Alaska’s forest fires burn more fiercely

Fireweed dominates a scene once covered in black spruce in Alaska's Yukon Flats Image courtesy of Feng Sheng Hu of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Magenta-flowered fireweed dominates a scene once covered in black spruce Alaska’s Yukon Flats
Image courtesy of Feng Sheng Hu of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Some recent fires in the forests of Alaska have been the worst for 10,000 years, researchers say – and they could happen elsewhere in this warming world.

LONDON, 26 July – There have always been fires in the cold forests of Alaska. Periods of burning are part of the ecological regime, and fires return to black spruce stands of the Yukon Flats at intervals of tens to hundreds of years.

But recent evidence suggests that fire is about to come back with a vengeance – or, in the language of science, “a transition to a unique regime of unprecedented fire activity”.

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Earth & Space Weather

Tropical Storm Flossie Sets Sights on Hawaii

AccuWeather-By Kristina Pydynowski, Senior Meteorologist

Tropical Storm Flossie will remain on a path to Hawaii through next week.

Flossie is more than a thousand miles away from land, but that distance will shrink through early next week as the tropical storm remains on a west-northwest track toward Hawaii.

Over the warm waters of the eastern Pacific Ocean, Flossie took shape early Thursday morning.

The arrival of Flossie in Hawaii is anticipated around Monday night or Tuesday

Earth & Space Weather

Volcanoes Today, 27 Jul 2013: White Island, Ketoi, Santa María / Santiaguito, Fuego, Popocatépetl, Veniaminof

volcanodiscovery-July 26,2013

Earth & Space Weather

Crop Circle in the Czech Republic

Reported 22nd July.

Journey with Soul- Kruhy v obilí-July 25,2013

Earth & Space Weather

Earthquake Report~27 July 2013

USGS

http://www.earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/

Earth & Space Weather

Activity increases at Guatemala’s Pacaya Volcano

The Extinction Protocol-July 26,2013

July 26, 2013 – GUATEMALA - Seismic and surface activity have increased during the past days, characterized by the appearance of continuous tremor and more frequent strombolian explosions, the latest special bulletin of INSIVUMEH notes. This suggests a batch of fresh magma is currently rising. The Guatemalan scientists think that it is likely that strombolian activity will increase and perhaps a lava flow will appear on the flanks of the volcano in the coming days. Already, the intra-crater cone has surpassed the rim of the crater by 4 meters and is now visible from outside. – Volcano Discovery

Earth & Space Weather

Dolphins call each other by name

Earthsky.org, 7/26/13

“Our results present the first case of naming in mammals, providing a clear parallel between dolphin and human communication.” – Marine biologist Vincent Janik

Scientists at the University of St Andrews have shown that bottlenose dolphins can use copying of signature whistles as a way of addressing or labelling animals on an individual basis.

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Earth & Space Weather

Summer meteor season 2013 begins in moonlight

Earthsky.org, 7/26/13, Deborah Byrd

Two meteor showers converge every year in late July and August. The Delta Aquarid shower rambles along steadily with a nominal peak in late July, but this shower is still going strong when the Perseids peak around the mornings of August 11, 12 and 13. An hour or two before dawn usually presents the most favorable view of the Delta Aquarids and the Perseids, assuming the moon is out of the way. In late July 2013, the rather faint Delta Aquarid meteors will be at least partially drowned in the light of a bright last quarter moon on July 29. Try watching in early August, when the Perseid meteor shower is building to its peak and the light of the waning crescent moon is less obtrusive. Thanks to that waning moon in late July and early August, we’ll have moon-free skies for this year’s Perseid meteor shower.

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