Highlights
Latest Highlights
Capturing the effects of pollution bits on clouds and climateFebruary 2012
Results: Some of us look at clouds and see animal shapes. Scientists are looking beyond. For the first time, a team of scientists led by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory used actual measurements of clouds and the atmosphere in the polluted skies over southeast China to evaluate an oft-used climate model. They wanted to see how well the model describes the effect of tiny particles from pollution on clouds, and how those clouds influence precipitation. They found that the fast, affordable cloud microphysical calculations under-predict the precipitation they know from observations and from detailed but expensive calculations.
Earth system model tested to estimate watershed runoffFebruary 2012
Results: Scientists at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Oak Ridge National Laboratory found ways to improve the capabilities of a land model within global and regional Earth system models to estimate water runoff. Accurate runoff predictions can lead to better information for managing sustainable water for personal and industrial consumption. As it was tested, the original model produced runoff variations that are not realistic when compared to observations. The team identified several methods to improve the simulations, mainly by improving how the below-surface runoff is estimated.
- Modeling Microbes to Manage Carbon Dioxide
Model developed to understand microbial processes in cellulose degradationFebruary 2012 - Learning About Material Integrity from Statistical Data
Imaging, statistics, and computational analysis shed new light on defectsFebruary 2012 - Driving Change in Technology
Public policy moves energy technology transformationFebruary 2012 - Keqi Tang and Ryan Kelly Win Technology Transfer Award
February 2012 - Studying the Chemistry as It Happens in Catalytic Reactions
New probe shows the in-between stages of a reaction under realistic conditionsJanuary 2012 - The Great Gas Hydrate Escape
Computer simulations revealing how methane and hydrogen pack into gas hydrates could enlighten alternative fuel production and carbon dioxide storageJanuary 2012 - Wendy Shaw Selected to Attend First U.S-Indonesia Symposium
January 2012 - The Proof is in the Clouds
Accuracy of new WRF-Chem version validated by studying cloud behaviorJanuary 2012 - DOE Awards PNNL $2 Million for Innovative Hydrogen Storage Technology in Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles
January 2012 - When Atoms Collide
Method that can validate nuclear collision models benefits IAEAJanuary 2012 - Bacteria to the Rescue
High-performance computing adds speed, clarity to uranium bioremediation researchJanuary 2012 - A Pop Quiz for Cells
Scientists devise new imaging technique for analysis of biological samplesJanuary 2012 - Getting Your Molecule into the Movies
Computer simulations give insights into how carbon dioxide reacts with a sequestering liquidJanuary 2012 - Predicting Arctic Sea Ice Loss
Scientists put climate model through paces, find shortcomingsJanuary 2012 - Worldwide Water in the Balance
Tropical clouds hold clues for the global water cycleJanuary 2012 - Helping Hydrogen Move Back Home
Combining experiment and theory, scientists study the potential of inexpensive hydrogen activation catalysts to recharge chemical hydrogen storage materialsJanuary 2012 - Case Closed on Nauru Island
Scientists capture, tag, archive clouds' effect in tropicsJanuary 2012 - Mock Atoms Prove Attractive
Researchers added first pseudo atoms to electronegativity scaleJanuary 2012 - Adolfy Hoisie Serves as Guest Editor for Two Special Journal Issues
December 2011 - Cutting Air Pollution Got Boost from Weather
Scientists compared emission controls versus weather during Beijing 2008 Olympic GamesDecember 2011 - Lipidomics Leads to Paper's Selection as Editor's Choice
Authors identify lipid profile characteristic of newly diagnosed type 1 diabetesDecember 2011 - Cloud Droplets, Ready for Prime Time
An open casting call for cloud droplets realizes big rewardsDecember 2011 - Jean Futrell Earns ASMS Honor, Makes 'History'
December 2011 - A Dance of Aerosols
Study shows plant-sourced particles pick and choose their partnersDecember 2011 - Hussein Zbib Elected AAAS Fellow
December 2011 - Fingerprinting Uranium
Researchers show how to use x-rays to identify mobile, stationary forms of atomic pollutantDecember 2011 - Vanessa Bailey Appointed to Soil Science Journal Editorial Board
December 2011 - Joel Pounds Leads Review Panel for Lead Health Effects Report
Panel concurs with report stating that low lead levels impact healthDecember 2011