College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences
About the OSU College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences (CEOAS): The college is renowned for research excellence and academic programs that span the earth, ocean and climate sciences, as well as the human dimensions of environmental change. CEOAS inspires scientific solutions for Oregon and the world.
Six-million-year-old ice discovered in Antarctica offers unprecedented window into a warmer Earth
CORVALLIS, Ore. — A team of U.S. scientists has discovered the oldest directly dated ice and air on the planet in the Allan Hills region of East Antarctica.
The 6-million-year-old ice and the tiny air bubbles trapped inside it provide an unprecedented window into Earth’s past climate, according to a new study published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
New study finds large fluctuations in sea level occurred throughout the last ice age, a significant shift in understanding of past climate
CORVALLIS, Ore. — Large changes in global sea level, fueled by fluctuations in ice sheet growth and decay, occurred throughout the last ice age, rather than just toward the end of that period, a study publishing this week in the journal Science has found.
Twin threat: Cascadia and San Andreas faults may be seismically linked
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Two fault systems on North America’s West Coast – the Cascadia subduction zone and the San Andreas fault – may be synchronized, with earthquakes on one fault potentially triggering seismic events on the other, a new study found.
Targeted snow monitoring at hotspots outperforms basin-wide surveys in predicting water supply
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Measuring mountain snowpack at strategically selected hotspots consistently outperforms broader basin-wide mapping in predicting water supply in the western United States, a new study found.
Researchers find new species of electricity-conducting organism, name it after Tribe
- Read more about Researchers find new species of electricity-conducting organism, name it after Tribe
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Scientists have identified a novel species of bacteria that acts as electrical wiring, potentially ushering in a new era of bioelectronic devices for use in medicine, industry, food safety, and environmental monitoring and cleanup.
The researchers who discovered the new cable bacteria species in a mud flat at the Oregon coast named it Ca. Electrothrix yaqonensis in honor of the Native Americans of the region where the species was found.
New Oregon climate assessment documents continued warming and signs of adaptation
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Oregon is becoming warmer and more prone to drought and will see less snow due to climate change, but people and businesses are also adapting to the challenges of a warming planet, the latest Oregon Climate Assessment indicates.
The assessment, released today by the Oregon Climate Change Research Institute at Oregon State University, shows that Oregon’s annual average temperature increased by 2.2 degrees Fahrenheit over the last century and is likely to become as much as 5 degrees Fahrenheit warmer by 2074.
Increased wildfire activity may be a feature of past periods of abrupt climate change, study finds
CORVALLIS, Ore. – A new study investigating ancient methane trapped in Antarctic ice suggests that global increases in wildfire activity likely occurred during periods of abrupt climate change throughout the last Ice Age.
The study, just published in the journal Nature, reveals increased wildfire activity as a potential feature of these periods of abrupt climate change, which also saw significant shifts in tropical rainfall patterns and temperature fluctuations around the world.
New ice core data provides insight into climate ‘tipping points’ during the last Ice Age
CORVALLIS, Ore. – A changing climate triggers a sudden shift in ocean circulation, creating weather havoc and plunging Earth into an abrupt new Ice Age.
It sounds like the basis for a Hollywood blockbuster - the 2004 science fiction disaster film “The Day After Tomorrow,” has similar plot lines – but it’s actually a scenario that played out multiple times during the last Ice Age, which ended more than 11,000 years ago.
OSU researchers complete electrical mapping project critical to protecting the U.S. power grid
CORVALLIS, Ore. – A nearly 20-year effort to map the electrical properties of Earth’s crust and mantle across the contiguous United States, viewed as critical to protecting the electrical grid during extreme solar storms and against damage from electromagnetic pulses used as weapons, is now complete.
The 3-D geoelectric map produced by researchers provides vital information to scientists, power companies and others that helps them understand how the naturally occurring geomagnetic currents under the surface interface with the power grid.