Earth Watch Report – Wednesday June 20th, 2012

Earthquakes

RSOE EDIS

Date/Time (UTC)	Magnitude	Area	Country	State/Prov./Gov.	Location	Risk			Source	Details
20.06.2012 10:45:33	2.0	North America	United States	Hawaii	Volcano				USGS-RSOE
20.06.2012 10:50:25	2.5	Asia	Turkey		Satilmisoglu				EMSC
20.06.2012 10:50:51	2.6	Europe	Greece		Chatzistamoulides				EMSC
20.06.2012 10:51:11	2.2	Europe	Italy		Torre Archirafi				EMSC
20.06.2012 10:51:33	2.7	Asia	Turkey		Rahimler				EMSC
20.06.2012 08:55:34	4.6	South America	Chile	Region de Atacama	La Higuera				USGS-RSOE
20.06.2012 09:45:23	4.6	South-America	Chile		La Higuera				EMSC
20.06.2012 07:55:44	2.7	North America	United States	California	Avalon				USGS-RSOE
20.06.2012 08:40:37	2.6	Asia	Turkey		Rahimler				EMSC
20.06.2012 08:40:58	2.0	Europe	Italy		Cortile				EMSC
20.06.2012 07:31:15	2.4	Europe	Albania		Lojme				EMSC
20.06.2012 07:10:24	4.5	North America	United States	Alaska	Navy Town				USGS-RSOE
20.06.2012 07:34:28	4.5	North-America	United States		Navy Town				EMSC
20.06.2012 06:30:43	2.4	North America	United States	Alaska	Kantishna				USGS-RSOE
20.06.2012 06:15:29	2.8	North America	United States	Alaska	Colorado				USGS-RSOE
20.06.2012 08:41:16	2.2	Europe	Greece		Palaiokhorion				EMSC
20.06.2012 07:34:51	2.3	Europe	Italy		San Felice sul Panaro				EMSC
20.06.2012 07:35:12	4.2	Europe	Greece		Kato Zakros				EMSC
20.06.2012 07:35:35	2.3	Europe	Italy		Sparta				EMSC
20.06.2012 05:20:28	2.0	North America	United States	North Carolina	Big Laurel				USGS-RSOE
20.06.2012 05:40:33	2.0	North America	United States	North Carolina	Brendletown				USGS-RSOE
20.06.2012 07:35:57	2.8	Asia	Turkey		Guvemalani				EMSC
20.06.2012 07:36:24	2.0	Europe	Italy		Fiugni				EMSC
20.06.2012 07:36:45	2.0	Europe	Italy		Il Motto				EMSC
20.06.2012 07:37:08	3.0	Asia	Turkey		Inlice				EMSC
20.06.2012 07:37:26	2.5	Europe	Albania		Vehcan				EMSC
20.06.2012 03:15:38	2.6	North America	United States	Hawaii	Volcano				USGS-RSOE
20.06.2012 07:37:47	2.1	Europe	Italy		La Collevata				EMSC
20.06.2012 07:38:10	3.2	Asia	Azerbaijan		Qimir				EMSC
20.06.2012 02:50:39	2.0	North America	United States	Hawaii	Volcano				USGS-RSOE
20.06.2012 03:05:33	5.5	Indonesian archipelago	Indonesia		Lapi				USGS-RSOE
20.06.2012 07:38:33	5.6	Indonesian Archipelago	Indonesia		Mubrani				EMSC
20.06.2012 07:38:53	2.5	Europe	Croatia		Zukovac				EMSC
20.06.2012 07:39:15	2.3	Asia	Turkey		Inlice				EMSC
20.06.2012 07:39:33	2.5	Asia	Turkey		Saraylar				EMSC
20.06.2012 07:39:53	2.0	Europe	Italy		Medolla				EMSC
20.06.2012 02:05:36	3.0	North America	United States	Alaska	Valdez				USGS-RSOE
20.06.2012 07:40:23	3.0	Asia	Turkey		Akdogu				EMSC
20.06.2012 07:40:46	4.3	Asia	Taiwan		Tung-fu-ts’un				EMSC
20.06.2012 01:45:33	2.4	North America	United States	Hawaii	Volcano				USGS-RSOE
20.06.2012 07:41:08	2.4	Asia	Turkey		Dogusbelen				EMSC
20.06.2012 07:25:46	2.4	Caribbean	U.S. Virgin Islands		Bovoni				USGS-RSOE
20.06.2012 07:41:27	2.7	Europe	Italy		La Massara				EMSC
20.06.2012 07:41:46	2.6	Europe	Italy		Il Motto				EMSC
20.06.2012 01:05:38	3.1	North America	United States	Hawaii	Volcano				USGS-RSOE
20.06.2012 07:42:12	2.5	Asia	Turkey		Uzunyurt				EMSC
20.06.2012 07:42:32	4.8	Asia	Japan		Minami-ebi				EMSC
20.06.2012 01:55:32	4.8	Asia	Japan	Fukushima-ken	Karasuzaki				USGS-RSOE
20.06.2012 07:42:53	2.1	Europe	Italy		Cortile				EMSC
20.06.2012 07:43:10	2.2	Europe	Italy		I Rami				EMSC
20.06.2012 07:43:31	3.9	Europe	Portugal		Freixo de Espada a Cinta				EMSC
20.06.2012 07:43:51	2.0	Europe	Italy		La Pettenella				EMSC
20.06.2012 07:44:13	2.6	Asia	Turkey		Bulmac				EMSC
20.06.2012 07:44:35	3.2	Europe	Italy		Alberica				EMSC
20.06.2012 07:44:38	3.2	Europe	Italy		Alberica				EMSC
20.06.2012 07:45:00	2.7	Europe	Italy		La Massara				EMSC
20.06.2012 07:44:57	2.7	Europe	Italy		La Massara				EMSC
20.06.2012 00:31:09	2.9	Caribbean	U.S. Virgin Islands		Cowell Battery				USGS-RSOE
20.06.2012 07:45:23	2.0	Europe	Italy		San Lorenzo				EMSC
20.06.2012 07:45:25	2.0	Europe	Italy		San Lorenzo				EMSC
20.06.2012 07:45:45	2.7	Asia	Turkey		Mollakasim				EMSC
20.06.2012 07:45:53	2.7	Asia	Turkey		Mollakasim				EMSC
19.06.2012 23:56:14	4.8	Indonesian archipelago	Indonesia		Betumonga				USGS-RSOE
20.06.2012 07:46:07	4.9	Indonesian Archipelago	Indonesia		Betumonga				EMSC
20.06.2012 07:46:11	4.9	Indonesian Archipelago	Indonesia		Betumonga				EMSC
20.06.2012 07:46:29	2.5	Europe	Portugal		Ilha do Farol				EMSC
20.06.2012 07:46:33	2.5	Europe	Portugal		Ilha do Farol				EMSC
19.06.2012 23:05:36	5.7	North America	United States	Alaska	Navy Town				USGS-RSOE
19.06.2012 23:11:09	5.8	North America	United States	Alaska	Attu				USGS-RSOE
20.06.2012 07:46:51	5.6	North-America	United States		Attu				EMSC
20.06.2012 07:46:52	5.6	North-America	United States		Attu				EMSC
19.06.2012 23:05:59	2.4	North America	United States	Alaska	Iniskin				USGS-RSOE
20.06.2012 07:46:52	2.3	Europe	Italy		La Pettenella				EMSC
20.06.2012 07:46:52	2.3	Europe	Italy		La Pettenella				EMSC
20.06.2012 07:47:13	2.8	Asia	Turkey		Kurucay				EMSC
20.06.2012 07:47:34	5.0	Asia	India		Chobari				EMSC
19.06.2012 22:35:52	5.0	Asia	India	State of Gujarat	Chobari				USGS-RSOE
20.06.2012 07:47:55	3.1	Asia	Turkey		Agcamelik				EMSC
20.06.2012 07:48:20	2.5	Asia	Turkey		Rahimler				EMSC
19.06.2012 21:25:41	2.9	North America	United States	Alaska	Kanatak				USGS-RSOE
19.06.2012 21:21:19	2.7	North America	United States	California	Monta Vista				USGS-RSOE
20.06.2012 01:36:00	2.7	North America	United States	California	Caldwell Pines				USGS-RSOE
19.06.2012 21:10:44	2.9	North America	United States	California	Caldwell Pines				USGS-RSOE
20.06.2012 07:48:41	3.0	Asia	Turkey		Kirlat				EMSC
19.06.2012 22:05:37	4.9	Africa	Madagascar	Faritanin’ i Toliara	Ankilirone				USGS-RSOE
20.06.2012 07:49:03	4.9	Indian Ocean	Madagascar		Ankilirone				EMSC
20.06.2012 07:49:28	2.9	Europe	France		Veulettes-sur-Mer				EMSC
20.06.2012 07:49:48	2.5	Europe	Bosnia and Herzegovina		Gornje Siprage				EMSC
20.06.2012 07:50:14	2.5	Asia	Turkey		Kumbag				EMSC
19.06.2012 20:25:49	2.2	Middle America	Mexico	Estado de Baja California	Heriberto Jafa				USGS-RSOE
19.06.2012 20:40:53	2.8	Caribbean	U.S. Virgin Islands		Cabritaberg				USGS-RSOE
20.06.2012 07:50:35	2.6	Asia	Turkey		Karamanca				EMSC
20.06.2012 07:51:06	2.0	Europe	Italy		Le Cremosine				EMSC
20.06.2012 07:51:20	2.5	Asia	Turkey		Salihler				EMSC
19.06.2012 19:50:50	2.1	North America	United States	Hawaii	Royal Gardens				USGS-RSOE
20.06.2012 07:51:42	2.1	Europe	Greece		Ptolemais				EMSC
19.06.2012 21:35:50	4.9	Indonesian archipelago	Indonesia		Peot				USGS-RSOE
19.06.2012 18:55:53	2.9	North America	United States	Alaska	Nikiski				USGS-RSOE
19.06.2012 18:40:42	2.0	North America	United States	Alaska	Lucky Shot Landing				USGS-RSOE
19.06.2012 18:15:56	6.0	North America	United States	Alaska	Attu				USGS-RSOE
19.06.2012 18:05:51	6.0	North America	United States	Alaska	Attu				USGS-RSOE
19.06.2012 17:20:49	2.0	North America	United States	Hawaii	Papaloa				USGS-RSOE
19.06.2012 19:11:12	2.6	Caribbean	British Virgin Islands		The Settlement				USGS-RSOE
19.06.2012 16:50:43	2.1	North America	United States	California	Three Points				USGS-RSOE
20.06.2012 00:00:39	4.7	Indonesian archipelago	Papua New Guinea		Maliom				USGS-RSOE
19.06.2012 16:06:14	5.1	North America	United States	Oregon	Lakeport (historical)				USGS-RSOE
19.06.2012 15:30:40	3.1	North America	United States	Alaska	Iniskin				USGS-RSOE
19.06.2012 15:08:47	2.5	Asia	Turkey		Akkaya				EMSC
19.06.2012 15:10:16	2.0	Asia	Turkey		Bekdemir				EMSC
19.06.2012 14:46:07	2.9	Caribbean	U.S. Virgin Islands		Sorgenfri				USGS-RSOE
19.06.2012 14:05:50	4.6	South America	Bolivia	Departamento de Potosi	Chilena				USGS-RSOE
19.06.2012 13:15:33	5.2	Australia	Australia	State of Victoria	Narracan				USGS-RSOE
19.06.2012 23:31:28	2.6	Pacific Ocean	New Zealand	Woodville County	Wairakei				GEONET
19.06.2012 11:50:39	3.0	Caribbean	British Virgin Islands		Belle Vue				USGS-RSOE
19.06.2012 19:51:31	3.6	North America	United States	Alaska	Akutan				USGS-RSOE
19.06.2012 11:55:55	4.1	Atlantic Ocean	Argentina	Provincia de Jujuy	Sijes				USGS-RSOE
19.06.2012 19:40:44	2.6	North America	United States	Alaska	Nikolski				USGS-RSOE
19.06.2012 19:35:42	2.8	North America	United States	Alaska	Nikolski				USGS-RSOE

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Magnitude-5.4 quake shakes southern Victoria

South-east Victoria has been rocked by more than 40 aftershocks after a magnitude-5.4 earthquake hit near Moe in Gippsland on Tuesday night.

The tremor struck 16 kilometres west of Moe, but was felt in the centre of Melbourne and in suburbs across the city’s west and south-east.

Initially measured at magnitude-5.3, it was also felt as far north as Shepparton and even Albury on the border with New South Wales.

Audio: Victoria surveys quake damage (AM)

The SES said it received dozens of calls for help for cracked walls and ceilings and a collapsed garage and chimney.

Residents and business owners are being urged to check their properties for damage before returning inside.

But the SES says there have been no reports of major damage.

Photo: A USGS map gives the location of the Victorian earthquake. (http://neic.usgs.gov/)

Residents reported hearing a roaring noise as the quake hit just before 9:00pm at a depth of about 10km.

An SES spokesman told ABC News Breakfast there were 850 calls to emergency services in the first hour after the quake.

“The damage we’ve seen has largely been minor cracks in walls and a garage that has had some damage. We’ve also seen some shops that have had some stock come off the shelves,” he said.

He said some homes did lose power after the quake but there have been no significant reports of gas leaks.

Read Full Article And Watch Videos Here

Strong earthquake shakes Alaska island region

Matt Clough

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) – A powerful earthquake shook an Aleutian Island region of Alaska late Saturday but there were no immediate reports of damage or injury, and no threat of a tsunami, officials said.

The 6.7-magnitude temblor struck at 9:56 p.m. and was centered in the Bering Sea about 155 miles southwest of Dutch Harbor, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The quake hit about 21 miles beneath the seabed.

There was no danger of a tsunami, the Alaska Tsunami Warning Center said.

USGS geophysicist Jessica Sigala said residents of the Dutch Harbor — a port community of about 2,000 people situated 930 miles west of Anchorage — reported feeling a “weak shaking” from the quake.

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Volcanic Activity

Today

Volcano Eruption

USA

State of Alaska, [Cleveland Volcano, Aleutian Islands]

Volcano Eruption in USA on Wednesday, 20 June, 2012 at 04:51 (04:51 AM) UTC.

Description

A remote Aleutian volcano that has been restless for the past year rumbled to life on Tuesday, shooting a thin cloud of ash several miles into the sky, which could pose a slight hazard to aircraft, Alaska scientists said. Cleveland Volcano, a 5,676-foot (1,730 meter) peak on an uninhabited island 940 miles southwest of Anchorage, had an explosive eruption at about 2:05 p.m. local time, the Alaska Volcano Observatory reported. A pilot flying in the area estimated that the ash cloud rose to 35,000 feet above sea level, reported the observatory, which is a joint federal-state organization that monitors Alaska’s numerous active volcanoes. However, satellite imagery shows only a weak ash signal, suggesting a thin cloud that dissipated quickly, said Stephanie Prejean, a U.S. Geological Survey seismologist at the observatory in Anchorage “It was just one explosion, which was very typical of the thing Cleveland has been doing in the last year,” Prejean said. It is possible that the cloud rose to less than 35,000 feet, as the height was just one pilot’s estimate, she said. Pilots have been advised of potential risks from Cleveland, which might explode again, Prejean said. “It could do that any time,” she said.Cleveland has been in an off-and-on eruptive phase since last summer. The volcano has at times oozed lava out of its summit crater, punctuated by occasional small explosions, none of which had created clouds reaching above 20,000 feet until Tuesday. Although Cleveland is one of the most active of Alaska’s scores of volcanoes, there is no on-site seismic monitoring equipment. The Alaska Volcano Observatory must rely on satellite imagery, records of lightning strikes, witness reports and other evidence to determine if an eruption has taken place, Prejean said. That is in contrast to volcanoes closer to Anchorage, where the observatory has set up seismic-monitoring networks that allow scientists to see signals before eruptions happen, she said. Before Tuesday, there had been an apparent slowdown in activity at Cleveland. The Alaska Volcano Observatory three weeks ago lowered the alert level for the volcano to a “yellow” advisory from the more urgent “orange” watch status. “Obviously, it has some oomph left in it,” said Tina Neal, an Alaska Volcano Observatory geologist. Meanwhile, two moderate earthquakes rattled the western Aleutians on Tuesday.The first, registered at magnitude 6.0, hit Tuesday morning about 90 miles northwest of Attu, the westernmost island in Alaska’s Aleutian chain, according to the West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center. The second, at about noon, measured at magnitude 5.7 and was centered about 65 miles northwest of Attu, the center said. There were no reports of damage in the largely uninhabited region, and no tsunami warning was issued, said David Hale, a senior watch stander at the center.

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Extreme Temperatures/ Weather

Excessive Heat Warning

FLAGSTAFF AZ
ALBANY NY
MOUNT HOLLY NJ

Gale Warning

EUREKA CA
POINT ST GEORGE TO POINT ARENA
POINT ARENA TO POINT CONCEPTION
FAIRBANKS AK

Today

Forest / Wild Fire

USA

State of California, [Sequoia National Park]

Forest / Wild Fire in USA on Wednesday, 20 June, 2012 at 08:07 (08:07 AM) UTC.

Description

A 300-acre fire near Sequoia National Park forced mandatory evacuations of dozens of homes and a campground Tuesday evening, U.S. Forest Service officials said. About 400 firefighters were battling the fire, which started shortly after 6 p.m. on the western shore of Lake Isabella, said Cindy Thill, a Forest Service spokeswoman. Firefighters are expected to stay out all night in an effort to contain the blaze. “Our main priority is protection of the house structures,” Thill said. About 45 homes and other buildings were evacuated in the Hungry Gulch and Isabella Highlands area. Evacuees were being directed to take back roads to get to the evacuation center at Lake Isabella Senior Center in the 6400 block of Isabella Boulevard. The number of people affected by the fire and evacuation is unclear. The California Highway Patrol has closed roads where Highways 155 and 178 meet in Lake Isabella, as well as Woffard Heights and Lake Isabella boulevards. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

19.06.2012

Forest / Wild Fire

USA

State of New Mexico, Bloomfield

Forest / Wild Fire in USA on Tuesday, 19 June, 2012 at 16:05 (04:05 PM) UTC.

Description

Around 80 firefighters are battling a wildfire that has burned three structures along the San Juan River in far northwestern New Mexico. The New Mexico State Forestry said Wednesday that the blaze has charred an estimated 80 acres by Tuesday evening as crews worked overnight to battle hot spots and strengthening containment lines. The fire has spread over a five-mile area along the river. Deputies with the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office helped residents Tuesday with overnight evacuations for due to safety concerns with downed power lines and smoldering trees. The fire is 30% contained. The fire is burning just east of Bloomfield. Its cause is still under investigation. Firefighters originally reported long-range spotting due the high winds when the fire broke out Monday afternoon.

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Anatomy of Sahel drought

Published on Jun 19, 2012 by AlJazeeraEnglish

Between the vast Sahara desert and the dense foliage of the African rainforest is a band of semi-arid grassland.

Known as the Sahel, this landscape is one of Africa’s most productive crop regions.

But the crops in the Sahel are grown close to their limits of tolerance, and rely on natural rainfall.

This means that even small changes to the amount of rain can have disastrous effects.

Al Jazeera’s Steff Gaulter reports.

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Storms, Flooding, Landslides

Typhoon Guchol Hits Japan

Published on Jun 19, 2012 by 678Gopi

Typhoon Guchol Hits Japan mainland
8 centimeters of rain per hour
81mph winds
150,000 people ordered to evacuate

Active tropical storm system(s)
Name of storm system	Location	Formed	Last update	Last category	Course	Wind Speed	Gust	Wave	Source	Details
Talim (06W)	Pacific Ocean	18.06.2012	20.06.2012	Tropical Storm	25 °	83 km/h	102 km/h	4.27 m	JTWC

Tropical Storm data

Share: Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on email Share on print More Sharing Services 1 Storm name: Talim (06W) Area: Pacific Ocean Start up location: N 18° 48.000, E 112° 24.000 Start up: 18th June 2012 Status: Active Track long: 440.58 km Top category.: Report by: JTWC 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 18th Jun 2012 04:06:37 N 18° 48.000, E 112° 24.000 13 56 74 Tropical Depression 65 12 JTWC 18th Jun 2012 11:06:45 N 19° 18.000, E 112° 48.000 7 83 102 Tropical Storm 25 8 JTWC 19th Jun 2012 04:06:08 N 19° 36.000, E 114° 48.000 15 83 102 Tropical Storm 75 16 JTWC 19th Jun 2012 10:06:11 N 20° 24.000, E 115° 36.000 20 83 102 Tropical Storm 45 20 JTWC Current position Date Time Position Speed km/h Wind km/h Gust km/h Category Course Wave feet Pressure Source 20th Jun 2012 10:06:06 N 24° 0.000, E 118° 24.000 26 83 102 Tropical Storm 25 ° 14 JTWC Forecast track Date Time Position Category Wind km/h Gust km/h Source 21st Jun 2012 06:00:00 N 29° 42.000, E 126° 24.000 Tropical Storm 83 102 JTWC 22nd Jun 2012 06:00:00 N 36° 0.000, E 136° 24.000 Tropical Depression 56 74 JTWC 23rd Jun 2012 06:00:00 N 39° 24.000, E 145° 18.000 Tropical Depression 46 65 JTWC

Chris (AL03)

Atlantic Ocean

20.06.2012

20.06.2012

Tropical Storm

100 °

74 km/h

93 km/h

4.57 m

NHC

 Tropical Storm data

Share: Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on email Share on print More Sharing Services 0 Storm name: Chris (AL03) Area: Atlantic Ocean Start up location: N 38° 48.000, W 56° 0.000 Start up: 20th June 2012 Status: Active Track long: 0.00 km Top category.: Report by: 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 20th Jun 2012 10:06:15 N 38° 12.000, W 53° 30.000 28 74 93 Tropical Storm 100 ° 15 1005 MB NHC Forecast track Date Time Position Category Wind km/h Gust km/h Source 21st Jun 2012 12:00:00 N 41° 24.000, W 44° 44.700 Tropical Storm 102 0 NHC 21st Jun 2012 00:00:00 N 39° 30.000, W 48° 26.400 Tropical Storm 93 0 NHC 22nd Jun 2012 00:00:00 N 43° 42.000, W 43° 50.700 Tropical Storm 102 0 NHC 23rd Jun 2012 00:00:00 N 44° 30.000, W 45° 32.100 Tropical Storm 83 0 NHC

Today

Giant Wave Impact

India

State of Tamil Nadu, Mamallapuram [Bay of Bengal]

Giant Wave Impact in India on Wednesday, 20 June, 2012 at 03:14 (03:14 AM) UTC.

Description

Giant waves, more than 12 feet high, hit the northern side of the famous shore temple at Mamallapuram, 60 km from Chennai, on Tuesday evening, leaving the heritage monument three feet deep in water. Sea water gushed inland for about 75 metres, leaving behind a pool of water. The temple town was virtually empty with more than 3,000 shops downing shutters to protest an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) proposal to take over an ancient Perumal temple in the town. While there were no casualties, the waves triggered memories of the 2004 tsunami when the temple town was badly hit. “Tuesday’s waves were a reminder of the tsunami. We were scared when we saw the tall waves. Fortunately, all shops were closed,” said V Balan, a member of the Mamallapuram Traders’ Association. The high waves, ASI sources said, started on Monday evening and continued all through Tuesday before resulting in a deluge in the evening. As a result the ASI is contemplating banning entry of visitors on Wednesday to the shore temple. However, oceanographic experts have been quick to reassure that the big wave is not the result of a tsunami. “This is just a local phenomenon and possibly a freak phenomenon caused by low pressure,” said Dr M A Aatmanand, director of National Institute of Ocean Technology.

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Dangerous Rip Currents Claim Lives at Florida Beaches

Rip Currents: Beware at the Beach

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By RANDY KREIDER

An outbreak of rip currents at beaches in Florida has claimed several lives and endangered dozens more in recent days, prompting the National Weather Service to extend its public warnings to beachgoers.

Over this past weekend, two people drowned and more than 70 had to be rescued from rip currents in a single Florida county on the Atlantic coast, officials there told ABC News.

A 14-year-old boy went missing Sunday after getting caught in a rip current while swimming with friends at New Smyrna Beach, Fla. His body was found on shore Monday morning. Volusia County Beach Patrol Capt. Tammy Marris told ABC News that the teens were swimming at an unguarded beach, over 300 yards away from the nearest lifeguard.

The same day the boy went missing, a 66-year-old man died after getting caught in a rip current just off another beach in Volusia. He was pulled in by lifeguards but fell unconscious during the rescue process and did not recover, Marris said. Authorities have not released the identities of either victim.

The deaths follow another pair of fatal incidents that took place on Florida’s opposite coast along the Gulf of Mexico the previous weekend.

There, 42-year-old Sonia Westmoreland died June 9 after she was caught in a rip current while trying to rescue her daughter and her daughter’s two friends. The girls were saved by their father but Westmoreland was “blue around the mouth and non-responsive” when officers arrived, according to a police report obtained by ABC News. She died several days later.

Also on June 9, a 23-year-old Mississippi man drowned while swimming at an unguarded beach in Pensacola, Fla., according to the Pensacola News Journal.
http://cdnapi.kaltura.com/index.php/kwidget/wid/1_4bpycskm/uiconf_id/5590821

Flash Flood Warning

ABERDEEN SD
DULUTH MN
SIOUX FALLS SD

Flash Flood Watch

TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
DULUTH MN

Flood Warning

DULUTH MN
PENDLETON OR
TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
LAKE CHARLES LA
LAKE CHARLES LA

Coastal Flood Advisory

NEW ORLEANS LA
LAKE CHARLES LA

Landslides in China as tropical storm hits

Published on Jun 19, 2012 by itnnews

Tropical storm causes landslides and flooding in southern and eastern China. Report by Lisa Snell.

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Epidemic Hazards / Diseases

Today

Epidemic

Philippines

Province of Catanduanes, Virac

Epidemic in Philippines on Wednesday, 20 June, 2012 at 04:49 (04:49 AM) UTC.

Description
The sudden increase of cholera cases in Virac, Catanduanes has prompted the Department of Health to declare a cholera outbreak, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported on Wednesday. Since January, 18 were reported dead due to diarrhea, with 1,370 validated cases. On June 11, the municipality of Virac already declared a state of calamity due to the surge of cholera cases, the NDRRMC said. The suspected source of contamination was the improvised spring in Sto. Domingo river used by affected communities as their source of drinking water near the quarry site, the report said. Two more water sources in Virac were found positive for Vibrio Cholera. A medical team was sent to assess the situation and distribute purified water to the affected areas. Medicines and treatment were also given to the victims.
Biohazard name:	Cholerae Outbreak
Biohazard level:	2/4 Medium
Biohazard desc.:	Bacteria and viruses that cause only mild disease to humans, or are difficult to contract via aerosol in a lab setting, such as hepatitis A, B, and C, influenza A, Lyme disease, salmonella, mumps, measles, scrapie, dengue fever, and HIV. “Routine diagnostic work with clinical specimens can be done safely at Biosafety Level 2, using Biosafety Level 2 practices and procedures. Research work (including co-cultivation, virus replication studies, or manipulations involving concentrated virus) can be done in a BSL-2 (P2) facility, using BSL-3 practices and procedures. Virus production activities, including virus concentrations, require a BSL-3 (P3) facility and use of BSL-3 practices and procedures”, see Recommended Biosafety Levels for Infectious Agents.
Symptoms:
Status:	confirmed

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Solar Activity

2MIN News June 19, 2012: THE ANOMALY + 2x Gamma Burst and more

Published on Jun 19, 2012 by Suspicious0bservers

TODAYS LINKS
Carbon Dioxide at the Arctic: http://phys.org/news/2012-06-carbon-dioxide-arctic-coastal-seas.html
Arctic methane: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120618095055.htm
Flaws in Standard Model: http://phys.org/news/2012-06-babar-hint-standard.html
Chemtrails: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2160873/NASA-satellite-images-…
Colorado Wildfire: http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-colorado-wildfire-most-…
NM Wildfire: http://www.abc57.com/video/Dry-conditions–155918115.html
Typhoon: http://www.mysinchew.com/node/74624

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]

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

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]

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!]

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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
(2004 HB39)	20th June 2012	0 day(s)	0.1605	62.5	77 m – 170 m	8.88 km/s	31968 km/h
(2008 CE119)	21st June 2012	1 day(s)	0.1811	70.5	21 m – 46 m	3.22 km/s	11592 km/h
308242 (2005 GO21)	21st June 2012	1 day(s)	0.0440	17.1	1.4 km – 3.1 km	13.27 km/s	47772 km/h
(2011 AH5)	25th June 2012	5 day(s)	0.1670	65.0	17 m – 39 m	5.84 km/s	21024 km/h
(2012 FA14)	25th June 2012	5 day(s)	0.0322	12.5	75 m – 170 m	5.28 km/s	19008 km/h
(2004 YG1)	25th June 2012	5 day(s)	0.0890	34.7	140 m – 310 m	11.34 km/s	40824 km/h
(2010 AF3)	25th June 2012	5 day(s)	0.1190	46.3	16 m – 36 m	6.54 km/s	23544 km/h
(2008 YT30)	26th June 2012	6 day(s)	0.0715	27.8	370 m – 820 m	10.70 km/s	38520 km/h
(2010 NY65)	27th June 2012	7 day(s)	0.1023	39.8	120 m – 270 m	15.09 km/s	54324 km/h
(2008 WM64)	28th June 2012	8 day(s)	0.1449	56.4	200 m – 440 m	17.31 km/s	62316 km/h
(2010 CD55)	28th June 2012	8 day(s)	0.1975	76.8	64 m – 140 m	6.33 km/s	22788 km/h
(2004 CL)	30th June 2012	10 day(s)	0.1113	43.3	220 m – 480 m	20.75 km/s	74700 km/h
(2008 YQ2)	03rd July 2012	13 day(s)	0.1057	41.1	29 m – 65 m	15.60 km/s	56160 km/h
(2005 QQ30)	06th July 2012	16 day(s)	0.1765	68.7	280 m – 620 m	13.13 km/s	47268 km/h
(2011 YJ28)	06th July 2012	16 day(s)	0.1383	53.8	150 m – 330 m	14.19 km/s	51084 km/h
276392 (2002 XH4)	07th July 2012	17 day(s)	0.1851	72.0	370 m – 840 m	7.76 km/s	27936 km/h
(2003 MK4)	08th July 2012	18 day(s)	0.1673	65.1	180 m – 410 m	14.35 km/s	51660 km/h
(1999 NW2)	08th July 2012	18 day(s)	0.0853	33.2	62 m – 140 m	6.66 km/s	23976 km/h
189P/NEAT	09th July 2012	19 day(s)	0.1720	66.9	n/a	12.47 km/s	44892 km/h
(2000 JB6)	10th July 2012	20 day(s)	0.1780	69.3	490 m – 1.1 km	6.42 km/s	23112 km/h
(2010 MJ1)	10th July 2012	20 day(s)	0.1533	59.7	52 m – 120 m	10.35 km/s	37260 km/h
(2008 NP3)	12th July 2012	22 day(s)	0.1572	61.2	57 m – 130 m	6.08 km/s	21888 km/h
(2006 BV39)	12th July 2012	22 day(s)	0.1132	44.1	4.2 m – 9.5 m	11.11 km/s	39996 km/h
(2005 NE21)	15th July 2012	25 day(s)	0.1555	60.5	140 m – 320 m	10.77 km/s	38772 km/h
(2003 KU2)	15th July 2012	25 day(s)	0.1034	40.2	770 m – 1.7 km	17.12 km/s	61632 km/h
(2007 TN74)	16th July 2012	26 day(s)	0.1718	66.9	20 m – 45 m	7.36 km/s	26496 km/h
(2007 DD)	16th July 2012	26 day(s)	0.1101	42.8	19 m – 42 m	6.47 km/s	23292 km/h
(2006 BC8)	16th July 2012	26 day(s)	0.1584	61.6	25 m – 56 m	17.71 km/s	63756 km/h
144411 (2004 EW9)	16th July 2012	26 day(s)	0.1202	46.8	1.3 km – 2.9 km	10.90 km/s	39240 km/h
(2012 BV26)	18th July 2012	28 day(s)	0.1759	68.4	94 m – 210 m	10.88 km/s	39168 km/h
(2010 OB101)	19th July 2012	29 day(s)	0.1196	46.6	200 m – 450 m	13.34 km/s	48024 km/h
1 AU = ~150 million kilometers,1 LD = Lunar Distance = ~384,000 kilometers Source: NASA-NEO

…………………………..

Unveiling Venus

Published on Jun 19, 2012 by Euronews

http://www.euronews.com/ It can be called the morning or evening star, depending on where you are or what time it is, but it is anything but a star; in fact it is one of our nearest planetary neighbours, Venus.
Along with Mars the pair may be Earth’s close cousins, but they are oh-so different. Only now are we starting to peer through Venus’s clouds to reveal the burning planet’s secrets.

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*

Biological Hazards / Wildlife

Today

Biological Hazard

Australia

State of Western Australia, [Mullaloo Beach]

Biological Hazard in Australia on Wednesday, 20 June, 2012 at 03:12 (03:12 AM) UTC.

Description
A Mullaloo ski paddler has escaped injury after a shark attacked his surf ski this morning. The man was thrown into the water when the predator rammed the back of his ski while he was out paddling with friends about 150m offshore about 7.15am. Surf Life Saving WA community safety manager Chris Peck said the paddler initially thought he had been hit by a jet ski. As the shark was biting the back of the ski, one of the stricken paddler’s friends paddled alongside him and was able to get him on to the back of his ski and take him into shore. He said the paddler, in his 50s, believed the shark was 3m to 3.5m but did not know what type it was. Mr Peck said the paddlers were shaken but uninjured. WA Fisheries Shark Response Unit manager Michael Burgess said the shark was likely to have been a great white. A Fisheries boat has now found the damaged ski and will examine it to try to determine what sort of shark it was. Fisheries advise a fisher has reported that a large white shark attacked a crab pot at Saxon Reef in Warnbro Sound around 8am. They will try to find both sharks to tag them. Mr Burgess said the two attacks, more than 50km apart, were likely to have been by different sharks, adding there was “some type of shark activity occurring along the Perth coast” at present.
Biohazard name:	Shark attack (Non-Fatal)
Biohazard level:	0/4 —
Biohazard desc.:	This does not included biological hazard category.
Symptoms:
Status:

Today

Biological Hazard

USA

State of North Carolina, [Ocean Isle Beach]

Biological Hazard in USA on Wednesday, 20 June, 2012 at 03:09 (03:09 AM) UTC.

Description
A six-year-old girl from Shelby is recovering after being bitten by a shark off the coast of Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina. The girl was swimming in shallow water near the shore around 11:30 a.m. when the attack happened. The report says that the girl’s mother told officials she had seen a shark following a school of fish in the area moments before the attack. The six-year-old has been treated for her injuries and is currently recovering in a North Carolina hospital. The girl and her family are in the area vacationing. This would be the second confirmed, but possibly sixth, shark attack within a 60 mile radius, this month. The other attacks have been in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Biohazard name:	Shark attack (Non-Fatal)
Biohazard level:	0/4 —
Biohazard desc.:	This does not included biological hazard category.
Symptoms:
Status:

Today

Biological Hazard

USA

State of Nebraska, [Sutherland Reservoir]

Biological Hazard in USA on Wednesday, 20 June, 2012 at 03:07 (03:07 AM) UTC.

Description
Hundreds, possibly thousands, of dead carp were washing up on the north shores of Sutherland Reservoir, a caller said. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission said they were aware of the problem and biologists were in the process of collecting dead fish for analysis. Their initial thoughts were that it was not an environmental factor like heat, lack of dissolved oxygen or a chemical spill that caused the problem. When I got to the reservoir, I noticed that the die-off was very species specific. The vast majority of the fish I saw dead were carp. This intrigued me because carp can usually survive the worst water conditions. The fact that I saw only a few other species, really no more than I would expect, to see on any given day around the reservoir, makes me think the die-off is due to some sort of disease that affects carp. I a’m not a fisheries biologist, but I’ am going to guess we will find out that it was something like the three or so koi herpes viruses or a similar ailment that killed these fish. Another common name is “carp pox.” The virus causes the gills of the fish to be unable to extract oxygen from the water. The fish basically suffocates. It will be a few days before the official findings will be back and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission can make a definitive statement of the cause of this fish kill.
Biohazard name:	Mass. Die-off (fishes)
Biohazard level:	0/4 —
Biohazard desc.:	This does not included biological hazard category.
Symptoms:
Status:

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[In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit, for research and/or educational purposes. This constitutes ‘FAIR USE’ of any such copyrighted material.]

Earth Watch Report – Wednesday May 30th, 2012

Earthquakes

 

RSOE EDIS

 

Date/Time (UTC)	Magnitude	Area	Country	State/Prov./Gov.	Location	Risk			Source	Details
30.05.2012 10:11:35	4.8	Europe	Russia		Sem’desyat Vtoroy Kilometr				EMSC
30.05.2012 10:11:56	3.0	Europe	France		Saint-Martin-aux-Buneaux				EMSC
30.05.2012 10:12:17	3.5	Asia	Taiwan		Hsiang-yang				EMSC
30.05.2012 10:12:39	3.6	Europe	Greece		Thesprotikon				EMSC
30.05.2012 09:25:59	2.9	North America	United States	Alaska	Iniskin				USGS-RSOE
30.05.2012 09:10:55	5.1	Indonesian Archipelago	Indonesia		Trana				EMSC
30.05.2012 09:16:41	5.1	Indonesian archipelago	Indonesia		Trana				USGS-RSOE
30.05.2012 09:20:42	4.9	Middle East	Iran	Ostan-e Fars	Khurab				USGS-RSOE
30.05.2012 09:11:20	4.8	Middle-East	Iran		Khurab				EMSC
30.05.2012 09:11:43	2.5	Europe	Italy		Finale Emilia				EMSC
30.05.2012 08:31:08	3.3	North America	United States	Hawaii	‘Äpua (historical)				USGS-RSOE
30.05.2012 09:12:15	2.9	Asia	Turkey		Nizin				EMSC
30.05.2012 09:12:38	3.8	Europe	Italy		Coazze				EMSC
30.05.2012 09:13:02	2.8	Europe	France		Sainte-Anne				EMSC
30.05.2012 09:13:27	2.7	Europe	Italy		Quarantoli				EMSC
30.05.2012 09:13:52	2.0	Europe	Greece		Polilofon				EMSC
30.05.2012 09:14:17	2.9	Europe	Italy		La Collevata				EMSC
30.05.2012 08:03:56	3.5	Asia	Turkey		Karagunduz				EMSC
30.05.2012 08:04:23	3.3	Europe	Bulgaria		Slakovtsi				EMSC
30.05.2012 08:04:48	2.6	Europe	Italy		Case Oratorio				EMSC
30.05.2012 08:06:40	2.8	Europe	Greece		Tyrgia				EMSC
30.05.2012 08:07:02	2.1	Europe	Italy		Pioppa				EMSC
30.05.2012 07:21:38	4.0	North America	United States	California	Solromar				USGS-RSOE
30.05.2012 07:22:01	2.3	North America	United States	California	Solromar				USGS-RSOE
30.05.2012 08:07:27	2.6	Europe	Italy		La Balantina				EMSC
30.05.2012 08:07:56	3.1	Europe	Italy		Moglia				EMSC
30.05.2012 07:01:45	2.7	Europe	Italy		Novi di Modena				EMSC
30.05.2012 07:02:07	2.8	Europe	Italy		Palata Pepoli				EMSC
30.05.2012 07:02:29	2.8	Europe	Italy		Ponte di San Pellegrino				EMSC
30.05.2012 07:02:49	2.3	Europe	Italy		La Massara				EMSC
30.05.2012 08:08:33	3.1	Europe	Greece		Sourides				EMSC
30.05.2012 07:03:08	2.8	Europe	Italy		Alberica				EMSC
30.05.2012 07:03:28	2.0	Europe	Italy		La Balantina				EMSC
30.05.2012 07:03:49	3.3	Europe	Greece		Ydroussa				EMSC
30.05.2012 07:04:11	2.6	Europe	Italy		Concordia sulla Secchia				EMSC
30.05.2012 07:04:33	2.7	Europe	Croatia		Skrivena Luka				EMSC
30.05.2012 07:04:54	2.4	Europe	Italy		La Barchessa				EMSC
30.05.2012 07:05:51	2.4	Europe	Italy		Quarantoli				EMSC
30.05.2012 05:55:30	2.9	Europe	Poland		Czeszkow				EMSC
30.05.2012 07:06:19	2.9	Europe	Greece		Kalopirgos				EMSC
30.05.2012 06:41:07	3.0	Caribbean	Puerto Rico		Centro Puntas				USGS-RSOE
30.05.2012 07:06:20	2.5	Europe	Italy		Quarantoli				EMSC
30.05.2012 05:55:49	2.6	Europe	Italy		San Giacomo delle Segnate				EMSC
30.05.2012 05:56:10	2.3	Asia	Turkey		Mezraasadan				EMSC
30.05.2012 05:56:31	2.8	Europe	Italy		Quarantoli				EMSC
30.05.2012 08:08:58	2.6	Europe	Italy		Novi di Modena				EMSC
30.05.2012 05:56:51	2.5	Europe	Italy		La Balantina				EMSC
30.05.2012 05:57:13	3.3	Europe	Italy		Tramuschio				EMSC
30.05.2012 04:50:34	2.7	Europe	Italy		Concordia sulla Secchia				EMSC
30.05.2012 04:45:30	2.1	North America	United States	Hawaii	‘Äpua (historical)				USGS-RSOE
30.05.2012 04:50:55	2.3	Europe	Italy		La Balantina				EMSC
30.05.2012 05:57:32	2.3	Asia	Turkey		Olucak				EMSC
30.05.2012 05:57:51	2.7	Asia	Turkey		Esencik				EMSC
30.05.2012 04:51:16	2.3	Europe	Italy		La Balantina				EMSC
30.05.2012 04:51:35	2.7	Europe	Italy		Quistello				EMSC
30.05.2012 04:51:53	2.6	Europe	Italy		San Felice sul Panaro				EMSC
30.05.2012 04:52:16	2.5	Europe	Italy		Casa Madonnina				EMSC
30.05.2012 04:52:38	3.4	Europe	Italy		San Biagio				EMSC
30.05.2012 05:58:18	2.2	Asia	Turkey		Cukurgol Yaylasi				EMSC
30.05.2012 04:52:59	2.7	Europe	Italy		Mirandola				EMSC
30.05.2012 03:55:25	3.5	North America	United States	Alaska	Beluga				USGS-RSOE
30.05.2012 04:53:19	2.1	Europe	Italy		San Felice sul Panaro				EMSC
30.05.2012 08:09:23	2.4	Europe	Italy		La Massara				EMSC
30.05.2012 04:53:40	2.1	Europe	Italy		Casa Madonnina				EMSC
30.05.2012 03:45:32	2.1	Europe	Italy		Rovereto				EMSC
30.05.2012 05:58:38	2.7	Asia	Turkey		Karahidirli				EMSC
30.05.2012 03:45:53	2.3	Europe	Albania		Greve				EMSC
30.05.2012 07:06:45	2.6	Europe	Italy		San Giovanni del Dosso				EMSC
30.05.2012 03:46:16	2.9	Europe	Italy		Coazze				EMSC
30.05.2012 03:46:36	2.1	Europe	Italy		Concordia sulla Secchia				EMSC
30.05.2012 03:46:56	2.1	Europe	Italy		Mirandola				EMSC
30.05.2012 03:47:17	2.2	Europe	Italy		Resega				EMSC
30.05.2012 04:00:34	4.4	South America	Colombia	Departamento de Cundinamarca	Paicaguita				USGS-RSOE
30.05.2012 04:54:02	4.4	South-America	Colombia		Paicaguita				EMSC
30.05.2012 03:47:36	2.1	Europe	Italy		Palata Pepoli				EMSC
30.05.2012 05:58:59	2.1	Asia	Turkey		Yesilyayla				EMSC
30.05.2012 03:47:58	2.3	Europe	Italy		Moglia				EMSC
30.05.2012 05:59:18	2.7	Asia	Turkey		Mollakasim				EMSC
30.05.2012 03:48:26	2.2	Europe	Italy		San Giacomo Roncole				EMSC
30.05.2012 02:45:24	3.2	Europe	Greece		Sigrion				EMSC
30.05.2012 07:07:11	2.7	Europe	Albania		Cerjan				EMSC
30.05.2012 05:59:58	2.7	Europe	Greece		Agios Dimitrios				EMSC
30.05.2012 02:25:28	2.5	North America	United States	California	Ukiah Rancheria				USGS-RSOE
30.05.2012 02:45:45	2.0	Europe	Italy		San Biagio				EMSC
30.05.2012 03:48:47	2.2	Europe	Italy		Casa Madonnina				EMSC
30.05.2012 02:10:30	2.1	North America	United States	California	Solromar				USGS-RSOE
30.05.2012 06:00:39	2.5	Asia	Turkey		Gerenler				EMSC
30.05.2012 02:46:09	2.0	Europe	Italy		Alberica				EMSC
30.05.2012 06:00:59	2.1	Asia	Turkey		Esmepinar				EMSC
30.05.2012 02:46:30	2.4	Europe	Italy		San Felice sul Panaro				EMSC
30.05.2012 02:46:49	2.4	Europe	Italy		Resega				EMSC
30.05.2012 01:40:35	2.5	Asia	Turkey		Cetibelikoyu				EMSC
30.05.2012 01:40:55	2.5	Europe	Italy		Zocca				EMSC
30.05.2012 01:41:17	2.2	Europe	Italy		La Balantina				EMSC
30.05.2012 01:41:37	2.1	Europe	Italy		Alberica				EMSC
30.05.2012 01:41:57	2.2	Europe	Italy		Casa Madonnina				EMSC
30.05.2012 01:42:25	2.0	Europe	Italy		Rovereto				EMSC
30.05.2012 01:42:46	2.2	Europe	Italy		La Balantina				EMSC
30.05.2012 01:31:07	4.2	Middle America	Mexico	Estado de Oaxaca	Santa Maria del Rincon				USGS-RSOE
30.05.2012 01:43:06	4.2	Middle-America	Mexico		Santa Maria del Rincon				EMSC
30.05.2012 01:43:27	2.7	Europe	Italy		La Collevata				EMSC
30.05.2012 01:43:49	2.3	Europe	Italy		La Balantina				EMSC
30.05.2012 00:35:45	2.0	Europe	Italy		San Felice sul Panaro				EMSC
30.05.2012 00:25:52	2.2	North America	United States	California	Mesquite Oasis				USGS-RSOE
30.05.2012 00:21:35	2.0	North America	United States	California	San Benito				USGS-RSOE
30.05.2012 00:36:06	2.2	Europe	Italy		La Collevata				EMSC
30.05.2012 00:36:27	2.3	Europe	Italy		Alberica				EMSC
30.05.2012 00:36:48	2.6	Europe	Italy		Resega				EMSC
30.05.2012 00:37:09	2.4	Europe	Italy		La Balantina				EMSC
30.05.2012 00:37:30	2.4	Europe	Italy		San Carlo				EMSC
30.05.2012 00:37:51	2.8	Europe	Italy		San Lorenzo				EMSC
30.05.2012 00:38:15	2.1	Europe	Italy		Mirandola				EMSC
29.05.2012 23:46:25	2.7	North America	United States	California	Toomey				USGS-RSOE
30.05.2012 03:30:44	3.2	Caribbean	Puerto Rico		Soroco				USGS-RSOE
29.05.2012 23:31:47	2.0	North America	United States	Hawaii	Pähala				USGS-RSOE
29.05.2012 23:35:33	3.0	Europe	Italy		La Collevata				EMSC
29.05.2012 23:35:53	2.6	Europe	Italy		La Pettenella				EMSC
29.05.2012 23:36:15	2.4	Europe	Italy		San Biagio				EMSC
29.05.2012 23:36:34	2.1	Europe	Italy		Moglia				EMSC
29.05.2012 22:45:34	2.0	North America	United States	Hawaii	‘Äpua (historical)				USGS-RSOE
29.05.2012 23:36:54	2.8	Europe	Italy		Cavezzo				EMSC
29.05.2012 22:31:42	2.4	Europe	Italy		Moglia				EMSC
29.05.2012 22:32:08	2.1	Europe	Italy		San Biagio				EMSC
29.05.2012 22:32:30	2.5	Europe	Italy		Ponte di San Pellegrino				EMSC
29.05.2012 22:32:52	2.4	Europe	Italy		La Balantina				EMSC
29.05.2012 22:33:13	2.5	Europe	Italy		Casa Madonnina				EMSC
29.05.2012 22:33:34	2.5	Europe	Greece		Frangoulaiika				EMSC
29.05.2012 22:33:53	2.6	Europe	Italy		La Collevata				EMSC
29.05.2012 22:34:20	2.2	Europe	Italy		Resega				EMSC
29.05.2012 22:34:41	2.5	Asia	Turkey		Alakilise				EMSC
29.05.2012 22:35:00	2.9	Europe	Italy		Casa Madonnina				EMSC
29.05.2012 22:45:00	2.8	Europe	Italy		Alberica				EMSC
29.05.2012 22:46:53	2.4	Europe	Italy		San Lorenzo				EMSC
29.05.2012 21:26:40	3.1	Europe	Italy		L’Orlanda				EMSC
29.05.2012 21:26:59	3.2	Europe	Italy		Piazzetta				EMSC
29.05.2012 21:27:19	2.3	Europe	Italy		Podere San Pancrazio				EMSC
29.05.2012 21:27:39	2.5	Europe	Italy		Melara				EMSC
29.05.2012 21:28:00	3.0	Europe	Italy		La Balantina				EMSC
29.05.2012 21:28:23	2.0	Asia	Turkey		Eksiler				EMSC
29.05.2012 21:22:49	4.4	Europe	Italy		Corte Romana				USGS-RSOE
29.05.2012 21:28:43	3.9	Europe	Italy		Moglia				EMSC
29.05.2012 21:29:02	2.6	Europe	Albania		Panjet				EMSC
29.05.2012 20:29:13	2.0	North America	United States	Hawaii	‘Äpua (historical)				USGS-RSOE
29.05.2012 21:29:21	2.4	Europe	Italy		L’Orlanda				EMSC
29.05.2012 21:29:40	2.8	Europe	Greece		Kattavia				EMSC
29.05.2012 20:20:55	2.6	North America	United States	California	Citrus View				USGS-RSOE
29.05.2012 20:21:22	2.3	North America	United States	Hawaii	‘Äpua (historical)				USGS-RSOE
29.05.2012 20:25:50	2.7	Europe	Italy		La Pettenella				EMSC
29.05.2012 20:57:19	2.4	North America	United States	Alaska	Ninilchik				USGS-RSOE
29.05.2012 20:31:28	3.3	Caribbean	Dominican Republic	Provincia de La Altagracia	El Cabo				USGS-RSOE
29.05.2012 20:26:18	2.3	Europe	Italy		Tramuschio				EMSC
29.05.2012 20:26:38	2.4	Europe	Italy		San Lorenzo				EMSC
29.05.2012 20:26:57	2.3	Europe	Italy		Villa Magri				EMSC
29.05.2012 20:27:17	2.3	Europe	Italy		Melara				EMSC
29.05.2012 20:27:36	2.6	Europe	Italy		Ponte di San Pellegrino				EMSC
29.05.2012 20:27:57	2.5	Europe	Greece		Likotrafos				EMSC
29.05.2012 20:28:21	2.5	Europe	Bulgaria		Bogdanovdol				EMSC
29.05.2012 20:28:41	2.2	Europe	Italy		Palata Pepoli				EMSC
29.05.2012 19:16:05	2.2	North America	United States	Alaska	Drift River				USGS-RSOE
29.05.2012 19:21:26	2.7	Europe	Italy		Tramuschio				EMSC
29.05.2012 19:21:46	3.0	Europe	Italy		Resega				EMSC
29.05.2012 19:22:05	2.6	Europe	Italy		Alberica				EMSC
29.05.2012 19:22:31	2.6	Europe	Italy		Ravarino				EMSC
29.05.2012 18:55:53	2.2	North America	United States	Alaska	Drift River				USGS-RSOE
29.05.2012 19:22:51	2.9	Europe	Italy		Casa Madonnina				EMSC
29.05.2012 19:23:11	4.8	North-America	United States		Amchitka				EMSC
29.05.2012 19:16:27	4.9	North America	United States	Alaska	Amchitka				USGS-RSOE
29.05.2012 19:23:30	2.5	Europe	Italy		Casa Madonnina				EMSC
29.05.2012 19:23:50	2.4	Europe	Italy		Casa Calari				EMSC
29.05.2012 19:24:13	3.0	Europe	Italy		San Biagio				EMSC
29.05.2012 19:24:34	2.2	Europe	Italy		Quarantoli				EMSC
29.05.2012 19:24:56	2.7	Europe	Italy		Budrione				EMSC
29.05.2012 18:12:28	2.0	North America	United States	Hawaii	‘Äpua (historical)				USGS-RSOE
29.05.2012 18:18:31	2.8	Europe	Italy		La Balantina				EMSC
29.05.2012 19:25:49	4.6	Asia	Japan		Naka-toyoni				EMSC
29.05.2012 18:18:57	4.7	Europe	Italy		San Benedetto Po				EMSC
29.05.2012 18:19:19	2.8	Europe	Italy		Rovereto				EMSC
29.05.2012 18:19:38	4.9	Asia	Japan		Aneyoshi				EMSC
29.05.2012 18:19:57	3.1	Europe	Italy		Coazze				EMSC
29.05.2012 17:18:30	3.0	Europe	Italy		La Balantina				EMSC
29.05.2012 17:18:52	2.9	Europe	Italy		Quarantoli				EMSC
29.05.2012 17:19:13	2.4	Europe	Italy		Alberica				EMSC
29.05.2012 17:19:33	2.2	Europe	Italy		Mirandola				EMSC
29.05.2012 17:19:53	2.9	Europe	Italy		San Felice sul Panaro				EMSC
29.05.2012 17:23:48	4.0	Europe	Italy		Alberica				EMSC
29.05.2012 17:24:23	2.7	Europe	Italy		Palidano				EMSC
29.05.2012 18:06:54	2.5	Caribbean	Puerto Rico		Barrio Guaypao				USGS-RSOE
29.05.2012 17:24:53	3.1	Europe	Italy		Il Motto				EMSC
29.05.2012 17:25:36	2.5	Europe	Italy		Messerotti				EMSC
29.05.2012 16:25:36	2.1	North America	United States	Alaska	Tanana				USGS-RSOE
29.05.2012 17:25:57	2.7	Europe	Italy		Concordia sulla Secchia				EMSC
29.05.2012 17:26:19	3.1	Europe	Italy		San Giacomo Roncole				EMSC
29.05.2012 17:26:38	2.7	Asia	Turkey		Baklali				EMSC
29.05.2012 17:26:57	2.9	Europe	Italy		Zocca				EMSC
29.05.2012 16:14:02	3.1	Europe	Italy		Rovereto				EMSC
29.05.2012 16:14:24	2.6	Europe	Italy		Malcantone				EMSC
29.05.2012 16:14:45	3.2	Asia	Turkey		Kizilcagil				EMSC
29.05.2012 16:19:47	2.1	Europe	Italy		San Giacomo Roncole				EMSC
29.05.2012 16:21:16	2.2	Europe	Italy		L’Orlanda				EMSC
29.05.2012 17:27:19	2.7	Asia	Turkey		Amasya				EMSC
29.05.2012 16:21:35	2.4	Europe	Italy		Concordia sulla Secchia				EMSC
29.05.2012 15:35:37	2.0	Middle America	Mexico	Estado de Baja California	Cerro Prieto				USGS-RSOE
29.05.2012 16:21:54	2.2	Europe	Italy		Dogaro				EMSC
29.05.2012 16:22:16	2.6	Asia	Turkey		Demirtas				EMSC
29.05.2012 16:22:37	2.8	Europe	Italy		Casa Fallona				EMSC
29.05.2012 16:22:58	2.6	Europe	Italy		Castelnuovo				EMSC
29.05.2012 16:23:21	2.5	Europe	Italy		La Balantina				EMSC
29.05.2012 16:23:42	2.4	Europe	Italy		Novi di Modena				EMSC
29.05.2012 16:24:03	2.8	Europe	Italy		Borgo Nuovo				EMSC
29.05.2012 16:24:40	2.4	Asia	Turkey		Karakaya				EMSC
29.05.2012 16:25:01	3.2	Europe	Italy		Polesine				EMSC
29.05.2012 16:27:53	2.3	Europe	Italy		Resega				EMSC
29.05.2012 16:28:16	3.8	Middle-East	Iran		Kahriz-e Salah od Din				EMSC
29.05.2012 16:28:38	2.8	Europe	Italy		La Collevata				EMSC
29.05.2012 16:29:02	2.5	Asia	Turkey		Ozdemir				EMSC
29.05.2012 16:29:21	2.5	Europe	Italy		Scortichino				EMSC
29.05.2012 16:29:42	2.7	Europe	Italy		Alberica				EMSC
29.05.2012 16:34:44	2.4	Europe	Italy		Alberica				EMSC
29.05.2012 14:48:05	2.2	Europe	Italy		Rovereto				EMSC
29.05.2012 14:48:26	2.7	Europe	Italy		La Balantina				EMSC
29.05.2012 14:48:47	2.7	Europe	Italy		Moglia				EMSC
29.05.2012 14:49:08	2.7	Europe	Italy		Concordia sulla Secchia				EMSC
29.05.2012 14:49:27	2.5	Europe	Italy		Quarantoli				EMSC
29.05.2012 14:49:47	2.7	Europe	Greece		Ayios Ioannis				EMSC
29.05.2012 14:57:10	3.2	Europe	Italy		Concordia sulla Secchia				EMSC
29.05.2012 14:57:32	2.6	Europe	Italy		La Balantina				EMSC
29.05.2012 14:57:50	2.7	Europe	Italy		La Balantina				EMSC
29.05.2012 14:58:10	2.7	Europe	Italy		Dogaro				EMSC
29.05.2012 13:35:42	2.0	North America	United States	California	Ellis (historical)				USGS-RSOE
29.05.2012 14:58:32	2.9	Europe	Italy		San Giacomo Roncole				EMSC
29.05.2012 14:58:53	3.0	Europe	Italy		La Pettenella				EMSC
29.05.2012 22:36:09	3.3	Pacific Ocean	New Zealand	Woodville County	Eastbourne				GEONET
29.05.2012 14:59:13	3.8	Europe	Italy		Santa Maria di Venezzano				EMSC
29.05.2012 14:59:35	4.0	Europe	Italy		Alberica				EMSC
29.05.2012 13:42:26	3.0	Europe	Greece		Theodhosia				EMSC
29.05.2012 15:50:35	5.1	Europe	Italy		Moglia				USGS-RSOE
29.05.2012 16:35:33	5.1	Europe	Italy		Moglia				EMSC
29.05.2012 13:15:30	5.6	Europe	Italy		Pioppa				USGS-RSOE
29.05.2012 13:42:50	5.5	Europe	Italy		La Balantina				EMSC
29.05.2012 14:59:56	2.4	Europe	Italy		Medolla				EMSC
29.05.2012 13:43:11	3.7	Europe	Italy		Bosellina				EMSC
29.05.2012 15:12:28	2.6	Europe	Italy		San Giacomo Roncole				EMSC
29.05.2012 13:43:32	3.4	Europe	Italy		Sustinente				EMSC
29.05.2012 15:12:49	2.5	Europe	Italy		Quarantoli				EMSC
29.05.2012 15:13:08	2.8	Europe	Italy		La Pettenella				EMSC
29.05.2012 13:43:53	2.6	Europe	Italy		Sant’Agostino				EMSC
29.05.2012 15:13:30	3.1	Europe	Italy		Bosellina				EMSC
29.05.2012 11:51:05	2.3	North America	United States	Alaska	Yakutat				USGS-RSOE
29.05.2012 12:06:10	4.4	Europe	Italy		Casa Pezza				EMSC
29.05.2012 15:13:51	4.2	Europe	Italy		Bastiglia				EMSC
29.05.2012 12:06:32	3.0	Europe	Italy		Bozzolo				EMSC
29.05.2012 15:14:13	3.2	Europe	Italy		Alberica				EMSC
29.05.2012 15:14:34	2.5	Europe	Italy		La Collevata				EMSC
29.05.2012 15:14:55	2.8	Europe	Italy		Alberica				EMSC
29.05.2012 13:00:30	2.4	North America	United States	Tennessee	Morgantown				USGS-RSOE
29.05.2012 12:06:53	2.9	Asia	Turkey		Gerenler				EMSC
29.05.2012 12:07:14	3.4	Europe	Italy		Rovereto				EMSC
29.05.2012 12:07:35	4.6	Europe	Italy		La Collevata				EMSC
29.05.2012 11:06:34	4.7	Europe	Italy		Pioppa				USGS-RSOE
29.05.2012 10:56:39	3.9	Europe	Italy		Tramuschio				EMSC
29.05.2012 14:55:50	2.3	North America	United States	Tennessee	Morgantown				USGS-RSOE
29.05.2012 10:57:00	4.7	Europe	Italy		Concordia sulla Secchia				EMSC
29.05.2012 10:54:11	4.7	Europe	Italy		Madonna dei Ponticelli				USGS-RSOE
29.05.2012 10:57:21	3.7	Europe	Greece		Kaloi Limenes				EMSC
29.05.2012 10:57:42	3.8	Europe	Italy		Alberica				EMSC
29.05.2012 10:48:36	2.0	Caribbean	Puerto Rico		Stella				USGS-RSOE
29.05.2012 13:44:14	3.2	Asia	Turkey		Guvent				EMSC
29.05.2012 10:58:03	3.7	Europe	Italy		Casino Barbieri				EMSC
29.05.2012 13:44:35	3.0	Europe	Italy		Alberica				EMSC
29.05.2012 13:44:55	2.9	Europe	Italy		Alberica				EMSC
29.05.2012 13:45:42	3.0	Europe	Italy		Corte Romana				EMSC
29.05.2012 10:58:40	3.2	Europe	Italy		Alberica				EMSC
29.05.2012 10:48:55	4.5	Europe	Bulgaria	Oblast Pernik	Divotino				USGS-RSOE
29.05.2012 13:46:02	3.6	Europe	Italy		Mirandola				EMSC
29.05.2012 13:46:25	3.6	Europe	Italy		Quarantoli				EMSC
29.05.2012 10:59:01	3.2	Europe	Spain		el Port de la Selva				EMSC
29.05.2012 12:07:54	3.4	Asia	Turkey		Tepekoy				EMSC
29.05.2012 10:49:17	2.9	Caribbean	British Virgin Islands		The Settlement				USGS-RSOE
29.05.2012 13:46:45	2.4	Europe	Greece		Kalon Khorion				EMSC
29.05.2012 10:21:39	2.9	Pacific Ocean	New Zealand		Sumner				GEONET

Video: Moment of deadly Italy earthquake caught on camera

Published on May 29, 2012 by RussiaToday

A 5.8-magnitude earthquake has struck northern Italy with authorities reporting 15 dead. It comes a week after a 6.0-magnitude tremor hit the same region, killing seven and destroying hundreds of buildings. The video shows evacuees from the previous quake peering out of tents in disbelief as second quake strikes.

READ MORE: http://on.rt.com/uy986n

Building collapsing during Italy earthquake caught on camera

Published on May 29, 2012 by itnnews

The moment tremors from an earthquake in northern Italy bring down a building has been caught on camera. . Report by Sophie Foster.

Italy earthquake: Video of house collapsing after killer quake shakes Modena

Published on May 29, 2012 by RussiaToday

A 5.8-magnitude earthquake has struck northern Italy on Tuesday, May 29 with authorities reporting 15 dead. It comes a week after a 6.0-magnitude tremor hit the same region, killing seven and destroying hundreds of buildings.

Second deadly quake in Italy

Stephen Jewkes, Reuters

 

Italy quake

 

• 

A car is destroyed after an earthquake on May 29, 2012 in Cavezzo. As many as 10 people were reported killed when a strong earthquake rocked northeastern Italy on Tuesday, just days after another quake in the same region wrought death and destruction. AFP PHOTO / Pierre Teyssot

 

CAVEZZO, Italy – An earthquake killed 16 people and injured about 350 in northern Italy on Tuesday, spreading fear among thousands of residents living in tents after a similarly strong tremor in the same region flattened their homes nine days ago.

Rescuers were searching through the rubble of houses and warehouses in the Emilia-Romagna region, where several building sites had just reopened after the previous quake on May 20.

Officials said 16 people were confirmed dead, more than twice the number killed in the May 20 quake that, like Tuesday’s, had its epicentre near the city of Modena. The number of those forced to leave their homes doubled to 14,000.

Many residents ran out of buildings when they felt the 5.8-magnitude tremor, which hit shortly after 0700 GMT just as operations to rebuild the quake-struck region were under way.

“As we were coming down the stairs, we heard the sound of crumbling houses around us. There was a big cloud of dust,” said 72-year-old Giulio in Cavezzo, a badly damaged village about 30 km (20 miles) from Modena where three died.

Rescuers searched tirelessly for survivors despite initial operations being hampered by disruption to the mobile phone network and to the railway network around Bologna.

A woman was pulled alive from the debris of her house in Cavezzo after 12 hours searching, according to Sky Italia.

The quake was the most deadly to strike Italy since 2009 when a tremor partially destroyed the central city of L’Aquila, killing about 300 people and leaving thousands homeless.

With its streets deserted, Cavezzo looked like a ghost town. A shop in the centre still had fruit displayed on stalls outside in the street.

In a nearby empty coffee shop a half-eaten croissant was left on a plate on the bar and an apron lay on the floor.

“It’s a disaster, I’ve never seen anything like it. An endless series of very strong tremors after those of May 20, which had already pulled everything to its knees,” said a very shaken Stefano Draghetti, mayor of Cavezzo.

“We need a lot of help to restart, from those who can – the state, the European community.”

Italian media showed buildings and shopping malls shaking and collapsing under the force of the quake and ambulances racing across towns. Churches and factories were badly damaged.

In Medolla, also near the epicentre, an electromedical equipment plant collapsed, killing a worker. Rescuers were frantically searching for three other workers still believed to be under the rubble, a Reuters witness said.

“The situation is one of great fear and uncertainty,” said Salvatore Iannizzotto, provincial head for the Modena police.

“The population was becoming more relaxed and slowly moving back into their homes. They have now left their homes again.”

The civil protection service was setting up new emergency campsites to provide residents with shelter for the night.

QUAKE WOUNDS ITALY

The quake hit one of the most productive regions in a country struggling with a deep economic recession.

Farmers estimated the damage of the previous quake to agriculture in one of Italy’s most fertile areas at more than 200 million euros ($250 million).

Sports car maker Ferrari and motorcycle firm Ducati closed their plants in the region for safety reasons. The world’s top pasta-maker Barilla, based in Parma, evacuated a plant for 15 minutes but said production had not stopped. Italian bank BPER closed around 20 branches for safety reasons while medical products company Sorin said its plant in Mirabella had been damaged.

The quake was felt across northern and central Italy, including in the most populous northern city Milan. The area was hit by several large aftershocks, one of 5.6 magnitude

Schools and buildings were evacuated as far south as Florence. A soccer match between Italy and Luxembourg in Parma scheduled later on Tuesday was called off.

Emilia-Romagna, famed for its cured ham and mature Parmesan cheese, is in the middle of the Po plain, traditionally considered safer than other areas of seismic Italy.

Several historic buildings, some hit by the previous quake, suffered further damage.

In the town of San Felice sul Panaro whose imposing 14th-century Estense Castle was badly damaged in the quake just over a week ago, three workers were killed by a crumbling warehouse.

“The situation is very serious, some people are stuck under the rubble,” Alberto Silvestri, the town’s mayor, told Italian television.

Italian media also reported serious damage to the Baroque cathedral of Carpi and the Te Palace in Mantua, an architectural masterpiece from the Renaissance.

Prime Minister Mario Monti, whose cabinet is due to approve fresh emergency measures on Wednesday, tried to reassure the population in an impromptu news conference.

“I want to assure everyone that the state will do all that it must do, all that is possible to do, as fast as it can to guarantee the return to normality in a region so special, so important, so productive for Italy,” he said.

French President Francois Hollande’s office said France stood ready to provide Italy with any experts or logistical aid it might need. Greece was among the first nations to offer help.

A 3.8 magnitude quake was also felt in western Bulgaria on Tuesday, causing no casualties or serious damage, the National Geophysical Institute said. It had its epicentre near Pernik.

**********************************************************************************************************

Volcanic Activity

Mount Baker Volcano Washington USA – Active Volcano Warning

Published on May 29, 2012 by ChristiannaGarrett1

Mount Baker Volcano Washington USA – Active Volcano Warning

Rsoe EDIS Code: VA-20120529-35248-USA

May is volcano awareness month and as the summer months approach, officials want to remind those who go out to Mt. Baker that they are skiing and snowboarding and camping on an active volcano.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mount_baker_washington.jpg
Public Domain

 

29.05.2012

Volcano Activity

USA

State of Washington, [Mt. Baker Volcano]

 

Volcano Activity in USA on Tuesday, 29 May, 2012 at 16:14 (04:14 PM) UTC.

Description

As the summer months approach, officials want to remind those who go out to Mt. Baker that they are skiing and snowboarding and camping on an active volcano. May is volcano awareness month, and Carolyn Driedger with the U.S. Geological Survey says the biggest threat from a Baker eruption would be volcanic mud flows. She says those who live in volcano hazard zones around Mt. Baker need to have a plan to get to higher ground. Driedger says officials are confident they will see some warning signs before an eruption on Mt. Baker. West of Baker, the towns of Glacier, Maple Falls, Deming, Everson and Sumas all lie in the pathway for eruption-related mud flows.

Alert level raised on Colombia’s most dangerous volcano as ash rains down on nearby villages

by The Extinction Protocol

May 29. 2012 – COLOMBIA – Colombia warned Tuesday of a possible eruption of the Nevado del Ruiz volcano after it began rumbling and spewing gas, sending ashes onto cities and towns in the nearby coffee-growing region. The government’s geology and mining oversight institute Ingeominas said in a statement it raised the warning level to orange from yellow, which means an eruption is possible in days or weeks. The increased seismic activity began at around 3 a.m. local time (4 a.m. EDT).  Civil aviation authority Aerocivil said operations have been suspended at the Manizales, Armenia, Cartago and Pereira airports, all in Colombia’s central-western coffee-growing region, due to visibility problems and concerns over aircraft engines getting clogged. This is the second time this year the warning level has been set at orange. It was raised to orange March 31, but brought back to yellow several days later as seismic activity declined. The 17,800-foot volcano, located west of Bogota, hasn’t erupted since the 1980s. An official at the Volcanology Observatory in Manizales, 16 miles northwest of the crater, said the city’s 360,000 residents have been able to see ash falling on the city since before dawn. In 1985, an eruption caused hot volcanic flows to melt the ice- and snow-covered summit area. This unleashed a cascade of debris down the volcano’s eastern slope, which wiped the town of Armero off the map, killing 25,000 people. Another 2,000 people were killed in nearby areas. –WSJ

29.05.2012 02:20 PM

Cordillera Central, Andes, Colombia

Nevado del Ruiz Volcano

Volcano Activity

1501-02=

Stratovolcano

No. 1

 

Volcano Activity in Colombia on Tuesday, 29 May, 2012 at 14:20 (02:20 PM) UTC.

Description

Colombian volcanologists indicated that the likelihood of an eruption at the Nevado del Ruiz volcano has increased, after an earthquake Tuesday morning in cental Colombia. Local authorities have raised the alert level from yellow to orange following a report issued by the Manizales Volcanological and Seismological Observatory. An orange alert does not mean an eruption is imminent. Web cameras in the area “show the emission of ash,” which “has been felt in the area surrounding the volcano,” according to Seismologic and Volcanic Observation director Gloria Patricia Cortes, who also noted the impact on city of Manizales and municipality of Villamaria. Cortes said that relief agencies in the area are prepped for immediate action, in case of emergency. “The recommendation now is to use masks in the city of Manizales because of the persistent rain of ashes,” said Cortes, who also said that she did not expect a lava flow but did not rule out that the emission of ash could continue for some time. According to officials, small amounts of ash could be dispersed from the volcano to remote areas depending on wind direction and strength. The volcano has been fluctuating at high activity levels for the past several months and was lowered to alert level yellow earlier this month. The last eruption of the volcano in 1985 killed an estimated 25,000 people and destroyed the town of Armero.

Katla volcano (Iceland): small earthquake swarm, but not likely indicator of activity in the near future

BY: T

 

Small earthquake swarm at Katla volcano during 28-29 May 2012 (Icelandic Met Office)

A swarm of 14 small to very small mostly very shallow quakes occurred at Katla volcano yesterday and today. Epicenter depths were reported between 0.1 and 12.2 km. Judging from the depth and magnitude of the quakes, the most likely cause for the seismic swarm are adjustments of the hydrothermal system under the icecap, and probably not magmatic intrusions (which would be possible indicators of a future new eruption).

 

 

 

Volcano belches ash in Russia’s Far East

( Xinhua)

VLADIVOSTOK – A volcano in Russia’s Far East spewed ash high into the sky on Tuesday following a series of tremors, local media reported.

The column of ash from the 3.3-km-high Shiveluch volcano reached up to 7.3 km above sea level, according to the Itar-Tass news agency.

No impact or damage has been reported vis-a-vis the powerful outburst, which came in the wake of a chain of seismic events around the region.

Located on the Kamchatka peninsula, Shiveluch has been active since September 1980.

 

 

 

Indonesia’s Mt. Soputan status raised to standby

The Jakarta Post/Asia News Network

The Vulcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Center (PVMBG) has raised the alert status of Mt. Soputan in Minahasa and Southeast Minahasa regencies in North Sulawesi to level 3 — meaning “standby” — from the previous level 2 (alert), following increasing levels of volcanic activity.

“Based on our observations, as of 3 p.m. on Monday, Mt. Soputan’s alert status was raised to level 3,” center head Surono said on Monday evening.

According to Surono, increasing activity had been detected since May 25, when the volcano spew out white smoke to heights of between 50 meters and 75 meters above the mountain’s peak.

The center has recorded dozens of different types of activity since then. The center’s highest alert status for volcanoes is level 4 (on guard).

Surono has called on local residents to stay beyond a radius of six kilometers from the volcano’s summit.

The center has also warned residents of the threat of a cold lava flood, urging people living near Ranowangko, Pentu, Lawian and Popang rivers to remain alert and aware.

The volcano’s last eruption occurred on July 3, 2011. It erupted 10 hours after its status was raised to alert, forcing local officials to close Sam Ratulangi Airport for a day.
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Extreme Temperatures/ Weather

 

 

 

Gale Warning

 

JUNEAU AK
ANCHORAGE ALASKA
KODIAK AK

Red Flag Warning

FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE

 

MIDLAND/ODESSA TX
GRAND JUNCTION CO
TALLAHASSEE FL
SALT LAKE CITY UT
EL PASO TX/SANTA TERESA NM

 

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Storms, Flooding

 

 

Tropical Storm Warning

 

CAPE FEAR TO 31N OUT TO 32N 73W TO 31N 74W
HATTERAS CANYON TO CAPE FEAR OUT TO 34N 71W TO 32N 73W
BALTIMORE CANYON TO HATTERAS CANYON OUT TO 36N 70W TO 34N 71W

 

Active tropical storm system(s)
Name of storm system	Location	Formed	Last update	Last category	Course	Wind Speed	Gust	Wave	Source	Details
Beryl	Atlantic Ocean	26.05.2012	30.05.2012	Tropical Depression	65 °	46 km/h	65 km/h	0.00 m	NHC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Tropical Storm data

Storm name: Beryl Area: Atlantic Ocean Start up location: N 32° 30.000, W 74° 48.000 Start up: 26th May 2012 Status: 01st January 1970 Track long: 333.08 km Top category.: Report by: 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 27th May 2012 05:05:24 N 30° 48.000, W 77° 12.000 11 83 102 Tropical Storm 230 12 998 MB NHC 28th May 2012 07:05:36 N 30° 12.000, W 81° 6.000 11 111 139 Tropical Storm 270 12 993 MB NHC 29th May 2012 05:05:23 N 30° 48.000, W 83° 24.000 7 46 65 Tropical Depression 320 0 1005 MB NHC 29th May 2012 10:05:55 N 30° 54.000, W 83° 24.000 4 46 65 Tropical Depression 360 0 1005 MB NHC Current position Date Time Position Speed km/h Wind km/h Gust km/h Category Course Wave feet Pressure Source 30th May 2012 04:05:08 N 32° 12.000, W 81° 18.000 17 46 65 Tropical Depression 65 ° 0 1004 MB NHC Forecast track Date Time Position Category Wind km/h Gust km/h Source 31st May 2012 18:00:00 N 37° 0.000, W 70° 0.000 Tropical Storm 65 83 NHC 01st Jun 2012 18:00:00 N 38° 30.000, W 58° 0.000 Tropical Storm 74 93 NHC

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

 

SPRINGFIELD MO
FORT WORTH TX
SHREVEPORT LA

Severe Thunderstorm Watch

 

NORMAN OK
RALEIGH NC

 

 

Flood Warning

 

DES MOINES IA
SIOUX FALLS SD
TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
LA CROSSE WI
GREAT FALLS MT
DULUTH MN

 

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Epidemic Hazard/ Diseases

 

 

 

29.05.2012

Epidemic Hazard

Cambodia

Province of Kampong Speu, [The area was not defined.]

 

 

 

Epidemic Hazard in Cambodia on Tuesday, 29 May, 2012 at 16:13 (04:13 PM) UTC.

Description
A 10-year-old Cambodian girl has died from bird flu, the World Health Organization said Monday, the country’s third fatality from the virulent disease this year. The child developed a fever and shortness of breath on May 20 and died on Sunday, the WHO said in a joint statement with the Cambodian health ministry. Hospital tests confirmed she had contracted the H5N1 strain of avian influenza. “There is evidence of recent deaths among poultry in the village and the patient prepared sick chicken for food prior to becoming sick,” the statement said. The girl, from southwestern Kampong Speu province, is the 21st person in Cambodia to become infected with the H5N1 virus since 2003. Nineteen of those cases have been fatal. The H5N1 strain has killed 357 people worldwide since 2003, according to WHO statistics.
Biohazard name:	A/H5N2
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

 

 

 

 

29.05.2012

Epidemic

Uganda

Northern Region, [Nebbi District]

 

 

Epidemic in Uganda on Tuesday, 29 May, 2012 at 10:21 (10:21 AM) UTC.

Description
Two people have been confirmed dead and 56 others admitted atNebbi hospital following the fresh outbreak of cholera disease in Nebbi district. The death of the two unidentfied victims and 56 patients who are admitted at Nebbi hospital brings to 17 the number of victims killed and more than 1,150 infected with cholera after the first case was reported in the district in March this year according to health official in the district. Kitts Obima, the Nebbi district health Educator said that the district is alarmed by the persistance outbreak of the disease arguing that cholera is persisting due to relaxity on the side of the community to have sanitary facilites at home and thier poor habits to responds on the cholera symptoms. When New Vision visited Nebbi hospital to ascertain the number of people infetced in the lastest outbreak in Nebbi Town concil on Monday (May, 28,2012) many of the victims mostly youths and children were seen lying with drip on thier connected to thier body at Nebbi hospital isolation ward. Obima called on leaders in the district to enforce the use of sanitary facilities and educate the communities to avoid eating cold food , “According to public food act, food is purpose to be eaten indoor place but people still eat food in open places which exposes them at high risks of contracting cholera” he said. Cholera is an infection in the small intestine caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse, watery diarrhea and vomiting. Its transmission occurs primarily by drinking water or eating food that has been contaminated by the feces of an infected person. Obima said that the first case of cholera was reported in Akworo sub-county the district on March 2012. He explained that the worst hit sub-county has been Akworo, Panyimur, Parombo Pakwach sub-county which recorded a total of 15 death and the latest being Nebbi Town Council with over 56 cases reportedly admitted at Nebbi hospital Obima, however,said that drugs that district is still using the previous stocks which were delivered by the ministry and other humantarian organisation in the first outbreak. He added that, the cholera sample have been taken to central public health’s laboratory for test for rapid responds. Mean while to avoid the further spread of the disease, local council leaders have banned the selling of food itmes at the road sides. In Nebbi Town council James Chombe Mucek , the Nebbi town council LC.3 chaiperson said that the council have temporaly suspended selling of food items in the street and open restaurant. He said the move was aimed to control the disease from futher spread by eating cold food. He also said that the council have formed cholera task force who would move door to door to check sanitary facilities like toilets, washing facilities in order to to combat the cholera the disease.
Biohazard name:	Cholerae Outbreak
Biohazard level:	3/4 Hight
Biohazard desc.:	Bacteria and viruses that can cause severe to fatal disease in humans, but for which vaccines or other treatments exist, such as anthrax, West Nile virus, Venezuelan equine encephalitis, SARS virus, variola virus (smallpox), tuberculosis, typhus, Rift Valley fever, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, yellow fever, and malaria. Among parasites Plasmodium falciparum, which causes Malaria, and Trypanosoma cruzi, which causes trypanosomiasis, also come under this level.
Symptoms:
Status:	confirmed

 

 

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Solar Activity

3MIN News May29: Quakes, Weather, Middle East, Solar/Planetary Update

Published on May 29, 2012 by Suspicious0bservers

Groundwater: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120528154857.htm
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100923142503.htm
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090812143938.htm
Euro Heat: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120527153720.htm
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110606113405.htm
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110318091141.htm
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/08/070803110815.htm
Egypt Protests: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/29/us-egypt-election-idUSBRE84M0A92012…
Dewey: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/29/us-deweyandlebouef-bankruptcy-idUSB…
Israel Gas: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/29/us-israel-security-gas-idUSBRE84S07…
Ireland: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/29/us-ireland-contagion-idUSBRE84S0452…
Iran Sat: http://phys.org/news/2012-05-iran-satellite.html
ChinaBlog: http://phys.org/news/2012-05-china-main-microblog-restricts-user.html
Cyber: http://phys.org/news/2012-05-global-flame-cyber-staggering.html
Blackberry: http://phys.org/news/2012-05-rim-senior.html
Climate: http://phys.org/news/2012-05-climate-collapse-ancient-indus-civilization.html

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]

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

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]

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!]

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Mysterious Booms / Rumblings

Authorities puzzled by Mysterious Boom like Explosions sounds; last night in Michigan (May 29, 2012)

Published on May 29, 2012 by adrinilinjunky

http://www.wwmt.com/shared/newsroom/top-stories/stories/wwmt_vid_1905.shtml

“WEST MICHIGAN (NEWSCHANNEL 3) – People are buzzing over what could have possibly caused a loud boom and violent shaking last night and this morning throughout West Michigan.The reports came in from people in Calhoun, Branch and Kalamazoo Counties.People from all over say they felt and heard it, but Newschannel Three has only heard of one case of actual damage happening during the same time.John Nieuwenhuis, who lives in Oshtemo, says that he felt and heard the explosion, which shook his entire house.”Where the two trees are parallel and something completely scrapped both trees off at the same height and laid them to the west,” said Nieuwenhuis.Nieuwenhuis called the fire department but after extensively searching, they couldn’t find the source of an explosion. “I’ve never seen anything like this, we cut down trees, we log trees and what could have taken this down I have no idea,” said Nieuwenhuis.Newschannel Three tried to search into what might have caused the explosions but, it was a clear night and there was no earthquake activity reported anywhere in the Midwest.Air Traffic Control in Kalamazoo says no planes were in the area that might have broken the sound barrier.”

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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
(2001 CQ36)	30th May 2012	0 day(s)	0.0258	10.0	77 m – 170 m	5.62 km/s	20232 km/h
(2002 OA22)	31st May 2012	1 day(s)	0.1197	46.6	370 m – 820 m	7.01 km/s	25236 km/h
(2012 KZ41)	31st May 2012	1 day(s)	0.0209	8.1	26 m – 57 m	12.42 km/s	44712 km/h
(2007 LE)	02nd June 2012	3 day(s)	0.0478	18.6	390 m – 870 m	19.77 km/s	71172 km/h
(2012 KX41)	02nd June 2012	3 day(s)	0.0371	14.4	27 m – 61 m	13.40 km/s	48240 km/h
(2012 KO18)	02nd June 2012	3 day(s)	0.0825	32.1	100 m – 230 m	15.27 km/s	54972 km/h
(2012 JW11)	02nd June 2012	3 day(s)	0.1310	51.0	110 m – 250 m	5.15 km/s	18540 km/h
(2012 HK31)	04th June 2012	5 day(s)	0.0336	13.1	22 m – 50 m	3.03 km/s	10908 km/h
(2012 KN18)	05th June 2012	6 day(s)	0.0425	16.6	31 m – 70 m	10.17 km/s	36612 km/h
(2008 MG1)	05th June 2012	6 day(s)	0.1268	49.3	290 m – 640 m	22.32 km/s	80352 km/h
(2009 LE)	06th June 2012	7 day(s)	0.1150	44.8	50 m – 110 m	13.61 km/s	48996 km/h
(2006 SG7)	06th June 2012	7 day(s)	0.0857	33.4	71 m – 160 m	16.47 km/s	59292 km/h
(2001 LB)	07th June 2012	8 day(s)	0.0729	28.4	200 m – 450 m	11.56 km/s	41616 km/h
(2012 JU11)	09th June 2012	10 day(s)	0.0736	28.6	27 m – 60 m	3.80 km/s	13680 km/h
(2012 GX11)	10th June 2012	11 day(s)	0.1556	60.5	170 m – 380 m	6.38 km/s	22968 km/h
(2012 KM11)	14th June 2012	15 day(s)	0.0942	36.7	30 m – 67 m	5.92 km/s	21312 km/h
(2012 HN40)	15th June 2012	16 day(s)	0.1182	46.0	230 m – 510 m	13.79 km/s	49644 km/h
(2002 AC)	16th June 2012	17 day(s)	0.1598	62.2	740 m – 1.7 km	26.71 km/s	96156 km/h
137120 (1999 BJ8)	16th June 2012	17 day(s)	0.1769	68.8	670 m – 1.5 km	14.88 km/s	53568 km/h
(2011 KR12)	19th June 2012	20 day(s)	0.1318	51.3	140 m – 310 m	10.10 km/s	36360 km/h
(2004 HB39)	20th June 2012	21 day(s)	0.1605	62.5	77 m – 170 m	8.88 km/s	31968 km/h
(2008 CE119)	21st June 2012	22 day(s)	0.1811	70.5	21 m – 46 m	3.22 km/s	11592 km/h
308242 (2005 GO21)	21st June 2012	22 day(s)	0.0440	17.1	1.4 km – 3.1 km	13.27 km/s	47772 km/h
(2011 AH5)	25th June 2012	26 day(s)	0.1670	65.0	17 m – 39 m	5.84 km/s	21024 km/h
(2012 FA14)	25th June 2012	26 day(s)	0.0322	12.5	75 m – 170 m	5.28 km/s	19008 km/h
(2004 YG1)	25th June 2012	26 day(s)	0.0890	34.7	140 m – 310 m	11.34 km/s	40824 km/h
(2010 AF3)	25th June 2012	26 day(s)	0.1190	46.3	16 m – 36 m	6.54 km/s	23544 km/h
(2008 YT30)	26th June 2012	27 day(s)	0.0715	27.8	370 m – 820 m	10.70 km/s	38520 km/h
(2010 NY65)	27th June 2012	28 day(s)	0.1023	39.8	120 m – 270 m	15.09 km/s	54324 km/h
(2008 WM64)	28th June 2012	29 day(s)	0.1449	56.4	200 m – 440 m	17.31 km/s	62316 km/h
(2010 CD55)	28th June 2012	29 day(s)	0.1975	76.8	64 m – 140 m	6.33 km/s	22788 km/h
1 AU = ~150 million kilometers,1 LD = Lunar Distance = ~384,000 kilometers Source: NASA-NEO

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[In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit, for research and/or educational purposes. This constitutes ‘FAIR USE’ of any such copyrighted material.]

Earth Watch Report – Saturday May 19th, 2012

Earthquakes

 

RSOE EDIS

 

Date/Time (UTC)	Magnitude	Area	Country	State/Prov./Gov.	Location	Risk			Source	Details
19.05.2012 09:40:48	2.3	North America	United States	California	Junction Ranch				USGS-RSOE
19.05.2012 10:20:28	3.1	Asia	Turkey		Alakilise				EMSC
19.05.2012 09:15:39	2.5	Europe	Greece		Tzamalaiika				EMSC
19.05.2012 08:50:39	2.3	North America	United States	Hawaii	Papaloa				USGS-RSOE
19.05.2012 07:45:36	2.2	North America	United States	California	Watermans Corner				USGS-RSOE
19.05.2012 08:16:04	3.2	Asia	Turkey		Isikli				EMSC
19.05.2012 08:12:53	4.3	Asia	Russia	Kamchatskaya Oblast'	Nikol’skoye				USGS-RSOE
19.05.2012 08:16:30	4.3	Europe	Russia		Nikol’skoye				EMSC
19.05.2012 08:16:51	4.9	Indonesian Archipelago	Indonesia		Uyuod				EMSC
19.05.2012 07:35:34	4.9	Indonesian archipelago	Indonesia	North Sulawesi	Uyuod				USGS-RSOE
19.05.2012 06:45:39	2.1	North America	United States	Hawaii	Volcano				USGS-RSOE
19.05.2012 06:20:37	3.4	Caribbean	Dominican Republic	Provincia de La Altagracia	El Coco				USGS-RSOE
19.05.2012 08:17:13	3.1	Asia	Azerbaijan		Qimir				EMSC
19.05.2012 05:20:57	4.1	Pacific Ocean	Fiji		Vuluna				USGS-RSOE
19.05.2012 06:05:25	4.1	Pacific Ocean – East	Fiji		Vuluna				EMSC
19.05.2012 04:40:52	2.0	North America	United States	California	Harvard				USGS-RSOE
19.05.2012 04:35:25	4.3	Indonesian archipelago	Papua New Guinea		Gorendo				USGS-RSOE
19.05.2012 05:01:31	4.3	Indonesian Archipelago	Papua New Guinea		Gorendo				EMSC
19.05.2012 06:05:46	3.7	Asia	Azerbaijan		Azgilli				EMSC
19.05.2012 04:15:28	4.6	Asia	Japan	Kagoshima-ken	Nakanoshima				USGS-RSOE
19.05.2012 05:02:53	4.6	Asia	Japan		Nakanoshima				EMSC
19.05.2012 03:55:30	3.0	North America	United States	Hawaii	Volcano				USGS-RSOE
19.05.2012 04:00:24	2.7	Europe	Albania		Gadurove				EMSC
19.05.2012 03:50:51	2.3	North America	United States	Alaska	Ferry				USGS-RSOE
19.05.2012 04:41:13	2.0	North America	United States	Hawaii	Volcano				USGS-RSOE
19.05.2012 07:10:35	2.3	Asia	Turkey		Bakir				EMSC
19.05.2012 02:55:34	3.4	Asia	Turkey		Cavus				EMSC
19.05.2012 02:56:00	3.7	Asia	Turkey		Agarti				EMSC
19.05.2012 02:56:21	2.7	Europe	Greece		Stavloi				EMSC
19.05.2012 02:30:42	4.8	Asia	Japan	Iwate-ken	Aneyoshi				USGS-RSOE
19.05.2012 02:56:40	5.0	Asia	Japan		Aneyoshi				EMSC
19.05.2012 02:57:00	2.6	Europe	Serbia		Ostrikovac				EMSC
19.05.2012 01:25:37	2.5	North America	United States	Hawaii	Päpa‘ikou				USGS-RSOE
19.05.2012 01:20:34	2.7	North America	United States	Alaska	McKinley Park				USGS-RSOE
19.05.2012 01:50:33	2.6	Asia	Turkey		Mollakasim				EMSC
19.05.2012 01:50:54	2.7	Asia	Turkey		Dogantepe				EMSC
19.05.2012 00:55:30	2.9	North America	United States	Alaska	Lowell Point				USGS-RSOE
19.05.2012 00:45:29	3.0	Europe	Greece		Mandria Korona				EMSC
18.05.2012 23:55:54	4.7	Asia	Japan	Iwate-ken	Aneyoshi				USGS-RSOE
19.05.2012 00:45:52	4.9	Asia	Japan		Tadakoshi				EMSC
18.05.2012 23:45:22	5.2	Asia	Japan		Aneyoshi				EMSC
18.05.2012 23:46:35	5.0	Asia	Japan	Iwate-ken	Aneyoshi				USGS-RSOE
19.05.2012 01:35:42	2.3	North America	Canada	British Columbia	Princeton				USGS-RSOE
18.05.2012 23:10:34	3.5	North America	United States	Alaska	Kantishna				USGS-RSOE
18.05.2012 22:50:49	2.7	North America	United States	Alaska	Chickaloon				USGS-RSOE
18.05.2012 22:51:11	2.6	North America	United States	Alaska	Kantishna				USGS-RSOE
18.05.2012 23:45:41	3.2	Europe	Croatia		Domine				EMSC
18.05.2012 22:40:31	2.8	Europe	Italy		Corte Motta				EMSC
18.05.2012 22:40:49	3.0	Europe	Albania		Ternova e Madhe				EMSC
18.05.2012 21:40:57	2.2	North America	United States	California	Portal Inn				USGS-RSOE
18.05.2012 20:25:33	2.0	North America	United States	Alaska	Ninilchik				USGS-RSOE
18.05.2012 21:25:55	4.4	Indonesian archipelago	Indonesia		Siota				USGS-RSOE
18.05.2012 21:35:35	4.5	Indonesian Archipelago	Indonesia		Siota				EMSC
18.05.2012 19:40:41	2.2	North America	United States	Alaska	Paxson				USGS-RSOE
19.05.2012 02:57:24	2.0	North America	United States	California	Monola				USGS-RSOE
18.05.2012 19:20:39	2.0	North America	United States	Hawaii	‘Ainapö				USGS-RSOE
18.05.2012 19:15:46	2.0	North America	United States	Hawaii	Volcano				USGS-RSOE
18.05.2012 20:40:42	4.6	Indonesian archipelago	Indonesia		Makalehi				USGS-RSOE
18.05.2012 21:35:56	4.6	Indonesian Archipelago	Indonesia		Makalehi				EMSC
18.05.2012 18:55:40	3.1	North America	United States	California	Monola				USGS-RSOE
18.05.2012 19:00:43	3.0	North America	United States	California	Monola				USGS-RSOE
18.05.2012 19:41:03	3.4	Caribbean	Dominican Republic	Provincia de La Altagracia	Cabo Engano				USGS-RSOE
18.05.2012 19:30:33	3.1	Europe	Greece		Mandrini				EMSC
18.05.2012 19:30:54	2.5	Europe	Greece		Vithisma				EMSC
18.05.2012 18:31:10	2.0	North America	United States	California	Arrowhead Equestrian Estates				USGS-RSOE
18.05.2012 18:30:31	3.1	Europe	Greece		Pera Meria				EMSC
18.05.2012 17:45:40	3.9	North America	United States	Alaska	Karluk				USGS-RSOE
18.05.2012 22:41:11	4.9	Australia & New-Zealand	New Zealand		Hicks Bay				EMSC
18.05.2012 17:30:59	2.3	North America	United States	Hawaii	Volcano				USGS-RSOE
18.05.2012 18:32:15	3.0	Pacific Ocean	New Zealand	Woodville County	Halswell				GEONET
18.05.2012 17:05:43	4.8	Asia	Azerbaijan	Zaqatala Rayonu	Sabunchu				USGS-RSOE
18.05.2012 17:30:31	4.8	Asia	Azerbaijan		Agdam Qalal				EMSC
18.05.2012 16:35:40	2.7	Middle America	Mexico	Estado de Baja California	Cucapa Mestizo				USGS-RSOE
18.05.2012 16:25:31	4.6	South-America	Argentina		Salar de Pocitos				EMSC
18.05.2012 15:45:42	4.6	Atlantic Ocean	Argentina	Provincia de Salta	Salar de Pocitos				USGS-RSOE
18.05.2012 15:25:33	5.1	Africa	Algeria		Sidi Djelloul				EMSC
18.05.2012 15:25:53	4.7	Asia	Afghanistan		Golakheyl				EMSC
18.05.2012 15:05:53	4.8	Asia	Afghanistan	Kabul Province	Zero Tangeh				USGS-RSOE
18.05.2012 15:26:16	2.9	Asia	Turkey		Sultaniye				EMSC
18.05.2012 14:05:37	4.7	Asia	Russia	Sakhalinskaya Oblast'	(( Vasil’yevo ))				USGS-RSOE
18.05.2012 14:25:29	4.8	Europe	Russia		(( Vasil’yevo ))				EMSC
18.05.2012 13:45:43	4.6	Asia	Japan	Chiba-ken	Sukayama				USGS-RSOE
18.05.2012 14:25:50	4.6	Asia	Japan		Sukayama				EMSC
18.05.2012 14:20:33	4.4	Asia	Russia	Kamchatskaya Oblast'	Baza				USGS-RSOE
18.05.2012 14:26:12	4.4	Europe	Russia		Baza				EMSC
18.05.2012 12:40:36	3.6	North America	United States	California	Desert Sands Mobile Home Park				USGS-RSOE
18.05.2012 12:40:57	4.0	Asia	Azerbaijan	Saki Rayonu	Bas Goynuk				USGS-RSOE
18.05.2012 13:20:29	3.9	Asia	Azerbaijan		Baltali				EMSC
18.05.2012 11:20:25	2.3	Asia	Turkey		Sihlar				EMSC
18.05.2012 10:40:35	2.9	Middle America	Mexico	Estado de Baja California	Canon de Guadalupe				USGS-RSOE
18.05.2012 11:20:50	3.6	Asia	Turkey		Mollakasim				EMSC
18.05.2012 10:40:56	4.9	Asia	Japan	Ibaraki-ken	Sakai				USGS-RSOE
18.05.2012 11:21:10	4.9	Asia	Japan		Kurihashi				EMSC
19.05.2012 00:51:19	2.5	North America	United States	Idaho	Forney				USGS-RSOE
18.05.2012 19:31:33	2.8	North America	United States	Alaska	Atka				USGS-RSOE
18.05.2012 19:26:04	2.9	North America	United States	Alaska	Sanak				USGS-RSOE
18.05.2012 23:35:42	4.1	North America	Canada		Inuvik				USGS-RSOE
18.05.2012 23:46:03	4.1	North-America	Canada		Inuvik				EMSC
18.05.2012 19:26:26	2.9	North America	United States	Alaska	Hospital Valley				USGS-RSOE

 

 

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Volcanic Activity

 Sakurajima Volcano

Eruptions  continue  in Japan’s Sakurajima  Volcano.  This   footage  shows activity  captured  by remote feed

Blasts Continue to Menace People Near Mexican Volcano May 18, 2012

“It was spectacular. But of course, it makes you worry about everyone living nearby.” — Vulcanologist Raul Arambula.

Fresh blasts from Mexico’s Popocatepetl volcano spewed fiery rock and caustic ash over residents around the Mexico City suburb of Puebla, already on edge after weeks of ongoing eruption.Ash soared 2.5 miles into the sky during early Saturday’s explosion, forcing a local airport to close.

Residents of the nearby village of Santiago Xalitzintla rushed into the town square during the middle of the night as terrifying rumblings and blasts caused buildings to shudder.

Last week residents in eastern parts of Mexico City were provided with face masks to protect them against ash raining over the region from Popocatepetl’s blasts.

Prevailing winds have so far spared the capital district from significant ash falls.

Popocatepetl has become increasingly active during 2012.

A major eruption in 2000 forced 50,000 people to evacuate in three states that surround the towering mountain.

Photo: CENAPRED

Satellite Spies New Lava Flow on Active Volcano

OurAmazingPlanet Staff and NASA Report – May 18, 2012 03:15 PM ET

A new lava flow was spotted on Bagana volcano by a NASA satellite on May 16. CREDIT: NASA View full size image

Bagana volcano is one of the most active in Papua New Guinea, but it is remote, and so poorly monitored.

Located on the mountainous spine of Bougainville Island, it is both far from any cities or large towns and is hard to reach due to the rough terrain around it. Satellites are the best way for volcanologists to keep an eye on the active peak, which has an elevation of 5,741 feet (1,750 meters).

The volcano emits gases (including water vapor and sulfur dioxide) almost continuously, and frequently spits up thick lava flows.

Bagana volcano seen in the context of its surroundings.
CREDIT: NASA

View full size image

A natural-color image taken by NASA’s

Supervolcano Drilling Plan Gets Go-Ahead

Edwin Cartlidge
ScienceInsider

© Armageddon Online.org

Rome – A project to drill deep into the heart of a “supervolcano” in southern Italy has finally received the green light, despite claims that the drilling would put the population of Naples at risk of small earthquakes or an explosion. Yesterday, Italian news agency ANSA quoted project coordinator Giuseppe De Natale of Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology as saying that the office of Naples mayor Luigi de Magistris has approved the drilling of a pilot hole 500 meters deep.

The Campi Flegrei Deep Drilling Project was set up by an international collaboration of scientists to assess the risks posed by the Campi Flegrei caldera, a geological formation just a few kilometers to the west of Naples that formed over thousands of years following the collapse of several volcanoes. Researchers believe that if it erupted, Campi Flegrei could have global repercussions, potentially killing millions of people and having a major effect on the climate, but that such massive eruptions are extremely rare.

The project’s organizers originally intended to bore a 4-kilometer-deep well in the area of the caldera late in 2009, but the plan was put on hold by then-mayor Rosa Russo Iervolino after scientists expressed concerns about the risks.

Among the critics was Benedetto De Vivo, a geochemist at the University of Naples, who told Science in 2010that the drilling might cause seismic activity or generate an explosion if it allowed the high-pressure supercritical fluids expected to exist at depths of about 3 kilometers or more to come into contact with magma inside the caldera. “Nobody can say how bad this explosion would be, but it could put at risk some of the surrounding population,” he said. De Vivo added that he didn’t understand why the well was to be located on the grounds of the former Bagnoli steel mill, on the western outskirts of Naples, and not farther west. (De Vivo did not state that the study might trigger an eruption of the supervolcano.)

Collaboration member Ulrich Harms of the German Research Centre for Geosciences in Potsdam said at the time that if the drilling is done in a controlled way, “there is no risk to the public.” He pointed out that many multikilometer wells have been drilled around the world in order to extract geothermal energy, and that these have not caused explosions. He believes the project makes scientific sense: “It’s not clear if there is a volcanic risk, but it cannot be excluded, and this is why it is better to get more of an idea.”

De Natale told ANSA that drilling the pilot well should start “within a few months,” the time needed to “reorganize with the company that won the contract,” and that a second well 3.5 kilometers deep should then follow. (The mayor’s office was not available for comment today.)

De Natale said that information obtained from sensors placed inside the wells will help to understand the “bradyseism” – the rising and falling of the Earth’s surface resulting from the movement of magma inside a caldera – occurring in the Campi Flegrei are and to find out whether there is a connection between this phenomenon and volcanic eruptions. Additionally, he added, the study should provide information that could help to extract geothermal energy from the volcano in the future.

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Extreme Temperatures/ Weather

 

 

Gale Warning

 

BALTIMORE CANYON TO HAGUE LINE S OF 1000 FM
BALTIMORE CANYON TO HATTERAS CANYON OUT TO 36N 70W TO 34N 71W
ANCHORAGE ALASKA
JUNEAU AK

Red Flag Warning

FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE

MIDLAND/ODESSA TX
TALLAHASSEE FL

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Storms, Flooding

 

 

Name of storm system	Location	Formed	Last update	Last category	Course	Wind Speed	Gust	Wave	Source	Details
Aletta	Pacific Ocean – East	14.05.2012	19.05.2012	Tropical Depression	45 °	46 km/h	65 km/h	3.66 m	NHC

 

 

 

 

 

  Tropical Storm data

Share: Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on email Share on print More Sharing Services 6 Storm name: Aletta Area: Pacific Ocean – East Start up location: N 9° 48.000, W 105° 54.000 Start up: 14th May 2012 Status: 01st January 1970 Track long: 420.36 km Top category.: Report by: TSRC 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 15th May 2012 05:05:03 N 10° 30.000, W 108° 30.000 22 74 74 Tropical Storm 140 12 1004 MB TSRC 16th May 2012 07:05:44 N 11° 42.000, W 110° 54.000 17 74 93 Tropical Storm 285 12 1003 MB TSRC 18th May 2012 07:05:44 N 13° 36.000, W 114° 18.000 9 56 74 Tropical Depression 20 12 1006 MB TSRC Current position Date Time Position Speed km/h Wind km/h Gust km/h Category Course Wave feet Pressure Source 19th May 2012 07:05:35 N 14° 30.000, W 113° 12.000 6 46 65 Tropical Depression 45 ° 12 10

 

Flood Warning

 

MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX
CORPUS CHRISTI TX
WILMINGTON NC
SPOKANE, WA

Flood Watch

 

FAIRBANKS AK

 

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Solar Activity

2MIN News May18: Climate, EuroFail, Solar/Planetary Update

Published on May 18, 2012 by Suspicious0bservers

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/18/us-spain-economy-idUSBRE84G0CK20120518
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/18/us-greece-idUSBRE84D07X20120518
http://phys.org/news/2012-05-earth-cosmic-feather-duster.html
http://phys.org/news/2012-05-black-hole-universe-physicist-solution.html
http://phys.org/news/2012-05-climate.html
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=77966
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/WorldOfChange/columbia_glacier.php?…

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]

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

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

NOAA: http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/wsa-enlil/cme-based/ [For more advanced solar watchers]

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

Gamma Ray Bursts: http://grb.sonoma.edu/

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

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Space

WHAT’S TRENDING

Friday, May 18, 10:44 pm

Make msnNOW my homepage

Secret rogue planet may be hiding behind Neptune

Does Earth have a new friend? An astrophysicist says it’s likely that an as-yet undiscovered planet exists on the dark fringes of our solar system, messing with the orbits of celestial bodies in the Kuiper Belt, just beyond Neptune. Rodney Gomes says the new planet could be anywhere from half to four times the size of Earth and is likely a rogue planet that floated over from another solar system. Other space scientists say Gomes’ findings may be a lot of hot air and aren’t sure his calculations support his theory. Buzzkills. We already lost Pluto. Stop playing with our hearts. Give us the new guy.

Asteroid 2012 DA14 May Hit Communications Satellite in 2013

John Thomas Didymus
Digital Journal

© Dieter Spannknebel, Getty Images
A communications satellite orbits Earth (file illustration).

Asteroid 2012 DA14, discovered early this year by the LaSagra Observatory in Spain, will pass inside the geosynchronous satellite ring about 35,800 km above the equator on Feb. 15, 2013. Astronomers say the asteroid may hit a communications satellite. National Geographic reports that Paul Chodas, a planetary astronomer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, said: “That’s very unlikely, but we can’t rule it out.”

According to calculations, the asteroid will pass close enough to Earth to disrupt some orbiting satellites. Chodas, however, said that the orbiting International Space Station in low-Earth orbit is not at risk.

In spite of the fact that NASA astronomers assure that the asteroid will not hit the Earth, Steven Chesley, also of JPL, said: “We don’t know exactly where it is, and that uncertainty maps through to an uncertainty in the orbit and predictions.” The uncertainty, according to astronomers, means that they can’t rule out that it will not hit Earth in subsequent close approaches to Earth after 2013.

NASA astronomers say there is an estimated cumulative 0.031% risk (1 in 3,230) of 2012 DA14 impacting Earth sometime between 2020 and 2082, a figure they hope to refine further as they collect more information during its close approach to Earth in February next year.

National Geographic reports that if the asteroid hits the the Earth, it will likely hit the Antarctica or the Southern Ocean because it approaches the Earth from the south. The impact of the 140,000 ton rock could release energy equivalent to a 2.4 megaton bomb, about the same as the 1908 Tunguska blast in which hundreds of square miles of forest in Siberia were leveled. According to Chodas, “If the asteroid were to strike the ocean, It could produce a tsunami,” although “it probably wouldn’t be big.”

Update on Comet C/2011 L4 (PANSTARRS)

Giovanni Sostero, Ernesto Guido & Nick Howes
Remanzacco Observatory

Comet C/2011 L4 (PANSTARRS) was found by Pan-STARRS 1 telescope on Haleakala, Maui, on the night of 2011, June 5-6. At the moment of discovery the comet was at a distance of nearly 7.9 AU from the Sun (discovery magnitude 19.4). According to it’s orbit, around perihelion in March 2013 the comet would be located only 0.30 AU from the Sun and might become a bright naked eye object ( ~ magnitude 1). For more info about the discovery of this comet, see our previous post on this blog of 2011, June 09.

We performed some follow-up measurements of comet C/2011 L4 remotely from the Siding Spring-Faulkes Telescope South on 2012, May 18.5 through a 2.0-m f/10.0 Ritchey-Chretien + CCD. The comet is now at 4.6 AU from the Sun (m2 ~ 15.6). Below you can see our follow-up image (click on it for a bigger version):

© Remanzacco Observatory

It’s interesting to notice a very compact coma, this means active dust production even at 4.6 AU away from the Sun (very good news). The image processing shows an asymmetric coma, probably due to a line-of-sight effect. According to our previous experiences, the “jet-like” structures evidenced by the rotational-gradient filtering, shows very likely the striking asymmetry of the coma/tail, instead of a genuine activity due to the outgassing of the nucleus (that we are unlikely to resolve, at this time). This idea is confirmed by the appearance of the comet through the two other algorithms we applied, the azimuthal median subtraction and the 1/r theoretical coma subtraction.Anyway, our R-filtered image (that are showing mainly the dusty coma) shows that comet Panstarrs is pretty active, even at such big distances from the Sun (this is a good sign for future expectations on a bright comet, next year).

Very Rare Transit Of Venus This June Won’t Happen Again Until 2117

Dr. Tony Phillips
Science@NASA

On June 5th, 2012, Venus will pass across the face of the sun, producing a silhouette that no one alive today will likely see again.

Transits of Venus are very rare, coming in pairs separated by more than a hundred years. This June’s transit, the bookend of a 2004-2012 pair, won’t be repeated until the year 2117. Fortunately, the event is widely visible. Observers on seven continents, even a sliver of Antarctica, will be in position to see it.

The nearly 7-hour transit begins at 3:09 pm Pacific Daylight Time (22:09 UT) on June 5th. The timing favors observers in the mid-Pacific where the sun is high overhead during the crossing. In the USA, the transit will at its best around sunset. That’s good, too. Creative photographers will have a field day imaging the swollen red sun “punctured” by the circular disk of Venus.

Observing tip: Do not stare at the sun. Venus covers too little of the solar disk to block the blinding glare. Instead, use some type of projection technique or a solar filter. A #14 welder’s glass is a good choice. Many astronomy clubs will have solar telescopes set up to observe the event; contact your local club for details.

Transits of Venus first gained worldwide attention in the 18th century. In those days, the size of the solar system was one of the biggest mysteries of science. The relative spacing of planets was known, but not their absolute distances. How many miles would you have to travel to reach another world? The answer was as mysterious then as the nature of dark energy is now.

Venus was the key, according to astronomer Sir Edmund Halley. He realized that by observing transits from widely-spaced locations on Earth it should be possible to triangulate the distance to Venus using the principles of parallax.

The idea galvanized scientists who set off on expeditions around the world to view a pair of transits in the 1760s. The great explorer James Cook himself was dispatched to observe one from Tahiti, a place as alien to 18th-century Europeans as the Moon or Mars might seem to us now. Some historians have called the international effort the “the Apollo program of the 18th century.”

In retrospect, the experiment falls into the category of things that sound better than they actually are. Bad weather, primitive optics, and the natural “fuzziness” of Venus’s atmosphere prevented those early observers from gathering the data they needed. Proper timing of a transit would have to wait for the invention of photography in the century after Cook’s voyage. In the late 1800s, astronomers armed with cameras finally measured the size of the Solar System as Edmund Halley had suggested.

This year’s transit is the second of an 8-year pair. Anticipation was high in June 2004 as Venus approached the sun. No one alive at the time had seen a Transit of Venus with their own eyes, and the hand-drawn sketches and grainy photos of previous centuries scarcely prepared them for what was about to happen. Modern solar telescopes captured unprecedented view of Venus’s atmosphere backlit by solar fire. They saw Venus transiting the sun’s ghostly corona, and gliding past magnetic filaments big enough to swallow the planet whole. One photographer even caught a spaceship, the International Space Station, transiting the sun alongside Venus.

2012 should be even better as cameras and solar telescopes have improved. Moreover, NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory is going to be watching too. SDO will produce Hubble-quality images of this rare event.

For more news and information as the date of transit approaches, stay tuned.

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
(2010 KK37)	19th May 2012	0 day(s)	0.0058	2.3	19 m – 43 m	10.94 km/s	39384 km/h
4183 Cuno	20th May 2012	1 day(s)	0.1218	47.4	3.5 km – 7.8 km	14.40 km/s	51840 km/h
(2006 KY67)	23rd May 2012	4 day(s)	0.1499	58.3	68 m – 150 m	13.88 km/s	49968 km/h
(2011 KG4)	24th May 2012	5 day(s)	0.1216	47.3	67 m – 150 m	11.50 km/s	41400 km/h
1 AU = ~150 million kilometers,1 LD = Lunar Distance = ~384,000 kilometers Source: NASA-NEO

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Epidemic / Diseases

Health experts narrow the hunt for Ebola

by Staff Writers
Washington DC (SPX)

Health experts from the Wildlife Conservation Society and other members of the PREDICT consortium dispose of an animal carcass during a recent outbreak of Ebola in Africa in May 2011. In a new study, the team recommends focusing on animal carcasses rather than live animals when attempting to isolate the virus. Credit: Dr. Benard Ssebide

Response efforts to outbreaks of Ebola hemorrhagic fever in Africa can benefit from a standardized sampling strategy that focuses on the carcasses of gorillas, chimpanzees and other species known to succumb to the virus, according to a consortium of wildlife health experts.

In a recently published study of 14 previous human Ebola outbreaks and the responses of wildlife teams collecting animal samples, the authors of the new study conclude that most efforts to collect samples from live animals (i.e. rodents, bats, primates, birds) failed to isolate Ebola virus or antibodies. However, they found that collecting samples from animal carcasses during outbreaks was a more effective method for Ebola detection.

The early detection of Ebola in animal populations near a human outbreak is crucial for learning more about this virus, which can strike human populations with a mortality rate of more than 80 percent.

“You can’t test every single animal, so we used information from historical outbreaks to figure out how to help the field response team focus their effort,” according to Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) wildlife epidemiologist Sarah Olson, the lead author of the new report. “It turns out that carcass sampling yields a 50 percent chance of finding Ebola virus or antibodies compared to less than six percent when sampling free-ranging live animals.”

The scientific consortium that participated in the study, published in an online issue of Emerging Health Threats, are key partners in PREDICT, part of USAID’s Emerging Pandemic Threats Program that is improving global capacity to respond to emerging infectious diseases that originate in wildlife.

PREDICT is led by the University of California at Davis, in partnership with Ecohealth Alliance, Global Viral Forecasting Initiative, the Smithsonian Institution, and the Wildlife Conservation Society.

“The Emerging Pandemic Threats program is a visionary investment by USAID to protect and improve global health because it has made it possible for us to, for the first time, pre-emptively, and on a global scale, identify novel pathogens in wildlife that could pose pandemic threats to humans,” said Dr. Jonna Mazet, Director of PREDICT and Director of the One Health Institute at the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary medicine.

“This study is a great example of how PREDICT is using science to improve our ability to detect lethal diseases, like Ebola.”

The study was designed to develop a set of animal sampling recommendations to maximize the effectiveness of Ebola outbreak response efforts with limited resources. Specifically, the study was prompted by a 2011 outbreak near Kampala, Uganda, in which a 12-year-old girl died from Ebola hemorrhagic fever. PREDICT wildlife veterinarians were sent to the victim’s village to screen wildlife as a potential source of the virus.

“This study digests over 30 years of accumulated knowledge so field teams can arrive informed and prepared,” adds WCS epidemiologist and senior author, Damien Joly.

The authors also point to some scientific “loose ends” that can be incorporated into future animal sampling efforts during Ebola outbreak response. For instance, despite some evidence of Ebola in dogs and pigs, the number of samples acquired from these animals is limited to just two outbreaks; the authors recommend increasing the number of samples collected from these groups in the future to better determine their role in Ebola outbreaks.

The study also confirms that while fruit bats should be a focus of investigation as a potential reservoir for Ebola, field teams need to be prepared to sample hundreds of bats because virus prevalence across all bats sampled to date is very low, estimated at 3 percent.

The co-authors of the study, titled, “Dead or alive: animal sampling during Ebola hemorrhagic fever outbreaks in humans,” include: Sarah Olson of the Wildlife Conservation Society and the University of Wisconsin; Patricia Reed, Ken Cameron, and Damien Joly of the Wildlife Conservation Society; Benard Ssebide of Gorilla Doctors, Kampala, Uganda; Jonna Mazet and Christine Johnson of the University of California at Davis; Stephen Morse of Columbia University; and William Karesh of EcoHealth Alliance.

Related Links
Wildlife Conservation Society
Epidemics on Earth – Bird Flu, HIV/AIDS, Ebola

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Biological Hazards/Wildlife

Deadly canine distemper outbreak in S. Oregon

By Michael Rollins

MEDFORD, Ore. (AP) — An outbreak of canine distemper has been confirmed in southern Oregon foxes, and dog owners are being warned to vaccinate their pets against the highly contagious and often fatal virus.

The virus was confirmed in two gray foxes found dead in Ashland and one in Medford, state wildlife officials said. The Oregon State University Diagnostics Lab was conducting tests on two additional carcasses, the Department of Fish and Wildlife said this week.

Wildlife biologists also have received more than a dozen reports of gray foxes walking in circles and foaming at the mouth — signs of distemper.

“We’ve suspected distemper, and it’s been confirmed,” wildlife biologist Mark Vargas told the Mail Tribune newspaper. “Is it a pandemic? No. As of now? An outbreak.”

Distemper increases in urban areas of the Northwest once city populations of raccoons, skunks and other animals surge. Outbreaks in the early 1990s and mid-2000s left hundreds of raccoons dead in southern Oregon.

Amid a 2005-06 outbreak, wildlife officials banned the trapping and releasing of raccoons in the wild, and the outbreak eventually quelled.

Vargas, however, said it was unproven that such a ban alone ended the outbreak.

Animals infected with the virus often have runny noses and eyes; appear listless and disoriented; and have little interest in food and water.

Vargas said residents should avoid touching any wild animals, especially those suspected of carrying a disease, and make sure their dogs are vaccinated against the virus.

“It’s a wildlife issue, but it’s also a public health issue in terms of pets,” Vargas said.

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Articles of Interest

 

 

Today

Chemical Accident

USA

State of California, Los Angeles [Los Angeles harbor]

 

 

Chemical Accident in USA on Saturday, 19 May, 2012 at 05:40 (05:40 AM) UTC.

Description

Fire officials say a large cargo ship has been evacuated in Los Angeles harbor as firefighters work to find the source of a gas leak.The incident began early Friday afternoon. Fire spokesman Matt Spence says the type of gas is unknown and may be coming from a container at the bottom of a deep stack of containers.About 25 firefighters, wearing gas masks, are working to find the source of the gas by removing the containers piece by piece.Spence says the ship was outbound from the Port of Los Angeles, and it’s unclear what its haul is.Spence says there’s no immediate cause for alarm or immediate indication of terror threat as firefighters investigate the situation.

 

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[In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit, for research and/or educational purposes. This constitutes ‘FAIR USE’ of any such copyrighted material.]

Earth Watch Report – Wednesday May 16th, 2012

Earthquakes

RSOE EDIS

Date/Time (UTC)	Magnitude	Area	Country	State/Prov./Gov.	Location	Risk			Source	Details
16.05.2012 08:00:32	2.1	North America	United States	California	Caldwell Pines				USGS-RSOE
16.05.2012 07:45:39	2.0	North America	United States	Hawaii	Volcano				USGS-RSOE
16.05.2012 08:10:32	4.9	Indonesian Archipelago	Indonesia		Pasirputih				EMSC
16.05.2012 08:11:39	4.7	Indonesian archipelago	Indonesia		Pasirputih				USGS-RSOE
16.05.2012 07:40:52	4.2	South America	Chile	Region de Tarapaca	Fundicion				USGS-RSOE
16.05.2012 08:10:54	4.2	South-America	Chile		Fundicion				EMSC
16.05.2012 07:46:23	3.0	Caribbean	Puerto Rico		Arenas				USGS-RSOE
16.05.2012 06:50:33	2.0	North America	United States	Hawaii	Mahaiula				USGS-RSOE
16.05.2012 06:05:25	2.8	North America	United States	California	Olinda (historical)				USGS-RSOE
16.05.2012 06:10:30	3.1	Asia	Turkey		Side				EMSC
16.05.2012 04:10:31	2.4	North America	United States	California	Mono Mills				USGS-RSOE
16.05.2012 04:05:33	2.9	Asia	Turkey		Yenikoy				EMSC
16.05.2012 04:05:54	5.2	Pacific Ocean – East	Tonga		Haatua				EMSC
16.05.2012 03:50:31	5.2	Pacific Ocean	Tonga		Haatua				USGS-RSOE
16.05.2012 04:06:19	5.8	Indonesian Archipelago	Papua New Guinea		Talangonal				EMSC
16.05.2012 03:20:32	6.0	Indonesian archipelago	Papua New Guinea		Talangonal				USGS-RSOE
16.05.2012 02:55:30	2.5	North America	United States	California	Laytonville				USGS-RSOE
16.05.2012 08:11:14	2.1	Europe	Greece		Tyrgia				EMSC
16.05.2012 03:05:27	3.4	Middle-East	Syria		Junqarah				EMSC
16.05.2012 03:05:46	3.7	Europe	Greece		Louros				EMSC
16.05.2012 03:06:05	3.1	Europe	Greece		Ayios Ioannis				EMSC
16.05.2012 06:15:36	3.3	Caribbean	Dominican Republic	Provincia de La Romana	Boca Chica				USGS-RSOE
16.05.2012 01:05:25	3.5	North America	United States	Alaska	Atka				USGS-RSOE
16.05.2012 01:00:36	2.3	Asia	Turkey		Saraylar				EMSC
16.05.2012 00:00:38	2.7	North America	United States	California	Laytonville				USGS-RSOE
16.05.2012 04:06:38	3.0	Asia	Turkey		Yukarigolalan				EMSC
15.05.2012 22:55:33	2.9	Asia	Turkey		Ismetpasa				EMSC
15.05.2012 22:55:54	2.5	Europe	Greece		Kalamitsion				EMSC
15.05.2012 23:05:44	2.3	North America	United States	California	Peninsula Village				USGS-RSOE
15.05.2012 22:00:41	2.8	North America	United States	Alaska	Iniskin				USGS-RSOE
15.05.2012 21:57:11	5.1	Pacific Ocean	Tonga		Haatua				USGS-RSOE
15.05.2012 21:55:34	5.2	Pacific Ocean – East	Tonga		Haatua				EMSC
15.05.2012 22:56:17	2.0	Europe	Croatia		Studena				EMSC
15.05.2012 21:55:54	2.4	Asia	Turkey		Yukari Karahayit				EMSC
15.05.2012 23:45:35	4.9	Indonesian archipelago	Papua New Guinea		Apambi				USGS-RSOE
15.05.2012 23:55:36	4.8	Indonesian Archipelago	Papua New Guinea		Nunguaiia				EMSC
15.05.2012 23:30:39	4.8	Indonesian archipelago	Indonesia		Lampisang				USGS-RSOE
15.05.2012 23:55:57	4.9	Indonesian Archipelago	Indonesia		Lampisang				EMSC
15.05.2012 20:31:14	2.7	Middle America	Mexico	Estado de Baja California	Comunidad Indigena Cucapa				USGS-RSOE
15.05.2012 20:50:33	3.0	Asia	Turkey		Akcaoren				EMSC
15.05.2012 19:50:27	2.1	Europe	Switzerland		Jaun				EMSC
15.05.2012 18:45:35	3.4	Europe	Greece		Tilai				EMSC
15.05.2012 18:45:57	5.1	Asia	Japan		Niiyamahama				EMSC
15.05.2012 21:16:03	4.8	Asia	Japan	Miyagi-ken	Niiyamahama				USGS-RSOE
15.05.2012 19:50:49	3.3	Europe	Greece		Karpathos				EMSC
15.05.2012 18:50:44	4.5	Indonesian archipelago	Indonesia		Keudesuie				USGS-RSOE
15.05.2012 19:51:10	4.5	Indonesian Archipelago	Indonesia		Keudesuie				EMSC
15.05.2012 16:41:02	2.2	North America	United States	California	Whitmore Hot Springs				USGS-RSOE
15.05.2012 16:40:29	2.0	Asia	Turkey		Burgaz				EMSC
15.05.2012 15:00:41	2.2	North America	United States	California	Dunmovin				USGS-RSOE
15.05.2012 14:30:57	2.7	North America	United States	Alaska	Iniskin				USGS-RSOE
15.05.2012 14:35:29	2.3	Europe	Greece		Tyrgia				EMSC
15.05.2012 14:35:51	3.2	Europe	Albania		Valikardhe				EMSC
15.05.2012 13:30:34	2.1	Asia	Turkey		Imisehir				EMSC
15.05.2012 12:55:33	4.5	Pacific Ocean	New Zealand	Woodville County	Whangamumu				USGS-RSOE
15.05.2012 13:30:54	4.5	Australia & New-Zealand	New Zealand		Whangamumu				EMSC
15.05.2012 13:20:42	2.5	Caribbean	Puerto Rico		Tosquero (historical)				USGS-RSOE
15.05.2012 12:27:15	4.0	North America	United States	California	Capetown				USGS-RSOE
15.05.2012 12:15:42	2.2	North America	United States	California	Black Oaks				USGS-RSOE
15.05.2012 12:25:34	2.9	Europe	Greece		Neon Sfinoton				EMSC
15.05.2012 12:25:54	3.3	Europe	Greece		(( Galpaki ))				EMSC
15.05.2012 12:26:16	2.4	Asia	Turkey		Mecidiye				EMSC
15.05.2012 11:30:41	2.5	North America	United States	Alaska	Iniskin				USGS-RSOE
15.05.2012 11:15:48	2.3	North America	United States	California	Dunmovin				USGS-RSOE
15.05.2012 11:40:34	4.7	Africa	South Africa	Province of the Western Cape	Agulhas				USGS-RSOE
15.05.2012 12:26:37	4.7	Africa	South Africa		Agulhas				EMSC
15.05.2012 10:55:33	3.0	North America	United States	Alaska	Iniskin				USGS-RSOE
15.05.2012 10:40:36	2.0	North America	United States	California	Dunmovin				USGS-RSOE
15.05.2012 11:25:34	2.2	Asia	Turkey		Tekerli				EMSC
15.05.2012 10:35:45	2.9	Caribbean	British Virgin Islands		Belle Vue				USGS-RSOE
15.05.2012 10:25:33	2.7	Europe	Greece		Polyvryson				EMSC
15.05.2012 10:15:39	3.4	Caribbean	British Virgin Islands		Belle Vue				USGS-RSOE
15.05.2012 10:25:52	3.2	Europe	Greece		Neon Sfinoton				EMSC
15.05.2012 09:25:34	4.7	Europe	Iceland		Hafnir				EMSC
15.05.2012 09:55:56	4.8	Europe	Iceland		Hafnir				USGS-RSOE
15.05.2012 09:25:54	3.1	Asia	Turkey		Genefik				EMSC
15.05.2012 09:11:07	4.7	Europe	Iceland		Hafnir				USGS-RSOE
15.05.2012 09:26:17	4.7	Europe	Iceland		Hafnir				EMSC
15.05.2012 09:26:38	4.5	Europe	Iceland		Hafnir				EMSC
15.05.2012 09:00:41	4.4	Europe	Iceland		Hafnir				USGS-RSOE
15.05.2012 19:11:08	2.3	North America	United States	Alaska	Hospital Valley				USGS-RSOE
15.05.2012 08:25:33	5.1	Indonesian Archipelago	Indonesia		Simatorkis				EMSC
15.05.2012 10:26:14	3.7	Asia	Azerbaijan		Zayam				EMSC
15.05.2012 08:20:40	2.8	Caribbean	Puerto Rico		Sandin				USGS-RSOE
15.05.2012 08:25:54	2.3	Asia	Turkey		Disbudak				EMSC
15.05.2012 13:31:13	3.1	Asia	Armenia		Artanish				EMSC
15.05.2012 21:05:35	2.2	North America	United States	California	Watermans Corner				USGS-RSOE

………….

Caltech researchers gain greater insight into earthquake cycles

by Katie Neith
Pasadena CA (SPX)

This image shows an array of geodetic instruments at the surface of Earth and activity that was modeled on the fault below. The yellow colors indicate the highest speeds of slippage between plates along the San Andreas Fault. The reddish colors represent slower seismic speeds and the bluish colors indicate slippage at velocity close to the long-term advance of the San Andreas Fault. The dark color indicates a portion of the fault where the velocity is so small that it appears completely locked. Credit: Sylvain Barbot / Caltech.

For those who study earthquakes, one major challenge has been trying to understand all the physics of a fault-both during an earthquake and at times of “rest”-in order to know more about how a particular region may behave in the future. Now, researchers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have developed the first computer model of an earthquake-producing fault segment that reproduces, in a single physical framework, the available observations of both the fault’s seismic (fast) and aseismic (slow) behavior.

“Our study describes a methodology to assimilate geologic, seismologic, and geodetic data surrounding a seismic fault to form a physical model of the cycle of earthquakes that has predictive power,” says Sylvain Barbot, a postdoctoral scholar in geology at Caltech and lead author of the study.

A paper describing their model-the result of a Caltech Tectonics Observatory (TO) collaborative study by geologists and geophysicists from the Institute’s Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences and engineers from the Division of Engineering and Applied Science-appears in the May 11 edition of the journal Science.

“Previous research has mostly either concentrated on the dynamic rupture that produces ground shaking or on the long periods between earthquakes, which are characterized by slow tectonic loading and associated slow motions-but not on both at the same time,” explains study coauthor Nadia Lapusta, professor of mechanical engineering and geophysics at Caltech. Her research group developed the numerical methods used in making the new model. “In our study, we model the entire history of an earthquake-producing fault and the interaction between the fast and slow deformation phases.”

Using previous observations and laboratory findings, the team-which also included coauthor Jean-Philippe Avouac, director of the TO-modeled an active region of the San Andreas Fault called the Parkfield segment. Located in central California, Parkfield produces magnitude-6 earthquakes every 20 years on average. They successfully created a series of earthquakes (ranging from magnitude 2 to 6) within the computer model, producing fault slip before, during, and after the earthquakes that closely matched the behavior observed in the past fifty years.

“Our model explains some aspects of the seismic cycle at Parkfield that had eluded us, such as what causes changes in the amount of time between significant earthquakes and the jump in location where earthquakes nucleate, or begin,” says Barbot.

The paper also demonstrates that a physical model of fault-slip evolution, based on laboratory experiments that measure how rock materials deform in the fault core, can explain many aspects of the earthquake cycle-and does so on a range of time scales. “Earthquake science is on the verge of building models that are based on the actual response of the rock materials as measured in the lab-models that can be tailored to reproduce a broad range of available observations for a given region,” says Lapusta. “This implies we are getting closer to understanding the physical laws that govern how earthquakes nucleate, propagate, and arrest.”

She says that they may be able to use models much like the one described in the Science paper to forecast the range of potential earthquakes on a fault segment, which could be used to further assess seismic hazard and improve building designs.

Avouac agrees. “Currently, seismic hazard studies rely on what is known about past earthquakes,” he says. “However, the relatively short recorded history may not be representative of all possibilities, especially rare extreme events. This gap can be filled with physical models that can be continuously improved as we learn more about earthquakes and laws that govern them.”

“As computational resources and methods improve, dynamic simulations of even more realistic earthquake scenarios, with full account for dynamic interactions among faults, will be possible,” adds Barbot.

The Science study, “Under the Hood of the Earthquake Machine; Toward Predictive Modeling of the Seismic Cycle,” was funded by grants from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the National Science Foundation, and the Southern California Earthquake Center.

Related Links
California Institute of Technology
Tectonic Science and News

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Volcanic Activity

Scientists ‘read’ the ash from the Icelandic volcano 2 years after its eruption

by Staff Writers
Madrid, Spain (SPX) May 16, 2012

File image.

In May 2010, the ash cloud from the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajokull reached the Iberian Peninsula and brought airports to a halt all over Europe. At the time, scientists followed its paths using satellites, laser detectors, sun photometers and other instruments. Two years later they have now presented the results and models that will help to prevent the consequences of such natural phenomena.

The eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull in the south of Iceland began on the 20 March, 2010. On the 14 April it began to emit a cloud of ash that moved towards Northern and Central Europe, resulting in the closure of airspace. Hundreds of planes and millions of passengers were grounded.

After a period of calm, volcanic activity intensified once again on the 3 May. This time the winds transported the aerosols (a mixture of particles and gas) towards Spain and Portugal where some airports had to close between the 6 and 12 May. This was also a busy time for scientists who took advantage of the situation to monitor the phenomenon. Their work has now been published in the Atmospheric Environment journal.

“The huge economic impact of this event shows the need to describe with precision how a volcanic plume spreads through the atmosphere. It also highlighted the importance of characterising in detail its particles composition and establishing its concentration limits to ensure safe air navigation,” explains Arantxa Revuelta, researcher at the Spanish Research Centre for Energy, Environment and Technology (CIEMAT).

The team identified the volcanic ash cloud as it passed over Madrid thanks to LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), the most effective system for assessing aerosol concentration at a height. The CIEMAT station is one of 27 belonging to the European network EARLINET (European Aerosol Research Lidar Network) that use this instrument. Its members have also published a publicly accessible article on the matter in the Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics journal.

Using LIDAR technology, scientists direct a laser beam towards the sky, like a saber in Star Wars. The signal reflected back from particles provides information on their physical and chemical properties. A maximum aerosol value of 77 micrograms/m3 was estimated, which as a concentration is below the risk value established for air navigation (2 miligrams/m3).

Furthermore, the levels of particles rich in sulphates shot up even though they were fine particles (with a minimum diameter of 1 micra). This meant that they were much smaller than those particles over 20 micra found in countries in Central Europe.

These thicker particles are generally considered to be ‘ash’ and can really damage aircraft motors. The fine matter, like that detected over the Iberian Peninsula, is similar to that commonly found in urban and industrial areas. It is subject to study more for its damaging health effects rather than its impact on air navigation.

NASA’s network of sun photometers
It is important to track the evolution of all the particles in order to provide information to managers responsible for this kind of crisis. Working in this field were members of NASA’s AERONET (AErosol RObotic NETwork) network, which is made up by the different tracking stations in Spain and Portugal (integrated into RIMA) equipped with automatic sun photometers. These instruments focus towards the sun and collect data each hour on the aerosol optical thickness and their distribution by size in the atmospheric column.

The combined use of sun photometers and LIDAR technology boosts data collection. For example, the station in Granada and Evora revealed that the volcanic ash cloud circulated between 3 km and 6 km above the ground.

“Instruments like LIDAR are more powerful on an analytical level but their spatial and weather coverage is low. This means that sun photometers come in very useful in identifying volcanic aerosols when no other measures are available,” outlines the researcher Carlos Toledano from the University of Valladolid and member of the AERONET-RIMA network.

From their stations it was confirmed that “there is great variation between the size and characteristics of the volcanic aerosol particles over successive periods.”

This was also verified by members of another European Network, EMEP (European Monitoring and Evaluation Program), which traces atmospheric pollution and is managed in Spain by the National Meteorological Agency. This group confirmed an increase in aerosols and their sulphate concentrations over the Iberian Peninsula and recorded the presence of sulphur dioxide from the Icelandic volcano.

Models and Predictions
The large part of observations of Eyjafjallajokull’s eruption, which were taken from aeroplanes, satellites or from earth, helped scientists validate their prediction and particle dispersion models.

“During the management of the crisis it became evident that there are still no precise models that provide real time data for delimiting an affected airspace, for example,” admits Toledano.

Nevertheless, his team put the FLEXPART model to test using empirical data. From the Norwegian Institute for Air Research (NILU), it managed to calculate the arrival of volcanic ash in certain situations.

The powerful equipment available at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC-CNS) was used on this occasion to validate a model which had been developed at the centre: the Fall3d.

As one of the authors Arnau Folch states, “the model can be applied to the dispersion of any type of particle. But, in practice, it has been especially designed for particles of volcanic origin, like ash.”

Volcanologists and metereologists use this model to re-enact past events and, above all, to make predictions. More specifically it predicts the amount of aerosols in the ground and their concentration in the air.

It is therefore of “special interest” to civil aviation. The final objective is to make this type of prediction so as to be prepared during the next volcanic eruption.

References: “Characterization of the Eyjafjallajokull volcanic plume over the Iberian Peninsula by lidar remote sensing and ground-level data collection”. A. Folch, A. Costa, S. Basart: “Validation of the FALL3D ash dispersion model using observations of the 2010 Eyjafjallajokull volcanic ash clouds”. Atmospheric Environment 48: 22-32/46-55/165-183, March 2012.

M. Sicard, J. L. Guerrero-Rascado, F. Navas-Guzman, J. Preibler, F. Molero, S. Tomass, J. A. Bravo-Aranda, A. Comeron, F. Rocadenbosch, F. Wagner, M. Pujadas, L. Alados-Arboledas. “Monitoring of the Eyjafjallaj’okull volcanic aerosol plume over the Iberian Peninsula by means of four EARLINET lidar stations”. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 12: 3115-3130, 2012. DOI:10.5194/acp-12-3115-2012.

Related Links
FECYT – Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology
Bringing Order To A World Of Disasters
When the Earth Quakes
A world of storm and tempest
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Extreme Temperatures/ Weather

Gale Warning

CAPE FLATTERY TO CAPE LOOKOUT

SEATTLE WA

ANCHORAGE AK

Freeze Warning

DULUTH MN

Red Flag Warning

FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE

SALT LAKE CITY UT

GOODLAND KS

DENVER CO

NORTH PLATTE NE

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Storms, Flooding, Landslides

Name of storm system	Location	Formed	Last update	Last category	Course	Wind Speed	Gust	Wave	Source	Details
Aletta	Pacific Ocean – East	14.05.2012	16.05.2012	Tropical Storm	285 °	74 km/h	93 km/h	3.66 m	NHC

Tropical Storm data Share:   Storm name: Aletta Area: Pacific Ocean – East Start up location: N 9° 48.000, W 105° 54.000 Start up: 14th May 2012 Status: 01st January 1970 Track long: 182.58 km Top category.: Report by: TSRC 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 15th May 2012 05:05:03 N 10° 30.000, W 108° 30.000 22 74 74 Tropical Storm 140 12 1004 MB TSRC Current position Date Time Position Speed km/h Wind km/h Gust km/h Category Course Wave feet Pressure Source 16th May 2012 07:05:44 N 11° 42.000, W 110° 54.000 17 74 93 Tropical Storm 285 ° 12 1003 MB TSRC Forecast track Date Time Position Category Wind km/h Gust km/h Source

Copyright © RSOE EDIS 2004-2012, Budapest, Hungary

Flash Flood Warning

MOUNT HOLLY NJ

Flash Flood Watch

GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC

Flood Warning

STATE COLLEGE, PA

MOUNT HOLLY NJ

COLUMBIA SC

LINCOLN IL

MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI

RALEIGH NC

CORPUS CHRISTI TX

AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX

LITTLE ROCK AR

ANCHORAGE AK

Today

Landslide

Philippines

[South Cotabato]

Landslide in Philippines on Wednesday, 16 May, 2012 at 05:39 (05:39 AM) UTC.

Description

Some 52 houses and related structures were damaged as flashfloods, landslides and a strong tornado ravaged several farming villages in two municipalities in South Cotabato province Monday afternoon.No casualties have been reported but an initial 27 houses and farm sheds were confirmed damaged after a twister battered two villages in Norala town while another 25 houses were affected by flashfloods and landslides that hit a remote community in Tupi town.In Norala town, municipal social welfare officer Alice Fuentes said the twister, which came after a heavy downpour, struck Barangays Matapol and Simsiman around 3 p.m. and battered communities in the area for about an hour and a half.She said the strong winds brought by the twister tore off the roofs of houses and uprooted trees along its path.“The main road going to Barangay Matapol was initially inaccessible when we first responded to the area because it was blocked by felled trees,” Fuentes said in a radio interview.Citing their initial assessment, she said three houses in Purok Paghidait and five more in Purok Milagrosa of Barangay Matapol sustained partial damages as a result of the incident.Fuentes said the damages to the affected structures in the area were initially valued at P60,000.The official said personnel from the Norala Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (MDRRMC) were still evaluating the extent of the damage caused by the tornado in nearby Barangay Simisiman but said 19 houses were initially reported as damaged in the area.In Tupi town, officials of Barangay Cebuano reported that a house was totally destroyed while 24 more sustained partial damages after a flashflood and landslide swept Sitio Tucay-el on Monday afternoon.The floods and landslides also destroyed agricultural crops and several community structures in the area.The Tupi MDRRMC, which immediately released relief assistance to the affected residents, is still assessing the extent of the damage in the area Tuesday morning.

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Epidemic Hazards/ Diseases

15.05.2012

Epidemic Hazard

USA

State of New York, Chuang Yen Monastery [Putnam County]

Epidemic Hazard in USA on Tuesday, 15 May, 2012 at 09:05 (09:05 AM) UTC.

Description
Putnam County health officials have determined that roughly 150 people got sick after eating food that was brought to the Chuang Yen Monastery in Kent on Sunday during a Mother’s Day celebration.Health officials collected several samples of food that visitors brought to the sprawling campus of the Buddhist monastery off Route 52 and have sent them to a state laboratory in Albany for testing, Rebecca Wittenberg, public health director for the health department, said today.I know there have been some reports as to what caused the illness but, at this point, we do not know the cause,” Wittenberg said this afternoon. “We may know when the test results come back.”She could not say when that might be.About 700 people came to the monastery from New York City, Rockland, Orange and Westchester counties, as well as Connecticut. Roughly 500 of them came by bus from New York City, then left for a shopping trip to the Woodbury Commons outlet stores in Orange County, where many of them took ill.The symptoms were limited mostly to vomiting and stomach cramps, although a few people experienced diarrhea, Wittenberg said.Patients were taken to five or six hospitals, depending on where they first experienced symptoms. Putnam health officials are working with other health officials to speak to each person who was treated for the illness to find out what they ate Sunday and when they ate it, she said.Emergency responders in Woodbury treated about 60 people, sending roughly half of them to be evaluated at local hospitals.“For this amount of people, at one time, this gets classified as a MCI — massive casualty incident,” said David Sutz, an emergency medical technician with the Woodbury Community Ambulance.Sgt. Cliff Weeks of the Woodbury police said the first patient was a 91-year-old woman. He said 20 victims were taken to Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern, St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital in Cornwall and Orange Regional Medical Center in Goshen to be “treated for symptoms believed to have been caused by food poisoning.”“One of the biggest concerns (with this illness) is the risk of dehydration,” Wittenberg said. “If you did take ill and you haven’t been evaluated, we would ask people to speak to their medical provider or access an emergency room to seek treatment.”Health officials are also asking anyone who ate at the monastery Sunday and got sick to call them at 845-808-1390 and press zero to speak with a receptionist.She also urged anyone who took home leftover food from the event to throw it in the trash.Kent Police Det. Gerald Locascio said there does not appear to be any criminality in the incident and that investigators are working with heallth officials to determine which dish may have caused the outbreak.
Biohazard name:	Unknow or unidentifed hazard.
Biohazard level:	0/4 —
Biohazard desc.:	This does not included biological hazard category.
Symptoms:	The symptoms were limited mostly to vomiting and stomach cramps, although a few people experienced diarrhea.
Status:

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Solar Activity

3MIN News May15: More Sick Animals, Dec21.2012

Published on May 15, 2012 by Suspicious0bservers

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120514204050.htm
http://phys.org/news/2012-05-balding-disease-australia-wombats.html
http://phys.org/news/2012-05-three-man-soyuz-crew-departs-space.html
http://phys.org/news/2012-05-eu-physicists-satellites-space-weather.html
http://spaceweather.com/
http://rsd.gsfc.nasa.gov/goes/
http://www.haarp.alaska.edu/haarp/data.html
http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/data/
http://umtof.umd.edu/pm/
http://sohodata.nascom.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/soho_movie_theater
http://www.ips.gov.au/HF_Systems/6/5
http://solarimg.org/artis/
http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/wsa-enlil/cme-based/
http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/index2.php
http://ccmc.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/SWMF_RealTime_browse.cgi
http://grb.sonoma.edu/
http://www.weather.com/news/tornado-torcon-index

 

 

Solar Forcast 5-15-12

Published on May 15, 2012 by J7409

Solar Forcast 5-15-12

http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/today.html

http://iswa.ccmc.gsfc.nasa.gov:8080/IswaSystemWebApp/

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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
(2001 BA16)	18th May 2012	2 day(s)	0.1157	45.0	18 m – 41 m	6.66 km/s	23976 km/h
(2010 KK37)	19th May 2012	3 day(s)	0.0058	2.3	19 m – 43 m	10.94 km/s	39384 km/h
4183 Cuno	20th May 2012	4 day(s)	0.1218	47.4	3.5 km – 7.8 km	14.40 km/s	51840 km/h
(2006 KY67)	23rd May 2012	7 day(s)	0.1499	58.3	68 m – 150 m	13.88 km/s	49968 km/h
(2011 KG4)	24th May 2012	8 day(s)	0.1216	47.3	67 m – 150 m	11.50 km/s	41400 km/h
1 AU = ~150 million kilometers,1 LD = Lunar Distance = ~384,000 kilometers Source: NASA-NEO

……….

Trifid Nebula – The Massive Star Factory15 May, 2012

MessageToEagle.com – The Trifid Nebula (M20) is home to thousands of massive newborn stars and one of the most prominent nebulae in the night sky. There is so much happening in this cosmic object and a well-known open cluster.

This is a rare combination of three nebulae types that reveal the fury of freshly formed stars and point to more star birth in the future.

This massive star factory is so named for the dark dust bands that trisect its glowing heart, and is a rare combination of three nebula types, revealing the fury of freshly formed stars and presaging more star birth.Dust lanes radiating from the center appear to divide the nebula into three parts. This large luminous cloud of ionized hydrogen is located at distance of ˜1.7 kpc in the Sagittarius (the Archer) spiral arm and about 8 light-years away from the nebula’s central star. The Trifid is approximately 9,000 light-years from Earth .

The Trifid nebula (M20) is a well-known prominent, optical HII region of starbirth, which is strong in UV radiation and very hot (around ~10,000K). It shows many similarities to M42 but the Trifid is thought to be significantly younger than the Orion Nebula (~ 105 yr rather than ~ 106 yr).

It presents a compelling portrait of the early stages of a star’s life, from gestation to first light.

Click on image to enlargeThe Trifid Nebula, aka M20, is easy to find with a small telescope and a well-known stop in the nebula rich constellation Sagittarius. But where visible light pictures show the nebula divided into three parts by dark, obscuring dust lanes, this penetrating infrared image reveals filaments of luminous gas and newborn stars.
This spectacular false-color view is courtesy of the Spitzer Space Telescope. Astronomers have used the Spitzer infrared image data to count newborn and embryonic stars that otherwise lie hidden in the natal dust and glowing clouds of this intriguing stellar nursery. Image credit: NASA, JPL-Caltech, J. Rho (SSC/Caltech)
The heat and “winds” of newly ignited, volatile stars stir the Trifid’s gas and dust-filled cauldron; in time, the dark tendrils of matter strewn throughout the area will themselves collapse and form new stars.

Dust pillars are like interstellar mountains. Visible in the above picture is the end of a huge gas and dust pillar in the Trifid Nebula, punctuated by a smaller pillar pointing up and an unusual jet pointing to the left.

Trifid Pillars & Jets. Credit: J. Hester (Arizona St. U) et al., WFPC2, HST, NASA

The pink dots are newly formed low-mass stars.

A star near the small pillar’s end is slowly being stripped of its accreting gas by radiation from a tremendously brighter and powerful star situated off the above picture to the upper right.

The jet extends nearly a light-year and would not be visible without external illumination. As gas and dust evaporate from the pillars, the hidden stellar source of this jet will likely be uncovered, possibly over the next 20,000 years.

Closeup of Jet in Trifid Nebula. Credit: NASA, ESA, and The Hubble Heritage Team (AURA/STScI)

A prominent jet is being lit up by radiation from the massive, luminous star that powers the Trifid Nebula.

The jet and a long finger-like object, a “stalk” with a possible young stellar object are emerging from the wall of a cloud, toward the star that powers the Trifid Nebula. This stalk is a prominent example of the evaporating gaseous globules, or “EGGs”.

Hubble astronomers are believe that the jet as the last gasp from a star that was cut off from its supply lines 100,000 years ago.

The French astronomer Charles Messier first observed the Trifid Nebula in June 1764, recording the hazy, glowing object as entry number 20 in his renowned catalogue.

Observations made about 60 years later by John Herschel of the dust lanes that appear to divide the cosmic cloud into three lobes inspired the English astronomer to coin the name “Trifid”.

The massive star factory (image above) known as the Trifid Nebula in Sagittarius, the Archer, was captured in all its glory with the Wide-Field Imager camera attached to the MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope at ESO’s La Silla Observatory in northern Chile.

Named for the dark dust bands that trisect its glowing heart, the Trifid Nebula is a rare combination of three nebulae types that reveal the fury of freshly formed stars and point to more star birth in the future. Credit: ESO/S. Guisard (www.eso.org/~sguisard) and A. Fujii. Music by John Dyson from the CD darklight
The Trifid Nebula can be observed through a small telescope and is a popular deep sky object among amateur astronomers.

MessageToEagle.com via arxiv.org/Hubble/NASA

See also:
Intimate Connection Between Black Holes And New-Born Stars

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Sinkhole

ANOTHER massive sinkhole opens up in Florida and chases family out of the home they built 37 years ago

By Daily Mail Reporter

A massive sinkhole has opened up in a family’s garden in north Florida, forcing them out of the home they built 37 years ago.

The 80-foot-long and 40-foot-wide sinkhole began appearing on Friday and, with the hole creeping further towards their home, Robert ‘Robin’ and Rhonda Matheny moved out on Sunday.

A geologist inspected the sinkhole and told the couple it would most probably move closer to their Jonesville home so they moved into their son’s house in Gainesville, The Gainesville Sun reported.

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Frightening: A large sinkhole has opened up a backyard in Jonesville, Florida, forcing a family from their home

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2144298/ANOTHER-massive-sinkhole-opens-Florida-chases-family-home-37-years.html#ixzz1uzf8PMpW

http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1&isUI=1
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Biological Hazards/Wildlife

Balding disease killing Australia’s wombats

 

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File photo shows a man holding a wombat at a zoo in Australia. A mystery liver disease thought to be caused by introduced weeds is causing hairy-nosed wombats in southern Australia to go bald and die, researchers said Tuesday.

A mystery liver disease thought to be caused by introduced weeds is causing hairy-nosed wombats in southern Australia to go bald and die, researchers said Tuesday.

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The illness, which causes the wombat to lose some or all of its fur and then starve to death, is tearing through South Australia’s native southern hairy-nosed wombats, threatening entire populations.

Wildlife workers at first thought the animals had mange, but it became so widespread and severe — with shiny, healthy skin revealed beneath — that autopsies were carried out to determine what was causing the illness.

University of Adelaide researcher Wayne Boardman said the non-native toxic potato weed appeared to be affecting the wombats’ livers, triggering a reaction with ultraviolet light that caused them to lose their fur.

Boardman said it was unclear why the herbivorous wombat had suddenly taken to eating the noxious weed but a shortage of their usual grasses and alternative foods could be to blame.

“We have a feeling it might well be a struggle to find enough vegetation, leading them to eat other plants like weeds, and particularly potato weed, which is then having a deleterious effect on the liver,” Boardman told ABC Radio.

The creatures were also roaming in areas where they were not usually seen, supporting the theory that there were food shortages and they “have to move out to find vegetation”, he added.

Squat and thickly furred, wombats are small burrow-dwelling marsupials that walk on all fours and are bear-like in appearance with a wide muzzle and a flattened head.

They are not a threatened species but Boardman said the population in parts of South Australia state could die out completely if their habitat was not restored to a healthy balance of native plants.

Brigitte Stevens, from the Wombat Awareness Organisation, said it was a “huge and overwhelming” problem.

“Some of them are just lying down… on their side and just eating dirt. You know, they can’t even lift their heads,” she told ABC.

“As the disease progresses, it’s as if they simply cannot eat anymore. Once the dehydration sets in, they basically just lie there waiting to die.”

(c) 2012 AFP

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Articles of Interest

Earth ‘going downhill’ as consumption rises, report says

By Hilary Whiteman, CNN

Hong Kong (CNN) — From high above the earth, an astronaut launched the latest report card on the health of the planet which once again paints an alarming image of over-consumption and exploitation.

In a recorded message, Andre Kuipers, an astronaut with the European Space Agency on his second mission to the International Space Station, said he had a unique view of the earth which he orbits 16 times a day.

“From space, you see the forest fires, you see the air pollution, you see erosion,” he said, launching the World Wildlife Fund’s Living Planet Report for 2012.

The biennial survey shows the world is still consuming far more than the Earth can replenish, along with a widening and “potentially catastrophic” gap between the ecological footprints of rich and poor nations.

“The report is clear that we’re still going downhill, that our ecological footprint, the pressure we put on the earth’s resources, continues to rise so we’re now using 50% more resources that the earth can replenish and biodiversity continues to decline,” said Jim Leape, Director General of WWF International.

The report includes a list of the world’s top 10 polluting countries topped by Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates in the Middle East. They’re followed by Denmark, Belgium and the United States. Australia, Canada, the Netherlands and Ireland make up the remainder.

Countries are ranked on their consumption of renewable resources versus their biocapacity, or ability to produce renewable resources and absorb CO2 emissions. Dominating the list are high-income countries, whose average ecological footprint is now five times that of low-income nations.

And the gap is increasing. Between 1970 and 2008, the ecological footprint of high-income nations rose seven percent, the report said. Over that period, the same index for poor countries tumbled 60%.

The disparity indicates richer nations are buying resources from poorer countries which have natural resources available to exploit, the report said.

“What one of the things that we as a global community have been slow to realize is that even in an industrialized economy will still demand very directly on the health of natural systems to provide the water we drink and to keep the climate stable,” Leape said.

“As you see forest loss continue, as you see the depletion of rivers, you are undercutting the foundation for economic development in those countries,” he said.

 Read Full Article Here

First Forecast Calls for Mild Amazon Fire Season in 2012

by Kathryn Hansen for Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt MD (SPX)

File image

Forests in the Amazon Basin are expected to be less vulnerable to wildfires this year, according to the first forecast from a new fire severity model developed by university and NASA researchers.

Fire season across most of the Amazon rain forest typically begins in May, peaks in September and ends in January. The new model, which forecasts the fire season’s severity from three to nine months in advance, calls for an average or below-average fire season this year within 10 regions spanning three countries: Bolivia, Brazil and Peru.

“Tests of the model suggested that predictions should be possible before fire activity begins in earnest,” said Doug Morton, a co-investigator on the project at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. “This is the first year to stand behind the model and make an experimental forecast, taking a step from the scientific arena to share this information with forest managers, policy makers, and the public alike.”

The model was first described last year in the journal Science. Comparing nine years of fire data from NASA’s Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on the Terra satellite, with a record of sea surface temperatures from NOAA, scientists established a connection between sea surface temperatures in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans and fire activity in South America.

“There will be fires in the Amazon Basin, but our model predictions suggest that they won’t be as likely in 2012 as in some previous years,” said Jim Randerson of the University of California, Irvine, and principal investigator on the research project.

Specifically, sea surface temperatures in the Central Pacific and North Atlantic are currently cooler than normal. Cool sea surface temperatures change patterns of atmospheric circulation and increase rainfall across the southern Amazon in the months leading up to the fire season.

“We believe the precipitation pattern during the end of the wet season is very important because this is when soils are replenished with water,” said Yang Chen of UC Irvine. “If sea surface temperatures are higher, there is reduced precipitation across most of the region, leaving soils with less water to start the dry season.”

Without sufficient water to be transported from the soil to the atmosphere by trees, humidity decreases and vegetation is more likely to burn. Such was the case in 2010, when above-average sea surface temperatures and drought led to a severe fire season. In 2011, conditions shifted and cooler sea surface temperatures and sufficient rainfall resulted in fewer fires, similar to the forecast for 2012.

Building on previous research, the researchers said there is potential to adapt and apply the model to other locations where large-scale climate conditions are a good indicator of the impending fire season, such as Indonesia and the United States.

Amazon forests, however, are particularly relevant because of their high biodiversity and vulnerability to fires. Amazon forests also store large amounts of carbon, and deforestation and wildfires release that carbon back to the atmosphere. Predictions of fire season severity may aid initiatives – such as the United Nation’s Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation program – to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases from fires in tropical forests.

“The hope is that our experimental fire forecasting information will be useful to a broad range of communities to better understand the science, how these forests burn, and what predisposes forests to burning in some years and not others,” Morton said. “We now have the capability to make predictions, and the interest to share this information with groups who can factor it into their preparation for high fire seasons and management of the associated risks to forests and human health.”

To see the 2012 prediction and UC Irvine disclaimer clause, click here.

Related Links
University of California, Irvine
Forest and Wild Fires – News, Science and Technology

Electromagnetic Pulse Could Bring Civilization to a Halt

The Telegraph, UK

© http://www.ordinary-light.com
Atomic weapons testing on Bikini Atoll, 1954. Defence scientists quickly realized the potential for generating electromagnetic pulses with high-altitude nuclear explosions.

An electromagnetic pulse attack could cripple Britain’s infrastructure, defence experts fear. This is how they occur.

Defence experts believe detonating a nuclear device above the earth could cripple electronic systems, knock out water and electricity supplies and bring civilisation to a halt.

The abrupt pulse of electromagnetic radiation from a large explosion, such as that produced by a nuclear weapon high above the earth, produces rapidly changes electric and magnetic fields. They generate surges in voltage and current inside electronic equipement – burning out microchips and circuitry.

A nuclear electromagnetic pulse produces three waves of energy. The first is a very fast-moving, brief and intense electromagnetic field. It is created when gamma radiation from the nulcear explosion knocks electrons out of atoms in the earth’s upper atmosphere. These electrons start moving downward and interact with the earth’s magnetic field – creating a very large, brief pulse.

The second wave is generated by scattered gamma rays. It is similar to the pulses caused by lightning strikes and as such tends to be less damaging to equipment.

The third wave is a very slow pulse, lasting tens to hundrds of seconds, caused by the nuclear detonation driving the earth’s magnetic field out the wave, followed by the field returning to its natural place. It can induce currents in long electrical conductors such as power lines, causing damage to substations and transformers.

The scale of the damage depends on the height of the explosion. A detonation at an altitude of 30 miles is calculated to cause damage for 480 miles around. At an altitude of 300 miles, the damage would radiate to 1470 miles – a field that would cover much of North America or Europe.

The strength of the pulse depends on the distance of the explosion from the earth’s equator.

It is also possible to produce electromagnetic pulses without the use of nuclear weapons. Such devices have been fitted into bombs and missiles, but their range is far more limited because the explosion is far less powerful

Ships and military aeroplanes, particularly those carrying VIPs or nuclear weapons, can be hardened against EMP. In Britain equipment is tested on an EMP simulator at Farnborough airbase in Hampshire.

EMP pulses can also be naturally occuring. Solar flares see the release of large bursts of energy, including electrons and atoms, from the sun’s corona.

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