NEW GULF of MEXICO SEAFLOOR MAP Discover Your Skills for Innovative Data Storytelling
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VOL. 98 NO. 8 AUG 2017 Finding the Pulse of Climate Change Cyclists’ Exposure to Air Pollution Earth & Space Science News Data Set for Land–Air Exchanges NEW GULF OF MEXICO SEAFLOOR MAP Discover Your Skills for Innovative Data Storytelling. Apply for the AGU Data Visualization and Storytelling Competition! Win a chance to go to Fall Meeting and present your story on the NASA Hyperwall. Deadline for submission: 31 August Learn more: http://bit.ly/agu-dataviz-story-contest Earth & Space Science News Contents AUGUST 2017 PROJECT UPDATE VOLUME 98, ISSUE 8 22 Understanding the Causes and Effects of Rapid Warming in the Arctic A new German research consortium is investigating why near-surface air temperatures are rising more quickly in the Arctic than in the rest of the world. PROJECT UPDATE 28 A New Data Set Monitors Land–Air Exchanges FLUXNET2015, the latest update of the longest global record of ecosystem carbon, water, and energy fluxes, features improved data quality, new data products, 16 and more open data-sharing policies. OPINION COVER Proposed Federal Budget A 1.4- Billion- Pixel Map 12 Heightens Hurricane Risk The health, welfare, and livelihood of of the Gulf of Mexico Seafloor millions depend upon our elected officials’ The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has released the highest-resolution continued and robust support for hurricane bathymetry map of the region to date. research. Earth & Space Science News Eos.org // 1 Contents DEPARTMENTS Editor in Chief Barbara T. Richman: AGU, Washington, D. C., USA; eos_ [email protected] Editors Christina M. S. Cohen Wendy S. Gordon Carol A. Stein California Institute Ecologia Consulting, Department of Earth and of Technology, Pasadena, Austin, Texas, USA; Environmental Sciences, Calif., USA; wendy@ecologiaconsulting University of Illinois at cohen@srl .caltech.edu .com Chicago, Chicago, Ill., José D. Fuentes David Halpern USA; [email protected] Department of Meteorology, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pennsylvania State Pasadena, Calif., USA; University, University davidhalpern29@gmail Park, Pa., USA; .com [email protected] Editorial Advisory Board Mark G. Flanner, Atmospheric Sciences Jian Lin, Tectonophysics Nicola J. Fox, Space Physics Figen Mekik, Paleoceanography 42 and Aeronomy and Paleoclimatology Peter Fox, Earth and Space Science Jerry L. Miller, Ocean Sciences Informatics Thomas H. Painter, Cryosphere Steve Frolking, Biogeosciences Sciences 33–37 AGU News Edward J. Garnero, Study of the Philip J. Rasch, Global Environmental Earth’s Deep Interior Change 2017 AGU Section and Focus Group Michael N. Gooseff, Hydrology Eric M. Riggs, Education Awardees and Named Lecturers; Brian C. Gunter, Geodesy Adrian Tuck, Nonlinear Geophysics Kristine C. Harper, History of Geophysics Sergio Vinciguerra, Mineral AGU Honors Program Makes Strides Susan E. Hough, Natural Hazards and Rock Physics in Diversity; How Do Microbial Emily R. Johnson, Volcanology, Andrew C. Wilcox, Earth and Planetary Geochemistry, and Petrology Surface Processes Ecosystems and Climate Change Keith D. Koper, Seismology Earle Williams, Atmospheric Interact? Robert E. Kopp, Geomagnetism and Space Electricity and Paleomagnetism Mary Lou Zoback, Societal Impacts 6 John W. Lane, Near-Surface Geophysics and Policy Sciences 39–43 Research Spotlight Staff An Improved Model of How Magma Production and Design: Faith A. Ishii, Production Manager; Melissa A. Tribur, Senior 3–9 News Moves Through Earth’s Crust; Can Production Specialist; Travis Frazier and Valerie Friedman, Electronic Graphics Specialists Tree Planting Really Help Mitigate Innovative Postage Stamp Editorial: Peter L. Weiss, Manager/Senior News Editor; Mohi Kumar, Scientific Celebrates Upcoming Total Solar Climate Change?; Mysterious Content Editor; Randy Showstack, Senior News Writer; JoAnna Wendel, News Writer; Liz Castenson, Editorial and Production Coordinator; Kimberly M. S. Cartier, News Eclipse; International Science Intraseasonal Oscillations in Monsoons; Spacecraft Returns Its Writing and Production Intern Group Decries Trump Climate Pact Marketing: Jamie R. Liu, Manager, Marketing; Angelo Bouselli and Tyjen Conley, Exit; Novel Air Pollution Study First Data on Martian Solar Irradiance; Marketing Program Managers; Ashwini Yelamanchili, Digital Marketing Coordinator Gauges Individual Cyclists’ Risks; When Ocean and Atmosphere Couple, Advertising: Tracy LaMondue, Director, Development; Tel: +1-202-777-7372; Email: [email protected] Ten Earth- Sized Planets Found the Climate Wobbles; Diagnosing by Exoplanet- Hunting Telescope; Cryptic Remagnetization in ©2017. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved. Material in this issue may Sedimentary Rocks. be photocopied by individual scientists for research or classroom use. Permission is Mining Ancient Texts Reveals also granted to use short quotes, figures, and tables for publication in scientific books Clues to Space Weather of Yore; and journals. For permission for any other uses, contact the AGU Publications Office. Merle Lee Allison ( 1948– 2016). 44–47 Positions Available Eos (ISSN 0096-3941) is published monthly by the American Geophysical Union, 2000 Florida Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20009, USA. Periodical Class postage paid Current job openings in the Earth at Washington, D. C., and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Member Service Center, 2000 Florida Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20009, 10–11 Meeting Reports and space sciences. USA. Instrument Development Enables Member Service Center: 8:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. Eastern time; Tel: +1-202-462-6900; Planetary Exploration; Volcanic Fax: +1-202-328-0566; Tel. orders in U.S.: 1-800-966-2481; Email: service@ 48 Postcards from the Field agu.org. Ash Particles Hold Clues to Their Scientists pause from fieldwork to Use AGU’s Geophysical Electronic Manuscript Submissions system to submit History and Effects. view a double rainbow near Lincoln, a manuscript: http://eos-submit.agu.org. Neb. Views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect official positions of the American 12–15 Opinions Geophysical Union unless expressly stated. Proposed Federal Budget On the Cover Christine W. McEntee, Executive Director/CEO Heightens Hurricane Risk; Central A 130-kilometer-wide snippet of a America and the Caribbean: The new 1.4-billion-pixel bathymetry map Pulse of Climate Change. of the Gulf of Mexico. Credit BOEM. facebook.com/AmericanGeophysicalUnion @AGU_Eos linkedin.com/company/american-geophysical-union youtube.com/user/AGUvideos 2 // Eos August 2017 NEWS Innovative Postage Stamp Celebrates Upcoming Total Solar Eclipse he total solar eclipse pictured on a ative director of Studio A in Alexandria, Va., postage stamp released 20 June is a who designed this stamp. T remarkably good representation of “I believe a primary experience of a solar what hordes of eclipse watchers will see with eclipse is the rapid transition from daylight their own eyes this month. So says astro- to darkness to daylight again,” Alcalá told physicist Fred Espenak, who snapped the Eos. “Having seen thermochromic printing a photos of the Sun and the Moon featured on few times in the past, I thought this tech- the new stamp. nique might be suitable for conveying this The new stamp from the U.S. Postal Service general idea.” (USPS) commemorates the 21 August total Contributing as well to the visual impact of solar eclipse that will be viewable, weather these stamps, the postal service is printing permitting, along about a 110-kilometer- them in a four-color process. This printing wide “path of totality” across the country method achieves a richer black because less from Oregon to South Carolina. This is the light reflects from the sheet of paper and first time since 1979 that a total solar eclipse allows for a greater range of tonality, Alcalá will be visible on the U.S. mainland. The explained. postal service rolled out the 49-cent Forever The reverse side of each pane of 16 of the stamp, always worth the 1-ounce price for new stamps shows a map of the United States first-class mail, on the cusp of the 2017 sum- crossed by the path of totality and gives the mer solstice. times of the total solar eclipse at each loca- To create the extraordinary stamp, its tion specified on the map, from Salem, Ore., designer used a composite image provided by to Charleston, S.C. Espenak of an earlier eclipse. Espenak’s USPS issued a much more traditional image digitally stitched together 22 separate eclipse stamp in 2000. Other countries also photographs that he took of a 2006 total solar have issued eclipse stamps in the past, eclipse in Libya. Combining exposures taken including Mexico, Zimbabwe, and Libya. at different camera shutter speeds and fine- tuning and filtering them on a computer Reaching Millions of People brought out details of the solar atmosphere Espenak told Eos that, sure, he’s thrilled that otherwise would not be visible on a about his images being used on the stamp, stamp, according to Espenak, an eclipse but he’s also excited to inform and educate expert, astrophysicist, and photographer. millions of people about an astronomical Espenak, who maintains NASA’s official phenomenon. A solar eclipse is “one of the eclipse website, has been dubbed by some as most spectacular ways” to reach out to the “Mr. Eclipse.” Pictured above are two views of a new stamp that when public and get them interested in science and The image that resulted from those sophis- warmed by a person’s finger, switches from showing the technology, he said. ticated techniques shows exceptionally fine black disk of the Moon’s silhouette covering the Sun to “The United States in particular is suffer- gradations of light and dark, so it comes close an illuminated view of the Moon in place of the black ing from severe science illiteracy right now,” to representing what the Sun’s corona looks disk. A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon comes Espenak said. “It’s heartbreaking seeing the like to the naked eye, explained Espenak, who between the Sun and viewers on Earth, briefly blocking way the leadership in this country is taking us retired from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight out the observers’ view of the disk of the Sun.