The Kepler Revolution Observations and Satellite Inferences of the Kepler Space Telescope Will Soon Run out of Fuel and End Its Mission
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VOL. 99 • NO. 10 • OCT 2018 Models That Forecast Wildfires Recording the Roar of a Hurricane Earth & Space Science News How Much Snow Is in the World? The Honors and Recognition Committee is pleased to announce the recipients of this year’s Union Medals, Awards, and Prizes honors.agu.org Earth & Space Science News Contents OCTOBER 2018 PROJECT UPDATE VOLUME 99, ISSUE 10 20 Seismic Sensors Record a Hurricane’s Roar Newly installed infrasound sensors at a Global Seismographic Network station on Puerto Rico recorded the sounds of Hurricane Maria passing overhead. PROJECT UPDATE 26 How Can We Find Out How Much Snow Is in the World? In Colorado forests, NASA scientists and a multinational team of researchers test the limits of satellite remote sensing for measuring the water content of snow. 30 OPINION Global Water Clarity: COVER 14 Continuing a Century- Long Monitoring An approach that combines field The Kepler Revolution observations and satellite inferences of The Kepler Space Telescope will soon run out of fuel and end its mission. Here are nine Secchi depth could transform how we assess fundamental discoveries about planets aided by Kepler, one for each year since its water clarity across the globe and pinpoint launch. key changes over the past century. Earth & Space Science News Eos.org // 1 Contents DEPARTMENTS Senior Vice President, Marketing, Communications, and Digital Media Dana Davis Rehm: AGU, Washington, D. C., USA; [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 John W. Lane, Near-Surface Geophysics Nicola J. Fox, Space Physics Jian Lin, Tectonophysics and Aeronomy Figen Mekik, Paleoceanography Peter Fox, Earth and Space Science and Paleoclimatology Informatics Jerry L. Miller, Ocean Sciences Steve Frolking, Biogeosciences Thomas H. Painter, Cryosphere Sciences Edward J. Garnero, Study of the Philip J. Rasch, Global Environmental 39 Earth’s Deep Interior Change Michael N. Goose , Hydrology Eric M. Riggs, Education Brian C. Gunter, Geodesy Adrian Tuck, Nonlinear Geophysics Kristine C. Harper, History of Geophysics Sergio Vinciguerra, Mineral 3–11 News 37–38 AGU News Sarah M. Hörst, Planetary Sciences and Rock Physics Susan E. Hough, Natural Hazards Andrew C. Wilcox, Earth and Planetary Hail Causes the Most Storm 2018 Class of AGU Fellows Emily R. Johnson, Volcanology, Surface Processes Damage Costs Across North Announced; AGU Announces Geochemistry, and Petrology Earle Williams, Atmospheric America; Forecasting Models Are Education Section. Keith D. Koper, Seismology and Space Electricity Robert E. Kopp, Geomagnetism Mary Lou Zoback, Societal Impacts Changing the Way We Fight Fires; and Paleomagnetism and Policy Sciences U.S. Senate Reviews NASA’s Science 39–42 Research Spotlight S t a Priorities; Two Active Volcanoes in Production and Design: Faith A. Ishii, Production Manager; Melissa A. Tribur, Senior Japan May Share a Magma Source; Scraping Bottom: Iceberg Scours Production Specialist; Beth Bagley, Manager, Design and Branding; Travis Frazier and Just How Reveal North Atlantic Currents; Valerie Friedman, Senior Graphic Designers Anomalous A Better Way to Predict Indian Editorial: Mohi Kumar, Interim Senior News Editor; Peter L. Weiss, Interim Manager/ Monsoons; On the Origin of Features and Special Projects Editor; Randy Showstack, Senior News Writer; Is the Vast Kimberly M. S. Cartier, News Writer and Production Associate; Jenessa Duncombe, Baltic Sea Infragravity Waves; Peering News and Production Intern; Liz Castenson, Editorial and Production Coordinator Dead Zone?; Through Titan’s Haze to Better Marketing: Angelo Bouselli, Marketing Program Manager; Ashwini Yelamanchili, Trump’s Understand Its Surface; How Are Digital Marketing Coordinator Ocean Policy Sediment Pulses Generated?; Advertising: Dan Nicholas, Display Advertising, Email: [email protected]; Heather Cain, Recruitment Advertising, Email: [email protected] Order Draws Measurements of Kelvin- Ire from Helmholtz Waves in Earth’s ©2018. AGU. All Rights Reserved. Material in this issue may be photocopied by Magnetic Field. individual scientists for research or classroom use. Permission is also granted to use Conservation short quotes, fi gures, and tables for publication in scientifi c books and journals. For Groups. permission for any other uses, contact the AGU Publications Offi ce. 43–48 Positions Available Eos (ISSN 0096-3941) is published monthly by AGU, 2000 Florida Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20009, USA. Periodical Class postage paid at Washington, D. C., 12–13 Meeting Report Current job openings in the Earth and at additional mailing offi ces. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Member Service Center, 2000 Florida Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20009, USA. Training Early- Career Polar Weather and space sciences. Member Service Center: 8:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. Eastern time; Tel: +1-202-462-6900; and Climate Researchers; At- Sea Fax: +1-202-328-0566; Tel. orders in U.S.: 1-800-966-2481; Email: [email protected]. Workshop Advances Subduction Inside Back Cover: Use AGU’s Geophysical Electronic Manuscript Submissions system Zone Research. Postcards from the Field to submit a manuscript: http://eos-submit.agu.org. Views expressed in this publication do not necessarily refl ect offi cial A view from Spain’s Lagunas de positions of AGU unless expressly stated. 14–16 Opinion Ruidera, a site facing multiple Christine W. McEntee, Executive Director/CEO Global Water Clarity: Continuing a human-induced stressors. Century- Long Monitoring. On the Cover 17–18 GeoFIZZ A collage of artists’ renditions of Explore Your Inner Child by Painting exoplanets discovered by the Kepler Science with Pixels. telescope. Credit: NASA AmericanGeophysicalUnion @AGU_Eos company/american-geophysical-union AGUvideos americangeophysicalunion americangeophysicalunion 2 // Eos October 2018 NEWS Making Hail Hail Causes the Most Storm Damage The workshop occurred just a week after a severe hailstorm pelted Colorado Springs, Costs Across North America about an hour’s drive from Boulder, with hail- stones reported to be as large as softballs. The storm caused millions of dollars in property damage, injured more than a dozen people, and killed five animals in the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. Colorado and the central United States are hot spots for hailstorms, explained panelist Andreas Prein, an NCAR project scientist who studies climate modeling with a focus on severe storms. Colloquially called hail alley, the area has the right conditions for severe thunderstorms that can produce large hail- stones. A severe hailstorm needs unstable air with a strong updraft, differing wind speeds and wind directions, air that’s humid close to the ground and dry at higher altitudes, and a freezing point that’s relatively close to the ground. These conditions work together to form the largest hailstones by drawing moisture up from the ground and quickly cooling it into chunks of ice. The hailstones then circulate around and around within the storm, picking up more moisture and growing larger. Finally, the swirling hailstones have only a short dis- tance to fall back to Earth; as a result, they Gregg Cruger holds hailstones collected from a storm that damaged his family’s home in Louisville, Colo., on 18 June. don’t melt on the way down, Prein said. Cruger and his wife, Katy Human, witnessed the storm from their front porch. Credit: Helen H. Richardson/Contributor/ Denver Post/Getty Images Climate Effects Unclear Hail damage is expected to increase in com- ing years, largely driven by population growth n 18 June, Katy Human and her family insurance claims from severe storms, said Ian and suburban sprawl. Sprawl means more watched as tiny chunks of ice fell from Giammanco, lead research meteorologist at buildings and thus “bigger targets for hail- O the sky. the Insurance Institute for Business and Home storms to hit,” Giammanco said. At first, Human and her family, of Louis- Safety’s research center in Richburg, S.C. But, But humans are also thought to be influ- ville, Colo., were delighted. “Hail is cool and he said, funding for hail studies is limited, and encing hail itself, through climate change. relatively rare, so we all went out on the front the phenomenon is often treated by the public The effect, however, isn’t straightforward, porch to watch it,” she said. as a curiosity. influencing hail-forming conditions in varied However, “Over the next 10 minutes, it got “It’s the Rodney Dangerfield of perils,” he and sometimes contradictory ways, Prein bigger and bigger.” The family backed up, said of hail. “It just doesn’t get any respect.” explained. pressing against the wall of their house as For example, climate change is expected to golf- and tennis- ball- sized hailstones pum- “It’s the Rodney increase air buoyancy for strong updrafts, but meled their yard. at the same time it appears to be causing the “We have a garage, but both cars were out,” Dangerfield of perils,” he freezing level to move higher above the she said. “It went from ‘Oh, my God, isn’t this