Archives
Study Suggests Emissions Irrelevant to Climate Change
Posted on Wednesday, April 30, 2008 @ 7:59 am by Dave Schumaker
A new study released by the A.M. Obukhov Institute of Atmospheric Physics RAS, in Moscow, Russia claims that human generated emissions of greenhouse gases (such as CO2) are irrelevant to climate change.
The press release is rather light on details, however a PDF of the report can be found here.
The link between the carbon cycle, and human effects caused by emissions, energy use and agriculture, may only be relevant for the next ’several centuries,’ suggest Igor Mokhov and Alexey Eliseev from the A.M. Obukhov Institute of Atmospheric Physics RAS, in Moscow, Russia. The authors used a climate model known as IAP RAS CM to study how feedback between our climate and the carbon cycle changes over time. In their simulations, the authors assumed that fossil fuel emissions would grow exponentially with a characteristic timescale from 50 to 250years.
In their models, Mokhov and Eliseev found that although climate–carbon cycle feedback grows initially, it then peaks and eventually decreases to a point where the feedback ceases. If we succeed in slowing down the rate of emissions, the peak would be reached much later. However, a steep increase in emissions would bring the peak in coupling between climate and carbon emissions even closer.
The authors suggest that we are heading inexorably towards the saturation peak, irrespective of how quickly we get there: “Even weak but continuing emissions lead to eventual saturation of the climate–carbon cycle feedback,” Mokhov and Eliseev explain.
This one study goes counter to about 20 years worth of peer-reviewed research on the topic, so take it with a grain of salt. Of course, this is all that’s needed for opponents of alternative energies to rally behind.
[Via Eurekalert]
Geology Picture of the Day - Vesuvianite
Posted on Monday, April 28, 2008 @ 12:14 pm by Dave Schumaker
While browsing through some recent geology related photos uploaded on flickr, I discovered the gallery of Daniel Russell, who goes by the flickr user name of Mineralogy. He has some absolutely incredible photos from his personal collection and is one of the most interesting that I’ve seen so far.
Today’s photo is the silicate mineral called Vesuvianite. This particular specimen was collected in the state of New Jersey.
Check out his set of minerals displayed on flickr.
PodClast - Episode 2: Plagiarism and Earth Day
Posted on Monday, April 28, 2008 @ 7:39 am by Dave Schumaker
Episode 2 of the PodClast, a new geology podcast organized by Chris Town at Good Schist, is now available for download. Topics discussed in this episode include plagiarism, perspectives on Earth Day and alternative energies. This week’s podclast panel features Chris Town, Ron Schott and myself.
The mp3 for the Podclast is available here (21.9 MB, 38 minutes long) or you can subscribe to the podcast via iTunes.
Episode 1 of the PodClast was recorded on April 13 and features Chris Town and Ron Schott talking about the current Kilauea eruption and blogging about peer reviewed research.
M4.7 near Reno, Nevada
Posted on Sunday, April 27, 2008 @ 12:37 pm by Peter Polito
Late Friday night Mogul, NV (just west of Reno) was struck by a M4.7. While a M4.7 earthquake is not terribly large, it was a very shallow quake causing items to fall off grocery shelves, minor rock falls in the surrounding hills, and some of the taller casinos to sway. This quake is the largest thus far in a swarm that began approximately two weeks ago causing seismologists at University of Nevada Reno to issue a statement warning residents of a heightened probability of a larger earthquake.
Source: University of Nevada Reno.
Following an earthquake of this size there is a small increase in the probability of a larger magnitude earthquake in the west Reno area. Citizens should also be aware of the possibility of strong aftershocks from this evenings Magnitude 4.7. Mogul-Somersett residents should expect to feel aftershocks of this earthquake for some time. It cannot be determined if this evenings Magnitude 4.7 earthquake will be the largest earthquake of the 2008 Mogul-Somersett earthquake sequence
The Seismological Laboratory at UNR has posted some terrific products related to this swarm which can be found on their website. The graph below shows clearly how the recent swarm is not just background noise but a true signal:
Source: University of Nevada Reno.
Weekend Adventures - Capitola Fossils
Posted on Sunday, April 27, 2008 @ 11:42 am by Dave Schumaker
On the way back from camping in Monterey last weekend, some friends and I decided to stop by Capitola Beach, in the small beach town of Capitola, California (just east of Santa Cruz). We last visited Capitola in 2005.
It’s a popular destination for tourists and beginning surfers, but it’s also an excellent spot for those interested in collecting Pliocene aged marine fossils that range from common mollusks to seal bones and even whale bones. The best time to visit the beach is at low tide, when the bedrock outcrops usually hidden by surf are accessible. Because of the constant erosion of the cliffs around Capitola, each visit is a new experience in terms of what you will findsee.
We managed to take a few photos of the area as well.
Pieces of bone.
Shell fragments (possible storm bed?).
Larger bones.
Capitola Cliffs
Cliff Face
Shell fragments
Broken Shells.
And what about the geology of Capitola? This PDF file from the Moss Landing Marine Labs explains the deposits.
Here Pliocene Purisima Formation, described by Cummings et al., (1962) as abuff-yellow to light brown and gray, fine-grained sandstone and siltstone, can be seenhere eroding away. This formation has been dated at 3 -1 Ma. At this locality, thePurisima Formation contains numerous dense layers of fossilized mollusk coquinas,ranging from 3-20 cm in thickness. These are interbedded with thin to thickargillitic sandstone beds and thin phosphatic silt and mudstone beds. The alternating fineto coarse-grained bedding is believed to reflect transgressive and regressive periodsassociated with uplift due to wrench tectonics and sea level changes (Clark et al., 1979).Faulting within the formation can be recognized based upon the existence of slickensidespreserved in some of the fractures
Also, here is a fantastic photo gallery by Paul Slocombe and taken in 2007 featuring many different types of Capitola fossils.
All photos taken by Dave Schumaker
More Information:
Capitola Beach 360 Degree VR Photo
Capitola Beach Coastal Monitoring Program [USGS]
Capitola, California [Google Maps]
Collecting Fossils in California