death valley

An inevitable warm-up for Earth

July 31, 2017

Even if humans could instantly turn off all greenhouse gas emissions, Earth would continue to heat up about two more degrees Fahrenheit by the turn of the century, according to new research.

Pilot Dan Hesseliusl with drone aircraft

'Project Drought' taps drones to measure water moisture at Colorado farm

July 28, 2017

CU Boulder engineers, scientists and students are teaming up with Black Swift Technologies to use unmanned aircraft to measure water moisture at a test irrigation farm in Yuma, Colorado.

an illustration of cloud cover over Earth

A closer look at clouds

July 26, 2017

CIRES scientist's innovative framework could improve the way weather and climate models represent the detail needed to make thin, layered clouds behave realistically.

air quality monitoring equipment set up at Boulder Reservoir

Tracking Boulder's air quality in real time

July 21, 2017

An automated emissions monitoring system at Boulder Reservoir tracks methane and other harmful atmospheric gases in real time. Read more, listen to the podcast or watch the video.

a research drone

Earth Lab joins CIRES

July 5, 2017

Beginning July 1, Earth Lab will become part of CIRES, a longstanding leader in Earth system research.

a glacier in Antarctica

Black carbon persists in snow and ice around the world

June 30, 2017

A new INSTAAR study shows significant amounts of dissolved black carbon can persist in both pristine and non-pristine areas of snow around the world.

Indigo bunting bird perched on tree branch

Geographer helps document changing climate's disruption of migratory birds

June 29, 2017

Stefan Leyk isn't much of an ornithologist, but the associate professor's geographical savvy did help lead to a startling study in how climate change is altering tree-leafing dates faster than birds are adapting.

NIST has combined a laser instrument that “combs†the air with a flying multi-copter to scan and map atmospheric gases over kilometer distances.

Laser-combing multi-copter scans for atmospheric gases

June 26, 2017

Researchers from NIST and CU Boulder have demonstrated a new mobile, ground-based system that could scan and map atmospheric gas plumes.

The San Luis Valley

When farmers must pay for groundwater, they cut use by a third

June 22, 2017

A new study by CU Boulder researchers found that when San Luis Valley farmers imposed a well-pumping tax on themselves, they slashed use by a third and farmed more sustainably.

researchers at the Niwot Ridge research site

Skiing for science at 12,000 feet—in June

June 12, 2017

Earlier this month, INSTAAR researchers took their annual snow survey in the Green Lakes Valley, part of the city of Boulder watershed. The measurements are important for the state's water and fire management agencies.

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