Climate and atmosphere
The physical processes shaping clouds, weather, and climate.
8 problemsEarth science
Earth’s interior, geological history, and physical systems.
Explore Earth science
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Browse collectionsInside planets and stars
Composition, structure and internal dynamics of planets and stars.
37 problemsEarth’s interior
Structure, water and rock chemistry, magnetic-field power, and seismic signals from deep inside Earth.
8 problemsClimate and atmosphere
Past climate shifts, cloud feedbacks, atmospheric mixing and the future of ice sheets.
7 problemsA few problems to explore
21 totalAtmospheric turbulence
Air contains interacting eddies over an enormous range of sizes. How can their combined effect on heat, momentum, and pollutants be predicted reliably?
Earth’s core composition
Earth’s core is mostly iron and nickel, but these alone do not explain its measured properties. Which lighter elements are mixed in, and how are they distributed?
Onset of plate tectonics
Earth’s moving plates are well established today. How and when did its early surface develop the connected system of recycling and motion we recognize as plate tectonics?
Large low shear velocity provinces
Two enormous regions near the bottom of Earth’s mantle slow seismic waves. What mixtures of heat and material create them, and how have they changed through time?
Aerosol–cloud interactions
Airborne particles change how clouds form and reflect sunlight. How much cooling do those changes produce, across different clouds and weather conditions?
Earthquake nucleation
How does slow fault slip develop into the unstable rupture of a natural earthquake?