Geological & Cosmological Event Watch Thread pt 2

[StormBringer]

Alaska update:

Quote from RSOE:

Situation Update No. 6
On 05.02.2009 at 11:17 GMT+2

Emergency officials in British Columbia, Yukon and Alaska are preparing for the possible eruption of the Mount Redoubt volcano near Anchorage. The volcano, 166 kilometres southwest of the Alaskan city, has been showing signs of minor activity since the fall. In November, geologists saw changes in emissions and some minor melting near the summit, and the threat rating was upgraded. Recently, it was upgraded again and there have been conference calls among agencies to review emergency-measures plans. "Right now, it's sort of in watch mode," Michael Templeton, manager of the Yukon Emergency Measures Organization, said yesterday. Whether an eruption would affect the territory remains unknown, he said.

Volcanic ash has been known to travel thousands of kilometres, but distance and direction depend on factors such as the height of the volcano's smoke plume and the direction of the wind. Officials are watching the Alaska Volcano Observatory website, which provides updates on activity at Redoubt. "Seismic activity at Redoubt continues at an elevated level and is well above background levels. The volcano has not erupted," said.. A major concern is the possibility of ash ending up in the flight path of aircraft. Mr. Templeton said planes in the air at the time of an eruption would be notified by radio. Should the volcano erupt, officials in Alaska would contact B.C. officials, who would then contact those in Yukon. Mr. Templeton said the B.C. Provincial Emergency Program has more employees and is staffed around the clock, while Yukon emergency officials are available only on call outside regular working hours.

[StormBringer]

Update from USGS:

A sustained burst of volcanic tremor has just occurred, but this did not result in any eruptive activity and no ash emission has occurred.

AVO is monitoring and evaluating the situation closely.

Redoubt is still at aviation color code ORANGE and volcano alert level WATCH

2009-02-05 14:46:42

Unrest at Redoubt Volcano continues. Seismic activity remains elevated well above background levels.

AVO seismometers recorded a burst of more intense tremor at 11:18 this morning lasting for about 4 minutes. Radar and pilot observations confirmed that no eruption occurred. Following this burst, background tremor has remained elevated relative to the past several days.

Web camera and satellite images from this morning have been obscured by clouds.

[StormBringer]

Well it pains me but I must bid P.O. fair-well.

I received my Internet/cable bill and for the 3rd time in about a year they have raised it to what is now a unreasonable level.

I refuse to pay $170.00 for cable and Internet service that cost only $75.00 last year.

They have a monopoly here in BFE. Though I will explore other options I'm afraid they are limited at best. So I leave you in R.E.'s hands and with the hope nothing blows up in my absence.

I Wish You All The Best
_________
StormBringer

[ReverseEngineer]

OK, Brainstorm here! You can figure out for yourself what the additional Gravitational Force impacting on the earth would be as it lines up with the Galactic Plane!

If you think of the Milky Way as a spinning disk, all the gravity can be projected to a single virtual mass at the center of that disk. So if you know the mass of the Milky Way and the mass of the Earth and the distances involved, you can figure out the Force involved here. Then you can compare it to the magnitude of the gravitational force of the Sun and of the Moon on the Earth.

Here are some numbers to work with:


Mass of Milky Way 1,000,000,000 Suns

Earth Distance from Galactic Center 26,000 Light Years

Mass of Sun is 1 Sun

Earth distance from Sun average around 9.3M miles

Speed of Light 186000 m/sec

Seconds in a year 31.5M

Newtons Law of Gravitation F=G*(M*m/r2)

Have Fun!

Reverse Engineer

[wisconsin_cur]

NYT: Link between new dam and big quake?

BEIJING — Nearly nine months after a devastating earthquake in Sichuan Province, China, left 80,000 people dead or missing, a growing number of American and Chinese scientists are suggesting that the calamity was triggered by a four-year-old reservoir built close to the earthquake’s geological fault line.

[StormBringer]

just checking in from cell what the hek no one posted...........dont let this thread die.

[StormBringer]

Anyone in this area watch your butt:

R.E. might want to post else where:

From RSOE:

The first U.S. case of Marburg hemorrhagic fever has been confirmed in Colorado, and authorities say the patient - who contracted the rare illness while traveling in Uganda - has since recovered. The disease, caused by a virus indigenous to Africa, spreads through contact with infected animals or the bodily fluids of infected humans. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention spokesman Dave Daigle said no previous cases have been reported in the United States. The patient had traveled to Uganda, visited a python cave in Maramagambo Forest in Queen Elizabeth Park and encountered fruit bats, which can carry the Marburg virus. The Ugandan government closed the cave after a tourist from the Netherlands died from Marburg in July. The patient was treated at Lutheran Medical Center in January 2008 and sought follow-up care in July, after learning of the tourist's death. The patient recovered and his or her identity wasn't disclosed. Pierre Rollin, acting chief of the Special Pathogens Branch of the CDC, said specialized tests of the initial sample taken in January 2008 confirmed the illness in the Colorado patient in December. CDC officials said identifying the virus and how a patient contracted it can be difficult. It often depends on the quality of the sample being tested and the timing; samples taken early in the patient's illness makes identification easier, Rollin said. Marburg hemorrhagic fever is extremely rare. The CDC's Web site counts fewer than 500 confirmed cases since the virus was first recognized in 1967. More than 80 percent of the known cases are fatal. It has an incubation period of 5 to 10 days. The first symptoms are fever, chills and headaches, but symptoms worsen significantly after the fifth day of illness. Lutheran hospital spokeswoman Kim Kobel said none of the staff and physicians who cared for the patient has developed symptoms. Rollin said the CDC is testing hospital staff to see if any illnesses were undetected at the time.)

[StormBringer]

First offical Report of climate change from RSOE:

Again R.E. might want to move:

Extreme weather is bound to prevail in Pakistan during 2009 due to global warming, while there are possibilities of drought in many parts of the country, University of Karachi (KU) Institute of Environmental Studies chief Dr Moazzam Ali Khan. "It is difficult to say whether the recent cold wave in the country is occurring due to global warming because these are relapses which occur at the end of every winter season which bring back chilling weather," said Khan. However, the possibility of climatological pattern change could not be ruled out, which might have some connection with sudden weather change, said Khan. "We could expect extreme weather condition throughout this year." He said that abnormal conditions have been occurring in the country, as two years ago, temperature dropped to -2 degree centigrade in Lahore. Similarly there was no monsoon in 2008 in Karachi but heavy rains lashed the city in 2006, he added. The expectation of extreme heat is present, as a heat zone has developed from Balochistan to Punjab invariably during the summers, he said. "We could not find the reason behind the developing of this heat zone as there is very little research available on it." He added that there are possibilities that drought will occur in many parts of the country.

Similar views were shared by an expert at the Meteorological Department, as a cold wave gripped Karachi once again on Friday, triggering chilly weather for the metropolis. The cold wave started blowing in the city due to heavy snowfall that occurred during the past rainy weather over the mountains in Balochistan, Northern Areas, Kashmir and Murree, said Chief Meteorologist Mohmmad Riaz. He dispelled the impression that the recent cold wave was due to global climate change. The weather pattern has changed and extreme weather would persist off and on, he added. Riaz said that Karachi is under the grip of cold wave, especially due to the wind blowing from the west side. He added that cold weather would continue for the next 24 to 36 hours. He said that there are chances that the temperature would drop again by the end of this month. He added that further drop in temperature depends on the snowfall in the western and northern parts of the country. The effect of global warming would prevail throughout the year as there are predictions that extreme weather, both cold and hot, would prevail in respective seasons, he said. He said that temperature would rise up to 46 to 48 degree centigrade during the summers, as it naturally rises especially in interior Sindh. He said that the chances of drought could not be overruled due to extreme weather in certain areas of the country.)

[StormBringer]

Redoubt update: From USGS

Volcanic tremor is ongoing with variable amplitudes.

[StormBringer]

Cell phone is a pain but will try to keep in touch every so often.

[ReverseEngineer]

Cell phone is a pain but will try to keep in touch every so often.

Can you check the seismos from the Cell Phone?

Reverse Engineer

[StormBringer]

Cell phone is a pain but will try to keep in touch every so often.

Can you check the seismos from the Cell Phone?

Reverse Engineer

Yes but takes forever to load.....So if you see something I'll check it out. But ya to hard for me to watch like usual.

[Ludi]

Redoubt Volcano Latest Observations
2009-02-14 15:01:12
Redoubt Volcano has not erupted. About two hours ago, the amplitude of volcanic tremor began to rise. The tremor has been somewhat lower amplitude again over last 40 minutes.

The latest webcam image from about 2:14 shows that the camera window is frosted or snow-covered. Images will be collected hourly today while the sun is out.

AVO continues to monitor Redoubt 24 hours a day.


http://www.avo.alaska.edu/activity/Redoubt.php

[ReverseEngineer]

I haven't had my Telescope out lately lookign for the Planet Killer Meteor, but yesterday in TX it looks like we got hit by one of the Advance Guard fragments.

Whatever it was, the fireball on Sunday caused great consternation and wonder across Central Texas. Dozens of people called the police to report sonic booms and a bright fireball plunging toward the ground around 11 a.m.

NYT

To be visible in broad daylight if it was in fact a meteor it would have had to have been around the size of a Pickup Truck. That is a hefty size meteor. If you remember back a few months, a fairly substantial one hit Europe. We also have the evidence of increasing Geological activity in Vulcanism and Earthquakes, which I have theorized is coming from another gravitational stressor, as yet unidentified.

If we are on a collision course with something big enough to cause gravtiational stress on the planet, its mighty big indeed, or mighty dense. In order not to be visible at this point it might be small but very dense. Could we be on a collision course with a NEUTRON STAR?

Too bad Storm isn't here He'd LOVE this theory

Reverse Engineer

[RedStateGreen]

To be visible in broad daylight if it was in fact a meteor it would have had to have been around the size of a Pickup Truck. That is a hefty size meteor. If you remember back a few months, a fairly substantial one hit Europe. We also have the evidence of increasing Geological activity in Vulcanism and Earthquakes, which I have theorized is coming from another gravitational stressor, as yet unidentified.

If we are on a collision course with something big enough to cause gravtiational stress on the planet, its mighty big indeed, or mighty dense. In order not to be visible at this point it might be small but very dense. Could we be on a collision course with a NEUTRON STAR?

Too bad Storm isn't here He'd LOVE this theory

Reverse Engineer

Golem, too ... he was always going on about Nibiru/planet X ...

Neutron stars are very cool, it would almost be worth going out to be close enough to take a look at one.

[ReverseEngineer]

Not an out of this world THEORY this time like the collision with a Neutron Star, but a very real current problem arising out of the increasing vulcanism and geological activity. Farms in Hawaii are currently threatened by a quadrupling of the volcanic gases being discharged from Kilaueha.

Sulfur dioxide from the volcano has wiped out multiple small farms and nurseries in the nearby largely rural district of Kau. The gas, which creates volcanic smog when mixed with sunlight and air, threatens the viability of some area flower and vegetable crops.

Roses, sunflowers, protea, lettuce, tomatoes, and even medical marijuana are hurt by the smog.

Many farmers are desperately hoping government grants or other financial help will save their farms. But the recession has depressed state tax revenues, and Hawaii has little money to help farmers.

Sulfur dioxide is not new on the Big Island, where Kilauea has been erupting continuously since 1983. But last March, the volcano began releasing two to four times more sulfur dioxide, and a second, simultaneous eruption began at the summit's Halemaumau crater.

Sulfur dioxide volumes have reached levels unseen since scientists began keeping data in 1979.

Volcanic Smog Threatens Hawaii Farms and Nurseries

I'm wondering how broad based this problem is in the areas near the currently active volcanoes, including of course Mt Redoubt here in Alaska which still hasn't erupted while I was in Oregon. Also, given this increased activity is worldwide, it has to be increasing the acidity of the rainfall worlwide, which could be playing havoc with the Ocean pH. Also directly since many underwater volcanoes directly vent sulfur dioxide into the seawater. This could accelerate the loss of coral reefs and make the shellfish extremely vulnerable from collapsing shells.

Reverse Engineer

[ReverseEngineer]

Redoubt has become very active again after a period of being downgraded from orange to yellow. Information and links to webicorders are here:

http://www.avo.alaska.edu/activity/Redoubt.php

I have my Dust Masks ready! They came in after I got back from my trip to the Ozarks. I got the good ones with the valve which allows your exhaled air to escape and they aren't so hot to wear. I also found Activated Charcoal at the Aquarium supply section of Walmart to make my Soup Can Cannisters for filtering toxic gases. Haven't got around to making them yet though. Hopefully I just have some dust here, no sulfur dioxide to deal with I have swim goggles also with solid rubber gaskets, no foam rubber to absorb the gases and give me skin burns around my eyes.

My water is also back on now, so I am feeling well prepped. No worries. LOL.

Reverse Engineer

[ReverseEngineer]

REDOUBT HAS ERUPTED

About an hour ago, according to this report

Redoubt Erupts

Initial height of the ash cloud estimated at less than 20,000 feet. No idea if its just an intitial blast or if there is more to come. So far, no ashfall in the Mat Valley of course, I expect it will take a day or so for any to make its way here.

I'll report local updates as warranted.

Reverse Engineer

[ReverseEngineer]

Instant update! Latest Report is the ash cloud is now at 50,000 feet. Aviation warnings in effect.

The Alaska Volcano Observatory is reporting that the volcanic ash has reached 50,000 feet.

Not sure of the altitude with the last eruption from Redoubt in the 80s I think it was, but 50,000 feet is a long way up to blow ash. This sounds like it could be pretty big.

Reverse Engineer

[ReverseEngineer]

OH CRAP! 50,000 feet (16KM) is the MAXIUM model on the Alaska.edu website. Check out the Puff Prediction model for a 50,000 foot eruption
Puff prediction animation
Looks like we are going to get HAMMERED with volcanic ash, and it could be falling for days. This is not good.