Geology News
Indian Ocean Current Events

“On January 10, NASA’s Aqua satellite captured this image of haze hugging the Himalayas and spilling out into the Ganges delta and Bengal Sea.The haze likely resulted from a combination of urban and industrial pollution, agricultural fires, and a regional meteorological phenomenon known as a temperature inversion.” Quoted from the NASA image release.

Melting Glaciers Threaten Bolivia’s Water Supply

Maar-Diatreme Volcanoes

M4.0 Earthquake near Hollis Center, Maine

Something Worse than Lyme Disease?

Asteroids that Travel in Packs

Rupture Process of the April, 2012 Sumatra Earthquake

“The massive earthquake that struck under the Indian Ocean southwest of Sumatra on April 11, 2012, came as a surprise to seismologists and left them scrambling to figure out exactly what had happened. Analysis of the seismic waves generated during the event has now revealed a complicated faulting process unlike anything seen before.” Quoted from the University of Santa Cruz press release.

This interesting article reviews some of the world’s important chokepoints for the transport of crude oil.

From the article: “Chokepoints are narrow channels along widely used global sea routes, some so narrow that restrictions are placed on the size of the vessel that can navigate through them. They are a critical part of global energy security due to the high volume of oil traded through their narrow straits.”

The “Stuart R. Stidolph Diatom Atlas” has been published for free online viewing by the United States Geological Survey. It is a comprehensive volume of diatom taxa identified and micrographed by Stuart Stidoph.

Apache Corporation plans to drill Kenya’s first deepwater well in the Indian Ocean next month. Seismic studies and surface oil slicks suggest the presence of crude oil.

Anadarko Petroleum Corporation has discovered a major gas field in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Mozambique.

Today’s M8.6 earthquake off the western coast of Sumatra was exceptionally large for being generated by a strike-slip fault.

Today’s magnitude 8.6 and magnitude 8.2 earthquakes off the western coast of northern Sumatra produced small tsunamis that tested warning systems developed since the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

“This visualization shows ocean surface currents around the world during the period from June 2005 through December 2007. The visualization does not include a narration or annotations; the goal was to use ocean flow data to create a simple, visceral experience.” Quoted from the NASA visualization release.

Google is going to sponsor the Catlin Seaview Survey and help them create virtual dives on the Great Barrier Reef that can be viewed online.

“The TsunamiReady Program, developed by the National Weather Service, is designed to help cities, towns, counties, universities and other large sites in coastal areas reduce the potential for disastrous tsunami-related consequences.” NOAA has educational materials available for people of all ages.