Thursday, September 30, 2010

[Volcano_Vista_HS] Smith's "Earn and Learn" Re-enroll Reminder, 10/1/2010, 12:00 am



Reminder from:   Volcano_Vista_HS Yahoo! Group
 
Title:   Smith's "Earn and Learn" Re-enroll Reminder
 
Date:   Friday October 1, 2010
Time:   All Day
Repeats:   This event repeats every year.
Location:   Any Smith's Grocery Store
Notes:   Smith's requires those with Fresh Values cards to re-enroll each year for their "Earn & Learn" program after September 30th. In order for Volcano Vista High School to continue receiving earnings for you shopping at Smith's, you must either bring in a flier with the enrollment barcode for our school, or may go to their web site and set up an account where you can re-enroll.

You may go to our files section to download the flier called "Volcano Vista Smith's Earn and Learn.pdf"

A link to our files section is:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Volcano_Vista_HS/files/

The web link to the page where you can sign up is: http://www.smithsfoodanddrug.com/mysmiths/Pages/earn_and_learn.aspx

(NOTE: This link was effective as of June 2009 and may change)

Volcano Vista's organization number is: 80114.
 
Copyright © 2010  Yahoo! Inc. All Rights Reserved | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy


__._,_.___


For more information, go to our web site: http://www.volcanovistahawks.com



Your email settings: Individual Email|Traditional
Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required)
Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch to Fully Featured
Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe

__,_._,___

[californiadisasters] Possible Positive Bolt in Chula Vista Today



This afternoon in Chula Vista in San Diego County a lightening bolt struck a water main damaging it and blew out several nearby windows.

I do not know if this bolt struck a hydrant and then followed that down to the main or if it directly impacted the ground and traveled down through the soil and contacted the main that way.

Given what typically happens as a result of the much more garden variety and significantly weaker negative bolts I'd say this was a positive bolt although I cannot confirm that.

Kimmer

--
Check out http://groups.yahoo.com/group/californiadisasters/
Read our blog at http://eclecticarcania.blogspot.com/
Visit me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/derkimster
Visit my Myspace at http://www.myspace.com/kimusinteruptus
We have an Ebay store at http://stores.ebay.com/K-K-Earthwerks


__._,_.___


Be sure to check out our Links Section at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/californiadisasters/links
Please join our Discussion Group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/californiadisasters_discussion/ for topical but extended discussions started here or for less topical but nonetheless relevant messages.




Your email settings: Individual Email|Traditional
Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required)
Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch to Fully Featured
Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe

__,_._,___

Re: [Geology2] Fossilized Giant Penguin Reveals Unusual Colors



How do they knew the true color of the feathers? They're gone now and pigments are gone and any colors now are mineralization, no?

On Thu, Sep 30, 2010 at 3:45 PM, Lin Kerns <linkerns@gmail.com> wrote:
 


Fossil body feathers of Inkayacu paracasensis. (Credit: University of Texas at Austin)

Fossilized Giant Penguin Reveals Unusual Colors, Sheds Light on Bird Evolution

ScienceDaily (Sep. 30, 2010) — Paleontologists have unearthed the first extinct penguin with preserved evidence of scales and feathers. The 36-million-year-old fossil from Peru shows the new giant penguin's feathers were reddish brown and grey, distinct from the black tuxedoed look of living penguins.

The new species, Inkayacu paracasensis, or Water King, was nearly five feet tall or about twice the size of an Emperor penguin, the largest living penguin today.

"Before this fossil, we had no evidence about the feathers, colors and flipper shapes of ancient penguins. We had questions and this was our first chance to start answering them," said Julia Clarke, paleontologist at The University of Texas at Austin's Jackson School of Geosciences and lead author of a paper on the discovery in the Sept. 30 online edition of the journal Science.

The fossil shows the flipper and feather shapes that make penguins such powerful swimmers evolved early, while the color patterning of living penguins is likely a much more recent innovation.

Like living penguins and unlike all other birds, Inkayacu's wing feathers were radically modified in shape, densely packed and stacked on top of each other, forming stiff, narrow flippers. Its body feathers had broad shafts that in living penguins aid streamlining the body.

Bird feathers get some of their colors from the size, shape and arrangement of nanoscale structures called melanosomes. Matthew Shawkey and Liliana D'Alba, coauthors at the University of Akron, compared melanosomes recovered from the fossil to their extensive library of those from living birds to reconstruct the colors of the fossil penguin's feathers.

Melanosomes in Inkayacu were similar to those in birds other than living penguins, allowing the researchers to deduce the colors they produced. When the team looked at living penguins, they were surprised to find their colors were created by giant melanosomes, broader than in the fossil and in all other birds surveyed. They were also packed into groups that looked like clusters of grapes.

Why, the researchers wondered, did modern penguins apparently evolve their own special way to make black-brown feathers?

The unique shape, size and arrangement of living penguin melanosomes would alter the feather microstructure on the nano and micro scale, and melanin, contained within melanosomes, is known to give feathers resistance to wear and fracturing. Perhaps, the researchers speculate, these shifts might have had more to do with hydrodynamic demands of an aquatic lifestyle than with coloration. Penguin colors may have shifted for entirely different reasons related to the later origin of primary predators of extant penguins such as seals or other changes in late Cenozoic seas.

"Insights into the color of extinct organisms can reveal clues to their ecology and behavior," said coauthor Jakob Vinther at Yale University, who first noted fossil preservation of melanosomes in bird feathers. "But most of all, I think it is simply just cool to get a look at the color of a remarkable extinct organism, such as a giant fossil penguin."

Inkayacu paracasensis (een-kah-yah-koo par-ah-kah-sin-sis) was discovered by Peruvian student Ali Altamirano in Reserva Nacional de Paracas, Peru. Inkayacu's body length while swimming would have been about 1.5 meters (five feet), making it one of the largest penguins ever to have lived. When the team noticed scaly soft tissue preserved on an exposed foot, they nicknamed it "Pedro" after a sleazy or "escamoso" (scaly) character from a Colombian telenovela.

The latest discoveries add to earlier work by Clarke and her colleagues in Peru that challenges the conventional vision of early penguin evolution. Inkayacu and other finds show there was a rich diversity of giant penguin species in the late Eocene period (about 36 to 41 million years ago) of low-latitude Peru.

"This is an extraordinary site to preserve evidence of structures like scales and feathers," said Clarke. "So there's incredible potential for new discoveries that can change our view of not only penguin evolution, but of other marine vertebrates."

The National Geographic Society and the National Science Foundation provided funding for the research.

The paper, "Fossil Evidence for Evolution of the Shape and Color of Penguin Feathers," will appear later in a print edition of the journal. In addition to Clarke, Shawkey, Alba, Vinther and Altamirano, co-authors are Daniel T. Ksepka (North Carolina State University), Rodolfo Salas-Gismondi (Museo de Historia Natural-UNMSM), Thomas J. DeVries (Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture) and Patrice Baby (IRD and Université de Toulouse, France).

Story Source:
The above story is reprinted (with editorial adaptations by ScienceDaily staff) from materials provided by University of Texas at Austin, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

Journal Reference:

  1. Julia A. Clarke, Daniel T. Ksepka, Rodolfo Salas-Gismondi, Ali J. Altamirano, Matthew D. Shawkey, Liliana D'alba, Jakob Vinther, Thomas J. Devries, Patrice Baby. Fossil Evidence for Evolution of the Shape and Color of Penguin Feathers. Science, September 30, 2010 DOI: 10.1126/science.1193604

University of Texas at Austin. "Fossilized Giant Penguin Reveals Unusual Colors, Sheds Light on Bird Evolution." ScienceDaily 30 September 2010. 30 September 2010 <http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2010/09/100930142716.htm>.

Video Here



--
Got Penguins? 

Penguin News Today
The Science of Penguins
Gentoo Penguins of Gars O'Higgins Station, Antarctica
>^,,^< 



--
Check out http://groups.yahoo.com/group/californiadisasters/
Read our blog at http://eclecticarcania.blogspot.com/
Visit me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/derkimster
Visit my Myspace at http://www.myspace.com/kimusinteruptus
We have an Ebay store at http://stores.ebay.com/K-K-Earthwerks


__._,_.___


Your email settings: Individual Email|Traditional
Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required)
Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch to Fully Featured
Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe

__,_._,___

Re: [californiadisasters] ] On This Date In CA Weather History (September 30)- Laguna Fire



Patricia,

Thanks for the great post.... in theory it could happen as soon as next week when Southern California experiences its first Santa Ana Wind event of Autumn 2010.

Kimmer

On Thu, Sep 30, 2010 at 1:14 PM, Patricia J Akers <delachenaie1@yahoo.com> wrote:
 

Here is some information about the Laguna 1970 fire in San Diego county.

The Laguna fire of 1970 ringed the outskirts of El Cajon.  We watched as homes went down on the ridges on the Southern section of El Cajon Valley. Crest is a ridgetop to the east of El Cajon Valley.  It is part of the Bostonia Postal Service area.  Many of the homes destroyed were in Crest.  It actually was a faster moving fire than Cedar.  It moved into Crest from the same area of Wildcat Canyon-Putz Valley as in Cedar 2003.  It also had a secondary front that is reputed to have had fire moving at 55-60 miles per hour in Dehesa Valley.(this is where I live now)  Dehesa is due west of Kitchen Creek, where the fire started.  More of Dehesa and El Cajon were burned in 1970.  The fires into the Southern El Cajon section came from the Dehesa Valley. The fire did not stop moving west until La Presa.  The only thing that stopped this fire from continuing to the west was a weather change.

here is information about this fire. 


Here is a map of Cedar 2003.  In some ways, specifically in the speed of the fire, Cedar was nothing compared to Laguna 1970.  Laguna was truly unstoppable, because of the 55-60 mile an hour winds.  Thank the weather for it not burning to the ocean and down the Sweetwater river to Chula Vista.


Here is a pdf document that gives a list of recommendations for controlling fire in this area.  Note the recommendation for undergrounding power lines.  In addition we had trouble with communication between the different responders, just like in Cedar.  They have not fixed this yet, and SDG&E has not undergrounded some of the most critical areas as recommended.


It IS going to happen again.

Patricia




--
Check out http://groups.yahoo.com/group/californiadisasters/
Read our blog at http://eclecticarcania.blogspot.com/
Visit me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/derkimster
Visit my Myspace at http://www.myspace.com/kimusinteruptus
We have an Ebay store at http://stores.ebay.com/K-K-Earthwerks


__._,_.___


Be sure to check out our Links Section at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/californiadisasters/links
Please join our Discussion Group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/californiadisasters_discussion/ for topical but extended discussions started here or for less topical but nonetheless relevant messages.




Your email settings: Individual Email|Traditional
Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required)
Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch to Fully Featured
Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe

__,_._,___

[Volcano_Vista_HS] VVHS Progress Reports



Progress reports will be coming home with your student tomorrow, Friday, October 1st. Make sure to ask them to see it :)


__._,_.___


For more information, go to our web site: http://www.volcanovistahawks.com



Your email settings: Individual Email|Traditional
Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required)
Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch to Fully Featured
Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe

__,_._,___

[Volcano_Vista_HS] Volcano Vista Football vs. Onate ONLINE (Friday, October 1 at 7 PM)



My name is Janice Garcia and I manage the TV studio for the Las Cruces Public Schools.  I just wanted to remind you that your fans will be able to watch the Oñate H.S. vs Volcano Vista H.S. football game this Friday via the internet! 

LCPS.TV produces a webcast with an all student crew.  In order to watch, just go to www.lcps.tv on the day of the game and click on the correct date.  We should be up and broadcasting about 15 minutes before the game. If for some reason you forget the website, you can always go to the Las Cruces Public Schools home page and click on the flaming football. That will take you to the lcps.tv page.  

Please tell all your friends and parents in case they can't make it down to Las Cruces, they can still watch their kiddos play.


MODERATOR'S NOTE A direct link to the game can be found at:
http://www.highschoolsports.net/eventinfo/Onate-High-School-Las-Cruces-NM/37572113/Football/Varsity/Boys/



__._,_.___


For more information, go to our web site: http://www.volcanovistahawks.com



Your email settings: Individual Email|Traditional
Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required)
Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch to Fully Featured
Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe

__,_._,___

Re: [Geology2] Worldwide groundwater depletion rate accelerating



--- On Wed, 9/29/10, robert-blau@webtv.net <robert-blau@webtv.net> wrote:

Uh-oh . . .



>http://homelandsecuritynewswire.com/worldwide-groundwater-depletion-rate-accelerating

>

>

> Worldwide groundwater depletion rate accelerating

>

> Published 27 September 2010

>

> In recent decades, the rate at which humans worldwide are pumping dry

the

> vast underground stores of water that billions depend on has more than

> doubled; if water was siphoned from the Great Lakes as rapidly as

water is

> pumped out of underground reservoirs, the Great Lakes would go

bone-dry in

> around 80 years.

This isn't any surprise to me.  I heard in the mid-1970s that the first really big resource crisis would be fresh water.  Everything I've heard since has just confirmed it.

Diorite


__._,_.___


Your email settings: Individual Email|Traditional
Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required)
Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch to Fully Featured
Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe

__,_._,___

[Geology2] And now a message from Yahoo




From Yahoo! 

Hi everyone,

check out our most recent blog post:
http://www.ygroupsblog.com/blog/?p=958

Some messages have been delayed (possibly as many as five days) due to an outage on one of our mail machines. We are in the process of sending out the delayed messages and expect to catch up in the next few days. You do not have to resend any messages.

Thank you for your patience.




--
Got Penguins? 

Penguin News Today
The Science of Penguins
Gentoo Penguins of Gars O'Higgins Station, Antarctica
>^,,^< 


__._,_.___


Your email settings: Individual Email|Traditional
Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required)
Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch to Fully Featured
Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe

__,_._,___

[Geology2] Fossilized Giant Penguin Reveals Unusual Colors




Fossil body feathers of Inkayacu paracasensis. (Credit: University of Texas at Austin)

Fossilized Giant Penguin Reveals Unusual Colors, Sheds Light on Bird Evolution

ScienceDaily (Sep. 30, 2010) — Paleontologists have unearthed the first extinct penguin with preserved evidence of scales and feathers. The 36-million-year-old fossil from Peru shows the new giant penguin's feathers were reddish brown and grey, distinct from the black tuxedoed look of living penguins.

The new species, Inkayacu paracasensis, or Water King, was nearly five feet tall or about twice the size of an Emperor penguin, the largest living penguin today.

"Before this fossil, we had no evidence about the feathers, colors and flipper shapes of ancient penguins. We had questions and this was our first chance to start answering them," said Julia Clarke, paleontologist at The University of Texas at Austin's Jackson School of Geosciences and lead author of a paper on the discovery in the Sept. 30 online edition of the journal Science.

The fossil shows the flipper and feather shapes that make penguins such powerful swimmers evolved early, while the color patterning of living penguins is likely a much more recent innovation.

Like living penguins and unlike all other birds, Inkayacu's wing feathers were radically modified in shape, densely packed and stacked on top of each other, forming stiff, narrow flippers. Its body feathers had broad shafts that in living penguins aid streamlining the body.

Bird feathers get some of their colors from the size, shape and arrangement of nanoscale structures called melanosomes. Matthew Shawkey and Liliana D'Alba, coauthors at the University of Akron, compared melanosomes recovered from the fossil to their extensive library of those from living birds to reconstruct the colors of the fossil penguin's feathers.

Melanosomes in Inkayacu were similar to those in birds other than living penguins, allowing the researchers to deduce the colors they produced. When the team looked at living penguins, they were surprised to find their colors were created by giant melanosomes, broader than in the fossil and in all other birds surveyed. They were also packed into groups that looked like clusters of grapes.

Why, the researchers wondered, did modern penguins apparently evolve their own special way to make black-brown feathers?

The unique shape, size and arrangement of living penguin melanosomes would alter the feather microstructure on the nano and micro scale, and melanin, contained within melanosomes, is known to give feathers resistance to wear and fracturing. Perhaps, the researchers speculate, these shifts might have had more to do with hydrodynamic demands of an aquatic lifestyle than with coloration. Penguin colors may have shifted for entirely different reasons related to the later origin of primary predators of extant penguins such as seals or other changes in late Cenozoic seas.

"Insights into the color of extinct organisms can reveal clues to their ecology and behavior," said coauthor Jakob Vinther at Yale University, who first noted fossil preservation of melanosomes in bird feathers. "But most of all, I think it is simply just cool to get a look at the color of a remarkable extinct organism, such as a giant fossil penguin."

Inkayacu paracasensis (een-kah-yah-koo par-ah-kah-sin-sis) was discovered by Peruvian student Ali Altamirano in Reserva Nacional de Paracas, Peru. Inkayacu's body length while swimming would have been about 1.5 meters (five feet), making it one of the largest penguins ever to have lived. When the team noticed scaly soft tissue preserved on an exposed foot, they nicknamed it "Pedro" after a sleazy or "escamoso" (scaly) character from a Colombian telenovela.

The latest discoveries add to earlier work by Clarke and her colleagues in Peru that challenges the conventional vision of early penguin evolution. Inkayacu and other finds show there was a rich diversity of giant penguin species in the late Eocene period (about 36 to 41 million years ago) of low-latitude Peru.

"This is an extraordinary site to preserve evidence of structures like scales and feathers," said Clarke. "So there's incredible potential for new discoveries that can change our view of not only penguin evolution, but of other marine vertebrates."

The National Geographic Society and the National Science Foundation provided funding for the research.

The paper, "Fossil Evidence for Evolution of the Shape and Color of Penguin Feathers," will appear later in a print edition of the journal. In addition to Clarke, Shawkey, Alba, Vinther and Altamirano, co-authors are Daniel T. Ksepka (North Carolina State University), Rodolfo Salas-Gismondi (Museo de Historia Natural-UNMSM), Thomas J. DeVries (Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture) and Patrice Baby (IRD and Université de Toulouse, France).

Story Source:
The above story is reprinted (with editorial adaptations by ScienceDaily staff) from materials provided by University of Texas at Austin, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

Journal Reference:

  1. Julia A. Clarke, Daniel T. Ksepka, Rodolfo Salas-Gismondi, Ali J. Altamirano, Matthew D. Shawkey, Liliana D'alba, Jakob Vinther, Thomas J. Devries, Patrice Baby. Fossil Evidence for Evolution of the Shape and Color of Penguin Feathers. Science, September 30, 2010 DOI: 10.1126/science.1193604

University of Texas at Austin. "Fossilized Giant Penguin Reveals Unusual Colors, Sheds Light on Bird Evolution." ScienceDaily 30 September 2010. 30 September 2010 <http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2010/09/100930142716.htm>.

Video Here



--
Got Penguins? 

Penguin News Today
The Science of Penguins
Gentoo Penguins of Gars O'Higgins Station, Antarctica
>^,,^< 


__._,_.___


Your email settings: Individual Email|Traditional
Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required)
Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch to Fully Featured
Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe

__,_._,___

[ Volcano ] SI/USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report 22-28 September 2010

****************************************************************************
**********
SI/USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report 22-28 September 2010
****************************************************************************
**********

SI/USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report

22-28 September 2010

Sally Kuhn Sennert - Weekly Report Editor

kuhns@si.edu

URL: http://www.volcano.si.edu/reports/usgs/

New Activity/Unrest: | Karangetang [Api Siau], Siau I | Kliuchevskoi,
Central Kamchatka (Russia) | Merapi, Central Java (Indonesia) | Piton de la
Fournaise, Reunion Island | Planchón-Peteroa, Central Chile-Argentina border
| Sinabung, Sumatra (Indonesia)

Ongoing Activity: | Cleveland, Chuginadak Island | Dukono, Halmahera |
Karymsky, Eastern Kamchatka (Russia) | Kilauea, Hawaii (USA) | Reventador,
Ecuador | Sakura-jima, Kyushu | Shiveluch, Central Kamchatka (Russia) |
Soufrière Hills, Montserrat | Suwanose-jima, Ryukyu Islands (Japan)

The Weekly Volcanic Activity Report is a cooperative project between the
Smithsonian's Global Volcanism Program and the US Geological Survey's
Volcano Hazards Program. Updated by 2300 UTC every Wednesday, notices of
volcanic activity posted on these pages are preliminary and subject to
change as events are studied in more detail. This is not a comprehensive
list of all of Earth's volcanoes erupting during the week, but rather a
summary of activity at volcanoes that meet criteria discussed in detail in
the "Criteria and Disclaimers" section. Carefully reviewed, detailed reports
on various volcanoes are published monthly in the Bulletin of the Global
Volcanism Network.

Note: Many news agencies do not archive the articles they post on the
Internet, and therefore the links to some sources may not be active. To
obtain information about the cited articles that are no longer available on
the Internet contact the source.

New Activity/Unrest

KARANGETANG [API SIAU] Siau I 2.78°N, 125.40°E; summit elev. 1784 m

CVGHM reported that during 1-7 September lava seen from the observation post
(5 km SSW) traveled 75 m down Karangetang's flanks. Avalanches traveled as
far as 1.5 km down the Batang (S), Batu Awang (E), and Nanitu drainages.
Incandescent material was ejected 350 m above the crater. During 8-21
September lava traveled 500 m down the flanks. Avalanches originating from
the end of the lava flow traveled as far as 2 km down the Batang, Kahetang
(E), and Nanitu drainages. During 18-20 September material was ejected
300-500 m above the crater. Ashfall was reported in areas to the NW. On 21
and 22 September incandescent material traveled down multiple drainages.
Strombolian activity was observed on 22 September; material ejected 50 m
high fell back down around the crater. That same day the Alert level was
raised to 3 (on a scale of 1-4).

Geologic Summary. Karangetang (also known as Api Siau) lies at the northern
end of the island of Siau, N of Sulawesi, and contains five summit craters
strung along a N-S line. One of Indonesia's most active volcanoes,
Karangetang has had more than 40 recorded eruptions since 1675.
Twentieth-century eruptions have included frequent explosions, sometimes
accompanied by pyroclastic flows and lahars.

Source: Center of Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (CVGHM)
http://portal.vsi.esdm.go.id/joomla/

KLIUCHEVSKOI Central Kamchatka (Russia) 56.057°N, 160.638°E; summit elev.
4835 m

KVERT reported that during 17-24 September seismic activity from
Kliuchevskoi was above background levels and lava from the summit crater
flowed down the SW flank. Satellite imagery analyses showed a large and
intense daily thermal anomaly over the volcano. Strombolian activity was
observed during 17 and 20-21 September, and ash plumes were seen rising to
altitudes of 6.5-7 km (21,300-23,000 ft) a.s.l. on 20 and 21 September.
Satellite imagery showed ash plumes drifting about 60 km W on 19 September
and about 240 km E on 20 and 21 September. The Aviation Color Code level
remained at Orange.

Geologic Summary. Kliuchevskoi is Kamchatka's highest and most active
volcano. Since its origin about 7,000 years ago, the beautifully
symmetrical, 4,835-m-high basaltic stratovolcano has produced frequent
moderate-volume explosive and effusive eruptions without major periods of
inactivity. More than 100 flank eruptions, mostly on the NE and SE flanks of
the conical volcano between 500 m and 3,600 m elevation, have occurred
during the past 3,000 years. The morphology of its 700-m-wide summit crater
has been frequently modified by historical eruptions, which have been
recorded since the late-17th century. Historical eruptions have originated
primarily from the summit crater, but have also included major explosive and
effusive events from flank craters.

Source: Kamchatkan Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT)
http://www.kscnet.ru/ivs/kvert/index_eng.php

MERAPI Central Java (Indonesia) 7.542°S, 110.442°E; summit elev. 2968 m

CVGHM reported that a pattern of increasing seismicity from Merapi began in
to emerge in early September. Observers at Babadan (7 km W) and Kaliurang (8
km S) heard an avalanche on 12 September. On 13 September white plumes rose
800 m above the crater. Inflation, detected since March, increased from
background levels of 0.1 to 0.3 mm per day to a rate of 11 mm per day on 16
September. On 19 September earthquakes continued to be numerous, and the
next day CVGHM raised the Alert Level to 2 (on a scale of 1-4).

Geologic Summary. Merapi, one of Indonesia's most active volcanoes, lies in
one of the world's most densely populated areas and dominates the landscape
immediately N of the major city of Yogyakarta. The steep-sided modern Merapi
edifice, its upper part unvegetated due to frequent eruptive activity, was
constructed to the SW of an arcuate scarp cutting the eroded older
Batulawang volcano. Pyroclastic flows and lahars accompanying growth and
collapse of the steep-sided active summit lava dome have devastated
cultivated and inhabited lands on the volcano's western-to-southern flanks
and caused many fatalities during historical time. The volcano is the object
of extensive monitoring efforts by the Merapi Volcano Observatory (MVO).

Source: Center of Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (CVGHM)
http://portal.vsi.esdm.go.id/joomla/

PITON DE LA FOURNAISE Reunion Island 21.231°S, 55.713°E; summit elev. 2632 m

Starting on 14 August and continuing through 10 September, OVPDLF recorded a
slow but steady increase in the number and magnitude of earthquakes from
Piton de la Fournaise. Inflation of the summit area began in late August. A
report on 13 September noted localized deformation W of Dolomieu crater and
a small number of landslides in the crater. On 20 September a significant
increase in earthquakes was recorded, although the average magnitude was
low. The earthquakes were located at the base of Piton de la Fournaise, W
and S of Dolomieu crater. A seismic crisis on 24 September was characterized
by several tens of earthquakes located beneath Dolomieu crater, and occurred
in conjunction with 3 cm of inflation. The Alert level was raised to 1
("Probable or Imminent Eruption").

Geologic Summary. Massive Piton de la Fournaise shield volcano on the island
of Réunion is one of the world's most active volcanoes. Most historical
eruptions have originated from the summit and flanks of a 400-m-high lava
shield, Dolomieu, that has grown within the youngest of three large
calderas. This depression is 8 km wide and is breached to below sea level on
the eastern side. More than 150 eruptions, most of which have produced fluid
basaltic lava flows within the caldera, have been documented since the 17th
century. The volcano is monitored by the Piton de la Fournaise Volcano
Observatory, one of several operated by the Institut de Physique du Globe de
Paris.

Source: Observatoire Volcanologique du Piton de la Fournaise (OVPDLF)
http://www.ipgp.fr/pages/03030810.php

PLANCHON-PETEROA Central Chile-Argentina border 35.240°S, 70.570°W; summit
elev. 4107 m

Based on analyses of satellite imagery, the Buenos Aires VAAC reported that
on 26 September an ash plume from Planchón-Peteroa rose to an altitude of
4.3 km (14,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted SSE.

Geologic Summary. Planchón-Peteroa is an elongated complex volcano along the
Chile-Argentina border with several overlapping calderas. Activity began in
the Pleistocene with construction of the basaltic-andesite to dacitic Volcán
Azufre, followed by formation of basaltic and basaltic-andesite Volcán
Planchón, 6 km to the N. About 11,500 years ago, much of Azufre and part of
Planchón collapsed, forming the massive Río Teno debris avalanche, which
reached Chile's Central Valley. Subsequently, Volcán Planchón II was formed.
The youngest volcano, andesitic and basaltic-andesite Volcá Peteroa,
consists of scattered vents between Azufre and Planchón. Peteroa has been
active into historical time and contains a small steaming crater lake.
Historical eruptions from the Planchón-Peteroa complex have been dominantly
explosive, although lava flows were erupted in 1837 and 1937.

Source: Buenos Aires Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC)
http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/VAAC/OTH/AG/messages.html

SINABUNG Sumatra (Indonesia) 3.17°N, 98.392°E; summit elev. 2460 m

CVGHM reported that on 22 September a white plume from Sinabung rose as high
as 100 m above the crater. On 23 September the Alert Level was lowered to 3
(on a scale of 1-4).

Geologic Summary. Gunung Sinabung is a Pleistocene-to-Holocene stratovolcano
with many lava flows on its flanks. The migration of summit vents along a
N-S line gives the summit crater complex an elongated form. The youngest
crater of this conical, 2460-m-high andesitic-to-dacitic volcano is at the
southern end of the four overlapping summit craters. An unconfirmed eruption
was noted in 1881, and solfataric activity was seen at the summit and upper
flanks of Sinabung in 1912, although no confirmed historical eruptions were
recorded prior to 2010.

Source: Center of Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (CVGHM)
http://portal.vsi.esdm.go.id/joomla/

Ongoing Activity

CLEVELAND Chuginadak Island 52.825°N, 169.944°W; summit elev. 1730 m

AVO reported that during 25-26 September a weak thermal anomaly from
Cleveland was detected in satellite imagery. Cloud cover prevented views of
the volcano during 22-24 and 27-28 September. The Volcano Alert Level
remained at Advisory and the Aviation Color Code remained at Yellow. No
current seismic information was available because Cleveland does not have a
real-time seismic network.

Geologic Summary. Symmetrical Mount Cleveland stratovolcano is situated at
the western end of the uninhabited dumbbell-shaped Chuginadak Island in the
east-central Aleutians. The 1,730-m-high stratovolcano is the highest of the
Islands of Four Mountains group and is one of the most active in the
Aleutians. Numerous large lava flows descend its flanks. It is possible that
some 18th to 19th century eruptions attributed to Carlisle (a volcano
located across the Carlisle Pass Strait to the NW) should be ascribed to
Cleveland. In 1944 Cleveland produced the only known fatality from an
Aleutian eruption. Recent eruptions from Mt. Cleveland have been
characterized by short-lived explosive ash emissions, at times accompanied
by lava fountaining and lava flows down the flanks.

Source: Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) http://www.avo.alaska.edu/

DUKONO Halmahera 1.68°N, 127.88°E; summit elev. 1335 m

Based on analyses of satellite imagery, the Darwin VAAC reported that during
21-25 September ash plumes from Dukono rose to an altitude of 2.4 km (8,000
ft) a.s.l. and drifted 35-95 km W.

Geologic Summary. Reports from this remote volcano in northernmost Halmahera
are rare, but Dukono has been one of Indonesia's most active volcanoes.
More-or-less continuous explosive eruptions, sometimes accompanied by lava
flows, occurred from 1933 until at least the mid-1990s, when routine
observations were curtailed. During a major eruption in 1550, a lava flow
filled in the strait between Halmahera and the N-flank cone of Gunung
Mamuya. Dukono is a complex volcano presenting a broad, low profile with
multiple summit peaks and overlapping craters. Malupang Wariang, 1 km SW of
Dukono's summit crater complex, contains a 700 x 570 m crater that has also
been active during historical time.

Source: Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC)
http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/VAAC/OTH/AU/messages.html

KARYMSKY Eastern Kamchatka (Russia) 54.05°N, 159.45°E; summit elev. 1536 m

KVERT reported that seismic activity from Karymsky was above background
levels during 16-20 September and suggested possible ash explosions.
Seismicity was at background levels on 21 and 22 September. Cloud cover
prevented satellite image views. The Aviation Color Code level remained at
Orange.

Geologic Summary. Karymsky, the most active volcano of Kamchatka's eastern
volcanic zone, is a symmetrical stratovolcano constructed within a 5-km-wide
caldera that formed about 7,600-7,700 radiocarbon years ago. Construction of
the Karymsky stratovolcano began about 2,000 years later. The latest
eruptive period began about 500 years ago, following a 2,300-year
quiescence. Much of the cone is mantled by lava flows less than 200 years
old. Historical eruptions have been Vulcanian or Vulcanian-Strombolian with
moderate explosive activity and occasional lava flows from the summit
crater. Most seismicity preceding Karymsky eruptions has originated beneath
Akademia Nauk caldera, which is located immediately S of Karymsky volcano
and erupted simultaneously with Karymsky in 1996.

Source: Kamchatkan Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT)
http://www.kscnet.ru/ivs/kvert/index_eng.php

KILAUEA Hawaii (USA) 19.421°N, 155.287°W; summit elev. 1222 m

During 22-28 September HVO reported that activity at Kilauea continued from
the summit caldera and the east rift zone. At the summit caldera, the level
of the lava-pool surface in the deep pit within Halema'uma'u crater remained
mostly stable around 160 m below the crater floor; periodically the lava
rose 15-35 m above that level. Glow from the vent was also visible at night.
A plume from the vent drifted SW and deposited ash nearby. At the east rift
zone, lava that flowed through the TEB lava-tube system mainly fed the
Puhi-o-Kalaikini ocean entry. Weak thermal anomalies detected in satellite
imagery suggested little to no lava flow activity on the pali or the coastal
plain. On 26 September lava broke out of the lava-tube system W of the end
of Highway 130 and produced a flow E toward Kalapana Gardens. The next day
lava, flowing at a slower rate, filled in low areas S of the Hawaii County
lava viewing area.

Geologic Summary. Kilauea, one of five coalescing volcanoes that comprise
the island of Hawaii, is one of the world's most active volcanoes. Eruptions
at Kilauea originate primarily from the summit caldera or along one of the
lengthy E and SW rift zones that extend from the caldera to the sea. About
90% of the surface of Kilauea is formed of lava flows less than about 1,100
years old; 70% of the volcano's surface is younger than 600 years. A
long-term eruption from the East rift zone that began in 1983 has produced
lava flows covering more than 100 sq km, destroying nearly 200 houses and
adding new coastline to the island.

Source: US Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO)
http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/

REVENTADOR Ecuador 0.077°S, 77.656°W; summit elev. 3562 m

The IG reported that on 28 September three seismic events from Reventador
were recorded. Cloud cover prevented observations during the first event.
During the second period of increased seismicity, observers noted that a
steam plume with a small amount of ash rose 400-500 m above the crater and
drifted N. The third episode was accompanied by a steam-and-ash plume that
rose 2 km above the crater and drifted NW. Ash fell on Reventador.

Geologic Summary. Reventador is the most frequently active of a chain of
Ecuadorian volcanoes in the Cordillera Real, well E of the principal
volcanic axis. It is a forested stratovolcano that rises above the remote
jungles of the western Amazon basin. A 3-km-wide caldera breached to the E
was formed by edifice collapse and is partially filled by a young,
unvegetated stratovolcano that rises about 1,300 m above the caldera floor.
Reventador has been the source of numerous lava flows as well as explosive
eruptions that were visible from Quito in historical time. Frequent lahars
in this region of heavy rainfall have constructed a debris plain on the
eastern floor of the caldera.

Source: Instituto Geofísico-Escuela Politécnica Nacional (IG)
http://www.igepn.edu.ec/

SAKURA-JIMA Kyushu 31.585°N, 130.657°E; summit elev. 1117 m

Based on a pilot observation, the Tokyo VAAC reported that on 22 September
an ash plume rose to an altitude of 1.8 km (6,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted SE.

Geologic Summary. Sakura-jima, one of Japan's most active volcanoes, is a
post-caldera cone of the Aira caldera at the northern half of Kagoshima Bay.
Eruption of the voluminous Ito pyroclastic flow was associated with the
formation of the 17 x 23-km-wide Aira caldera about 22,000 years ago. The
construction of Sakura-jima began about 13,000 years ago and built an island
that was finally joined to the Osumi Peninsula during the major explosive
and effusive eruption of 1914. Activity at the Kita-dake summit cone ended
about 4,850 years ago, after which eruptions took place at Minami-dake.
Frequent historical eruptions, recorded since the 8th century, have
deposited ash on Kagoshima, one of Kyushu's largest cities, located across
Kagoshima Bay only 8 km from the summit. The largest historical eruption
took place during 1471-76.

Source: Tokyo Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC)
http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/VAAC/OTH/JP/messages.html

SHIVELUCH Central Kamchatka (Russia) 56.653°N, 161.360°E; summit elev. 3283
m

KVERT reported that during 17-24 September seismic activity from Shiveluch
was above background levels and suggested that possible ash plumes rose to
an altitude of 3.5 km (11,500 ft) a.s.l. Satellite imagery analysis showed a
thermal anomaly on the volcano. Gas-and-ash plumes were observed on 21
September, and satellite imagery showed ash plumes drifting 16 km SE the
same day. The Aviation Color Code level remained at Orange.

Geologic Summary. The high, isolated massif of Shiveluch volcano (also
spelled Sheveluch) rises above the lowlands NNE of the Kliuchevskaya volcano
group and forms one of Kamchatka's largest and most active volcanoes. The
currently active Molodoy Shiveluch lava-dome complex was constructed during
the Holocene within a large breached caldera formed by collapse of the
massive late-Pleistocene Strary Shiveluch volcano. At least 60 large
eruptions of Shiveluch have occurred during the Holocene, making it the most
vigorous andesitic volcano of the Kuril-Kamchatka arc. Frequent collapses of
lava-dome complexes, most recently in 1964, have produced large debris
avalanches whose deposits cover much of the floor of the breached caldera.
Intermittent explosive eruptions began in the 1990s from a new lava dome
that began growing in 1980. The largest historical eruptions from Shiveluch
occurred in 1854 and 1964.

Source: Kamchatkan Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT)
http://www.kscnet.ru/ivs/kvert/index_eng.php

SOUFRIERE HILLS Montserrat 16.72°N, 62.18°W; summit elev. 915 m

MVO reported that during 17-24 September activity from the Soufrière Hills
lava dome was at a low level. Heavy rains caused lahars during 19-20
September in the Belham valley to the NW. One pyroclastic flow traveled 1.5
km E down the Tar River valley on 21 September. The Hazard Level remained at
3.

Geologic Summary. The complex dominantly andesitic Soufrière Hills volcano
occupies the southern half of the island of Montserrat. The summit area
consists primarily of a series of lava domes emplaced along an ESE-trending
zone. English's Crater, a 1-km-wide crater breached widely to the E, was
formed during an eruption about 4,000 years ago in which the summit
collapsed, producing a large submarine debris avalanche. Block-and-ash flow
and surge deposits associated with dome growth predominate in flank deposits
at Soufrière Hills. Non-eruptive seismic swarms occurred at 30-year
intervals in the 20th century, but with the exception of a 17th-century
eruption that produced the Castle Peak lava dome, no historical eruptions
were recorded on Montserrat until 1995. Long-term small-to-moderate ash
eruptions beginning in that year were later accompanied by lava-dome growth
and pyroclastic flows that forced evacuation of the southern half of the
island and ultimately destroyed the capital city of Plymouth, causing major
social and economic disruption.

Source: Montserrat Volcano Observatory (MVO) http://www.mvo.ms/

SUWANOSE-JIMA Ryukyu Islands (Japan) 29.635°N, 129.716°E; summit elev. 799 m

Based on information from JMA, the Tokyo VAAC reported explosions from
Suwanose-jima during 22, 25, and 27-28 September. A pilot observed an ash
plume on 22 September that rose to an altitude of 2.1 km (7,000 ft) a.s.l.
and drifted SE. JMA noted that plumes on 25 September rose to an altitude of
1.5 km (5,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted E.

Geologic Summary. The 8-km-long, spindle-shaped island of Suwanose-jima in
the northern Ryukyu Islands consists of an andesitic stratovolcano with two
historically active summit craters. Only about 50 persons live on the
sparsely populated island. The summit of the volcano is truncated by a large
breached crater extending to the sea on the east flank that was formed by
edifice collapse. Suwanose-jima, one of Japan's most frequently active
volcanoes, was in a state of intermittent Strombolian activity from On-take,
the NE summit crater, that began in 1949 and lasted nearly a half century.
The largest historical eruption took place in 1813-14, when thick scoria
deposits blanketed residential areas, after which the island was uninhabited
for about 70 years. The SW crater produced lava flows that reached the
western coast in 1813, and lava flows reached the eastern coast of the
island in 1884.

Source: Tokyo Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC)
http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/VAAC/OTH/JP/messages.html


------------------------------------

[ Volcano ]

Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Volcano/

<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional

<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Volcano/join
(Yahoo! ID required)

<*> To change settings via email:
Volcano-digest@yahoogroups.com
Volcano-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
Volcano-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

[Geology2] Halley's comet 'was spotted by the ancient Greeks'

Halley's comet 'was spotted by the ancient Greeks'
BBC, 10 September 2010

A celestial event seen by the ancient Greeks may be the earliest
sighting of Halley's comet, new evidence suggests. According to ancient
writers, a large meteorite smacked into northern Greece between 466BC
and 467BC. The writers also described a comet in the sky at the time the
meteorite fell to Earth, but this detail has received little attention,
say the researchers. Comet Halley would have been visible for about 80
days in 466BC, researchers write in the Journal of Cosmology. New
Scientist magazine reports that, until now, the earliest probable
sighting of the comet was an orbit in 240BC, an event recorded by
Chinese astronomers.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11255168

------------------------------------

Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/geology2/

<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional

<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/geology2/join
(Yahoo! ID required)

<*> To change settings via email:
geology2-digest@yahoogroups.com
geology2-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
geology2-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

[californiadisasters] Earthquakes: Scotty's Castle, CA

Nine temblors of 3.0 or better since a 4.4 at 01:37 UTC.

These are 12-18km N to NNW of Scotty's Castle, also 18-21km from Tokop, NV.

Not major by magnitude, but the number may be noteworthy.


------------------------------------

Be sure to check out our Links Section at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/californiadisasters/links
Please join our Discussion Group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/californiadisasters_discussion/ for topical but extended discussions started here or for less topical but nonetheless relevant messages.Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/californiadisasters/

<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional

<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/californiadisasters/join
(Yahoo! ID required)

<*> To change settings via email:
californiadisasters-digest@yahoogroups.com
californiadisasters-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
californiadisasters-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

Re: [Geology2] Geologists Find Parts of Northwest Houston, Texas Sinking Rapidly



Hey , Thanks for posting this.. Houston has what they call gumbo soil, and where I grew up the houses all had foundation problems.. I am sure it is exacerbated by this subsidence which seems to be diffferent from the area I grew up in .. known as midtown Houston. What is odd.. is my old house that we had in NW Houston but not as far as Jersey Village, none of the houses had foundation problems. My parent's though,  had to be redone four times. Many homes built in the 50's and 60's have had to be torn down and rebuilt. Houston reinvents itself a lot and a lot of that I bet is because of the foundation issues caused by the sinking. We;; thanks... always nice to see my hometown mentioned even if it is for sinking. lol.. Allison

--- On Wed, 9/29/10, Lin Kerns <linkerns@gmail.com> wrote:

From: Lin Kerns <linkerns@gmail.com>
Subject: [Geology2] Geologists Find Parts of Northwest Houston, Texas Sinking Rapidly
To: "Geology2" <geology2@yahoogroups.com>
Date: Wednesday, September 29, 2010, 10:19 PM

 

A large section of northwestern Harris County is sinking rapidly, according to a University of Houston geologist who has analyzed GPS data measuring ground elevation in the area. (Credit: Shuhab Khan)

Geologists Find Parts of Northwest Houston, Texas Sinking Rapidly

ScienceDaily (Sep. 28, 2010) — A large section of northwestern Harris County -- particularly the Jersey Village area -- is sinking rapidly, according to a University of Houston (UH) geologist who has analyzed GPS data measuring ground elevation in the Houston area.

Some points in Jersey Village are subsiding by up to 5.5 centimeters (about 2 inches) a year, said Shuhab Khan, an associate professor of geology at UH. Khan, along with UH geology professor Kevin Burke and former Ph.D. student and UH alumnus Richard Engelkemeir, studied a decade's worth of detailed GPS data measuring the elevation of various points throughout the Houston area. They recently published their findings in the journal Tectonophysics, an international medium for the publication of research in the fields of geotectonics, geology and physics of the Earth's crust and interior.
"A sprawling area of northwestern Harris County is gradually subsiding, but the points in Jersey Village are sinking fastest," Khan said. "The area is roughly 30 kilometers by 30 kilometers, which is the equivalent of about 18 miles by 18 miles."
The raw data was obtained from the Houston-Galveston Coastal Subsidence District. Khan's study processed and analyzed GPS data from more than two dozen measurement points throughout the county, covering 1995 to 2005. Extrapolating data from six measurement stations, Khan roughly marks the boundaries of the vast subsiding area. At three of those measurement spots, centered around Jersey Village, the sinking was particularly fast.
"Because GPS can pinpoint location with millimeter precision, it is an excellent tool to measure even the most subtle changes over time in the ground," Khan said. "The most likely reason for the sinking of Jersey Village is the withdrawal of water from deep beneath the surface. While groundwater withdrawal has ceased in most of the Houston area, it continues in the northwestern part of the county that has seen a rapid growth in population."
The fate of the Brownwood neighborhood near Baytown illustrates the potential consequences of rapid subsidence, Khan said. When the residential subdivision was first developed in the 1930s, ground elevation was about 3 meters (nearly 10 feet) above sea level. Forty years later, the neighborhood stood just half a meter above sea level and was subject to frequent flooding. In 1983, Hurricane Alicia destroyed the subdivision, and the area became the Baytown Nature Center. The sinking of Brownwood was attributed to the massive groundwater withdrawal by the petrochemical plants along the Houston Ship Channel.
The research team hopes the new data that pinpoint precisely where and how quickly the ground is moving can aid the region's builders and city planners to mitigate the damage caused by the ongoing subsidence northwest of Houston.
Khan's analysis also showed some gradual rising southeast of Houston along the coast. The coastal area has several vast salt domes deep beneath the surface. Since salt has a lower density than common crustal rocks, it rises and pushes up the ground. He said that further study also might link salt dome activity along the coast to the surface movements occurring elsewhere in the region.
Khan's previous work on the region's elevation has already garnered widespread attention from local media, homeowners and builders. Geologists had long known about the existence of faults in southeast Texas, but Khan and Engelkemeir produced a comprehensive map in 2008 pinpointing the precise locations of some 300 faults traversing the Houston area.
The research team stressed these local fault lines are not the kinds that wreak havoc in earthquake-prone California, but they can move up to an inch per year. Such movement over several years can cause serious damage to buildings and streets that straddle a fault line.
Story Source:
The above story is reprinted (with editorial adaptations by ScienceDaily staff) from materials provided by University of Houston.

Journal Reference:
  1. Richard Engelkemeir, Shuhab D. Khan, Kevin Burke. Surface deformation in Houston, Texas using GPS. Tectonophysics, 2010; 490 (1-2): 47 DOI: 10.1016/j.tecto.2010.04.016

University of Houston. "Geologists Find Parts of Northwest Houston, Texas Sinking Rapidly." ScienceDaily 28 September 2010. 29 September 2010 <http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2010/09/100928122604.htm>.


--
Got Penguins? 

Penguin News Today
The Science of Penguins
Gentoo Penguins of Gars O'Higgins Station, Antarctica
>^,,^< 


__._,_.___


Your email settings: Individual Email|Traditional
Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required)
Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch to Fully Featured
Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe

__,_._,___

[californiadisasters] ] On This Date In CA Weather History (September 30)- Laguna Fire



Here is some information about the Laguna 1970 fire in San Diego county.

The Laguna fire of 1970 ringed the outskirts of El Cajon.  We watched as homes went down on the ridges on the Southern section of El Cajon Valley. Crest is a ridgetop to the east of El Cajon Valley.  It is part of the Bostonia Postal Service area.  Many of the homes destroyed were in Crest.  It actually was a faster moving fire than Cedar.  It moved into Crest from the same area of Wildcat Canyon-Putz Valley as in Cedar 2003.  It also had a secondary front that is reputed to have had fire moving at 55-60 miles per hour in Dehesa Valley.(this is where I live now)  Dehesa is due west of Kitchen Creek, where the fire started.  More of Dehesa and El Cajon were burned in 1970.  The fires into the Southern El Cajon section came from the Dehesa Valley. The fire did not stop moving west until La Presa.  The only thing that stopped this fire from continuing to the west was a weather change.

here is information about this fire. 


Here is a map of Cedar 2003.  In some ways, specifically in the speed of the fire, Cedar was nothing compared to Laguna 1970.  Laguna was truly unstoppable, because of the 55-60 mile an hour winds.  Thank the weather for it not burning to the ocean and down the Sweetwater river to Chula Vista.


Here is a pdf document that gives a list of recommendations for controlling fire in this area.  Note the recommendation for undergrounding power lines.  In addition we had trouble with communication between the different responders, just like in Cedar.  They have not fixed this yet, and SDG&E has not undergrounded some of the most critical areas as recommended.


It IS going to happen again.

Patricia



__._,_.___


Be sure to check out our Links Section at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/californiadisasters/links
Please join our Discussion Group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/californiadisasters_discussion/ for topical but extended discussions started here or for less topical but nonetheless relevant messages.




Your email settings: Individual Email|Traditional
Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required)
Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch to Fully Featured
Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe

__,_._,___

[californiadisasters] Red Flag Warnings - SoCal (9/30/10-AM)



...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM FOR DRY LIGHTNING...  .LIGHTNING STRIKES ARE AVERAGING ABOUT 2 PER MINUTE AND ONLY TRACE AMOUNTS TO A FEW HUNDREDTHS OF AN INCH ARE ACCOMPANYING THE THUNDERSTORMS. DOWNDRAFT WINDS SO FAR HAVE BEEN MEASURED BETWEEN 25 AND 37 M,PH. POTENTIAL FOR GUSTS TO 45 MPH REMAINS. NO SIGNIFICANT MOISTENING OF LOWER LEVELS EXPECTED THROUGH TONIGHT.  CAZ242-248-250-255>258-260>262-010245- /O.NEW.KSGX.FW.W.0002.100930T1441Z-101001T0600Z/ ORANGE COUNTY COASTAL AREAS- SAN BERNARDINO AND RIVERSIDE COUNTY VALLEYS-THE INLAND EMPIRE- SAN DIEGO COUNTY INLAND VALLEYS-SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY MOUNTAINS- INCLUDING THE MOUNTAIN TOP AND FRONT COUNTRY RANGER DISTRICTS OF THE SAN BERNARDINO NATIONAL FOREST-RIVERSIDE COUNTY MOUNTAINS- INCLUDING THE SAN JACINTO RANGER DISTRICT OF THE SAN BERNARDINO NATIONAL FOREST-SANTA ANA MOUNTAINS- INCLUDING THE TRABUCO RANGER DISTRICT OF THE CLEVELAND NATIONAL FOREST-SAN DIEGO COUNTY MOUNTAINS- INCLUDING THE PALOMAR AND DESCANSO RANGER DISTRICTS OF THE CLEVELAND NATIONAL FOREST-VICTOR VALLEY-APPLE VALLEY- LUCERNE VALLEY-YUCCA VALLEY-MORONGO VALLEY-COACHELLA VALLEY- INCLUDING THE PALM SPRINGS SOUTH COAST DESERT DISTRICT- SAN DIEGO COUNTY DESERTS- INCLUDING THE ANZA BORREGO DESERT STATE PARK- 741 AM PDT THU SEP 30 2010  ...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM PDT THIS EVENING FOR DRY LIGHTNING AND GUSTY OUTFLOW WINDS...  THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SAN DIEGO HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM PDT THIS EVENING.  * FREQUENT DRY LIGHTNING LIKELY TO ACCOMPANY THUNDERSTORMS  * THUNDERSTORMS: WIDESPREAD FROM THE COASTS TO THE DESERTS MOVING   TOWARDS THE NORTHWEST  * OUTFLOW WINDS: BETWEEN 35 AND 45 MPH  * TIMING: UNTIL LATE EVENING HOURS  * OUTLOOK: MORE WETTING RAINS LIKELY ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY  * IMPACTS: LIGHTNING STARTED FIRES WILL LIKELY BE FANNED BY   DOWNDRAFTS AND HAVE RAPID SPREAD RATES INITIALLY   PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...  A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF STRONG WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AND WARM TEMPERATURES WILL CREATE EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL.  &&  $$  BALFOUR HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/SANDIEGO

Source: http://forecast.weather.gov/wwamap/wwatxtget.php?cwa=sgx&wwa=red%20flag%20warning

--
Check out http://groups.yahoo.com/group/californiadisasters/
Read our blog at http://eclecticarcania.blogspot.com/
Visit me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/derkimster



__._,_.___


Be sure to check out our Links Section at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/californiadisasters/links
Please join our Discussion Group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/californiadisasters_discussion/ for topical but extended discussions started here or for less topical but nonetheless relevant messages.




Your email settings: Individual Email|Traditional
Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required)
Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch to Fully Featured
Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe

__,_._,___

[californiadisasters] North Ops News & Notes Update (9/30/10-7AM)



Date
Time
News and Notes
09/30/2010
0655

National PL: 2 North Ops PL: 2 MACS Mode: 2

Initial Attack Activity was light in the GACC yesterday with 4 fires for 65 acres reported in the Daily Situation Report, ( there may be a 24-hour delay in reporting on the SIT report)

There are 2 small fires being managed to achieve multiple objectives (ENF).

Prescribed burning has begun in the GACC, although most units are holding off until they receive additional precipitation.

There are currently no large fires burning in the GACC.

Fuels are dry throughout the region. 1000 hour fuels are measured at or below 15 percent except for the North Coast PSA. BI is averaged at 45 for the GACC.

CONTINUED HOT and DRY - Some areas have had no RH above 25% for three days and nights **

High pressure aloft remains quite strong over northern CA, for another unseasonably hot and very dry day on tap. Many areas, particularly on mid and upper slopes, have now not exceeded 35% RH night or day since Sunday morning. The center of the high shifts a little east on Thursday, allowing a SE flow pattern to develop that would send air from the presently more moist airmass over southern CA in the direction of North Ops. This, and a trend to lowered stability, means we could possibly see isolated, high-based, convective activity reach the SE corner of NOPS late Thursday or in the evening. A chance of isolated thunderstorms would also linger in parts of the Eastside and northern Sierra PSAs on Friday. There are still no widespread or significant wind patterns foreseen in the next 3 days.

Source: http://gacc.nifc.gov/oncc/predictive/intelligence/news_notes/index.htm

--
Check out http://groups.yahoo.com/group/californiadisasters/
Read our blog at http://eclecticarcania.blogspot.com/
Visit me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/derkimster



__._,_.___


Be sure to check out our Links Section at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/californiadisasters/links
Please join our Discussion Group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/californiadisasters_discussion/ for topical but extended discussions started here or for less topical but nonetheless relevant messages.




Your email settings: Individual Email|Traditional
Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required)
Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch to Fully Featured
Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe

__,_._,___