Archive for April, 2010
Posted by feww on April 24, 2010
Comparative Calm Before Explosive Storm?
A Powerful Earthquake May Strike Iceland
The Plume at Eyjafjallajökull Rises to a Height of about 7,000m Sporadically, Idling Mostly at 4,000m
Fire Earth Moderators believe the volcano is spewing more ash than it did 2-3 days ago, despite the local reports.
Webcam at Valahnúk. Image recorded at 13:15UTC on April 24, 2010. Click Image to enlarge.
Hvolsvelli View [best image available all day from the webcam. Reduced visibility caused by volcanic ash, fumes, dust and clouds.]
Icelandic mat office said:
Eruption in Eyjafjallajökull, Iceland -Update on activity
Little changes – 24 April 2010 11:15
Volcanic tremor has been similar as the last 2-3 days.
Ash fall may be expected to the west and northwest from the eruption, minor in the Reykjavik area.
Water level in Markarfljót river is slightly higher than yesterday.
The Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management, Media team, released the following bulletin earlier today:
News Release, 24 April 2010, 06:30
According to the Hvolsvöllur police, this was a quiet night. A little ash has fallen on Hvolsvöllur, and it is visible as a very fine dust on cars. The Weather Bureau expects strong winds from the northeast and the east along the southern coast, elsehwhere the winds will be softer and there will not be much precipitation. The ashen mist will probably move to the west and the northwest of the volcano, even reaching Reykjavík, but only in slight quantities
In a news release from the Chief Epidemiologist yesterday, it appears that wen ash mist occurs, or an increase in suspended particulates in the atmosphere, those who suffer from a dormant heart og lung disease are advised to remain indoors, but there is no call for using masks. It is expected that the eruption-related suspended particulates pollution in the capital area might be close to a similar pollution caused by traffic, and the warnings issued by health authorities will be in accordance with such pollution. The public should keep track of news and information and instruction on the websites of the Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management, www.almannavarnir.is, and of the Environment Agency, www.ust.is .
According to information from the airports, air traffic is limited to and from Keflavík, Reykjavík and Akureyri at the moment. No IFR-permissions are issued for Akureyri Airport, but the Egilsstaðir Airport is open to all flight traffic. Further information will be released later this morning.
The information centre for the media at Hvolsvöllur (tel. 847-4846) will remain open during he week-end. A press representative will be there, but there will be no meeting with specialists at 8 am. On the other hand, such meetings will be held at the information centre in Skógarhlíð from 08:00 til 09:00 am, Saturday and Sunday. Today, geophysicist Sigurlaug Hjaltadóttir, from Iceland Weather Bureau, Árni Snorrason, director of the Weather Bureau, and Árni Birgisson, director of the airport and guiding dept. of Isavia, will answer questions conveyed by the media and press agents.
Detailed Map of eruption Site [The Institute of Earth Science Nordic Volcanological Center]
Click on image to get larger map (pdf-file)
Prepared by: Ásta Rut Hjartardóttir (astahj@hi.is), Páll Einarsson (palli@hi.is)
See also
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Posted in eyjafjalla, Eyjafjallajökull, Eyjafjallajökull eruption, Eyjafjallajökull glacier, Eyjafjöll, Iceland volcano, Icelandic volcano | Tagged: Ash fall, ASTER iamages, eyjafjalla, Eyjafjallajökull, Eyjafjallajökull eruption, Eyjafjöll, Iceland Satellite images, subglacial eruption, Volcanic hazards, Volcano Hazards, Volcano Satellite photos | 2 Comments »
Posted by feww on April 24, 2010
Magnitude 6.4 Earthquake Strikes KEPULAUAN OBI, INDONESIA
Strong earthquake measuring 6.4Mw Struck about 205 north of Ambon, Moluccas, Indonesia, just south of the equator.
The earthquake was centered at 128.22°E, 1.85°S and occurred at a depth of about 41km on Saturday, April 24, 2010 at 07:41:02 UTC.
NO tsunami warning/advisory was issued, and as of posting there was no report of damage or casualties.
Indonesian islands sit atop numerous fault line, which make the region one of the most seismically active areas on the planet. See below for a list of the quake in the region.
GFZ Potsdam – Earthquake Bulletin
- Region: Halmahera, Indonesia
- Time: 2010-04-24 07:41:03.2 UTC
- Magnitude: 6.1 [ Indonesia's Meteorology, Climate and Geophysics Agency, BMG, recorded the quake as a 6.4Mw]
- Epicenter: 128.22°E 1.85°S
- Depth: 41 km
- Status: manually revised
© Helmholtz-Zentrum Potsdam Deutsches GeoForschungsZentrum – GFZ
Approximate Distances [USGS/EHP]:
- 205 km (125 miles) N of Ambon, Moluccas, Indonesia
- 305 km (190 miles) SSE of Ternate, Moluccas, Indonesia
- 1215 km (750 miles) NNW of DARWIN, Northern Territory, Australia
- 2415 km (1500 miles) E of JAKARTA, Java, Indonesia
Historic Information
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Notable Earthquakes
Recent Earthquakes
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Posted in earthquake, earthquake 2010, Indonesia, Indonesia quake, Indonisia earthquakes | Tagged: Ambon, KEPULAUAN OBI quake, Moluccas | Leave a Comment »
Posted by feww on April 24, 2010
ASTER data of Eyjafjallajokull Volcano
The following data have been acquired by the ASTER instrument on the NASA Terra satellite, and posted on Internet by University of Pittsburgh volcanologist Michael Ramsey. The data were collected both day and night. ASTER acquires data in the visible/near infrared (VNIR) and thermal infrared (TIR) during day time overpasses and in the TIR at night. The VNIR images are at 15 m/pixel resolution and the TIR are 90 m/pixel (each image covers approximately 60 km by 60 km).
Eyjafjallajokull Eruption Day time visible/near infrared image (13.5 MB) dated April 19, 2010.
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Posted in eyjafjalla, Eyjafjallajökull, Eyjafjallajökull eruption, Iceland volcano, iceland volcanoes, magma, Volcano Hazards, Volcanology | Tagged: Ash fall, ASTER iamges, Europe Flight Ban, eyjafjalla, Eyjafjallajökull, Eyjafjallajökull volcano, Eyjafjöll, Iceland Satellite images, Iceland volcano, strombolian eruption, subglacial eruption, Volcanic hazards, Volcano monitoring ash plumes, Volcano Satellite photos | 1 Comment »
Posted by feww on April 24, 2010
Cyclone 24S powers up, renamed Tropical Storm Sean
The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS), instrument that flies aboard NASA’s Aqua satellite from April 22 at 17:29 UTC (1:29 p.m. EDT) showed some strong, high, cold thunderstorms around Sean’s center.
Infrared imagery is false-colored and higher cloud tops of stronger storms are depicted in purple. Sean showed a circular area of high, strong thunderstorms around his center of circulation. Those highest thunderstorms are as cold as or colder than 220 Kelvin or minus 63 degrees Fahrenheit (F).
On Friday, April 23 at 1500 UTC (11 a.m. EDT) Tropical Storm Sean had maximum sustained winds near 45 knots (52 mph). It was about 475 nautical miles north of Learmonth, Australia, near 14.4 South and 113.3 East. It was moving southeast at 4 knots (5 mph).
Animated infrared satellite imagery shows convective banding (that is, rapidly rising air that condenses and form thunderstorms) keeps wrapping into the low-level center of the storm, from both the south and east of the center. Forecasters at the Joint Typhoon Warning Center note that conditions are still good for further intensification over the next 12-24 hours, but then Sean will encounter vertical wind shear and begin weakening over the weekend.
Sean is a sea storm, and will not affect any land areas over the weekend. Image and Text: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
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Serial No 1,617. Starting April 2010, each entry on this blog has a unique serial number. If any of the numbers are missing, it may mean that the corresponding entry has been blocked by Google/the authorities in your country. Please drop us a line if you detect any anomaly/missing number(s).
Posted in Indian Ocean, storm, tropical cyclone, Tropical storm | Tagged: Cyclone 24S, Sean, Tropical Storm Sean | Leave a Comment »
Posted by feww on April 24, 2010
The sunken drilling rig and damaged well in the Gulf of Mexico not leaking for now: The U.S. Coast Guard
The initial oil spill from Deepwater Horizon is about 200 barrels (8,400 gallons/31,800 liters), which is regarded as a “minor spill,” according to the said Coast Guard
The slick was estimated at about 13 kilometers long (8 miles) and 3.5 kilometers (2 miles) wide and at the last flyover by the Coast Guard, a US Coast Guard spokesman said.
“As of right now, the spill is not growing,” He added.
On Thursday an unmanned submarine inspected the area, but found no leaks of from the sunken drilling rig and no crude oil flowing from the damaged well, a Transocean representative said.
This situation, of course, could change because oil wells gushing at a rate of 8,000 barrels per day don’t heal automatically after a fire. [According to an unconfirmed report, the oil well was capped on Friday. Even if true, there's no guarantee that the seal would hold.]
The oil rig had a supply of 700,000 gallons (2,650,000 liters) of diesel on board, stored for its huge electricity generators, but the authorities don’t know whether the fuel was consumed by the fire or sank with the oil rig.
The slick poses a threat to the Louisiana coastline, depending on the wind pattern
A boat using booms and dispersant chemicals on Friday tries to contain oil slick where the bleeding-edge Deepwater Horizon rig once floated. [The slick, a mix of crude oil and fuel, was estimated at about 13 kilometers long (8 miles) and 3.5 kilometers (2 miles) wide on Friday. A day earlier, however, officials had said the slick was 5 miles by 1 mile.] Photo credit: AP. Image may be subject to copyright. See FEWW Fair Use Notice for details.
Statement of Transocean Ltd. CEO Steven L. Newman Following U.S. Coast Guard Announcement
ZUG, SWITZERLAND, Apr 23, 2010 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) –Following the suspension of U.S. Coast Guard search-and-rescue efforts to find 11 missing persons in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, Steven L. Newman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Transocean Ltd. (NYSE: RIG) (SIX: RIGN), on the ground in New Orleans, expressed his deepest sympathies on behalf of the company to the family members of those lost. The nine Transocean personnel and two employees of a third-party company have been missing since Tuesday, April 20, 2010, when a fire and explosion occurred onboard the semisubmersible drilling rig Deepwater Horizon, which sank on Thursday.
“As the nation and everyone in the Transocean family mourns the tragic loss of these people, our deepest sympathies are with their families and friends today,” said Mr. Newman. “Transocean is doing everything we can to meet their needs during this difficult time, and our family response team members are in close contact to provide all necessary support. I would once again like to express our gratitude to the U.S. Coast Guard, BP and everyone involved for their exhaustive search and rescue efforts, despite this very sad outcome.”
For more information about Transocean, please visit our website at www.deepwater.com. SOURCE: Transocean Ltd.
What People Said?
Democratic Sens. Robert Menendez and Frank Lautenberg: “Big Oil has perpetuated a dangerous myth that coastline drilling is a completely safe endeavor, but accidents like this are a sober reminder just how far that is from the truth,” said in a statement.
Louisiana State University environmental sciences professor Ed Overton speaking to the Associated Press. “It’s going to be a … mess for a while … I’m not crying doomsday or saying the sky is falling, but that is the potential.”
Sen. Bill Nelson (D) of Florida: “As a part of the effort to expand drilling, the oil industry as recently as Tuesday was pressing the government agency responsible for leasing offshore lands to quickly proceed with a study of the effects of surveying for oil off the Atlantic coast. That came just hours before the Tuesday night explosion.”
The White House told Washington Post that President B.O. won’t reconsider the offshore oil and gas drilling proposal despite the Deepwater Horizon disaster.
Some 858 fires and explosions have occurred in the Gulf of Mexico since 2001, resulting in 69 offshore deaths and 1,349 injuries, the federal Minerals Management Service said.
The Deepwater Horizon disaster comes just days after the Obama administration proposed opening up large blocks of the Gulf for deepwater oil and gas exploration.
The explosion occurred just two weeks after a coal mine explosion in Montcoal, West Virginia killed 29 miners.
These disasters beg the question, what will the administration do next year to meet with the unreasonable, unsustainable rise in energy demands to feed the terminally ill economic system of exponential growth.
While it is certain that the unsustainable system must and will collapse, it’s unclear which few of our ecosystems and how much of their services might survive.
Our world could have survived and thrived on about 8 percent of current energy consumption.
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Serial No 1,616. Starting April 2010, each entry on this blog has a unique serial number. If any of the numbers are missing, it may mean that the corresponding entry has been blocked by Google/the authorities in your country. Please drop us a line if you detect any anomaly/missing number(s).
Posted in gas and oil drilling, Gulf of Mexico oil Spill, oil and gas exploration | Tagged: big oil, Deepwater Horizon, energy policy, Louisiana, Obama administration, oil rig, Transocean, Venice | 3 Comments »
Posted by feww on April 23, 2010
Ash Fall from Eyjafjallajökull Eruption Closes Icelandic Airports
Iceland’s Keflavík International Airport was closed earlier today due to volcanic ash cloud from Eyjafjallajökull eruption.
The wind direction had reportedly changed pushing the ash cloud in southern Iceland in a southwesterly direction; however, little or no ash fall was forecast in the capital Reykjavik, Icelandic Review reported.
The closure of Keflavík airport was expected to affect all international flights to and from Iceland.
Webcam views of Eyjafjallajökull eruption recorded at 11:40UTC on April 23, 2010 – Click images to enlarge
Hvolsvelli View
Thórólfsfelli (Þórólfsfelli) View
The Institute of Earth Science Nordic Volcanological Center
Eruption in Eyjafjallajökull
Eruption update 22 April
Similar situation as yesterday (see 21 April report)
Seismic tremor recorded by the Icelandic Meteorological Office: Some fluctuations, with a peak shortly after midnight 22 April related to a small flood of meltwater. Since the onset of the explosive eruption the tremor has overall been gradually increasing, with superimposed fluctuations.
Visual observations yesterday: Regular explosions at intervals of few minutes were observed in afternoon, with fluctuations in intensity and tephra content. Previous entries …
The following two images are from Frettabldid-Island and may be subject to copyright.
Electric Eyjafjallajokull
Prime Real Estate
Eruption in Eyjafjallajökull, Iceland – Current events Report by Icelandic Met Office
Status as of: 23 April 2010 10:45(UTC)
Volcanic tremor has been similar the last 24 hours. GPS stations around Eyjafjallajökull showed deflation associated with the eruption.
The plume could be seen on IMO’s radar till 04:00. This morning it rose up to 16.000 feet, ca 4.8 km, and ash is blowing towards west.
Water in Markarfljot river increased slightly yesterday, probably due to continuous flow from the eruption area (Gigjökull).
Eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland as seen by RADARSAT-2 (Canadian Space Agency)
Left: RADARSAT-2 image of April 9 – RADARSAT-2 Multi-Look Fine, beam 4 – April 9, 2010, 07:34 :48 UTC, Descending orbit – Nominal resolution: 8 m.
Right: RADARSAT-2 image of April 20 – RADARSAT-2 Extended High, beam 4 – April 20, 2010, 07:13 :53 UTC, Descending orbit -Nominal resolution: 25 m.
Click image to enlarge.
Image Notes and Observations:
- New volcano craters are evident on April 20 image (Right).
- Glacial lake on the north slope of the volcano is now filled with volcanic sediments.
- Local drainage network is swamped by the melt water.
- The radar backscatter has changed drastically, probably caused by the melted ice and by the presence of ash and dust on the ice.
- Agricultural land on the south slope of the volcano covered by volcanic ash and debris.
- The wavelength used by RADARSAT-2 is only slightly affected by the ash and airborne particles.
- For larger images click here
Iceland’s Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management – Media team
News Release: # 22 – April 23, 2010, 06:30(UTC)
A little after midnight, the volcanic cloud became quite dark, according to the police, and the wind turned during the night.
The Weather Bureau expects southeasterly winds today, and the wind force will gradually increase. An ashen mist is expected towards the north-east of the volcano, and small quantities of ash might even reach Reykjavík. The terms “ashen mist” refer to a view impaired by the ash, according to the Weather Bureau. Some ash is falling in the direction of Fljótshlíð and will continue to do so in a northwesterly direction from the volcano.
Flights to and from the airports of Keflavík and Reykjavík are being cancelled and travellers are requested to follow the news and the websites of the flight operators and Keflavík Airport.
According to the police at Hvolsvöllur, no traffic is permitted in the vicinity of the volcano. The area closed to traffic encompasses the Eyjafjallajökull glacier, its slopes, the Fimmvörðuháls pass and Mýrdalsjökull glacier. Please respect these restrictions.
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Posted in Eyjafjallajökull eruption, eyjafjallajokull map, iceland ash cloud, Iceland volcano, magma | Tagged: Ash fall, AVIATION, Europe Flight Ban, eyjafjalla, Eyjafjallajökull, Eyjafjöll, flight to europe, Iceland Satellite images, Iceland volcano, Keflavík International Airport, Reykjavik ash fall, strombolian eruption, subglacial eruption, Volcanic hazards, Volcano monitoring ash plumes | 4 Comments »
Posted by feww on April 23, 2010
Image of the Day:
Valley of the Rocks Avalanche: The Largest Landslide in North America
Valley of the Rocks, B.C., Canada. A geologist says the largest landslide in North American history, a colossal avalanche of rocks and earth, occurred on a Rocky Mountain slope near the B.C.-Alberta border some 10,000 years ago. The huge avalanche permanently shifted the geography of North America.
Photo (undated): Nick Roberts, Simon Fraser University.
A detailed study of the cataclysmic event has been carried out by researchers Nick Roberts of Simon Fraser University and Steve Evans of the University of Waterloo.
“Despite its size, this landslide has gone virtually unrecognized” in the scientific literature, Roberts told Canwest News Service. “Even basic information about the rock avalanche, including its precise dimensions, volume and age,” were unknown until now.
“Destabilized by forces associated with retreating glaciers at the end of the last Ice Age, the final cleaving of the mountain above the Valley of the Rocks might have been triggered by an earthquake or a torrential rainstorm, the researchers believe.” The report said.
What was the magnitude of the avalanche?
“When the mountain gave way, any Stone Age hunters in the vicinity might have been convinced the end of the world was unfolding.” The report said.
“Transfer of kinetic energy to sound energy through fracturing and collision of rock material would have produced a tremendous noise,” says Roberts.
“Survivors of large landslides in recent decades have described sounds similar to cannon fire or the roar of a jet engine,” he adds, noting that the blasts likely represent “initial fracturing in the first stages of failure” while the roar is generated by the rush of millions of tonnes of rock down the mountain side.
“In the case of the Valley of the Rocks avalanche,” says Roberts, “these sounds would have been deafening within a few kilometres of the landslide, and would have been audible for at least many tens of kilometres.” More…
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Serial No 1,614. Starting April 2010, each entry on this blog has a unique serial number. If any of the numbers are missing, it may mean that the corresponding entry has been blocked by Google/the authorities in your country. Please drop us a line if you detect any anomaly/missing number(s).
Posted in earthquake, extreme rain event, Landslide, last Ice Age, retreating glaciers | Tagged: landslide in North America, mudslide, rock avalanche, Valley of the Rocks, Valley of the Rocks Avalanche | 1 Comment »
Posted by feww on April 23, 2010
submitted by a reader
‘LUCIFER allows astronomers to watch stars being born’
That’s the title of a news release by the university of Arizona. With all the technology shared between them, they had to play hard with words to come up with an acronym that has a negative image. It’s like “Challenger” versus “Explorer,” but cockier and more distasteful.
10 to 1 the person who thought of this name was a victim of Catholic Church abuse!
Original Caption: Technicians install the LUCIFER instruments on the Large Binocular Telescope in the fall of 2008.
What’s ‘LUCIFER’
It’s described as “a new instrument for the world’s largest optical telescope, the Large Binocular Telescope on Mount Graham, allows astronomers to observe the faintest and most distant objects in the universe.”
Is an image from taken from object 8,000 light years away (7.8 x 10^16km), looking into the past, tell you anything about the future?
To understand the implication of the above question, you must first answer the following question:
What happens when 50 percent of the world population are dentists?
Because that’s exactly what has happened to astronomy, among other sciences. It has reached the ridiculous stage when science has no longer a utility value, but an economic-aesthetic value. That’s unless you come up with something no one has done before, regardless of its usefulness to human or any other animal race, you go out of business.
Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) partners in the U.S, Germany and Italy announced April 21 that the first of two new innovative near-infrared cameras/spectrographs for the LBT is now available to astronomers for scientific observations at the telescope on Mount Graham in southeastern Arizona.After more than a decade of design, manufacturing and testing, the new instrument – dubbed LUCIFER 1 – provides a powerful tool to gain spectacular insights into the universe – from the Milky Way to extremely distant galaxies. LUCIFER, built by a consortium of German institutes, will be followed by an identical twin instrument that will be delivered to the telescope in early 2011.
“With the large light-gathering power of the LBT, astronomers are now able to collect the spectral fingerprints of the faintest and most distant objects in the universe,” said LBT director Richard Green, a professor of astronomy at the University of Arizona’s Steward Observatory.
LUCIFER 1 and its twin are mounted at the focus points of the LBT’s two giant 8.4-meter (27.6 foot) diameter telescope mirrors. Each instrument is cooled to -213 degrees Celsius in order to observe in the near-infrared wavelength range. Near-infrared observations are essential for understanding the formation of stars and planets in our galaxy as well as revealing the secrets of the most distant and very young galaxies.
Stellar Nursery
Original Caption: Where stars are born: The first LUCIFER observations of star-forming regions are giving scientists an idea of the new instrument’s enormous potential. This image depicts a stellar nursery in the Milky Way about 8,000 light years from Earth. Such clouds are typically opaque to visible light. However, infrared light detected by LUCIFER can penetrate the dust. Photo: Arjan Bik
LUCIFER’s innovative design allows astronomers to observe in unprecedented detail, for example star forming regions, which are commonly hidden by dust clouds.
The instrument is remarkably flexible, combining a large field of view with a high resolution. It provides three exchangeable cameras for imaging and spectroscopy in different resolutions according to observational requirements.
Astronomers use spectroscopy to analyze incoming light and answer questions such as how stars and galaxies formed and what they are made of.
The instruments were built by a consortium of five German institutes led by the Center for Astronomy of Heidelberg University, together with the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg, the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics in Garching, the Astronomical Institute of the Ruhr-University in Bochum, and the University of Applied Sciences in Mannheim.
The LBT is a collaboration among the Italian astronomical community (National Institute of Astrophysics), the University of Arizona, Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University, the LBT Beteiligungsgesellschaft in Germany (Max-Planck-Institut fϋr Astronomie in Heidelberg, Zentrum fur Astronomie der Universität Heidelberg, Astrophysikalisches Institut in Potsdam, Max-Planck-Institut fϋr Extraterrestrische Physik in Munich, and Max-Planck-Institut fϋr Radioastronomie in Bonn), and the Ohio State University and Research Corporation (Ohio State University, University of Notre Dame, University of Minnesota and University of Virginia).
Galaxy NGC1569
Original Caption: These two images show the starburst galaxy NGC 1569, which is forming stars at a rate that is 100 times faster than what is typically observed in the Milky Way. LUCIFER’s sensitive infrared vision reveals glowing red clouds of dust enshrouding newly formed stars. Photo: Anna Pasquali
Additional Technical Background:
- LUCIFER is an acronym for: Large Binocular Telescope Near-infrared Utility with Camera and Integral Field Unit for Extragalactic Research
- LUCIFER’s three exchangeable cameras are available for direct imaging, long-slit-spectroscopy and multi-object-spectroscopy. Two of them are optimized for seeing-limited conditions, a third camera for diffraction-limited cases will be used after completion of the LBT adaptive secondary mirror system.
- Using a four Mega-pixel Hawaii2-camera the instrument covers a comparatively large field of view of 4×4 arc minutes (about 1/50th of the full moon on sky).
- According to observational requirements, presently a set of five broad-band filters (z, J, H, K, Ks), 12 medium and narrow-band filters and three different high-resolution spectroscopic gratings are available.
- A special feature of the LUCIFER is 10 fixed and up to 22 exchangeable masks which can be used for longslit and multi-object spectroscopy (MOS). This multiplex-technology developed at MPE allows the spectroscopy of about two dozen objects simultaneously and reduces the costs per photon and observing time at the telescope dramatically. All laser-cut MOS-masks are stored in a separate magazine which can be replaced with new masks at fully cryogenic temperatures using an external cryostat and a vacuum interlock to the main instrument. This work can be done within a few hours during a normal service-interval in day-time and avoids a several days lasting warming-up and cooling-down cycle of the complete LUCIFER-instrument preserving valuable observing time.
- Contact: Daniel Stolte
stolte@email.arizona.edu
University of Arizona
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Serial No 1,613. Starting April 2010, each entry on this blog has a unique serial number. If any of the numbers are missing, it may mean that the corresponding entry has been blocked by Google/the authorities in your country. Please drop us a line if you detect any anomaly/missing number(s).
Posted in astronomy, LUCIFER, milky way, Mount Graham, technology | Tagged: Catholic Church, Large Binocular, LHC, Max Planck Institute, MOS, near-infrared cameras, science and technology, University of Arizona, University of Notre Dame | Leave a Comment »
Posted by feww on April 23, 2010
TC 24S Rainfall Captured by NASA’s TRMM
The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite’s analysis of rainfall within Tropical Storm 24S on April 22 at 0708 UTC (3:08 a.m. EDT) showed areas of light to moderate rainfall. Image and caption: NASA
NASA’s Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission or TRMM satellite has been flying over the low pressure area known as System 91S in the Southern Indian Ocean and providing estimates of rainfall within the storm. The storm has now strengthened enough to be reclassified as the twenty-fourth southern hemispheric tropical cyclone, “24S.”
TRMM found that there were some areas of light to moderate rainfall between .78 to 1.57 inches per hour.
Rain rates are created from different instruments aboard TRMM. The rain rates in the center of TRMM images are derived from the TRMM Precipitation Radar, the only space borne radar of its kind, while those in the outer portion are from the TRMM Microwave Imager. The rain rates are then overlaid on infrared data from the TRMM Visible Infrared Scanner to create the entire image.
At 11 a.m. EDT (1500 UTC) this morning, April 22, Tropical Cyclone 24S had maximum sustained winds near 35 knots (40 mph) making it of tropical storm strength. 24S was about 570 nautical miles north of Learmonth, Australia, near 13.1 South and 115.4 East. It was moving in a southerly direction at 6 mph (5 knots) but it is forecast to turn westward and head into open waters and away from Australia.
Animated infrared satellite imagery shows increased central convection (thunderstorm development) and improved banding of thunderstorms around the center of the cyclone. Because 24S is in an environment of low vertical wind shear, it is expected to further intensify for a couple of days. After that, the wind shear will kick up again and weaken the storm. Source: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
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Serial No 1,612. Starting April 2010, each entry on this blog has a unique serial number. If any of the numbers are missing, it may mean that the corresponding entry has been blocked by Google/the authorities in your country. Please drop us a line if you detect any anomaly/missing number(s).
Posted in Southern Indian Ocean, storm, TC24S, TRMM, Tropical Cyclone 24S | Tagged: australia, Learmonth, RMM Microwave Imager, System 91S | Leave a Comment »
Posted by feww on April 23, 2010
Major Environmental Disaster Looms!
The oil well may be bleeding more than 8,000 barrels of crude oil into the Gulf each day
After burning for 36 hours, Deepwater Horizon, a semisubmersible oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico finally sinks, threatening to cause a major oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.
”It certainly has the potential to be a major spill,” said David Rainey, a vice-president of BP Gulf of Mexico exploration, the company that was leasing the rig.
The state-of-the-art Korean-built offshore oil rig Deepwater Horizon finally sank. Photo Credit: The US Coast Guard.
The state-of-the-art oil platform on lease to BP, was carrying out exploratory drilling about 66km (41 miles) southeast of Venice, Louisiana.
The US Coast Guard said the rig may be leaking more than 8,000 barrels (342,000 gallons) of crude oil per day.
There’s no sign of the 11 missing crew members, despite frantic air and sea rescue efforts. An employee of Transocean, the company who owns the rig, said the initial blast may have killed the 11.
Four of the 17 crew members who were injured are said to be in critical condition.
Oil Rig Spec
The ‘state-of-the-art’ oil platform owned by Transocean was built in South Korea in 2001. Measuring about 121 x 78 meters (41m deep), it was designed to operate in water to the depth of about 2,440 meters ( 8,000 feet), drilling 9,144 meters deep. The rig was a semisubmersible platform which accommodated a crew of 130.
News Release: Transocean Ltd. Provides Update on Semisubmersible Drilling Rig Deepwater Horizon
ZUG, SWITZERLAND, Apr 22, 2010 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) –Transocean Ltd. (NYSE: RIG) (SIX: RIGN) provided an update today regarding a fire and explosion onboard its semisubmersible drilling rig Deepwater Horizon and reports that the rig sank late in the morning, today. The combined response team was not able to stem the flow of hydrocarbons prior to the rig sinking, and we are working closely with BP Exploration & Production, Inc. and the U.S. Coast Guard to determine the impact from the sinking of the rig and the plans going forward. The U.S. Coast Guard has plans in place to mitigate any environmental impact from this situation.
The incident occurred April 20, 2010 at approximately 10:00 p.m. Central Time in the United States Gulf of Mexico. The rig was located approximately 41 miles offshore Louisiana on Mississippi Canyon block 252.
The cause of the fire and explosion is unknown at this time. An investigation into the cause of the incident and assessment of the damage will be ongoing in the days or weeks to come.
Statements regarding any future aspect of the incident on the Deepwater Horizon, the effects, results, investigation, damage assessment relating thereto mitigation of environmental impact, as well as any other statements that are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements that involve certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. These include but are not limited to results of searches, investigations and assessments, actions by the Coast Guard and other governmental agencies, actions by customers and other third parties and other factors detailed in Transocean’s most recent Form 10-K and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which are available free of charge on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those indicated.
Transocean is the world’s largest offshore drilling contractor and the leading provider of drilling management services worldwide. With a fleet of 139 mobile offshore drilling units plus three ultra-deepwater units under construction, the company’s fleet is considered one of the most modern and versatile in the world due to its emphasis on technically demanding segments of the offshore drilling business. Its worldwide fleet is more than twice the size of the next-largest competitor. The company owns or operates a contract drilling fleet of 45 High-Specification Floaters (Ultra-Deepwater, Deepwater and Harsh-Environment semisubmersibles and drillships), 26 Midwater Floaters, 10 High-Specification Jackups, 55 Standard Jackups and other assets utilized in the support of offshore drilling activities worldwide. For more information about Transocean, please visit our website at www.deepwater.com.
SOURCE: Transocean Ltd.
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Posted in big oil, BP, Deepwater Horizon, Hyundai, Transocean | Tagged: BP Oil, Louisiana, oil rig, Transocean, Transocean Ltd, Venice | Leave a Comment »
Posted by feww on April 22, 2010
Volcanic tremors continue unabated, Eyjafjallajökull ash plume stays low
The explosive activity at Eyjafjallajökull is less vigorous, with only one of two main craters in the summit caldera remaining active.
Webcam views of Eyjafjallajökull eruption recorded at 15:23UTC on April 22, 2010 – Click images to enlarge
Hvolsvelli View
Thórólfsfelli (Þórólfsfelli) View
“Eruption rate is inferred to have declined over last few days and now be an order of magnitude smaller than during the initial 72 hours of the eruption. Present eruption rate is estimated to less than 30 m3/s of magma, or 75 tonnes/s , with a large uncertainty.” The Institute of Earth Science Nordic Volcanological Center said.
The eruptive style was reported as: “Phreatomatic explosive activity” with “lava spatter” at the summit craters, with the plume height reaching 3,000 m asl.
Seismic tremor showed some fluctuations but remained mostly stable, said the Icelandic Meteorological Office. “Tremor is not decreasing and does not reflect the decline as inferred from the eruption rate.”
Freeze frame from a video of Eyjafjallajökull Eruption shot by Icelandic Coast Guard.
The Institute of Earth Science Nordic Volcanological Center said:
Tephra dispersal: local towards the south
Meltwater: minor, but what is melted flows down into Markarfljót, no signs of water accumulation in craters
GPS-measurements: indicate continuing small pressure decrease under the volcano at a similar rate.
Composition of erupted material: Samples collected April 19 show same composition as early in the explosive phase, but fluorine content is higher. Samples collected 19 April have 850 mg/kg (initially it was 25-35 mg/kg). This is due to the change in eruptive style – tephra is now not washed to the same extent by water in the eruptive plume.
Amount of erupted material: Uncertain but on the order of 100 millon cubic meters. Tephra next to craters is 20-30 m thick.
Iceland’s Civil Protection Office confirmed that the ash emissions had been considerably reduced. “The volcanic cloud is quite low and not visible on radars. The ash is not expected to reach an altitude of 20.000 feet (6 – 7 km) for the nex few days. The ashes will continue falling on the area south and south-east of the glacier today, yet the wind will turn and blow from the north-easterly today, and the ashes will start falling to the south-west tonight. The wind is expected to be mild. That, and a lessened ash emission, will cause the ashes to fall near the eruption site. There is no cause to believe that the ashes will fall on the south-western regions of Iceland.”
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Posted in Eyjafjallajökull eruption, eyjafjallajokull map, iceland ash cloud, Iceland volcano, magma | Tagged: Ash fall, AVIATION, Europe Flight Ban, eyjafjalla, Eyjafjallajökull, Eyjafjöll, flight to europe, Iceland Satellite images, Iceland volcano, strombolian eruption, subglacial eruption, Volcanic hazards, Volcano monitoring ash plumes | 3 Comments »
Posted by feww on April 22, 2010
Was volcanic ash responsible for the plane’s engine trouble?
A frightened British pilot flying a Boeing 757 to Crete to rescue stranded holidaymakers was forced to abort the flight after smelling ash on takeoff followed by engine fault.
“An audio file obtained by ‘The Sun’ reveals the conversation between the pilot and air traffic control.” Bild reported.
“We believe we’re in clear air at the moment, but we’ve definitely had the smell of the ash in the aircraft and twice one of our engine bleed airs has failed so we’re pretty sure its volcanic ash,” the Thomas Cook pilot said.
More…
The pilot reported smelling ash to air traffic control, first at 16,000 feet and then again at 20,000 feet, during the initial climb.
“In the climb, we could smell the ash. The smell stayed on for a while. Once we’d levelled at 39 [39,000 feet] we then lost one engine bleed, so we’ve taken all the required actions for volcanic ash encounter.” The pilot said.
Thomas Cook dismissed the pilot’s claim as a “minor technical fault with its air conditioning.” They said the flight was not aborted due to volcanic ash and that the plane was not in any danger.
However, according to a former pilot, Lawrence Rayment, the problem was “uncommon,” the report said.
“It is a very uncommon fault. For it to happen as the plane flew through the ash cloud is a worry.” He said.
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Posted in Europe Flight Ban, eyjafjalla, Eyjafjallajökull eruption, impact of volcanic ash, Thomas Cook pilot | Tagged: europr airspace, flight to europe, iceland ash cloud, Iceland volcano, volcanic ash | Leave a Comment »
Posted by feww on April 22, 2010
Image of the Day:
BP-Operated Oil Rig Still Ablaze 2 Days after Exploding
The explosion occurred on Deepwater Horizon, a BP-operated offshore oil-drilling platform 66km (41 miles) southeast of Venice, Louisiana, at about 10 p.m. (ET) Tuesday.
Fire boat response crews fight the massive blaze that destroyed the huge offshore oil rig Deepwater Horizon, Wednesday April 21, 2010. The platform was still burning early Thursday. Photo Credit: US Coast Guard.
Seventeen people were injured, 4 of them critically, as a result of the explosion that set the oil rig ablaze, sources said. Eleven others are missing, the worst may be presumed.
The ‘state-of-the-art’ oil platform owned by Transocean was built in South Korea in 2001. Measuring about 121 x 78 meters (41m deep), it was designed to operate in water to the depth of about 2,440 meters ( 8,000 feet), drilling 9,144 meters deep. The rig was a semisubmersible platform which accommodated a crew of 130.
Some 858 fires and explosions have occurred in the Gulf of Mexico since 2001, resulting in 69 offshore deaths and 1,349 injuries, the federal Minerals Management Service said.
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Posted in big oil, Deepwater Horizon, Transocean, Transocean Ltd | Tagged: BP Oil, Louisiana, oil rig, Transocean, Venice | 6 Comments »
Posted by feww on April 22, 2010
A Probability Analysis of the Icelandic Volcano Most Likely to Erupt Next
The pattern of seismicity in Iceland has remained almost unchanged from two days ago, while the eruption at Eyjafjallajökull has become less explosive.
Loads of magma seem to be flowing under the land of Ice and Fire [Iceland,] but where is it all going?
In Iceland’s Bárdarbunga May Be Erupting posted on April 20,2010, Fire Earth Moderators said they believed Iceland’s Bárdarbunga May Be Erupting or is about to Erupt.
Seismic events occurring between Apr 18 – 20,2010
Source: Iceland Met Office. © Veðurstofa Íslands
Seismic events occurring between Apr 20 – 22,2010
Source: Iceland Met Office. © Veðurstofa Íslands
The moderators have now allocated the following probabilities of eruption to each of the volcanoes/volcano groups previously listed:
- Probability of a second Icelandic volcano erupting this year: > 80 percent
- Kolbeinsey ridge (Last erupted: 1999) or a new submarine fissure in its vicinity – probability of eruption: 80 percent
- Krafla (1984)/ Theistareykjarbunga (< 1000 BC)/ Tjörnes fracture zone (1868) – probability of eruption: 52percent
- Askja (1961) – probability of eruption: 66 percent
- Bárðarbunga (1903) and neighboring Grímsvötn (2004) – probability of eruption: 84 percent
- Grímsnes (> 3500 BC) – 40 percent
- Reykjanes (1879) – 50 percent
- Eyjafjallajökull – probability that the current round of eruption would last more than 30 days: 34 percent
- Katla – probability of eruption: 64 percent
- Other Icelandic volcanoes not mentioned on this list: probability of eruption: less than 40 percent
A Map of Iceland Volcanoes. Click image to enlarge.
Bárdarbunga, one of the most active volcanoes in Iceland, is a massive volcano with a 700-m-deep caldera which lies beneath the NW Vatnajökull icecap. A fissure eruption at Thjorsarhraun produced about 21 km³ of lava, the largest known Holocene lava flow on the planet.
Powerful eruptions may occur among the volcanoes lying along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The plate tectonics could also translate into increased seismicity along the divergent plate boundary and boundaries of neighboring plates.
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Posted in Eyjafjallajökull eruption, Grímsnes, Katla volcano, Reykjanes, volcano | Tagged: Bárdarbunga, Eyjafjallajoekull, Eyjafjöll, Iceland volcano, Icelandic volcano, Kolbeinsey ridge, Krafla, volcanic hazard | 10 Comments »
Posted by feww on April 22, 2010
Submitted by a reader
Quotes of the Week:
“Why are we fighting in Afghanistan?”
As four more German soldiers are killed, and five others critically injured in Afghanistan last week, the German troops are asking their leader, “why are we fighting in Afghanistan?”
Some troops are now wearing a badge that reads:
‘I fight for Merkel’
At least 43 German troops have been killed and dozens more maimed/injured since they joined the foreign occupation forces in Afghanistan in 2002.
‘I fight for Merkel’ badge worn by some of the German troops in Afghanistan to protest their presence in that country. Source:
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her husband, posing with the War-Racketeer-in-Chief President B.O. and his spouse in Rathouse, Baden-Baden, Germany.
Germany’s National Zeitgeist: 80 percent of Germans want their troops to exit Obama’s War on Afghanistan
Some other related quotes:
Bild Zeitung, Germany’s largest daily:
“They want the Chancellor, their ultimate boss, to finally find the clear words to put the war against the Taliban into black and white.”
My party has “growing doubts” about German presence in Afghanistan, said Ottmar Schreiner, a member of the opposition Social Democratic Party (SPD). “If things haven’t improved in Afghanistan by next year then I don’t see where a majority for a new extension of the mandate is going to come from.”
The Financial Times Deutschland:
“With every dead German soldier in Afghanistan, the calls for an immediate withdrawal grow louder. This reflex shows that the German public is still not clear about the character of the mission.
“The politicians are largely to blame. Since the beginning of the mission eight years ago they suppressed a realistic description of the situation… Deaths, injuries, battles and heavy weaponry — none of these suit the picture that was painted back then.”
Germany’s Berliner Zeitung:
“Why are German soldiers in Afghanistan at all? As the chancellor and her government are still sticking to the military mission there it is their duty to explain it. But she has failed to do so.
“This can be explained by her basic attitude – it is only worth talking about problems when they become virulent.
“In the case of Afghanistan this is particularly catastrophic. Because the government has failed to make its case in what is the biggest foreign policy and security policy challenge in the history of the Federal Republic of Germany.”
Germany is finally at war with its conscience. Obama’s America is yet to look up the word in a dictionary.
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Posted in Berliner Zeitung, Financial Times Deutschland, German fascism, German troops, National Zeitgeist | Tagged: barak obama, fighting in Afghanistan, German chancellor, German conscience, I fight for Merkel, Obama's War on Afghanistan, US conscience, War-Racketeer-in-Chief | Leave a Comment »
