FIRE-EARTH Focus: INDIA

India, world’s 63rd poorest country, is the largest importer of major arms

India, with a per capita GDP of $6,658¹, is world’s 63rd poorest nation. However, she is also the largest importer of major arms.

The 34-billion-dollar question:

Why does the most corrupt country in Asia Pacific², and arguably the most polluted place on Earth³, spend so much money buying arms instead of improving social welfare? Is she trying to preserve her way of life, or protect the already depleted natural resources?

Notes:

• ¹GDP per capita, adjusted for relative purchasing power (PPP), 2016 International Dollars. Data obtained from International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database, October 2016.
• India’s GDP (nominal) per capita 2016 World Bank: $1,598 (Current USD).
• Central African Republic with a GDP of $656 is the poorest the list of 189 nations.
• ²India Is The Most Corrupt Country In Asia Pacific, Two-Third Of All Indians Have To Pay Bribe.
• ³India, world’s second most populous country, is among the most polluted countries.
• Between 2008 and 2015, India purchased defence [sic] equipment worth $34 billion, while Wahhabi Arabia’s purchase was worth $93.5 billion, according to a report.

 

Bogoslof Volcano Erupts

Bogoslof : Large explosive eruption ejects ash 10.6 km (35,000 feet) asl

Bogoslof volcanic ash cloud at 3:15 AM Mar 8 AKST. Cloud at least 35,000 ft asl.
Img by Dave Schneider,  https://www.avo.alaska.edu/images/image.php?id=107841

HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY DAILY UPDATE  [USGS]

Wednesday, March 8, 2017, 9:10 AM HST (Wednesday, March 8, 2017, 19:10 UTC)

KILAUEA VOLCANO (VNUM #332010)
19°25’16” N, 155°17’13” W, Summit Elevation 4,091 ft (1,247 m)
Current Volcano Alert Level: WATCH
Current Aviation Color Code: ORANGE

Activity Summary: Kīlauea Volcano continues to erupt at its summit and at the Puʻu ʻŌʻō vent on its East Rift Zone. The episode 61g lava flow from Puʻu ʻŌʻō is entering the ocean at Kamokuna and is feeding surface flows on and above the pali. These lava flows pose no threat to nearby communities at this time. The summit deflationary trend of the past 2 days reversed early this morning to an inflationary trend. The lava lake was about 34 m (~112 ft) below the Overlook crater rim this morning. Seismicity in the upper East Rift Zone did not change significantly in the past day.

Summit Observations: Tiltmeters at Kīlauea’s summit began recording an inflationary tilt early this morning, reversing the deflationary trend of the past 2 days. The lava lake was measured this morning at about 34 m (~112 ft) below the Overlook crater. Webcam views of the lava lake can be found at this webpage: http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/cams/region_kism.php. Summit tremor continues to fluctuate in response to variations in lava lake spattering. Average daily summit sulfur dioxide emission rates were between about 6,600 and 1,900 metric tons/day during the last week in February, the most recent time when conditions permitted measurements. Seismicity in the upper East Rift Zone has returned to typical levels over the past couple of days, with just a few small earthquakes.

Puʻu ʻŌʻō Observations: Webcam images over the past 24 hours show persistent glow at long-term sources at Puʻu ʻŌʻō, including the pit on the west side of the crater that holds a small lava pond. There were no significant changes in East Rift Zone seismicity over the past 24 hours. The tiltmeter at Puʻu ʻŌʻō recorded deflationary tilt over the past day. The sulfur dioxide emission rate from all East Rift Zone vents was about 250 metric tons/day when last measured on February 22, 2017. https://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/activity/kilaueastatus.php

Pāhoehoe lava from Kilauea Volcano

Pāhoehoe lava inches towards the ocean in Hawai‘i Volcanoes NP, 3/2/17 Photo/Janice Wei.