Featured
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Letter |
High winter ozone pollution from carbonyl photolysis in an oil and gas basin
Data from the oil- and gas-producing basin of northeastern Utah and a box model are used to assess the photochemical reactions of nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds that lead to excessive atmospheric ozone pollution in winter.
- Peter M. Edwards
- , Steven S. Brown
- & Robert Zamora
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Letter |
High secondary aerosol contribution to particulate pollution during haze events in China
Investigation of the chemical nature and sources of particulate matter at urban locations in four Chinese cities during a severe haze pollution event finds that the event was driven to a large extent by secondary aerosol formation.
- Ru-Jin Huang
- , Yanlin Zhang
- & André S. H. Prévôt
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Letter |
Observational evidence for interhemispheric hydroxyl-radical parity
Observations of methyl chloroform combined with an atmospheric transport model predict a Northern to Southern Hemisphere hydroxyl ratio of slightly less than 1, whereas commonly used atmospheric chemistry models predict ratios 15–45% higher.
- P. K. Patra
- , M. C. Krol
- & D. Young
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Letter |
A global ocean inventory of anthropogenic mercury based on water column measurements
GEOTRACES sampling of deep water from the Atlantic, Pacific and Southern oceans allows an estimate of the amount (tripled in surface waters) and distribution (two-thirds increase in water less than a thousand metres deep) of anthropogenic mercury accumulating in the global ocean.
- Carl H. Lamborg
- , Chad R. Hammerschmidt
- & Mak A. Saito
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Letter |
Quantification of dissolved iron sources to the North Atlantic Ocean
A high-resolution oceanic section of dissolved iron stable isotope ratios reveals that the primary source of dissolved iron to the North Atlantic is atmospheric dust, while seafloor sediments and submarine volcanic vents also contribute significantly.
- Tim M. Conway
- & Seth G. John
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Letter |
Sulphide oxidation and carbonate dissolution as a source of CO2 over geological timescales
Sulphide oxidation coupled to carbonate dissolution can provide a transient source of carbon dioxide to Earth’s atmosphere and so balance the Cenozoic increase in carbon dioxide consumption by silicate weathering, reconciling this increase with the need for mass balance in the long-term carbon cycle.
- Mark A. Torres
- , A. Joshua West
- & Gaojun Li
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Letter |
A large source of low-volatility secondary organic aerosol
The link between biogenic volatile organic compounds in the atmosphere and their conversion to aerosol particles is unclear, but a direct reaction pathway is now described by which volatile organic compounds lead to low-volatility vapours that can then condense onto aerosol surfaces, producing secondary organic aerosol.
- Mikael Ehn
- , Joel A. Thornton
- & Thomas F. Mentel
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Brief Communications Arising |
Uncertainties in transpiration estimates
- A. M. J. Coenders-Gerrits
- , R. J. van der Ent
- & H. H. G. Savenije
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Brief Communications Arising |
Jasechko et al. reply
- Scott Jasechko
- , Zachary D. Sharp
- & Peter J. Fawcett
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Article |
Global carbon dioxide emissions from inland waters
An analysis of regional variations in global inland water surface area, dissolved CO2 and gas transfer velocity yields a global CO2 evasion rate of 2.1 × 1015 grams of carbon per year, which is higher than previous estimates owing to a larger contribution from streams and rivers.
- Peter A. Raymond
- , Jens Hartmann
- & Peter Guth
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Letter |
DMSP biosynthesis by an animal and its role in coral thermal stress response
Until now, dimethylsulphoniopropionate (DMSP), an important component in the sulphur cycle, has been thought to be produced solely by algae and some plants; however, this study shows that the coral animal also produces DMSP, in addition to that produced by the coral’s algal symbiont, with potential implications for the sulphur cycle and its climatic consequences as corals and their symbionts are affected by global change.
- Jean-Baptiste Raina
- , Dianne M. Tapiolas
- & Cherie A. Motti
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Letter |
Retardation of arsenic transport through a Pleistocene aquifer
Holocene aquifers are the source of much arsenic poisoning in south and southeast Asia, whereas Pleistocene aquifers are mostly safe; here the delayed arsenic contamination of a Pleistocene aquifer is described and modelled.
- Alexander van Geen
- , Benjamín C. Bostick
- & Michael Berg
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Letter |
Enhanced nitrogen deposition over China
Data on bulk nitrogen deposition, plant foliar nitrogen and crop nitrogen uptake in China between ad 1980 and ad 2010 show that the average annual bulk deposition of nitrogen increased by approximately 8 kilograms of nitrogen per hectare during that period and that nitrogen deposition rates in the industrialized and agriculturally intensified regions of China are as high as the peak levels of deposition in northwestern Europe in the 1980s.
- Xuejun Liu
- , Ying Zhang
- & Fusuo Zhang
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Letter |
Deep instability of deforested tropical peatlands revealed by fluvial organic carbon fluxes
Riverine carbon-14 measurements show that anthropogenic disturbance of peat swamp forest in southeast Asia is causing increased release of carbon that has been stored in the peat for thousands of years.
- Sam Moore
- , Chris D. Evans
- & Vincent Gauci
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Research Highlights |
Greenhouse gas finds a use
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News |
Megacities move to track emissions
Scientists monitor greenhouse gases in urban areas as a first step to gauging success of climate initiatives worldwide.
- Jeff Tollefson
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News |
Daily dose of toxics to be tracked
Exposome studies will tie environmental exposure to biological triggers of disease.
- Ewen Callaway
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News |
US state declares war on acid waters
Washington announces science-based plan to tackle ocean acidification.
- Virginia Gewin
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News |
Mixed reviews for US Clean Water Act
Forty-year-old environmental law has spurred progress in water quality, but problems remain.
- Richard A. Lovett
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News |
Ocean still suffering from Fukushima fallout
Continuing leaks and contaminated sediment keep radiation levels high.
- Geoff Brumfiel
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News |
Coral colonies call for help
Threatened animals summon fish to trim toxic seaweed.
- Daniel Cressey
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Article |
Zero-valent sulphur is a key intermediate in marine methane oxidation
Methane oxidation under anaerobic conditions coupled to sulphate reduction is thought to be carried out by a consortium of methanotrophic archaea (ANME) and sulphate-reducing Deltaproteobacteria; here it is shown that ANME alone can mediate the reaction and that the associated bacteria perform disulphide disproportionation, a new microbial sulphur transformation.
- Jana Milucka
- , Timothy G. Ferdelman
- & Marcel M. M. Kuypers
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News |
Seismic signs of escaping methane under the sea
A changing Gulf Stream is warming deep waters along the eastern United States and destabilizing greenhouse gases trapped in sediments.
- Virginia Gewin
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News |
Megacities pose serious health challenge
Researchers call for stringent air-quality control during rapid urbanization.
- Jane Qiu
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Outlook |
Socially responsible science
The first Mexican-born scientist to become a Nobel laureate in chemistry, Mario Molina shared the 1995 prize for his role in discovering the threat posed by chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) to Earth's ozone layer. An optimist who passionately pursued science from a young age, Molina now focuses on finding practical solutions to environmental challenges.
- Olive Heffernan
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News |
The mysterious case of the missing noble gas
Xenon has almost vanished from Earth's atmosphere. German geoscientists think they know where it went.
- Ewen Callaway
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News |
Brazil unveils tool to track emissions
Carbon releases lag behind Amazon deforestation.
- Jeff Tollefson
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Letter |
Long-term decline of global atmospheric ethane concentrations and implications for methane
The longest continuous record of global atmospheric ethane levels is presented, showing that global ethane emission rates decreased by 21 per cent from 1984 to 2010, probably owing to decreased venting and flaring of natural gas in oil fields; decreased venting and flaring also account for at least 30 to 70 per cent of the decrease in methane emissions over the same period.
- Isobel J. Simpson
- , Mads P. Sulbaek Andersen
- & Donald R. Blake
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Letter |
Increase in observed net carbon dioxide uptake by land and oceans during the past 50 years
A comprehensive carbon dioxide mass balance analysis shows that net global carbon uptake has increased by about 0.05 billion tonnes per year over the past 50 years and that in that time the global carbon uptake has almost doubled, making it unlikely that land and ocean carbon sinks have decreased on a global scale.
- A. P. Ballantyne
- , C. B. Alden
- & J. W. C. White
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Research Highlights |
Future ozone from planes and boats
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News |
Global network will track acidifying oceans
Remote sensors and research cruises aim to measure aquatic impacts of carbon dioxide.
- Jessica Marshall
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News |
California condors face lead menace
Signature species may need perpetual conservation.
- Meera Subramanian
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News Feature |
Return to Rio: Second chance for the planet
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Books & Arts |
In retrospect: Silent Spring
On its 50th anniversary, an exposé of pesticide overuse still stands as a beacon of reason, finds Rob Dunn.
- Rob Dunn
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News |
Call for standards in egg bio-monitoring
Scramble of results could undermine common method of pollution monitoring.
- Daniel Cressey
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Comment |
Cleaning China's air
To reduce airborne soot, organics and sulphates, tailored strategies for each must be established and coal use limited, say Qiang Zhang, Kebin He and Hong Huo.
- Qiang Zhang
- , Kebin He
- & Hong Huo
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News |
Emissions from Asia put US cities over the ozone limit
Satellite data could warn of incoming air pollution.
- Katherine Rowland
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News |
It's not just Fukushima: mass disaster evacuations challenge planners
The Fukushima evacuation zone raises the issue of what would happen during an evacuation in heavily populated US metropolises during a nuclear meltdown.
- David Biello
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News Explainer |
Canadian oil sands: defusing the carbon bomb
Although dirtier than most oil on the market, Alberta’s politically charged crude is not off the environmental charts, say researchers.
- Jeff Tollefson
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News |
Oil-sands vote ends in deadlock
European Union states fail to agree on whether to recognize oil sands as high polluters.
- Sonja van Renssen
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Research Highlights |
Testing the waters for radionuclides
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News |
Database tallies US emissions
Environment agency launches searchable public log of major greenhouse-gas emitters.
- Jeff Tollefson
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World View |
Blue-sky bias should be brought down to Earth
High-prestige research hogs the money, while the needs — and value — of the US science agencies closest to the public are ignored, says Daniel Sarewitz.
- Daniel Sarewitz
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Letter |
The oxidation state of Hadean magmas and implications for early Earth’s atmosphere
Earth's mantle is likely to have reached its present-day oxidation state before 4 billion years ago, according to a determination of the oxidation state of Hadean magmatic melts.
- Dustin Trail
- , E. Bruce Watson
- & Nicholas D. Tailby
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Review Article |
The case against climate regulation via oceanic phytoplankton sulphur emissions
- P. K. Quinn
- & T. S. Bates
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Letter |
Structure of a methyl-coenzyme M reductase from Black Sea mats that oxidize methane anaerobically
The crystal structure of the enzyme MCR from methanogenic archaea shows that it is very similar to that of methanotrophic archaea; the differences observed may tune the enzymes for their respective biological context within the sea mats.
- Seigo Shima
- , Martin Krueger
- & Ulrich Ermler