Earth ChangesS


Bizarro Earth

Small lava-eruption detected under Dyngju­jök­ull glacier, near Bárðarbunga


mbl.is
Sat, 23 Aug 2014 00:00 UTC
Bárðarbunga
© mbl.is/Á​rni Sæ­bergBárðarbunga
A small lava-erupti­on has been detected und­er the Dyngju­jök­ull glacier. Dyngju­jök­ull is a part Vatna­jök­ull, not far from Bárðarbunga.

The Icelandic Co­ast Guard airpla­ne TF-SIF is flying over the area with representati­ves from the Civil Protecti­on and experts from the Icelandic Met Offic and the Institu­te of Earth Sciences. Data from the equip­ment on bo­ard is expected later today.

Data from radars and webca­meras are being recei­ved, show­ing no signs of changes at the surface.

The estima­te is that 150-400 meters of ice is abo­ve the area.

The aviati­on col­or code for the Bárðarbunga volcano has been changed from orange to red.

Comment: See: Icelandic Bárðarbunga volcanic eruption begins

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Snowflake

Bardarbunga eruption could trigger Britain's coldest winter ever this year

Nathan Rao
Express.co.uk
Sun, 24 Aug 2014 14:24 UTC
Britain could freeze in years of super-cold winters and miserable summers if the Bardarbunga volcano erupts, experts have warned
Image
© AP
Depending on the force of the explosion, minute particles thrust beyond the earth's atmosphere can trigger decades of chaotic weather patterns.

Tiny pieces of debris act as billions of shields reflecting the sun's light away from earth meaning winter temperatures could plunge lower than ever before while summer will be devoid of sunshine.The first effect could be a bitterly cold winter to arrive in weeks with thermometers plunging into minus figures and not rising long before next summer.

The Icelandic Met Office has this week warned of "strong indications of ongoing magma movement" around the volcano prompting them to raise the aviation warning to orange, the second highest and sparking fears the crater could blow at any moment.The region has also this week been hit by a magnitude-four earthquake - the strongest for almost 20 years, officials said.The British Met Office said the effects of an explosion on Britain's weather depends on the wind direction in the upper atmosphere. Spokeswoman Laura Young said: "If the upper winds are north-westerly it will have an effect on our weather."If the upper winds are westerly then it won't."

Comment: Gigantic Icelandic Volcano Could Plunge Europe Into Immediate Ice Age...

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Question

Rare sei whale seen off Cornwall's coast in Penzance, UK

C M Jason
cornishman.co.uk
Fri, 22 Aug 2014 12:35 UTC
Image
Sei whale photo courtesy of Hannah at Marine Discovery.
A rare whale has been spotted off the coast of Penzance.

Experts believe these photographs show a sei whale - the creatures rarely visit water around the UK.

Sei whales are the third largest rorqual after the blue whale and fin whale.

These photographs were taken by Penzance-based marine wildlife tour company Marine Discovery.

Comment: See also: Rare 45-foot sei whale dies in Virginia river

Is there any connection to this?
Hundreds of methane plumes erupting along U.S. Atlantic coast

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Bizarro Earth

Hundreds of methane plumes erupting along U.S. Atlantic coast

Becky Oskin
Live Svience
Sun, 24 Aug 2014 12:00 UTC
Methane bubbles
© NOAA Okeanos Explorer Program/2013 Northeast U.S. Canyons ExpeditionMethane bubbles rising from the seafloor 1,400 feet (425 m) below the surface offshore of Virginia.
In an unexpected discovery, hundreds of gas plumes bubbling up from the seafloor were spotted during a sweeping survey of the U.S. Atlantic Coast.

Even though ocean explorers have yet to test the gas, the bubbles are almost certainly methane, researchers report today (Aug. 24) in the journal Nature Geoscience.

"We don't know of any explanation that fits as well as methane," said lead study author Adam Skarke, a geologist at Mississippi State University in Mississippi State.

Comment: See also: Rare sei whale seen off Cornwall's coast in Penzance, UK

Rare 45-foot sei whale dies in Virginia river

Any connection?

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Attention

Rare 45-foot sei whale dies in Virginia river


wjla.com
Fri, 22 Aug 2014 12:19 UTC
Image
A 40-foot whale that had been swimming around in a river died Thursday afternoon. A necropsy will be performed on the animal to find out just what caused its death
A rare whale that entered the Elizabeth River in Virginia earlier this week has died.

Joan Barns of the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center says the whale died on Thursday. A necropsy is planned, including tissue and blood samples for further study.

The 35- to 45-foot sei whale was first spotted Monday in the river's Southern Branch near the Jordan Bridge and Paradise Creek.

Marine experts said the whale been acting strangely and may have been ill or disoriented. Boaters had reported that the whale appeared to be swimming without a clear direction.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says sei whales are usually seen in deeper waters of oceanic areas far from the coastline.


Source: The Associated Press

Comment: See also: Rare sei whale seen off Cornwall's coast in Penzance, UK

Is there any connection to this?
Hundreds of methane plumes erupting along U.S. Atlantic coast

Read More...
Map

6.0 magnitude earthquake shakes San Francisco Bay Area


The New York Times
Sun, 24 Aug 2014 07:53 UTC
bay area earthquake
© Lyall Davenport/Associated PressA damaged building in Napa, California, after an earthquake hit the San Francisco Bay Area on Sunday
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.0 was reported early Sunday in California's northern San Francisco Bay Area.

Leslie Gordon of the United States Geological Survey said the tremor struck about 3:30 a.m. Sunday, about 10 miles northwest of American Canyon, which is about six miles southwest of Napa. The agency said it was the largest tremor to shake the Bay Area since the magnitude-6.9 Loma Prieta quake in 1989.

The agency said there was a "low likelihood for casualties," but issued an "orange alert" for possible damage, a rating that means "significant damage is likely and the disaster is potentially widespread."

Comment: Here's a map of the global seismic activity from just the beginning of August till today:



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Ice Cube

Climber finds spectacular 120-metre glacial tunnel in Scotland in summer

George Mair
The Daily Record
Sat, 23 Aug 2014 07:16 UTC
Image
© Gordon Jack/scotimage.comThe heavy winter snow and north facing aspect of the gully has created this spectacular natural phenomena in the middle of summer.
A climber stumbled across a 120-metre snow tunnel on the east side of the Drummochter Pass that has miraculously survived the summer due to its hidden position.

A hillwalker discovered an 120-metre glacial snow tunnel when he went for a summer climb on a Scots mountain.

Les Smith came across the incredible sight in a gully on Carn na Caim - the most northerly of the two Munros on the east side of the Drumochter Pass in the Highlands.

The 69-year-old, from Linlithgow, West Lothian, said: "The tunnel stays in shadow for most of the day and rarely sees the sun. Because of that, the snow is still several metres deep in places and below it, the stream has run through to create this spectacular tunnel. It's like a mini glacier.

"I climbed down to the mouth of the tunnel. With the correct gear you could probably climb the glacier from within."

Image
© Gordon Jack/scotimage.comThe small patch of snow can be seen in the top left of the picture above Dalwhinnie Distillery.
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Cloud Precipitation

Summer hailstorm and cold temperatures produces wintry scene in Belton, UK


itv.com
Sun, 24 Aug 2014 06:17 UTC
Image
© Lesley ChalmersA covering of hail at Belton, Norfolk.
Hail is not unusual during a British summer as it's produced in the towering thunderstorm clouds that often build up during the season. However it can quickly turn a summer scene into a wintry wonderland.

That's what happened in Belton near Great Yarmouth in Norfolk on Saturday 23 August 2014 at the start of the Late Summer Bank Holiday weekend.

These pictures were sent in by ITV Anglia viewers Lesley Chalmers and John Welsby:

Image
© John WelsbyHail falling at Belton, Norfolk on Saturday.

Image
© Lesley ChalmersA thick covering of pea-sized hail at Belton in Norfolk.
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Arrow Down

Huge 100ft wide sinkhole appears overnight in Pennines, UK

Chris Pleasance
Daily Mail, UK
Sat, 23 Aug 2014 05:26 UTC
Image
A 100ft-wide sinkhole appeared overnight on Wednesday in the Pennines and was first spotted by Sam Hillyard, 39, as she was walking her dogs the next day
* Farmer John Hensby, 71, says his partner Sam Hillyard, 39, discovered the hole on Thursday morning

* Hole has grown since then and because rain is forecast he is worried there could be another collapse

* He is also worried that his dogs or one of the sheep that graze in the surrounding pastures could fall in

A 100ft-wide sinkhole that is so deep the bottom cannot be seen at one end has appeared overnight just yards from a farmer's house in County Durham.

John Hensby, 71, says his partner Sam Hillyard, 39, first discovered the hole on Thursday morning, adding that it has been growing ever since.

And Mr Hensby now fears that heavy rain forecast for the coming days could be about to make the situation even worse.

Comment: Check out the map below showing the distribution of sinkholes records from across the world for the past year.



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Bizarro Earth

Iceland's Bardarbunga volcano erupts, airlines put on high alert


RT
Sat, 23 Aug 2014 23:04 UTC
Eyjafjallajokull volcano
© Agence France-Presse/Emmanuel DunandArchive Photo: Smoke and ash bellow from Eyjafjallajokull volcano as it is seen from Asolfsskali, Iceland, on April 23, 2010
Iceland's Bardarbunga volcano began a small volcanic eruption as lava burst out underneath the Europe's largest glacier. In response, the government closed the airspace around the volcano, triggering fears of air chaos.

Iceland has issued aviation red alerts for Bardarbunga and authorities have evacuated the remote area 320 kilometers (200 miles) east of the capital of Reykjavik.

Following conflicting reports, the Icelandic Met Office confirmed the eruption under the Dyngjujökull glacier icecap in the northern part of Vatnajökull glacier.

The local authorities are keeping the country's airspace open, but have declared a no-fly zone of 100 nautical miles by 140 nautical miles around the eruption zone.

But, the no-fly zone could be expanded if the eruption melts the ice and spews volcanic ash.

Comment: This is the latest data point showing an intensification geological activity all over our Big Blue Marble:
  • Earthquake 'swarm' observed at remote Aleutian volcano - 5 volcanoes in Alaska are now simultaneously active
  • Authorities report volcanic eruptions and earthquakes intensifying in Kamchatka
  • Russian volcano Klyuchevskoy sends pillar of fire 1,000 meters into the air
  • Underwater Antarctic Volcanoes Discovered in the Southern Ocean
You can also check out earthquakes and volcanic activity over the past year below:



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