Ten thousand years of climate change - p725

Natural Climate Variability and Global Warming: A Holocene Perspective by Richard W. Battarbee & Heather A. Binney

doi:10.1038/ngeo342

Full Text - Ten thousand years of climate change | PDF (111 KB) - Ten thousand years of climate change

Research highlights - p726

doi:10.1038/ngeo353

Full Text - Research highlights | PDF (156 KB) - Research highlights

Carbon Cycle: Tempestuous transport - pp727 - 728

Timothy I. Eglinton

doi:10.1038/ngeo349

Riverine transport of terrestrial organic carbon to the oceans exerts an important long-term control on atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. Tropical cyclones participate in this process by delivering recently fixed carbon to the sea.

Full Text - Carbon CycleTempestuous transport | PDF (240 KB) - Carbon CycleTempestuous transport

Subject Categories: Biogeochemistry | Climate science

Climate science: Global warming at the poles - pp728 - 729

Andrew Monaghan & David Bromwich

doi:10.1038/ngeo346

Natural climate variability and limited observational records have made identifying human-influenced climate change at the poles difficult. But a human signature is now emerging in rising Arctic and Antarctic temperatures.

Full Text - Climate scienceGlobal warming at the poles | PDF (215 KB) - Climate scienceGlobal warming at the poles

Subject Category: Climate science

Climate Science: The other greenhouse effect - p729

Anna Armstrong

doi:10.1038/ngeo350

Full Text - Climate ScienceThe other greenhouse effect | PDF (338 KB) - Climate ScienceThe other greenhouse effect

Seismology: Breaking the slab - pp730 - 731

Meghan S. Miller

doi:10.1038/ngeo341

Two chains of seamounts on the Pacific plate subduct beneath central Japan. In the process, a fragment of the Pacific slab has become wedged in the subduction zone and may be the source of recurring deep-thrust earthquakes beneath Tokyo.

Full Text - SeismologyBreaking the slab | PDF (220 KB) - SeismologyBreaking the slab

Subject Category: Seismology

Natural Disaster: Flood of evidence - p731

Alicia Newton

doi:10.1038/ngeo347

Full Text - Natural DisasterFlood of evidence | PDF (129 KB) - Natural DisasterFlood of evidence

Geomorphology: A glacial driver of tectonics - pp732 - 733

Simon H. Brocklehurst

doi:10.1038/ngeo344

The interactions between climate and tectonics in active mountain ranges are complex and important. Field and geophysical data from the St Elias Range of Alaska show that glacial erosion can influence the dynamics of the lithosphere in such settings.

Full Text - GeomorphologyA glacial driver of tectonics | PDF (272 KB) - GeomorphologyA glacial driver of tectonics

Subject Category: Geomorphology

The equilibrium sensitivity of the Earth's temperature to radiation changes - pp735 - 743

Reto Knutti & Gabriele C. Hegerl

doi:10.1038/ngeo337

The quest to determine climate sensitivity has been going on for decades, with disturbingly little progress in narrowing the large uncertainty range. But fascinating new insights have been gained that will provide useful information for policy makers, even though the upper limit of climate sensitivity will probably remain uncertain for the near future.

Abstract - The equilibrium sensitivity of the Earth's temperature to radiation changes | Full Text - The equilibrium sensitivity of the Earth's temperature to radiation changes | PDF (554 KB) - The equilibrium sensitivity of the Earth's temperature to radiation changes

Subject Category: Climate science

Intense polar temperature inversion in the middle atmosphere on Mars - pp745 - 749

D. J. McCleese, J. T. Schofield, F. W. Taylor, W. A. Abdou, O. Aharonson, D. Banfield, S. B. Calcutt, N. G. Heavens, P. G. J. Irwin, D. M. Kass, A. Kleinböhl, W. G. Lawson, C. B. Leovy, S. R. Lewis, D. A. Paige, P. L. Read, M. I. Richardson, N. Teanby & R. W. Zurek

doi:10.1038/ngeo332

Current understanding of weather, climate and global atmospheric circulation on Mars is incomplete, in particular at altitudes above about 30 km. High-resolution observations from the Mars Climate Sounder instrument on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter show an intense warming of the middle atmosphere over the south polar region in winter, which suggests a much more vigorous equator-to-pole circulation than expected.

First Paragraph - Intense polar temperature inversion in the middle atmosphere on Mars | Full Text - Intense polar temperature inversion in the middle atmosphere on Mars | PDF (534 KB) - Intense polar temperature inversion in the middle atmosphere on Mars

Subject Category: Planetary science

Attribution of polar warming to human influence - pp750 - 754

Nathan P. Gillett, Dáithí A. Stone, Peter A. Stott, Toru Nozawa, Alexey Yu. Karpechko, Gabriele C. Hegerl, Michael F. Wehner & Philip D. Jones

doi:10.1038/ngeo338

Polar temperatures have been warming significantly over the past few decades. A comparison between observational temperature records and model simulations shows that temperature changes in both the Arctic and Antarctic regions can be attributed to human activity.

First Paragraph - Attribution of polar warming to human influence | Full Text - Attribution of polar warming to human influence | PDF (515 KB) - Attribution of polar warming to human influence | Supplementary information

Subject Category: Climate science

See also: News and Views by Monaghan & Bromwich

Strong transport and mixing of deep water through the Southwest Indian Ridge - pp755 - 758

J. A. MacKinnon, T. M. S. Johnston & R. Pinkel

doi:10.1038/ngeo340

Understanding heat exchange in the Indian Ocean requires knowledge of the magnitudes and locations of both meridional deep-water transport and mixing. Observations from a fracture zone in the Southwest Indian Ridge quantify the flow through this narrow region to 20–30% of the total meridional overturning circulation in the Indian Ocean, and provide an example of elevated turbulence in a deep sheared flow.

First Paragraph - Strong transport and mixing of deep water through the Southwest Indian Ridge | Full Text - Strong transport and mixing of deep water through the Southwest Indian Ridge | PDF (858 KB) - Strong transport and mixing of deep water through the Southwest Indian Ridge

Subject Categories: Oceanography | Climate science

Tropical-cyclone-driven erosion of the terrestrial biosphere from mountains - pp759 - 762

Robert G. Hilton, Albert Galy, Niels Hovius, Meng-Chiang Chen, Ming-Jame Horng & Hongey Chen

doi:10.1038/ngeo333

The transfer of organic carbon from the terrestrial biosphere to the oceans via erosion and riverine transport constitutes an important component of the global carbon cycle. Measurements of particulate organic carbon load and composition in the LiWu river, Taiwan, during cyclone-triggered floods suggest that tropical cyclones may facilitate the delivery of non-fossil particulate organic carbon to the ocean and its subsequent burial.

First Paragraph - Tropical-cyclone-driven erosion of the terrestrial biosphere from mountains | Full Text - Tropical-cyclone-driven erosion of the terrestrial biosphere from mountains | PDF (299 KB) - Tropical-cyclone-driven erosion of the terrestrial biosphere from mountains | Supplementary information

Subject Categories: Biogeochemistry | Climate science | Hydrology, hydrogeology and limnology

See also: News and Views by Eglinton

High sensitivity of peat decomposition to climate change through water-table feedback - pp763 - 766

Takeshi Ise, Allison L. Dunn, Steven C. Wofsy & Paul R. Moorcroft

doi:10.1038/ngeo331

The water table interacts with soil organic carbon in northern peatlands that have historically functioned as a carbon sink. Simulations with a coupled physical–biogeochemical soil model with continuously updated peat depths show that the feedback between the water table and peat depth increases the sensitivity of peat decomposition to temperature, and intensifies the loss of soil organic carbon in a changing climate.

First Paragraph - High sensitivity of peat decomposition to climate change through water-table feedback | Full Text - High sensitivity of peat decomposition to climate change through water-table feedback | PDF (279 KB) - High sensitivity of peat decomposition to climate change through water-table feedback | Supplementary information

Subject Categories: Biogeochemistry | Climate science | Hydrology, hydrogeology and limnology

Negative impact of nitrogen deposition on soil buffering capacity - pp767 - 770

William D. Bowman, Cory C. Cleveland, ubo Halada, Juraj Hreko & Jill S. Baron

doi:10.1038/ngeo339

Sustained nitrogen deposition has had a detrimental effect on ecosystems in Europe and North America. Now a grassland in Slovakia is showing symptoms of extreme soil acidification not previously observed in association with nitrogen deposition.

First Paragraph - Negative impact of nitrogen deposition on soil buffering capacity | Full Text - Negative impact of nitrogen deposition on soil buffering capacity | PDF (276 KB) - Negative impact of nitrogen deposition on soil buffering capacity

Subject Categories: Ecology | Biogeochemistry

See also: related Backstory

A slab fragment wedged under Tokyo and its tectonic and seismic implications - pp771 - 776

Shinji Toda, Ross S. Stein, Stephen H. Kirby & Serkan B. Bozkurt

doi:10.1038/ngeo318

A three-dimensional evaluation of earthquake hypocentres beneath the Kanto basin in Japan reveals the presence of a distinct, 25-km-thick and 100-km-wide body. Its fast seismic velocity and the presence of a double seismic zone suggest that it is a fragment of the Pacific slab, rather than an extension of the Philippine Sea slab. This implies that the penetration of the Philippine Sea slab is much shallower beneath the Kanto basin than was previously thought.

First Paragraph - A slab fragment wedged under Tokyo and its tectonic and seismic implications | Full Text - A slab fragment wedged under Tokyo and its tectonic and seismic implications | PDF (4,601 KB) - A slab fragment wedged under Tokyo and its tectonic and seismic implications | Supplementary information

Subject Categories: Seismology | Structural geology, tectonics and geodynamics

See also: News and Views by Miller

Seismic evidence for broken oceanic crust in the 2004 Sumatra earthquake epicentral region - pp777 - 781

Satish C. Singh, Hélène Carton, Paul Tapponnier, Nugroho D. Hananto, Ajay P. S. Chauhan, Djoko Hartoyo, Martin Bayly, Soelistijani Moeljopranoto, Tim Bunting, Phil Christie, Hasbi Lubis & James Martin

doi:10.1038/ngeo336

The 2004 Sumatra earthquake was one of the largest events to occur in a subduction zone in the past 50 years. Seismic reflection data for this subduction zone reveal thrust faults cutting across the entire oceanic crust. This observation, coupled with the hypocentres of aftershocks, suggests that the megathrust—the interface between the Indo-Australian plate and the Sunda plate—currently lies in the oceanic mantle.

First Paragraph - Seismic evidence for broken oceanic crust in the 2004 Sumatra earthquake epicentral region | Full Text - Seismic evidence for broken oceanic crust in the 2004 Sumatra earthquake epicentral region | PDF (4,407 KB) - Seismic evidence for broken oceanic crust in the 2004 Sumatra earthquake epicentral region | Supplementary information

Subject Categories: Seismology | Structural geology, tectonics and geodynamics

Putative greigite magnetofossils from the Pliocene epoch - pp782 - 786

Iuliana Vasiliev, Christine Franke, Johannes D. Meeldijk, Mark J. Dekkers, Cor G. Langereis & Wout Krijgsman

doi:10.1038/ngeo335

Greigite crystals of bacterial origin are widespread in modern sedimentary environments, but their occurrence in the fossil record remains controversial. Grains from Romanian Pliocene-aged sediments have now been identified as bacterial in origin, tentatively placing them among the oldest known greigite magnetofossils.

First Paragraph - Putative greigite magnetofossils from the Pliocene epoch | Full Text - Putative greigite magnetofossils from the Pliocene epoch | PDF (886 KB) - Putative greigite magnetofossils from the Pliocene epoch | Supplementary information

Subject Categories: Biogeochemistry | Geomagnetism, palaeomagnetism and core processes

Antarctic temperature at orbital timescales controlled by local summer duration - pp787 - 792

Peter Huybers & George Denton

doi:10.1038/ngeo311

On orbital timescales, Antarctic climate varies in phase with Northern Hemisphere insolation, but no physical mechanism for such a link is known. A new analysis suggests that at obliquity and precession timescales Antarctic climate may instead be responding to the duration of the local summer, which covaries with Northern insolation.

Abstract - Antarctic temperature at orbital timescales controlled by local summer duration | Full Text - Antarctic temperature at orbital timescales controlled by local summer duration | PDF (522 KB) - Antarctic temperature at orbital timescales controlled by local summer duration | Supplementary information

Subject Category: Palaeoclimate and palaeoceanography

Quaternary tectonic response to intensified glacial erosion in an orogenic wedge - pp793 - 799

Aaron L. Berger, Sean P. S. Gulick, James A. Spotila, Phaedra Upton, John M. Jaeger, James B. Chapman, Lindsay A. Worthington, Terry L. Pavlis, Kenneth D. Ridgway, Bryce A. Willems & Ryan J. McAleer

doi:10.1038/ngeo334

Intense glaciation during the middle Pleistocene epoch led to focused denudation and mass redistribution within the St Elias orogen in southern Alaska, and resulted in structural reorganization of the orogen. The tectonic response of this orogen to climate change is consistent with predictions of numerical models.

Abstract - Quaternary tectonic response to intensified glacial erosion in an orogenic wedge | Full Text - Quaternary tectonic response to intensified glacial erosion in an orogenic wedge | PDF (1,865 KB) - Quaternary tectonic response to intensified glacial erosion in an orogenic wedge | Supplementary information

Subject Categories: Geomorphology | Palaeoclimate and palaeoceanography | Structural geology, tectonics and geodynamics

See also: News and Views by Brocklehurst | related Backstory

Flying high - p802

doi:10.1038/ngeo343

Aaron Berger and colleagues leapt out of helicopters in the snow and fog in their quest to understand the effects of glacial erosion on mountain formation.

Full Text - Flying high | PDF (246 KB) - Flying high

Searching the soils - pE18

doi:10.1038/ngeo345

William Bowman and colleagues braved beverages of pig fat and vodka in their attempt to understand the impact of long-term nitrogen deposition on Slovakian soils.

Full Text - Searching the soils | PDF (265 KB) - Searching the soils