Billions of tonnes of water droplets vanish from the atmosphere, as if by magic, in events that reveal in detail how the Sun and the stars control our everyday clouds. Researchers of the National Space Institute in the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) have traced the consequences of eruptions on the Sun that screen the Earth from some of the cosmic rays - the energetic particles raining down on our planet from exploded stars. 'The Sun makes fantastic natural experiments that allow us to test our ideas about its effects on the climate,' says Prof. Henrik Svensmark, lead author of a report newly published in Geophysical Research Letters. When solar explosions interfere with the cosmic rays there is a temporary shortage of small aerosols, chemical specks in the air that normally grow until water vapour can condense on them, so seeding the liquid water droplets of low-level clouds. Because of the shortage, clouds over the ocean can lose as much as 7 per cent of their liquid water within seven or eight days of the cosmic-ray minimum.
'A link between the Sun, cosmic rays, aerosols, and liquid-water clouds appears to exist on a global scale,' the report concludes. This research, to which Torsten Bondo and Jacob Svensmark contributed, validates 13 years of discoveries that point to a key role for cosmic rays in climate change. In particular, it connects observable variations in the world's cloudiness to laboratory experiments in Copenhagen showing how cosmic rays help to make the all-important aerosols.
Earth Changes
Despite predictions from a top U.S. polar institute that the Arctic Ocean's overall ice cover is headed for another "extreme" meltdown by mid-September, the Environment Canada agency monitoring our northern waters says an unusual combination of factors is making navigation more difficult in the Northwest Passage this year after two straight summers of virtually clear sailing.
In both the wider, deep-water northern corridor and the narrower, shallower southern branches of the passage, the Canadian Ice Service says pockets of more extensive winter freezing and concentrations of thicker, older ice at several key "choke points" are complicating ship travel.
The fabled trans-Arctic sea route, zealously sought by European explorers in centuries past as a shortcut to Asia, is increasingly seen in today's era of rapidly retreating sea ice as a potential highway to resource riches and Arctic tourist destinations.
A record number of vessels passed through Canada's Arctic islands last year, and experts have been predicting a steady rise in ship traffic in both the Northwest Passage and the Northern Sea Route, which connects Europe to eastern Asia along Russia's Arctic coast.
In both the wider, deep-water northern corridor and the narrower, shallower southern branches of the passage, the Canadian Ice Service says pockets of more extensive winter freezing and concentrations of thicker, older ice at several key "choke points" are complicating ship travel.
The fabled trans-Arctic sea route, zealously sought by European explorers in centuries past as a shortcut to Asia, is increasingly seen in today's era of rapidly retreating sea ice as a potential highway to resource riches and Arctic tourist destinations.
A record number of vessels passed through Canada's Arctic islands last year, and experts have been predicting a steady rise in ship traffic in both the Northwest Passage and the Northern Sea Route, which connects Europe to eastern Asia along Russia's Arctic coast.
The "heaviest rains in 70 years" lashed Shanghai Thursday, flooding 3,000 homes and leaving nearly 2,000 travellers stranded at the city's airports, state media reported.
Between 80 to 140 millimetres (three to 5.5 inches) fell in most areas of China's largest city, official news agency Xinhua reported, adding that vehicles had been damaged by falling branches. No casualties were reported.
More than 500 workers were deployed to clear the water, which was up to 30 centimetres deep on city roads, the report said.
Between 80 to 140 millimetres (three to 5.5 inches) fell in most areas of China's largest city, official news agency Xinhua reported, adding that vehicles had been damaged by falling branches. No casualties were reported.
More than 500 workers were deployed to clear the water, which was up to 30 centimetres deep on city roads, the report said.
© Photo by Hi Paul
Honeycomb may contain pesticides applied years ago.
Honeycomb may contain pesticides applied years ago.
Working on the project funded in part by regional beekeepers and WSU's Agricultural Research Center, entomology professor Steve Sheppard and his team have narrowed the list of potential causes for colony collapse disorder.
Madrid - A fierce forest fire fanned by high winds has forced the evacuation of around 4,000 residents on the Canary Island of La Palma, the Spanish government said Saturday.
Flames raging on steep hillsides southeast of the island's dormant San Antonio volcano have engulfed several houses and could damage fragile wildlife habitats, environmental worker Narciso Lorenzo said by telephone.
Flames raging on steep hillsides southeast of the island's dormant San Antonio volcano have engulfed several houses and could damage fragile wildlife habitats, environmental worker Narciso Lorenzo said by telephone.
A 5.0-magnitude earthquake struck off Japan's Honshu island on Sunday, the US Geological Survey said.
There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties and no tsunami alert was issued.
The quake hit at 0:57 am (1557 GMT Saturday) at a depth of 11 kilometres near the west coast of Honshu and 57 kilometres northwest of Niigata, the USGS said.
There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties and no tsunami alert was issued.
The quake hit at 0:57 am (1557 GMT Saturday) at a depth of 11 kilometres near the west coast of Honshu and 57 kilometres northwest of Niigata, the USGS said.
An earthquake measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale jolted Saumlaki, Maluku at 6 a.m., local time on Sunday, but no fatalities or damages have been reported.
© US Geological Survey
Saturday, August 01, 2009 at 23:07:04 UTC
Saturday, August 01, 2009 at 06:07:04 PM at epicenter
Location:
12.100°S, 75.338°W
Depth:
124.3 km (77.2 miles)
Distances:
15 km (10 miles) W of Huancayo, Peru
165 km (105 miles) NW of Ayacucho, Peru
170 km (105 miles) NNE of Chincha Alta, Peru
185 km (115 miles) E of LIMA, Peru
© Suzanne DeChillo/The New York Times
Another rainy day at Orchard Beach in the Bronx. Attendance at city beaches through July 28 was down 30 percent, from 7.3 million to 5.1 million.
Another rainy day at Orchard Beach in the Bronx. Attendance at city beaches through July 28 was down 30 percent, from 7.3 million to 5.1 million.
It's a gross, grungy, disgusting summer-in-the-city tradition: the muggy 90-degree day or, worse still, the 99-degree day.
But this summer has been conspicuously different in New York City. Not one 99-degree day in Central Park. Not a single day that the temperature even approached 90. For just the second time in 140 years of record keeping, the temperature failed to reach 90 in either June or July.
The daily average last month was at or below normal every day but two. The temperature broke 80 on 16 days in New York - one more day than in Fairbanks, Alaska. Depending on Friday's high, this was the second or third coolest June and July recorded in New York. If August follows the same pattern - and the latest forecast through midmonth predicts that it will - this could be the coolest summer on record.
The result: relief, lower electric bills, spared lives and undisturbed slumber.
But this being New York, New Yorkers have also recalibrated their threshold for heat complaints. This summer, 85 is the new 95.
A 3.2 magnitude earthquake could be felt Saturday morning in Tennessee, North Carolina and Georgia.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey a 3.2 magnitude earthquake occurred at 9:38am a few miles east of the North Carolina/ Tennessee line.
According to the Cherokee County Sheriff's Department there have been no reports of damage.
The earthquake was located about 6 miles east of Ducktown, TN, about 7 miles north of McCaysville, GA and about 55 miles east of Chattanooga.
Earthquakes that are less than 3.5, generally are not felt, but are recorded. Earthquakes that are between 3.5-5.4 are often felt, but rarely causes damage.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey a 3.2 magnitude earthquake occurred at 9:38am a few miles east of the North Carolina/ Tennessee line.
According to the Cherokee County Sheriff's Department there have been no reports of damage.
The earthquake was located about 6 miles east of Ducktown, TN, about 7 miles north of McCaysville, GA and about 55 miles east of Chattanooga.
Earthquakes that are less than 3.5, generally are not felt, but are recorded. Earthquakes that are between 3.5-5.4 are often felt, but rarely causes damage.
