VOL. 96 • NO. 19 • 15 OCT 2015 A Civil War–Era Painting of the Aurora Borealis What Darkens the Greenland Ice Sheet? Earth & Space Science News Dunes’ Importance on Planetary Surfaces DRONES TAKE EARTH MONITORING TO NEW HEIGHTS Thank You to Our 2015 Supporters Circle Donors* The leadership of AGU would like to thank all individuals who have made contributions of $100–$249 to AGU in 2015. Without your support many of AGU’s scholarships, grants, and other programs would not be possible. Lucy H. Adams Timothy H. Dixon Shijun Jiang Robyn M. Millan Ruth M. Skoug Thomas C. Adang James Francis Dolan Keith W. Jones Gretchen R. Miller Olav Slaymaker Jay James Ague James A. Doutt Donna M. Jurdy Ron L. Miller Rudy L. Slingerland M Joan Alexander Laurie Schuur Duncan Hiroo Kanamori Eberhard Moebius David Miles Smith Robert J. Alexander Elizabeth E. Ebert David M. Karl David W. Mogk Roger W. Smith Michael F. Allen Cynthia J. Ebinger Garry D. Karner Luisa T. Molina Joseph R. Smyth Donald E. 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Singer 15 September 2015 To make a contribution to AGU, please visit the website at giving.agu.org or contact Claire Howard, Development Coordinator, at [email protected] or (202) 777-7434. Earth & Space Science News Contents 15 OCTOBER 2015 PROJECT UPDATE VOLUME 96, ISSUE 19 12 Aurora Painting Pays Tribute to Civil War’s End Frederic Edwin Church’s 1865 arctic landscape, Aurora Borealis, is a beautiful depiction of nature. It might also be a memorial reflection on the end of the war. OPINION 5 What Darkens the Greenland Ice Sheet? Limited observational data sets and incomplete surface energy balance models constrain understanding of the driving 8 processes for Greenland’s ice sheet. COVER RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT Drone Squadron to Take Earth Monitoring Simulating a Warmer, to New Heights 24 Drier Arctic Field experiments examine the effect of Drones can be a potentially transformative scientific tool, but rising temperatures and drying soils on operating them comes with numerous challenges. carbon dynamics in the Arctic. 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., USA; [email protected] José D. Fuentes David Halpern Department of Meteorology, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pennsylvania State Pasadena, Calif., USA; University, University davidhalpern29@gmail Park, Pa., USA; .com [email protected] Editorial Advisory Board M. Lee Allison, Earth and Space Xin-Zhong Liang, Global Science Informatics Environmental Change Lora S. Armstrong, Volcanology, Jian Lin, Tectonophysics Geochemistry, and Petrology Figen Mekik, Paleoceanography Michael A. Ellis, Earth and Planetary and Paleoclimatology Surface Processes Jerry L. Miller, Ocean Sciences Arlene M. Fiore, Atmospheric Sciences Michael A. Mischna, Planetary 17 Nicola J. Fox, Space Physics Sciences and Aeronomy Thomas H. Painter, Cryosphere Steve Frolking, Biogeosciences Sciences Edward J. Garnero, Study of the Roger A. Pielke Sr., Natural Hazards Earth’s Deep Interior Michael Poland, Geodesy 17–21 AGU News Michael N. Gooseff, Hydrology Eric M. Riggs, Education Riding a “Roller Coaster” at National Kristine C. Harper, History Adrian Tuck, Nonlinear Geophysics of Geophysics Sergio Vinciguerra, Mineral Geographic; AGU Sections and Focus Keith D. Koper, Seismology and Rock Physics Groups Announce 2015 Awardees. Robert E. Kopp, Geomagnetism Earle Williams, Atmospheric and Paleomagnetism and Space Electricity John W. Lane, Near-Surface Mary Lou Zoback, Societal Impacts 23–24 Research Spotlight Geophysics and Policy Sciences Staff Simulating a Warmer, Drier Arctic; Production: Faith A. Ishii, Production Manager; Melissa A. Tribur, Senior Production Predicting Space Weather on a Specialist; Liz Castenson, Editor’s Assistant; Yael Fitzpatrick, Manager, Design and Satellite Superhighway; Cool Branding; Valerie Bassett and Travis Frazier, Electronic Graphics Specialists Downdrafts in Large Thunderstorms Editorial: Peter L. Weiss, Manager/Senior News Editor; Mohi Kumar, Scientific Content Editor; Randy Showstack, Senior News Writer; JoAnna Wendel, Writer Captured by Satellite. 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