Earth ChangesS


Bizarro Earth

Strong 5.8 magnitude earthquake strikes off east coast of Brazil - quake from a previously unknown fault?


The Extinction Protocol
Tue, 22 Jan 2013 07:46 UTC
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A rather shallow 5.8 magnitude earthquake struck the ocean floor just off the coast of Brazil, south of the popular tourist destination of Natal. The eastern coast of Brazil is relatively free from faults and is not located on the border of any major tectonic plates. So this earthquake is quite unusual. If we look at the seismic hazard map of Brazil (below), it's clear to see that most of Brazil's seismic hazards lie in the western part of the country. See local quake map of Brazil.

Unusual: Is this quake from a previously unknown fault this close to the shoreline or might other factors be at work here...like the area of growing weakness of the planet's magnetic field in the South Atlantic Anomaly? Natal is virtually near the epicenter of the SAA. The South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA) is an area where the Earth's inner Van Allen radiation belt comes closest to the Earth's surface dipping down to an altitude of 200km (124mi). This leads to an increased flux of energetic particles in this region and exposes orbiting satellites to higher than usual levels of radiation. The effect is caused by the non-concentricity of the Earth and its magnetic dipole, and the SAA is the near-Earth region where the Earth's magnetic field is weakest. -The Extinction Protocol
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Bizarro Earth

Eruptive activity on the rise at two sites on Big Island's Kilauea volcano


The Extinction Protocol
Tue, 22 Jan 2013 07:42 UTC
Eruptive activity at the Big Island's Kilauea volcano is picking up at the Pu u Oo vent and Halemaumau Crater. At the Pu u Oo vent, situated in the volcano's East Rift Zone, lava flows are sporadically spilling onto the east flank of the vent. The volume of lava streaming to ocean entry is increasing slightly, with small entry points now spread along the coastline near Kupapu Point on both sides of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The current ocean-entry flow has been under way since mid-November. This month marks the 30th anniversary of Kilauea volcano's ongoing East Rift Zone eruption. During its first three years, spectacular lava fountains spewed from the Pu u Oo vent.
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Since then, nearly continuous flow has built a vast plain of slow-moving pahoe hoe lava stretching from the volcano's rift zone to the Big Island's shoreline. Also, in recent months, at Kilauea volcano's summit caldera, the lava lake swirling in Halemaumau Crater has been rising to record levels. Since March 19, 2008, when an explosive eruption formed the lava lake, its surface level has remained mostly below the inner ledge (about 100 feet below the floor of Halemaumau Crater).
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Bizarro Earth

Puyehue-Cordon Caulle volcano erupts in Chile


The Extinction Protocol
Tue, 22 Jan 2013 07:40 UTC
A new (so far small) eruption began yesterday from Caulle volcano, local sources reported. Ash emissions reaching 11,000 ft (3.4 km) altitude were reported by Buenos Aires VAAC. Local news report ash fall over Puyehué, Entre Lagos and Osorno today. - Volcano Discovery
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Bizarro Earth

Tavurvur volcano erupts in Papua New Guinea, ash cloud diverts flights


The Extinction Protocol
Tue, 22 Jan 2013 07:38 UTC
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Eruptions of Papua New Guinea's Mt Tavurvur have forced some flights in and out of New Britain to be cancelled. The ash and vapor blowing from the volcano affected flights to Tokua Airport. Air Niugini says the flight suspension came into effect on Monday and will continue for an indefinite period. Newspaper reports say low to loud roaring and rumbling noises were heard on Sunday night when the volcano erupted. Tavurvur is an active volcano that lies near Rabaul in Papua New Guinea. It is a sub-vent of the Rabaul caldera and lies on the eastern rim of the larger feature. The volcano is most well known for its devastating eruptions over Rabaul. Mt Tavurvur is the most well known volcano in Rabaul caldera, and has erupted as recently as January 2009. The last time the volcano erupted was in 2011. - Radio New Zealand Wikipedia
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Bizarro Earth

Authorities report volcanic eruptions and earthquakes intensifying in Kamchatka


The Extinction Protocol
Tue, 22 Jan 2013 07:36 UTC
Three volcanoes in Russia's Kamchatka continue to send steam and ash into the air while lava flows down their slopes. Volcanic activity on the peninsula has dramatically intensified. Aviation authorities issued an orange security level in the area. The volcanoes Shiveluch, Kizimen and Plosky Talbachek are erupting in different parts of the peninsula simultaneously, causing dozens of local earthquakes, as the vibrations accompanying the eruptions of the giants continue to increase. The biggest and most active is Shiveluch, Kamchatka's northernmost volcano and 3,283 meters high. Over the last days it made several eruptions of gases, steam and ash, the highest of which reached the 4,900 m above sea level. Unceasing earth tremors send avalanches down its slopes.
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Bizarro Earth

Experts warn of New Zealand's White Island eruption


NZ Herald
Tue, 22 Jan 2013 01:01 UTC

Hydrothermal activity at White Island has increased and an expert says there is "significant concern" the volcano could erupt with little or no warning.

GNS volcanologist Brad Scott visited the island - situated 48km from the Bay of Plenty coastline - and confirmed hydrothermal activity in the small "hot lake" had increased.

"The hydrothermal activity is some of the most vigorous I have seen at White Island for many years. This type of activity usually leads to stronger volcanic activity and is a significant concern," Mr Scott said.
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Igloo

Why should we be concerned about the next cold climate era?


Space and Science Research Corporation
Mon, 21 Jan 2013 23:27 UTC
This new era called a 'solar hibernation' or 'grand minimum' is caused by a repeating 206 year cycle of the Sun. These hibernations are accompanied by historic reductions in the energy output of the Sun. SSRC research shows the next solar hibernation will bring a long period of cold just as it has done before every time this cycle 'turns over' from its global warming phase to its global cooling phase. In addition, SSRC research backed by that of other researchers has shown a high degree of correlation between solar hibernations and the world's largest earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.Mr. Casey, President of the SSRC was the first authority to notify the White House and other government agencies of this coming solar hibernation in early 2007. Numerous other scientists discovered the same cycles of the Sun. Their findings have been ignored or buried in science journals and thus essentially unknown to the public.During the first six months of 2011, NASA, The US Air Force, and the National Solar Observatory all confirmed the coming solar grand minimum. The next solar hibernation and according to the SSRC and many other scientists, the next climate change to decades of record cold has begun.

This cold era is expected to last for approximately 22 to 33 years with the coldest temperatures to be seen during the 2020's and 2030's either side of the bottom year of the cycle in 2031, and have temperatures on the order of that observed during the Dalton Minimum (1793-1830). We have already seen the early signs of the new climate with record cold winters globally for some of the past four years. During the winter of 2011-2012, while the central and eastern USA experienced a relatively warm winter, Europe and Asia had a difficult winter. We have entered a period of record temperature setting both hot and cold. This trend of highly variable extremes of both hot and cold within a general trend of globally declining temperatures is fully characteristic of the transition between climate changes.
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Airplane

Snow grounds hundreds of flights across Europe

Guy Jackson
Agence France-Presse
Mon, 21 Jan 2013 16:09 UTC
De-Icing an Airplane
© AFP/Christof StacheEmployees de-ice an airplane in Munich, southern Germany, on January 21, 2013.
London - Hundreds of flights were cancelled and hazardous roads and railways disrupted traffic and caused countless accidents across Europe on Monday as heavy snow and freezing weather gripped the continent.

Frankfurt airport, Germany's main air hub, cancelled around 500 departing and arriving flights, representing 40 percent of its daily schedule.

The busiest airport in Europe, London Heathrow, scrapped more than 200 flights.

Heathrow said a decision was taken 24 hours in advance to cancel 130 flights due to predicted poor visibility, but problems elsewhere in Europe were having an impact too.

"The additional cancellations are because a number of airports elsewhere in Europe are experiencing problems so that has a knock-on effect for us," an airport spokesman said.

Heathrow has spent 36 million pounds ($57 million) on upgrading its snow-clearing equipment since 2010, when freezing temperatures and snow almost brought the airport to a halt in the approach to Christmas.

Freezing rain and snow also led to treacherous conditions on railways and roads, triggering numerous accidents.
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Cloud Lightning

Freak 'thundersnow' storm wreaks havoc on Toronto

Alexandra Bosanac and Russell Piffer
The Star
Sun, 20 Jan 2013 17:01 UTC
Wellers Bay ice
© Mark StonesWind blew ice off Wellers Bay and packed it onto the shoreline, wrecking a dock in the process.
A freak weather system slammed into the GTA overnight.

The rare "thundersnow" system brought heavy wind, rain, snow and the occasional flash of lightning.

Gusts of 90 km/h toppled trees and traffic lights and a wind warning issued by Environment Canada remained in effect for much of southern Ontario Sunday morning.

Fallen trees and hydro wires shut down Rosedale Valley Rd between Bayview Ave. and Park Rd. overnight.
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Cloud Lightning

Freak tennis ball sized hail storm hits Malta

Patrick Cooke
Times of Malta
Thu, 17 Jan 2013 16:49 UTC
Malta hail
© Niki Caruana
Insurance companies were faced with a flood of claims yesterday following Tuesday's freak hail storm that hit the north and east of Malta.

Certain crops can be replanted but some will have lost everything

Middlesea Insurance said they received a flurry of claims for damage at property located in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq, St Andrew's, Għargħur, Mosta, Naxxar and San Pawl Tat-Tarġa.

These came in the wake of reports of tennis ball-sized hailstones lashing certain localities around midday on Tuesday.
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