Scientists discover hidden role of sunlight in Earth's inner workings
'Shortwave radiation variability has always attracted scientific attention,' lead scientist Jake Gristey explained. 'It has real-world applications in areas like agriculture, renewable energy, and air quality.'The study was led by Gristey from the University of Colorado's Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, in association with the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP), and NOAA's Chemical Sciences Laboratory. According to Gristey, in the new study, three examples of shortwave radiation research have 'received notable recent attention', as stated in a release by Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences.Gristey's paper highlights three key areas where shortwave radiation research is driving change. First, the study points to a major flaw in how atmospheric models simulate sunlight. Most current computer models treat radiation as if it travels only vertically in isolated columns, ignoring how it moves horizontally across the atmosphere. As models become more detailed, Gristey argues, this oversight becomes increasingly significant and calls for new research into more realistic simulations.advertisementGristey stresses that future research must account for this horizontal transport to improve climate and weather simulations.Second, the study tackles gaps in satellite data. 'Shortwave radiation reflected by Earth can change drastically throughout the day, but many satellites only measure limited parts of the day,' Gristey explains. He suggests that recent advances in small satellites and compact sensors could allow for a network of low-cost spacecraft to fill in these blind spots.The study explains that these limited satellites restrains our understanding of how shortwave radiation behaves across the full day. Gristey highlights that recent advances in small satellite technology and sensor miniaturisation offer a solution. A network of cost-effective, small satellites could fill this critical gap and provide more complete data.
The study is reshaping our understanding of Earth's systems. (Photo: Getty)
Finally, the research dives into the 'spectral structure' of shortwave radiation, its rich range of colours or wavelengths. These carry information about the Earth's surface and atmosphere that could help track changes in land use, pollution and climate. Gristey believes an upcoming wave of satellites will unlock the full potential of this spectral data.advertisementThe study says that the shortwave radiation that is sunlight is made up of a wide spectrum of wavelengths, each carrying different types of information. By studying how different wavelengths reflect off Earth's surface and atmosphere, scientists can learn about changes in land, oceans and clouds.Gristey presented these findings at the International Radiation Symposium 2024. This study is also part of a special issue of this symposium. Gristey also received the International Radiation Commission's Young Scientist Award.Trending Reel
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India Today
04-07-2025
- India Today
105 pillars of light seen over the Himalayas. We now know what they were
On the night of May 19, 2022, the skies above the southern Tibetan Plateau, near the sacred Pumoyongcuo Lake, were illuminated by a breathtaking display: 105 towering pillars of red light flickered above the amateur photographers captured the images, details of which are published in a paper in Springer Nature. The phenomenon, now confirmed as the largest outbreak of 'red sprites' ever recorded above a single South Asian thunderstorm, has finally been explained thanks to a detailed study published in Advances in Atmospheric Sciences by researchers from the University of Science and Technology of China. The lightning that caused the sprites was mostly of positive type. (Photo: Angel An and Shuchang Dong) advertisementWHAT WERE THE PILLARS OF LIGHT? Red sprites are a rare and enigmatic form of high-altitude lightning, occurring between 40 and 55 miles above the Earth, far above conventional thunderstorm typical lightning, these electrical discharges manifest as fleeting, jellyfish-shaped flashes of crimson that can sometimes be crowned with bluish that remarkable night, two Chinese astrophotographers, Angel An and Shuchang Dong, captured the full spectacle, including not only the 105 red sprites but also 16 secondary jets and at least four elusive green emissions known as 'ghost sprites'—the first such sightings in TRIGGERED THE PILLARS OF LIGHT?Scientists found that these sprites were caused by powerful lightning strikes that hit the ground from the top of strikes came from a huge thunderstorm system, called a mesoscale convective complex, which covered over 2,00,000 square kilometers from the Ganges Plain all the way to the Tibetan Plateau. The phenomenon is now confirmed as the largest outbreak of 'red sprites'. (Photo:Angel An and Shuchang Dong) The lightning that caused the sprites was mostly of positive type and had very strong peak currents, over +50 kiloamperes. These strikes happened in the flatter, widespread part of the storm, similar to what's seen in big storms over the U.S. Great Plains and parts of coastal unravel the precise origins of each sprite, the research team developed an innovative method that synchronised video frames with satellite motion and star field data, achieving timing accuracy within one allowed them to link about 70 percent of the sprites to their triggering lightning strikes, providing unprecedented insight into the coupling between thunderstorms and the upper discovery not only confirms that Himalayan thunderstorms can produce some of the world's most complex and intense upper-atmospheric electrical discharges, but also opens new avenues for studying the physical and chemical impacts of such events on regional and global atmospheric scientists and skywatchers alike, the 105 pillars of light above the Himalayas have become a landmark event in the exploration of Earth's most mysterious lightning phenomena.- Ends
The Hindu
24-06-2025
- The Hindu
Rising evaporative demand spotlights India's data and research gap
M. S. Kukal, M. Hobbins,'Thirstwaves: prolonged periods of agricultural exposure to extreme atmospheric evaporative demand for water', Earth's Future, March 20, 2025. The air itself has become more thirsty due to global warming. Quenching this thirst has meant more water is coming off the land, including from plants and trees, leaving them drier. Evaporative demand is a measure of how thirsty the atmosphere is. Meetpal Kukal of the University of Idaho and Mike Hobbins of the University of Colorado and the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration coined the term 'thirstwave' to denote three or more contiguous days of intense evaporative demand — which they recently found to be increasing over the U.S. Their research was published in Earth's Future, where they wrote: 'Not only have thirstwaves increased in severity, but the likelihood of no thirstwaves occurring during the growing season has significantly decreased.' More water leaving While heat waves are caused by particular temperature and wind patterns, a thirstwave is the product of temperature, humidity, solar radiation, and wind speed. When temperatures rise, the consequences include more heat as well as the mechanics of water exchange between land and atmosphere, which in turn alters humidity, wind, and solar radiation. 'If you are a farmer growing rice or wheat, and your crop is irrigated sufficiently, its water use on any given day will be dictated by what the atmospheric evaporative demand is on that day,' said Mr. Kukal, assistant professor of hydrologic science and water management at the University of Idaho. Evaporative demand determines the near-maximum of how much water will evaporate from a given piece of land if sufficient water is available. In a warming world, the researchers found that thirstwaves have grown more intense, are more frequent, and are lasting longer, especially in seasons when crops are grown. While previous studies examined the mean or total evaporative demand, the new one focused on extremes. A simplified measure Mr. Kukal said evaporative demand is measured using standardised short-crop evapotranspiration — defined as the amount of water a grass surface 12 cm high and which has continuous access to sufficient water and is free of any stress will use (evapotranspiration itself refers to the two processes by which water moves from land to the atmosphere: evaporation from surfaces and transpiration from plant leaves.) Mr. Kukal called standardised short-crop evapotranspiration 'a core concept that is recommended to be used in deciding how much and when to irrigate a crop', adding that it is 'a simplification of [an] otherwise very complicated process, where we are assuming the vegetation properties to be constant, so water use is only a function of weather.' An increasing standardised short-crop evapotranspiration means the ambient temperature is increasing, the humidity dropping, wind speeds picking up, and the amount of solar radiation picking up as well. Effect of humidity In a paper published in Agricultural and Forest Meteorology in 1997, Nabansu Chattopadhyay and M. Hulme had suggested that both evaporation and potential evapotranspiration — the maximum amount of water that can be evaporated from any surface — decreased in India during the 30 years before the publication of their paper. However, they added, future warming was likely to lead to more potential evapotranspiration over the country, with regional and seasonal disparities. Chattopadhyay, who worked in the agricultural meteorology division of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Pune, before his retirement, said that he and his co0author had analysed 30 years' worth of data from the IMD's network of evaporation stations and estimated potential evapotranspiration. But while warming over India should have increased evaporation, he added, their analysis found the opposite. When they rechecked the data, he said humidity had nullified the effect of rise in temperature. Using global circulation models, they also found that future temperature increases would supersede the effect of humidity and increasing evaporative demand. 'Great direction' In 2022, researchers from IIT-Roorkee, the National Institute of Hydrology (Roorkee) and institutes in France and The Netherlands, reported recent changes in evaporative demand across 100 river sub-basins in India. Their paper, published in the Journal of Cleaner Production, stated that 'the largest increase in actual evapotranspiration is found in Northern India, Western Himalayas, and several areas in Eastern Himalayas, which could be a sign of either increased vegetation or agricultural expansion.' This said, according to experts, there is essentially no data about extreme thirstwaves over India. 'The sensitivity of different crops, ecosystems, and regions to evaporative demand will likely be different, but this has not been investigated much yet. This is a great direction for future research,' Mr. Kukal said. A familiar pattern While Mr. Kukal's and Mr. Hobbins's study was the first to characterise thirstwaves in the U.S., Mr. Kukal said there is considerable scope to investigate this phenomenon in the Global South, where societies are generally more vulnerable to the consequences of climate change. As a step in this direction, Mr. Kukal is currently hosting Shailza Sharma, a PhD scholar from the National Institute of Technology, Jalandhar, to investigate thirstwave behaviour over South Asia with financial help from the Water Advanced Research and Innovation Program. They hope to publish their findings about thirstwaves in climate-vulnerable countries — with important implications for global food and water security — soon. One particularly intriguing aspect of their research is that they found that 'the worst thirstwaves happened in places that do not experience the highest [evaporative] demand.' This means there may be a need to reevaluate how governments prioritise different regions of their countries for climate change preparedness and climate mitigation, using the lens of thirstwaves. As the world warms further, tracking, measuring and reporting and sensitising farmers and water managers is of paramount importance, experts added. G.B.S.N.P. Varma is a freelance science journalist.
NDTV
19-06-2025
- NDTV
Satellite Imagery Reveals Damage At Iran's Nuclear, Military Sites
In a calculated show of force, Israel has struck deep inside Iranian territory, targeting a series of high-value nuclear and military installations. Satellite imagery analysed post-strike reveals the scope and precision of the operation. It's a move that could yet again significantly alter the strategic landscape of the ever-shifting sands of West Asia. These strikes were precise, and each location hit is tied directly to Iran's nuclear enrichment capabilities, missile production, or air defence systems. Here's a breakdown of the key targets and why they matter: Natanz: The Heart Of Iran's Nuclear Ambitions Known as "Iran's crown jewel of uranium enrichment," Natanz operates over 50,000 centrifuges, many buried underground. Officially called the Shahid Ahmadi Roshan Nuclear Facilities, it has long been a focal point of international is a comparitive view of the facility before and after Israeli strikes. Isfahan: Nuclear Brainpower Since 1984 Established with Chinese support in 1984, Isfahan houses Iran's largest nuclear research centre within the University of Isfahan. Nearly 3,000 scientists work here. Four critical research buildings were reportedly struck in the recent attack. Fordow: Iran's Fortress Under a Mountain Located just 160 km from Tehran and built into the mountains, Fordow is Iran's most heavily protected nuclear site. It houses over 1,000 advanced centrifuges, including IR-6s capable of enriching uranium to 60%. The facility was designed to resist aerial bombardment. Piranshahr: Shielding the Western Skies Situated near the Iraqi border, Piranshahr is a military bastion integral to Iran's western air defence shield. IRGC Ghadir Site, Tehran: Eyes on the Sky This radar installation forms part of Iran's early-warning defence grid, helping detect incoming aerial threats and coordinate rapid responses. Tabriz Missile Facility: Long-Range Firepower In northwestern Iran, the Tabriz site supports the development and deployment of long-range missile systems, including Shahab-1, 2, and 3. Analysts suggest this facility places parts of Eastern and Central Europe within theoretical range. Mashhad Airfield: Strategic Reach As Iran's second-busiest airport and a major military hub, Mashhad supports long-range air force missions. Located 2,300 km from Israel, the strike here echoes the historic 1985 Israeli bombing of the PLO in Tunis: one of Israel's farthest military operations to date. Dezful Airbase: Guarding the Oil Lifeline Home to Iran's 4th Tactical Air Base, Dezful is a frontline facility near the Iraqi border. It hosts Shahed-136 drones and F-5 fighters and plays a pivotal role in protecting Iran's oil infrastructure. Kermanshah: A Legacy of Missiles Dating back to the Iran-Iraq War, the Kermanshah base remains an active missile launch hub, reinforcing Iran's longstanding regional defence doctrine. Shiraz Missile Site: Behind the Flames Though satellite images show active fires and scorch marks, no major damage is visible at the Shiraz site. This facility is vital for producing missile fuel and components for systems like Shahdab-1. At A Dangerous Crossroads On the surface, Israel appears to be edging closer to dismantling Iran's nuclear infrastructure. But experts caution that Iran has rebuilt before and could do so again within months. And perhaps more troubling, these strikes might only harden Tehran's resolve, accelerating its nuclear ambitions rather than halting them.
