Tracking Cyclones Through Lightning Did Algae Prompt a Mass Extinction? Disney Princesses As Earth Scientists
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VOL. 99 NO. 9 SEP 2018 Tracking Cyclones Through Lightning Did Algae Prompt a Mass Extinction? Earth & Space Science News Disney Princesses as Earth Scientists AGU Narratives: The Stories of Earth and Space Science The moment you knew you wanted to be a scientist. The moment you recognized how much science can benefit humanity. The greatest challenge you’ve overcome in your career. The greatest challenge you hope to overcome through your research. There are countless stories, including your own, that can show the world just how valuable Earth and space science is and inspire future generations of scientists for the next 100 years of discoveries and solutions. Be a part of AGU’s Centennial community and learn how to share your story today. centennial.agu.org Earth & Space Science News Contents SEPTEMBER 2018 PROJECT UPDATE VOLUME 99, ISSUE 9 18 Connecting Students and Mentors Through Local Research Hubs An online database can help connect prospective student researchers with university faculty members and collaborative projects that need their help. Could this model work at your university? PROJECT UPDATE 30 Monitoring Tropical Cyclones with Lightning and Satellite Data A new storm-following tool continually watches for lightning over the open ocean. Combined with satellite microwave data, the new real-time observations will improve forecasts of tropical cyclones. 24 OPINION Avoiding the Guise COVER 14 of an Anonymous Review Anonymous review of scientific manuscripts was intended to encourage Making Maps on a Micrometer Scale reviewers to speak freely, but other models Geographic information system software, created for mapping cities and continents, may be better for accountability and works equally well with the minuscule layers and inclusions that record a crystal’s history. inclusivity. 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 7 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 3–11 News 37–42 AGU News Earth’s Deep Interior Change Michael N. Gooseff , Hydrology Eric M. Riggs, Education Tiny Algae May Have Prompted a Every Vote Counts: Final Slate for Brian C. Gunter, Geodesy Adrian Tuck, Nonlinear Geophysics Mass Extinction; What Can NASA 2018 AGU Elections; AGU Launches Kristine C. Harper, History of Geophysics Sergio Vinciguerra, Mineral Do to Better Centennial Celebration; Eos. org Sarah M. Hörst, Planetary Sciences and Rock Physics Susan E. Hough, Natural Hazards Andrew C. Wilcox, Earth and Planetary Protect the Wins First Prize for Editorial Emily R. Johnson, Volcanology, Surface Processes Planets It Excellence; 2018 AGU Section Geochemistry, and Petrology Earle Williams, Atmospheric Probes?; New Awardees and Named Lecturers. Keith D. Koper, Seismology and Space Electricity Robert E. Kopp, Geomagnetism Mary Lou Zoback, Societal Impacts EPA Head Says and Paleomagnetism and Policy Sciences His Priorities 43–46 Research Spotlight S t a ff Include Production and Design: Faith A. Ishii, Production Manager; Melissa A. Tribur, Senior Regulatory A Near- Real- Time Tool to Production Specialist; Beth Bagley, Manager, Design and Branding; Travis Frazier and Relief; Heat Characterize Global Landslide Valerie Friedman, Senior Graphic Designers Waves, More Hazards; Studying Soil from a New Editorial: Mohi Kumar, Interim Senior News Editor; Peter L. Weiss, Interim Manager/ Perspective; A Novel Way to Map Features and Special Projects Editor; Randy Showstack, Senior News Writer; Than Coral Death, May Cause Fish Kimberly M. S. 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Permission is also granted to use Phosphorus. short quotes, fi gures, and tables for publication in scientifi c books and journals. For permission for any other uses, contact the AGU Publications Offi ce. 47–52 Positions Available Eos (ISSN 0096-3941) is published monthly by AGU, 2000 Florida Ave., NW, 12–13 Meeting Report Washington, DC 20009, USA. Periodical Class postage paid at Washington, D. C., Exploring the Interplay Between 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. Ocean Eddies and the Atmosphere; and space sciences. Member Service Center: 8:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. Eastern time; Tel: +1-202-462-6900; Geoscientists Collaborate to Fax: +1-202-328-0566; Tel. orders in U.S.: 1-800-966-2481; Email: [email protected]. Understand Silicic Magma Inside Back Cover: Use AGU’s Geophysical Electronic Manuscript Submissions system Systems. 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 Students traverse through rice positions of AGU unless expressly stated. 14–15 Opinion paddies in Bali, Indonesia. Christine W. McEntee, Executive Director/CEO Avoiding the Guise of an Anonymous Review. On the Cover GIS software can help map chemical 16–17 GeoFIZZ features in samples like this tiny If Disney Princesses Were Earth and ammonite, which spans about two Environmental Scientists…. tenths of a centimeter in diameter. AmericanGeophysicalUnion @AGU_Eos company/american-geophysical-union AGUvideos americangeophysicalunion americangeophysicalunion 2 // Eos September 2018 NEWS If the algae that rose to prominence were Tiny Algae May Have Prompted at least twice as large as their cyanobacterial counterparts, the population shift could have a Mass Extinction triggered rapid cooling, explained Ann Pear- son, an environmental scientist at Harvard University and one of the study’s coauthors. That’s because according to particle settling ore than three quarters of all marine contained compounds derived from chloro- rates described by Stokes’s law, more mas- life died off about half a billion years phyll. sive algae sink more rapidly through water Mago. At least that’s what the rocks say. Analysis showed that the ratios of isotopes than smaller, lighter cyanobacteria. Because Below a certain depth in the stratigraphic of nitrogen in these compounds matched of those different sinking rates, carbon would record, trilobites, corals, and brachiopods are those found in modern-day algae. Thus, the have been pulled into the deep ocean nearly found in abundance. Above it, many types of researchers proposed that the presence of 4 times faster than it was when cyanobacte- these organisms are missing. What could these compounds means that they were cre- ria dominated the oceans, the researchers have caused 85% of marine species—at a time ated by ancient algae, which died and sank to estimated. when life largely existed only in the oceans— the seafloor to create the sediments. The team wasn’t able to precisely calculate to perish? As the researchers analyzed samples from how much larger the ancient algae were com- New research offers an unlikely linchpin in younger rocks, they found a trend: The sedi- pared with cyanobacteria, however. “We can- this vast die-off: tiny algae. Around the time ments appeared to contain more and more not say directly what the sizes were, only how of this extinction event, algae much relative change would populations were rising have been sufficient to make ocean- wide. When these a difference,” Pearson told abundant organisms lived, Eos. they soaked up atmospheric carbon and stored it in their Rapid Cooling tissues. But when they died, The hypothesized rapid car- they may have sunk quickly bon sequestration would through the water column, have, in turn, rapidly pulled scientists have proposed, carbon from the ocean- rapidly sequestering carbon in atmosphere system and the depths of the ocean as trapped it on the seafloor. If more