A recent study has found that forests destroyed by wildfires continue to emit carbon dioxide (CO₂) for years after the flames have been extinguished. The boreal forest, a critical CO₂ sink stretching across Earth’s northern latitudes, plays a crucial role in removing carbon from the atmosphere. However, when these forests burn, they release large amounts of CO₂, exacerbating climate change.
Impact of Wildfires on Boreal Forests
The research, conducted in central Sweden following the extreme wildfires of 2018, revealed that burnt areas continue to release CO₂ long after the fires have died down. This ongoing emission is significant, as it doubles the amount of CO₂ released during the fire itself. Scientists measured CO₂ exchange between the land and atmosphere over four years, comparing burnt and unburnt regions, as well as areas subjected to different post-fire management strategies.
Post-Fire Emissions and Recovery
In the study, areas where trees were killed by the fire or removed through salvage logging emitted an average of 650 grams of carbon per square metre in the first four years. In comparison, an unburnt forest of similar size would typically remove 1,200 grams of carbon from the atmosphere during the same period. The findings suggest that it could take more than 40 years for the burnt forest to recapture the CO₂ lost in the fire.
Role of Post-Fire Management
The research also highlighted the importance of post-fire management in the recovery of forests. Practices like salvage logging and soil ploughing, which are common in Sweden, were found to slow down the regrowth of vegetation. This delay hinders the forest’s ability to become a CO₂ sink again. Conversely, leaving surviving trees standing allows them to continue capturing carbon, albeit at a reduced rate.
Implications for Climate Modelling
This study emphasizes the need to rethink forest management practices as wildfires become more frequent due to climate change. It also calls for climate modellers to factor in the prolonged CO₂ emissions from burnt forests when assessing the environmental impact of wildfires.
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The scientists have found methane in the atmosphere of WISEA J181006.18 −101000.5, the T dwarf closest to Earth. The study was published in the online preprint journal arXiv on March 28, and the final, revised version was published on November 17. The WISE1810 is a metal-poor T dwarf planet, which is situated at a distance of 29 light years from the Earth. The effective temperature of the dwarf is reported to be within the range of 800–1,300 K.
Methane Signature Surprises Astronomers
According to a Phys.org report, the finding is made greatly possible by the present 10.4-m Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC). The detection of methane in the atmosphere of the dwarf planet has further made its classification as T-type instead of L-type, which was earlier suggested in previous studies, the publication notes. The study further reveal that there are no traces of carbon monoxide and potassium in the atmosphere of the WISE1810.
The study further highlights that the carbon abundance in the planet is estimated to be -1.5 dex, while the effective temperature could be around 1,000 K. The author of the paper further revealed that the low metallicity of the T dwarf planet could be due to the non-detection of atomic potassium. However, a lower temperature could also boost this effect, the report further highlights. The study also found that WISE1810 has a heliocentric velocity of -83 km/s.
The 10.4-m Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC) supplies a significant contribution to finishing WISEA J181006.18−101000 observations. Interestingly, the previous observations of the dwarf platent suggested that the atmosphere of the dwarf planet was dominated by hydrogen and water vapour. Moreover, the study further reveals that findings indicates WISE1810 could more likely to be associated with the Milky Way’s thick disk, despite its very low metallicity.
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An underground structure beneath central United States has been observed dragging surface materials deep into the Earth. This movement has been linked to an old piece of crust lodged far below the Midwest. Researchers have said this action is pulling rocks from across the continent towards a funnel-shaped region. It is believed this process is causing parts of the crust to thin as material is drawn downward. This phenomenon has been found to affect areas beyond the immediate region.
Underground slab tied to crust loss beneath Midwest
According to the study published in Nature Geoscience, the phenomenon has been tied to the remains of a long-subducted tectonic plate known as the Farallon slab. This slab, which sits around 660 kilometres below the surface, was identified as the driving force behind what scientists refer to as cratonic thinning. Cratons are known to be the stable core regions of continental crust and upper mantle that usually do not undergo change.
The seismic mapping project was led by Junlin Hua during his postdoctoral work at The University of Texas at Austin. He now serves as a professor at the University of Science and Technology of China. In a statement, Hua explained that a wide region is showing signs of thinning. He stated that the study has brought forward a new explanation behind this change.
New seismic method uncovers ‘dripping’ lithosphere
To observe the changes taking place beneath North America, researchers used a method known as full-waveform inversion. This seismic imaging approach allowed them to map the subsurface in high detail. According to Thorsten Becker, Geophysics Chair at UT Austin, this technique offered a better understanding of the link between deep mantle regions and the lithosphere above.
Computer simulations were used to confirm the effect. When the slab was included, the downward movement was visible. When removed, no such feature appeared.
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