Author Archives: marcia

GMO Trees

Posted on by

Check out this video on GMO trees, what they are, how they are, and think about it.  oH, and as always, do the research:

Video Information

The largely unknown potential danger to human health and the environmental health of our planet posed by the planned introduction of genetically engineered trees is explored in “Silent Forest.” Narrated by Dr. David Suzuki, the film lays out, in compelling detail, the dangers of open-air plantations of these untested man-made trees. And the added problem of intellectual property rights. “A Silent Forest” is a wake-up call to the dangers of genetic engineering of trees and the impact it could have on all of us.

 

http://tv.naturalnews.com/v.asp?v=CB069DB645440DF9AF4E74E8BA4C5E77

 

from:    http://tv.naturalnews.com/v.asp?v=CB069DB645440DF9AF4E74E8BA4C5E77

RE: Submarine Eruptions in Kermadec Islands

Posted on by

Rapid Rates of Short Submarine Eruptions Measured at Monowai in the Kermadec Islands

 

3D bathymetric view of Monowai caldera in the Kermadec Islands. The red cone in the foreground is Monowai cone. You can see the scars of collapses on its slopes along with new domes near the summit. Image courtesy of Oregon State University by Susan Merle.

 

I saw (and was sent) a lot of articles about the findings from Anthony Watts and others in Nature Geosciences on the submarine volcanism in the Kermadec Islands north of New Zealand. A group of geologists were lucky enough to stumble across an eruption of Monowai in 2011 and in doing so, they set off a series of discoveries that seem to indicate that Monowai is a very active submarine volcano. Monowai is a fairly complex caldera volcano that has seen quite a bit of activity that has been captured either through subsurface acoustics or by finding the telltale signs of an eruption beneath the sea – discolored, bubbling water, pumice rafts – stuff like what we saw during last year’s activity at El Hierro. Watts and his collaborators were able to carefully map the volcano to find what the changes at Monowai have been during these eruptive periods and it boils down to something we find familiar for terrestrial volcanoes: collapse and healing, sometimes quite rapidly.

 

If you’re a close watcher of volcanic activity, you know that if a volcano erupts andesite, dacite to rhyolite, you can produce sticky domes of lava that can oversteepen and collapse. That is what happens on a regular basis at places like Soufriere Hills on Montserrat and Shiveluch in Kamchatka (amongst many others). These domes or spins can become incredibly impressive – the spine that formed at Pelee in Martinique in 1902-1903 was almost 300 meters tall and it eventually collapsed in 1903. However, these examples are all from terrestrial volcanoes.

Figures 6a and 6b from Watts et al. (2012) showing the changes in the shape of Monowai in the Kermadec Islands over the last 8 years. You can see the growth and destruction of domes and spines on the volcano across the years.

This new study at Monowai may have captured a collapse like this, followed by new growth of a dome at a submarine volcano. Over the course of 14 days of mapping, the team found that the seafloor depth changed, first dropping almost 19 meters, then surging back almost 72 meters. That is quite a dramatic shift for only 2 weeks. This activity coincided with earthquake activity at Monowai was well, so even though the eruption was seen, the clues of changing seafloor depth – possibly a collapse followed by new lava – and seismicity all point to eruptive activity. If you look at their vertically-exaggerated views of the seamount (Figure 6a and b, above), it becomes quite clear that domes or spines of lava come and go from the summit area of Monowai, just like you might seen at its terrestrial brethren. Now, these cycles had been recognized at Monowai before, but this is the first time that the results of an eruption was caught in the act.

One of the implications that the authors push in the article is that these rates of activity are very rapid – and surely they are. The estimates of ~0.001-0.008 km3 of new material erupting within a few weeks – that works out to annual eruptive rates of ~0.11-0.63 km3*. I do worry a bit about their comparision of average growth rates at global volcanoes with these data, even looking at the last few years are Monowai. Volcanoes are notoriously inconsistent with their growth and have periods of heightened activity that punctuate long periods of low activity – they even point this out by comparing the average growth rate between 2007-2011 (0.08 km3) versus the rate they observed in the two weeks in 2011 (which would have produced, if constant over 4 years, ~2.8 km3). Whether or not “growth rates at Monowai are larger than all other oceanic volcanoes, including Montserrat, Azores, Hawaii, Iceland and the Canary Islands” is truly significant and not merely a product of small sample sizes we have for the volcanic history of many submarine volcanoes is unclear. However, it does show how dynamic some submarine arc volcanoes might be, which should come as little surprise considering the mischief their terrestrial counterparts can produce.

*Note: A few readers wondered why certain articles on this study insisted on reporting all volumes as “Olympic size swimming pools” of lava. Beats me, honestly. I know some writers love those comparators, but maybe we can give the reading audience some credit after you mention the comparison once.

from:    http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/05/rapid-rates-of-short-submarine-eruptions-measured-at-monowai-in-the-kermadec-islands/#more-110500

 

Earthquake Near Anchorage, Alaska

Posted on by

May 16, 2012 – Moderate earthquake close to Anchorage, Alaska

Last update: May 16, 2012 at 4:14 pm by By 

Moderate earthquake close to Anchorage, Alaska
Preliminary Magnitude : 4.7 — Depth 57 km
Harmless earthquake because of the depth. Also because of the depth it will be well felt in the greater Alaska area

 

SRC Location UTC Date/time M D INFORMATION
USGS Southern Alaska May 16 15:02 PM 4.6 59.0 MAP I Felt It
USGS Southern Alaska May 16 15:02 PM 4.7 57.0 MAP I Felt It
  • Anchorage – Woke me at about 700 am and my dogs freaked out
  • Anchorage, AK @ airport – Definitely shook Ted Stevens International Airport…
  • East Anchorage, Alaska – My alarm for work had just gone off and I had hit the snooze button. I was laying there half asleep until the shaking started. It shook the house pretty good.
  • Alaska – Thought it was my cell phone vibrating on the bed at first… then it actually hit. No damage, but the house shook and creaked pretty good.

from:    http://earthquake-report.com/2012/05/15/major-earthquakes-list-may-16-2012/

Thessaloniki, Greece – Earthquake 5/13

Posted on by

Moderate short earthquake close to Thessaloniki, Greece

Last update: May 13, 2012 at 8:56 am by By 

Earthquake overview : At 01:48 AM in the morning, many people in the Greek city of Thessalonika have been scared by a short shock.  The epicenter of the earthquake was at only 10 km from the city.

“I have Felt it” Reports –> see below + Let us know “how you have felt this earthquake”
To read the full story as it happened, we advise our readers to start at the lower part of the page (earthquake data).
Check also our Greece-only earthquake list

Keep this page open or return regularly as we will be back with more details when they become available

– Many people have felt the earthquake. The epicenter was located in the bay, close to the beach.
– Thessaloniki is a city with a population of  354,290.
– Earthquake-Report.com does not expect any serious damage out of this earthquake. Main reasons : weak magnitude, short shaking, focal depth at a reasonable 24 km and epicenter in the bay waters.
– The Greece Institute of Geodynamics in Athens reports a Magnitude of Ml4.1 at a depth of 24 km.
– As could be expected, No reports of damage have reached the authorities.
– The Great Thessaloniki Earthquake  was an earthquake that occurred on 20 June 1978, at 22:03 local time, and registered a Mw6.6  . It was felt throughout northern Greece, Yugoslavia and Bulgaria. It was the largest seismic activity in the area since 1932. (source Wikipedia)

Green arrow : epicenter of the earthquake

Earthquake-Report.com GOOGLE+ / Earthquake-Report.com FACEBOOK
“I Have Felt It” reports as received by Earthquake-Report.com
See below for all the received Earthquake Experience reports as received by earthquake-report.com

Most important Earthquake Data:
Magnitude : Mw4.0
UTC Time : 22:48 UTC
Local time at epicenter : 01:48 on May 13
Depth (Hypocenter) : 24 km
Geo-location(s) :
7 km S Kalokhórion (pop 4,162)
8 km W Kalamariá (pop 91,617)
10 km SW Thessaloníki (pop 354,290)

for more information and updates, go to:   http://earthquake-report.com/2012/05/13/moderate-short-earthquake-close-to-thessaloniki-greece/

Earthquake – Chile/Peru Border

Posted on by

Very strong deep earthquake at the Chile / Peru border – some damage and power cuts reported in both countries

Last update: May 14, 2012 at 8:49 pm by By l

The earthquake took place in the border area of Southern Peru and Northern Chile.

Most important Earthquake Data:
Magnitude : 6.2 preliminary – 5.9 USGS  EMSC 6.4 – USGS 6.2
UTC Time :   Monday, May 14, 2012 at 10:00:30 UTC
Local time at epicenter : Monday, May 14, 2012 at 06:00:30 AM at epicenter
Depth (Hypocenter) : 22 to 80 km ?? — USGS 98 km – EMSC 60 km
Geo-location(s) :
66 km (41 miles) ENE (62°) from Tacna, Peru
110 km (68 miles) NE (38°) from Arica, Chile

Important Update 17:40 UTC :
CHILE side of the border
The Tarapaca governor reported earlier today that :
– Some walls have collapsed in the Arica port area
– Power was cut in 15% of Arica’s households (3000 families)
– some roads are / where  inaccessible (ie route 5)
The governor also said that local people had the feeling that the quakes intensity was stronger than VI which was reported by Chile’s ONEMI.
– Although the authorities never called a tsunami alert as the hypocenter was below land, a lot of people have auto-evacuated to higher grounds
– Luckily there are NO reports of injuries
All these data are for the Chile side of the border
Peru side of the border
– As could be expected, also TACNA had power cuts
– Walls and roofs fall in the area, a water pipe broke in Para sector and cracked windows in stores.
– TACNAschools like “Francisco Antonio de Zela” and “Coronel Bolognesi” showed fissures in walls.
– Landslides in the road of Ilabaya and cracks on irrigation canals of Candarave
– 5 people did jump from their houses causing them to be injured

Update 11:33 UTC :  IGP, Peru has also other earthquake data. Ml5.9 at a depth of 105 km. Epicenter : see below (Peru side of the border). IGP Peru has calculated that based on their earthquake data Tacna would have experienced a MMI IV light shaking and Arequipa a MMI III weak shaking.

Shaking map courtesy USGS

Update 11:03 UTC : ONEMI Chile, the outstanding emergency authority in Chile, is calling the earthquake “mediana intensidad” (moderate intensity).  The strongest Magnitude has been given to Arica (MMI VI or strong shaking). At Earthquake-Report.com we use MMI VII as a beginning of chances for serious damage. MMI VI can generate small effects like falling objects, cracks in walls etc.

Update 10:58 UTC : Theoretical calculations (based on USGS data) have reported that 295,000 people will have experienced a MMI V moderate shaking. 1.9 million people a light shaking and 2.24 million people a weak to very weak shaking.

Update 10:53 UTC : Universidad de Chile (to be trusted highly) reports a Magnitude of Ml6.4 at a hupocenter depth of 119.6 km (good but still serious earthquake numbers). Universidad de Chile Santiago, is putting the epicenter close to Tacna, Peru. Both EMSC and USGS have located the epicenter in Chile!

Update 10:52 UTC : Tacna has reported a moderate shaking (MMI V). The earthquake was felt as far as Arequipa in Peru and Arica in Chile. Deep earthquakes are felt in a far wider area than shallow earthquakes.

Update 10:49 UTC : Preliminary earthquake numbers can be very tricky during earthquakes. There is a night and day difference in between the depths of 20 or 90 km. The first can be highly damaging.  These depths are rarely noticed in the area but they occur, so there is no certainly of what really happened at the beginning.

Update 10:47 UTC : We have removed the text “very dangerous”  from the title because the depth value of USGS has changed from 22 km to 98 km.  The Magnitude however has been increased from 5.9 to Mw6.2. In general we can say that a 90+ km depth would only be capable to generate minor damage or injuries. Only a few exceptions can be more damaging.

Update 10:41 UTC : the earthquake occurred at 06:00 AM during the early morning hours when a lot of people are still asleep.  This is always a bad period for earthquakes. On the positive side is that daylight will have started. We have NO reactions from the area as of yet. We call upon our readers from the area to at least give us a few more details on the time that the strong shaking lasted.

Update 10:37 UTC : We have changed the title and have added “very dangerous” to the already existing text. Why ? Because EMSC has increased the Magnitude from 6.0 to 6.4 – Depth at EMSC has been reduced in few time from 80 to 40 km. Bad numbers !

Update 10:35 UTC :  12 minutes later, a M 4.0 aftershock struck the same area.

Update 10:33 UTC :  Initial reports from USGS and EMSC are locating the epicenter in different countries(EMSC in Peru and USGS in Chile). Also the depth is fundamentally different in this initial phase (22 km USGS = dangerous and 40 km EMSC = less dangerous)

for more information and updates, go to:    http://earthquake-report.com/2012/05/14/very-strong-earthquake-in-chile-close-to-peru-and-bolivia/

Solar Maximum 2013

Posted on by

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: Solar maximum is coming in 2013. How will space weather affect you? To answer that question, experts from around the world are gathering for the Space Weather Enterprise Forum (SWEF) on June 5, 2012, at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. To learn more and register, please visit the SWEF web site athttp://www.nswp.gov/swef/swef_2012.html.

fr/spaceweather.com

Path of This Weekend’s Solar Eclipse

Posted on by

Solar Eclipse this Weekend

May 15, 2012: Something strange is about to happen to the shadows beneath your feet.

On Sunday, May 20th, the Moon will pass in front of the sun, transforming sunbeams across the Pacific side of Earth into fat crescents and thin rings of light.1

It’s an annular solar eclipse, in which the Moon will cover as much as 94% of the sun. Hundreds of millions of people will be able to witness the event. The eclipse zone stretches from southeast Asia across the Pacific Ocean to western parts of North America: animated eclipse map.

2Annular Eclipse (shadows, 558px)

Crescent sunbeams dapple the ground beneath a palm tree during an annular eclipse in January 2010. The picture was taken by Stephan Heinsius on the Indian Ocean atoll island of Ellaidhoo, Maldives. [more] [video]

In the United States, the eclipse begins around 5:30 pm PDT. For the next two hours, a Moon-shaped portion of the sun will go into hiding. Greatest coverage occurs around 6:30 pm PDT.

Because some of the sun is always exposed during the eclipse, ambient daylight won’t seem much different than usual. Instead, the event will reveal itself in the shadows. Look on the ground beneath leafy trees  for crescent-shaped sunbeams and rings of light.

2Annular Eclipse (ring of fire, 200px)

A “ring of fire” over China in 2010.

Near the center-line of the eclipse, observers will experience something special: the “ring of fire.” As the Moon crosses the sun dead-center, a circular strip or annulus of sunlight will completely surround the dark lunar disk. Visually, the sun has a big black hole in the middle.

The “path of annularity” where this occurs is only about 200 miles wide, but it stretches almost halfway around the world passing many population centers en route: Tokyo, Japan; Medford, Oregon; Chico, California; Reno, Nevada; Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Lubbock, Texas. In those locations the ring of fire phenomenon will be visible for as much as 4 and a half minutes.

“The ring of sunlight during annularity is blindingly bright,” cautions NASA’s leading eclipse expert Fred Espenak of the Goddard Space Flight Center. “Even though most of the Sun’s disk will be covered, you still need to use a solar filter or some type of projection technique. A #14 welder’s glass is a good choice. There are also many commercially-available solar filters.”

2Annular Eclipse (map, 558px)

The path of annularity cuts across the continental United States near sunset on May 20, 2012. An interactive map is also available: click here. See also the ScienceCast video.

Many astronomy clubs will have solar-filtered telescopes set up for public viewing. Through the eyepiece of such an instrument, you can see the mountainous lunar limb gliding by dark sunspots and fiery prominences. It’s a beautiful sight. Be absolutely sure, however, that any telescope you look through is properly filtered. Magnified sunlight can cause serious eye damage even during an eclipse.

A safe and fun way to observe the eclipse is to use your own body as a solar projector. For example, try criss-crossing your fingers waffle-style. Rays of light beaming through the gaps will have the same shape as the eclipsed sun.

Or just stand under that tree. The sight of a thousand ring-shaped sunbeams swaying back and forth on a grassy lawn or sidewalk is unforgettable.

For more information about the solar eclipse, please view the ScienceCast video Solar Eclipse over the USA.
Author:Dr. Tony Phillips| Production editor: Dr. Tony Phillips

from:    http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2012/15may_sunday/

May 13-19

Posted on by

 

Overall Color for the Week:    Violet Rose

The theme this week is that of that which is familiar seeming different, strange, and unfamiliar.  This can leads to times of confusion and wonder.  Part of this is as a way of shaking you out of some of your long held ideas, rituals, traditions, concepts, and things you take for granted.  Things are morphing in unusual ways.  It is time to be aware of that.  It is time to take a look at old ways and patterns and see how they are or are not assisting you in adapting to all that is going on right now.  Much is happening. This is a week in which there can be some major shifts in occupations and relationships.  Step back if these things happen around you.  Do not over-react.  This is the week for being the observer.  See what is going on within the larger pattern.  The past few months have shown that things are falling into new grooves.  This week is critical in terms of certain elements lining up,  Things that may seem to be destructive or disastrous or even wonderful and amazing, as the elements of the patterns move forward, can take on different guises.  This is a week for marinating.  Let all the elements that are happening in your lfe settle around you and then take what is important.  There are lessons coming forward.  Interestingly, some are lessons that you have wanted, yet put off.  Time is changing and with it. the various actions, etc. that were meant to occur.  You will understand it better as the week goes on.

Monday, May 14;    Medium Purple

Things will not be quite what they seem today.  This can leave you a bit flustered and/or uncertain.  Emotions are again close to the surface, as you respond to things with feelings that come up unexpectedly.  Allow them to flow through.  Many of them are pegged to other things, things that you are not even aware of.  The dimensions are shifting today, so much of what is happening is going on unobserved.  It is like being near an earthquake.  You are not a part of what is happening, but yet you still feel some of the fallout.  This is a good day for staying grounded and aware of what it is that is your true center, your core.  These days it is well to be very familiar with WHO you are as there are many challenges that will be coming your way, and by being strong in your heart and sould, you will be able to get a concept of the larger context and where you fit within it.

Crystal VIbe:    Jarosite—-The energy of this mineral assists with letting go of, with cleansing.  Resonates to the Root Chakra.

Tuesday, May 15:   Frosty White

Relationships can take a turn for the worse today.  It is not a good time for addressing long standing issues as there will be misconceptions and miscommunication abounding.  Step back from potential conflict.  Let your sense of humor be your best defense.  It things arise, let them go.  There is no need to move into the general confusion that is characteristic of the day’s energies.  Again, emotions will be out there, so you will not want to push situations to a limit.  There is a time for things to be settled.  Today is not it.  There is the potential for shifts today in relationships and jobs.  It is time to know what you truily want.  You can face an interesting decision before the day is over.

Crystal Vibe:    Forsterite—-The energy of this mineral works with the wisdom of the heart for addressing inssues and decisions.  Resonates with the Heart Chakra.

Wednesday, May 16:    Red

Opportunities abound today for making choices and making decisions.  It is important to say centered within your heart so that what you do comes from the true knowing of the Central Core of your being.  The choices you make in this energy will be important in terms of the developing themes.  This is a time for alignment.  It is advisable to have compatibility in what you do, who you hang out with, and the greater whole.  There will be a sense of relationship in the days energies, as part of the larger comes into focus.  Compassion.  That is a theme of the day as you begin to see things differently.

Crystal VIbe:    Pink Danburite—-The energy of this stone brings a kind of balance and a chameleon-like energy which assists with adapting to various situations.  Resonates with the Heart and Upper Chakras.

Thursday, May 17:    Bright Blue

You will feel as though the Sun has truly come out today.  Things are going to be standing in sharp relief, so if you are needing clarity in regards to something, this is the time to go for it.  Use your powers of visual discrimination tempered by the true knowing of the heart to understand what situations, objects, people, energies, etc. mean as they pass through your line of perception.  There is a bit of laughter in the air also, as you realize that some of the stuff you were holding onto as important really is not so.  Look also for a fun time with someone you have missed for a while.  The day will end with some questions needing to be answered.  The dream time can assist with that.

Crystal VIbe:    Galena—-The energy of this mineral assists with grounding and centering.  Resonates with the Root Chakra.

Friday, May 18:    Lime Green

Things are up and down today.  Be careful of your health issues, and if something is to arise, deal with it on all levels.  Your physical form is reacting to the energetic shifts, and you will be aware of that today.  Also, when there is an issue, take a look at where it is located in your body and what that area means to you.  Your body also gives you messages.  This is a day for taking care in traffic and out and about.  The Trickster is roaming the world and is looking to cause some mischief.  Sometimes he is there as an observer, but today he is feeling the need for action.  Take time to ground and center before going out.  Also, align your energies with those of the Universal Consciousness, having a broader view of things is always a good idea.

Crystal Vibe:    Wavellite—-The energy of this mineral assists with seeing things as they are dispassionately and without attachment.  Resonates with the Solar Plexus and Throat Chakras.

Saturday, May 19:    Light Orange

What is up today?  That is a question you may be asking yourself a lot today, as things happen unexpectedly.  Things that you thought were predictable are no longer so.  It is a good time for dealing with some long standing issues, as Freudian slips and body language can cue you into things about people that you were not aware of.  The current energy can lead to changes and shifts, so see what is happening and listen to the messages that come to you however that may be, synchronicity, deja vu, whatever.  There is a lot of fun in the air today also.  This kind of crazy energy always has some fun, some surprises.

Crystal Vibe:    Green Chysoprase—-The energy of this mineral can bring about positive solutions while assisting in behavioral shifts.  Resonates with the Heart and Third Eye Chakras.

May 14 CME

Posted on by

INCOMING CME (UPDATED): On May 11th at 23:54 UT, a coronal mass ejection raced away from the sun faster than 1000 km/s. The fast-moving cloud will deliver a glancing blow to Earth’s magnetic field on May 14th around 14:30 UT, according to a revised forecast track prepared by analysts at the Goddard Space Weather Lab. Mars is also in the line of fire

fr/spaceweather.com

Tajikistan Eartbhquake

Posted on by

Very strong dangerous earthquake in Tajikistan

Last update: May 13, 2012 at 12:22 am by By 

Most important Earthquake Data:
Magnitude : 6.3 (EMSC)
UTC Time : 23:28:46.0 UTC
Local time at epicenter :  local time 04:28
Depth (Hypocenter) : 30 km (EMSC)
Geo-location(s) :
55 km NE Leningradskiy (pop 11,955)
147 km E Dushanbe (pop 543,10

Update 00:19 UTC :  EMSC has further decreased the Magnitude from Mb6.0 to Mb5.7, a whole lot of difference. EMSC keeps his focal depth at 4 km which is extremely shallow. Because of the depth parameter, we maintain our opinion and continue to call this earthquake dangerous.

Update 00:12 UTC :
Less than 1000 people are living in a radius of 5 km from the epicenter
4,200 people are living within a radius if 10 km
11,000 people within a radius of 20 km.
Earthquake-Report.com calls a radius of 20 km at high risk for at least minor damage or minor injuries

Update 00:08 UTC : The nearest populated places are: Kalay-Khodzha (16km), Talbar (7km), Yezgan (7km),Tavildara (13km), Chil-Dara (17km). The closest civilian airport is Darwaz (46km).

Update 23:59 UTC : Based on the current data, Earthquake-Report.com calls this earthquake “dangerous”for the villages in the immediate vicinity of the epicenter. Especially the building style is very vulnerable.  An increasing danger factor is the fact that the earthquake occurred in the middle of the Tajik night!

Update 23:56 UTC : Following our own research Tavildara, a village with approx. 500 inhabitants is at a distance of 10 km from the epicenter. Ezgand another village is also very close to the epicenter

Shaking map of the area – courtesy USGS – Yellow color indicates the strong shaking area

Update 23:56 UTC : EMSC has changed depth again to 4 km (extremely shallow)

Update 23:50 UTC : EMSC has decreased the Magnitude to Mb6.0 at the new depth of  40 km. Data from USGS and EMSC are too different to be convincing.

Update 23:48 UTC : USGS reports a far lower Magnitude of 5.7 but at a depth of only 10 km.

Update 23:46 UTC : the epicenter seems to be located in the middle of the mountains apparently with very few villages.  We will search for more details.

for more information and updates, go to:    http://earthquake-report.com/2012/05/12/very-strong-earthquake-in-tajikistan-2/