December 5, 2005

UCSC researchers present findings at major conference in San Francisco

Dozens of UCSC researchers are among the 11,000 scientists from all over the world gathering this week in San Francisco for the 2005 Fall Meeting of the American Geophysical Union (AGU).

Presentations at this premier meeting of the Earth and space sciences cover a vast range of topics, including the latest research on climate change, earthquakes, volcanoes, planetary exploration, and Earth's magnetic field. Some of the findings that UCSC researchers will present at the meeting are described in the stories below--a small selection from an impressive UCSC contingent.

Simulations shed light on Earth's history of magnetic field reversals: Analysis of computer simulations of Earth's magnetic field suggests that its behavior was different early in Earth's history, resulting in greater stability and fewer reversals of the magnetic field. (Full story)

Unmanned submersible finds surprises in an undersea volcano: Rock samples collected last year show more variation in the chemistry of an undersea volcano on the Juan de Fuca Ridge near Seattle than has been documented in any other seafloor volcano. (Full story)

Ancient sediments show influence of Southern Ocean circulation on climate: Oceanographic features of the Southern Ocean may have played a key role in the transition from a "greenhouse climate" to an "icehouse climate" 34 million years ago through their influence on the global carbon cycle. (Full story)

Soil ecologist investigates the role of plant roots in regulating carbon cycling and reducing global warming: Plant roots influence the cycling of carbon between the atmosphere, where carbon dioxide contributes to global warming, and terrestrial ecosystems, where large amounts of carbon are stored in soil organic matter. (Full story)

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