Exposure to Smoke From Wildfire, Prescribed, and Agricultural Burns Among At-Risk Populations Across Washington, Oregon, and California.

Wildfires, prescribed burns, and agricultural burns all impact ambient air quality across the Western U.S.; however, little is known about how communities across the region are differentially exposed to smoke from each of these fire types.

Distributed Global Debris Thickness Estimates Reveal Debris Significantly Impacts Glacier Mass Balance.

Supraglacial debris affects glacier mass balance as a thin layer enhances surface melting, while a thick layer reduces it. While many glaciers are debris-covered, global glacier models do not account for debris because its thickness is unknown. We provide the first globally distributed debris thickness estimates using a novel approach combining sub-debris melt and surface temperature inversion methods.

Health Impact Assessment of the 2020 Washington State Wildfire Smoke Episode: Excess Health Burden Attributable to Increased PM Exposures and Potential Exposure Reductions.

Major wildfires starting in the summer of 2020 along the west coast of the United States made PM concentrations in this region rank among the highest in the world. Washington was impacted both by active wildfires in the state and aged wood smoke transported from fires in Oregon and California. This study aims to estimate the magnitude and disproportionate spatial impacts of increased PM concentrations attributable to these wildfires on population health.

Human Vulnerability to Landslides.

Landslides pose a devastating threat to human health, killing thousands of people annually. Human vulnerability is a crucial element of landslide risk reduction, yet up until now, all methods for estimating the human consequences of landslides rely on subjective, expert judgment. Furthermore, these methods do not explore the underlying causes of mortality or inform strategies to reduce landslide risk.

River Plume Liftoff Dynamics and Surface Expressions.

The water surface expression of liftoff and its dependence on discharge are examined using numerical simulations with the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS). Liftoff is the process by which buoyant river water separates from the bed and flows over denser saltwater. During low-discharge conditions liftoff occurs in the river and is accompanied by a change in the surface slope.