Post on 21-Dec-2021
Do you know of a colleague and/or student who would be interested in receiving these Bulletin Boards? Please forward to them. A quick email to Geosciences-BBoard@att.net with the word “subscribe” in the subject line and the email address will be added to the listing. Geoscience Bulletin Board – 30 December 2019 – compiled by Elaine J. Hanford Shallow EQs offshore of Vancouver Island – up to M6.0 – no tsunami – no injuries
• https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/earthquake-vancouver-island_ca_5e0133f0e4b0b2520d0f31d1
• https://www.rcinet.ca/en/2019/12/26/two-more-earthquakes-recorded-off-british-columbia/ • https://globalnews.ca/news/6337238/vancouver-island-christmas-day-earthquake/
Toward better understanding of iceberg tsunamis
• https://glacierhub.org/2019/12/24/study-aims-to-better-understand-iceberg-tsunami-dynamics/
Computer simulations to assess contributions of dry soil & atmospheric wind patterns to heat waves
• https://eos.org/articles/heat-waves-born-of-earth-and-sky Temperatures & dry winds forecast to elevate bushfire danger in NSW as heavy wave conditions build
• https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6557510/heatwave-spells-nsw-bushfire-danger/?cs=14231
Planetary geology: 6 new exoplanets discovered by ESO telescope in Chile
• https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/uk/exoplanets-discovery-could-reveal-clues-about-earths-geology-astronomers-say-38809916.html
• https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/newfound-ablating-exoplanets-could-reveal-alien-geology/
Kalia Ltd will compensate family of geologist murdered on Bougainville
• https://www.abc.net.au/radio-australia/programs/pacificbeat/bougainville-mining-follow/11822924
Sediment flux in headwaters of Yangtze River in Tuotuo River has significantly increased over 3 decades
• https://www.eurasiareview.com/23122019-increased-sediment-flux-in-the-yangtze-river-headwater/
All atmospheric rivers are not the same – wetness & wind are both important
• https://eos.org/articles/atmospheric-rivers-have-different-flavors Steamboat geyser in Yellowstone has another record year – erupted more than 45 times
• https://www.npr.org/2019/12/24/786716739/steam-on-steamboat-the-worlds-tallest-active-geyser-has-another-record-year
ArcticDEM data tracks volcanoes & landslides before – during – and after events
• https://eos.org/articles/using-satellites-and-supercomputers-to-track-arctic-volcanoes Detecting solar flares in real time will facilitate predictions of space weather
• https://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=299753&org=GEO&from=news Carboniferous fossil reveals Dendromaia unamakiensis caring for its young
• http://www.sci-news.com/paleontology/dendromaia-unamakiensis-parent-caring-offspring-07946.html
Isityumzi mlomomde – new species of lungfish from Late Devonian discovered in South Africa
• http://www.sci-news.com/paleontology/isityumzi-mlomomde-devonian-lungfish-south-africa-07939.html
Extensive root system of Devonian (386 myo) primitive trees found in sandstone quarry in New York
• http://www.sci-news.com/paleontology/cairo-fossil-forest-07933.html • Paper: https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(19)31569-6
Changing patterns of bite marks in the fossil record
• http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Bite_marks_in_fossils_reveal_demise_of_our_early_relatives_999.html
• Paper: https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2019.1596 CryoSat continues to map ice shelf on the move
• http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/CryoSat_maps_ice_shelf_on_the_move_999.html Tracking gaseous hydroxyl in the atmosphere of Earth
• http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Barrels_of_ancient_Antarctic_air_aim_to_track_history_of_rare_gas_999.html
CSIRO research finds warming in the Pacific Ocean will make seasonal forecasting more difficult
• http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Seasonal_forecasts_challenged_by_Pacific_Ocean_warming_999.html
Predicting that fossils of the future will consist mostly of humans and domestic animals
• https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/12/191218153417.htm • Paper: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221330541930044X?via%3Dihub
1969 El Niño brought the best surfing ever to California – waves of mythical proportion
• https://phys.org/news/2019-12-endless-winter-storm-california-surfing.html Shortest and darkest day of the year in Seattle, Washington – 0.37 megajoules solar radiation over square meter surface
• https://phys.org/news/2019-12-infernal-darkness-friday-darkest-day.html Documenting the role of atmospheric dust on marine ecosystems 300 myo
• https://phys.org/news/2019-12-geoscientists-document-role-atmospheric-marine.html Deep learning models identify fault systems from 3D seismic images
• https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/2019/12/26/deep-learning-seismic-fault-systems/ Ancient plesiosaur, lava lake, ice caves, sub-glacial rivers, icequakes…all in Antarctica
• https://www.livescience.com/amazing-antarctica-discoveries-2019.html Rains will increase erosion along recent bluff collapses in Southern California
• https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/rain-will-cause-more-erosion-in-recent-bluff-collapses-sdsu-geologist/2234871/
• Video: https://fox5sandiego.com/2019/12/24/eroding-bluff-worries-encinitas-homeowners/ GPS is part of monitoring volcanoes, earthquakes, groundwater levels & analyzing the atmosphere
• https://arstechnica.com/science/2019/12/gps-is-going-places/ Planetary geology: composition of the Moon
• https://www.howitworksdaily.com/what-is-the-moon-made-of/ Geological shrine named Temple of Tolerance
• https://www.bluemountaineagle.com/life/national/geological-shrine-dedicated-to-tolerance/article_742c38b0-c20f-5ecb-98d9-f17b5b3b19b8.html
Midwinter Geoblogfest Extravaganza
• https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/rosetta-stones/midwinter-geoblogfest-extravaganza/ In Memoriam: Geologist Robert Self (1940-2019)
• http://www.nwtntoday.com/2019/12/23/robert-self/ Geology & history on Earth – Big history helps understanding of modern issues
• https://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2019/12/25/commentary/japan-commentary/big-history-helps-understand-todays-issues/#.XgTze3dFyUk
**********************************
Environmental Science Bulletin Board – 30 December 2019 – compiled by Elaine J. Hanford Learning about the real lives of caribou (reindeer) the other 364 days of the year
• https://www.usgs.gov/news/other-364-days-year-real-lives-wild-reindeer-3 With so many people flying over the holidays they could have been exposed to measles at airport
• https://www.yahoo.com/news/measles-scare-u-airports-know-160839117.html Texas A&M gets funding to determine root causes of fatalities & injuries in flash flood events
• https://www.kxan.com/news/texas-politics/texas-am-flood-researchers-collaborate-with-state-emergency-officials-on-preventing-future-disasters/
Perspective: Las Vegas, Nevada, needs a light rail system
• https://lasvegassun.com/news/2019/dec/19/as-city-outgrows-its-transportation-infrastructure/ White Sands National Monument is now the 62nd US national park
• https://www.yahoo.com/news/white-sands-monument-designated-us-173917354.html • https://www.outsideonline.com/2407211/white-sands-new-mexico-national-park • https://www.azcentral.com/story/travel/news/2019/12/21/white-sands-monument-re-
designated-u-s-national-park/2721726001/ Planning begins for removal of College Lake dam that overtopped in August 2018
• https://www.newsadvance.com/news/local/college-lake-dam-removal-and-lake-restoration-project-begins/article_eafab46c-f293-5924-afed-0b53cd16bc60.html
Innovations in Infrastructure project to examine policies for improved drinking water systems
• https://www.today.duke.edu/2019/12/protecting-states-drinking-water-project-maps-infrastructure-nc-communities
Technological hazard – superbugs – antiviruses – new antibiotics – cyber viruses • https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/opinions/funerals-glaciers-antibiotics/
Human DNA extracted from 5,700-year-old “chewing gum”
• https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/12/17/788115779/what-ancient-chewing-gum-can-tell-us-about-life-5-700-years-ago
• Paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-019-13549-9 The Azores – exploring the environment
• https://calgaryherald.com/travel/finding-the-wild-side-of-the-azores/wcm/de8ec24f-55fb-4e46-a857-6836917321a7
10 years after the Haiti earthquake – what we have learned about urban crises & community planning
• https://www.iied.org/10-years-what-haiti-taught-us-about-urban-crises-community-planning Perspective: Apocalyptic warnings of climate impacts published to scare the world – use common sense
• https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/dornadula-c/new-york-and-london-may-become-uninhabitable-in-the-next-45-years/
Perspective: Natural disasters & need for emergency preparedness in Nigeria
• https://www.sunnewsonline.com/natural-disasters-and-need-for-emergency-preparedness/ New case report on toxic organic mercury poisoning of woman from using skin cream from Mexico
• https://arstechnica.com/science/2019/12/the-horrifying-case-of-organic-mercury-poisoning-from-tainted-skin-cream/
• CDC Case Report: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/68/wr/mm6850a4.htm Some poor shepherds in Nativity scenes have misshapen throats
• https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/12/24/788915889/why-certain-poor-shepherds-in-nativity-scenes-have-huge-misshapen-throats
Obesity may also reflect malnutrition
• https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2019/12/23/785566796/malnutrition-hits-the-obese-as-well-as-the-underfed
25% of US adult population will be severely obese by 2030
• https://arstechnica.com/science/2019/12/nearly-1-in-4-adults-in-the-us-will-be-severely-obese-by-2030-study-suggests/
Green liquid oozing onto Michigan Interstate 696 identified as hexavalent chromium from illegal hazardous waste storage facility
• https://www.npr.org/2019/12/23/790791879/officials-identify-mysterious-bright-green-liquid-that-spilled-onto-michigan-hig
297-acre property in northern Colombia will be first and only reserve for Dahl’s toad-headed turtle
• https://www.treehugger.com/endangered-species/slice-paradise-created-critically-endangered-toad-headed-turtle.html
Perspective: Toxic sewage wastes spread on soil to grow food – that’s a problem
• https://www.ehn.org/op-ed-yes-food-is-grown-in-sewage-waste-thats-a-problem-2641639016.html
Physics helps explain: why cats land on their feet & why Cheerios clump together in your bowl
• https://arstechnica.com/science/2019/12/the-surprisingly-complicated-physics-of-why-cats-always-land-on-their-feet/
• https://arstechnica.com/science/2019/12/physicists-measured-forces-behind-why-cheerios-clump-together-in-your-bowl/
2018 gas well blowout in Ohio leaked significant amount of black smoke & natural gas
• https://arstechnica.com/science/2019/12/ohio-gas-well-accident-last-year-released-surprising-amount-of-methane/
Shale gas boom in Appalachian Basin impacted air quality, climate and employment
• http://www.oilgasdaily.com/reports/Effects_of_natural_gas_assessed_in_study_of_shale_gas_boom_in_Appalachian_basin_999.html
Possible origin of “mad cow disease”
• http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Researchers_say_may_have_found_cause_of_mad_cow_disease_999.html
Calling for an end to destruction of terrestrial ecosystems
• http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Scientists_call_for_effort_to_end_destruction_of_terrestrial_ecosystems_999.html
Koalas climb like apes in the trees but bound like other marsupials on the ground
• http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Koalas_climb_like_apes_but_bound_on_the_ground_like_marsupials_999.html
New clues as to why giant pandas are so tiny at birth
• https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/12/191213142424.htm Perspective: 5 reasons why the COOP25 climate talks in Madrid, Spain, failed
• https://phys.org/news/2019-12-cop25-climate.html Millennia-long spread of agriculture across China was main cause of extirpation of 5 megafauna species
• https://phys.org/news/2019-12-cultural-evolution-broad-scale-historical-declines.html Great Lakes at risk from buried contaminants and new threats
• https://phys.org/news/2019-12-great-lakes-contaminants-threats.html Critically endangered black rhino born on Christmas Eve at Potter Park Zoo in Michigan – it’s a boy!
• https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/rare-black-rhino-born-in-michigan-zoo-on-christmas-eve/ar-BBYkJL4
• Video: https://www.washingtonpost.com/video/national/michigan-zoo-rejoices-as-rare-black-rhino-is-born-christmas-eve/2019/12/25/49afac38-8b3d-464c-8d97-c9dc5c93b611_video.html
Montane ecosystems have half of global biodiversity hotspots, most freshwater resources
• https://www.aa.com.tr/en/environment/mountains-crucial-ecosystems-for-wildlife-humanity/1683222
*****************************************
Coastal Zone Management Bulletin Board – 30 December 2019 – compiled by Elaine J. Hanford Video & photo-essay – dramatic cliff collapse in Sussex – walkers receive warning
• https://www.itv.com/news/meridian/2019-12-24/warning-to-walkers-after-dramatic-cliff-fall/ Structures in Port Waikato being sacrificed due to coastal erosion - video
• https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2019/12/demolisher-to-take-out-neighbours-home-before-his-own-as-port-waikato-battles-coastal-erosion.html
Rebuilding in the same low-lying areas devastated by the 2004 Banda Aceh tsunami – risks remain after more than 230,000 perished – exercise in futility
• https://www.scmp.com/print/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3043215/indonesians-have-returned-and-rebuilt-area-devastated
• https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-indianocean-tsunami-risk/we-cant-be-afraid-rebuilding-in-indonesias-tsunami-zone-leaves-city-in-peril-idUKKBN1YR027
• https://www.dw.com/en/indian-ocean-tsunami-remembered-15-years-on/a-51798062 • http://www.dailynews.lk/2019/12/26/features/206690/saving-world-tsunamis • https://www.thenational.ae/world/asia/the-day-230-000-lives-were-lost-asia-remembers-
devastating-tsunami-1.956350 Land emerging along Louisiana coastline due to diverting Mississippi River flow – collateral impacts
• https://www.wlox.com/2019/12/24/coastal-activists-scientists-point-new-land-resulting-this-years-high-mississippi-river/
Efforts to save seagrass along New Hampshire coast
• https://katu.com/news/nation-world/scientists-struggle-to-save-seagrass-from-coastal-pollution
Source of crude oil spill in Brazil still uncertain – impacting coastal wildlife & beaches – Black Tide
• https://graphics.reuters.com/BRAZIL-OILSPILL/0100B4ST2L9/index.html • https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/475614-mysterious-crude-oil-spill-in-brazil-
effects-coastal-wild-life Plans to rescue Ballona Creek marshlands in West Los Angeles described as inadequate
• https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2019-12-23/ballona-wetlands-restoration-plan-conservationists-split
2017 marine spill in Pearl River Estuary of 1,000 tons of palm stearin still threatens coastal ecosystem
• https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/12/191220105623.htm Water contact advisory issued due to contamination from urban runoff (sewage-contaminated water) from Tijuana Slough National Wildlife Refuge to Border Field State Park
• https://www.kpbs.org/news/2019/dec/23/county-issues-coast-water-contact-advisory-rainfal/ Chinese fishmeal factory in Gambia promised jobs but threatens coastal communities – overfishing, pollution, death of tourism, edging out artisanal fishermen & fishmongers
• https://www.fairplanet.org/story/china-fishmeal-factory-a-threat-to-gambia’s-coastal-communities/
San Isidro in Mindanao leads war against coastal plastic trash
• https://news.mongabay.com/2019/12/philippine-coastal-town-leads-war-against-plastic-trash-in-mindanao/
International Conference on Coastal Engineering scheduled for Madrid, Spain, in March 2020
• https://www.dredgingtoday.com/2019/12/24/conference-on-coastal-engineering-in-madrid/ • https://waset.org/coastal-engineering-conference-in-march-2020-in-madrid
Turf algae communities add material to coral reefs during the day & take away at night
• https://eos.org/articles/dead-reefs-keep-calcifying-but-only-by-day 7,000-year-old seawall at Tel Hreiz, Israel, is first known defense against sea level rise – and like modern counterparts it failed