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The Next Full Moon is the Flower, Corn, or Corn Planting Moon

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Discovery Alert: An Earth-sized World and Its Ultra-cool Star

Hubble Views the Dawn of a Sun-like Star 

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Research topics.

The Earth Science Division at NASA Ames performs a breadth of research that deepens humanity’s understanding of the planet and the processes within.

The Earth Science Division in the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Ames Research Center is the organization assigned responsibility to meet the Agency’s Earth science goals. The Division accomplishes its task through programs in research and applied science that develop and test new tools and techniques for observing the Earth from space; applying these observations to better understand fundamental Earth processes at global and regional scales; and using these observations and their research conclusions to benefit society by enhancing decision making in a world of rapid and unanticipated change.

Nine topics comprise NASA’s Earth science research program: ocean science, terrestrial ecology, atmospheric composition and dynamics, climate science, water resources, Earth surface and interior, fire science, instrument development, and airborne science. In support of these research areas, the Earth Science Division develops, launches and operates research instruments on spaceborne and airborne platforms; maintains data systems and archives to generate data products from the observations that are available to the research community and the public; and develops and applies models combining NASA observations with other data for greater insight on fundamental Earth processes and better prediction of future change.

Research Topics:

Ocean Science

Terrestrial Ecology

Atmospheric Composition & Dynamics

Climate Science

Water Resources

Earth Surface and Interior

Fire Science

Instrument Development

Airborne Science

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Science News

A weaker magnetic field may have paved the way for marine life to go big

Decreased protection from cosmic radiation may have increased oxygen levels in the atmosphere and oceans, allowing animals to grow larger.

A hidden danger lurks beneath Yellowstone

As the Arctic tundra warms, soil microbes likely will ramp up CO 2 production

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More Stories in Earth

A new approach to fighting wildfires combines local knowledge and AI

Land managers in the western United States are using potential operational delineations, or PODS, to prepare for — and take advantage of — wildfires.

A ruinous hailstorm in Spain may have been supercharged by warming seas

Giant hail that pummeled northeast Spain in August 2022 could not have formed without climate change, computer simulations suggest.

Ximena Velez-Liendo is saving Andean bears with honey

By training beekeepers, biologist Ximena Velez-Liendo is helping rural agricultural communities of southern Bolivia coexist with Andean bears.

Three reasons why the ocean’s record-breaking hot streak is devastating

Ocean warming enhances hurricane activity, bleaches coral reefs and melts Antarctic sea ice. That warming has been off the charts for the past year.

Will stashing more CO 2 in the ocean help slow climate change?

Research is needed on how ocean carbon removal methods — such as iron fertilization and direct capture — could impact the environment.

A rapid shift in ocean currents could imperil the world’s largest ice shelf

Roughly the size of Spain, the Ross Ice Shelf stabilizes major glaciers along Antarctica’s coast — and is at risk of retreating, a new study finds.

A new U.S. tool maps where heat will be dangerous for your health

The daily updated HeatRisk map uses color coding to show where the health threat from heat is highest and offers tips on how to stay safe.

Polar forests may have just solved a solar storm mystery

Spikes of carbon-14 in tree rings may be linked to solar flares, but evidence of the havoc-wreaking 1859 Carrington event has proven elusive until now.

​​During the awe of totality, scientists studied our planet’s reactions

Earth’s atmosphere was a big area of focus for scientists studying the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024.

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Earth Science News

Top headlines, latest headlines.

• Summers Warm Up Faster Than Winters: Fossils
• Island Birds Surprisingly Adaptable
• Improving Volcanic Eruption Forecasts
• Ocean Biodiversity Work Needs Improvement
• Improved Wildfire Smoke Model
• Climate May Influence Seismic Activity
• Climate Resilience Strategies: Urban, Rural
• How Continents Stabilized
• Large Source of Natural Gas Found
• Slow-Moving Quakes: Rock Permeability

Earlier Headlines

Monday, may 6, 2024.

• Geologists, Biologists Unearth the Atomic Fingerprints of Cancer

Friday, May 3, 2024

• Quantifying U.S. Health Impacts from Gas Stoves
• Did a Magnetic Field Collapse Trigger the Emergence of Animals?

Thursday, May 2, 2024

• New Nevada Experiments Will Improve Monitoring of Nuclear Explosions
• For Microscopic Organisms, Ocean Currents Act as 'expressway' To Deeper Depths
• Oil Palm Plantations Are Driving Massive Downstream Impact to Watershed
• Human Activity Is Causing Toxic Thallium to Enter the Baltic Sea, According to New Study

Wednesday, May 1, 2024

• Do Earthquake Hazard Maps Predict Higher Shaking Than Actually Occurred?
• New Computer Algorithm Supercharges Climate Models and Could Lead to Better Predictions of Future Climate Change
• Mystery Behind Huge Opening in Antarctic Sea Ice Solved
• Rock Solid Evidence: Angola Geology Reveals Prehistoric Split Between South America and Africa

Tuesday, April 30, 2024

• Climate Change and Mercury Pollution Stressed Plants for Millions of Years

Thursday, April 25, 2024

• Warming Arctic Reduces Dust Levels in Parts of the Planet
• Unveiling the Lionfish Invasion in the Mediterranean Sea

Wednesday, April 24, 2024

• Human Activities Have an Intense Impact on Earth's Deep Subsurface Fluid Flow
• Artificial Intelligence Helps Scientists Engineer Plants to Fight Climate Change
• Managing Meandering Waterways in a Changing World
• Modeling Broader Effects of Wildfires in Siberia
• Researchers Find Oldest Undisputed Evidence of Earth's Magnetic Field
• High-Resolution Lidar Sees Birth Zone of Cloud Droplets

Tuesday, April 23, 2024

• Critical Minerals Recovery from Electronic Waste
• Asian Monsoon Lofts Ozone-Depleting Substances to Stratosphere
• Warming Climate Is Putting More Metals Into Colorado's Mountain Streams
• Toward Unification of Turbulence Framework -- Weak-to-Strong Transition Discovered in Turbulence
• Tropical Fish Are Invading Australian Ocean Water

Monday, April 22, 2024

• World's Oases Threatened by Desertification, Even as Humans Expand Them
• To Accelerate Biosphere Science, Reconnect Three Scientific Cultures

Friday, April 19, 2024

• The Italian Central Apennines as a Source of CO2
• Weather Prediction Models Can Also Forecast Satellite Displacements
• Warming of Antarctic Deep-Sea Waters Contribute to Sea Level Rise in North Atlantic, Study Finds
• Scientists Trigger Mini-Earthquakes in the Lab

Thursday, April 18, 2024

• Data-Driven Music: Converting Climate Measurements Into Music

Wednesday, April 17, 2024

• Ice Age Climate Analysis Reduces Worst-Case Warming Expected from Rising CO2
• Unique Field Study Shows How Climate Change Affects Fire-Impacted Forests
• Paradox of Extreme Cold Events in a Warming World

Tuesday, April 16, 2024

• Researchers Shine Light on Rapid Changes in Arctic and Boreal Ecosystems
• CO2 Worsens Wildfires by Helping Plants Grow
• Fires Pose Growing Worldwide Threat to Wildland-Urban Interface

Monday, April 15, 2024

• Hidden Threat: Global Underground Infrastructure Vulnerable to Sea-Level Rise
• GeoAI Technologies for Sustainable Urban Development
• Switch to Green Wastewater Infrastructure Could Reduce Emissions and Provide Huge Savings According to New Research
• New Radar Analysis Method Can Improve Winter River Safety

Friday, April 12, 2024

• Retention Ponds Can Deliver a Substantial Reduction in Tire Particle Pollution
• Africa's Iconic Flamingos Threatened by Rising Lake Levels

Thursday, April 11, 2024

• Rock Permeability, Microquakes Link May Be a Boon for Geothermal Energy
• Tropical Coral-Infecting Parasites Discovered in Cold Marine Ecosystems

Wednesday, April 10, 2024

• Pacific Cities Much Older Than Previously Thought
• Novel UV Broadband Spectrometer Revolutionizes Air Pollutant Analysis
• New Approach Needed to Save Australia's Non-Perennial Rivers

Tuesday, April 9, 2024

• Scientist Helps Link Climate Change to Madagascar's Megadrought
• Humans Can Increase Biodiversity, Archaeological Study Shows

Monday, April 8, 2024

• Climate Change Threatens Antarctic Meteorites
• Boreal Forest and Tundra Regions Worst Hit Over Next 500 Years of Climate Change, Study Shows

Friday, April 5, 2024

• Ocean Waves Propel PFAS Back to Land
• Four in Five Bird Species Cannot Tolerate Intense Human Pressures

Thursday, April 4, 2024

• Ocean Floor a 'reservoir' Of Plastic Pollution
• Researchers Envision Sci-Fi Worlds Involving Changes to Atmospheric Water Cycle
• Tracing the Largest Solar Storm in Modern Times from Tree Rings in Lapland
• Adult Fish Struggle to Bounce Back in Marine Protected Areas
• New Method Reveals Hidden Activity of Life Below Ground

Wednesday, April 3, 2024

• 'Tug of War' Tactic Enhances Chemical Separations for Critical Materials
• For Mining in Arid Regions to Be Responsible, We Must Change How We Think About Water
• California Leads U.S. Emissions of Little-Known Greenhouse Gas

Tuesday, April 2, 2024

• New Step in Tectonic Squeeze That Turns Seafloor Into Mountains
• A New Estimate of U.S. Soil Organic Carbon to Improve Earth System Models
• Scientists' Urgent Call: End Destruction and Forge a Just, Sustainable Future

Monday, April 1, 2024

• Simple Equations Clarify Cloud Climate Conundrum

Friday, March 29, 2024

• Blueprint for Mandating Indoor Air Quality for Public Buildings in Form of Standards
• How Extratropical Ocean-Atmosphere Interactions Can Contribute to the Variability of Jet Streams in the Northern Hemisphere

Thursday, March 28, 2024

• Going 'back to the Future' To Forecast the Fate of a Dead Florida Coral Reef
• Open Waste Burning Linked to Air Pollution in Northwestern Greenland

Wednesday, March 27, 2024

• Heat, Cold Extremes Hold Untapped Potential for Solar and Wind Energy
• Evolution of the Most Powerful Ocean Current on Earth

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

• Mathematical Innovations Enable Advances in Seismic Activity Detection
• Scientists on the Hunt for Evidence of Quantum Gravity's Existence at the South Pole
• New Maps Help Decision-Makers Factor Albedo Into Tree-Planting Decisions
• Climate Change Will See Australia's Soil Emit CO2 and Add to Global Warming

Monday, March 25, 2024

• Global Study of Coastal Seas as Carbon Dioxide Reservoirs
• Droughts in Europe Could Be Avoided With Faster Emissions Cuts

Thursday, March 21, 2024

• New Geological Study: Scandinavia Was Born in Greenland
• Species Diversity Promotes Ecosystem Stability
• Satellite Data Assimilation Improves Forecasts of Severe Weather
• Forest, Stream Habitats Keep Energy Exchanges in Balance, Global Team Finds

Wednesday, March 20, 2024

• Deep Earth Electrical Grid Mystery Solved
• Sea Surface Temperature Research Provides Clear Evidence of Human-Caused Climate Change

Tuesday, March 19, 2024

• From the Mediterranean Into the Atlantic: The Gibraltar Arc Is Migrating to the West

Monday, March 18, 2024

• Harnessing Hydrogen at Life's Origin
• A Wetter World Recorded in Australian Coral Colony

Friday, March 15, 2024

• Even Inactive Smokers Are Densely Colonized by Microbial Communities
• Arctic Nightlife: Seabird Colony Bursts With Sound at Night
• The Atlas of Unburnable Oil in the World
• Protein Fragments ID Two New 'extremophile' Microbes--and May Help Find Alien Life
• Groundbreaking Study Reveals Extensive Leatherback Turtle Activity Along U.S. Coastline

Thursday, March 14, 2024

• Information Overload Is a Personal and Societal Danger
• Surprising Insights About Debris Flows on Mars
• Tropical Birds Could Tolerate Warming Better Than Expected, Study Suggests

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

• Sulfur and the Origin of Life
• Asian Aerosols' Impact on Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation
• With Discovery of Roundworms, Great Salt Lake's Imperiled Ecosystem Gets More Interesting
• Drought, Soil Desiccation Cracking, and Carbon Dioxide Emissions: An Overlooked Feedback Loop Exacerbating Climate Change
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Earth Science

• Climate Solutions
• Commencement 2024

Harvard’s researchers are exploring Earth’s past, predicting its future, and working to understand the hidden mysteries of our home.

The bedrock of Earth science

Explore how the slow, powerful forces within the Earth continue to create and alter the places we call home.

Tectonic plates

Researchers studying when tectonic plates began to shift found that it began much earlier than previously thought, launching the creation of continents, oceans, and other landforms.

Learn more about tectonic plates

How do we predict earthquakes?

A team of Harvard scientists created numerical models to predict an earthquake’s final magnitude 10 to 15 seconds faster than the current best algorithms.

What’s in a volcanic eruption?

Volcanic eruptions include lava and “smoke,” which is actually a mix of water vapor, carbon dioxide, sulfur gases, and ash.

Are all faults dangerous?

To understand which faults may be the most dangerous, researchers have developed large-scale models of the fault systems in the western United States, Japan, Turkey, and other locations across the globe.

In real time

Earth continues to shift and change, which means we must develop creative solutions for the complex problems that emerge.

The melting of polar ice is shifting Earth itself

As glacial ice from Greenland, Antarctica, and the Arctic Islands melts, Earth’s crust warps, an impact that can be measured thousands of miles away.

A 2022 volcano eruption altered the chemistry of the stratosphere, reducing ozone levels

Catastrophic floods are exposing the cracks in the flood insurance market

Experts are rethinking design and infrastructure in the wake of major earthquakes

A deadly tsunami in Japan forced people to think more critically about unexpected natural disasters

Polish up on your rock knowledge

Earth rocks!

Explore the gallery

Better understanding our home

Harvard experts are using everything from science to religion to gain a deeper awareness of the world around us.

Correcting ocean warming information

New research corrects decades of sea surface temperature data, solving a long-standing mystery about global climate change.

Detecting earthquakes

Researchers created an algorithm that can separate small disturbances from seismic noise.

Investigating Earth’s fractures

A team of researchers found that hydraulic fractures play a major role in the generation of tectonic tremors.

Exploring an Earth-centric religious philosophy

The philosophy centers on the idea that we are part of and utterly dependent on the living Earth.

Spinning back the globe

Exploring the events and changes in Earth’s past may help us understand what we can except in the future.

Double dinosaur disaster

Along with an asteroid impact, evidence points to volcanoes having a role in the extinction of the dinosaurs, especially the Deccan Traps eruption, which lasted a million years and produced lava formations 6,000 feet thick.

Creating conditions to cultivate life

Research on early tectonic plate movement and a protective magnetic field offer a glimpse of when the Earth was conducive to the development of life on the planet.

Super storms the size of states

During ancient periods of extreme heat, Earth may have experienced cycles of dryness followed by massive rainstorms hundreds of miles wide that could dump more than a foot of rain in a matter of hours.

Terrible tremors around Tennessee

The New Madrid earthquakes of 1811 and 1812 reshaped the landscape and the lives of the people who settled there. So why were they forgotten by the time of the Civil War?

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Climate action

International earth day 2021: research topics to restore our earth.

Earth Day 2021’s theme is Restore Our Earth™, which focuses on natural processes, emerging green technologies, and innovative thinking that can restore the world’s ecosystems. Check out our curated list of the best Research Topics addressing these issues!

Research Topics:

Re-Purposing Universities for Sustainable Human Progress

Evaluating Success in Wildlife Conservation and Management

Climate Risks, Resilience and Adaptation in Coastal Systems

Rethinking Food Systems: Circular Economy and Urban Agriculture

High-Quality Knowledge for Climate Adaptation: Revisiting Criteria of Credibility, Legitimacy, Salience, and Usability

(10 Years) Water-Energy-Food Nexus: Role of Water Quality in Land Use/Land Cover Transformations in River Basins

From Observations to Predictions and Projections: Opportunities and Challenges for Climate Risk Assessment and Management in Sub-Saharan Africa

The Role of Negative Emission Technologies in Addressing Our Climate Goals

Urban Water Management, Planning, and Design: Links, Opportunities, and Challenges

Post related info

April 21, 2021

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Research topics.

Faculty, research scientists, postdoctoral scholars, and graduate students in the Department of Earth Sciences, as well as affiliated faculty from other departments, conduct research that commonly transcends the boundaries of classic sub-disciplines in Earth Science. Below we provide some information about our three broad focus areas within the department, although we encourage you to visit the individual websites of our community members for more information!

MAJOR RESEARCH THEMES

• Earth and Planetary History  

Research Topics & Ideas: Environment

100+ Environmental Science Research Topics & Ideas

Finding and choosing a strong research topic is the critical first step when it comes to crafting a high-quality dissertation, thesis or research project. Here, we’ll explore a variety research ideas and topic thought-starters related to various environmental science disciplines, including ecology, oceanography, hydrology, geology, soil science, environmental chemistry, environmental economics, and environmental ethics.

NB – This is just the start…

The topic ideation and evaluation process has multiple steps . In this post, we’ll kickstart the process by sharing some research topic ideas within the environmental sciences. This is the starting point though. To develop a well-defined research topic, you’ll need to identify a clear and convincing research gap , along with a well-justified plan of action to fill that gap.

If you’re new to the oftentimes perplexing world of research, or if this is your first time undertaking a formal academic research project, be sure to check out our free dissertation mini-course. Also be sure to also sign up for our free webinar that explores how to develop a high-quality research topic from scratch.

Overview: Environmental Topics

• Ecology /ecological science
• Atmospheric science
• Oceanography
• Soil science
• Environmental chemistry
• Environmental economics
• Environmental ethics
• Examples  of dissertations and theses

Topics & Ideas: Ecological Science

• The impact of land-use change on species diversity and ecosystem functioning in agricultural landscapes
• The role of disturbances such as fire and drought in shaping arid ecosystems
• The impact of climate change on the distribution of migratory marine species
• Investigating the role of mutualistic plant-insect relationships in maintaining ecosystem stability
• The effects of invasive plant species on ecosystem structure and function
• The impact of habitat fragmentation caused by road construction on species diversity and population dynamics in the tropics
• The role of ecosystem services in urban areas and their economic value to a developing nation
• The effectiveness of different grassland restoration techniques in degraded ecosystems
• The impact of land-use change through agriculture and urbanisation on soil microbial communities in a temperate environment
• The role of microbial diversity in ecosystem health and nutrient cycling in an African savannah

Topics & Ideas: Atmospheric Science

• The impact of climate change on atmospheric circulation patterns above tropical rainforests
• The role of atmospheric aerosols in cloud formation and precipitation above cities with high pollution levels
• The impact of agricultural land-use change on global atmospheric composition
• Investigating the role of atmospheric convection in severe weather events in the tropics
• The impact of urbanisation on regional and global atmospheric ozone levels
• The impact of sea surface temperature on atmospheric circulation and tropical cyclones
• The impact of solar flares on the Earth’s atmospheric composition
• The impact of climate change on atmospheric turbulence and air transportation safety
• The impact of stratospheric ozone depletion on atmospheric circulation and climate change
• The role of atmospheric rivers in global water supply and sea-ice formation

Topics & Ideas: Oceanography

• The impact of ocean acidification on kelp forests and biogeochemical cycles
• The role of ocean currents in distributing heat and regulating desert rain
• The impact of carbon monoxide pollution on ocean chemistry and biogeochemical cycles
• Investigating the role of ocean mixing in regulating coastal climates
• The impact of sea level rise on the resource availability of low-income coastal communities
• The impact of ocean warming on the distribution and migration patterns of marine mammals
• The impact of ocean deoxygenation on biogeochemical cycles in the arctic
• The role of ocean-atmosphere interactions in regulating rainfall in arid regions
• The impact of ocean eddies on global ocean circulation and plankton distribution
• The role of ocean-ice interactions in regulating the Earth’s climate and sea level

Tops & Ideas: Hydrology

• The impact of agricultural land-use change on water resources and hydrologic cycles in temperate regions
• The impact of agricultural groundwater availability on irrigation practices in the global south
• The impact of rising sea-surface temperatures on global precipitation patterns and water availability
• Investigating the role of wetlands in regulating water resources for riparian forests
• The impact of tropical ranches on river and stream ecosystems and water quality
• The impact of urbanisation on regional and local hydrologic cycles and water resources for agriculture
• The role of snow cover and mountain hydrology in regulating regional agricultural water resources
• The impact of drought on food security in arid and semi-arid regions
• The role of groundwater recharge in sustaining water resources in arid and semi-arid environments
• The impact of sea level rise on coastal hydrology and the quality of water resources

Topics & Ideas: Geology

• The impact of tectonic activity on the East African rift valley
• The role of mineral deposits in shaping ancient human societies
• The impact of sea-level rise on coastal geomorphology and shoreline evolution
• Investigating the role of erosion in shaping the landscape and impacting desertification
• The impact of mining on soil stability and landslide potential
• The impact of volcanic activity on incoming solar radiation and climate
• The role of geothermal energy in decarbonising the energy mix of megacities
• The impact of Earth’s magnetic field on geological processes and solar wind
• The impact of plate tectonics on the evolution of mammals
• The role of the distribution of mineral resources in shaping human societies and economies, with emphasis on sustainability

Topics & Ideas: Soil Science

• The impact of dam building on soil quality and fertility
• The role of soil organic matter in regulating nutrient cycles in agricultural land
• The impact of climate change on soil erosion and soil organic carbon storage in peatlands
• Investigating the role of above-below-ground interactions in nutrient cycling and soil health
• The impact of deforestation on soil degradation and soil fertility
• The role of soil texture and structure in regulating water and nutrient availability in boreal forests
• The impact of sustainable land management practices on soil health and soil organic matter
• The impact of wetland modification on soil structure and function
• The role of soil-atmosphere exchange and carbon sequestration in regulating regional and global climate
• The impact of salinization on soil health and crop productivity in coastal communities

Topics & Ideas: Environmental Chemistry

• The impact of cobalt mining on water quality and the fate of contaminants in the environment
• The role of atmospheric chemistry in shaping air quality and climate change
• The impact of soil chemistry on nutrient availability and plant growth in wheat monoculture
• Investigating the fate and transport of heavy metal contaminants in the environment
• The impact of climate change on biochemical cycling in tropical rainforests
• The impact of various types of land-use change on biochemical cycling
• The role of soil microbes in mediating contaminant degradation in the environment
• The impact of chemical and oil spills on freshwater and soil chemistry
• The role of atmospheric nitrogen deposition in shaping water and soil chemistry
• The impact of over-irrigation on the cycling and fate of persistent organic pollutants in the environment

Topics & Ideas: Environmental Economics

• The impact of climate change on the economies of developing nations
• The role of market-based mechanisms in promoting sustainable use of forest resources
• The impact of environmental regulations on economic growth and competitiveness
• Investigating the economic benefits and costs of ecosystem services for African countries
• The impact of renewable energy policies on regional and global energy markets
• The role of water markets in promoting sustainable water use in southern Africa
• The impact of land-use change in rural areas on regional and global economies
• The impact of environmental disasters on local and national economies
• The role of green technologies and innovation in shaping the zero-carbon transition and the knock-on effects for local economies
• The impact of environmental and natural resource policies on income distribution and poverty of rural communities

Topics & Ideas: Environmental Ethics

• The ethical foundations of environmentalism and the environmental movement regarding renewable energy
• The role of values and ethics in shaping environmental policy and decision-making in the mining industry
• The impact of cultural and religious beliefs on environmental attitudes and behaviours in first world countries
• Investigating the ethics of biodiversity conservation and the protection of endangered species in palm oil plantations
• The ethical implications of sea-level rise for future generations and vulnerable coastal populations
• The role of ethical considerations in shaping sustainable use of natural forest resources
• The impact of environmental justice on marginalized communities and environmental policies in Asia
• The ethical implications of environmental risks and decision-making under uncertainty
• The role of ethics in shaping the transition to a low-carbon, sustainable future for the construction industry
• The impact of environmental values on consumer behaviour and the marketplace: a case study of the ‘bring your own shopping bag’ policy

Examples: Real Dissertation & Thesis Topics

While the ideas we’ve presented above are a decent starting point for finding a research topic, they are fairly generic and non-specific. So, it helps to look at actual dissertations and theses to see how this all comes together.

Below, we’ve included a selection of research projects from various environmental science-related degree programs to help refine your thinking. These are actual dissertations and theses, written as part of Master’s and PhD-level programs, so they can provide some useful insight as to what a research topic looks like in practice.

• The physiology of microorganisms in enhanced biological phosphorous removal (Saunders, 2014)
• The influence of the coastal front on heavy rainfall events along the east coast (Henson, 2019)
• Forage production and diversification for climate-smart tropical and temperate silvopastures (Dibala, 2019)
• Advancing spectral induced polarization for near surface geophysical characterization (Wang, 2021)
• Assessment of Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter and Thamnocephalus platyurus as Tools to Monitor Cyanobacterial Bloom Development and Toxicity (Hipsher, 2019)
• Evaluating the Removal of Microcystin Variants with Powdered Activated Carbon (Juang, 2020)
• The effect of hydrological restoration on nutrient concentrations, macroinvertebrate communities, and amphibian populations in Lake Erie coastal wetlands (Berg, 2019)
• Utilizing hydrologic soil grouping to estimate corn nitrogen rate recommendations (Bean, 2019)
• Fungal Function in House Dust and Dust from the International Space Station (Bope, 2021)
• Assessing Vulnerability and the Potential for Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) in Sudan’s Blue Nile Basin (Mohamed, 2022)
• A Microbial Water Quality Analysis of the Recreational Zones in the Los Angeles River of Elysian Valley, CA (Nguyen, 2019)
• Dry Season Water Quality Study on Three Recreational Sites in the San Gabriel Mountains (Vallejo, 2019)
• Wastewater Treatment Plan for Unix Packaging Adjustment of the Potential Hydrogen (PH) Evaluation of Enzymatic Activity After the Addition of Cycle Disgestase Enzyme (Miessi, 2020)
• Laying the Genetic Foundation for the Conservation of Longhorn Fairy Shrimp (Kyle, 2021).

Looking at these titles, you can probably pick up that the research topics here are quite specific and narrowly-focused , compared to the generic ones presented earlier. To create a top-notch research topic, you will need to be precise and target a specific context with specific variables of interest . In other words, you’ll need to identify a clear, well-justified research gap.

Need more help?

If you’re still feeling a bit unsure about how to find a research topic for your environmental science dissertation or research project, be sure to check out our private coaching services below, as well as our Research Topic Kickstarter .

Need a helping hand?

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Research topics on environmental geology

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Earth – our home planet – is the third planet from the Sun, and the fifth largest planet. It's the only place we know of inhabited by living things.

Quick Facts

Length of Day

Length of year.

365.25 days

Distance from Sun

93,327,712 miles / 150,196,428 kilometers

One Way Light Time to Sun

8.350022 minutes

While Earth is only the fifth largest planet in the solar system, it is the only world in our solar system with liquid water on the surface. Just slightly larger than nearby Venus, Earth is the biggest of the four planets closest to the Sun, all of which are made of rock and metal.

Earth is the only planet in the solar system whose English name does not come from Greek or Roman mythology. The name was taken from Old English and Germanic. It simply means "the ground." There are, of course, many names for our planet in the thousands of languages spoken by the people of the third planet from the Sun.

The name Earth is at least 1,000 years old. All of the planets, except for Earth, were named after Greek and Roman gods and goddesses. However, the name Earth is a Germanic word, which simply means “the ground.”

Potential for Life

Earth has a very hospitable temperature and mix of chemicals that have made life abundant here. Most notably, Earth is unique in that most of our planet is covered in liquid water, since the temperature allows liquid water to exist for extended periods of time. Earth's vast oceans provided a convenient place for life to begin about 3.8 billion years ago.

Some of the features of our planet that make it great for sustaining life are changing due to the ongoing effects of climate change .

Size and Distance

With an equatorial diameter of 7926 miles (12,760 kilometers), Earth is the biggest of the terrestrial planets and the fifth largest planet in our solar system.

From an average distance of 93 million miles (150 million kilometers), Earth is exactly one astronomical unit away from the Sun because one astronomical unit (abbreviated as AU), is the distance from the Sun to Earth. This unit provides an easy way to quickly compare planets' distances from the Sun.

It takes about eight minutes for light from the Sun to reach our planet.

Orbit and Rotation

As Earth orbits the Sun, it completes one rotation every 23.9 hours. It takes 365.25 days to complete one trip around the Sun. That extra quarter of a day presents a challenge to our calendar system, which counts one year as 365 days. To keep our yearly calendars consistent with our orbit around the Sun, every four years we add one day. That day is called a leap day, and the year it's added to is called a leap year.

Earth's axis of rotation is tilted 23.4 degrees with respect to the plane of Earth's orbit around the Sun. This tilt causes our yearly cycle of seasons. During part of the year, the northern hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun, and the southern hemisphere is tilted away. With the Sun higher in the sky, solar heating is greater in the north producing summer there. Less direct solar heating produces winter in the south. Six months later, the situation is reversed. When spring and fall begin, both hemispheres receive roughly equal amounts of heat from the Sun.

Earth is the only planet that has a single moon.  Our Moon  is the brightest and most familiar object in the night sky. In many ways, the Moon is responsible for making Earth such a great home. It stabilizes our planet's wobble, which has made the climate less variable over thousands of years.

Earth sometimes temporarily hosts orbiting asteroids or large rocks. They are typically trapped by Earth's gravity for a few months or years before returning to an orbit around the Sun. Some asteroids will be in a long “dance” with Earth as both orbit the Sun.

Some moons are bits of rock that were captured by a planet's gravity, but our Moon is likely the result of a collision billions of years ago. When Earth was a young planet, a large chunk of rock smashed into it, displacing a portion of Earth's interior. The resulting chunks clumped together and formed our Moon. With a radius of 1,080 miles (1,738 kilometers), the Moon is the fifth largest moon in our solar system (after Ganymede, Titan, Callisto, and Io).

The Moon is an average of 238,855 miles (384,400 kilometers) away from Earth. That means 30 Earth-sized planets could fit in between Earth and its Moon.

Earth has no rings.

When the solar system settled into its current layout about 4.5 billion years ago, Earth formed when gravity pulled swirling gas and dust in to become the third planet from the Sun. Like its fellow terrestrial planets, Earth has a central core, a rocky mantle, and a solid crust.

Earth is composed of four main layers, starting with an inner core at the planet's center, enveloped by the outer core, mantle, and crust.

The inner core is a solid sphere made of iron and nickel metals about 759 miles (1,221 kilometers) in radius. There the temperature is as high as 9,800 degrees Fahrenheit (5,400 degrees Celsius). Surrounding the inner core is the outer core. This layer is about 1,400 miles (2,300 kilometers) thick, made of iron and nickel fluids.

In between the outer core and crust is the mantle, the thickest layer. This hot, viscous mixture of molten rock is about 1,800 miles (2,900 kilometers) thick and has the consistency of caramel. The outermost layer, Earth's crust, goes about 19 miles (30 kilometers) deep on average on land. At the bottom of the ocean, the crust is thinner and extends about 3 miles (5 kilometers) from the seafloor to the top of the mantle.

Like Mars and Venus, Earth has volcanoes, mountains, and valleys. Earth's lithosphere, which includes the crust (both continental and oceanic) and the upper mantle, is divided into huge plates that are constantly moving. For example, the North American plate moves west over the Pacific Ocean basin, roughly at a rate equal to the growth of our fingernails. Earthquakes result when plates grind past one another, ride up over one another, collide to make mountains, or split and separate.

Earth's global ocean, which covers nearly 70% of the planet's surface, has an average depth of about 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) and contains 97% of Earth's water. Almost all of Earth's volcanoes are hidden under these oceans. Hawaii's Mauna Kea volcano is taller from base to summit than Mount Everest, but most of it is underwater. Earth's longest mountain range is also underwater, at the bottom of the Arctic and Atlantic oceans. It is four times longer than the Andes, Rockies and Himalayas combined.

Near the surface, Earth has an atmosphere that consists of 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and 1% other gases such as argon, carbon dioxide, and neon. The atmosphere affects Earth's long-term climate and short-term local weather and shields us from much of the harmful radiation coming from the Sun. It also protects us from meteoroids, most of which burn up in the atmosphere, seen as meteors in the night sky, before they can strike the surface as meteorites.

Magnetosphere

Our planet's rapid rotation and molten nickel-iron core give rise to a magnetic field, which the solar wind distorts into a teardrop shape in space. (The solar wind is a stream of charged particles continuously ejected from the Sun.) When charged particles from the solar wind become trapped in Earth's magnetic field, they collide with air molecules above our planet's magnetic poles. These air molecules then begin to glow and cause aurorae, or the northern and southern lights.

The magnetic field is what causes compass needles to point to the North Pole regardless of which way you turn. But the magnetic polarity of Earth can change, flipping the direction of the magnetic field. The geologic record tells scientists that a magnetic reversal takes place about every 400,000 years on average, but the timing is very irregular. As far as we know, such a magnetic reversal doesn't cause any harm to life on Earth, and a reversal is very unlikely to happen for at least another thousand years. But when it does happen, compass needles are likely to point in many different directions for a few centuries while the switch is being made. And after the switch is completed, they will all point south instead of north.

8 Need-to-Know Things About Our Home Planet

• Measuring Up - If the Sun were as tall as a typical front door, Earth would be the size of a nickel.
• We're On It - Earth is a rocky planet with a solid and dynamic surface of mountains, canyons, plains and more. Most of our planet is covered in water.
• Breathe Easy - Earth's atmosphere is 78 percent nitrogen, 21 percent oxygen and 1 percent other ingredients—the perfect balance to breathe and live.
• Our Cosmic Companion - Earth has one moon.
• Ringless - Earth has no rings.
• Orbital Science - Many orbiting spacecraft study the Earth from above as a whole system—observing the atmosphere, ocean, glaciers, and the solid earth.
• Home, Sweet Home - Earth is the perfect place for life as we know it.
• Protective Shield - Our atmosphere protects us from incoming meteoroids, most of which break up in our atmosphere before they can strike the surface.

Kid-Friendly Earth

Our home planet Earth is a rocky, terrestrial planet. It has a solid and active surface with mountains, valleys, canyons, plains and so much more. Earth is special because it is an ocean planet. Water covers 70% of Earth's surface. Earth's atmosphere is made mostly of nitrogen and has plenty of oxygen for us to breathe. The atmosphere also protects us from incoming meteoroids, most of which break up before they can hit the surface.

Discover More Topics From NASA

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211 of the Most Interesting Earth Science Topics

Are you looking for the best and most interesting earth science topics? Sure you do, otherwise you wouldn’t be reading this blog post. Well, we have some very good news for you. Our expert writers and editors created a list of 211 interesting and 100% original topics about all the major fields of earth science. But why would you choose our topics and not continue your search?

Choose Our List of Earth Science Research Topics

We want to make it clear right from the start that all of these earth science research topics are 100% original at the time of writing. We have created each and every one of them ourselves, so you won’t find them on other website. In addition, because our staff has extensive experience writing academic papers, we can assure you that these ideas are not only interesting, but relatively easy as well. This means you don’t have to spend a week or more doing the research and writing the paper. In most cases, you will find more than enough information about the topic with a simple Google search.

Another reason to choose our list of earth science topics is the fact that all these topics are provided for free. You are not required to give us any credits. You are absolutely free to reword our topics as well. Our company is here to help students get top grades on their academic papers, so don’t hesitate to recommend us to your friends and peers. For now, we realize you’re anxious to see the topics. Here are our top 211 ideas for your next earth science essay or research paper:

Earth and Space Science Topics

Would you like to write about something related to earth and space? No problem! Check out these wonderful earth and space science topics and choose the one you like the most right now:

• Discuss climate and seasons on Earth-like planets
• The effects of the Moon on our planet
• Discuss Earth’s magnetic field
• The effects of planetary bodies on Earth
• Negative effects of a meteor strike
• Discuss the minerals present on Mars
• Harvesting energy from the Sun effectively
• Research the Earth-Moon system
• The effects of our galaxy on planet Earth
• Peculiarities of our solar system
• What would Earth be without the Sun?

Earth Science Regents Topics

Are you looking for the most interesting earth science regents topics? Our experienced writers have created a list of exceptional topics that any student can use right away, with no changes:

• What is the role of the atmosphere?
• Discuss the evolution of life on Earth
• Talk about the geologic history if the Everest
• Discuss the Sun-Moon-Earth relationship
• Pressing climate change topics in 2023
• Talk about plate tectonics
• What role does astronomy have?
• Talk about the evolution of meteorology
• Celestial motion in our Solar system
• Dwindling supply from water sources on Earth
• Analyze 3 rocks and minerals in your area
• Analyze the change in landscape in your area

Geophysics Topics

If you are interested in the field of geophysics, our experts have some of the most interesting geophysics topics you could ever find right here. Check them out:

• Why is oceanography so important?
• Discuss the importance of fluid dynamics in geophysics
• Mineral physics and radioactivity
• Magnetism in Earth’s magnetosphere
• Discuss the apparition of water on planet Earth
• The use of geophysics in the search for petroleum
• The concept of heat flow in geophysics
• The role of electromagnetic waves on our planet
• What is the most important benefit of gravity?
• The link between geophysics and atmospheric sciences
• Compare and contrast geophysics with geology
• Research the hydrological cycle in the Atlantic Ocean
• Magnetism in the ionosphere
• Problems caused by our Moon on Earth
• The effects of the Sun on planet Earth

Earth Science Topics for High School

Of course, we have plenty of earth science topics for high school students as well. Take a look at the list below and pick the topic you like the most:

• Discuss the composition of Earth’s crust
• An in-depth look at mantle convection
• The difference between fusion and fission
• How can we determine the age of our planet?
• Research the Alfred Wegener theory
• Talk about how planets are formed
• What is the magnetic polar wandering effect?
• What causes a subduction zone?
• Mountains and the tectonic forces beneath them
• The importance of accurate weather prediction
• Talk about the environmental policies in the European Union
• The worst natural disasters in 2023
• Preserving the mangrove forests
• Talk about the effects of using nuclear fusion as an energy source

Complex Earth Science Research Topics

Do you want to give a more complex topic a try? This can be a good way to impress your professor. Take a look at these complex earth science research topics and choose one:

• The effect of melting glaciers on our oceans
• Various types of minerals found in the UK
• Will the human species run out of clean water?
• Discuss the process by which rocks are formed
• What causes rocks to weather?
• Talk about metamorphic rocks
• An in-depth look at plate tectonics in the United States
• What is a Plutonic body?
• Why is the Earth round?
• 3 of the most important metals on Earth
• How is oil produced?
• The subtle signs of a powerful earthquake
• Why is the gravitational force so important?
• How long before we deplete our natural resources?

Interesting Earth Science Topics

We have selected the most interesting earth science topics across all the relevant fields and have placed them in this list. Select one of these ideas and get a top grade on your next essay:

• The formation of fossil fuels on Earth
• Talk about the continental drift (causes and effects)
• Discuss the composition of planet Earth
• How is oil formed?
• The most important rocks on Earth
• How are diamonds formed?
• Talk about the dangers of seismic waves
• An in-depth look at the interior of our planet
• Discuss the process of glaciation
• What causes faulting on Earth’s surface?
• Talk about industrial practices that can cause earthquakes
• Is Mars an inhabitable planet?
• Talk about physical weathering

Geochemistry Topics

Are you interested in geochemistry? It is a field of earth science, so you can safely write an essay about it. In fact, we have some excellent geochemistry topics for you right here:

• Differences between geology and geodesy
• What is major element geochemistry?
• Breakthroughs in elemental geochemistry in 2023
• Why is geochemistry important for the mining industry?
• Essential characteristics of IOCG-type mineral deposits
• The best software for geochemistry analysis
• Conducting a geochemical analysis on tap water in the United States
• Talk about low temperature aqueous geochemistry

Earth Science Topics for College

Our experts have years of experience writing academic papers for college students, so you can safely pick any of these earth science topics for college:

• The importance of petroleum geophysics
• The composition of Earth’s atmosphere
• Talk about the four spheres of Earth
• Talk about mining geophysics
• What is the Lithosphere and what makes it so special?
• What causes El Nino?
• Physical forms created by lightning strikes
• The damage caused by coal mining on our planet
• Talk about the lithosphere deformation effect
• An in-depth look at the Clean Air Act
• Discuss the biodiversity in the Amazon Forest
• The dangers of tropical cyclones
• The process of identifying a mineral
• The importance of hyperspectral remote sensing

Soil Science Topics

It may not sound like a difficult thing to do, but writing a research paper about soil science can take days. Here are some soil science topics that both interesting and easier to write:

• Discuss the biogeochemical cycling of nutrients in soil
• Effectively managing municipal waste
• Talk about the importance of soil
• Compare and contrast alpine and arctic soils
• What causes soil erosion?
• Talk about the importance of rotating crops in the US
• The major applications in soil sustainability
• The benefits of manure for the soil
• Talk about the nutrient availability in eroded soil
• Negative effects of fertilizer on the soil

8th Grade Earth Science Topics

We have plenty of topics to 8th graders, of course. Don’t worry, these 8th grade earth science topics are not difficult to write about (and you will surely get an A or A+ on them):

• Describe the Moon and talk about its features
• What causes the tidal force? (talk about high tides and low tides)
• How is gold created?
• Why are diamonds so hard?
• How is rain created?
• What makes hydrology so important?
• How can we measure the age of the Earth?
• Why do you want to become a geologist?
• What is a tectonic plate?
• How old is our Moon?
• Talk about climate change and its causes
• Discuss the biodiversity in the United Kingdom
• What is magma?
• What are the 3 major types of rock?
• How is quartz formed?

Hydrology Topics

Writing about something in hydrology can be fun, and it could also persuade your professor to give you some bonus points. Here are our best hydrology topics for students:

• Talk about the soil hydrology in your area
• The hydrologic cycle in North America
• Talk about the chemical nature of water
• Discuss the process of melting ice
• Best ways to conserve water in 2023
• An in-depth look at reclaimed water
• The worrying effects of ocean pollution
• Plastics pollution at its worst
• The effects of the lack of water on the land
• Methods of supplying water in ancient Rome
• The many dangers posed by large bodies of water

Awesome Astronomy Topics

Did you know that writing about astronomy can lead to a top grade? It’s not an easy field, we know. However, we have some pretty awesome astronomy topics right here:

• Discuss the life of Aristotle
• The ongoing search for exoplanets
• The life and works of Ptolemy
• Is there any way we can travel back in time?
• What happens during a Sun eclipse?
• Why are black holes named this way?
• An in-depth analysis of a supernova
• Breakthroughs in space exploration in 2023
• What is a star cluster and how does it form?

Earth and Life Science Topics

Yes, we have plenty of earth and life science topics for students of all ages. We realize professors really like this field, so you should seriously consider choosing one of these ideas:

• The apparition of life on planet Earth
• The importance of meteorology studies
• An in-depth look at the temperate deciduous forest biome
• Talk about breakthroughs in oceanography
• Analyze the biodiversity of the ocean floor
• Effects of deforestation on gorilla habitats
• Analyze the biodiversity of a coral reef
• The amazing nature of termite mounds
• What can we say about the biosphere?
• Research the tropical rainforest biome

Environmental Science Research Topics

If you are searching for the best environmental science research topics, you have arrived at the right place. Check out our ideas and select the one you think would work best for you:

• What is driving the current climate change?
• Talk about the most important effects of bioremediation
• What is noise pollution and how can it be stopped?
• Renewable energy production in 2023
• A solution to our overpopulation problem
• Talk about signs of severe ocean acidification
• What would complete ozone layer depletion mean for humans?
• Analyze the 10 best ways to reduce pollution
• Effects of oil spills on the biodiversity in our oceans

Physical Geography Topics

Our list of physical geography topics will impress even the most demanding of professors. Pick any of these ideas and start writing your research paper today:

• Major breakthroughs in climatology
• Studying the formation of glaciers over the past 100,000 years
• The latest advancements in the field of biogeography
• An in-depth analysis of the worst climate change in 100 years
• Breakthroughs that can change the face of oceanography
• Making effective use of farmland in Venezuela
• Research rural health in mainland China
• We are rapidly running out of water sources

Easy Earth Science Research Paper Topics

Yes, we know you don’t want to spend too much time writing the essay. This is why we have compiled a list of easy earth science research paper topics just for you:

• What is a meteorite and why does one pose a problem if it strikes our planet?
• Talk about the human ecological footprint
• What would happen if the Moon would drift away?
• The negative effects of acid rain in China
• Can our Sun die? (talk about the effects of this)
• Analyze the Canadian environmental policy in the Arctic region
• Analyze 3 invasive plants in your area
• The main causes of drought in sub-Saharan African countries

Controversial Earth Science Topics List

If you want to pick a controversial topic to write about, you will be thrilled to learn that we have a controversial earth science topics list right here:

• Is global warming really as dangerous as people would have us believe?
• Putting a stop on the spread of microplastics in our oceans
• Negative effects of factory farming
• Drought and its effects in 2023 (does it spread?)
• How did our planet form? (was it the Big Bang?)
• Potential dangers of Ocean floor volcano eruptions
• A closer look at the decline of marine biodiversity
• The melting of the Arctic ice sheet and the rise of ocean levels

Best Earth Science Essay Topics for 2023

Because our writers are so experienced at writing about earth science, they can predict which topics will get you top grades in the near future. Check out our list of the best earth science essay topics for 2023:

• The evidence that supports the Big Bang theory
• An in-depth look at the concept of metapopulations
• Discuss the earth science behind wireless 5G networks
• Predicting the next major volcano eruption
• Why were constellations so important to ancient humans?
• Discuss the occurrence of dark matter in outer space
• Estimating the amount of rare metals on a meteorite
• The link between earthquakes and tsunamis

Topics for College and University Students

We have some topics that are a bit more complex than the average topic. These are aimed at college and university students. Here are our best topics for college and university students:

• Why did life in the oceans appear 150 million years before life on land?
• Which fossil fuel is found at the greatest depth and why?
• Explain how coal deposits are being formed
• Metal extraction methods in Medieval Europe

Geological Phenomena Topics

Yes, geological phenomena are a part of earth science. This means you can write your research paper on any of these unique geological phenomena topics:

• What causes excess production of methane?
• What is a fractal and why is it important?
• Talk about the processes involved in plate tectonics
• An in-depth look at the various igneous formation processes
• What causes moraines to appear in glaciated regions?
• Talk about the causes behind the continental drift
• Talk about the a sedimentary formation process in your area
• An in-depth look at the processes behind geysers and hot springs
• What can cause a landslide in the absence of water?
• Talk about the magnetic field of planet Earth

Our Expert Writers Are Ready to Help

Did you know that we can do much more than just provide students with the best topics? Our expert writers have extensive academic writing experience, so they can write a top-notch essay for you in no time. Because we have some of the best writers (all of them have at least a PhD degree) on the Internet, we can help you with any kind of paper, including theses and dissertations.

Getting a custom research paper fast and cheap has never been easier. All you need to do is get in touch with us and tell us exactly what you need done. Our professional ENL writers will handle everything from finding the right topic to writing, editing and proofreading your paper. Everything is done online, so you always know the status of your project.

We can assure you that your professor will appreciate our work. After all, our experts have written thousands of research papers about all the fields in earth science. This is why we are certain you will receive only high grades if you choose to work with us. Get in touch with our customer support department today, and don’t forget to ask us about our latest offers and discounts!

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Collection 

Top 100 in Earth Science

Explore our most highly accessed Earth science articles in 2017. Featuring authors from around the World, these papers highlight valuable research within Earth science from an international community.

• Collection content
• Associated content

Site of asteroid impact changed the history of life on Earth: the low probability of mass extinction

• Kunio Kaiho
• Naga Oshima

India Is Overtaking China as the World’s Largest Emitter of Anthropogenic Sulfur Dioxide

• Chris McLinden
• Russell R. Dickerson

A real-time Global Warming Index

• K. Haustein
• M. R. Allen
• D. J. Frame

Changes in regional heatwave characteristics as a function of increasing global temperature

• S. E. Perkins-Kirkpatrick
• P. B. Gibson

New insights into earthquake precursors from InSAR

• Michele Saroli
• Urs Wegmüller

Source and dynamics of a volcanic caldera unrest: Campi Flegrei, 1983–84

• Luca De Siena
• Giovanni Chiodini
• Guido Ventura

Climate induced human demographic and cultural change in northern Europe during the mid-Holocene

• J. S. Sinninghe Damsté

Impact-related microspherules in Late Pleistocene Alaskan and Yukon “muck” deposits signify recurrent episodes of catastrophic emplacement

• Jonathan T. Hagstrum
• Richard B. Firestone
• Ted E. Bunch

Amplified surface temperature response of cold, deep lakes to inter-annual air temperature variability

• R. Iestyn Woolway
• Christopher J. Merchant

Climate of doubt: A re-evaluation of Büntgen and Di Cosmo’s environmental hypothesis for the Mongol withdrawal from Hungary, 1242 CE

• Zsolt Pinke
• László Ferenczi
• Stephen Pow

Global nickel anomaly links Siberian Traps eruptions and the latest Permian mass extinction

• Michael R. Rampino
• Sedelia Rodriguez

Nuisance Flooding and Relative Sea-Level Rise: the Importance of Present-Day Land Motion

• Makan A. Karegar
• Timothy H. Dixon
• Simon E. Engelhart

Hydrogeochemical changes before and during the 2016 Amatrice-Norcia seismic sequence (central Italy)

• Marino Domenico Barberio
• Maurizio Barbieri
• Marco Petitta

Dominant control of agriculture and irrigation on urban heat island in India

• Rahul Kumar
• Vimal Mishra
• Matthew Huber

Doubling of coastal flooding frequency within decades due to sea-level rise

• Sean Vitousek
• Patrick L. Barnard
• Curt D. Storlazzi

High levels of ammonia do not raise fine particle pH sufficiently to yield nitrogen oxide-dominated sulfate production

• Rodney J. Weber
• Athanasios Nenes

Observed drought indices show increasing divergence across Europe

• James H. Stagge
• Daniel G. Kingston
• David M. Hannah

Severe Pollution in China Amplified by Atmospheric Moisture

• Ru-Jin Huang
• Colin D. O’Dowd

Spaceborne Synthetic Aperture Radar Survey of Subsidence in Hampton Roads, Virginia (USA)

• D. P. S. Bekaert
• B. D. Hamlington
• C. E. Jones

Role of Oceanic and Terrestrial Atmospheric Moisture Sources in Intraseasonal Variability of Indian Summer Monsoon Rainfall

• Amey Pathak
• Subimal Ghosh
• Raghu Murtugudde

Urban Seismology: on the origin of earth vibrations within a city

• Paula Romero

Evidence of local and regional freshening of Northeast Greenland coastal waters

• Mikael K. Sejr
• Colin A. Stedmon
• Søren Rysgaard

New Zealand supereruption provides time marker for the Last Glacial Maximum in Antarctica

• Nelia W. Dunbar
• Nels A. Iverson
• Colin J. N. Wilson

A solar radiation database for Chile

• Alejandra Molina
• Mark Falvey
• Roberto Rondanelli

Evidence of long-term NAO influence on East-Central Europe winter precipitation from a guano-derived δ 15 N record

• Daniel M. Cleary
• Jonathan G. Wynn
• Bogdan P. Onac

Humid heat waves at different warming levels

• Simone Russo
• Jana Sillmann
• Andreas Sterl

Distributed Acoustic Sensing for Seismic Monitoring of The Near Surface: A Traffic-Noise Interferometry Case Study

• Nate Lindsey
• Jonathan B. Ajo-Franklin

Declining pre-monsoon dust loading over South Asia: Signature of a changing regional climate

• Satyendra K. Pandey
• S. Suresh Babu

The first physical evidence of subglacial volcanism under the West Antarctic Ice Sheet

• Ross Lieb-Lappen
• Ellyn Golden

8000-year monsoonal record from Himalaya revealing reinforcement of tropical and global climate systems since mid-Holocene

• Pradeep Srivastava
• Rajesh Agnihotri
• R. Jayangondaperumal

Extreme weather caused by concurrent cyclone, front and thunderstorm occurrences

• Andrew J. Dowdy
• Jennifer L. Catto

Drift-dependent changes in iceberg size-frequency distributions

• James D. Kirkham
• Nick J. Rosser
• Witold Szczuciński

Exceptional 20 th century glaciological regime of a major SE Greenland outlet glacier

• Camilla S. Andresen
• Ulla Kokfelt
• David Wangner

Contrasting glacier responses to recent climate change in high-mountain Asia

• Akiko Sakai
• Koji Fujita

The impact of extreme El Niño events on modern sediment transport along the western Peruvian Andes (1968–2012)

• Sergio B. Morera
• Thomas Condom
• Jean L. Guyot

Indian Ocean corals reveal crucial role of World War II bias for twentieth century warming estimates

• M. Pfeiffer
• M. E. Weber

The signs of Antarctic ozone hole recovery

• Jayanarayanan Kuttippurath
• Prijitha J. Nair

Tracing the Vedic Saraswati River in the Great Rann of Kachchh

• Nitesh Khonde
• Sunil Kumar Singh
• Liviu Giosan

Droughts in India from 1981 to 2013 and Implications to Wheat Production

• Xiang Zhang
• Renee Obringer

Half a century of coastal temperature records reveal complex warming trends in western boundary currents

• Nick T. Shears
• Melissa M. Bowen

US Power Production at Risk from Water Stress in a Changing Climate

• Poulomi Ganguli
• Devashish Kumar
• Auroop R. Ganguly

Effect of a positive Sea Surface Temperature anomaly on a Mediterranean tornadic supercell

• Mario Marcello Miglietta
• Jordi Mazon
• Antonello Pasini

Monitoring ground water storage at mesoscale using seismic noise: 30 years of continuous observation and thermo-elastic and hydrological modeling

• Thomas Lecocq
• Laurent Longuevergne
• Klaus Stammler

The Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO-2) tracks 2–3 peta-gram increase in carbon release to the atmosphere during the 2014–2016 El Niño

• Prabir K. Patra
• David Crisp
• Kentaro Ishijima

Changes in land use alter soil quality and aggregate stability in the highlands of northern Ethiopia

• Yoseph T. Delelegn
• Witoon Purahong
• Douglas L. Godbold

Zebra rocks: compaction waves create ore deposits

• Ulrich Kelka
• Manolis Veveakis
• Nicolas Beaudoin

Distributed optical fibre sensing for early detection of shallow landslides triggering

• Luca Schenato
• Luca Palmieri
• Paolo Simonini

The role of city size and urban form in the surface urban heat island

• Diego Rybski
• Jürgen P. Kropp

Wind-generated Electricity in China: Decreasing Potential, Inter-annual Variability and Association with Changing Climate

• Peter Sherman
• Michael B. McElroy

A new family of extraterrestrial amino acids in the Murchison meteorite

• Toshiki Koga
• Hiroshi Naraoka

Minimal Holocene retreat of large tidewater glaciers in Køge Bugt, southeast Greenland

• Laurence M. Dyke
• Flor Vermassen

Magmatic tempo of Earth’s youngest exposed plutons as revealed by detrital zircon U-Pb geochronology

• Hisatoshi Ito
• Christopher J. Spencer
• Carl W. Hoiland

Impact of Ocean Warming on Tropical Cyclone Size and Its Destructiveness

• Zhong Zhong

Long-term climate change in the D-region

• Mark A. Clilverd
• Roger Duthie
• Keith H. Yearby

Direct Formation of Structural Components Using a Martian Soil Simulant

• Brian J. Chow
• Tzehan Chen

Surge-type and surge-modified glaciers in the Karakoram

A robust empirical seasonal prediction of winter NAO and surface climate

• P. J. Kushner

Enhanced Arctic Amplification Began at the Mid-Brunhes Event ~400,000 years ago

• T. M. Cronin
• G. S. Dwyer

Peatland Ecosystem Processes in the Maritime Antarctic During Warm Climates

• Julie Loisel
• Ivan Parnikoza

Salinity stratification controlled productivity variation over 300 ky in the Bay of Bengal

• R. Da Silva
• A. Mazumdar
• S. K. Molletti

Climate variability and trends at a national scale

• Jianguo Liu

Nonuniform subduction of the Indian crust beneath the Himalayas

• Simon L. Klemperer

Origin of methane-rich natural gas at the West Pacific convergent plate boundary

• Naoya Kinoshita
• Daniele L. Pinti

Prediction of Indian Summer-Monsoon Onset Variability: A Season in Advance

• Maheswar Pradhan
• A. Suryachandra Rao
• K. S. Shameera

Evaluating the importance of metamorphism in the foundering of continental crust

• Timothy Chapman
• Geoffrey L. Clarke
• Nathan R. Daczko

Identification of the driving forces of climate change using the longest instrumental temperature record

• Peicai Yang

Advancement of magma fragmentation by inhomogeneous bubble distribution

• M. Ichihara

Himalayan glaciers experienced significant mass loss during later phases of little ice age

• Mayank Shekhar
• Anshuman Bhardwaj
• María-Paz Zorzano

Fatty Acid Surfactant Photochemistry Results in New Particle Formation

• Peter A. Alpert
• Raluca Ciuraru
• Christian George

Mantle hydration along outer-rise faults inferred from serpentinite permeability

• Kohei Hatakeyama
• Ikuo Katayama
• Katsuyoshi Michibayashi

Silica precipitation potentially controls earthquake recurrence in seismogenic zones

• Hanae Saishu
• Atsushi Okamoto
• Makoto Otsubo

Patterns of change in high frequency precipitation variability over North America

• Susana Roque-Malo
• Praveen Kumar

Marine self-potential survey for exploring seafloor hydrothermal ore deposits

• Yoshifumi Kawada
• Takafumi Kasaya

Hydrothermal activity, functional diversity and chemoautotrophy are major drivers of seafloor carbon cycling

• James B. Bell
• Clare Woulds
• Dick van Oevelen

A decade of global volcanic SO 2 emissions measured from space

• V. E. Fioletov
• N. A. Krotkov

South Atlantic paleobathymetry since early Cretaceous

• Lucía Pérez-Díaz
• Graeme Eagles

Precipitation in a warming world: Assessing projected hydro-climate changes in California and other Mediterranean climate regions

• Suraj D. Polade
• Alexander Gershunov
• David W. Pierce

Penultimate deglacial warming across the Mediterranean Sea revealed by clumped isotopes in foraminifera

• L. Rodríguez-Sanz
• S. M. Bernasconi
• E. J. Rohling

Emerging negative Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation index in spite of warm subtropics

• Eleanor Frajka-Williams
• Claudie Beaulieu
• Aurelie Duchez

Attribution of recent temperature behaviour reassessed by a neural-network method

• Paolo Racca
• Claudio Cassardo

Disentangling physical and biological drivers of phytoplankton dynamics in a coastal system

• Daniela Cianelli
• Domenico D’Alelio
• Maurizio Ribera d’Alcalà

Extreme coastal erosion enhanced by anomalous extratropical storm wave direction

• Mitchell D. Harley
• Ian L. Turner
• Andrew D. Short

India plate angular velocity and contemporary deformation rates from continuous GPS measurements from 1996 to 2015

• Sridevi Jade
• T. S. Shrungeshwara

Multi-year predictability of climate, drought, and wildfire in southwestern North America

• Yoshimitsu Chikamoto
• Axel Timmermann
• Lowell Stott

Climate and permafrost effects on the chemistry and ecosystems of High Arctic Lakes

• K. E. Roberts
• S. F. Lamoureux
• A. Normandeau

Sensing coral reef connectivity pathways from space

• Dionysios E. Raitsos
• Robert J. W. Brewin
• Ibrahim Hoteit

Potential ash impact from Antarctic volcanoes: Insights from Deception Island’s most recent eruption

Causes and Predictability of the Negative Indian Ocean Dipole and Its Impact on La Niña During 2016

• Harry H. Hendon

Induced seismicity closed-form traffic light system for actuarial decision-making during deep fluid injections

• M. Broccardo
• D. Giardini

On the consistency of seismically imaged lower mantle slabs

• G. E. Shephard
• K. J. Matthews

Volcanic influence on centennial to millennial Holocene Greenland temperature change

• Takuro Kobashi
• Laurie Menviel
• Atsumu Ohmura

Increasing frequency and spatial extent of concurrent meteorological droughts and heatwaves in India

• Shailza Sharma
• Pradeep Mujumdar

New Late Permian tectonic model for South Africa’s Karoo Basin: foreland tectonics and climate change before the end-Permian crisis

• Pia A. Viglietti
• Bruce S. Rubidge
• Roger M. H. Smith

Vegetation morphologic and aerodynamic characteristics reduce aeolian erosion

• Deirdre Dragovich
• Zhibao Dong

Evidence for ice-ocean albedo feedback in the Arctic Ocean shifting to a seasonal ice zone

• Haruhiko Kashiwase
• Kay I. Ohshima
• Hajo Eicken

Arctic cryosphere and Milankovitch forcing of Great Basin paleoclimate

• Matthew Lachniet
• Yemane Asmerom
• Rhawn Denniston

Recognition of a likely two phased extinction at the K-Pg boundary in Antarctica

• Thomas S. Tobin

Birth of an oceanic spreading center at a magma-poor rift system

• Morgane Gillard
• Daniel Sauter
• Gianreto Manatschal

Impact of Multidecadal Climate Variability on United Kingdom Rickets Rates

• Haris Majeed
• G. W. K. Moore

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JPL's charter is to conduct robotic space missions for NASA, to explore our own and neighboring planetary systems, understand the origin and evolution of the universe and make critical measurements to understand our home planet and help protect it. We do this by developing integrated capabilities in engineering, science and technology, in a unique environment that strives for excellence in any of the three areas. To be successful in our ability to implement missions for NASA, we foster research in those areas of space-based science that establish our leadership in the science community and those technologies that allow the innovations that are crucial to maintaining our competitive edge. Our science, technology and engineering research covers many areas of planetary, astrophysics and Earth science, both as basic research leading to new observations and mission concepts, as well as research based on the data acquired by JPL flight projects. Our technology research covers areas ranging from robotic systems, a range of in-situ and remote sensing instruments, deep space communications and navigation, information systems, precision flying and planetary protection and survivability.

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Introduction to Earth Science

• The Nature of Earth Science
• Earth Science and Its Branches
• Earth's Surface
• Location, Longitude, and Latitude
• Modeling Earth's Surface
• Topographic Maps
• Using Satellites and Computers to Study Earth
• Minerals and Mineral Groups
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• Types of Rocks
• Igneous Rocks
• Sedimentary Rocks
• Metamorphic Rocks

Earth's Energy

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Plate Tectonics

• Plate Tectonics and Inside Earth
• Continental Drift
• Seafloor Spreading
• Theory of Plate Tectonics

Earthquakes

• Stress in Earth's Crust
• The Nature of Earthquakes
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• Staying Safe in Earthquakes
• Where Volcanoes are Located
• Volcanic Eruptions
• Types of Volcanoes
• Volcanic Landforms and Geothermic Activity

Weathering and Formation of Soil

Erosion and deposition.

• Water Erosion and Deposition
• Wave Erosion and Deposition
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• Glacial Erosion and Deposition
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Evidence about Earth's Past

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Earth's History

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• History of Earth's Complex Life Forms

Fresh Water

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• Introduction to the Oceans
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• Changing Weather
• Weather Forecasting
• Climate and Its Clauses
• World Climates
• Climate Change

Ecosystems and Human Populations

• The Carbon Cycle and the Nitrogen Cycle
• Human Populations

Human Actions and the Land

• Loss of Soils
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Human Actions and Earth's Resources

• Use and Conservation of Resources
• Energy Conservation

Human Actions and Earth's Water

• Humans and Water Supply
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Human Actions and the Atmosphere

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Observing and Exploring Space

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Earth, Moon, and Sun

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The Solar System

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Stars, Galaxies, and the Universe

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