Unlocking the mysteries of Red Sea eddies

Dec 23, 2014

First-time reports of the statistical properties of ‘whirlpools’ show they are frequent and seasonal.

Securing future energy supply

Feb 6, 2015

KAUST’s Earth Science and Engineering Program is underpinned by a drive to develop sustainable ways to get the best from natural resources and quantify environmental hazards.

Tsunami: The importance of underwater landslides

Apr 4, 2015

An underwater landslide triggered by the 2011 earthquake in Japan may have exacerbated the resulting tsunami.

Winter monsoons keep the Red Sea fertile

May 9, 2015

Plate separation births two volcanic islands

May 26, 2015

The emergence of two volcanic islands in the Red Sea suggests a larger underlying event linked to African-Arabian plate separation.

Trend reversals in the Middle East

Oct 3, 2015

Conflict and economic crises, combined with pollution control measures, are changing the air above the Middle East.

Dusty days over Arabia

Nov 7, 2015

Modelling reveals how atmospheric dust influences daytime patterns of energy transfer from sunlight.

Effect of dust on the Red Sea

Nov 28, 2015

Ship-based studies of dust levels above the Red Sea reveal significant variations and confirm the reliability of satellite monitoring.

Dust shifts and strengthens tropical rain belt

Dec 5, 2015

Dust plays a critical role in determining rainfall over the Middle East and North Africa.

Reality check for Red Sea wave predictions

Jan 2, 2016

Current models that predict ocean surface conditions overestimate wave patterns in the middle of the Red Sea.

Seismic echo turns into super-resolution images

Jul 30, 2016

A signal processing technique that makes use of seismic echoes is able to image subsurface geology at unprecedented resolution.

Modeling dust flow from Africa to Arabia

Aug 20, 2016

High-resolution modeling improves understanding of dust flow from Africa across the Red Sea toward the Arabian peninsula.

Surface fractures as magma moves

Aug 20, 2016

Surface deformation caused by magma rising within the crust may in turn have prevented a volcanic eruption in Saudi Arabia.

Red skies and rifting processes

Sep 10, 2016

Satellite radar image analysis reveals that rifting in Iceland exhibits simultaneous horizontal and sideways movement.

Reconstructing the Red Sea's climate patterns

Dec 3, 2016

An advanced numerical model is helping researchers better understand the variability of the Red Sea’s climate patterns.

Assessing Red Sea potential for alternative energy

Dec 11, 2016

Advanced numerical models are helping researchers identify potential sites to exploit offshore wind and wave energy in the Red Sea region.

Up in the air over Arabia

Feb 18, 2017

Studying dusty air, especially in the Middle East, which is part of the Earth’s notorious dust belt, has both local and global significance.

Plastic pollution reaches the final frontier

Apr 18, 2017

Atlantic surface circulation transports high loads of plastic debris to remote Arctic waters.

Winds and waves winding down

Jun 17, 2017

Wind intensities and wave heights in the Red Sea are decreasing over time—potential for a significant impact on its ecosystem.

More rain for the Red Sea if El Niño breezes in

Jul 30, 2017

Modeling leads to a better understanding of the role El Niño plays in increasing rainfall along the coast of the Red Sea.

Red Sea gene pool follows water flow

Oct 1, 2017

Satellite imagery shows how currents shape the Red Sea ecosystem.

A kite that might fly 

Oct 15, 2017

Wind turbines suspended high in the sky have potential as an alternative power source for Saudi Arabia.

Physics forecasts for fracking and fuels

Nov 19, 2017

Physicists are playing unexpected roles in meeting future global energy challenges by modeling technologies such as fracking.

Diagnosing the impacts of health policy

Nov 19, 2017

Study design allows more rigorous evaluation of complex healthcare interventions.

Under pressure—modeling human-induced earthquakes

Jan 14, 2018

A model incorporating the physics of ruptures provides valuable information about human-induced earthquakes.

Rocking the cradle of humankind

Jan 21, 2018

Geophysical modeling of one of the world’s most important fossil sites reveals the history of the site where early humankind evolved.

Later tropical blooms could affect marine life

Apr 29, 2018

Color changes in the northern Red Sea indicate rising sea temperatures could significantly impact tropical marine ecosystems.

A seismic shift in oil exploration

May 6, 2018

Advanced analysis of seismic data could lead the next wave in oil exploration.

Red Sea flushes faster from far-flung volcanoes 

Jul 22, 2018

Volcanic eruptions in Mexico and the Philippines can lead to atmospheric changes that favor the ventilation of deep water in the Red Sea.

Smart mud to smooth the way for drilling wells

Sep 30, 2018

A comprehensive model for simulating mudcake growth during oil extraction could transform well-drilling protocols.

The Indian summer monsoon keeps the Arabian Peninsula hot and dry

Nov 7, 2018

Modeling shows that the Indian summer monsoon can trigger heatwaves and sandstorms on the Arabian Peninsula. 

Weaker pressure systems in the Arctic cause warm winters in the Arabian Peninsula

Dec 10, 2018

Investigating links between surface air temperatures and large-scale circulation patterns builds understanding of climate variability in the Arabian Peninsula.

Eddy currents affect flux of salt more than heat 

May 2, 2019

Modeling the 3D structure of Red Sea eddies shows how transport of energy and biochemical materials influences circulation patterns in the Red Sea. 

West Africa warms but airborne dust keeps the Red Sea cool

May 15, 2019

World-class computing facilities at KAUST enable researchers to tackle complex questions in climate science and oceanography.  

Remote sensing of toxic algal blooms

May 27, 2019

Algal blooms in the Red Sea can be detected with a new method that accounts for dust storms and aerosols.

Changing how we predict coral bleaching

Jun 18, 2019

A remote sensing algorithm offers better predictions of Red Sea coral bleaching and can be fine tuned for use in other tropical marine ecosystems. 

Simulating Red Sea water exchanges

Jun 23, 2019

Powerful computer simulations are revealing new insights into water exchanges between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

Red Sea temperatures to cool in coming decades 

Jul 2, 2019

Exploring the links between natural climate cycles and the sea-surface temperature of the Red Sea reveals a cooling trend during the next few decades.

Solving the salt problem for seismic imaging

Jul 22, 2019

Automated imaging of underground salt bodies from seismic data could help streamline oil and gas exploration.

Measuring solar stores of the Arabian Peninsula

Aug 20, 2019

Mapping variations in sunlight across the Arabian Peninsula reveals a bright future for solar energy in the region.