Earth ChangesS


Bizarro Earth

Shrinking Atmospheric Layer Linked to Low Levels of Solar Radiation


National Science Foundation
Thu, 26 Aug 2010 12:00 UTC
Earth's atmosphere
© NASAImage of the Earth's atmosphere.
Large changes in the sun's energy output may drive unexpectedly dramatic fluctuations in Earth's outer atmosphere.

Results of a study published today link a recent, temporary shrinking of a high atmospheric layer with a sharp drop in the sun's ultraviolet radiation levels.

The research, led by scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colo., and the University of Colorado at Boulder (CU), indicates that the sun's magnetic cycle, which produces differing numbers of sunspots over an approximately 11-year cycle, may vary more than previously thought.

The results, published this week in the American Geophysical Union journal Geophysical Research Letters, are funded by NASA and by the National Science Foundation (NSF), NCAR's sponsor.

"This research makes a compelling case for the need to study the coupled sun-Earth system," says Farzad Kamalabadi, program director in NSF's Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences, "and to illustrate the importance of solar influences on our terrestrial environment with both fundamental scientific implications and societal consequences."

The findings may have implications for orbiting satellites, as well as for the International Space Station.
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Cloud Precipitation

Pakistan Braces for More Flooding


VOA News
Wed, 25 Aug 2010 20:00 UTC
Image
© Agence France-PressePakistani villagers make their way through flood waters in Baseera, Pakistan, 24 Aug 2010
Authorities are working to protect Pakistan's southern region from rising water as the United Nations warned 800,000 people remain stranded by devastating floods.

Officials say the Indus River is expected to reach very high levels this week near the city of Hyderabad in Sindh province. Emergency workers have been shoring up levees and evacuating tens of thousands of people.

The head of the U.S. Agency for International Development, Rajiv Shah, met with flood victims in the city of Sukkur Wednesday and announced the United States will provide an additional $50 million for relief efforts.

The U.S. has already provided roughly $150 million in flood aid. And the Pentagon said Wednesday that 15 military helicopters were assisting in relief efforts, with almost half-a-million kilograms of aid delivered. It said the U.S. military has helped rescue more than 6,000 people so far, primarily in the hard-hit northwestern province of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
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Bizarro Earth

Update: Galeras Volcano in Colombia Erupts, Government Raises Alert

Angela Wang
Epoch Times
Thu, 26 Aug 2010 00:44 UTC
Galeras Volcano
© Johana Gonzales/Getty ImagesThe Galeras volcano, Narino department, Colombia, on January 3, 2010. The Galeras volcano in southeastern Colombia erupted Saturday night, but there were no reports of deaths or injuries, authorities said.
The Galeras volcano, located 14,029 feet above sea level in southwestern Colombia, erupted at 4 a.m. local time on Wednesday.

A total of 278 people were evacuated according to an Associated Press report.

Hospitals close to the affected area were requested by the government to prepare medical resources and supplies to be ready to provide immediate help.

The eruption, which spewed gas and ash, has not caused significant damage in the surrounding area, said an official press release.

The government issued alerts to residents in surrounding towns recommending residents stay indoors, avoid panic, remove ash in residential areas, and avoid using bridges after the eruption.

Galeras is considered the one of the most active volcanoes in the country, according to the Global Volcanism Program.
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Bizarro Earth

Pakistan flood: One million people face starvation in Balochistan, says minister

Mohammad Zafar
Daily Times
Tue, 24 Aug 2010 19:59 UTC
Senior Minister Mir Sadiq Umrani on Sunday said that more than one million people were dying without food, water, medicine and shelter and the Balochistan government was unable to deal with this humanitarian crisis alone.

Addressing a news conference, Umrani, who belongs to Pakistan People's Party (PPP), appealed to Iran, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries to help the people of Balochistan in this humanitarian disaster.

"We want direct aid from neighbouring countries and not via Islamabad", he said, adding that if immediate relief did not arrive, people would start dying of hunger.

"I have spent a week in Naseerabad division and have seen no official from the local administration or any member of non-government organisations (NGOs) in the flood-hit area, and people are living in the open without food and clean drinking water," he said.
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Umbrella

Indonesia: "Super-Extreme" Weather is the Worst on Record

Nurfika Osman
The Jakarta Globe
Thu, 19 Aug 2010 13:30 UTC
Heavy rains in Jakarta
© JG Photo/Safir MakkiMotorbikes splash through deep puddles of water after heavy rains lashed the Semanggi area of Jakarta.
Indonesia has been experiencing its most extreme weather conditions in recorded history, meteorologists warned on Wednesday as torrential rains continued to pound the capital.

All regions across the archipelago have been experiencing abnormal and often catastrophic weather, an official from the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) said.

"We have reached a super-extreme level of weather this year, the first time in our history, and this is much worse than what we experienced back in 1998, when the La Nina caused extreme weather in the country," Edvin Aldrian warned.
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Bizarro Earth

Thousands of Dead Fish Reported at Mouth of Mississippi


Agence France-Presse
Mon, 23 Aug 2010 06:33 UTC
Waves wash oil onto the beach in May 2010 near the south pass of the Mississippi River into the Gulf
© John Moore/Agence France-Presse/Getty ImagesWaves wash oil onto the beach in May 2010 near the south pass of the Mississippi River into the Gulf of Mexico. Thousands of fish have turned up dead at the mouth of Mississippi River, prompting authorities to check whether oil was the cause of mass death, local media reports said Monday.
Thousands of fish have turned up dead at the mouth of Mississippi River, prompting authorities to check whether oil was the cause of mass death, local media reports said Monday.

The fish were found Sunday floating on the surface of the water and collected in booms that had been deployed to contain oil that leaked from the BP spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the Times-Picayune reported.

"By our estimates there were thousands, and I'm talking about 5,000 to 15,000 dead fish," St Bernard Parish President Craig Taffaro was quoted as saying in a statement.

He said crabs, sting rays, eel, drum, speckled trout and red fish were among the species that turned up dead.
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Bizarro Earth

Authorities Fear Eruption of Galeras Volcano


Colombia Reports
Tue, 24 Aug 2010 01:39 UTC
The Galeras Volcano
© EPAThe Galeras Volcano
Authorities and inhabitants in the south of Colombia fear an eruption of the Galeras volcano after four tremors shook the area on Sunday and Monday.

According to the volcanic observatory run by Colombia's Geology and Mining authority Ingeominas, the several tremors are related to the activity of the volcano and an eruption is likely within days or weeks.
The quakes took place in the area surrounding the active volcano just outside the city of Pasto.

Ingeominas says it continues to be alert to the volcanic phenomena and will report changes.

The Galeras volcano erupted last in January, after which 8,000 people were forced to evacuate.
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Bizarro Earth

Mexico: Earthquake Magnitude 6.1 - Off The Coast of Jalisco


USGS
Mon, 23 Aug 2010 23:09 UTC
Mexico Quake_230810
© USGSEarthquake Location
Date-Time:
Tuesday, August 24, 2010 at 02:12:00 UTC

Monday, August 23, 2010 at 07:12:00 PM at epicenter

Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones

Location:
18.867°N, 107.327°W

Depth:
10 km (6.2 miles) set by location program

Region:
OFF THE COAST OF JALISCO, MEXICO

Distances:
290 km (180 miles) SW of Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico

315 km (195 miles) W of Manzanillo, Colima, Mexico

325 km (205 miles) WSW of Autlan, Jalisco, Mexico

855 km (530 miles) W of MEXICO CITY, D.F., Mexico
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Cloud Precipitation

Heavy rain brings floods and road chaos to southern England

Haroon Siddique
Guardian
Mon, 23 Aug 2010 15:26 UTC
Heavy rainfall England
© Lewis Whyld/PAHeavy rainfall has brought flooding and transport problems to parts of southern England.
Up to 4cm of rain falls in just a few hours overnight - more than half the normal monthly total - as gale force winds also strike

Heavy rain has brought localised flooding and transport disruption to southern England, with forecasters warning of further heavy rainfall to come.

Up to 4cm (1.5in) of rain - more than half the normal monthly total - fell on parts of the south in just a few hours overnight, and there were also gale force winds in places.
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Satellite

Best of the Web: US Official: Satellite Failure Means Decade of Global Warming Data Doubtful

John O'Sullivan
Climate Change Fraud
Wed, 11 Aug 2010 14:41 UTC
Image
© Unknown
US Government admits satellite temperature readings "degraded." All data taken offline in shock move. Global warming temperatures may be 10 to 15 degrees too high.

The fault was first detected after a tip off from an anonymous member of the public to climate skeptic blog, Climate Change Fraud (view original article) (August 9, 2010).

Caught in the center of the controversy is the beleaguered taxpayer funded National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). NOAA's Program Coordinator, Chuck Pistis has now confirmed that the fast spreading story on the respected climate skeptic blog is true.

However, NOAA spokesman, Program Coordinator, Chuck Pistis declined to state how long the fault might have gone undetected. Nor would the shaken spokesman engage in speculation as to the damage done to the credibility of a decade's worth of temperature readings taken from the problematic 'NOAA-16' satellite.
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