Category: Earth Watch Report


Earth Watch Report  -  National Seismic Activity

map of  US photo Usa-Maps1_zps3887a1ee.jpg

 

ANSS Backbone Stations

These data update automatically every 30 minutes. Last update: May 21, 2013 05:05:02 UTC

Seismograms may take several moments to load. Click on a plot to see larger image.

US/AAM, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

 AAM 24hr plot

US/ACSO, Alum Creek State Park, Ohio, USA

 ACSO 24hr plot

 

US/AGMN, Agassiz Natl Wildlife Refuge, Minnesota,USA

 AGMN 24hr plot

US/AMTX, Amarillo, Texas, USA

 AMTX 24hr plot

 

US/BINY, Binghamton, New York, USA

 BINY 24hr plot

US/BLA, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA

 BLA 24hr plot

 

US/BMO, Blue Mountain Array, Baker, Oregon, USA

 BMO 24hr plot

US/BOZ, Bozeman, Montana, USA

 BOZ 24hr plot

 

US/BRAL, Brewton, Alabama, USA

 BRAL 24hr plot

US/BW06, Boulder Array Site 6, Pinedale, Wyoming, USA

 BW06 24hr plot

 

US/CBKS, Cedar Bluff, Kansas, USA

 CBKS 24hr plot

US/CBN, Corbin, Virginia, USA

 CBN 24hr plot

 

US/CNNC, Cliffs of the Neuse, North Carolina, USA

 CNNC 24hr plot

US/COWI, Conover, Wisconsin, USA

 COWI 24hr plot

 

US/DGMT, Dagmar, Montana, USA

 DGMT 24hr plot

US/DUG, Dugway, Tooele County, Utah, USA

 DUG 24hr plot

 

US/ECSD, EROS Data Center, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA

 ECSD 24hr plot

US/EGAK, Eagle, Central Alaska, Alaska, USA

 EGAK 24hr plot

 

US/EGMT, Eagleton, Montana, USA

 EGMT 24hr plot

US/ERPA, Erie, Pennsylvania, USA

 ERPA 24hr plot

 

US/EYMN, Ely, Minnesota, USA

 EYMN 24hr plot

US/GLMI, Grayling, Michigan, USA

 GLMI 24hr plot

 

US/GOGA, Godfrey, Georgia, USA

 GOGA 24hr plot

US/HAWA, Hanford, Washington, USA

 HAWA 24hr plot

 

US/HDIL, Hopedale, Illinois, USA

 HDIL 24hr plot

US/HLID, Hailey, Idaho, USA

 HLID 24hr plot

 

US/ISCO, Idaho Springs, Colorado, USA

 ISCO 24hr plot

US/JCT, Junction, Texas, USA

 JCT 24hr plot

 

US/JFWS, Jewell Farm, Wisconsin, USA

 JFWS 24hr plot

US/KSU1, Kansas State Univ–Konza Prairie, Kansas, USA

 KSU1 24hr plot

 

US/KVTX, Kingsville, Texas, USA

 KVTX 24hr plot

US/LAO, LASA Array, Montana, USA

 LAO 24hr plot

 

US/LBNH, Lisbon, New Hampshire, USA

 LBNH 24hr plot

US/LONY, Lake Ozonia, New York, USA

 LONY 24hr plot

 

US/LRAL, Lake Retreat, Alabama, USA

 LRAL 24hr plot

US/MCWV, Mont Chateau, West Virginia, USA

 MCWV 24hr plot

 

US/MIAR, Mount Ida, Arkansas, USA

 MIAR 24hr plot

US/MNTX, Cornudas Mountains, Texas, USA

 MNTX 24hr plot

 

US/MSO, Missoula, Montana, USA

 MSO 24hr plot

US/MVCO, Mesa Verde, Colorado, USA

 MVCO 24hr plot

 

US/NATX, Nacogdoches, Texas, USA

 NATX 24hr plot

US/NEW, Newport, Washington, USA

 NEW 24hr plot

 

US/NHSC, New Hope, South Carolina, USA

 NHSC 24hr plot

US/NLWA, Neilton Lookout, Washington, USA

 NLWA 24hr plot

 

US/OGNE, Ogallala, Nebraska, USA

 OGNE 24hr plot

US/OXF, Oxford, Mississippi, USA

 OXF 24hr plot

 

US/PKME, Peaks-Kenny State Park, Maine, USA

 PKME 24hr plot

US/RLMT, Red Lodge, Montana, USA

 RLMT 24hr plot

 

US/SCIA, State Center, Iowa, USA

 SCIA 24hr plot

US/SDCO, Great Sand Sundes National Park, Colorado, USA

 SDCO 24hr plot

 

US/TPNV, Topopah Spring, Nevada, USA

 TPNV 24hr plot

US/TZTN, Tazewell, Tennessee, USA

 TZTN 24hr plot

 

US/VBMS, Vicksburg, Mississippi, USA

 VBMS 24hr plot

US/WMOK, Wichita Mountains, Oklahoma, USA

 WMOK 24hr plot

 

US/WRAK, Wrangell Island, SE Alaska, Alaska, USA

 WRAK 24hr plot

US/WUAZ, Wupatki, Arizona, USA

 WUAZ 24hr plot

 

US/WVOR, Wild Horse Valley, Oregon, USA

 WVOR 24hr plot

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Earth Watch Report  -  Global  Seismic Activity

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GSN Stations

These data update automatically every 30 minutes. Last update: May 21, 2013 05:19:11 UTC

Seismograms may take several moments to load. Click on a plot to see larger image.

CU/ANWB, Willy Bob, Antigua and Barbuda

 ANWB 24hr plot

CU/BBGH, Gun Hill, Barbados

 BBGH 24hr plot

CU/BCIP, Isla Barro Colorado, Panama

 BCIP 24hr plot

CU/GRGR, Grenville, Grenada

 GRGR 24hr plot

CU/GRTK, Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands

 GRTK 24hr plot

CU/GTBY, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba

 GTBY 24hr plot

CU/MTDJ, Mount Denham, Jamaica

 MTDJ 24hr plot

CU/SDDR, Presa de Sabaneta, Dominican Republic

 SDDR 24hr plot

CU/TGUH, Tegucigalpa, Honduras

 TGUH 24hr plot

IC/BJT, Baijiatuan, Beijing, China

 BJT 24hr plot

IC/ENH, Enshi, China

 ENH 24hr plot

IC/HIA, Hailar, Neimenggu Autonomous Region, China

 HIA 24hr plot

IC/LSA, Lhasa, China

 LSA 24hr plot

IC/MDJ, Mudanjiang, China

 MDJ 24hr plot

IC/QIZ, Qiongzhong, Hainan Province, China

 QIZ 24hr plot

IU/ADK, Aleutian Islands, Alaska, USA

 ADK 24hr plot

IU/AFI, Afiamalu, Samoa

 AFI 24hr plot

IU/ANMO, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA

 ANMO 24hr plot

IU/ANTO, Ankara, Turkey

 ANTO 24hr plot

IU/BBSR, Bermuda

 BBSR 24hr plot

IU/BILL, Bilibino, Russia

 BILL 24hr plot

IU/CASY, Casey, Antarctica

 CASY 24hr plot

IU/CCM, Cathedral Cave, Missouri, USA

 CCM 24hr plot

IU/CHTO, Chiang Mai, Thailand

 CHTO 24hr plot

IU/COLA, College Outpost, Alaska, USA

 COLA 24hr plot

IU/COR, Corvallis, Oregon, USA

 COR 24hr plot

IU/CTAO, Charters Towers, Australia

 CTAO 24hr plot

IU/DAV,Davao, Philippines

 DAV 24hr plot

IU/DWPF,Disney Wilderness Preserve, Florida, USA

 DWPF 24hr plot

IU/FUNA,Funafuti, Tuvalu

 FUNA 24hr plot

IU/FURI, Mt. Furi, Ethiopia

 FURI 24hr plot

IU/GNI, Garni, Armenia

 GNI 24hr plot

IU/GRFO, Grafenberg, Germany

 GRFO 24hr plot

IU/GUMO, Guam, Mariana Islands

 GUMO 24hr plot

IU/HKT, Hockley, Texas, USA

 HKT 24hr plot

IU/HNR, Honiara, Solomon Islands

 HNR 24hr plot

IU/HRV, Adam Dziewonski Observatory (Oak Ridge), Massachusetts, USA

 HRV 24hr plot

IU/INCN, Inchon, Republic of Korea

 INCN 24hr plot

IU/JOHN, Johnston Island, Pacific Ocean

 JOHN 24hr plot

IU/KBS, Ny-Alesund, Spitzbergen, Norway

 KBS 24hr plot

IU/KEV, Kevo, Finland

 KEV 24hr plot

IU/KIEV, Kiev, Ukraine

 KIEV 24hr plot

IU/KIP, Kipapa, Hawaii, USA

 KIP 24hr plot

IU/KMBO, Kilima Mbogo, Kenya

 KMBO 24hr plot

IU/KNTN, Kanton Island, Kiribati

 KNTN 24hr plot

IU/KONO, Kongsberg, Norway

 KONO 24hr plot

IU/KOWA, Kowa, Mali

 KOWA 24hr plot

IU/LCO, Las Campanas Astronomical Observatory, Chile

 LCO 24hr plot

IU/LSZ, Lusaka, Zambia

 LSZ 24hr plot

IU/LVC, Limon Verde, Chile

 LVC 24hr plot

IU/MA2, Magadan, Russia

 MA2 24hr plot

IU/MAJO, Matsushiro, Japan

 MAJO 24hr plot

IU/MAKZ,Makanchi, Kazakhstan

 MAKZ 24hr plot

IU/MBWA, Marble Bar, Western Australia

 MBWA 24hr plot

IU/MIDW, Midway Island, Pacific Ocean, USA

 MIDW 24hr plot

IU/MSKU, Masuku, Gabon

 MSKU 24hr plot

IU/NWAO, Narrogin, Australia

 NWAO 24hr plot

IU/OTAV, Otavalo, Equador

 OTAV 24hr plot

IU/PAB, San Pablo, Spain

 PAB 24hr plot

IU/PAYG Puerto Ayora, Galapagos Islands

 PAYG 24hr plot

IU/PET, Petropavlovsk, Russia

 PET 24hr plot

IU/PMG, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea

 PMG 24hr plot

IU/PMSA, Palmer Station, Antarctica

 PMSA 24hr plot

IU/POHA, Pohakaloa, Hawaii

 POHA 24hr plot

IU/PTCN, Pitcairn Island, South Pacific

 PTCN 24hr plot

IU/PTGA, Pitinga, Brazil

 PTGA 24hr plot

IU/QSPA, South Pole, Antarctica

 QSPA 24hr plot

IU/RAO, Raoul, Kermandec Islands

 RAO 24hr plot

IU/RAR, Rarotonga, Cook Islands

 RAR 24hr plot

IU/RCBR, Riachuelo, Brazil

 RCBR 24hr plot

IU/RSSD, Black Hills, South Dakota, USA

 RSSD 24hr plot

IU/SAML, Samuel, Brazil

 SAML 24hr plot

IU/SBA, Scott Base, Antarctica

 SBA 24hr plot

IU/SDV, Santo Domingo, Venezuela

 SDV 24hr plot

IU/SFJD, Sondre Stromfjord, Greenland

 SFJD 24hr plot

IU/SJG, San Juan, Puerto Rico

 SJG 24hr plot

IU/SLBS, Sierra la Laguna Baja California Sur, Mexico

 SLBS 24hr plot

IU/SNZO, South Karori, New Zealand

 SNZO 24hr plot

IU/SSPA, Standing Stone, Pennsylvania USA

 SSPA 24hr plot

IU/TARA, Tarawa Island, Republic of Kiribati

 TARA 24hr plot

IU/TATO, Taipei, Taiwan

 TATO 24hr plot

IU/TEIG, Tepich, Yucatan, Mexico

 TEIG 24hr plot

IU/TIXI, Tiksi, Russia

 TIXI 24hr plot

IU/TRIS, Tristan da Cunha, Atlantic Ocean

 TRIS 24hr plot

IU/TRQA, Tornquist, Argentina

 TRQA 24hr plot

IU/TSUM, Tsumeb, Namibia

 TSUM 24hr plot

IU/TUC, Tucson, Arizona

 TUC 24hr plot

IU/ULN, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

 ULN 24hr plot

IU/WAKE, Wake Island, Pacific Ocean

 WAKE 24hr plot

IU/WCI, Wyandotte Cave, Indiana, USA

 WCI 24hr plot

IU/WVT, Waverly, Tennessee, USA

 WVT 24hr plot

IU/XMAS, Kiritimati Island, Republic of Kiribati

 XMAS 24hr plot

IU/YAK, Yakutsk, Russia

 YAK 24hr plot

IU/YSS, Yuzhno Sakhalinsk, Russia

 YSS 24hr plot

Earth Watch Report  -  Space

Image Source  NASA

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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
(2012 FC71) 20th May 2013 0 day(s) 0.0574 22.3 24 m – 53 m 3.25 km/s 11700 km/h
(2012 VN82) 21st May 2013 1 day(s) 0.1843 71.7 270 m – 610 m 12.09 km/s 43524 km/h
(2000 GD147) 21st May 2013 1 day(s) 0.1445 56.3 250 m – 570 m 15.11 km/s 54396 km/h
(2011 KG4) 21st May 2013 1 day(s) 0.1779 69.2 67 m – 150 m 11.99 km/s 43164 km/h
(2009 SB) 22nd May 2013 2 day(s) 0.1969 76.6 200 m – 460 m 31.78 km/s 114408 km/h
163364 (2002 OD20) 22nd May 2013 2 day(s) 0.0388 15.1 460 m – 1.0 km 10.18 km/s 36648 km/h
172722 (2004 BV102) 24th May 2013 4 day(s) 0.1795 69.9 840 m – 1.9 km 26.53 km/s 95508 km/h
(2012 KF25) 25th May 2013 5 day(s) 0.0793 30.9 23 m – 51 m 9.14 km/s 32904 km/h
(2011 KE3) 29th May 2013 9 day(s) 0.1303 50.7 43 m – 97 m 5.36 km/s 19296 km/h
285263 (1998 QE2) 30th May 2013 10 day(s) 0.0392 15.2 1.4 km – 3.1 km 10.58 km/s 38088 km/h
(2011 BM45) 31st May 2013 11 day(s) 0.0749 29.2 130 m – 280 m 27.67 km/s 99612 km/h
(2004 KH17) 02nd June 2013 13 day(s) 0.0979 38.1 110 m – 250 m 12.91 km/s 46476 km/h
1 AU = ~150 million kilometers,1 LD = Lunar Distance = ~384,000 kilometers Source: NASA-NEO

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Earth approaching objects – Thursday May 16th, 2013

Earth approaching objects – Friday May 10th, 2013

Earth approaching objects – Sunday April 28th, 2013

Earth approaching objects – Wednesday April 24th, 2013

Earth approaching objects – Friday April 19th, 2013

Earth approaching objects – Monday April 15th, 2013

 

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Earth Watch Report  -  Volcanic Activity

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21.05.2013 Volcano Activity USA State of Alaska, [Pavlof Volcano] Damage level
Details

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Volcano Activity in USA on Tuesday, 14 May, 2013 at 03:26 (03:26 AM) UTC.

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Updated: Monday, 20 May, 2013 at 08:39 UTC
Description
Science is quick to point out that strange happenings, even remotely, can impact the entire planet, and the eruption of the Pavlof volcano in a remote part of Alaska is quickly pointing out how cause and effect can impact everyone on the planet according to and article published on Christian Science published May 19, 2013. The Pavlof volcano began erupting Monday spewing ash clouds as high as 15,000 feet. By Wednesday the ash clouds had reached heights as far as 20,000 feet. It was at this point the National Weather Service designated this as a “significant meteorological event that could disrupt local air traffic.” If the ash clouds from Pavlof’s eruptions reaches 35,000 feet it will then begin to “disrupt international flights that use Alaskan airspace as a corridor for traffic between” North America and Asia. That is not in the forecast at the moment however, experts believe the eruptions can continue on for a month, at least a few weeks. If it does impact air traffic it can disrupt thousands of different areas in our lives from store shelves being light to loved ones not making it home on time. The video above is about another volcano that erupted midway through 2011 in South America which interrupted airway traffic and caused volcanic ash to be blown halfway around the world.

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Volcano Activity in USA on Tuesday, 14 May, 2013 at 03:26 (03:26 AM) UTC.

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Updated: Tuesday, 21 May, 2013 at 03:11 UTC
Description
Pavlof Volcano continues to erupt on the Alaska Peninsula, about 625 miles southwest of Anchorage. The Alaska Volcano Observatory reports a plume of steam, gas and ash reached up to 22,000 feet Sunday and was visible on satellite images drifting southeast over the north Pacific. Trace amounts of ash were reported in Sand Point, a city of nearly 1,000 on Popof Island about 55 miles east of the volcano. The volcano observatory says seismic activity remains elevated at the 8,262-foot volcano that began its latest eruption May 13. The volcano last erupted in 2007 for 29 days.

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Earth Watch Report  -  Epidemic Hazards

 

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20.05.2013 Epidemic Hazard Tunisia Governorate of Monastir, Monastir Damage level
Details

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Epidemic Hazard in Tunisia on Monday, 20 May, 2013 at 17:38 (05:38 PM) UTC.

Description
In a communique issued today, (20 May 2013), the Ministry of Health announced the death of a Tunisian citizen returning from the Gulf with coronavirus. This individual was 66 years old and had diabetes, he wastreated in the Fatima Bourguiba Hospital in Monastir for acute respiratory insufficiency (SARI – severe acute respiratory illness) upon his return from a trip to holy sites (-in Saudi Arabia) and Qatar where one of his sons lives. Medical evaluation of his family revealed 2 of his sons had symptoms (consistent with an influenza-like illness). Testing confirmed infection and they have completely recovered (the translation here is not clear as to whether they were laboratory confirmed infections – Mod.MPP). The ministry is continuingto monitor all family members of this case, but thus far they are not showing signs of infection with this virus. It should be noted that the ministry is continuing heightened surveillance for coronavirus in all parts of the country. Recommendations to prevent the spread of this disease are to avoid contact with individuals returning from the Middle East with respiratory symptoms, urging such individuals to use protective masks and be diligent about hand washing, (especially after sneezing, coughing, or touching respiratory tract secretions.)
Biohazard name: NCoV (novel coronavirus)
Biohazard level: 4/4 Hazardous
Biohazard desc.: Viruses and bacteria that cause severe to fatal disease in humans, and for which vaccines or other treatments are not available, such as Bolivian and Argentine hemorrhagic fevers, H5N1(bird flu), Dengue hemorrhagic fever, Marburg virus, Ebola virus, hantaviruses, Lassa fever, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, and other hemorrhagic or unidentified diseases. When dealing with biological hazards at this level the use of a Hazmat suit and a self-contained oxygen supply is mandatory. The entrance and exit of a Level Four biolab will contain multiple showers, a vacuum room, an ultraviolet light room, autonomous detection system, and other safety precautions designed to destroy all traces of the biohazard. Multiple airlocks are employed and are electronically secured to prevent both doors opening at the same time. All air and water service going to and coming from a Biosafety Level 4 (P4) lab will undergo similar decontamination procedures to eliminate the possibility of an accidental release.
Symptoms:
Status: confirmed

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Earth Watch Report  -  Extreme Weather

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20.05.2013 Heat Wave India Capital City, New Delhi Damage level
Details

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Heat Wave in India on Monday, 20 May, 2013 at 16:19 (04:19 PM) UTC.

Description
The heat wave will continue in Delhi and others parts of the country for the next two to three days. Dusty winds will hit north and northwest India during the period. In the first heat wave (about 45 degrees Celsius or above) of the summer in the capital, continuous sunshine for long daylight hours, stretching as much as 13 hours and 36 minutes, is driving up the temperature. The temperature in Delhi this week rose to 44.6 degrees Celsius and 46.2 degrees Celsius at the Safdarjang and Palam observatories respectively. It will not be surprising if the maximum temperature rises further to 45 degrees Celsius, a level observed on 31 May last year, the second time in a decade. The May record for Delhi, however, is 47.2 degrees Celsius, seen on 29 May 1944. Delhi wasn’t the hottest place in north India. Hisar in Haryana recorded 46 degrees Celsius on Sunday, five degrees above the average record of 40.7 degrees.

In Hisar, the maximum temperature may break last year’s record of 46.4 degrees registered on 31 May in the next two days. The highest maximum temperatures ever recorded in Hissar is 48.8 degrees on 21 May 1998. Winds from the Thar desert will continue to make life uncomfortable in most parts of northwest, central and east India in the coming two days. Some respite is possible at isolated pockets over northwest India if winds become southwesterly as they contain some moisture and are a bit cooler than the westerly winds. But most of the places in the region especially over Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana will remain intense heat conditions. Hot and dry westerly winds will continue to hit central and east India in the coming two days so temperatures will remain in the mid-forties or above over interior Maharashtra. Nagpur, which registered 47.3 degrees as maximum could see a further rise in day temperature. The highest ever May temperature in Nagpur is 47.8 degrees registered on 26 May 1954. East Uttar Pradesh and adjoining areas of Bihar have temperatures in lower forties.

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Delhi reels under 44.5 degrees Celsius heat, no respite in sight

 

 

NEW DELHI: The mercury’s dreaded surge into the high forties has left vast swathes of north India sweltering under a severe heat wave spread across Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar. Churu in Rajasthan continued to sizzle for the third day, recording a blistering 48.2 degrees Celsius.

Delhi sweated under 44.5 degrees Celsius, five degrees above normal, while Palam was the hottest in NCR at 46.2 degrees.

Met officials said there would be no respite till May 24. Even that would lower temperatures by just 1-2 degrees, after which high temperatures would return for the rest of the month, the Met office said. This would mark only the second instance of Delhi seeing such a prolonged heat wave in May in the last 10 years.

Mercury to stay high till Saturday

“The heat wave is the result of the absence of any western disturbance in Delhi and neighbouring areas, strengthening of hot northwesterly winds from the desert and subsidence of air in association with an anticyclone over Rajasthan and adjoining areas,” said O P Singh, deputy director of meteorology, Delhi Regional Meteorological Centre

“Such conditions are favourable for dust raising winds in northwest India and are likely to continue during the fourth week of May as well. There will be a small decrease in temperature during the coming weekend with the advent of a western disturbance,” Singh added.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read Full Article Here

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No respite from heat for Delhi: Meteorological department

 

Watch  Video Here

 

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Our planet is surrounded by a wispy layer of gas that keeps us warm, allows the weather to happen and basically makes all of life on Earth possibile.Except that precious atmosphere of ours is leaking into outer space every second. Thankfully it is a rather slow leak, since for any object, weather it is a molecule of gas, a rocket or a cat, to break the tether of our planets gravity and escape, it has to hightail it out of here at a speed of 11 000 m/s.

It takes the energy of a ton of TNT to boost a person to that speed, and less energy for lighter objects ( 1/10 out of that for a cat for example). Other than a large asteroid impact that can eject large amounts of atmosphere into space, the only gases that regularly escape Earths atmosphere are hydrogen and helium.There are different ways hydrogen and helium molecules can wind up on a one-way trip to space.

Some escape by simply getting enough energy from the suns heat-this process is an example of thermal escape mechanisms.

One classical thermal escape mechanism is Jeans escape. In a quantity of gas, the average velocity of a molecule is determined by temperature, but the velocity of individual molecules varies continuously as they collide with one another, gaining and losing kinetic energy. The variation in kinetic energy among the molecules is described by the Maxwell distribution. The kinetic energy and mass of a molecule determine its velocity by E_{\mathit{kin}}=\frac{1}{2}mv^2

Individual molecules in the high tail of the distribution may reach escape velocity, at a level in the atmosphere where the mean free path is comparable to the scale height, and leave the atmosphere. The more massive the molecule of a gas is, the lower the average velocity of molecules of that gas at a given temperature, and the less likely it is that any of them reach escape velocity.

 

Read Full Article Here

The Watchers

A moderate solar flare peaking at M1.7 was observed off the east limb around >Returning Sunspot 1731 located off the east limb produced moderate M1.7 solar flare at 05:25 UTC on May 20, 2013. Sunspot 1731 will begin to rotate back into view within the next 24 hours when it will get new sunspot number.

Space weather forecasters predicted geomagnetic storming conditions up to major G2 level, however, the Bz component of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) has been mostly pointed north, meaning that geomagnetic activity is being suppressed. Geomagnetic conditions are in normal background for now.

 

Read Full Report  Here

M 6.0 earthquake struck off coast of Kamchatka

Earthquake swarm continues at Kamchatka peninsula. Strong M 6.0 earthquake occurred off coast of Kamchatka at 01:55:08 UTC on May 21, 2013. The epicenter was located in sea, 136 km (84 miles) ESE of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, Russia at coordinates 52.505°N 160.470°E. USGS registered depth of 33.9 km while EMSC registered depth of 10 km. It was followed by little deeper M 4.9 seven minutes later. There was no tsunami warning issued.

Global, regional and local view (Credit: EMSC)

Read Full Report  Here

Reuters

Steve Mortenson, the owner of the Trenton Water Depot in Trenton, N.D., reviews logs inside his depot on March 26.

WATFORD CITY, N.D. — In towns across North Dakota, the wellhead of the North American energy boom, the locals have taken to quoting the adage: “Whiskey is for drinking, and water is for fighting.”

It’s not that they lack water, like Texas and California. They are swimming in it, and it is free for the taking. Yet as the state’s Bakken shale fields have grown, so has the fight over who has the right to tap into the multimillion-dollar market to supply water to the energy sector.

North Dakota now accounts for over 10 percent of U.S. energy output, and production could double over the next decade. The state draws water from the Missouri River and aquifers for its hydraulic fracturing, the process also known as fracking and the key that has unlocked America’s abundant shale deposits. The process is water-intensive and requires more than 2 million gallons of water per well, equal to baths for some 40,000 people.

 

As in all booms, new players race in to meet the outsized demand. At the heart of this battle is a scrappy government-backed cooperative, conceived to ensure fresh water in an area where its drinkability is compromised.

The co-op has decided to sell 20 percent of its water to frackers to help keep prices low and pay back state loans. That has not gone down well with the Independent Water Providers, a loose confederation of ranchers, farmers and small businesses that for years has supplied fracking water.

Since opening in January, the co-op has tried to limit the power of the confederation with an aggressive legal and lobbying strategy. The Independent Water Providers have fought back, arguing that the co-op shouldn’t be selling fracking water at all. The state Legislature stepped in with a law last month designed to quell the tension and nurture competition, but industry observers expect the acrimony to continue.

“When all of us had nothing (before the oil boom), there was nothing to fight about,” said Dan Kalil, a longtime commissioner in Williams County, home to many oil and natural gas wells. “Now, so many friendships have been destroyed because of water and oil.”

Jeanie Oudin, an analyst with energy consultancy Wood Mackenzie, predicts the competition could push down North Dakota fracking water prices at least 10 percent in the next few years, or roughly $170,000 per well. That’s a sizeable savings in a state where fracking costs are the highest in the country (remoteness meant there was little infrastructure in place). The water accounts for 20 percent of the roughly $8.5 million it costs to drill a North Dakota oil well.

NBC News

Click on the image above for an interactive map showing where the United States produces various forms of energy.

“Regardless of where operators get their water from, the growth in active water depots should increase the availability of raw water for hydraulic fracturing and ultimately bring down costs,” Oudin said. The depots are where energy companies buy most of their fracking water.

The North Dakota Petroleum Council, a trade group for Statoil, Hess, Exxon Mobil, Marathon Oil and other large energy companies, declined to comment on the fight or to forecast how much water prices could fall. The council acknowledged that it would prefer multiple sources for the state’s 8,300 wells.

Energy companies get most of their water in the state by trucking it from depots to oil and natural gas wells. Some wells require more than 650 truckloads to frack. Companies such as EOG Resources Inc and Halliburton Co are experimenting with ways to reduce their dependence on water.

Fracking water depots, which cost roughly $200,000 to build and can gross more than $700,000 per year, are typically small metal buildings on concrete slabs filled with pumps and small tanks connected to the Missouri River or local aquifers. They can have two to six hookups and fill water trucks with as much as 7,800 gallons of water per visit.

 

Read Full Article Here

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