Sunalei’s Post

In Part II of my series relating variable Walker Circulation in the Pacific with the Tropospheric CO2 Growth Rate (TGR) (https://lnkd.in/div65fBZ), I invoked the paleorecord showing mid-ocean ridge spreading rates peak during the termination phase of recent glacial maximum periods. Here is an example of such evidence as presented by Maya Tolstoy using sea bottom bathymetry data from the South East Pacific Rise (SEPR). Tolstoy proposes gravitational tidal forcings as the underlying physical mechansim behind variable seismicity along mid-ocean ridges, and shows a strong correlation to orbital eccentricity periodicity at a 100k year basis. Those who are advancing this hypothesis of variable tectonic activity and changes in the Earth`s orbital environment are advocating for a step change in the model for the Carbon Cycle to include geochemical exchange between the Lithosphere, Ocean and Atmosphere. Tolstoy highlights that this mechanism is even observed at much higher frequencies during the Seasonal Cycle and Neap Tides, where tidal forces are peaking. This suggests that there are complex harmonics at work between high and low modes of gravitational tidal forces, which acts to modulate seismic activity and hydrothermal activity along deep ocean ridges. Publication: https://lnkd.in/gH4AJCXz #geology #geophysics #chemistry #physics #earthobservation #earthscience #oceanscience #climatescience #science #sciencenews #scienceeducation #environmentalscience #oilandgas #oilandgasexploration #albertaenergy #canadianenergy

Evidence of rain on Earth 500 million years before previously thought. Researchers led by Hamed Gamaleldien from Curtin University in Australia, have found evidence of the existence of rain on the Earth’s surface around 4000 million years ago, 500 million years earlier than previously thought. The team analyzed the oxygen isotopes in Hadean zircon crystals, and deduced the composition of the magma from which the crystals formed. The abundance of light isotopes pointed to a formation in an environment with meteoric, fallen from the sky, water. This would challenge the current theory that Earth was completely covered by oceans 4000 million years ago. The findings have been published in Nature Geoscience (3 June, 2024). https://lnkd.in/dnTUJWQc #physics #physicsnews #geophysics #earth #water #oxygen #zircon #hadeanzircon

While I am not a fan of concensus politics in the practice of science, I am still pleased to see that the International Commission of Stratigraphy (ICS) voted 12 to 4 in favor of rejecting the idea of a new geological epoch starting in 1950 that some want to be called The Anthropocene. The supporting evidence of The Anthropocene was trace plutonium found in remote locations coinciding with nuclear weapons testing of the 1950s to 1970s. Traditionally, the ICS assigns new designations to geological epochs based on extensive coroborating evidence that a global transition occurred of immense consequence. Cases in point are the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) mass extinction event coinciding with the globally coherent Iridium layer.(https://lnkd.in/dFXMmZRw) and the large oxygen-18 isotope variation coinciding with the 4200 ka global desertification event that the ICS voted marks the beginning of the current sub-epoch of the Holocene called The Meghalayan Neoglacial. The modern era has seen no such similar geological event to justify renaming the neoglacial phase of the Holocene. https://lnkd.in/df8zsE6Y #geology #geophysics #geophysicist #chemistry #archeology #earthscience #sciencenews #scienceeducation #climatescience

Scientists suspect that mysterious blobs deep inside the Earth, formed from a colossal collision with a Mars-like object billions of years ago, may have spurred the development of plate tectonics and ultimately played a role in the formation of life. A recent study published in Geophysical Research Letters delves into these hypotheses, linking the ancient collision to modern geological processes and offering insights into Earth's early history. https://lnkd.in/gbR4AEB7 #seismic #earthquake #texas #propertymanager

"I study earthquakes and the geological structures in which they occur—faults. Faults are cracks in the ground where energy is released during earthquakes. The three-dimensional structure of a fault directly controls the type of earthquakes that occur on it as well as the way those earthquakes shake the ground. Understanding these motions and the location, size, and interconnectedness of fault systems is a critical part of preparing for seismic activity. Faults can be cryptic targets of study because they act on geologic time scales. It can take hundreds of years for enough energy to build up and be released in a large earthquake. In some cases, we’ve built entire cities on top of active faults without knowing much about them. We can underestimate how large a fault is or if faults connect with each other below the earth’s surface—or we might not even know a fault exists." Natasha Toghramadjian is a PhD student in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Harvard Griffin GSAS. She discusses her research modeling active fault systems that have the potential to cause devastating earthquakes, how she uses an unlikely data source to further scientific research, and how her experience with the Harvard Catholic community has been a mainstay in her life in graduate school.

Beneath the Surface: How Deformation Imaging Transforms Geology! 🌎 The University of Texas at Austin researchers have developed a groundbreaking technique called "deformation imaging"! 👩💻 That allows us to explore earthquakes and geophysical processes In unprecedented detail. 📱 This method provides direct insights into Earth’s crust and mantle rigidity, which is crucial for understanding large-scale geological processes. 🌋🔍 Using GPS data from Japan’s 2011 Tōhoku earthquake, scientists have created a 3D picture of the Earth’s interior, revealing tectonic plates and volcanic systems like never before. 📡 This innovation could lead to more comprehensive models of earthquakes and better predictions of geological hazards. 🌐📡 #EarthquakeScience #Geophysics #Innovation #DeformationImaging #EarthScience #Geology #Research #Technology #UTAustin

📢 Call for Abstracts: SGI – SIMP National Meeting (Bari, Italy | 3-5 September 2024) Are you studying fault zones and their behavior and evolution in the field or in the lap? We invite abstract submissions to our session focused on exploring earthquake faulting through different approaches 🌍 Topics of Interest: • Structural geology • Seismology • Geophysics • Petrology • Rupture modeling • Experimental rock deformation 🔍 We welcome novel observations or innovative approaches to the study of earthquake mechanics. Early career scientists are encouraged to contribute! ⚠️ Submission deadline: 26 April 2024 Session description: https://lnkd.in/e9T7bDnn Grants for early career scientists (students, PhD students, PostDoc fellows): https://lnkd.in/evJ7X4uQ #SocietàGeologicaItaliana #SGI #SIMP #faults #earthquake #faulting #geology #geosciences

🌍 The Collision of Continental Plates: A Deep Dive into the Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau 🌄 Researchers are uncovering new insights into the monumental collisions between continental plates beneath the Earth's surface, leading to the formation of iconic structures like the Himalayan Mountains and Tibetan Plateau. 🔬🗻 A team of experts, including Stanford University's geophysics professor Simon Klemperer, has been investigating the tectonic activities between the Indian and Asian boundaries. Over a decade of research on 225 geothermal springs has unveiled fascinating discoveries about plate dynamics. 🌡️🌋 Using helium isotope analysis, the researchers tracked hot mantle movements from the Asian plate and a colder plate from the Indian side, revealing a well-defined boundary. This discovery could transform our understanding of tectonic plate behavior and the forces driving these colossal movements. 🧪🛰️ The findings suggest the need for further exploration to grasp the processes behind these continental clashes, contributing to theories of mountain building, earthquake triggers, and volcanic eruptions. 🌏⛏️ As the research progresses, geologists like Klemperer aim to connect the dots between the converging plates, giving us a clearer picture of what shapes our world's surface. 🌍✨ #Geophysics #PlateTectonics #Himalayas #TibetanPlateau #GeothermalResearch #EarthScience #MountainBuilding #Geology #ClimateScience #Stanford #ResearchInnovation