Author: Travis Swaim

Tuesday, 20 June 2017

The University of Maryland (UMD) Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center (ESSIC) is part of a consortium effort led by Carr Astronautics that is among the awardees of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) new ProTech services solution contract.

ProTech is a suite of multiple-award Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts consisting of five Domains: Satellite, Ocean, Fisheries, Weather, and Enterprise Operations.  The contract is

ESSIC Associate Research Scientist Ariana Sutton-Grier is a co-author of a new manuscript published online in Marine Policy. The manuscript models how to include the storm protection benefits (SPB) of coastal habitats into the Habitat Equivalency Analysis (HEA), as part of the Natural Resources Damage Assessment (NRDA) process.  The work will ideally translate into more cross-ecosystem service flows, given the benefits ecosystems provide.  The study titled “Catching a wave? A …

A new article in a five-part op-ed series authored by ESSIC / AOSC Professor Raghu Murtugudde was recently published by online media outlet thethirdpole.net.  Titled “Pakistan world’s top groundwater exporter, India third," the latest installment discusses the inherent and often overlooked groundwater and energy loss that accompanies agricultural production earmarked for export….

ESSIC / CICS-MD researchers Alexey Mishonov and James Reagan are co-authors of a new study published in Geophysical Research Letters (GRL).  Titled “Multidecadal variability and climate shift in the North Atlantic Ocean,” the paper analyses decadal variability of ocean heat content (OHC) and temperature trends over ~60 years in the North Atlantic Ocean using new high-resolution ocean climatology based on quality-controlled historic in situ observations. Seidov, D., A. …

ESSIC Assistant Research Scientist Min Huang is the lead author of a new publication on international pollution transport in support of the Task Force on Hemispheric Transport of Air Pollution (TF HTAP) 2012 – 2016.   Published in the European Geosciences Union (EGU) open access journal, Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, the paper titled “Impact of intercontinental pollution transport on North American ozone air pollution: an HTAP phase 2 multi-model study,” has …

ESSIC’s Interim Director Fernando Miralles-Wilhelm and Assistant Research Scientist Ariana Sutton-Grier were featured in a “UMD Science” Youtube channel video this month on the importance of wetlands.  Titled “The Secret Life of Wetlands: Finding Solutions to Environmental Threats at UMD," the video features commentary from the researchers on the significance of wetland ecosystems, particularly with respect to carbon storage and flood prevention.  UMD …

The ESSIC Aerosol/Cloud Physics/Radiation Affinity Group (ACPRAG) held its second annual workshop this month.  The day-long ESSIC-hosted event included group member presentations and talks by invited speakers.  The workshop was well attended and included representation from partners NASA and NOAA.  The event concluded with discussions on how to better foster communications and collaborative efforts among participating members and partners.  The ACPRAG is chaired by ESSIC …

A profile of ESSIC Assistant Research Professor Melissa Kenney was recently featured by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).  Kenney, an AAAS Leshner Leadership Public Engagement Fellow, is highlighted for her efforts to both engage and better understand the scientific needs of community decision makers within the Chesapeake Bay watershed, particularly in terms of climate change resiliency.      For additional coverage, please see the …

A new NOAA study led by University of Maryland Cooperative Institute for Climate and Satellites (CICS-MD) scientist Daniel Tong, suggests that a 20 year increase in dust storm events throughout the American Southwest, could be responsible for a dramatic rise in regional cases of Valley Fever.   Tong and his study coauthors found that the combination of warmer sea surface temperatures in the North Pacific coupled with cooler California coastal waters during the 2000s, likely …