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.
Results for earth science and engineering
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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.
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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.
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Winter monsoons keep the Red Sea fertile
May 9, 2015
A warmer Red Sea may be more productive due to the influence of winter monsoons.
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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.
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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.
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Dusty days over Arabia
Nov 7, 2015
Modelling reveals how atmospheric dust influences daytime patterns of energy transfer from sunlight.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Red skies and rifting processes
Sep 10, 2016
Satellite radar image analysis reveals that rifting in Iceland exhibits simultaneous horizontal and sideways movement.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Plastic pollution reaches the final frontier
Apr 18, 2017
Atlantic surface circulation transports high loads of plastic debris to remote Arctic waters.
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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.
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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.
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Red Sea gene pool follows water flow
Oct 1, 2017
Satellite imagery shows how currents shape the Red Sea ecosystem.
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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.
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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.
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Diagnosing the impacts of health policy
Nov 19, 2017
Study design allows more rigorous evaluation of complex healthcare interventions.
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Under pressure—modeling human-induced earthquakes
Jan 14, 2018
A model incorporating the physics of ruptures provides valuable information about human-induced earthquakes.
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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.
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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.
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A seismic shift in oil exploration
May 6, 2018
Advanced analysis of seismic data could lead the next wave in oil exploration.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Arabian Peninsula a trap for summer dust
Jan 12, 2020
Summer dust has been increasing over the Arabian Peninsula for the past decade with global implications.
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Coral genes go with the flow further than expected
Jan 30, 2020
Simulations reveal unexpected connections in the Red Sea basin that could help marine conservation.
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Jeddah gets caught in the rain
May 31, 2020
Understanding how storms unleash more rain over cities in the desert could improve water security in Saudi Arabia.
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Red Sea climate forecasts: handle with care
Jun 22, 2020
Extra caution is required in developing climate forecasts of enclosed seas.
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Red Sea’s coral reefs help to protect the KSA coast
Jun 28, 2020
Modeling shows that coral reefs off the east coast of Saudi Arabia play a vital role in protecting the coastal zone.
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Clear skies for Saudi Arabia's "new future" project
Jul 19, 2020
A high-resolution atmospheric assessment for the northern Red Sea coast in Saudi Arabia shows the region has some of the best air quality in the Kingdom.
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Seismic data yields deeper quake knowledge
Oct 7, 2020
Analysis of abnormally deep earthquakes may lead to improved seismic forecasting.
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A sweeping climate model of the Red Sea
Nov 16, 2020
An all-inclusive climate model for the entire Red Sea region is supporting Saudi Arabia’s plans for a sustainable future.
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Volcanic eruptions have a bigger impact in summer
Nov 17, 2020
Modeling shows that volcanic eruptions can cause changes in global climate, if the timing is right.
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A dessert-like desert: Californian lithosphere resembles crème brûlée
Nov 26, 2020
A model for the southeastern California lithosphere suggests that a strong upper crust overlies weaker lower rock layers.
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Algorithm for algal rhythms
Jan 31, 2021
Red Sea atlas of algal blooms reveals the need for more sustainable fish farming.
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A fine-grained view of dust storms
Feb 2, 2021
A new analysis of satellite data gives a detailed view of how extreme dust events have changed over time.
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What's the catch? Algal blooms influence fishing booms
Feb 10, 2021
The timing of phytoplankton blooms in the Red Sea could help determine next year’s fish catch.
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An ocean 13 million years in the making
Apr 29, 2021
A detailed analysis combining seafloor mapping and earthquake and gravity data shows that the oceanic crust under the Red Sea is older than previously thought.
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Ancient volcanic eruption destroyed the ozone layer
Jun 1, 2021
Ozone depletion following the Toba eruption around 74,000 years ago compounded the ensuing volcanic winter and caused a human population bottleneck.
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Acoustic waves give a bounce to real-time seismic imaging
Jun 6, 2021
Geologic structures and deposits below planetary surfaces can be mapped faster than ever.
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Feeling hot and bothered? It's complicated
Jun 8, 2021
Trends in heat discomfort are more subtle than expected across Saudi Arabia and beyond.
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Predicting the evolution of a pandemic
Jun 15, 2021
An extended epidemic model that accounts for uncertainty and the latest data can better predict the evolution of pandemics.
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Slow slips offer insights into earthquakes
Aug 4, 2021
Studying slow, gentle and previously undetectable events will help reveal the origins of damaging earthquakes.
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Assessing the potential of major earthquakes near NEOM
Oct 25, 2021
Saudi Arabia might not be shaken from its ambitious development goals, but it cannot rule out large earthquakes entirely.
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Winds of change bring winter rain to eastern Arabia
Jan 11, 2022
Warmer waters in the central tropical Pacific in recent decades have led to shifts in atmospheric wind jets, bringing more winter rainfall to the eastern Arabian Peninsula and less to the south.
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Reconstructing sea-level rises in the Red Sea
Mar 21, 2022
Modeling the impact of meteorological forces on the Red Sea shows that winds in the southern part of the sea modulate sea-level surges across the basin.
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Harnessing the sun's energy for rainfall
Apr 13, 2022
Simulations show that solar panel installations could go a long way toward addressing Saudi Arabia’s growing water crisis.
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The Arabian plate is holding steady
Aug 14, 2022
A comprehensive study suggests the Arabian plate is geologically stable and capable of withstanding long-term forces from surrounding tectonic activity.
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Lagoon blooms out of Red Sea season
Sep 8, 2022
Seasonal phytoplankton blooms in the Al-Wajh lagoon differ from those in the adjacent Red Sea due to regional water dynamics and nutrient availability.
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Anthropogenic air pollution impacts health and climate in the Middle East
Sep 22, 2022
Modeling air quality over the Arabian Peninsula reveals that pollution from anthropogenic sources is contributing to health risks and climate change.
