Earthquakes

RSOE EDIS

Date/Time (UTC)	Magnitude	Area	Country	State/Prov./Gov.	Location	Risk			Source	Details
12.08.2012 07:30:29	3.7	Caribbean	Dominican Republic	San Juan	Punta Cana				USGS-RSOE
12.08.2012 07:05:18	4.3	Middle-East	Iran	East Azarbaijan	Ahar				EMSC
12.08.2012 06:51:15	4.0	Middle East	Iran	East Azarbaijan	Ahar				USGS-RSOE
12.08.2012 07:05:41	2.1	Europe	Greece	North Aegean	Iraion				EMSC
12.08.2012 06:45:48	2.5	Caribbean	Puerto Rico	Orocovis	Orocovis				USGS-RSOE
12.08.2012 06:05:22	3.1	Asia	Turkey	Van	Toyga				EMSC
12.08.2012 06:05:43	2.1	Europe	Italy	Latium	Terracino				EMSC
12.08.2012 06:00:25	3.3	Caribbean	Puerto Rico	Loiza	Suarez				USGS-RSOE
12.08.2012 06:06:01	2.0	Asia	Turkey	Adana	Kadirli				EMSC
12.08.2012 05:02:04	2.6	Europe	Greece	Ionian Islands	Mavrata				EMSC
12.08.2012 05:02:46	3.7	Middle-East	Iran	East Azarbaijan	Ahar				EMSC
12.08.2012 05:03:21	2.8	Europe	Italy	Sicily	Giardini Naxos				EMSC
12.08.2012 04:45:51	4.0	Middle America	Mexico	Baja California Sur	Cabo San Lucas				USGS-RSOE
12.08.2012 05:04:10	4.0	Middle-America	Mexico	Baja California Sur	Cabo San Lucas				EMSC
12.08.2012 04:00:20	3.8	Middle-East	Iran	East Azarbaijan	Ahar				EMSC
12.08.2012 07:06:17	2.0	Asia	Turkey	Manisa	Golmarmara				EMSC
12.08.2012 04:00:39	2.5	Europe	Greece	West Greece	Selianitika				EMSC
12.08.2012 04:00:59	4.1	Europe	Italy	Apulia	Santo Spirito				EMSC
12.08.2012 03:45:33	4.1	Europe	Italy	Apulia	Santo Spirito				USGS-RSOE
12.08.2012 07:06:37	2.0	Asia	Turkey	?zmir	Dikili				EMSC
12.08.2012 03:40:26	2.4	North America	United States	Arkansas	Ravenden Springs				USGS-RSOE
12.08.2012 03:25:29	2.4	North America	United States	Arkansas	Ravenden Springs				USGS-RSOE
12.08.2012 03:10:33	2.2	North America	United States	California	Mountain Center				USGS-RSOE
12.08.2012 02:55:22	3.7	Middle-East	Iran	East Azarbaijan	Ahar				EMSC
12.08.2012 02:55:43	3.4	Asia	Turkey	Antalya	Tekirova				EMSC
12.08.2012 02:56:05	3.5	Middle-East	Iran	East Azarbaijan	Ahar				EMSC
12.08.2012 02:56:26	2.9	Europe	Czech Republic		Petrovice u Karvine				EMSC
12.08.2012 02:00:25	2.5	North America	United States	California	Barstow				USGS-RSOE
12.08.2012 02:00:44	4.7	Asia	Russia		Kuril’sk				USGS-RSOE
12.08.2012 02:56:46	4.8	Europe	Russia		Kuril’sk				EMSC
12.08.2012 01:55:21	2.5	Europe	Greece	Ionian Islands	Kalamakion				EMSC
12.08.2012 01:55:42	3.0	Europe	Greece	West Greece	Andritsaina				EMSC
12.08.2012 01:15:35	2.7	North America	United States	California	Oak Glen				USGS-RSOE
12.08.2012 01:56:06	4.2	Middle-East	Iran	East Azarbaijan	Ahar				EMSC
12.08.2012 01:30:30	4.2	Middle East	Iran	East Azarbaijan	`Ajab Shir				USGS-RSOE
12.08.2012 01:56:27	2.3	Europe	Greece	South Aegean	Archangelos				EMSC
12.08.2012 00:45:34	5.1	Middle East	Iran	East Azarbaijan	Ahar				USGS-RSOE
12.08.2012 00:50:25	5.0	Middle-East	Iran	East Azarbaijan	Ahar				EMSC
12.08.2012 01:45:27	3.4	Caribbean	British Virgin Islands		Road Town				USGS-RSOE
12.08.2012 05:25:32	2.6	North America	United States	Alaska	Atka				USGS-RSOE
12.08.2012 00:50:49	3.0	Asia	Turkey	Manisa	Golmarmara				EMSC
12.08.2012 00:51:11	2.6	Europe	Greece	Ionian Islands	Kalamakion				EMSC
12.08.2012 01:56:45	2.7	Asia	Turkey	Ankara	Gudul				EMSC
12.08.2012 01:57:04	3.7	Middle-East	Iran	East Azarbaijan	Ahar				EMSC
12.08.2012 00:51:33	3.2	Asia	Turkey	Manisa	Golmarmara				EMSC
12.08.2012 00:15:36	2.5	North America	United States	Alaska	Nikolski				USGS-RSOE
12.08.2012 00:51:54	3.7	Middle-East	Iran	East Azarbaijan	Ahar				EMSC
12.08.2012 00:52:15	4.5	Europe	Greece	Ionian Islands	Limni Keriou				EMSC
12.08.2012 00:15:59	4.4	Europe	Greece	Ionian Islands	Limni Keriou				USGS-RSOE
12.08.2012 00:10:27	3.0	North America	United States	Alaska	Atka				USGS-RSOE

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12.08.2012

Earthquake

Iran

Province of East Azarbaijan, [About 21 miles west of Ahar]

Earthquake in Iran on Saturday, 11 August, 2012 at 15:59 (03:59 PM) UTC.

Description

Two strong earthquakes have struck north-western Iran, leaving at least 50 people dead and hundreds more injured, officials say. The quakes struck near the city of Tabriz and the town of Ahar, but most of the casualties are thought to be in outlying villages. Reports say phone lines to many villages have been cut off, making rescue efforts harder. The US Geological Service measured the quakes at magnitude 6.4 and 6.3. “The quake has created huge panic among the people,” one resident of Tabriz told the BBC. “Everyone has rushed to the streets and the sirens of ambulances are everywhere.”

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Armenia felt the earthquake shocks of Iran

Yerevan, August 11, ARMENPRESS: Shocks were registered in the territory of Armenia. As “Armenpress” reports according to the data of the European-Mediterranean Seismological Service a strong earthquake was registered in Iran 63 km to the east of the city Tavriz on 60 km depth.

Shocks were felt in different administrative regions, also in Region Syunik. The Crisis Management Center of the Armenian Ministry of Emergency Situations informed that shocks were registered in the whole republic territory. Details are being specified.

Viewed 1761 times

Rescuers dig for survivors after quakes kill 180 in Iran

By Marc Burleigh (AFP)

TEHRAN — Rescue teams in northwest Iran strived Sunday to dig survivors out of the rubble of villages levelled by twin earthquakes that killed at least 180 people and injured more than 1,300, according to officials.

With telephone communications disrupted in the disaster zone, northeast of the city of Tabriz, emergency teams were relying on radios and travelling in person to hard-hit villages to rescue and assess the destruction.

The quakes, which struck Saturday within 11 minutes of each other, measured 6.2 and 6.0, according to Tehran University’s Seismological Centre.

The US Geological Survey, which monitors seismic activity worldwide, ranked them as more powerful, at 6.4 and 6.3 on the moment magnitude scale, respectively.

“Unfortunately, the toll is mounting and we are now at 180 dead,” Khalil Saie, the head of the regional natural disasters centre, told state television. He put the number of injured at 1,350.

“Up to now, there are no deaths reported in the cities and all the victims come from rural areas,” he said.

Earlier he urged residents in the zone not to panic, reassuring them that “help is arriving and rescuers are already at the scene.”

Iran’s Red Crescent took over a sports stadium to shelter the 16,000 people left homeless or too afraid to return indoors, the Fars news agency reported.

It also provided 3,000 tents, blankets and tonnes of food — all a sign of years of preparedness in a nation prone to sometimes catastrophic seismic activity.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s office posted a statement on its website expressing condolences to those in the disaster zone and calling on authorities to “mobilise all efforts to help the affected populations.”

According to the official IRNA news agency, 66 rescue teams were at work, using 40 devices and seven dog squads to detect buried survivors. Some 185 ambulances were sent to the area.

Those hurt were taken to hospitals in Tabriz and Ardebil, the two biggest nearby cities, both of which escaped relatively unscathed from the quakes.

In contrast, villages outlying the towns of Ahar and Varzaqan, 60 kilometres (40 miles) from Tabriz, were decimated, being closest to the epicentres of the two quakes. Dwellings close to Heris, another town close by, were also badly shaken.

Residents in the region were terrified as their homes shook around them when the quakes hit, and they fled into the streets for safety, according to reports.

Tehran University’s Seismological Centre said the first earthquake occurred at 4:53 pm (1223 GMT) at a depth of 10 kilometres.

The second — actually a big aftershock — rumbled through from nearly the same spot. A series of more than 17 smaller aftershocks rating 4.7 or less rapidly followed.

The disaster zone was located around 90 kilometres from the borders with Armenia and Azerbaijan, and around 190 kilometres from the border with Turkey.

Iran sits astride several major fault lines and is prone to frequent earthquakes, some of which have been devastating.

The deadliest was a 6.6-magnitude quake which struck the southern city of Bam in December 2003, killing 31,000 people — about a quarter of the population — and destroying the city’s ancient mud-built citadel.

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Volcanic Activity

11.08.2012 11:31 AM

Kermadec Island Region, New Zealand

Monowai Volcano (underwater volcano)

Volcano Eruption

0402-05-

Submarine volcano

No. 0

Volcano Eruption in New Zealand on Saturday, 11 August, 2012 at 11:31 (11:31 AM) UTC.

Description

A floating mass of the volcanic rock, pumice, reportedly covering 25,000 square km, has been found floating in the South Pacific, indicating a third volcano is active near New Zealand. The New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF) said Friday the floating pumice, measuring 250 nautical miles long and 30 nautical miles wide, was first spotted by a New Zealand air force Orion on a maritime patrol from Samoa to New Zealand. The Orion relayed the information to New Zealand navy vessel HMNZS Canterbury, which spotted the pumice late Thursday about 85 nautical miles west southwest of Raoul Island, one of the Kermadec Islands that lie 750 to 1,000 km northeast of New Zealand. Lieutenant Tim Oscar, a Royal Australian Navy officer on exchange with the Royal New Zealand Navy, described the pumice as “the weirdest thing I’ve seen in 18 years at sea.” “The lookout reported a shadow on the ocean ahead of us so I ordered the ship’s spotlight to be trained on the area,” Oscar said in the NZDF statement. “As far ahead as I could observe was a raft of pumice moving up and down with the swell,” he said. “The rock looked to be sitting 2 feet (60 cm) above the surface of the waves, and lit up a brilliant white color in the spotlight. It looked exactly like the edge of an ice shelf.” Oscar said he had been briefed by a volcanologist from New Zealand’s Institute of Geological and Nuclear Science (GNS Science) the previous day when the ship encountered another area of pumice from an undersea volcano. “I knew the pumice was lightweight and posed no danger to the ship. Nonetheless it was quite daunting to be moving toward it at 14 knots. It took about three to four minutes to travel through the raft of pumice and as predicted there was no damage,” he said. “As we moved through the raft of pumice we used the spotlights to try and find the edge – but it extended as far as we could see. ” HMNZS Canterbury was en route to Raoul Island with a party of GNS scientists aboard at the time. The Commanding Officer, Commander Sean Stewart, changed course to intercept the pumice and retrieve samples, which would be analyzed to determine which volcano they came from, said the statement. According to GNS Science, the underwater volcano, Monowai, had been active along the Kermadec Arc and the pumice could be a result of that activity, said the NZDF statement. The find comes after eruptions from Mount Tongariro, in New Zealand’s central North Island, late Monday and White Island, a marine volcano about 50 km off the east of the North Island, two days later. The GNS scientists aboard the Canterbury believed the volcanic activity of Tongariro, White Island and along the Kermadec arc was unrelated, said the NZDF statement.

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Extreme Temperatures/ Weather

Excessive Heat Warning

PHOENIX AZ
HANFORD CA

Red Flag Warning

FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE

MEDFORD OR
BOISE ID

Fire Weather Watch

MEDFORD OR

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Storms / Flooding / Landslides

Active tropical storm system(s)
Name of storm system	Location	Formed	Last update	Last category	Course	Wind Speed	Gust	Wave	Source	Details
Gilma (07E)	Pacific Ocean – East	07.08.2012	11.08.2012	Tropical Depression	335 °	56 km/h	74 km/h	2.44 m	NOAA NHC

 Tropical Storm data

Share: Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on email Share on print More Sharing Services 1 Storm name: Gilma (07E) Area: Pacific Ocean – East Start up location: N 14° 18.000, W 111° 42.000 Start up: 07th August 2012 Status: Active Track long: 687.26 km Top category.: Report by: NOAA NHC Useful links: Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale FEMA – How To Prepare for a Hurricane Effects of a Hurricane USA – National Hurricane Center

Past track Date Time Position Speed km/h Wind km/h Gust km/h Category Course Wave Pressure Source 08th Aug 2012 05:00:37 N 15° 24.000, W 115° 0.000 20 93 111 Tropical Storm 285 11 994 MB NOAA NHC 09th Aug 2012 05:28:38 N 16° 6.000, W 118° 24.000 15 120 148 Hurricane I. 280 14 987 MB NOAA NHC 10th Aug 2012 05:07:09 N 17° 36.000, W 119° 0.000 7 111 139 Tropical Storm 340 8 992 MB NOAA NHC 11th Aug 2012 05:39:36 N 19° 30.000, W 119° 36.000 7 93 111 Tropical Storm 340 8 998 MB NOAA NHC Current position Date Time Position Speed km/h Wind km/h Gust km/h Category Course Wave feet Pressure Source 11th Aug 2012 16:51:48 N 20° 12.000, W 120° 6.000 7 56 74 Tropical Depression 335 ° 8 1004 MB NOAA NHC Forecast track Date Time Position Category Wind km/h Gust km/h Source 13th Aug 2012 00:00:00 N 21° 30.000, W 122° 30.000 Tropical Depression 46 65 NOAA NHC

Hector (EP08)

Pacific Ocean – East

11.08.2012

12.08.2012

Tropical Depression

290 °

65 km/h

83 km/h

3.35 m

NOAA NHC

Tropical Storm data

Share: Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on email Share on print More Sharing Services 0 Storm name: Hector (EP08) Area: Pacific Ocean – East Start up location: N 17° 30.000, W 106° 0.000 Start up: 11th August 2012 Status: Active Track long: 154.29 km Top category.: Report by: NOAA NHC Useful links: Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale FEMA – How To Prepare for a Hurricane Effects of a Hurricane USA – National Hurricane Center

Past track Date Time Position Speed km/h Wind km/h Gust km/h Category Course Wave Pressure Source Current position Date Time Position Speed km/h Wind km/h Gust km/h Category Course Wave feet Pressure Source 12th Aug 2012 05:40:34 N 18° 30.000, W 108° 6.000 20 65 83 Tropical Depression 290 ° 11 999 MB NOAA NHC Forecast track Date Time Position Category Wind km/h Gust km/h Source 13th Aug 2012 00:00:00 N 17° 30.000, W 110° 30.000 Tropical Depression 83 102 NOAA NHC 13th Aug 2012 12:00:00 N 17° 30.000, W 111° 30.000 Hurricane I 102 120 NOAA NHC 14th Aug 2012 12:00:00 N 17° 30.000, W 113° 0.000 Hurricane I 120 148 NOAA NHC 15th Aug 2012 12:00:00 N 17° 30.000, W 114° 0.000 Hurricane I 120 148 NOAA NHC 16th Aug 2012 12:00:00 N 18° 30.000, W 115° 30.000 Tropical Depression 83 102 NOAA NHC

Today

Tropical Storm

China

Province of Liaoning, [Liaoning-wide]

Tropical Storm in China on Sunday, 12 August, 2012 at 04:45 (04:45 AM) UTC.

Description

Rain-triggered mudslide engulfed a village trapping over 100 people even as nine people were killed and four others found missing after Typhoon Damrey caused havoc in northeast China’s Liaoning Province. The typhoon temporarily disrupted rail services in the province on Saturday, affecting more than two million people. Nine people were killed and four others found missing after Typhoon Damrey caused heavy damage in China’s Liaoning Province over the weekend. Six people were killed in Xiuyan City, where the typhoon has cut off electricity, paralysed road traffic and damaged drinking water facilities. More than 110,000 people have been left homeless. In the city of Benxi, heavy flooding on the Sandaohe and Xihe rivers trapped more than 300 construction workers in a tunnel Monday. Fire fighters tried to connect a ropeway in an effort to pull the workers out of the tunnel.

Today

Tropical Storm

Trinidad and Tobago

[Statewide]

Tropical Storm in Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday, 12 August, 2012 at 04:10 (04:10 AM) UTC.

Description

A tropical wave killed two people in Trinidad as it lashed the eastern Caribbean with heavy rains and wind, authorities said Saturday. The victims died after heavy rainfall unleashed floods and mudslides in Trinidad’s western suburb of Diego Martin, relatives said. The dead were identified as 66-year-old Solomon Britto and 31-year-old Everold Bentham. Bentham’s sister, Liz Bentham, told reporters that floodwater surged through their community early Saturday and that her mother and sister were able to leave the house. She said Everold Bentham initially left with them but that he returned to retrieve something from the house and died. Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar is visiting the area and is expected to soon provide an update on the deaths and property damage. Meteorologists had warned of heavy rains this weekend associated with the tropical wave that’s expected to dissipate after passing through the eastern Caribbean. The U.S. National Hurricane Center said the tropical wave was located about 40 miles east of Barbados and moving west at 25 mph with winds of 35 mph. The hurricane center canceled a tropical storm watch for the eastern Caribbean late Saturday morning.

Flood Warning

TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL
TALLAHASSEE FL
AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX

Flood Advisory

TIYAN GU

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Manila Underwater as City Inundated with Floods (LinkAsia: 8/10/12)

Published on Aug 10, 2012 by linktv

Flash Flood in China on Sunday, 12 August, 2012 at 04:46 (04:46 AM) UTC.

Description

Another report said hundreds of people were stranded by a rain-triggered flood in central China’s Hubei Province. Heavy rains hit Gucheng county in the city of Xiangyang early Monday morning, flooding the downtown area and surrounding villages, county fire fighters said.

Today

Landslide

China

Province of Yunnan, Tiejia

Landslide in China on Sunday, 12 August, 2012 at 04:43 (04:43 AM) UTC.

Description

Over 100 people were trapped in village called Tiejia in southwest China’s Yunnan Province this morning, local authorities said. Although more than 200 people were initially trapped in the mudslide in the county of Eyuan, Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, more than 80 people had been saved by noon.

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Radiation / Nuclear

Today

Nuclear Event

USA

State of Tennessee, Spring City [Watts Bar Nuclear Power Plant]

Nuclear Event in USA on Sunday, 12 August, 2012 at 04:12 (04:12 AM) UTC.

Description

TVA says an unusual event at the Watts Bar nuclear plant forced its evacuation this morning. Spokesman Mike Bradley says an ammonia-water leak developed in a secondary water system at the turbine building at the plant. That happened just before 9:00am. Between two and three hundred employees were evacuated as a result. The leak was fixed and the event was declared over just before 1:30pm this afternoon. Bradley says the leak did not disrupt the reactor. There were no injuries and there was no risk to the general public.

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Epidemic Hazards / Diseases

Sri Lanka doctors battle dengue fever

Published on Aug 10, 2012 by AlJazeeraEnglish

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Solar Activity

3MIN News August 11, 2012: Watches Begin

Published on Aug 11, 2012 by Suspicious0bservers

Earthquake/Solar Flare Watch: http://youtu.be/zd7Z6dmABf8 [August 12-18, 2012]
[EXPLANATION Video For Earthquake Watches] Last Quake Watch: http://youtu.be/SMiHsOYwdCs
*****Astrotometry™ Response Video: http://youtu.be/DlJAw6x1STc

TODAY’S LINKS
Volcanic Rock Island: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-205_162-57491093/huge-volcanic-rock-island-floats…
Drought: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/10/us-drought-idUSBRE8781E320120810
US Military Airship: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/photo/2012-08/11/c_131777840.htm
Pole Shift: http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2003/29dec_magneticfield/
Real-Time Meteorite Data: http://fireballs.ndc.nasa.gov/cmor-radiants/

REPEAT LINKS
Spaceweather: http://spaceweather.com/ [Look on the left at the X-ray Flux and Solar Wind Speed/Density]

HAARP: http://www.haarp.alaska.edu/haarp/data.html [Click online data, and have a little fun]

SDO: http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/data/ [Place to find Solar Images and Videos - as seen from earth]

SOHO: http://sohodata.nascom.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/soho_movie_theater [SOHO; Lasco and EIT - as seen from earth]

Stereo: http://stereo.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/images [Stereo; Cor, EUVI, HI - as seen from the side]

SunAEON:http://www.sunaeon.com/#/solarsystem/ [Just click it... trust me]

SOLARIMG: http://solarimg.org/artis/ [All purpose data viewing site]

iSWA: http://iswa.gsfc.nasa.gov/iswa/iSWA.html [Free Application; for advanced sun watchers]

NOAA ENLIL SPIRAL: http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/wsa-enlil/cme-based/ [CME Evolution]

NOAA Bouys: http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/

RSOE: http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/index2.php [That cool alert map I use]

JAPAN Radiation Map: http://jciv.iidj.net/map/

LISS: http://earthquake.usgs.gov/monitoring/operations/heliplots_gsn.php

Gamma Ray Bursts: http://grb.sonoma.edu/ [Really? You can't figure out what this one is for?]

BARTOL Cosmic Rays: http://neutronm.bartol.udel.edu//spaceweather/welcome.html [Top left box, look for BIG blue circles]

TORCON: http://www.weather.com/news/tornado-torcon-index [Tornado Forecast for the day]

GOES Weather: http://rsd.gsfc.nasa.gov/goes/ [Clouds over America]

EL DORADO WORLD WEATHER MAP: http://www.eldoradocountyweather.com/satellite/ssec/world/world-composite-ir-…

PRESSURE MAP: http://www.woweather.com/cgi-bin/expertcharts?LANG=us&MENU=0000000000&…

HURRICANE TRACKER: http://www.weather.com/weather/hurricanecentral/tracker

INTELLICAST: http://www.intellicast.com/ [Weather site used by many youtubers]

NASA News: http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/

PHYSORG: http://phys.org/ [GREAT News Site!]

M-CLASS SOLAR FLARE:

Sunspot AR1540 erupted on August 11th, producing a long-duration M1-class solar flare that peaked around 1220 UT. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory recorded the extreme ultraviolet flash:

The explosion hurled a faint cloud of plasma into space. Judging from the blast site’s off-center location on the solar disk, the cloud is probably not heading for Earth. This conclusion is uncertain, however. Stay tuned for additional analysis. Solar Flare alerts

 

 

 

Huge Stripe On The Sun – Is Earth In Serious Danger? 

MessageToEagle.com – The Sun’s odd behavior has been mentioned on many occasions recently. As we all await the Solar Cycle 24, scientists keep a close eye on the Sun.

Now astronomers have discovered huge dark strip on the surface of the Sun. It is estimated this filament is about 800,000 km in length!

Astrophysicists presume dark spots on the Sun are areas where the temperature is lower. However what we see here is not a normal sunspot and it is growing at an alarming rate.

According to researchers the region has increased to almost one million kilometers in just three days.

NASA forecasts that in September 2012, there will be outbreaks of unprecedented power. We can expect huge solar flares that can have serious effect world-wide.

Commenting on the study of the dangers of “space weather”, astrophysicist Daniel Baker claimed that the effects will be comparable to a nuclear war or the fall of a giant asteroid.

However, in terms of power grids and satellites, it’s not the flares that the experts have to worry about, but the CMEs.There is a risk that one day, they can wipe out all of our electronic civilization. Solar storms can disrupt communication, and navigational equipment, damage satellites, and even cause blackouts by damaging power plants and electrical grid components. They can also bring additional radiation around the north and south poles; and this, in turn forces airlines to reroute their flights.

According to a report published by NERC, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, or NERC, which oversees North America’s power grid we can feel the effects for several years to come.

“Historically large storms have a potential to cause power grid blackouts and transformer damage of unprecedented proportions, long-term blackouts and lengthy restoration times, and chronic shortages for multiple years are possible,” the report said.

Click on image to enlargeTerrible stripe on the Sun

This filament happened on Aug. 5th, 2012.
11 images were put together to create this huge filamament on the Sun.
Photo Credits: Leonard E. Mercer,
amateur astronomer from Malta, who contributes with many astrophotos. Richard Andres, an energy and environmental security expert at the military’s National Defense University (NDU), is helping to coordinate an interagency group to deal with the problem. The failure of the national power grid could be disastrous, he said.

In a worst-case scenario, commerce would almost instantly cease, he said, noting he was speaking for himself and not the U.S. government. Water and fuel, which depend on electric pumps, would stop flowing in most cities within hours, modern communications would end and mechanized transport would stall.

Backup generators for hospitals, the military, and other critical facilities would be vulnerable if they depended on diesel or natural gas, which also rely on pipelines for resupply.

The report said more than 130 million people in the United States could be affected. Andres said the death toll could run into the millions in the worst-case scenario.

How many people will suffer world-wide? We can only make guesses about the number of deaths.

Space weather experts already warn that the next solar storm can be much worse than previously expected.

There are leaks in Earth’s magnetic field. Earth’s magnetic field which acts as our protective shield in space has a hole in it. That could be a problem because a weakened field could leave Earth vulnerable to solar storms.

Unfortunately it is impossible to determine in advance in how serious danger Earth will be.

Image credit: SPL“It’s a lot like asking how many trees would fall in the next hurricane,” a government expert said. “We don’t know that, but we do know that there will be a hurricane. When we have another space weather superstorm, there will be an effect on the grid. We’re trying to understand now what that effect is going to be.”

We should hope for the best, but be prepared for the worst.

© MessageToEagle.com

See also:
Solar Activity Causes Changes In Humans And Affects Our Health: Scientists Say

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Space

Earth approaching objects (objects that are known in the next 30 days)
Object Name	Apporach Date	Left	AU Distance	LD Distance	Estimated Diameter*	Relative Velocity
37655 Illapa	12th August 2012	0 day(s)	0.0951	37.0	770 m – 1.7 km	28.73 km/s	103428 km/h
(2012 HS15)	14th August 2012	2 day(s)	0.1804	70.2	200 m – 450 m	11.54 km/s	41544 km/h
4581 Asclepius	16th August 2012	4 day(s)	0.1079	42.0	220 m – 490 m	13.48 km/s	48528 km/h
(2008 TC4)	18th August 2012	6 day(s)	0.1937	75.4	140 m – 300 m	17.34 km/s	62424 km/h
(2012 OP4)	18th August 2012	6 day(s)	0.1039	40.4	300 m – 670 m	22.54 km/s	81144 km/h
(2012 EC)	20th August 2012	8 day(s)	0.0815	31.7	56 m – 130 m	5.57 km/s	20052 km/h
(2006 CV)	20th August 2012	8 day(s)	0.1744	67.9	290 m – 640 m	13.24 km/s	47664 km/h
162421 (2000 ET70)	21st August 2012	9 day(s)	0.1503	58.5	670 m – 1.5 km	12.92 km/s	46512 km/h
(2007 WU3)	21st August 2012	9 day(s)	0.1954	76.0	56 m – 120 m	5.25 km/s	18900 km/h
(2012 BB14)	24th August 2012	12 day(s)	0.1234	48.0	27 m – 60 m	2.58 km/s	9288 km/h
(2012 FM52)	25th August 2012	13 day(s)	0.0599	23.3	510 m – 1.1 km	17.17 km/s	61812 km/h
66146 (1998 TU3)	25th August 2012	13 day(s)	0.1265	49.2	3.0 km – 6.8 km	16.03 km/s	57708 km/h
(2009 AV)	26th August 2012	14 day(s)	0.1615	62.8	670 m – 1.5 km	22.51 km/s	81036 km/h
331769 (2003 BQ35)	28th August 2012	16 day(s)	0.1585	61.7	240 m – 530 m	4.64 km/s	16704 km/h
(2010 SC)	28th August 2012	16 day(s)	0.1679	65.3	16 m – 36 m	9.56 km/s	34416 km/h
4769 Castalia	28th August 2012	16 day(s)	0.1135	44.2	1.4 km	12.06 km/s	43416 km/h
(2012 LU7)	02nd September 2012	21 day(s)	0.1200	46.7	440 m – 990 m	8.16 km/s	29376 km/h
(2012 FS35)	02nd September 2012	21 day(s)	0.1545	60.1	2.3 m – 5.2 m	2.87 km/s	10332 km/h
(2012 HG31)	03rd September 2012	22 day(s)	0.0716	27.9	440 m – 990 m	10.33 km/s	37188 km/h
(2012 PX)	04th September 2012	23 day(s)	0.0452	17.6	61 m – 140 m	9.94 km/s	35784 km/h
(2012 EH5)	05th September 2012	24 day(s)	0.1613	62.8	38 m – 84 m	9.75 km/s	35100 km/h
(2011 EO11)	05th September 2012	24 day(s)	0.1034	40.2	9.0 m – 20 m	8.81 km/s	31716 km/h
(2007 PS25)	06th September 2012	25 day(s)	0.0497	19.3	23 m – 52 m	8.50 km/s	30600 km/h
329520 (2002 SV)	08th September 2012	27 day(s)	0.1076	41.9	300 m – 670 m	9.17 km/s	33012 km/h
(2011 ES4)	10th September 2012	29 day(s)	0.1792	69.8	20 m – 44 m	12.96 km/s	46656 km/h
1 AU = ~150 million kilometers,1 LD = Lunar Distance = ~384,000 kilometers Source: NASA-NEO

……………………………………..

THE PERSEID METEOR SHOWER IS UNDERWAY:

Earth is passing through a stream of debris from Comet Swift-Tuttle, source of the annual Perseid meteor shower. Worldwide observers are now reporting more than 90 Perseids per hour. Forecasters recommend looking during the dark hours before dawn, especially Sunday morning, August 12th, when activity is expected to be highest.

  Realtime Perseid Photo Gallery

Got clouds? Tune into SpaceWeather Radio for live echoes from Perseid meteors flying over the US Space Surveillance Radar in Texas.

The multi-station Canadian Meteor Orbit Radar, sponsored by NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office, is also monitoring the Perseids. Live data are available here. Bright spots in this sample radar sky map show the radiants of currently active showers:

Clearly, the Perseids are not the only meteors in the sky this weekend. The Northern and Southern Delta Aquarids (NDA and SDA) are also active. These showers, which are minor compared to the Perseids, spring from 96P/Machholz, a comet that some researchers suspect is a visitor from another star system.

This is a great weekend for watching meteors–but that’s not all. Venus, Jupiter and the crescent Moon are lining up in the pre-dawn sky right in the middle of the Perseid display. The conjunction of planets guarantees that you will see something beautiful even in the unlikely event that the shower fizzles

 

 

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