Geology News - Earth Science Current Events

Image by USGS

USGS has an interesting article on the global transport of dust and its impact upon human health and coral reefs. Dust storms in the Sahara and Gobi Deserts can drive tons of dust particles high into the atmosphere and into long distance transport. Dusts from the African Sahara and Sahel are reaching the Caribbean and southern US states where they can damage coral reefs and cause respiratory problems in humans. Also, dusts from the Asian Gobi and Takli Makan deserts are reaching the Hawaiian Islands and western US states.

Hundreds of millions of tons of dust are making these long-distance trips each year. Evidence suggests that these dusts are responsible at least in part for a dramatic decline in coral reef health in the Caribbean and the incidence of respiratory problems in humans.

A sandstorm in the northwest African desert pushes tons of dust out over the Atlantic. Some of this dust could reach the Caribbean Islands and eastern United States. Image by NASA.

The USGS website has a good presentation on this topic which includes satellite images, data, graphs, descriptions and video interviews with the scientists who promote these ideas. Learn more about this airborne dust at the USGS website.

Labels: Meteorology, Oceanography

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Screenshot of chevron structures located at the southern tip of Madagascar from Google Maps. Click the image for detail.

Members of the Holocene Impact Working Group have identified numerous shoreline structures that they believe are evidence of recent marine impact events. These structures that they refer to as "chevrons" are believed to be piles of sediment that have been swept into chevron-shaped ridges by the tsunami-size waves produced from these impacts. The chevrons contain sediments, deep ocean microfossils and bits of what appear to be impact debris that are combined without regard to the normal superposition sequence.

The working group has identified numerous chevron locations - so many that it causes them to question just how often the Earth is subject to massive impact events. In addition, the size of some chevrons are enormous. Some are hundreds of feet in height and covering hundreds of acres each - large enough that they would require a tsunami over 100 feet high to construct them. These chevron structures are reported at numerous locations in Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam, India, Southern Africa, Madagascar, Hawaii, Portugal, Algeria, United Kingdom, Denmark, Brazil, Mexico, California, Washington, Oregon and other locations.


Landsat image of the Fenambosy Chevrons in Madagascar by USGS. The open side of these chevrons point directly
at a crater at the bottom of the Indian Ocean. They suggest a gigantic meteor impact occurred about 4800 years ago.
Higher resolution image.
You can read more about these chevron structures and see a world map with their locations in an article on the International Herald Tribune website. You can also visit a chevron location by clicking the google map image at the top of this article.

Related content on Geology.com: Zoom in on fifty of Earth's most obvious meteor impact structures with our Google Map of Meteor Impact Structures.

Labels: Meteor-Meteorite, Oceanography, Satellite-Images

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USGS has released their EarthNow! image viewer which displays near real time satellite images received from Landsat 5 and Landsat 7 satellites as they pass over the United States. When a satellite passes within transmission range of the USGS EROS center the image data is downloaded and transmitted to the web in near-real time.
When the satellites are not within range a recent data stream is displayed.


Screenshot from EarthNow! showing a view on the California coast near Los Angeles and Long Beach. Note the arc of the satellite orbit on the upper right inset. This inset tracks the progress of the satellite while you are viewing the data stream.
EarthNow! is more of a novelty than a research tool, however it clearly shows what is possible. Visit the EarthNow! website for Near Real Time Satellite Images.

Labels: Satellite-Images

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Researchers in a NASA/NSF/NOAA funded study have identified connections between high latitude volcanic eruptions and periods of low water flow in African rivers. Using computer models they linked Iceland's Laki Volcanic Event (a series of about ten eruptions that occurred between June 1783 and February 1784) to the lowest water levels in the Nile River in a historical record dating back to 622 AD.

Using computer models developed by NASA they found that the Laki Volcanic Event altered surface temperature patterns that produced extremely low levels of rainfall across much of Africa. The initial atmospheric response to the eruption was a decline in global temperatures. This temperature decline produced a reduced temperature difference between land and ocean. Without that temperature contrast, onshore winds weakened and the delivery of moisture and rainfall from the ocean was severely reduced.

Following a volcanic eruption, large amounts of sulfur dioxide (SO2), hydrochloric acid (HCL) and ash are spewed into the Earth's stratosphere. In most cases, HCL condenses with water vapor and is rained out of the volcanic cloud. SO2 from the cloud is transformed into sulfuric acid. The sulfuric acid quickly condenses, producing aerosol particles which linger in the atmosphere for long periods of time. Image and description by NASA/LaRC

In addition to low flows on the Nile River during 1783 and 1784 in response to the Laki Volcanic Event, low water levels were observed on the Niger River after the Novarupta eruption of 1912, and on the Nile River after the Eldgia (Iceland) eruption of 939 AD.

Read more at about the climate impact of high latitude volcanic eruptions at the NASA website.

Labels: Arctic-Antarctic, Volcanoes

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Image by USGS

One of the most dangerous earthquake areas on earth is the Island of Honshu, Japan. Here the Pacific, North American, Eurasian and Philippine Plates converge to generate major earthquakes with an average recurrence interval of about 100 to 150 years. These major earthquakes are known as the "Tokai Earthquakes". The four most recent Tokai Earthquakes occurred in 1854, 1707, 1605 and 1498. All of these are estimated to have been 8+ magnitude earthquakes. A repeat of one of these events will cause thousands of deaths and hundreds of billions of dollars in damages.

The Japanese government is taking the Tokai Earthquakes seriously and has charged the Japan Meteorological Agency with the job of predicting the next one. They have a dense array of instruments placed to accumulate a continuous stream of data related to seismicity, strain, crustal expansion, tilt, tidal variations, ground water fluctuations and other variables. They are watching for an anomaly in this data which might precede the next major Tokai Earthquake.


Image by USGS

Read more about the Tokai Earthquakes at the Japan Meteorological Agency website.

Labels: Earthquakes

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The definition of "mineral rights" might go to court in Tennessee. There, mineral rights owners have been denied access to one of their properties because the target of their intended mining is a sandstone. The surface rights owners claim that sandstone is not a "mineral" and they seem prepared to defend that position in court.

This new interest in sandstone production in Tennessee is related to a huge increase in dimension stone demand that has been building nationwide over the last few years.


(See an October 1, 2006 article on Dimension Stone Demand)
A couple of weaknesses in the surface owners' position is that coal is the typical "mineral" mined in this portion of Tennessee - and coal is not a mineral because it is made of organic material. The sandstone might actually be closer to the definition of a "mineral" than coal because it is made of mineral quartz grains.

Anyone can do a quick search of the web and find a number of documents authored by state and country governments that explain mineral rights for citizens. Rocks such as sandstone, limestone, and dimension stone are generally included as "mineral" commodities in those documents. Oil and natural gas are also often thrown into the mineral rights category as well.

http://www.deq.state.mi.us/documents/deq-ogs-land-oilandgas-mineral-rights.PDF
http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/MM/gym1.html
http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/agdex1124?opendocument

It will be interesting to see if this goes to court and how it plays out. This is a good example of how land buyers should be careful and how those who write documents that transfer "mineral rights" should specify any "minerals" that might be of future interest.

Read more details about the Tennessee mineral rights dispute at CNEWS.

Labels: Minerals

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AMNH Screenshot

A major exhibit on gold opens this weekend at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. This is a multidisciplinary exhibit that integrates geology, culture, history, industrial processes, economics, psychology and many other disciplines. It also integrates with permanent collections that are on display throughout the museum. The exhibit will continue through August, 2007 and then travel extensively.

Special programs for educators are planned. These will feature ways that gold can be used as a multidisciplinary learning theme. Materials for student use both at the museum and in classrooms are available for download at the Museum website.

AMNH Exhibit Map

Gold Themes Featured

1. Aurum Naturae: a fantastic collection of natural gold specimens exhibiting the forms that gold can take in nature.



2. Incomparable Gold: explores the unique properties of gold, gold rushes and gold mining.



3. Golden Ages: features a collection of gold objects collected from across the ages and from all parts of the world.



4. Lost and Found: gold treasures salvaged from shipwrecks.



5. Gold Standard: the use of gold as coinage and currency backing throughout the world and over time.



6. Golden Achievement: a collection of gold awards presented for cultural achievement.

Learn more about the Gold Exhibit at the AMNH website.

Labels: Gold

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Image by USGS

In August, crew members of a yacht sailing through the Tonga Islands spotted a massive pumice raft covering several square kilometers of ocean. A pumice raft is a large quantity of pumice fragments floating on the ocean surface (pumice is a volcanic rock that contains so many gas vesicles that it floats).

This raft was produced by the eruption of a new volcanic island located about 20 kilometers southwest of Late Island. Pumice rafts are a rare occurrence, seen perhaps once a decade during the eruption of a marine volcano.


Pumice raft floating near Late Island - Image by NASA

The image above (taken on September 15 - about a month after the eruption) shows the new volcanic island in the southwest corner of the image and the pumice raft to the northwest of Late Island. A trail of pumice connects the raft to Late Island.

Read more details and see close-up photos of the pumice raft taken by the yacht crew at Tonga Online.

Labels: Volcanoes

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Image by NASA

NASA scientists have found a giant storm on Saturn that appears to operate like a hurricane. This storm is about 8000 km / 5000 miles across and is located right above Saturn's south pole. It appears to rotate in a clockwise direction with a speed of about 550 kilometers per hour / 350 miles per hour.

This storm was discovered using telescopic cameras on NASA's Cassini spacecraft and is the first hurricane-like storm to be observed on a planet other then Earth. The storm appears to have eyewall clouds and two spiral arms, similar to hurricanes that we know on Earth. (Jupiter's Great Red Spot does not have an eyewall and is calm at the center).

Read more about this hurricane-like storm on Saturn and watch a short movie of the storm's motion at the Cassini-Huygens Mission to Saturn website.

Labels: Astronomy-Planets

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Image by USGS

A great earthquake of 8.3 Magnitude was reported by USGS, occurring in the Kuril Islands at 10:14 PM local time on Wednesday, November 15, 2006. The earthquake occurred at a depth of about 40km/25miles and numerous magnitude 6+ aftershocks are being recorded. There are no current reports of damage or injuries for this earthquake.

Tsunami watches and warnings were issued across the Pacific basin, however they have since been canceled for Alaska, west coast USA and Canada, Hawaii and other locations. A small tsunami was observed at the following sites...

• Hanasaki, Japan 30cm/1.0ft
• Hushiro, Japan 25cm/0.8ft
• Shemya, Alaska 20cm/0.65ft
• Amchitka, Alaska 8cm/0.25ft

Image by CIA

The Kuril Islands stretch from the island of Hokkaido, Japan to the Kamchatka peninsula of Russia and separate the Sea of Okhotsk from the Pacific Ocean. There are 56 islands spanning the 1300 km/700 mile chain.

Read more about this earthquake at the USGS Earthquake Information Center.

Labels: Earthquakes

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A great site for learning about fossils and paleontology is the Paleontology Portal by the University of California Museum of Paleontology. This website is rich in information and it links to many of the best paleontology resources on the web.

One of the best features is the clickable North America geologic map under the Exploring Time and Space link. When you click on the map you are taken to a more detailed geologic map of that state along with links to the different time periods which are represented in that state. Information on fossils, the time scale, rock units, museums, related websites and more are all easily accessible.


Geologic Map Screenshot from Paleontology Portal.
The "Fossil Gallery" allows you to explore information about fossils, referencing them by time period, geographic area and/or taxonomic group. This is one of the most thorough presentations of fossils and time that you will find on the web.

Visit The Paleontology Portal.

Labels: Fossils

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Image by California Geographical Survey

The California Geographical Survey is publishing a series of free wall maps that can be downloaded and reproduced for classroom use. These are large size maps that can be plotted and used as classroom teaching aids and displays. Published so far are maps of the United States, Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, East Asia, Australasia and South America. Dr. William Bowen, director of this mapping project says... "This latest project of producing a series of wall maps portraying the earth was begun at the request of a middle school teacher in California who needed free access to maps for classroom use."

   
Images by California Geographical Survey - used with permission.
Next in this series of free wall maps are Europe, North America, the Caribbean, the Pacific and greater Russia. More information about these maps, including copyright details, sizes, and download links can be found at the Wall Map Closet of the California Geographical Survey.

Related on Geology.com - World Country Maps & Satellite Images

Labels: Geography, Maps

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Image by USGS

Last summer the International Astronomical Union demoted Pluto from the status of "planet" to that of "dwarf planet." This was done because Pluto did not fit the new definition of a planet, which included a requirement for it to have cleared the neighborhood around its orbit. The vote to demote Pluto was not unanimous and now several prominent scientists are calling for a new definition of what it takes to be a planet - one that they hope will reinstate Pluto.

A Newsweek article at MSNBC details how Bob Millis, Director of the Lowell Observatory; Mark Sykes, director of the Planetary Science Institute in Tucson; and Alan Stern, principal investigator of the New Horizons space-probe mission, scheduled to arrive at Pluto in 2015, are all hoping to restore Pluto's status. It might be premature to burn your solar system astronomy textbooks - a movement to create a new definition of the term "planet" might gain momentum before the IAU meets in 2009.

Read the article, Plotting Pluto's Comeback for full details.

Related Article on Geology.com - Pluto is Now a Dwarf Planet

Labels: Astronomy-Planets

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There are many places on the web where you can read geology and earth science news articles (search Google for "geology news" or "earth science news" and you will find many of them). But, instead of going from website to website to monitor the news, why not have the headlines delivered to you? An easy way to do this is to set up a Personalized Google Homepage and subscribe to news feeds from your favorite sources. You can subscribe to Geology.com News, USGS Earthquake Activity, NASA Earth Observatory, Geology @ Topix.net, American Museum of Natural History, USGS Newsroom, and many others. Here is a small portion of my Google homepage where you can see a few of the numerous geology news feeds that I read.


Part of Hobart's Geology News Feed Screen

To get started, go to Google.com and set up a Personalized homepage. Then come back here to Geology.com News and click our news feed button.

You will be taken to Feedburner.com where you can click the "Add to Google" button. Then just follow the directions and you will be subscribed. You can then add additional feeds from many other websites. Simply look for their feed button, click it, and follow the instructions to subscribe.

Google is just one of the many feed reader services that you can use to subscribe to news feeds about Geology or any other subject. Here are buttons from a few of the many feed reader services.

Labels: Books-Publications

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Small geothermal energy plant. Image: Energy.gov

Indonesia sits atop one of the best geothermal heat sources on this planet. The islands formed over a vast subduction plate boundary where the Eurasian and Australian plates are in collision. These processes are still very active. About 200 volcanoes are distributed across the Indonesian island arc and many of the areas which surround them could host viable geothermal power plants.

To date, geothermal development in Indonesia has been minimal. A few electric generating plants have been built and a few communities tap natural steam and hot water for domestic use. Although this important geothermal energy source is perfectly located for Indonesia's growing economy and huge population, enormous amounts of fossil fuels are being imported.

In the past, legal, financial and bureaucratic problems have deterred outside investment. Chevron is one of the only outside countries to develop Indonesian geothermal plants and that was done a long time ago when the political environment was very different.

Lawmakers in Indonesia say that they are working on important legislation that will be much more friendly to outside investors who are interested in developing new geothermal projects. An article at abcnews.com details Indonesia's geothermal history and potential future.


Landsat Image of Indonesia Volcanoes

Labels: Geothermal

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