Earth Changes

Permafrost across Kenai Peninsula, Alaska thawing rapidly, say researchers

Shahla Farzan
KBBI
Mon, 23 Jan 2017 07:55 UTC

Permafrost is thawing at a brisk rate across Alaska and the Kenai Peninsula is no exception.

A recent study estimates permafrost coverage on the peninsula has decreased by 60 percent since 1950.

Permafrost is usually associated with Northern and Interior Alaska, but it also occurs in isolated pockets in wetlands on the Kenai Peninsula.

Benjamin Jones is a research geographer with the U.S. Geological Survey and one of the study co-authors.

"We installed ground temperature loggers connected to a data logger so we were recording ground temperatures on an hourly basis on a two and a half to three year time period," said Jones. "Based on that data collection we were able to confirm that yes there is permafrost present in some of these wetland complexes on the Kenai Peninsula."

To be classified as permafrost, the ground must remain below 0 degrees Celsius for at least two consecutive years.

The Kenai Peninsula's warm air temperatures mean these permafrost islands are particularly vulnerable to thaw.

Based on aerial photography, Jones estimates permafrost coverage on the Kenai Peninsula has decreased by 60 percent since 1950.

Brutal Western U.S. winter weather has been terrible for animals

Andrew Selsky
Post Register
Sat, 28 Jan 2017 11:26 UTC

Antelope injured while falling on ice. Horses stranded in snowy mountains. Cougars descending from their wilderness lairs to forage in a town.

It's been a beastly winter in the American West, not just for people but for animals too. One storm after another has buried much of the region in snow, and temperatures have often stayed below freezing, endangering a rich diversity of wild animals.

In southern Idaho, about 500 pronghorn antelope tried to cross the frozen Snake River earlier this month at Lake Walcott, but part of the herd spooked and ran onto a slick spot where they slipped and fell. Idaho Fish and Game workers rescued six of the stranded pronghorn, but 10 were killed by coyotes and 20 had to be euthanized because of injuries suffered when they fell down.

Another 50 pronghorn were found dead in the small western Idaho city of Payette after they nibbled on Japanese yew, a landscaping shrub that's toxic. Tough winter conditions have forced some wildlife to feed on the plant in urban areas.

Heavy snow has forced the Idaho Fish and Game department to begin emergency feeding of big game animals in southern Idaho.

In this Jan. 18, 2017, photo provided by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, elk feed at the Wenaha Wildlife Area near Troy, Ore.

Comment: See also: Animals struggle with heavy snowfall, winter weather in Idaho

Wolves losing their natural fear of humans? Several attacks reported in 2016 across Canada

Robert Alison
Muskoka Region.com
Sat, 28 Jan 2017 09:44 UTC

Public perception of wolves has fluctuated enormously over time. In antiquity, wolves were widely beloved.

"Apollo takes pleasure in the wolf," said historian Aelian in about 200 A.D.

"That is why, at Delphi (in Greece), a bronze wolf statue is set up."

Over time, the image of the wolf has become somewhat tarnished. In North America, public opinion is split between those who admire wolves and those who despise them. There does not seem to be any middle ground, no compromise.

Historically, negative public opinion has been galvanized by Aesop fables, such as "The boy who cried wolf" and "The wolf and the lamb." In Grimms' Fairy Tales, a wolf eats Little Red Riding Hood's grandmother and then tries to ambush Little Red herself.

In "The wolf and seven young kids," a wolf kills and eats seven young goats, but they are liberated alive from the wolf's stomach by a resourceful mother goat.

Rainbow in freezing temperatures?

Space Weather
Sun, 29 Jan 2017 02:31 UTC

When the temperature dips below freezing, rainbows vanish, right? Rainbows require liquid raindrops, and frozen water doesn't do the trick. Yesterday in Alaska, however, a rainbow appeared that seemed to defy the simple laws of physics. John Dean photographed the pale arc over Nome:

© John Dean
I seen this at sunset this evening, I first noticed the left hand side then the whole bow, there is a second bow by the streetlight, this is facing north also. The sun had just broke through the clouds as it was setting behind me. I have never witnessed this before here in Alaska

"It was not raining," says Dean. "The temperature was 25 F and a light snow storm had just passed through about an hour before. This is a first for me, and it has me perplexed."

Atmospheric optics expert Les Cowley explains what happened: "This is definitely a rainbow made by water drops, even though it was so cold. Ice spheres, hail or snowflakes cannot make them because a rainbow needs almost perfectly spherical, smooth and transparent water drops. This bow is broad, telling us that the water drops were small. They were also probably quite high up, and might even have been supercooled below the normal freezing point of water."

Supercooled raindrops can form when droplets of water fall through layers of subfreezing air. Droplets containing specks of dust or even microbes readily freeze as ice crystals form around the impurities. But when rain droplets are especially pure, they can remain in a liquid state even when the temperature drops below freezing.

Hence -- the "supercooled rainbow." High latitude sky watchers should be alert for these rare rainbows as strange Arctic weather grips the North in winter 2017.

Magical 'light pillar' phenomenon photographed across Russian skies

RT
Sat, 28 Jan 2017 23:22 UTC

A number of Russian cities have been treated to an awe-inspiring sight of so-called light pillars seemingly shooting up from the ground all the way up to the horizon and beyond.

Vertical beams of bright light, reminiscent of columns, were captured by sleepless Russians over the past weeks, and the stunning images were quickly shared on social media.

'Light pillars' in the central city of Rostov stirred controversy with some people coming up with mystical explanations for the occurrence. Experts were quick enough to dispel those myths though, saying it's nothing but an atmospheric optical illusion.

Corn heavy diet is turning French hamsters into erratic cannibals

RT
Sat, 28 Jan 2017 16:58 UTC

Wild hamsters in northeast France have turned into cannibals who eat their children, and behave in a "dementia-like" way thanks to their corn heavy diet, researchers have warned.

Hamsters used to enjoy a varied diet of grains, insects and roots, but as their habitats have increasingly evolved into to large, industrial fields of corn, they aren't getting the same variety, which leads to a deficit in vitamins.

"There's clearly an imbalance," said Gerard Baumgart, president of the Research Centre for Environmental Protection in Alsace. "Our hamster habitat is collapsing."

Scientists examined the impact of diet on the wild hamsters and made some disturbing discoveries.

Different groups of hamsters were fed a diet of corn and wheat. The hamsters that ate the wheat weaned 80 percent of their babies, while those who ate corn only saw 5 percent of their offspring weaned.

The reason so few made it was that the mothers "stored their pups with their hoards of maize before eating them," the scientists said. "Pups were still alive at that time."

Pack of dogs kill woman in Barbados

Kerri Gooding
Loop News
Sat, 28 Jan 2017 14:23 UTC

A 74-year-old walker is dead this morning after an early morning attack.

Police spokesperson, Roland Cobbler reported that while walking along A 74-year-old walker is dead this morning after an early morning attack.

Police spokesperson, Roland Cobbler reported that while walking along Munroe Road, Haggatt Hall, St. Michael around 5:30 am, the woman was attacked by a pack of dogs and subsequently died at the scene. A 30-year-old resident ran to her assistance and he was also attacked by the dogs and he has been taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) for medical attention.

Second summer snowfall in New Zealand and helicopter downdraft to dry soggy fruit

Adapt 2030
You Tube
Thu, 26 Jan 2017 12:35 UTC

Cardrona Alpine Resort in Summer

This is now the second "Rare" summer snowfall in New Zealand.

The year has so far been below normal temperatures for several parts of the country, but the last out of season Antarctic low brought a foot of snow in the middle of summer.

Apple shortages across the country and out of season rains have prompted farmers to hire helicopters to hover over the fields to dry fruit.

Sources

Thousands of rotting fish appear in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Jonathan Edward and Danial Dzulkifly
The Malay Mail
Thu, 26 Jan 2017 12:09 UTC

Yayan Abranto, 24, a resident at the Intan Baiduri People’s Housing Project, walks past the dead fish.

Residents at the Intan Baiduri People's Housing Project (PPR) have been putting up with stench from thousands of rotting fish since Tuesday evening.

Tilapia used to thrive in the lake that is part of the housing scheme.

Khairul Anuwar, 50, said: "Some residents think the lake may be polluted. It could be some kind of disease, and authorities must investigate immediately."

Khairul said he had lodged complaints with City Hall, the Drainage and Irrigation Department, and Department of Environment.

"It's going to be two days. I hope the authorities will take action quickly as the stench is becoming worse," he said.

Another resident, Siti Aman, 38, said the incident was worrying.

Lenticular cloud baffles skiers in Sweden

The Local - Sweden
Fri, 27 Jan 2017 12:35 UTC

A mysterious UFO-shaped cloud baffled skiers when it appeared in the sky over Sweden.

The bizarre cloud floated in the sky over ski resorts Åre and Duved on Thursday, prompting some to speculate that Martians had arrived for a day on the slopes.

Many rushed to take pictures of the unusual phenomenon and posted them on social media. "I thought it was pretty cool," one of them, Elvira Kuper, told broadcaster SVT.

Experts explained it was a so-called lenticular cloud, which forms over mountain peaks when the air is forced to rise as it hits the hillside. As it cools it condenses into a cloud.

Thanks to their peculiar shape, they are often mistaken for UFOs.

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Earth Changes

Permafrost across Kenai Peninsula, Alaska thawing rapidly, say researchers

Brutal Western U.S. winter weather has been terrible for animals

Wolves losing their natural fear of humans? Several attacks reported in 2016 across Canada

Rainbow in freezing temperatures?

Magical 'light pillar' phenomenon photographed across Russian skies

Corn heavy diet is turning French hamsters into erratic cannibals

Pack of dogs kill woman in Barbados

Second summer snowfall in New Zealand and helicopter downdraft to dry soggy fruit

Thousands of rotting fish appear in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Lenticular cloud baffles skiers in Sweden

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