Latest news with #Lamont-DohertyEarthObservatory
13-05-2025
- Science
Why too much carbon dioxide harms the planet
Carbon dioxide may be a naturally occurring substance on Earth, but too much of its presence has contributed to global warming, climate scientists say. Carbon dioxide, known by the chemical formula CO2, is a gas produced by various natural processes, including respiration in animals and plants, volcanic eruptions, wildfires and the decay of organic matter. But human activity since the 1800s, namely the use of fossil fuels for energy, is overwhelming the planet's natural carbon sinks, such as oceans and forests. Therefore, the heat-trapping gas causes global temperatures to rise as more of it accumulates in the Earth's atmosphere. "CO2 is rising right now because of the emissions that we're putting into the atmosphere, and it's rising very rapidly," Bärbel Hönisch, professor of earth and environmental sciences at the Columbia Climate School's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, told ABC News. "And carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas, and so it heats the atmosphere." But the invisible gas is also critical for life on Earth. Plants breathe it in, and humans breathe it out. The goal of climate mitigation isn't to remove CO2 from the atmosphere completely, but to even out the unnatural surplus instead, said ABC News Chief Meteorologist and Chief Climate Correspondent Ginger Zee. "We want to get back to the natural amount of CO2," Zee said. The consequences of extra CO2 in the atmosphere extends beyond the climate itself. As excess greenhouse gases heat the planet, the ocean becomes more acidic, impacting marine life, Hönisch said. In addition, climate change is fueling rapid growth of certain types of algae, further collapsing ecosystems, Hönisch added. "Climate is a combination of different components that must be just right for life to exist on our planet," she said. Humans have injected more than 1.5 trillion tons of CO2 into the atmosphere since the Industrial Revolution, when the use of fossils fuels began to skyrocket, according to the Global Carbon Budget. Historical levels of climate change are determined by a number of processes. Samples of ice, lake and seafloor cores indicate how much carbon dioxide existed at different periods on the planet. In addition, more than six decades of CO2 measurements have been taken at the Mau Loa Observatory on Hawaii's Big Island, home to the largest active volcano in the world. The Keeling Curve, a graph that plots concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere over time, uses measurements taken at Mau Loa Observatory, starting in 1958. In 2024, CO2 levels in Earth's atmosphere reached the highest ever recorded, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Curbing the emissions of greenhouse gases from fossil fuel use is key for limiting the impacts of a warming world, such as more frequent and intense extreme weather events and rising sea levels, climate scientists say.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Why too much carbon dioxide harms the planet
Carbon dioxide may be a naturally occurring substance on Earth, but too much of its presence has contributed to global warming, climate scientists say. Carbon dioxide, known by the chemical formula CO2, is a gas produced by various natural processes, including respiration in animals and plants, volcanic eruptions, wildfires and the decay of organic matter. MORE: Do plastic bag bans work? Here's what the science says. But human activity since the 1800s, namely the use of fossil fuels for energy, is overwhelming the planet's natural carbon sinks, such as oceans and forests. Therefore, the heat-trapping gas causes global temperatures to rise as more of it accumulates in the Earth's atmosphere. "CO2 is rising right now because of the emissions that we're putting into the atmosphere, and it's rising very rapidly," Bärbel Hönisch, professor of earth and environmental sciences at the Columbia Climate School's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, told ABC News. "And carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas, and so it heats the atmosphere." But the invisible gas is also critical for life on Earth. Plants breathe it in, and humans breathe it out. MORE: New Biomass satellite will provide an unprecedented look at the planet's forests The goal of climate mitigation isn't to remove CO2 from the atmosphere completely, but to even out the unnatural surplus instead, said ABC News Chief Meteorologist and Chief Climate Correspondent Ginger Zee. "We want to get back to the natural amount of CO2," Zee said. The consequences of extra CO2 in the atmosphere extends beyond the climate itself. As excess greenhouse gases heat the planet, the ocean becomes more acidic, impacting marine life, Hönisch said. In addition, climate change is fueling rapid growth of certain types of algae, further collapsing ecosystems, Hönisch added. "Climate is a combination of different components that must be just right for life to exist on our planet," she said. MORE: How rock dust is used to fertilize farms, clean the air Humans have injected more than 1.5 trillion tons of CO2 into the atmosphere since the Industrial Revolution, when the use of fossils fuels began to skyrocket, according to the Global Carbon Budget. Historical levels of climate change are determined by a number of processes. Samples of ice, lake and seafloor cores indicate how much carbon dioxide existed at different periods on the planet. In addition, more than six decades of CO2 measurements have been taken at the Mau Loa Observatory on Hawaii's Big Island, home to the largest active volcano in the world. The Keeling Curve, a graph that plots concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere over time, uses measurements taken at Mau Loa Observatory, starting in 1958. In 2024, CO2 levels in Earth's atmosphere reached the highest ever recorded, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. MORE: Researchers find new way to store carbon dioxide absorbed by plants at the bottom of the Black Sea Curbing the emissions of greenhouse gases from fossil fuel use is key for limiting the impacts of a warming world, such as more frequent and intense extreme weather events and rising sea levels, climate scientists say. Why too much carbon dioxide harms the planet originally appeared on
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Nashville among U.S. cities sinking due to this invisible threat, study says
Nashville is... sinking? That's what a new study from the British journal Nature Cities reported on May 8. Nashville, along with 27 other cities around the United States. In every city studied, at least 20% of the urban area is sinking. Plus, in 25 of the 28 cities studied, at least 65% is sinking. The reason behind the sinking ground is called subsidence, an often invisible threat that exists most often when water, oil, natural gas, or mineral resources are removed from the ground by pumping, fracking, or mining activities. Subsidence can also be caused by natural events like earthquakes, sinkholes, erosion, soil compaction and more, according to the National Ocean Association. Most often, extracting groundwater can be the most common reason for subsidence. The gradual subsidence may impact the structural integrity of buildings, roads, bridges and dams, according to the study. "One of the most harmful yet less visible effects of urban land subsidence is the potential damage to buildings, foundations and infrastructure, primarily caused by differential land motion," the study said. Generally, according to a statement from the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory — one of the study's authors, it happens as water is withdrawn from aquifers made up of fine-grained sediments; unless the aquifer is replenished, the pore spaces formerly occupied by water can eventually collapse, leading to compaction below, and sinkage at the surface. Nashville, along with New York, Indianapolis, Chicago, Philadelphia, Denver and Portland, is among the cities subsiding at a rate of 1 to 3 millimeters per year due to both human-derived and natural forces. "In particular, the weight of the towering ice sheet that occupied much of interior North America until about 20,000 years ago made the land along its edges bulge upward, somewhat like when one squeezes air from one part of a balloon to another," said the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. The fastest sinking city is Houston, the study uncovered. Houston saw more than 40% of its area dropping more than 5 millimeters (about 1/5 inch) per year, and 12% sinking at twice that rate. No. In fact, Memphis is one of three cities identified in the study that appears to have a small uplift of around 0.1 millimeters. This doesn't mean that the city is rising per se, but more of an indication of its current stability, study lead author Leonard Ohenhen of the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory told USA TODAY. San Jose and Jacksonville are the other two U.S. cities that were uplifted, marked by light green dots on the map. Knoxville was not included in the study. Only the most populous 28 U.S. cities were included in the British journal Nature Cities' published study of land subsidence risk. Subsidence is not something that can be immediately reversed, however, the study does recommend ways to minimize the impacts on affected cities. The study highlighted the importance of monitoring land subsidence as a part of urban planning to prevent worsening infrastructure risks. "Regardless of the pathway a city chooses, any effective mitigation and adaptation effort must be targeted to the dominant subsidence driver in each city, proportional to local vulnerabilities, and incorporate a multifaceted approach," the study said. Techniques like groundwater management and long-term monitoring frameworks are a key way to combat land subsidence. USA TODAY reporter Doyle Rice contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville among U.S. cities sinking, according to new study
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Oklahoma City is sinking. Here's why, and what other US cities are sinking
A new study raised concerns for the 28 most populous cities in the United States, most of which are sinking a small amount each year. Known scientifically as land "subsidence," the most common cause of the sinking is "massive ongoing groundwater extraction," say the study authors, though other forces are at work in some places. The cities include not just those on the coasts, where sea level rise is a concern, but many in the interior. The study was published May 8 in the British journal Nature Cities. In every city studied, at least 20% of the urban area is sinking – and in 25 of 28 cities, at least 65% is sinking. It's a unique study: "This is the first high-resolution, satellite-based measurement of land subsidence across the 28 most populous U.S. cities, and for several of these cities, it is the first time we have such detailed insights," study lead author Leonard Ohenhen of the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory told USA TODAY on May 7. Oklahoma City, the nation's 20th most populated city, is among those observed in the study. Here's what we know. Subsidence is often called an 'invisible threat' because it can go unnoticed for long periods, Ohenhen said. "Here, (in the study), we are making it less invisible." When land shifts downward, even just a little bit, the structural integrity of buildings, roads, bridges, and dams can be profoundly impacted, said Ohenhen, a geosciences graduate student. He told USA TODAY that "some early warning signs (of subsidence) that are often overlooked include: Cracks in walls, foundations, or around windows and doors, uneven or sloping floors; doors and windows that no longer close properly, warped roads or buckling pavement, tilting fences or utility poles, and fire hydrants sticking out more than they once did." Generally, according to a statement from Lamont-Doherty, it happens as water is withdrawn from aquifers made up of fine-grained sediments; unless the aquifer is replenished, the pore spaces formerly occupied by water can eventually collapse, leading to compaction below, and sinkage at the surface. However, the problem can also be exacerbated by pumping of oil and gas, the study says. Oklahoma City is sinking between 1 and 2 millimeters per year, according to the study. The most significant instances of subsidence is happening east of Interstate 35, spreading to both far southeast and far northeast OKC. In these areas, the land is sinking anywhere from 1 millimeter per year to 4 millimeters per year. This number gets up to 6 millimeters per year along the North Canadian River. The concentration of oil wells in northeast Oklahoma City — visible on the Oklahoma Corporation Commission's Well Data Finder — could be one explanation, but a similar density of oil wells in central and south Oklahoma City doesn't appear to have a sinking effect. "A lot of small changes will build up over time, magnifying weak spots within urban systems and heighten flood risks," said Ohenhen. "This subsidence can produce stresses on infrastructure that will go past their safety limit," he added. Right now, the risk to Oklahoma City's infrastructure from land subsidence is low, and in some areas medium, according to the study. The researchers say that continued population growth and water usage combined with climate-induced droughts in some areas will likely worsen subsidence in the future. 'As opposed to just saying it's a problem, we can respond, address, mitigate, adapt,' said Ohenhen. 'We have to move to solutions.' The study looked at the 28 most populous cities in the United States, with all but three cities (San Jose, Memphis, and Jacksonville) sinking on average overall. Of the 28, 11 cities are coastal (or near major rivers and heavily influenced by tides and sea-level-rise): New York, Los Angeles, Houston, Philadelphia, San Diego, Jacksonville, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington, DC, Boston and Portland. Nine cities are riparian (close to major rivers): San Antonio, Austin, Columbus, Ohio, Indianapolis, Nashville, El Paso, Detroit, and Memphis. Nine cities are inland: Chicago, Phoenix, Dallas, San Jose, Fort Worth, Charlotte, Denver, Oklahoma City and Las Vegas. The nation's fastest-sinking city is Houston, with more than 40% of its area dropping more than 5 millimeters (about 1/5 inch) per year, and 12% sinking at twice that rate. Some localized spots are going down as much as 5 centimeters (2 inches) per year, according to the study. Two other Texas cities, Fort Worth and Dallas, are not far behind. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Map: Which US cities are sinking the most each year, and why?
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Fastest sinking city in the US is revealed in new study and it's not in Florida
A new study reveals that one major U.S. city is sinking faster than any other—and it's not in the Sunshine State. Researchers from the Columbia Climate School's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory published their findings in the Nature Cities journal on Thursday. The study focused on the 28 most populous cities across the country, each home to more than 600,000 Americans. Recent satellite data was used to monitor land movement down to the millimeter. In a staggering twist, the study's authors found that in 25 of the cities, two-thirds or more of their land was sinking. All of the 28 cities experienced some degree of land subsidence. One city had sunk lower than any other: Houston. According to the study, approximately 40 percent of Houston's area subsided more than five millimeters per year, and about 12 percent was sinking at double that rate. Some localized spots were found to be sinking as much as 50 millimeters per year. Other major Texas cities were also found to be sagging deeper into the earth. Dallas and Fort Worth were found to be experiencing subsidence at rates above three millimeters per year in 70 percent of their total areas. Ten percent of the area in Chicago and New York City was also found to be sinking at a rate of three millimeters per year. Researchers said about 34 million people—about 10 percent of the U.S. population—are in the subsidence zones. More than 29,000 buildings in the cities analyzed were found to be at very high risk of damage. Factors such as groundwater pumping and oil extraction are causing land to cave in on itself, which poses an infrastructure risk in major urban areas. Researchers noted that buildings can be 'silently' compromised over time, with damage only potentially noticeable when it is 'catastrophic. " 'Unlike flood-related subsidence hazards, where risks manifest only when high rates of subsidence lower the land elevation below a critical threshold, subsidence-induced infrastructure damage can occur even with minor changes in land motion,' the study's authors write. The study said that the extraction of groundwater is likely the cause of subsidence in Houston, the worst-impacted city. As cities continue to expand, populations increase, and climate change worsens, areas are likely to continue sinking. Droughts, for example, can dry out soil in cities like Houston, leading to further groundwater extraction, continuing the cycle. A separate 2023 study found that New York City is gradually sinking partly because of the weight of its skyscrapers. Meanwhile, Galveston, Texas, is experiencing rapidly rising sea levels, outpacing other coastal cities such as Miami, Florida, and Charleston, South Carolina. New Orleans, Louisiana, is rapidly subsiding at up to 50 millimeters per year. The coastal metropolis is built on soft, marshy land.
