The Earth in focus - p1

doi:10.1038/ngeo.2007.69

Full Text - The Earth in focus | PDF (218 KB) - The Earth in focus

From climate assessment to climate services - pp2 - 3

Martin Visbeck

doi:10.1038/ngeo.2007.55

Full Text - From climate assessment to climate services | PDF (332 KB) - From climate assessment to climate services

The ends of the Earth - pp5 - 6

Ronald Amundson

doi:10.1038/ngeo.2007.57

Full Text - The ends of the Earth | PDF (304 KB) - The ends of the Earth

Continental extension, venusian atmosphere, and more - p7

doi:10.1038/ngeo.2007.73

Full Text - Continental extension, venusian atmosphere, and more | PDF (138 KB) - Continental extension, venusian atmosphere, and more

Palaeoceanography: The briny deep - pp9 - 10

Ellen Martin

doi:10.1038/ngeo.2007.43

Full Text - PalaeoceanographyThe briny deep | PDF (154 KB) - PalaeoceanographyThe briny deep

Subject Category: Palaeoclimate and palaeoceanography

Tectonics: Arabia's slow dance with India - pp10 - 11

Charles DeMets

doi:10.1038/ngeo.2007.56

Full Text - TectonicsArabia's slow dance with India | PDF (540 KB) - TectonicsArabia's slow dance with India

Subject Category: Structural geology, tectonics and geodynamics

Atmospheric science: Raising the roof - pp12 - 13

Tiffany A. Shaw & Theodore G. Shepherd

doi:10.1038/ngeo.2007.53

Full Text - Atmospheric scienceRaising the roof | PDF (204 KB) - Atmospheric scienceRaising the roof

Subject Category: Atmospheric science

Environmental biology: Trees of extremes - p13

Alexandra Thompson

doi:10.1038/ngeo.2007.66

Full Text - Environmental biologyTrees of extremes | PDF (143 KB) - Environmental biologyTrees of extremes

Subject Category: Ecology

Mesozoic climate: Liverworts and all - pp14 - 15

Klaus Wallmann

doi:10.1038/ngeo.2007.67

Full Text - Mesozoic climateLiverworts and all | PDF (150 KB) - Mesozoic climateLiverworts and all

Subject Category: Palaeoclimate and palaeoceanography

Atmospheric science: Black carbon and brown clouds - pp15 - 16

John Seinfeld

doi:10.1038/ngeo.2007.62

Full Text - Atmospheric scienceBlack carbon and brown clouds | PDF (188 KB) - Atmospheric scienceBlack carbon and brown clouds

Subject Category: Atmospheric science

Geodynamics: The ups and downs of sediments - pp17 - 18

Terry Plank & Peter E. van Keken

doi:10.1038/ngeo.2007.68

Full Text - GeodynamicsThe ups and downs of sediments | PDF (237 KB) - GeodynamicsThe ups and downs of sediments

Subject Category: Structural geology, tectonics and geodynamics

Palaeontology: Meteoritic spur to life? - pp18 - 19

Florentin Paris

doi:10.1038/ngeo.2007.63

Full Text - PalaeontologyMeteoritic spur to life? | PDF (156 KB) - PalaeontologyMeteoritic spur to life?

Subject Category: Palaeontology

Widening of the tropical belt in a changing climate - pp21 - 24

Dian J. Seidel, Qiang Fu, William J. Randel & Thomas J. Reichler

doi:10.1038/ngeo.2007.38

The tropical belt has been widening over past decades — as estimated from a number of independent lines of evidence — shifting the dry subtropical climate zones polewards around the world.

Abstract - | Full Text - Widening of the tropical belt in a changing climate | PDF (260 KB) - Widening of the tropical belt in a changing climate

Subject Categories: Atmospheric science | Climate science

Core–mantle boundary heat flow - pp25 - 32

Thorne Lay, John Hernlund & Bruce A. Buffett

doi:10.1038/ngeo.2007.44

Emerging evidence for threefold higher heat flow across the core–mantle boundary prompts a re-evaluation of the role of thermal plumes in geodynamics and the thermal history of the Earth's core and lower mantle.

Abstract - | Full Text - Core–mantle boundary heat flow | PDF (375 KB) - Core–mantle boundary heat flow

Subject Categories: Geomagnetism, palaeomagnetism and core processes | Structural geology, tectonics and geodynamics

Response of glacier basal motion to transient water storage - pp33 - 37

Timothy C. Bartholomaus, Robert S. Anderson & Suzanne P. Anderson

doi:10.1038/ngeo.2007.52

The speed of a glacier is affected most by sudden jumps in the water supply to the glacier, but it goes back to previous levels if high water inputs are sustained because the glacier's plumbing system adjusts.

First paragraph - | Full Text - Response of glacier basal motion to transient water storage | PDF (983 KB) - Response of glacier basal motion to transient water storage

Subject Categories: Cryospheric science | Climate science

See also: related Backstory

High rates of sea-level rise during the last interglacial period - pp38 - 42

E. J. Rohling, K. Grant, Ch. Hemleben, M. Siddall, B. A. A. Hoogakker, M. Bolshaw & M. Kucera

doi:10.1038/ngeo.2007.28

Sea level during the last interglacial stood at least 4 m higher than at present, with evidence of short-term fluctuations of up to 10 m. A new continuous sea level record from the Red Sea and coral ages suggest that during these fluctuations, sea level changes were on the order of 1.6 m per century.

First paragraph - | Full Text - High rates of sea-level rise during the last interglacial period | PDF (547 KB) - High rates of sea-level rise during the last interglacial period | Supplementary information

Subject Categories: Palaeoclimate and palaeoceanography | Oceanography

Atmospheric carbon dioxide linked with Mesozoic and early Cenozoic climate change - pp43 - 48

Benjamin J. Fletcher, Stuart J. Brentnall, Clive W. Anderson, Robert A. Berner & David J. Beerling

doi:10.1038/ngeo.2007.29

Carbon isotopes of fossil plants and model simulations suggest that atmospheric carbon dioxide levels were variable during the period 200 to 60 million years ago. The large decreases in the partial pressure of CO₂ coincide with glaciations, providing evidence against climate–CO₂ decoupling during the Mesozoic.

First paragraph - | Full Text - Atmospheric carbon dioxide linked with Mesozoic and early Cenozoic climate change | PDF (434 KB) - Atmospheric carbon dioxide linked with Mesozoic and early Cenozoic climate change | Supplementary information

Subject Categories: Palaeoclimate and palaeoceanography | Atmospheric science

See also: News and Views by Wallmann

Asteroid breakup linked to the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event - pp49 - 53

Birger Schmitz, David A. T. Harper, Bernhard Peucker-Ehrenbrink, Svend Stouge, Carl Alwmark, Anders Cronholm, Stig M. Bergström, Mario Tassinari & Wang Xiaofeng

doi:10.1038/ngeo.2007.37

The Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event coincides ~470 million years ago with the break-up of a large asteroid and the resultant frequent bombardment of Earth with asteroid fragments.

First paragraph - | Full Text - Asteroid breakup linked to the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event | PDF (257 KB) - Asteroid breakup linked to the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event | Supplementary information

Subject Categories: Palaeontology | Geochemistry

See also: News and Views by Paris

In situ evidence for dextral active motion at the Arabia–India plate boundary - pp54 - 58

Marc Fournier, Nicolas Chamot-Rooke, Carole Petit, Olivier Fabbri, Philippe Huchon, Bertrand Maillot & Claude Lepvrier

doi:10.1038/ngeo.2007.24

Multibeam mapping of the northwestern Indian Ocean seafloor provides clear evidence of dextral strike-slip motion along the Owen fracture zone and helps constrain the nature of deformation as well as the rate of slip along this little-studied plate boundary.

First paragraph - | Full Text - In situ evidence for dextral active motion at the Arabia–India plate boundary | PDF (4,742 KB) - In situ evidence for dextral active motion at the Arabia–India plate boundary | Supplementary information

Subject Category: Structural geology, tectonics and geodynamics

See also: News and Views by DeMets | related Backstory

Persistent earthquake clusters and gaps from slip on irregular faults - pp59 - 63

Tom Parsons

doi:10.1038/ngeo.2007.36

Clustering of earthquakes at various spatial scales is the result of a heterogeneous distribution of stresses, and – at least for intermediate-magnitude earthquakes – areas that are quiet at present are likely to remain so in the future.

First paragraph - | Full Text - Persistent earthquake clusters and gaps from slip on irregular faults | PDF (795 KB) - Persistent earthquake clusters and gaps from slip on irregular faults | Supplementary information

Subject Categories: Seismology | Structural geology, tectonics and geodynamics

Role of recycled oceanic basalt and sediment in generating the Hf–Nd mantle array - pp64 - 67

Catherine Chauvel, Eric Lewin, Marion Carpentier, Nicholas T. Arndt & Jean-Christophe Marini

doi:10.1038/ngeo.2007.51

The isotopic composition of oceanic basalts suggests that they are composed of true recycled oceanic crust and sediments, which are mixed with the depleted mantle.

First paragraph - | Full Text - Role of recycled oceanic basalt and sediment in generating the Hf–Nd mantle array | PDF (1,732 KB) - Role of recycled oceanic basalt and sediment in generating the Hf–Nd mantle array | Supplementary information

Subject Categories: Geochemistry | Volcanology, mineralogy and petrology

See also: News and Views by Plank & van Keken

Influence of brine formation on Arctic Ocean circulation over the past 15 million years - pp68 - 72

Brian A. Haley, Martin Frank, Robert F. Spielhagen & Anton Eisenhauer

doi:10.1038/ngeo.2007.5

Over the past 15 million years, Arctic Ocean circulation has exhibited two distinct modes: during the interglacial periods of the past two million years, including the present, Arctic intermediate water was mainly derived from North Atlantic inflow. By contrast, between 15 and 2 million years ago, and during glacial periods thereafter, brine formation on the Eurasian shelves contributed substantially to Arctic intermediate water.

Abstract - | Full Text - Influence of brine formation on Arctic Ocean circulation over the past 15 million years | PDF (2,332 KB) - Influence of brine formation on Arctic Ocean circulation over the past 15 million years | Supplementary information

Subject Category: Palaeoclimate and palaeoceanography

See also: News and Views by Martin | related Backstory

Drillship on ice - p76

doi:10.1038/ngeo.2007.39

Full Text - Drillship on ice | PDF (242 KB) - Drillship on ice

Midnight glacier hikes - pE1

doi:10.1038/ngeo.2007.54

Full Text - Midnight glacier hikes | PDF (270 KB) - Midnight glacier hikes

Plates under the sea - pE2

doi:10.1038/ngeo.2007.58

Full Text - Plates under the sea | PDF (222 KB) - Plates under the sea