GI Press Releases
Scientists believed comets were filled with ice, dust and perhaps the building blocks of life, but traditionally their make-up had been a mystery. It wasn’t until the 2005 NASA Deep Impact mission that scientists were finally allowed their first peek inside a comet. 
As the Arctic climate warms, permafrost begins to thermally degrade. Transformation of this frozen layer of earth triggers changes in every aspect of surface water and energy in the Arctic. While the region experiences warming, permafrost becomes thinner, and its extent in the boreal forest shrinks.
Alterations to permafrost also influence the look of the northern landscape and the region's climatology. In short, warming climate and thawing permafrost create changes to the entire hydrological cycle in Alaska.
Students participating in a geology field camp with University of Alaska Fairbanks faculty found the fossilized footprint from a small meat-eating dinosaur in Denali National Park in June 2005. That fossilized footprint is the first concrete evidence that dinosaurs once roamed Alaska's Interior. What did the Interior and the rest of Alaska look like eons ago when dinosaurs covered the landscape? The answer lies within fossilized plants and the characteristics of rocks that contain fossil footprints.
At times, auroral activity occurring in the northern hemisphere is mirrored in the southern hemisphere. The swirls and ripples of auroral rays will occur in unison in each hemisphere. This phenomenon is known as the conjugacy of the aurora. For years, scientists at the Geophyscial Institute at the University of Alaska Fairbanks have studied this effect of the aurora. Although studies are shedding more light on the issue, there isn't a clear-cut formula for when, this mirroring occurs.
Alaska has the greatest tsunami potential of any state in the nation. A tsunami may be generated after an earthquake occurs, traveling within minutes to coastal communities. Currently, work is underway to estimate potential flooding areas along the Alaska coast in case of a local or distant tsunami. This work is called tsunami inundation mapping. Once these maps are complete, communities can produce evacuation routes and plan other measures to save lives and property should a tsunami strike.
Students participating in a geology field camp with University of Alaska Fairbanks faculty found the fossilized footprint from a small meat-eating dinosaur in Denali National Park in June 2005. That fossilized footprint is the first concrete evidence that dinosaurs once roamed Alaska's Interior. What did the Interior and the rest of Alaska look like eons ago when dinosaurs covered the landscape? The answer lies within fossilized plants and the characteristics of rocks that contain fossil footprints.
In Alaska, finding your way into bear country is easy. All three North American species of bears are present and there is about one bear to every five human residents in our state. This close proximity spurs many bear stories, myths, and misconceptions.
As the Arctic climate warms, permafrost begins to thermally degrade. Transformation of this frozen layer of earth triggers changes in every aspect of surface water and energy in the Arctic. While the region experiences warming, permafrost becomes thinner, and its extent in the boreal forest shrinks.
Alterations to permafrost also influence the look of the northern landscape and the region's climatology. In short, warming climate and thawing permafrost create changes to the entire hydrological cycle in Alaska.
For more than a decade, the Science for Alaska Lecture Series has provided Anchorage residents the opportunity to learn about scientific research conducted at the University of Alaska. This annual series, sponsored and coordinated by the Geophysical Institute, features a handful of scientists from the University of Alaska, along with experts from state and federal agencies. These experts share their research with the general public in lectures that are full of animations and visuals that appeal to all ages.
Alaska has the greatest tsunami potential of any state in the nation. A tsunami may be generated after an earthquake occurs, traveling within minutes to coastal communities. Currently, work is underway to estimate potential flooding areas along the Alaska coast in case of a local or distant tsunami. This work is called tsunami inundation mapping. Once these maps are complete, communities can produce evacuation routes and plan other measures to save lives and property should a tsunami strike.
