Massive Eruption at Soufriere Hills Volcano

The Soufriere Hills volcano in Montserrat ejects a large plume of ash up to 12km into the air

Passengers on a 737 jet flying over the Caribbean had a close-up look at a massive volcanic eruption which ejected a plume of ash and smoke higher than the flight altitude. Early reports indicate that a partial collapse of the volcano’s lava dome may have caused the mushroom cloud.  (Image: Mary Jo Penkala/Solent). Image may be subject to copyright.

A massive eruption of Montserrat’s Soufrière Hills Volcano triggered by a collapse of Soufrière Hills’ summit lava dome  covered large portions of the island in debris on February 11, 2010. Pyroclastic flows raced down the northern flank of the volcano, leveling trees and destroying buildings in the village of Harris, already abandoned after Soufrière Hills activity in 1995. The Montserrat Volcano Observatory reported that some flows, about 15 meters (49 feet) thick, reached the sea at Trant’s Bay, extending the island’s coastline up to 650 meters (2,100 feet). These false-color satellite images show the southern half of Montserrat before and after the dome collapse. The top image was taken on February 21, 2010, 10 days after the event. The bottom image shows the same area on March 17, 2007. Red areas are vegetated, clouds are white, blue/black areas are ocean water, and gray areas are covered by flow deposits. Fresh deposits are lighter than older deposits. On February 21, the drainages leading down from Soufrière Hills, including the White River Valley, the Tar River Valley, and the Belham River Valley, were filled with fresh debris. Pyroclastic flows reached the sea through Aymers Ghaut on January 18, 2010, and flows entered the sea near Plymouth on February 5, 2010, Montserrat Volcano Observatory said.

Related Links:

• More Activity at Soufriere Hills Volcano
• More images of this event in Natural Hazards (EO)

Note: Links to Montserrat Volcano Observatory have been removed because the site is used for commercial advertising and promotion of tourism.

Related Links:

• Satellite Images of Recent Volcanic Activities
• Montserrat Soufrière Hills Resumes Activity
• Montserrat: What Next?
• Soufriere Hills Volcano Vents Ash

Gallup Polls Work Miracle

Early Spring Quotes

Formation of Matter, Evolution of Homo Erectus, Alberta Tar Sands, Bill Gates and Yucca as nuclear waste dump

The Evolutionary Necessity of Homo Ignoramus x2

Homo Erectus

Formation of matter would not have occurred without antimatter as a byproduct; homo erectus could not have evolved as homo sapiens sapiens without homo ignoramus ignoramus (hi2) also branching off!—Ian H. a contributor

Yucca Mountain as a Nuclear Super Hazard

“It is critical here that the DOE follow the will of Congress …  Taxpayers have already spent more than $10 billion on Yucca Mountain, compiling 20 years of data that inform us that this is the best choice to securely store tons of nuclear waste.  Keeping waste scattered across the country, or in the case of Washington State at Hanford, is no longer an option.  We have a solution to this problem and we must move forward.”  —Rep. Jay Inslee (D-Wash.)

“I will do all I can to make sure some funding goes to defend the Yucca Mountain license application this year,” Rep. John Spratt (D-SC), chairman of the House Budget Committee.

“We need energy miracles”

Gates the Nuclear Ape. Photo: AFP. Image may be subject to copyright.

“There are fortunately dozens of companies [producing energy, but] we need it to be hundreds… It’s best if multiple [companies] succeed because then you can use a mix.” —Bill Gates, the great software monopolist calling for diversity and competition in the energy industry.

“We need energy miracles,” Gates said, as his start-up nuclear company TerraPower, and Japan’s transistor-radios-come-washing-machines-maker Toshiba enter a new phase of negotiation on the so-called traveling-wave reactor.

The Magic of Gallup Polls: U.S. Support for Nuclear Power Climbs to New High of 62%

– Says who?
– “Says Gallup, of course.”
– And how many people did they GALLUP?
– “Results are based on telephone interviews with a random sample of 1,014 national adults, aged 18 and older, conducted March 4-7, 2010. For results based on the total sample of national adults, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum margin of sampling error is ±4 percentage points.” Gallup said.
– What if their random method was corrupted without GALLUP knowing? Let’s face if they can fix the result of Presidential elections …

GALLUP  Bottom Line

“Last year, Gallup documented a significant increase in support for nuclear power, and that upward trend has continued this year. Although President Obama has announced his support for increased use of nuclear power, Republicans remain significantly more supportive than Democrats.” GALLUP said.

FIRE-EARTH Bottom Line: Gallup polls work miracle. Don’t start up a nuclear business without them!

Albert Tar Sands and a Deranged Minister

Ron Liepert, minister of energy for government of Alberta, and the international conspiracy theorist, gestures during the Oil sand Summit in Calgary, Alberta, March 23, 2010. Credit: Reuters/Jack Cusano. Image may be subject to copyright.

“I’m not talking specifically the U.S., I’m talking internationally. The environmental agenda is being driven for reasons that are greater than just global warming,” Liepert said at the Reuters Canadian Oil Sands Summit in Calgary.

The “vast, vast majority” of Americans don’t give a damn where their oil comes from, he said.

“And why should they? As long as the factories are running and cars can fuel up, why would they be all that interested or concerned?”

“My observation is that it starts in California and seeps eastward. If several states start to take action, you’re going to have many of the other states follow suit. In many ways, I think the state barriers are more of a threat than a national barrier.”

“My view is a moratorium is the first step toward getting things shut down,” he said, adding that he considers each year of a moratorium as one year of “zero production.”

Strong Quake Strikes Mindoro Philippines

Strong Earthquake Strikes Mindoro 135km SW of Manila, Philippines

A strong earthquake measuring up to 6.2Mw struck Mindoro, Philippines at  05:29:34UTC at a depth of about 71 km(±14km).

The epicenter of the shock was located near13.71ºN, 120.12ºE about 135 km (85 miles) SW of MANILA, Philippines and 105km WSW of TAAL volcano.

According to the various news reports, buildings in Manila shook for about 30 seconds as a result of the quake. While some building damage should be expected in areas closer to the epicenter, there was nor report of damage or casualties, as of posting.

Tsunami Status

Due to the depth of the quake, NO significant tsunami was expected and no advisory/warning issued.

Earthquake Location Map – Regional View – European-Mediterranean Seismological Center. Click images to enlarge.

Earthquake Location Map – Local View – European-Mediterranean Seismological Center

Earthquake Location Map – Global View – European-Mediterranean Seismological Center

Summary (European-Mediterranean Seismological Center)

• Magnitude Mw 6.1
• Region MINDORO, PHILIPPINES
• Date time: 2010-03-25 at 05:29:31.6 UTC
• Local time: 13:29
• Location: 13.71ºN, 120.12ºE
• Depth: 71 km
• Distances:
  • 135 km (85 miles) SW of MANILA, Philippines  (Pop: 1.7 million; metro Manila has a population of more than 20 million by FEWW estimates.)
  • 98 km W Batangas
  • 58 km W Calatagan
  • 14 km W Looc

Details according to:
GFZ Potsdam – Earthquake Bulletin

• Region: Mindoro, Philippines
• Time: 2010-03-25 05:29:33.8 UTC
• Magnitude: 5.9
• Epicenter:  13.81°N, 120.04°E
• Depth: 76 km
• Status: automatic

PAGER Population Exposure (PDF)

List of Historic Earthquakes – Philippines

• 1976 08 16 – Mindanao, Philippines – M 7.9 Fatalities 8,000
• 1990 07 16 – Luzon, Philippine Islands – M 7.7 Fatalities 1,621
• 2001 01 01 – Mindanao, Philippines – M 7.5
• 2002 03 05 – Mindanao, Philippines – M 7.5 Fatalities 15
• 2003 11 18 – Samar, Philippines – M 6.5 Fatalities 1
• 2004 10 08 – Mindoro, Philippines – M 6.5
• 2009 10 04 – Moro Gulf, Mindanao, Philippines – M 6.6

PHIVOLC’s List of Destructive Earthquakes in the Philippines

• 1968 August 02 Ms7.3 Casiguran Earthquake
• 1973 March 17 Ms7.0 Ragay Gulf Earthquake
• 1976 August 17 Ms7.9 Moro Gulf Earthquake
• 1983 August 17 Ms6.5 Laoag Earthquake
• 1990 February 08 Ms6.8 Bohol Earthquake
• 1990 June 14 Ms7.1 Panay Earthquake
• 1990 July 16 Ms7.9 Luzon Earthquake
• 1994 November 15 Ms7.1 Mindoro Earthquake
• 1996 May 27 Ms5.6 Bohol Earthquake
• 1999 June 07 Ms5.1 Bayugan Earthquake
• 2002 March 06 Ms6.8 Palimbang Earthquake
• 2003 February 15 Ms6.2 Masbate Earthquake

Recent Earthquakes

USGS Last Earthquake in the Philippines
PHIVOLC’s Latest Earthquake Information

Tectonic Information

• Tectonics and Volcanoes of the Philippines

Related Links:

• Strong Earthquake Strikes Mindanao, Philippines
• Latest From TAAL and other Philippines Volcanoes
• Philippines Taal Volcano Could Erupt Anytime!

• Major Earthquakes Increase 47 % in 3 Decades

• Volcanoes
• FEWW Volcano Links
• Earthquakes [Main Index page]

Facebook Generation: The most materialistic generation ever

Do today’s adolescents really stand a chance?

Bombarded by disinformation, advertising and ‘logo lust,’ where should we expect the ‘Facebook Generation’ to land?

A University of Arizona marketing researcher believes that supportive parents have a role to play because they can reduce materialism in teens.

Counteracting teens’ logo lust

University of Arizona marketing researcher Lan Nguyen Chaplin finds that supportive parents can reduce materialism in teens

Today’s adolescents have been characterized as the most materialistic generation in history: a brand-oriented and consumer-involved group who derive self-worth from owning luxury handbags and the latest technology devices.

Many blame parents and peers for the increased level of teen materialism. In fact, research suggests that parents and peers act as role models of behavior and therefore, highly materialistic parents and peers are likely to encourage materialism in teenagers.

A new paper from University of Arizona assistant marketing professor Lan Nguyen Chaplin of the Eller College of Management assesses the issue through a different lens.

“Instead of just looking at how parents and peers encourage materialism in teenagers, we also examine how they decrease materialism. We view parents and peers as important sources of emotional support and psychological well-being, which ultimately affects teenagers’ level of materialism” said Chaplin. “We find that supportive parents and peers boost adolescents’ self-esteem, which decreases their need to embrace material goods as a way to develop positive self-perceptions.”

Along with co-author Deborah Roedder John of the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management, Chaplin studied 12- to 18-year-olds and found that it is possible for parents to reduce their adolescents’ drive for material goods. The resulting paper, “Interpersonal Influences on Adolescent Materialism: A New Look at the Role of Parents and Peers,” is forthcoming in the Journal of Consumer Psychology.

The authors found that teenagers who have supportive and accepting parents and peers in their lives are less materialistic. Parents and peers can provide the support and acceptance that teens crave, which reduces their need to focus on expensive material goods as a substitute for self-worth.

“Parents and peers play a very important role in teenagers’ lives. They provide the much needed emotional support and contribute greatly to teenagers’ feelings of self-worth,” said Chaplin. “When teens feel better about themselves, they are less likely to feel the need to use material possessions to boost their self-esteem and achieve happiness.”

University of Arizona: Public information
Contact: Liz Warren-Pederson
warrenl@eller.arizona.edu
University of Arizona

Bay of Bengal Island Disappears

Sea Successfully Reclaims Disputed Island

Disputed South Talpatti Island, aka New Moore Island Drowns

South Talpatti Island as it was called by Bangladeshis, or New Moore Island (also Purbasha) as it was called by Indians, a tiny uninhabited island south of the Hariabhanga river in the Bay of Bengal, is completely submerged by rising sea levels.

The small island had been partially submerged at least once. Indian oceanographers analyzing recent satellite images said the Bay of Bengal island had now been completely submerged by rising seas levels.

Bangladesh and India had disputed the sovereignty of the island ever since it emerged in the Bay of Bengal after cyclone Bhola struck in 1970. The island had remained uninhabited throughout its ephemeral life.

The Location Map of the Ghost Island South Talpatti. Click image to enlarge.

Island Position: Bay of Bengal
Location: 21.62°N, 89.14°E
Average Area: ~ 11 km² (4.3 sq miles) – largest area measured up to 15 km² (5.8 sq miles)
Average length: ~ 3.5 km (2.2 miles)
Average width: ~ 3.1 km (2 miles)
Population: Nil

Confirmation

Indian oceanographers have confirmed that based on satellite imagery and sea patrols, the island has drowned.

“What these two countries could not achieve from years of talking, has been resolved by global warming,” said Hazra, an oceanographer at the School of Oceanographic Studies, University of Calcutta.

Sea levels have risen in the Bay of Bengal at an alarming rate; whereas the levels rose by about 3 millimeters (0.12 inches) a year prior to 2000, they have been rising by about 5 millimeters (0.2 inches) in the last decade, he said.

Wondering where some of the water might come from? See Greenland Ice Sheet Losing Ice Mass.

Related Links:

• What Florida Might Look Like in 2014
• UK Flooding
• Out of the sinking pan, into the fire!