http://www.pnnl.gov/science/ Fundamental and Computational Sciences Directorate en-us http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss suraiya.farukhi@pnnl.gov christine.sharp@pnnl.gov http://www.pnnl.gov/science/highlights/highlight.asp?id=1391Wed, 22 May 2013 00:00:00 PSThttp://www.pnnl.gov/science/highlights/highlight.asp?id=1389Microfluidics and Nanofluidics. ]]>Tue, 14 May 2013 00:00:00 PSThttp://www.pnnl.gov/science/highlights/highlight.asp?id=1383Results: What climate component can be as thick and sticky as honey, peanut butter or even asphalt? It is tiny particles forming in the atmosphere. An international team of scientists used two new techniques to find the viscosity of organic particles produced when α-pinene, one gas given off by pine trees, meets ozone, a gas produced from pollution. The researchers, from the University of British Columbia, Harvard University, University of Canterbury in New Zealand, University of Leeds in England, and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory found that the resulting carbon-containing particles behave like liquids, semi-solids or solids across a range of atmospheric relative humidity conditions. Their research was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. ]]>Thu, 09 May 2013 00:00:00 PSThttp://www.pnnl.gov/science/highlights/highlight.asp?id=1379Results: Tropical cloudiness has its own timeline. That’s what researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory found when they compared development of turbulent clouds to the timing of the atmospheric perturbation that rolls over the region every 60 to 90 days. Contrary to past assumptions, rather than a smooth transition, they found two peaks in cloudiness and rainfall during the active phase of the atmospheric phenomenon known as the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO for short). ]]>Mon, 06 May 2013 00:00:00 PSThttp://www.pnnl.gov/science/highlights/highlight.asp?id=1382Results: Fires and hurricanes are only two examples of natural disturbances that drastically affect millions of people worldwide. Now, scientists are considering how these events might limit opportunities for climate mitigation as well. A team of scientists from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, working at the Joint Global Change Research Institute at Maryland, found that strategies to alleviate the impacts of climate change will need to account for future land and atmospheric disturbances that impact forests. This study is the first to quantify the effect of future natural disturbances on climate mitigation strategies. ]]>Mon, 06 May 2013 00:00:00 PSThttp://www.pnnl.gov/science/highlights/highlight.asp?id=1380Results: Scientists at China's Lanzhou University and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory found that dust lifted from the Taklimakan Desert during a dust storm had a significant effect on the regional climate. The 2006 storm was aggravated by a cold front that pushed the dust to the highest level of the atmosphere over the northern Tibetan Plateau in China, affecting the balance of heat in the region's atmosphere. The ability to accurately model such storms will help in understanding the climatic impact of dust. ]]>Fri, 03 May 2013 00:00:00 PSThttp://www.pnnl.gov/science/highlights/highlight.asp?id=1375Results: Their fluffy appearance is deceiving. Fair-weather clouds have a darker side, according to scientists at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Fair-weather cumulus clouds contain an increasing amount of droplets formed around pollution particles. The new simulations, using data collected over Oklahoma, show how pollution from Oklahoma City increased the number of cloud droplets and reduced their size, affecting their sunlight absorbing, light scattering and cloud-seeding performance. ]]>Thu, 25 Apr 2013 00:00:00 PSThttp://www.pnnl.gov/science/highlights/highlight.asp?id=1374Results: On the atmospheric stage, aerosols are bit players. Identifying each one and their role as change agents was the goal of researchers from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Colorado State University and the California Air Resources Board. For the first time, the researchers identified individual types of particles and their relative contribution to influence seasonal warming and cooling effects at the top of the atmosphere over California. Overall, carbon particles contributed up to 95 percent of the total warming throughout the seasons. ]]>Fri, 19 Apr 2013 00:00:00 PSThttp://www.pnnl.gov/science/highlights/highlight.asp?id=1373Results: It's easy to visualize particles and gases from vehicle exhaust or burning trash wafting into the atmosphere. It's harder to envision similar gases and minute particles emitted from trees and plants in the forest. What these two have in common is carbon. According to a multi-institutional team of scientists led by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, when polluted city emissions travel miles away, they eventually mix with forest emissions. The result is the addition of new carbon-containing particles which scientists call secondary organic aerosols. These atmospheric particles can have a large impact air quality, visibility, human health and ultimately, the climate. ]]>Tue, 16 Apr 2013 00:00:00 PSThttp://www.pnnl.gov/science/highlights/highlight.asp?id=1366the stories of these, and many more, women in STEM can inspire others as they think about the future. Only 24% of the STEM workforce is female, an alarming gap as over 51% of the workforce overall is female." ]]>Thu, 11 Apr 2013 00:00:00 PST