What's Current in

Geography

A forest sits atop an eroding bluff.
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Maksim Safaniuk via iStock
Anna Trugman researches how plants respond to climate change, while Gen Li studies erosion and weathering — the natural processes that break down rocks and transport sediment.

Two UCSB professors recognized for contributions to the Earth sciences

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Fall colors fade into the distance in the rolling terrain of the Ozark Mountains.
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Benjamin Klinger via iStock

For nature-based climate solutions to work, they must be restructured
An Icelandic braided river, seen from above.
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Luca Ronchi via iStock
Multi-channel rivers predominate in Iceland’s easily eroded volcanic soil.

Rivers choose their path based on erosion — a discovery that could transform flood planning and restoration
Dead corn and cracked earth under an orange sky.
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piyaset via iStock
Warmer air can suck more moisture in dry regions and dump more rain in wet regions. New research reveals that the atmosphere’s drying capacity is outpacing increases to rainfall.

The atmosphere’s growing thirst is making droughts worse, even where it rains
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Professors Somayeh Dodge and Alan Murray receive UCGIS awards
A sweaty child on a playground.
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Yaoinlove via iStock
Children are more sensitive to heat than adults, and chronic overheating can affect their experience and engagement at school.

Heat exposure in California schools prompts multi-campus research project
blue lights in shape of trees and roots
Photo Credit
Ethan Turpin & Naomi Tague
"Tree Water," detail, 2024

How an artist and a scientist uncovered hidden landscapes  
People gather outside a public distribution shop in Rajasthan, India.
Photo Credit
Azad Jain via iStock
Fair price shops are part of India's Public Distribution System, which distributes food staples at a subsidized price to the poor. The program shows far-reaching benefits.

Researchers link India’s food program to better health and stronger incomes
Portrait of a male chef, with dark hair and a greying goatee, in an industrial kitchen
Photo Credit
Jeff Liang
Chef Hayden Dozier in the kitchen at The Club & Guest House on campus

Recipe for a life in food
A line of clouts stretches from the tropical Pacific to western North America where it becomes a massive storm.
Photo Credit
Stuart Rankin via Flickr (CC BY-NC 2.0)
The Pineapple Express — an atmospheric river originating in the tropical Pacific — walloped western North America in February 2017. These systems are becoming more frequent at higher latitudes, leaving mid latitudes drier.

Atmospheric rivers are shifting toward the poles, possibly following a long-term cycle
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UC Santa Barbara joins consortium of universities carrying out Earth system research

Charting the course of rivers
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UC Santa Barbara and City of Santa Barbara secure a grant to enhance pedestrian and cyclist safety
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