• Current News
• Africa
• Alabama
• Alaska
• Antarctic
• Archaeology
• Arctic
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• Asia
• Astronomy
• Atlantic
• Australia
• Bakken Shale
• Barnett Shale
• California
• Canada
• Caribbean Sea
• Caves and Karst
• Central America
• China
• Coal
• Coastal Geology
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Contamination
• Copper
• Delaware
• Diamonds
• Dimension Stone
• Dinosaurs
• Dust Storm
• Earthquakes
• Energy
• Engineering Geology
• Environment
• Europe
• Fayetteville Shale
• Floods
• Florida
• Fossils
• Gemstones
• Geography
• Geologist Career
• Geology for Kids
• Geology.com
• Georgia
• Geothermal
• Glaciers
• Global Warming
• Gold
• Google
• GPS and GIS
• Great Websites
• Ground Water
• Gulf of Mexico
• Hawaii
• Haynesville Shale
• Historical Geology
• Hurricanes and Cyclones
• Idaho
• Illinois
• India
• Indiana
• Indonesia
• Interesting
• Iowa
• Japan
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Lakes
• Landslides
• LNG
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maps
• Marcellus Shale
• Mars
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Metals
• Meteorology
• Meteors and Meteorites
• Mexico
• Michigan
• Minerals
• Mining
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Montana
• Natural Gas
• Natural Hazards
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• New York
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Oceanography
• Ohio
• Oil and Gas
• Oklahoma
• OPEC
• Oregon
• Pacific
• Pennsylvania
• Plants
• Plate Tectonics
• Politics and Geology
• Redoubt Volcano
• Rhode Island
• Rivers
• Russia
• Satellite Images
• Soil
• Solar Power
• South America
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Space
• Subsidence
• Teaching Science
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Tornadoes
• Tsunami
• United States
• Uranium
• USGS
• Utah
• Utica Shale
• Vehicles
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Volcanoes
• Washington
• Water
• West Virginia
• Wildfire
• Wildlife
• Wind Energy
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming

Geology News
Alaska Current Events

“In this image, the wind is blowing from the snow-covered mountains to the Gulf of Alaska. The wind picked up fine sediment from the riverbank and carried it over the ocean. The pale brown plume of airborne dust contrasts sharply with the dark ocean beneath it.” Quoted from the Earth Observatory image release.

In 1998, Bernie and Connie Karl took over Chena Hot Springs Resort in Alaska – and discovered that the springs were warmed by diesel fuel. The couple converted the resort to low-temperature geothermal power using an innovative portable generator.

Royal Dutch Shell has received permission to drill two exploratory wells on two offshore leases in the Beaufort Sea off the coast of Alaska.

A San Francisco Chronicle article explores the current status and future of shipping in the Arctic. As an example of what is happening: “Nome’s ship traffic is eight times what it was in 1990.”

“Peacock-hued splashes of color brightened the Bering Sea off the Alaskan coast on October 8, 2009, as NASA’s Aqua satellite flew overhead. This true-color image shows streaks running roughly northwest-southeast, north and east of Alaska’s St. Paul Island. The color likely results in part from blooms of phytoplankton—tiny, plant-like marine organisms that thrive in cold water rich in nutrients.” Quoted from NASA’s Earth Observatory image release.

The potential for a huge Pacific Ocean tsunami on the West Coast of North America may be greater than previously thought. The new study of geological evidence along the Gulf of Alaska coast suggests that future tsunamis could reach a scale far beyond that suffered in the tsunami generated by the great 1964 Alaskan earthquake.

Environmental groups are urging Washington to impose a moratorium on oil and gas drilling in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas. They are concerned about the impact of drilling on wildlife and the Arctic Ocean environment.

Sean Parnell, Governor of Alaska, wants the federal government to allow offshore oil and gas drilling in the Beaufort Sea, along Alaska’s northern coastline. He says that new production sources are needed to maintain the minimum throughput level required by the trans-Alaska pipeline.

A article on the Reuters website reports that BP is closing a research facility at Nikiski, Alaska where they successfully produced 300 barrels of diesel fuel and aviation fuel from natural gas.

The August 7, 2008 eruption of Alaska’s Kasatochi Volcano completely covered Kasatochi Island with several meters of ash and volcanic material. It killed all of the island’s plants, fish and animals – it virtually sterilized the island. This ecological event also provided a rare research opportunity – a chance to see how species recolonize the island.

“Fifty years of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) research on glacier change shows recent dramatic shrinkage of glaciers in three climatic regions of the United States. These long periods of record provide clues to the climate shifts that may be driving glacier change.” Quoted from the USGS release

The United States and Canada are jointly conducting a survey of the Arctic Ocean. They are mapping the outer edge of the continental shelf to prepare their claim for the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Geology.com article: Who Owns the Arctic?

Stormwater runoff and sewage contaminate many US beaches. A study done by the Natural Resources Defense Council sampled, tested and rated 200 of the most popular beaches in the United States – both ocean and freshwater beaches were included in the study. Some of them had consistently high water quality and some had consistently low. You can view the report and a listing of the beaches on their website.

The threat of a large tsunami occurring on the coast of Alaska has been previously underestimated. If two parts of the Yakataga segment ruptured at the same time, a tsunami could be created that affects the entire coastline between Alaska and California.

Related articles: Tsunami: Lituya Bay, Alaska and What Causes a Tsunami?

For the past few days a large mass of organic material has been floating in the Chuckchi Sea along the northwest coast of Alaska. It stretches for about 15 miles and so far the media is calling it a “blob” and no one has been able to explain it.

Early this year activities at the Drift River oil terminal on Cook Inlet were halted in response to the eruption of Redoubt Volcano. Now that Redoubt activity has declined, Chevron may restart production from the Granite Point and Trading Bay oil fields and send new production to the terminal.

The U.S. Global Change Research Program released a report that explains how climate change might impact Alaska. Intense coastal storms, displaced marine species, thawing permafrost, hotter weather, drier conditions, more wildfires and insect outbreaks are a few of the featured problems.

Raven Maps are the most beautiful state wall maps that I have ever seen. They show the elevation and relief of a complete state through a skillful use of vibrant colors and topographic shading. Maps are available for individual states, the Conterminous United States, North America, Mexico and the world.

Learn about the geology of your favorite state as seen along the highway. This series of books by Mountain Press are filled with maps, photos, park locations and detailed descriptions. Get one before your next trip.

“Scientists struggling to understand how Earth’s climate will change in the next few decades have neglected a potential treasure trove of information — sediments deposited in the ocean by major Arctic rivers such as the Colville and Mackenzie Rivers.” Quoted from the University of Texas at Austin release.

What is the best way to dispose of waste from mines? The Supreme Court is allowing a gold mine in Alaska to deposit their waste rock into Lower Slate Lake. Environmentalists do not agree with this decision.

The National Science Foundation is building the Alaska Region Research Vessel to conduct research in the waters off Alaska. It is slated to begin operations in 2014.

Now you can get updates on the status of Redoubt Volcano via the Alaska Volcano Observatory’s Twitter postings.

The-Vug.com has a comprehensive listing of mineral and lapidary clubs from across the United States. It could be the most complete and up-to-date listing on the web. Included are hundreds of clubs and organizations located in all 50 states.

Over the past 24 hours a swarm of about 20 earthquakes with magnitudes up to 5.9 has occurred south of Kodiak Island, Alaska. The USGS “Did you feel it?” maps do not show any reports that these earthquakes have been felt and there are no reports of damage in the news. Earthquakes are not unusual at this location on the boundary between the Pacific and North American plates.

Oil and gas companies operating in Alaska will now be subject to special studies to ensure that their activities are not going to disturb the habitat of the polar bear.

“In early May 2009, the Alaska Volcano Observatory warned that Mount Redoubt could erupt explosively at any time with little or no warning. The AVO cited the volcano’s seismic activity, gaseous output, and lava-dome growth as reasons for concern.” (quoted from Earth Observatory) This image shows a bright white steam plume over the Redoubt’s summit.

This article by Brentwood Higman features photographs of lightning in the Redoubt Volcano ash cloud that he took on March 27, 2009 from a location about 80 miles from the volcano.

The people of Newtok, Alaska are moving their community in response to erosion, flooding and subsidence. Climate change is being blamed.

USGS article on northern Alaska coastal erosion.

The eruption of Redoubt Volcano forced Chevron to shut-in ten oil wells in Cook Inlet for an indefinite length of time. Some experts believe that some of the wells may not restart when Chevron is ready to resume production.