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Best of the Web: Space Weather Report: CMEs, Earthquakes, Tsunamis, Disasters, Extreme Weather, and More. Things are Heating Up!
© NASA/JPLOur planet as seen from space.
A group of former NASA employees, including astronauts, has called on the agency to stop making "unproven and unsubstantiated remarks" regarding global climate change - specifically that human activities are driving global warming.
"We believe the claims by NASA and (Goddard Institute for Space Studies), that man-made carbon dioxide is having a catastrophic impact on global climate change are not substantiated," write the 49 signatories in a letter to NASA administrator Charles Bolden. [Read the Full Letter]
This is the most recent objection by skeptics who challenge the reality of human-caused global warming. For decades, climate scientists have warned that humans are changing the composition of our atmosphere, warming the planet and, as a result, face rising sea levels, more extreme weather and other consequences. The concept is now well established in scientific literature and attempts to address it are the subject of ongoing international talks.
The letter originates from members of the Johnson Space Center Chapter of the NASA Alumni League, according to Walter Cunningham, a former astronaut who flew the Apollo 7 in 1968 and one of the letter's signatories.
In its four paragraphs, the letter deliberately avoids delving into its signatories' reasons for doubting climate-change science, Cunningham told LiveScience. "It's really trying to get NASA to back off from taking political positions on science."
Human-caused global warming is "a very open issue right now," he said.
© OurAmazingPlanetThe earthquake that struck Sumatra was a big one, but , here's how it compares to some record holders.
First was the magnitude-8.6 earthquake that struck off the coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra yesterday (April 11), spurring tsunami warnings and watches across the Indian Ocean basin that were later cancelled. Only a modest uptick in ocean surface heights were detected by buoys, unlike in the 2004 Indian Ocean disaster that generated a massive tsunami that killed thousands. The more recent earthquake was a different type of earthquake than the 2004 event and did not result in a large upward displacement of the ocean floor, which is typically what triggers tsunami.
Later in the day came a magnitude 6.5 earthquake on the Pacific coast of Michoacan, Mexico. It did not result in any tsunami warnings. It came a couple weeks after a magnitude 7.4 struck Oaxaca, Mexico, causing residents to evacuate buildings and causing some structural damage and minor injuries.
© Unknown
Royal Dutch Shell said it is responding to a 10-mile oil sheen spotted near its platforms in the Gulf of Mexico about 130 miles from New Orleans.
Shell said the sheen is about a mile wide and 10 miles long and is between its Mars and Ursa drilling platforms in the middle of the gulf, CNNMoney reported Thursday.
Shell said Wednesday it reported the oil sheen to the National Response Center and activated an oil spill response vessel.
The company said it had "no current indication that the sheen originates from wells in either the Mars or Ursa projects."
Shell said the sheen is about a mile wide and 10 miles long and is between its Mars and Ursa drilling platforms in the middle of the gulf, CNNMoney reported Thursday.
Shell said Wednesday it reported the oil sheen to the National Response Center and activated an oil spill response vessel.
The company said it had "no current indication that the sheen originates from wells in either the Mars or Ursa projects."
© USGS
Thursday, April 12, 2012 at 07:15:48 UTC
Thursday, April 12, 2012 at 12:15:48 AM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location:
28.790°N, 113.142°W
Depth:
10.3 km (6.4 miles)
Region:
GULF OF CALIFORNIA
Distances:
133 km (82 miles) NE of Guerrero Negro, Baja Calif. Sur, Mexico
179 km (111 miles) NNW of Santa Rosalia, Baja Calif. Sur, Mexico
215 km (133 miles) W of Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico
526 km (326 miles) SSW of PHOENIX, Arizona
Epicenter of earthquake off the coast of northern Sumatra.
The quake struck about 434 kilometers (270 miles) southwest of Banda Aceh, the capital of Indonesia's Aceh province, and had a magnitude of 8.6, the U.S. Geological Survey said. It took place at a depth of 23 kilometers (14 miles).
A second large quake, with a magnitude of 8.2, occurred off the west coast of Sumatra about two hours later, the USGS said.
Gary Gibson from the Seismology Research Center in Melbourne, Australia, said the location of the second quake reduced the possibility of a tsunami.
There was also a series of smaller quakes off the west coast of northern Sumatra with magnitudes between 5.1 and 5.4.
There were no reports of destruction or deaths.
Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said on local television that there were no reports of casualties or damage in Aceh.
Four people were slightly injured on Simeulue Island, off the coast of Aceh, the National Disaster Management Agency said Wednesday.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a tsunami watch for the entire Indian Ocean. And a few hours later, the center announced the tsunami watch was canceled.
"A significant tsunami was generated by this earthquake. However, sea level readings now indicate that the threat has diminished or is over for most areas," the center said.
- Thunderstorms, lightning and hail predicted for parts of Britain
- Snow forecast across Midlands, North and Scotland this week
- Another two weeks of wet weather for the rest of the country
Unsettled: Forecasters say there is a chance of funnel clouds forming over the next few days which can turn into tornadoes when they touch the ground, like this one in Coventry in 2005
Much-needed rain is set to fall across the whole country today, but could develop into thunderstorms, lightning and hail in some parts.
Cold winds passing over hot air rising from the ground is causing the unsettled weather that is going to last until after the weekend.
Snow has returned to County Durham and forecasts predict many northern areas of the UK will have more from today
The following Channel 4 (UK) documentary captures the dreadful moments when a devastating tsunami washed away a quarter of a million people in the Indian Ocean in December 2004.
© USGS
Wednesday, April 11, 2012 at 22:55:16 UTC
Wednesday, April 11, 2012 at 05:55:16 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location:
18.390°N, 102.652°W
Depth:
65.6 km (40.8 miles)
Region:
MICHOACAN, MEXICO
Distances:
69 km (42 miles) NW of Lazaro Cardenas, Michoacan, Mexico
129 km (80 miles) SSW of Uruapan, Michoacan, Mexico
143 km (88 miles) NW of Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, Mexico
384 km (238 miles) WSW of MEXICO CITY, D.F., Mexico
