Experts are urging the federal government to act quickly to enhance Canadian sovereignty in the Arctic before melting ice encourages more foreign vessels to use the Northwest Passage.

Some scientists predict that within 25 years, climate change could melt ice in Arctic waters, leaving them ice-free during summer months and thin enough to be kept open in the winter.

Update time = Wed Jun 14 18:40:55 UTC 2006

MAG UTC DATE-TIME LAT LON Region
2.5 2006/06/14 17:47:45 39.406 -123.292 NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
2.7 2006/06/14 17:35:59 35.538 -117.772 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
4.3 2006/06/14 17:25:05 50.951 176.507 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
3.1 2006/06/14 17:12:17 51.836 177.114 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
2.8 2006/06/14 17:00:40 59.469 -152.855 SOUTHERN ALASKA
2.7 2006/06/14 17:00:27 51.864 178.084 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
3.7 2006/06/14 16:38:28 51.875 178.570 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
2.9 2006/06/14 16:21:18 51.768 178.252 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP 3.9 2006/06/14 16:05:33 51.936 177.106 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
3.3 2006/06/14 15:51:34 52.035 177.097 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
3.9 2006/06/14 15:40:32 51.660 177.936 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
3.3 2006/06/14 15:26:57 51.830 176.953 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
3.4 2006/06/14 15:15:51 51.825 176.791 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP 3.3 2006/06/14 15:08:57 51.764 178.091 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
2.7 2006/06/14 14:53:43 51.868 178.246 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
3.1 2006/06/14 14:43:58 52.035 177.097 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP 3.8 2006/06/14 14:24:55 51.830 176.953 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
4.6 2006/06/14 14:12:30 51.197 176.584 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
3.2 2006/06/14 13:51:26 51.830 176.953 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
3.5 2006/06/14 13:46:43 51.930 176.944 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
3.3 2006/06/14 13:38:54 51.751 177.607 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
4.1 2006/06/14 13:24:46 50.162 -173.376 ANDREANOF ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN IS., ALASKA
3.9 2006/06/14 13:20:02 51.631 176.970 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
2.8 2006/06/14 13:16:11 51.768 178.252 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP 3.3 2006/06/14 13:03:18 51.875 178.570 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
3.5 2006/06/14 12:52:50 51.525 176.819 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
3.3 2006/06/14 12:52:15 35.941 -120.488 CENTRAL CALIFORNIA
3.4 2006/06/14 12:46:42 51.936 177.106 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
3.2 2006/06/14 12:37:13 51.864 178.084 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP 2.8 2006/06/14 12:33:05 52.235 177.079 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
2.5 2006/06/14 12:24:56 51.846 177.437 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
3.6 2006/06/14 12:20:53 51.936 177.106 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
3.9 2006/06/14 12:03:01 51.936 177.106 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
3.6 2006/06/14 11:21:40 51.830 176.953 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
3.9 2006/06/14 11:17:13 51.860 177.923 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP 3.4 2006/06/14 11:12:13 51.936 177.106 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
3.4 2006/06/14 11:10:46 51.930 176.944 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
3.4 2006/06/14 11:02:20 51.936 177.106 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
3.7 2006/06/14 10:40:12 51.930 176.944 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
4.3 2006/06/14 10:29:48 22.385 142.942 VOLCANO ISLANDS, JAPAN REGION
3.2 2006/06/14 10:28:20 51.886 175.811 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
3.5 2006/06/14 10:20:17 51.731 176.962 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
3.3 2006/06/14 10:02:01 51.830 176.953 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
3.6 2006/06/14 09:29:31 51.830 176.953 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
2.6 2006/06/14 09:20:21 51.768 178.252 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
2.7 2006/06/14 09:18:51 51.672 178.419 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP 3.9 2006/06/14 08:42:56 51.830 176.953 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
3.7 2006/06/14 08:30:56 51.830 176.953 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
4.4 2006/06/14 08:23:15 51.936 177.106 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
4.6 2006/06/14 08:18:01 51.761 176.985 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
3.3 2006/06/14 08:05:40 51.930 176.944 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
2.6 2006/06/14 07:58:15 51.941 177.268 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
2.9 2006/06/14 07:36:29 51.772 178.414 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
4.7 2006/06/14 07:32:26 51.492 177.068 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP 4.3 2006/06/14 07:30:21 51.936 177.106 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
3.6 2006/06/14 07:28:08 51.836 177.114 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
3.3 2006/06/14 07:25:51 59.825 -154.696 SOUTHERN ALASKA
5.2 2006/06/14 07:24:07 2.683 94.368 29.3 OFF THE WEST COAST OF NORTHERN SUMATRA
2.7 2006/06/14 07:20:18 52.035 177.097 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
4.0 2006/06/14 07:15:57 51.731 176.962 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
2006/06/14 07:06:16 51.687 176.742 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
4.4 2006/06/14 07:01:05 51.830 176.953 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
3.2 2006/06/14 07:00:12 51.864 178.084 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
3.1 2006/06/14 06:56:34 51.775 178.575 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP 4.0 2006/06/14 06:51:32 51.830 176.953 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
3.4 2006/06/14 06:47:55 52.035 177.097 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
3.8 2006/06/14 06:38:26 51.936 177.106 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
4.8 2006/06/14 06:33:55 51.948 177.153 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
4.6 2006/06/14 06:32:36 51.865 177.614 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
4.4 2006/06/14 06:25:17 51.492 177.068 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
3.5 2006/06/14 06:21:11 52.030 176.935 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
3.5 2006/06/14 05:54:44 51.731 176.962 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
3.0 2006/06/14 05:48:21 51.772 178.414 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
3.1 2006/06/14 05:42:30 51.864 178.084 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
3.2 2006/06/14 05:33:37 51.936 177.106 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
4.8 2006/06/14 05:26:43 51.777 177.177 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
MAP 3.6 2006/06/14 05:18:05 52.035 177.097 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
3.7 2006/06/14 05:14:32 51.930 176.944 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
3.2 2006/06/14 05:10:02 51.775 178.575 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
6.1 2006/06/14 04:46:42 51.970 177.126 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
4.7 2006/06/14 04:35:05 51.822 176.908 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
4.7 2006/06/14 04:34:59 50.951 176.507 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
6.3 2006/06/14 04:18:46 51.893 177.121 RAT ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
3.3 2006/06/14 02:40:33 60.665 -151.506 KENAI PENINSULA, ALASKA
2.6 2006/06/14 01:11:19 53.270 -165.526 FOX ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA
2.9 2006/06/14 00:59:22 46.197 -122.187 MOUNT ST. HELENS AREA, WASHINGTON
5.2 2006/06/14 00:14:34 5.542 94.535 57.5 NORTHERN SUMATRA, INDONESIA

LOS ANGELES - Natural events such as hurricanes, tsunamis and earthquakes rock this planet from time to time. But when Earth gets stoned by an asteroid, consider it akin to a Katrina from outer space.

When Hurricane Katrina slammed into the United States in August of last year, it became a deadly, destructive, and costly episode - one that has also become a metaphor for lack of government action, both pre- and post-strike.

At the current time there is no agency of the U.S. government - or of any other government in the world - that has the explicit responsibility to develop and demonstrate the technology necessary to protect the planet from collisions with near-Earth objects, or NEOs.