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How plate tectonic subduction is initiated is unclear. Analysis of sediments and rock cores taken from the Izu–Bonin–Mariana subduction zone trench suggests subduction started spontaneously in this region around 50 million years ago.
Braided channels are rare in submarine environments, yet common in fluvial systems. Laboratory experiments suggest that the formation mechanisms are the same, but submarine channels are typically not wide enough to promote braiding.
Lying beyond Saturn’s main rings, the F ring is shepherded by two small satellites. Simulations suggest that this enigmatic configuration can result from the partial disruption of satellites in collisions at the edge of the main ring system.
Long-term changes of the mountain glaciers in the Tien Shan, Central Asia, are not well constrained. Remote sensing data and glaciological models reveal a 27% decline of glacier mass from 1961 to 2012, linked to increased summer melting.
Rivers and streams are key sources of CO2. Estimated emissions and aquatic productivity from across the US show that small streams predominantly emit CO2 produced in soils, but the contribution from aquatic metabolism increases with river size.
Tropospheric levels of ozone and its precursors have risen in Asia since 2000. Satellite observations and chemistry–transport simulations suggest that transport of these pollutants to North America partly offsets benefits from stricter regulation.
Ammonium levels in Greenland ice cores track changes in soil emissions and wildfires, primarily in North America. Ice-core ammonium records show abrupt increases in wildfire activity during brief warmings in the last glacial period.
Faults are unlocked by earthquakes. Analysis of seismic data from the 2015 Nepal earthquake shows that only part of the Main Himalayan Thrust fault was unzipped by the quake, leaving much of the fault locked and ready to slip in a future event.
Plate tectonic motions cause faults to slip during earthquakes and through creep. Laboratory shear experiments on semi-brittle rock-analogue materials suggest that such slip could occur via growth of a series of fractures.
The role of static versus dynamic stresses in earthquake clusters is unclear. Analysis of earthquakes triggered by a dyke intrusion at an Icelandic volcano unambiguously demonstrates that static stresses are important for earthquake clustering.
Atmospheric blocking can contribute to extreme weather events. A Lagrangian approach applied to reanalysis data shows that a large fraction of air masses are heated before entering a blocking system, pointing to a role for latent heating.
Changes in Arctic sea ice volume are difficult to quantify. Five years of satellite data reveal a reduction in autumn sea ice volume in 2010–2012, but a sharp increase in 2013 and 2014, suggesting that ice volume can recover quickly.
Inland waters are important sources of greenhouse gases. Measurements over eight years suggest that African inland waters are a substantial source of greenhouse gases, equivalent to a quarter of the global land and ocean carbon sink.
An extreme rainfall event occurred near the Black Sea town of Krymsk in July 2012. Simulations with a high-resolution weather forecasting model reveal that Black Sea surface warming has led to convective precipitation, which can bring strong rains.
Ice-shelf grounding lines off the coast of Antarctica have retreated over the past 20,000 years. Precise dating of moraines suggests the timing of retreat in the Ross Sea was controlled by the interplay between accumulation and ocean forcing.
NASA’s Curiosity rover detected light-toned rocks along its traverse on Mars. Geochemical data suggest that the rocks represent a diversity of silica-rich magmatic rock types that may be analogous to Earth’s early continental crust.
The frequency of extreme rainfall events over Greenland is predicted to increase as the climate warms. Observations from western Greenland suggest that intense late-summer rainfall in 2011 led to widespread ice-flow acceleration and runoff.
Water plume eruptions on Saturn’s icy moon Enceladus are delayed relative to the peak tidal stresses. Simulations suggest the delay can be explained by the moon’s interior structure and the presence of a subsurface ocean.
Chloride is abundant in oceans, but is relatively unreactive. Spectroscopic imaging reveals the presence of a chloride sink in organochlorine compounds that can be produced abiotically or by phytoplankton.
Carbon is recycled via Earth’s mantle at subduction zones. Laboratory experiments show that in the presence of water, carbon-rich liquids can form from the subducted crust at low temperatures, providing a supply of CO2 to surface volcanoes.