Image of the Day: Antarctica

Antarctica: The [Formerly] Frozen Continent

NASA EO image acquired January 27, 2009

Relatively few people have seen Antarctica. A myth until the early 1800s, the ice-covered southern continent is difficult to get to and hostile to most life. But now, the MODIS Rapid Response System is producing daily photo-like images of Antarctica. The images are valuable to scientists studying everything from ice to penguins, as well as to the crews of ships navigating through the southern ice pack.

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite captured this composite image on January 27, 2009. Few features are visible on the ice-covered landscape. The surface appears rough where the Transantarctic Mountains curve in a shallow “s” from the shore of the Ross Sea to the Ronne Ice Shelf. The Polar Plateau in the center of the continent is smooth, shaded only by the faint shadow cast by clouds. The Weddell Sea is textured with chunks of sea ice.

Antarctica was enjoying summer when this image was taken. During the summer, sunlight shines on the continent constantly. Winter is dark. For this reason, MODIS can only image Antarctica during the summer. Flying on both the Aqua and Terra satellites, MODIS orbits the Earth from north to south, passing over Antarctica many times every day. This mosaic image of Antarctica was created from data collected on various overpasses throughout the day. Each overpass is a pie-shaped wedge in the image.

More information about the daily mosaic is available from the MODIS Rapid Response System’s Antarctica Project Page.

NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC. Caption by Holli Riebeek.

Instrument: Aqua – MODIS

Warning: California Is Being Mojavefied!

Moderators have previously warned the readers about the real possibility of California being “Mojavefied,” i.e, undergoing a rapid process of desertification, with the critical phase occurring by as early as 2011.

The following facts, including the new snow survey, supports our analysis:

California faces historic drought, snow survey says

California Facts:

• California is facing one of the worst droughts in its history! Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said.
  

• The ‘Golden State’ produces about 53 percent of the United States’ vegetables and fruit

• California is now in its third year of drought;  its main system which supplies water to cities and farms may only be able to fulfill 15 percent of requests, Reuters reported scientists as saying.

• The Sierra snowpack this year is carrying just over one half of California’s water supply.

• The Sierra has only received about one third of its anticipated annual snowfall during its wettest period.

“California is headed toward one of the worst water crises in its history, underscoring the need to upgrade our water infrastructure by increasing water storage, improving conveyance, protecting the (Sacramento) Delta’s ecosystem and promoting greater water conservation,” Schwarzenegger said.

“We may be at the start of the worst California drought in modern history,” said Water Resources Director Lester Snow.

The period December through January is normally the wettest in California, however, the Sierra has only received about one third of its anticipated annual snowfall.

“A third of normal is devastating,” said Elissa Lynn, a state meteorologist. “January is the biggest month for precipitation in the Sierra.”

“Climate change does indicate the possibility of more frequent droughts,” said Lynn, “but it’s hard to tell over a short time span.”

A La Nina has pushed down the ocean temperatures in the equatorial Pacific, which has meant less precipitation in Northern California. The precipitation didn’t slow down until about early April last year, which was also a La Nina year.

“This could be a crisis situation,” said Lynn. “In addition to conservation and rationing we could be paying higher prices for produce.” Lynn said that some farmers have left fields unplanted based on expected lack of water.

“Twenty-five local water agencies are already mandating rationing. The state Department of Water Resources is arranging water transfers through its Drought Water Bank program and expects to release a full snowpack runoff forecast in two weeks.” Reuters said.

Next on EDRO : How Climate Change and Food Shortages Will Lead to Large Scale Riots in the United States

Related Links:

• California ‘Mojavefied’ by 2011?
• Land degradation threatens 1.5 billion people
• Topsoil
  
• First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Schwarzenegger Proclaims Water Emergency in Nine Counties
• Drought

A Living Hell Heated by Australian Coal

Climate Change Wreaks Havoc in Australia, AND That’s Just Another Round of Starters

Scorching heatwave in southern Australia causes transport chaos by buckling rail lines and leaving thousands without power

Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology has forecast  six days of scorching temperatures [40-plus Celsius (104 Fahrenheit),] starting on Wednesday, for southern Australia, the hottest heatwave in 100 years.

Australian heatwave is the sort of weather scientists been warning about, said the Climate Change Minister Penny Wong.

Cloud: Latest Color Satellite Image (Infrared) – Satellite images taken in infrared show the temperatures of the underlying surface or cloud. The whiter areas indicate the cold cloud tops usually associated with deeper rain bearing clouds.

“Eleven of the hottest years in history have been in the last 12, and we also note, particularly in the southern part of Australia, we’re seeing less rainfall,” Wong said.

“All of this is consistent with climate change, and all of this is consistent with what scientists told us would happen.”

“Health officials in South Australia and Victoria have advised people to stay indoors, use air conditioners, and keep their fluids up.” But that’s easier said than done because  the electricity grid was overloaded leaving more than 10,000 homes were without power in southern Australia.

Rail lines in Melbourne buckled under intense heat and train services were canceled, stranding thousands of hot and angry commuters, the report said.

“Australia is in the grip of drought and total fire bans have been declared in southern Australia in the hope of preventing major bushfires. Small bushfires are burning in South Australia and Victoria and all national parks have been closed.”

Heatwave: Buckled train tracks on the Noarlunga line in Adelaide. (ABC TV). Image may be subject to copyright.

The extreme temperatures were threatening Melbourne’s parks and gardens, said Mayor Robert Doyle, reporting a 40 percent drop in soil moisture.

“The signs are there that our precious trees are struggling in this brutal weather,” said Doyle.

“Our parks staff have indicated a number of trees are defoliating and canopies are thinning. Once defoliation takes place it is very hard to save the tree,” said Doyle.

This is a sign of climate change, the climate change minister said.

Meanwhile fire crews continued to battle two fires south of the Latrobe Valley in Gippsland, which have burnt through 700 hectares of forest, grassland and private pine plantation around Darilmurla, Mirboo North and Boolarra, Victoria [state of Victoria is in southeastern corner of Australia,] which are still burning out of control. ABC News reported.

Dengue Fever

Australia’s warmer temperatures increase the risk of dengue virus spread by the dengue mosquito and the Asian Tiger mosquito. Fatal conditions caused by the dengue virus infection include dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF) and dengue  shock syndrome (DF). See CDC site for more information. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/dengue/

Related News Links:

• Australian heatwave sign of climate change
• Fire threat adds to heatwave chaos

Related Links:

• Australian Coal and the Planet
• Torrential Rains Flood Northern Australia
• WILKINS ICE SHELF IS “HANGING BY A THREAD”
• Australia is Toast, Literally!