Interestingly, there are 5 volcanos on Kyushu - the article below doesn't identify which one is erupting!
Aira Caldera
Mount Aso
Kaimondaki
Sakurajima
Mount Unzen
NTD Television: Active Japanese Volcano Forces Residents to Flee
Residents on Japan's southern island of Kyushu were urged to evacuate Monday after a volcano spewed out more hot ash for the sixth day.
An evacuation advisory issued late Sunday night kept the alert level at three, but expanded the off-limit area to about two miles or three kilometers.
[Yukio Edano, Chief Cabinet Secretary]:
"There are concerns that streams of heated rocks and volcanic ash may reach up to a three-kilometer radius when an explosive eruption occurs."
As a result, more than one thousand people in the town of Takaharu, located at the foot of the volcano, were forced to stay at nearby gymnasiums and community centers.
Residents are worried about an impending eruption.
[Evacuee]:
"There was a large rattle on the roof which made me very scared, so I fled here."
[Evacuee]:
"The real problems are yet to come. I'm really worried about how long it will last."
There has been no report of injuries, but reports say some farms have been affected by thick layers of ash.
Two of the four schools here are still open, but students have to be driven to school and wear facial masks for protection.
[School Teacher]:
"Safety is the number one priority for everyone today. First of all, nobody is allowed to go outside. No playing in the playground today."
A Japanese meteorological official says the last time this volcano showed similar levels of activity was three centuries ago.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Volcanoes in Human History, by Jelle de Boer and Donald Sanders
Volcanoes in Human History: The Far-Reaching Effects of Major Eruptions, by Jelle Zeilinga de Boer and Donald Theodore Sanders
Princeton University Press, 2002
250 pages, plus glossary, notes and references, Selected Bibliography and index, as well as a few photos, diagrams and maps scattered throughout the text
Library: 551.2109 ZEI
Description
When the volcano Tambora erupted in Indonesia in 1815, as many as 100,000 people perished as a result of the blast and an ensuing famine caused by the destruction of rice fields on Sumbawa and neighboring islands. Gases and dust particles ejected into the atmosphere changed weather patterns around the world, resulting in the infamous "year without a summer" in North America, food riots in Europe, and a widespread cholera epidemic. And the gloomy weather inspired Mary Shelley to write the gothic novel Frankenstein.
This book tells the story of nine such epic volcanic events, explaining the related geology for the general readere and exploring the myriad ways in which Earth's volcanism has affected human history.
Table of Contents
Foreword by Robert W. Ballard
Preface
Acknowledgments
Table of Conversions
1. Volcanism: Origins and Consequences
2. The Hawaiian Islands and the Lgacy of Pele the Fire Goddess
3. The Bronze Age Eruption of Thera: Destroyer ofAtlantis and Minoan Crete?
4. The Eruption of Vesuvius in 79 CE: Cultural REverbrations throuogh the ages
5. Iceland: Coming Apart at the SEams
6. The Eruption of Tambora in 1815 and the "Year without a summer"
7. Krakatau, 1883: Devastation, Death, and Ecological REvival
8. The 1902 Eruption of Mount Pelee: A Geological Catastrophe with political overtomes
9. Tristan de Cunha in 1961: Exile to the Twentieth Century
10. Mt. St. Helens in 1980: Catastrophe in the Cascades
Afterword
Glossary
Notes and References
Selected Bibliography
Insex
_____________
This blog is updated - at a minimum - every Monday and Friday
Monday, January 17, 2011
Booklist: Super Volcano, by Greg Breining
Super Volcano: The Ticking Time Bom Beneath Yellowsstone National Park, by Greg Breining
Voyageur Press, 2007
242 pages, plus glossary, b&w photo and maps scattered throughout test, References and Index
Library: 551.21097 67 BRE
Description
Every year, 3 million visitors tour Yellowstone, America's favorite national park. Yet most are unaware they are standing atop one of the world's most destructive volcanoes.
It's active and could explode in another colossal eruption!
Using field research and interviews with geologists and a paleontologist, journalist Greg Breining uncovers the true story of the Yellowstone super volcano. It is capable of expelling more than 200 cubic miles of magma in a single blow. Breining looks at how geologists pieced together the puzzle of the Yellowstone super volcano, the devastation it has wrought, the natural wonders it has created, where it stands in relation to other prehistoric super eruptions, how it compares with famous deadly eruptions throughout history-and finally, what will happen in the next big blast.
Table of Contents
1. The Big Blast
2. Yellowstone Today
3. Natural Wonders
4. Evolving GEology
5. The Yellowstone Puzzle
6. Distant Death
7. Most-Super Volcanoes
8. The Deadliest Volcanoes
9. The Next Big Blast
Glossary
References
Index
About the Author
_____________
This blog is updated - at a minimum - every Monday and Friday
Saturday, January 15, 2011
15 Jan, 2011, SAt, Volcano News: Mount Baker focus of volcano talk on Jan. 20 in Bellingham
NewsTribune.com: Mount Baker focus of volcano talk on Jan. 20 in Bellingham
BELLINGHAM, Washington - Volcano researcher Dave Tucker will talk about the eruptive history of Mount Baker on Thursday, Jan. 20, at Whatcom Museum.
The free event begins at 12:30 p.m. and is open to the public. It will be in the Rotunda Room of the museum's Old City Hall building, 121 Prospect St. in Bellingham.
Tucker is a geology research associate at Western Washington University.
His discussion, titled "The Eruptive History of the Active Volcano in Our Backyard," will delve into recent findings about past activity and future hazards - most likely from volcanic mudslides - posed by Mount Baker.
Tucker also will talk about the Mount Baker Volcano Research Center, which he directs.
Details: Contact the research center at research@mbvrc.wwu.edu
BELLINGHAM, Washington - Volcano researcher Dave Tucker will talk about the eruptive history of Mount Baker on Thursday, Jan. 20, at Whatcom Museum.
The free event begins at 12:30 p.m. and is open to the public. It will be in the Rotunda Room of the museum's Old City Hall building, 121 Prospect St. in Bellingham.
Tucker is a geology research associate at Western Washington University.
His discussion, titled "The Eruptive History of the Active Volcano in Our Backyard," will delve into recent findings about past activity and future hazards - most likely from volcanic mudslides - posed by Mount Baker.
Tucker also will talk about the Mount Baker Volcano Research Center, which he directs.
Details: Contact the research center at research@mbvrc.wwu.edu
15 Jan, 2011, Sat, Volcano News: Spectacular Eruptions of Mt. Etna in Sicily from Space and Earth
UniverseToday.com: Spectacular Eruptions of Mt. Etna in Sicily from Space and Earth
Go to the link above (via your computer as opposed to the Kidnle, if you're reading this on the Kindle) to see lots of photos of the eruptions from space and earth, and video as well.
Spectacular eruptions from Mt Etna are spewing massive quantities of lava, smoke and ash many hundreds of meters high into the skies above the island of Sicily. Mt Etna is the most active volcano in Europe and one of the most active on all of Earth. The volcano rumbled to life again this week on the evening of January 12, 2011 and lit up the night sky. Mt Etna is 3350 meters high and located on the northeast coast of Sicily near the boot of Italy (see above, below).
This fearsome natural wonder is providing an awe inspiring show from both Earth and Space. Local residents and lucky tourists nearby took stunning videos and photos (below) showing fountains of brilliant lava eruptions streaming mightily from the volcano.
This Envisat MERIS image, acquired on 11 January 2011, shows the plume of smoke billowing into the atmosphere from Mount Etna, Sicily, Italy. Activity gradually increased the following day, peaking in the evening. Credits: ESA
Click to Enlarge all images
Amazing photos from space were captured by Earth orbiting satellites from NASA and ESA. NASA’s Terra satellite took the above image on Jan. 11 as Mt Etna was spewing forth smoke or ash just prior to the volcanic eruptions on Jan. 12. The photo of Etna is NASA’s Earth Observatory Image of the Day, today, Jan. 15, 2011.
ESA’s Envisat likewise snapped a gorgeous view of the billowing plume of smoke rising to space (photo at left) and the international crew aboard the ISS, which currently includes Italian astronaut Paolo Nespoli. Perhaps he’ll send us a shot !
Local news and eyewitness accounts say that tremors from the volcano began increasing on Jan. 11. Emissions of volcanic gases and water vapor have been ongoing since late September 2010. The sounds of explosive tremors from deep inside were also detected months ago.
This sizzling hot video – “Etna at Maximum Activity” – is set to music and records the magnificent flowing streams of lava and the thunderous sounds of the crackling, explosive eruptions. Be sure to view at full screen, then just sit back and enjoy !
Plumes of volcanic ash from the eruptions spread across Sicily and forced the closure of the local Fontanarossa airport – nearby to the city of Catania, which is 24 kilometers away.
Rumblings of Mt Etna have been recorded in historical documents dating back to about 1500 BC.
Another short, dramatic video with the raw sounds of the eruption from a group of German tourists visiting the beautiful city of Taormina, Sicily
Eyewitness Description:
“Mount Etna erupted in the evening of January 12, 2011 for around four hours, providing an amazing scenery. We shot this unique video from Taormina on January 12, 2011 at 11.45 p.m. and uploaded it on YouTube.
On the evening of 11th January 2011 an increase in volcanic tremor was recorded at the summit of the volcano. The recorded seismic activity reached a peak at 7 a.m. on 12th January when the source moved from north of NE crater to the SE crater. The eruption started with strombolian explosive activity at SE crater at around 9.p.m. Lava overflowed the eastern rim of SE crater and fed a flow that moved toward the western wall of the Valle del Bove (Valley of the oxen), an ancient huge uninhabited depression on the NE side of the volcano.
The Sicilian communities near the volcano were not threatened by this latest fascinating eruption. Best place to watch the fascinating eruptions of Mount Etna is the town of Taormina, nestled on a hill at 220 meters / 722 feet above the sea level and at a safe linear distance of approx. 28 Km / 17,4 miles from the top craters of the Sicilian volcano.”
Fearsome lava eruptions spewing from Mt Etna on Jan. 11, 2011
A few years back, I visited Mt Etna and was incredibly lucky to witness this spectacle of nature myself. It was an unforgettable experience to see the glowing red-orange colored lava flowing out from the bowels of the Earth. It was like a living being with circulating blood.
In the excitement, I did something that in retrospect was incredibly stupid. I stood on a ledge, perhaps 50 cm thick, right above the porthole of the scalding hot lava erupting from the earth beneath my feet. Many others did too.
Sicily is a lovely place of manmade and natural wonders. Don’t pass up an opportunity to see Etna aflame
Look at Etnaweb (in Italian, but Universal) for a fantastic collection of local photos and webcams of the eruption.
Volcanic eruptions are breathtaking events to behold. The residual plumes of smoke and ash can stay aloft for many years and can also effect how we see other astronomical events such as our view of eclipses.
Go to the link above (via your computer as opposed to the Kidnle, if you're reading this on the Kindle) to see lots of photos of the eruptions from space and earth, and video as well.
Spectacular eruptions from Mt Etna are spewing massive quantities of lava, smoke and ash many hundreds of meters high into the skies above the island of Sicily. Mt Etna is the most active volcano in Europe and one of the most active on all of Earth. The volcano rumbled to life again this week on the evening of January 12, 2011 and lit up the night sky. Mt Etna is 3350 meters high and located on the northeast coast of Sicily near the boot of Italy (see above, below).
This fearsome natural wonder is providing an awe inspiring show from both Earth and Space. Local residents and lucky tourists nearby took stunning videos and photos (below) showing fountains of brilliant lava eruptions streaming mightily from the volcano.
This Envisat MERIS image, acquired on 11 January 2011, shows the plume of smoke billowing into the atmosphere from Mount Etna, Sicily, Italy. Activity gradually increased the following day, peaking in the evening. Credits: ESA
Click to Enlarge all images
Amazing photos from space were captured by Earth orbiting satellites from NASA and ESA. NASA’s Terra satellite took the above image on Jan. 11 as Mt Etna was spewing forth smoke or ash just prior to the volcanic eruptions on Jan. 12. The photo of Etna is NASA’s Earth Observatory Image of the Day, today, Jan. 15, 2011.
ESA’s Envisat likewise snapped a gorgeous view of the billowing plume of smoke rising to space (photo at left) and the international crew aboard the ISS, which currently includes Italian astronaut Paolo Nespoli. Perhaps he’ll send us a shot !
Local news and eyewitness accounts say that tremors from the volcano began increasing on Jan. 11. Emissions of volcanic gases and water vapor have been ongoing since late September 2010. The sounds of explosive tremors from deep inside were also detected months ago.
This sizzling hot video – “Etna at Maximum Activity” – is set to music and records the magnificent flowing streams of lava and the thunderous sounds of the crackling, explosive eruptions. Be sure to view at full screen, then just sit back and enjoy !
Plumes of volcanic ash from the eruptions spread across Sicily and forced the closure of the local Fontanarossa airport – nearby to the city of Catania, which is 24 kilometers away.
Rumblings of Mt Etna have been recorded in historical documents dating back to about 1500 BC.
Another short, dramatic video with the raw sounds of the eruption from a group of German tourists visiting the beautiful city of Taormina, Sicily
Eyewitness Description:
“Mount Etna erupted in the evening of January 12, 2011 for around four hours, providing an amazing scenery. We shot this unique video from Taormina on January 12, 2011 at 11.45 p.m. and uploaded it on YouTube.
On the evening of 11th January 2011 an increase in volcanic tremor was recorded at the summit of the volcano. The recorded seismic activity reached a peak at 7 a.m. on 12th January when the source moved from north of NE crater to the SE crater. The eruption started with strombolian explosive activity at SE crater at around 9.p.m. Lava overflowed the eastern rim of SE crater and fed a flow that moved toward the western wall of the Valle del Bove (Valley of the oxen), an ancient huge uninhabited depression on the NE side of the volcano.
The Sicilian communities near the volcano were not threatened by this latest fascinating eruption. Best place to watch the fascinating eruptions of Mount Etna is the town of Taormina, nestled on a hill at 220 meters / 722 feet above the sea level and at a safe linear distance of approx. 28 Km / 17,4 miles from the top craters of the Sicilian volcano.”
Fearsome lava eruptions spewing from Mt Etna on Jan. 11, 2011
A few years back, I visited Mt Etna and was incredibly lucky to witness this spectacle of nature myself. It was an unforgettable experience to see the glowing red-orange colored lava flowing out from the bowels of the Earth. It was like a living being with circulating blood.
In the excitement, I did something that in retrospect was incredibly stupid. I stood on a ledge, perhaps 50 cm thick, right above the porthole of the scalding hot lava erupting from the earth beneath my feet. Many others did too.
Sicily is a lovely place of manmade and natural wonders. Don’t pass up an opportunity to see Etna aflame
Look at Etnaweb (in Italian, but Universal) for a fantastic collection of local photos and webcams of the eruption.
Volcanic eruptions are breathtaking events to behold. The residual plumes of smoke and ash can stay aloft for many years and can also effect how we see other astronomical events such as our view of eclipses.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Native Hawaiian bird watercolor exhibit at Volcano Art Center
Big Island Video News: Native Hawaiian bird watercolor exhibit at Volcano Art Center
A special art exhibit showcasing Hawaii’s native birds, and the work of a Volcano artist, is on display this month.
The Complete Collection by Marian Berger will be shown in two separate installments at the Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The exhibit is free to the public.
The original watercolor paintings depict 37 species of birds found only in Hawaii, many of which are endangered. Each watercolor has been painted after John James Audubon’s work on the Birds of North America, with all individual birds painted life-size.
Marian Berger, born in Limerick, Ireland, moved to the Big Island of Hawaii in 1976, where she has received many awards and commissions for her art, particularly her paintings of Hawaii’s native birds.
The anonymous patron who underwrote the project has agreed to donate the proceeds of the $200,000 original collection to support Hawaii’s endemic birds. Funds will go to support the Hawaii Endangered Bird Conservation Program, an effort of the San Diego Zoo Global. The program has two captive breeding facilities, one of which is located at Keauhou Ranch in Volcano.
The collection is so large that it will be split, the first half exhibited from January 8 – February 4, and the second half from February 5 – March 6.
A special art exhibit showcasing Hawaii’s native birds, and the work of a Volcano artist, is on display this month.
The Complete Collection by Marian Berger will be shown in two separate installments at the Volcano Art Center Gallery in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The exhibit is free to the public.
The original watercolor paintings depict 37 species of birds found only in Hawaii, many of which are endangered. Each watercolor has been painted after John James Audubon’s work on the Birds of North America, with all individual birds painted life-size.
Marian Berger, born in Limerick, Ireland, moved to the Big Island of Hawaii in 1976, where she has received many awards and commissions for her art, particularly her paintings of Hawaii’s native birds.
The anonymous patron who underwrote the project has agreed to donate the proceeds of the $200,000 original collection to support Hawaii’s endemic birds. Funds will go to support the Hawaii Endangered Bird Conservation Program, an effort of the San Diego Zoo Global. The program has two captive breeding facilities, one of which is located at Keauhou Ranch in Volcano.
The collection is so large that it will be split, the first half exhibited from January 8 – February 4, and the second half from February 5 – March 6.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
11 Jan, 2011, Tues, Nuclear News: This Volcano Should Terrify Coffee Lovers
Map of the Day: This Volcano Should Terrify Coffee Lovers
Indonesian authorities are preparing to evacuate the residents of Lampung in Sumatra over concerns the Anak Krakatau volcano may be about to erupt, according to Reuters.
The volcano is said to be at a distance from the Panjang port, but authorities are concerned about the potential for a tsunami.
Officials said that coffee production would be minimally impacted in the event of a tsunami but are preparing to relocate 40,000 people due to the threat.
Lampung in Sumatra accounts for 85% of Indonesia' coffee production. The nation is the world's fourth largest producer of coffee and expects to produce 709,000 tonnes in 2011.
In 2009, US imports of Indonesian coffee amounted to $200 million, a $40 million drop in the wake of the crisis. Indonesia is also the world's second largest producer of robusta coffee, and it's futures gained $22 in the London market, according to Bloomberg.
Lampung also produces the world's most expensive coffee, the Kopi Luwak which comes from a coffee-berry plant and passes through the digestive system of a civet. The coffee can cost as much as $227 for a pound, according to the New York Times.
The Anak Krakatau volcano is located between two of Indonesia's larger islands.
11 Jan 2011. Tues, Volcano News: Indonesian Volcano Victims Turn to Tourism to Rebuild Their Lives
VOA - Indonesian Volcano Victims Turn to Tourism to Rebuild Their Lives
The crowds of Indonesians eager to glimpse the destruction wrought by their country’s most active volcano are providing business opportunities amid a tragedy.
People left homeless by volcanic eruptions in Indonesia last year have turned to tourism as a form of income, charging entry fees and selling graphic DVDs to hundreds of visitors a day.
Mount Merapi has calmed down considerably since it began erupting in October, and these days, Indonesian tourists pile into vans and head up the volcano. Residents whose homes were destroyed in the eruptions now collect entrance fees of about 50 cents a head. Others sell small bottles of ash and graphic DVDs with scenes of the evacuation and the damage of the eruption.
Mariyem, the mother of two whose home was destroyed, says she does not see tourism as a long-term solution but as a quick way to make the money she needs to feed her family.
She says she is a victim who has become a spectacle, but doesn’t know what else she could do. Later, when the situation improves, she says can return to the area but until then, she cannot look for food unless she sells things.
Mariyem sells two or three DVDs a day for a profit of around $1 each, just enough to buy food, but hardly enough to rebuild the home she had lived in since childhood.
The Asian Development Bank has committed $3 million for temporary shelters and cash for work programs to help clear away debris. The Indonesian government promises to reimburse farmers for each cow killed by the eruptions, since cattle are key to most families’ livelihoods.
But the money has been delayed, and some say survivors say they do not know when or even if they will receive assistance.
Another woman, Tumiyem, says she must sell something to make money. She earns no more than $2 a day selling drinks and snacks to the tourists she refers to as “friends.”
She says sometimes she sells 10 items, sometimes six. There are a lot of people, but sometimes they do not buy anything.
Tumiyem is rail-thin and wrinkled. Like most of the people who used to live here, she has taken refuge in a shelter and receives food assistance from aid organizations and companies providing donations. Volunteers with the tobacco company Sampoerna, for instance, help collect and distribute supplies to the more than 450 people at the Sariharjo shelter in Slemen, the district hit hardest by Merapi’s eruptions.
VOA - S. Schonhardt
A tourist takes in the destruction wrought by weeks of violent eruptions, in Kaliurang in Central Java, 11 Jan 2011.
Tumiyem says she expects to stay in the shelter for a year, as she works to make money to rebuild her home.
Green grass and small banana trees have sprung from the ashes. Still, the terrain past the fee collection point is mostly gray. Trees are snapped and the foundations of homes speckle the landscape. A line of rusted motorcycles flanks the road. Nearby, a van teeters on a pile of debris, like a toy a child has dropped haphazardly.
These images are exactly what Uswatun, a homemaker from Magelang, came to see.
She says they want to know that green is coming back already. Even though the visitors can only meet the victims, they can share their feelings, their sadness.
Uswatun says the tourists are not just there to look around, but to get proof of what they hear or see on television, to know what it would be like to have to flee in the middle of the night.
The hot gas and ash that swept down Merapi’s slopes in October and November killed more than 300 people and forced around 400,000 to evacuate their homes. It was the worst eruption in nearly a century.
After days of calm, the government downgraded Merapi’s threat level late last month. But those monitoring the volcano now worry about secondary disasters, such as landslides and floods caused by flows of cold lava from the volcano.
Dredging work on the Code River that runs through the center of the nearby city of Yogyakarta began in mid-December, so the channel will be clear when seasonal rains begin.
The rivers that wind down Merapi are choked with mud that has narrowed their flow and raised water levels to overflowing. They serve as conduits for cold lava, which also carries debris from buildings destroyed by the eruptions.
On Monday, a cold lava flood hit the Magelang district - the second in less than a week. The lava floods have knocked out bridges and roads. They are made worse by rain, which overwhelms the banks of the choked rivers.
Initial fears of continued eruptions appear to have subsided, but when rain clouds darken the sky in Kaliurang the tourists quickly pile back in their cars and leave the mountain behind them.
The crowds of Indonesians eager to glimpse the destruction wrought by their country’s most active volcano are providing business opportunities amid a tragedy.
People left homeless by volcanic eruptions in Indonesia last year have turned to tourism as a form of income, charging entry fees and selling graphic DVDs to hundreds of visitors a day.
Mount Merapi has calmed down considerably since it began erupting in October, and these days, Indonesian tourists pile into vans and head up the volcano. Residents whose homes were destroyed in the eruptions now collect entrance fees of about 50 cents a head. Others sell small bottles of ash and graphic DVDs with scenes of the evacuation and the damage of the eruption.
Mariyem, the mother of two whose home was destroyed, says she does not see tourism as a long-term solution but as a quick way to make the money she needs to feed her family.
She says she is a victim who has become a spectacle, but doesn’t know what else she could do. Later, when the situation improves, she says can return to the area but until then, she cannot look for food unless she sells things.
Mariyem sells two or three DVDs a day for a profit of around $1 each, just enough to buy food, but hardly enough to rebuild the home she had lived in since childhood.
The Asian Development Bank has committed $3 million for temporary shelters and cash for work programs to help clear away debris. The Indonesian government promises to reimburse farmers for each cow killed by the eruptions, since cattle are key to most families’ livelihoods.
But the money has been delayed, and some say survivors say they do not know when or even if they will receive assistance.
Another woman, Tumiyem, says she must sell something to make money. She earns no more than $2 a day selling drinks and snacks to the tourists she refers to as “friends.”
She says sometimes she sells 10 items, sometimes six. There are a lot of people, but sometimes they do not buy anything.
Tumiyem is rail-thin and wrinkled. Like most of the people who used to live here, she has taken refuge in a shelter and receives food assistance from aid organizations and companies providing donations. Volunteers with the tobacco company Sampoerna, for instance, help collect and distribute supplies to the more than 450 people at the Sariharjo shelter in Slemen, the district hit hardest by Merapi’s eruptions.
VOA - S. Schonhardt
A tourist takes in the destruction wrought by weeks of violent eruptions, in Kaliurang in Central Java, 11 Jan 2011.
Tumiyem says she expects to stay in the shelter for a year, as she works to make money to rebuild her home.
Green grass and small banana trees have sprung from the ashes. Still, the terrain past the fee collection point is mostly gray. Trees are snapped and the foundations of homes speckle the landscape. A line of rusted motorcycles flanks the road. Nearby, a van teeters on a pile of debris, like a toy a child has dropped haphazardly.
These images are exactly what Uswatun, a homemaker from Magelang, came to see.
She says they want to know that green is coming back already. Even though the visitors can only meet the victims, they can share their feelings, their sadness.
Uswatun says the tourists are not just there to look around, but to get proof of what they hear or see on television, to know what it would be like to have to flee in the middle of the night.
The hot gas and ash that swept down Merapi’s slopes in October and November killed more than 300 people and forced around 400,000 to evacuate their homes. It was the worst eruption in nearly a century.
After days of calm, the government downgraded Merapi’s threat level late last month. But those monitoring the volcano now worry about secondary disasters, such as landslides and floods caused by flows of cold lava from the volcano.
Dredging work on the Code River that runs through the center of the nearby city of Yogyakarta began in mid-December, so the channel will be clear when seasonal rains begin.
The rivers that wind down Merapi are choked with mud that has narrowed their flow and raised water levels to overflowing. They serve as conduits for cold lava, which also carries debris from buildings destroyed by the eruptions.
On Monday, a cold lava flood hit the Magelang district - the second in less than a week. The lava floods have knocked out bridges and roads. They are made worse by rain, which overwhelms the banks of the choked rivers.
Initial fears of continued eruptions appear to have subsided, but when rain clouds darken the sky in Kaliurang the tourists quickly pile back in their cars and leave the mountain behind them.
Monday, January 10, 2011
10 Jan, 2011, Mon, Nuclear News: Evidence of Lahar at the Anyuyskiy Volcano
Evidence of Lahar at the Anyuyskiy Volcano
In far eastern Russia, north of the Kamchatka Peninsula, lies Anyuyskiy Volcano. Now dormant, the volcano was once active enough to send a massive lahar—an avalanche of volcanic ash and rock mixed with water—50 kilometers (30 miles) down the west side of the volcano summit.
The dried, hardened remains of the lahar persist today, a streak of barren rock on a landscape that is otherwise richly vegetated.
On September 13, 2003, the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) on NASA’s Terra satellite captured this view of Anyuyskiy, according to a NASA statement. ASTER can map elevation while collecting imagery, so in this false-color image, the image data has been draped over elevation data to make this 3-D visualization.
Vegetation appears bright green; bare rocks and ice appear bright red; water appears navy blue. Even in summer, traces of snow cover cling to the highest peaks.
The old lahar from Anyuyskiy extends from the north slope, turning westward immediately north of Anyuyskiy and flowing toward the west-southwest. Lakes occur along the margins of the lahar, and some small lakes appear on the lahar’s surface, but little vegetation has encroached on the ancient river of rock.
When Anyuyskiy released this lahar, the slurry of volcanic mud likely mowed down everything in its path. Despite having the texture of wet cement, lahars can flow rapidly. Depending on how they formed, they can range in temperature from cold to scalding.
10 Jan 2011, Mon, Volcano News: Taking the pulse of volcanoes
Charlotte Observer: Taking the pulse of volcanoes
CHAPEL HILL North Carolina's last volcanic eruption occurred at least 200 million years ago, so it might be surprising to find a volcanologist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
But for the past 10 years, geological sciences professor Jonathan Lees has traveled the globe studying these natural explosions after being lured to the state to study geothermal fields with colleagues at both UNC Chapel Hill and Duke.
Volcanoes are difficult to study by nature, but advances in technology - including satellite monitoring systems - make it easier to conduct research from afar.
Traditionally, researchers have gathered most of the data about eruptions from the earthquakes that precede them. As magma pushes to the Earth's surface, it produces seismic waves - low-impact energy waves traveling through the ground - that are recorded by several seismometers spaced around the volcano's surface.
These details pinpoint the location, time, depth and magnitude of the resulting earthquake, but they provide few specifics about what the volcano itself does.
Lees gathers information about volcanoes by studying the speed of seismic waves and how they change directions, as well as their variations in intensity.
In recent years, he added high-definition video to his arsenal of monitoring equipment. Linking the visual images to the acoustic findings captured by the seismometers creates a 3-D analysis of what occurs during an eruption. The technique could tell scientists more about how volcanoes behave even if forecasting precisely when eruptions will occur is not possible, Lees said.
"It's a common misconception that volcanologists and seismologists can actually predict when a volcano is going to erupt," said Lees, who has studied 10 to 15 volcanoes in South America, Europe and Asia during his career. "The work I do is focused on increasing our understanding and our appreciation of the dangers involved with volcanoes and to, hopefully, save lives one day."
The United States Geologic Survey (USGS) supports monitoring volcanic activity because it helps scientists anticipate, if not predict, an eruption and its potential scope. Public officials can use the information to protect populated areas if the need arises.
Every decade, approximately 160 volcanoes erupt globally, and up to 20 volcanoes are erupting at any given time, according to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. In the United States, based on USGS data, there are 169 active volcanoes, and 54 are a high or very high threat to the public. The closest active volcanoes to North Carolina are on the West Coast, but there are two dormant volcanoes in Mole Hill and Trimble Knob, Va.
Geological researchers at Michigan Technical University estimate that 500 million people worldwide live close enough to a volcano to be at risk in the event of an eruption.
Learning about the volcano
To capture the most extensive information about eruptions, Lees and his team scatter recording stations, called nodes, evenly around the volcano. The terrain determines the exact location, but Lees said he tries to maintain a spiral, circle or straight-line pattern, choosing spots where the equipment is both out of danger and easy to retrieve.
Each node includes a seismometer; a custom-made, low-frequency microphone; Doppler radar that records the speed of particles as they fly away from the volcano; an infrared video camera to gather thermal heat images; and a high-definition video camera.
Solar panels are in place to charge the equipment batteries. When all of the collected data are reviewed together, they present a comprehensive, cohesive picture of a volcanic eruption, Lees said.
"Volcanoes are like labs, and we're studying the details of what happens during explosions to hopefully apply our findings to all volcanoes," he said. "Eventually, we hope to anticipate behaviors of particular volcanoes when they exhibit certain signals."
For example, by watching video recordings of the Santa Maria volcano eruptions in Guatemala in 2007, Lees' team discovered that the top of the volcano, called the crater, bulges moments before magma and hot gases break through. Frame-by-frame reviews reveal both the explosive force behind particles and the directions in which they fly.
Even though it is impossible to predict the time of an eruption, understanding more about how volcanoes behave prior to and during the explosions could fundamentally change how scientists investigate volcanoes, said Steve McNutt, a volcano seismologist with the University of Alaska-Fairbanks and the Alaska Volcano Observatory.
"Having a greater understanding of volcanic changes could eliminate our need to work retrospectively to try and figure out what happened," he said.
Volcanoes pose more hazards than lava flow, McNutt said. Ash and other particles can create additional problems to nearby populations.
"The ash and other debris that are launched into the air are real dangers to people who live near volcanoes. They are also risky for any aircraft that fly overhead," said McNutt, who also studies the mechanical behavior of volcanoes. The volcanic eruption in Iceland last April caused extensive disruptions to air travel, grounding or re-routing flights to and across Europe for weeks.
"These hazards are a big reason why we're doing this research," McNutt said.
Additionally, the same characteristics that make volcanoes a threat to cities and populations make them a danger to scientific equipment. The steam, lava, and dust create a hostile environment that can destroy some of the data-gathering instruments.
Despite these threats, McNutt said, Lees' 3-D data collections are necessary because his work provides details that are currently not available through other types of data gathering.
"With 3-D work, you put the equipment out, and it just keeps running. This way, we can learn how volcano systems change and evolve over time," McNutt said. "All of this adds new increments of knowledge and gives us a more sophisticated understanding of how these environments act."
Future plans
In addition to continuing the 3-D data collection, Lees said he plans to expand his research by making all nodes wireless and having them feed information directly to one central computer. He envisions the next generation of recording stations will function like robots that can enter the more dangerous parts of a volcano's terrain.
"I'd like to see hundreds or thousands of recording stations placed all over the volcanoes," he said. "They'd be wired to talk to each other much like a brain, and they'd be cheap to produce so if we lost some in the riskier spots, it wouldn't be a big deal to replace them."
CHAPEL HILL North Carolina's last volcanic eruption occurred at least 200 million years ago, so it might be surprising to find a volcanologist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
But for the past 10 years, geological sciences professor Jonathan Lees has traveled the globe studying these natural explosions after being lured to the state to study geothermal fields with colleagues at both UNC Chapel Hill and Duke.
Volcanoes are difficult to study by nature, but advances in technology - including satellite monitoring systems - make it easier to conduct research from afar.
Traditionally, researchers have gathered most of the data about eruptions from the earthquakes that precede them. As magma pushes to the Earth's surface, it produces seismic waves - low-impact energy waves traveling through the ground - that are recorded by several seismometers spaced around the volcano's surface.
These details pinpoint the location, time, depth and magnitude of the resulting earthquake, but they provide few specifics about what the volcano itself does.
Lees gathers information about volcanoes by studying the speed of seismic waves and how they change directions, as well as their variations in intensity.
In recent years, he added high-definition video to his arsenal of monitoring equipment. Linking the visual images to the acoustic findings captured by the seismometers creates a 3-D analysis of what occurs during an eruption. The technique could tell scientists more about how volcanoes behave even if forecasting precisely when eruptions will occur is not possible, Lees said.
"It's a common misconception that volcanologists and seismologists can actually predict when a volcano is going to erupt," said Lees, who has studied 10 to 15 volcanoes in South America, Europe and Asia during his career. "The work I do is focused on increasing our understanding and our appreciation of the dangers involved with volcanoes and to, hopefully, save lives one day."
The United States Geologic Survey (USGS) supports monitoring volcanic activity because it helps scientists anticipate, if not predict, an eruption and its potential scope. Public officials can use the information to protect populated areas if the need arises.
Every decade, approximately 160 volcanoes erupt globally, and up to 20 volcanoes are erupting at any given time, according to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. In the United States, based on USGS data, there are 169 active volcanoes, and 54 are a high or very high threat to the public. The closest active volcanoes to North Carolina are on the West Coast, but there are two dormant volcanoes in Mole Hill and Trimble Knob, Va.
Geological researchers at Michigan Technical University estimate that 500 million people worldwide live close enough to a volcano to be at risk in the event of an eruption.
Learning about the volcano
To capture the most extensive information about eruptions, Lees and his team scatter recording stations, called nodes, evenly around the volcano. The terrain determines the exact location, but Lees said he tries to maintain a spiral, circle or straight-line pattern, choosing spots where the equipment is both out of danger and easy to retrieve.
Each node includes a seismometer; a custom-made, low-frequency microphone; Doppler radar that records the speed of particles as they fly away from the volcano; an infrared video camera to gather thermal heat images; and a high-definition video camera.
Solar panels are in place to charge the equipment batteries. When all of the collected data are reviewed together, they present a comprehensive, cohesive picture of a volcanic eruption, Lees said.
"Volcanoes are like labs, and we're studying the details of what happens during explosions to hopefully apply our findings to all volcanoes," he said. "Eventually, we hope to anticipate behaviors of particular volcanoes when they exhibit certain signals."
For example, by watching video recordings of the Santa Maria volcano eruptions in Guatemala in 2007, Lees' team discovered that the top of the volcano, called the crater, bulges moments before magma and hot gases break through. Frame-by-frame reviews reveal both the explosive force behind particles and the directions in which they fly.
Even though it is impossible to predict the time of an eruption, understanding more about how volcanoes behave prior to and during the explosions could fundamentally change how scientists investigate volcanoes, said Steve McNutt, a volcano seismologist with the University of Alaska-Fairbanks and the Alaska Volcano Observatory.
"Having a greater understanding of volcanic changes could eliminate our need to work retrospectively to try and figure out what happened," he said.
Volcanoes pose more hazards than lava flow, McNutt said. Ash and other particles can create additional problems to nearby populations.
"The ash and other debris that are launched into the air are real dangers to people who live near volcanoes. They are also risky for any aircraft that fly overhead," said McNutt, who also studies the mechanical behavior of volcanoes. The volcanic eruption in Iceland last April caused extensive disruptions to air travel, grounding or re-routing flights to and across Europe for weeks.
"These hazards are a big reason why we're doing this research," McNutt said.
Additionally, the same characteristics that make volcanoes a threat to cities and populations make them a danger to scientific equipment. The steam, lava, and dust create a hostile environment that can destroy some of the data-gathering instruments.
Despite these threats, McNutt said, Lees' 3-D data collections are necessary because his work provides details that are currently not available through other types of data gathering.
"With 3-D work, you put the equipment out, and it just keeps running. This way, we can learn how volcano systems change and evolve over time," McNutt said. "All of this adds new increments of knowledge and gives us a more sophisticated understanding of how these environments act."
Future plans
In addition to continuing the 3-D data collection, Lees said he plans to expand his research by making all nodes wireless and having them feed information directly to one central computer. He envisions the next generation of recording stations will function like robots that can enter the more dangerous parts of a volcano's terrain.
"I'd like to see hundreds or thousands of recording stations placed all over the volcanoes," he said. "They'd be wired to talk to each other much like a brain, and they'd be cheap to produce so if we lost some in the riskier spots, it wouldn't be a big deal to replace them."
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Jan 6, 2011, Thur, Volcano News: Classic Hawaii attractions can be yours for free
Atlanta Journal Constitution Travel section: Classic Hawaii attractions can be yours for free
HONOLULU — While planning a weeklong family trip to Hawaii as an escape from winter, I kept getting suggestions from friends, websites and even my kids for all kinds of "must-see" activities.
Helicopter tours! Dolphin encounters! Luaus! Bike rides down volcanic mountains!
Then I checked out the prices for all these marvels. Helicopter tour, $200. Dolphin encounter, $100. Luau, $100. Bike ride, $100.
Now multiply each fee by four, for me, my spouse and two kids. I'd just added $2,000 to the budget for our trip.
But if we didn't do any of these things, would we really feel we'd missed out?
I'm happy to report we skipped 'em all with no regrets. Yet our trip to Hawaii was spectacular. We hiked through rain forests, walked across a volcano floor, stargazed from the world's tallest mountain, and swam in a bay so full of colorful sea life that it was like stepping into an aquarium. We visited Pearl Harbor, climbed Diamond Head, sunbathed on Waikiki and body-surfed at Hanalei Bay. We saw petroglyphs on a remote seaside trail, and watched Hawaiian dancers in a park at sunset. We even stopped by the apartment building where Barack Obama was raised (1617 S. Beretania St., Honolulu), because I wanted my city-born kids to see that you don't have to grow up in a mansion to be president.
The cost for these activities, aside from parking or car entry fees: Zero.
Which is not to say that a vacation to Hawaii can be done on a dime. We pounced on a $550 round-trip airfare, but even that meant $2,200 for a family of four. Because it was our first visit, we hopscotched among three islands — the Big Island, Oahu and Kauai — which meant $60-per-person flights from one island to the next. My husband covered six nights' lodging for free by saving hotel credit card points for more than a year, but the one hotel night we paid for ran $350. We also paid for rental cars, but that let us skip taxis and tour buses.
We stuffed ourselves at free hotel breakfasts and at places like Me's BBQ, 151 Uluniu St. in Waikiki on Oahu, where the plate lunch (a mix of choices including chicken, fish, pork, vegetables, rice and macaroni salad) fills you up for under $10. The ubiquitous Hawaiian ABC chain became our second home, as it does for many tourists, offering basics like sunscreen and postcards as well as fresh fruit, sushi and sandwiches.
But most of all, we collected memories from one amazing adventure to the next, without spending a lot of cash. Here are some details.
—KALALAU TRAIL AND HANALEI BAY ON KAUAI: The Kalalau Trail on Kauai's Napali Coast is 11 miles one way, but the first section — four miles round trip — makes a perfect half-day outing, http://www.kalalautrail.com/. Parking is free but the limited spots fill up early. The steep trail can be muddy and slippery; wear sturdy footwear. Scenery ranges from lush and jungle-like as you climb the mountain, to dramatic overlooks from high cliffs over the ocean, to roaring waves crashing on a rocky beach.
Numerous signs warn against swimming; the surf is known for deadly rip tides. But when you're done hiking, drive a short distance to the public beach at beautiful Hanalei Bay for a dip.
—MAUNA KEA, VOLCANOES PARK AND KAHULUU BAY ON THE BIG ISLAND:
Mauna Kea, the world's tallest mountain (30,000 feet from its base in the ocean to its summit, which sits 14,000 feet above sea level), is home to many of the world's largest observatories. Guided tours to the top (including food and transportation) can run $200, but there are two free alternatives.
Free stargazing programs are held nightly at the visitors center, located at 9,000 feet. It was cloudy the night we attended, and while we waited for better weather, we enjoyed hearing about research done on the mountain. When skies cleared, we looked through a telescope at Mars' polar ice cap and other celestial wonders.
Best souvenir at Mauna Kea: "Beware of Invisible Cows" bumper sticker, which refers to cows that may be hidden by fog on the rough mountain road. Most rental car companies prohibit driving to Mauna Kea because of road conditions, but one rental company, Harper — http://www.harpershawaii.com — rents four-wheel-drive vehicles specifically for Mauna Kea. (Don't be unduly scared, though; we found the road to be no more challenging than the potholed, swerving highways around New York City.) Four-wheel drive vehicles can also participate in free weekend caravans to the summit, though the public is not permitted to look through the big telescopes at the top. (Stargazing events use smaller portable scopes.) Details at http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/info/vis/.
For me, the highlight of our week was a day spent in the astonishing landscapes of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, http://www.nps.gov/havo/ (car entry fee, $10). We hiked through lush rain forests filled with songbirds and giant ferns, then across the black-cratered floor of the Kilauea volcano, punctuated occasionally by bright red lehua flowers. Elsewhere in the park, the black volcanic rock runs right to the edge of the sea. The volcano remains active, so depending on volcanic activity during your visit, plumes of white smoke may be visible in daylight, and a bright orange lava glow may be seen at night. Don't miss the easy hike to the Puuloa site to see thousands of petroglyphs — drawings carved in rocks centuries ago by native Hawaiians.
A final Big Island wonder was Kahuluu Beach Park in Kona. For under $10, you can rent snorkel gear on site and wade into the water to see coral and fish. The sea life is so colorful, you don't even need to put your head underwater to see it, though you'll want water shoes for the rocky bottom. Huge green sea turtles can be observed swimming here too. The parking lot fills up fast; street parking is available.
—DIAMOND HEAD, PEARL HARBOR, HULA SHOW AND SURFING ON OAHU:
The famous beach at Waikiki is located in Honolulu on Oahu. Here I found a wonderful free alternative to a luau, which I wanted to attend not so much for the mai tais as for the performances. The Kuhio Beach Hula Show offers a charming, authentic show of traditional Hawaiian music, dance and stories with a torch-lighting. It's held Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday at 6:30 p.m. (6 p.m. in November, December and January). The magical outdoor setting is in Kuhio Beach Park, by a giant banyan tree on Kalakaua Avenue, near the statue of the famous surfer, Duke Kahanamoku.
No visit to Oahu is complete without visiting its two most famous landmarks, Diamond Head and Pearl Harbor. Arrive first thing to beat the crowds. A steep 1.6-mile roundtrip trail to the summit of Diamond Head's volcanic cone offers panoramic views of the ocean and Honolulu; parking is $5 (pedestrians, $1 per person), http://bit.ly/eoB6kg.
At Pearl Harbor — http://www.nps.gov/valr/ — your visit begins with a film on the site's history. Then take a short boat ride to the USS Arizona Memorial, which is located just offshore above the sunken vessel where more than 1,000 of the victims remain entombed. Gun turrets and other wreckage from the destroyed ship are visible through the water; nearly 70 years after the Japanese bombing that sunk the ship, oil still leaks from below. The film is less than a half-hour, the boat ride and visit to the memorial take another 45 minutes round-trip. Parking is limited; visitors are encouraged to take buses or taxis to the site.
We did opt for a few small splurges elsewhere on Oahu. We skipped the cruises and outrigger canoe trips from the beach at Waikiki, but the kids wanted to try surfing. We found $30 one-hour lessons from Aloha Beach Service near the Moana Surfrider Hotel that got them up and riding the waves.
We had no interest in the Coach, Fendi and other designer shops near the beach, but we decided to check out Bailey's Antiques and Aloha Shirts, 517 Kapahulu Ave., about a mile from the center of Waikiki toward Diamond Head. The shop offers 15,000 vintage floral shirts going back to the 1950s, in every size, pattern and color, from $4 to $80 and up. We each brought home a souvenir shirt.
When we arrived in Hawaii, we'd found two almost-new boogie boards standing by a garbage can discarded by departing tourists. The day we left, we passed them on to another family. After all, why not help someone else save a few bucks?
HONOLULU — While planning a weeklong family trip to Hawaii as an escape from winter, I kept getting suggestions from friends, websites and even my kids for all kinds of "must-see" activities.
Helicopter tours! Dolphin encounters! Luaus! Bike rides down volcanic mountains!
Then I checked out the prices for all these marvels. Helicopter tour, $200. Dolphin encounter, $100. Luau, $100. Bike ride, $100.
Now multiply each fee by four, for me, my spouse and two kids. I'd just added $2,000 to the budget for our trip.
But if we didn't do any of these things, would we really feel we'd missed out?
I'm happy to report we skipped 'em all with no regrets. Yet our trip to Hawaii was spectacular. We hiked through rain forests, walked across a volcano floor, stargazed from the world's tallest mountain, and swam in a bay so full of colorful sea life that it was like stepping into an aquarium. We visited Pearl Harbor, climbed Diamond Head, sunbathed on Waikiki and body-surfed at Hanalei Bay. We saw petroglyphs on a remote seaside trail, and watched Hawaiian dancers in a park at sunset. We even stopped by the apartment building where Barack Obama was raised (1617 S. Beretania St., Honolulu), because I wanted my city-born kids to see that you don't have to grow up in a mansion to be president.
The cost for these activities, aside from parking or car entry fees: Zero.
Which is not to say that a vacation to Hawaii can be done on a dime. We pounced on a $550 round-trip airfare, but even that meant $2,200 for a family of four. Because it was our first visit, we hopscotched among three islands — the Big Island, Oahu and Kauai — which meant $60-per-person flights from one island to the next. My husband covered six nights' lodging for free by saving hotel credit card points for more than a year, but the one hotel night we paid for ran $350. We also paid for rental cars, but that let us skip taxis and tour buses.
We stuffed ourselves at free hotel breakfasts and at places like Me's BBQ, 151 Uluniu St. in Waikiki on Oahu, where the plate lunch (a mix of choices including chicken, fish, pork, vegetables, rice and macaroni salad) fills you up for under $10. The ubiquitous Hawaiian ABC chain became our second home, as it does for many tourists, offering basics like sunscreen and postcards as well as fresh fruit, sushi and sandwiches.
But most of all, we collected memories from one amazing adventure to the next, without spending a lot of cash. Here are some details.
—KALALAU TRAIL AND HANALEI BAY ON KAUAI: The Kalalau Trail on Kauai's Napali Coast is 11 miles one way, but the first section — four miles round trip — makes a perfect half-day outing, http://www.kalalautrail.com/. Parking is free but the limited spots fill up early. The steep trail can be muddy and slippery; wear sturdy footwear. Scenery ranges from lush and jungle-like as you climb the mountain, to dramatic overlooks from high cliffs over the ocean, to roaring waves crashing on a rocky beach.
Numerous signs warn against swimming; the surf is known for deadly rip tides. But when you're done hiking, drive a short distance to the public beach at beautiful Hanalei Bay for a dip.
—MAUNA KEA, VOLCANOES PARK AND KAHULUU BAY ON THE BIG ISLAND:
Mauna Kea, the world's tallest mountain (30,000 feet from its base in the ocean to its summit, which sits 14,000 feet above sea level), is home to many of the world's largest observatories. Guided tours to the top (including food and transportation) can run $200, but there are two free alternatives.
Free stargazing programs are held nightly at the visitors center, located at 9,000 feet. It was cloudy the night we attended, and while we waited for better weather, we enjoyed hearing about research done on the mountain. When skies cleared, we looked through a telescope at Mars' polar ice cap and other celestial wonders.
Best souvenir at Mauna Kea: "Beware of Invisible Cows" bumper sticker, which refers to cows that may be hidden by fog on the rough mountain road. Most rental car companies prohibit driving to Mauna Kea because of road conditions, but one rental company, Harper — http://www.harpershawaii.com — rents four-wheel-drive vehicles specifically for Mauna Kea. (Don't be unduly scared, though; we found the road to be no more challenging than the potholed, swerving highways around New York City.) Four-wheel drive vehicles can also participate in free weekend caravans to the summit, though the public is not permitted to look through the big telescopes at the top. (Stargazing events use smaller portable scopes.) Details at http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/info/vis/.
For me, the highlight of our week was a day spent in the astonishing landscapes of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, http://www.nps.gov/havo/ (car entry fee, $10). We hiked through lush rain forests filled with songbirds and giant ferns, then across the black-cratered floor of the Kilauea volcano, punctuated occasionally by bright red lehua flowers. Elsewhere in the park, the black volcanic rock runs right to the edge of the sea. The volcano remains active, so depending on volcanic activity during your visit, plumes of white smoke may be visible in daylight, and a bright orange lava glow may be seen at night. Don't miss the easy hike to the Puuloa site to see thousands of petroglyphs — drawings carved in rocks centuries ago by native Hawaiians.
A final Big Island wonder was Kahuluu Beach Park in Kona. For under $10, you can rent snorkel gear on site and wade into the water to see coral and fish. The sea life is so colorful, you don't even need to put your head underwater to see it, though you'll want water shoes for the rocky bottom. Huge green sea turtles can be observed swimming here too. The parking lot fills up fast; street parking is available.
—DIAMOND HEAD, PEARL HARBOR, HULA SHOW AND SURFING ON OAHU:
The famous beach at Waikiki is located in Honolulu on Oahu. Here I found a wonderful free alternative to a luau, which I wanted to attend not so much for the mai tais as for the performances. The Kuhio Beach Hula Show offers a charming, authentic show of traditional Hawaiian music, dance and stories with a torch-lighting. It's held Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday at 6:30 p.m. (6 p.m. in November, December and January). The magical outdoor setting is in Kuhio Beach Park, by a giant banyan tree on Kalakaua Avenue, near the statue of the famous surfer, Duke Kahanamoku.
No visit to Oahu is complete without visiting its two most famous landmarks, Diamond Head and Pearl Harbor. Arrive first thing to beat the crowds. A steep 1.6-mile roundtrip trail to the summit of Diamond Head's volcanic cone offers panoramic views of the ocean and Honolulu; parking is $5 (pedestrians, $1 per person), http://bit.ly/eoB6kg.
At Pearl Harbor — http://www.nps.gov/valr/ — your visit begins with a film on the site's history. Then take a short boat ride to the USS Arizona Memorial, which is located just offshore above the sunken vessel where more than 1,000 of the victims remain entombed. Gun turrets and other wreckage from the destroyed ship are visible through the water; nearly 70 years after the Japanese bombing that sunk the ship, oil still leaks from below. The film is less than a half-hour, the boat ride and visit to the memorial take another 45 minutes round-trip. Parking is limited; visitors are encouraged to take buses or taxis to the site.
We did opt for a few small splurges elsewhere on Oahu. We skipped the cruises and outrigger canoe trips from the beach at Waikiki, but the kids wanted to try surfing. We found $30 one-hour lessons from Aloha Beach Service near the Moana Surfrider Hotel that got them up and riding the waves.
We had no interest in the Coach, Fendi and other designer shops near the beach, but we decided to check out Bailey's Antiques and Aloha Shirts, 517 Kapahulu Ave., about a mile from the center of Waikiki toward Diamond Head. The shop offers 15,000 vintage floral shirts going back to the 1950s, in every size, pattern and color, from $4 to $80 and up. We each brought home a souvenir shirt.
When we arrived in Hawaii, we'd found two almost-new boogie boards standing by a garbage can discarded by departing tourists. The day we left, we passed them on to another family. After all, why not help someone else save a few bucks?
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
5 Jan 2011, Wed, Volcano News: Volcano erupts Iceland tourism
Travel Blackboard: Volcano erupts Iceland tourism
Iceland became an overnight tourism hotspot after Eyjafjallajokull volcano erupted in April last year, the country’s tourism officials said.
Despite creating chaos for the aviation industry, the European country reported the volcanic activity increased tourism from North America by 16 percent in the first 11 months of 2010 compared to the same period in 2009.
Based in New York, Iceland tourism director Einar Gustavsson said the volcano was all the advertising the country needed.
“There wasn’t a daily newspaper on Earth that didn’t cover the story,” he said.
“Google reported 16,000 stories in a single day, and even a Saturday Night Live skit imagined Bjork singing to Eyjafjallaj?kull to calm it down.”
Mr Gustavsson said that as the volcano cooled tourism heated up.
“Travel in 2011 from North America is expected to be up 20 percent over 2010, helped in part by Delta, which launches a new service in spring 2011,” he added.
“The US carrier becomes the third airline to serve the country, adding seats to those already provided by Icelandair and Iceland Express.”
Iceland became an overnight tourism hotspot after Eyjafjallajokull volcano erupted in April last year, the country’s tourism officials said.
Despite creating chaos for the aviation industry, the European country reported the volcanic activity increased tourism from North America by 16 percent in the first 11 months of 2010 compared to the same period in 2009.
Based in New York, Iceland tourism director Einar Gustavsson said the volcano was all the advertising the country needed.
“There wasn’t a daily newspaper on Earth that didn’t cover the story,” he said.
“Google reported 16,000 stories in a single day, and even a Saturday Night Live skit imagined Bjork singing to Eyjafjallaj?kull to calm it down.”
Mr Gustavsson said that as the volcano cooled tourism heated up.
“Travel in 2011 from North America is expected to be up 20 percent over 2010, helped in part by Delta, which launches a new service in spring 2011,” he added.
“The US carrier becomes the third airline to serve the country, adding seats to those already provided by Icelandair and Iceland Express.”
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
A real holiday hotspot: Tourists brave blistering temperatures to watch volcanos and tour sulphuric lakes in most volatile region on Earth
MailOnline: A real holiday hotspot: Tourists brave blistering temperatures to watch volcanos and tour sulphuric lakes in most volatile region on Earth
Adventure tourists can chalk up a new destination on one of the world's most inhospitable places.
The surface of the Danakil Desert in Ethiopia looks out of this world - and is home to one of the most extreme environments
And holidaymakers are paying thousands to witness first hand the geological volatility of what has been labelled the 'cruellest place on Earth'.
Danakil features violent volcanoes, scorching air temperatures, toxic gases and land masses being ripped apart by enormous planetary forces.
Instead of palm trees, sun loungers and five star accommodation, they are greeted with a bizarre combination of sights that look like nowhere else on Earth.
The trip, organised by holiday firm VolcanoDiscovery, takes customers touring inside the Afar Triple Junction - one of the most active places found anywhere around the globe.
At this turbulent hotspot, the huge Arabian tectonic plate is pulling away from a new rift dividing the African Plate in two.
The colossal divide - which sees massive shelves under the surface of the Earth gradually separate - is causing two new 'incipient' plates to form, which scientists now call the Somali Plate and the Nubian Plate.
VolcanoDiscovery offers a three week tour for around £3,000 that begins from capital Addis Ababa.
Retired civil servant Kwama Ofori, 67, from London, holidayed with the firm and several other paying tourists in November.
He said: 'This is much more interesting than a week by the pool.
'But people who visit here should remember they are not getting a luxury beach-side hut.
'It's a harsh environment full of strange smells and sights. But its like nowhere else and an amazing and different thing to see.
'The whole place is made up of colours and views you get to see on a scale like nowhere else.
'This is one of the most geologically active places on Earth. And the result is active volcanoes like Erta Ale, earthquakes and odd looking lakes full of noxious gases.
'And the heat can be almost unbearable. One day it hit 45 degrees centigrade. But it was all worth it.
'I just wanted something different.'
VolcanoDiscovery founder Tom Pfeiffer, 40, a vulcanologist from Germany, said: 'People are happy to pay this money for a two week tour of one of the strangest places on Earth.
'We meet you in Addis Ababa and we take care of everything for the whole trip. All you have to do is sit back and take it in.'
Adventure tourists can chalk up a new destination on one of the world's most inhospitable places.
The surface of the Danakil Desert in Ethiopia looks out of this world - and is home to one of the most extreme environments
And holidaymakers are paying thousands to witness first hand the geological volatility of what has been labelled the 'cruellest place on Earth'.
Danakil features violent volcanoes, scorching air temperatures, toxic gases and land masses being ripped apart by enormous planetary forces.
Instead of palm trees, sun loungers and five star accommodation, they are greeted with a bizarre combination of sights that look like nowhere else on Earth.
The trip, organised by holiday firm VolcanoDiscovery, takes customers touring inside the Afar Triple Junction - one of the most active places found anywhere around the globe.
At this turbulent hotspot, the huge Arabian tectonic plate is pulling away from a new rift dividing the African Plate in two.
The colossal divide - which sees massive shelves under the surface of the Earth gradually separate - is causing two new 'incipient' plates to form, which scientists now call the Somali Plate and the Nubian Plate.
VolcanoDiscovery offers a three week tour for around £3,000 that begins from capital Addis Ababa.
Retired civil servant Kwama Ofori, 67, from London, holidayed with the firm and several other paying tourists in November.
He said: 'This is much more interesting than a week by the pool.
'But people who visit here should remember they are not getting a luxury beach-side hut.
'It's a harsh environment full of strange smells and sights. But its like nowhere else and an amazing and different thing to see.
'The whole place is made up of colours and views you get to see on a scale like nowhere else.
'This is one of the most geologically active places on Earth. And the result is active volcanoes like Erta Ale, earthquakes and odd looking lakes full of noxious gases.
'And the heat can be almost unbearable. One day it hit 45 degrees centigrade. But it was all worth it.
'I just wanted something different.'
VolcanoDiscovery founder Tom Pfeiffer, 40, a vulcanologist from Germany, said: 'People are happy to pay this money for a two week tour of one of the strangest places on Earth.
'We meet you in Addis Ababa and we take care of everything for the whole trip. All you have to do is sit back and take it in.'
Monday, January 3, 2011
3 Jan 2011, Mon, Volcano News: Italian volcano Etna has become active
The Voice of Russia: Italian volcano Etna has become active
Mount Etna, located on the Italian island of Sicily, has became active according to the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology in Italy on Monday.
According to seismologists, the volcano has begun erupting large rocks and a large amount of ash. However eruptions of lava from the crater of Mount Etna have not yet been recorded.
Etna is the highest active volcano in Europe and the highest mountain in Italy. By area, Etna surpasses its nearest "competitor", Mount Vesuvius by more than 2,5 times.
The name Etna has an Arabic origin and is translated as "Mountain of Fire".
Mount Etna, located on the Italian island of Sicily, has became active according to the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology in Italy on Monday.
According to seismologists, the volcano has begun erupting large rocks and a large amount of ash. However eruptions of lava from the crater of Mount Etna have not yet been recorded.
Etna is the highest active volcano in Europe and the highest mountain in Italy. By area, Etna surpasses its nearest "competitor", Mount Vesuvius by more than 2,5 times.
The name Etna has an Arabic origin and is translated as "Mountain of Fire".
3 Jan 2011, Monday: Volcano News: Author DeAnn Lubell to talk about volcano eruption on Martinique
MyDesert.com: Author DeAnn Lubell to talk about volcano eruption on Martinique
Palm Springs, CA: Local author DeAnn Lubell will appear at a “Meet the Author” talk and book signing at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Rancho Mirage Public Library, 71-100 Highway 111.
Lubell's historical novel, The Last Moon, is based on the events surrounding a 1902 volcanic eruption on the island of Martinique, which killed more than 30,000 people. Lubell will have photos of the nearby town of St. Pierre from just before and after the eruption as well as today. Admission is free.
Information: (760) 341-7323
Palm Springs, CA: Local author DeAnn Lubell will appear at a “Meet the Author” talk and book signing at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Rancho Mirage Public Library, 71-100 Highway 111.
Lubell's historical novel, The Last Moon, is based on the events surrounding a 1902 volcanic eruption on the island of Martinique, which killed more than 30,000 people. Lubell will have photos of the nearby town of St. Pierre from just before and after the eruption as well as today. Admission is free.
Information: (760) 341-7323
A View From A Height
Isaac Asimov (1920 – 1992) had a degree in biochemistry, and was a well-known Golden Age science fiction writer with his Positronic Robot series and his Foundation series to name only a few. But for most of his writing years he saw himself as a science popularizer. From 1957 until his death, he wrote a series of articles, on a wide variety of scientific subjects, for the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. All but a handful of the 399 essays he wrote were then collected into anthologies and published in hardback and subsequently in paperback.
All of those books are out of print now, and you'll be lucky to find them in a library, too. (I assembled my collection of these essays by purchasing used books through Amazon.com's service - more than half of the books I recieved were de-accessioned library books.)
And this is a pity, because more than half of the essays Asimov wrote still have applications today. He explained his topics simply and clearly, so that even if a layperson couldn't quite grasp the intricacies involved, they still understood the general concept. These books really should be read by everyone aspiring to a scientific education. (And that should be all of us!)
Asimov explains it in his introduction to the anthology Adding A Dimension. I reproduce a few of the relevant paragraphs below.
[There is a fallacy called] the "growing edge," the belief that only the very frontier of scientific advance counted; that everything that had been left behind by that advance was faded an dead.
But is that true? ...
There is not a discovery in science, however revolutionary, however sparkling with insight, that does not arise out of what went before. "If I have seen further than other men," said Isaac Newton, "it is because I have stood on the shoulders of giants."
... In fact, an overly exclusive concern with the growing edge can kill the best of science, for it is not on the growing edge that growth can best be seen. If a growing edge only is studied, science begins to seem a revelation without a history of development.
... Science gains reality when it is viewed not as an abstraction, but as the concrete sum of work of scientists, past and present, living and dead. Not a statement in science, not an observation, not a thought exists in itself. Each was ground out of the harsh effort of some man [or woman] and unless you know the man and the world in which he worked; the assumptions he accepted as truths, the concepts he considered untenable; you cannot fully understand the statement or observation or thought."
All of this is my explanation for why, even though this blog is devoted to Volcanology, I will occasionally recommend books on other subjects - such as chemistry, classical physics, astronomy, and so on. All these disciplines come together to make someone an informed scientific layperson - and that is the goal of this blog.
(Asimov continues in this vein and has some interesting things to say on the scientific method, and I'll share that in my next post.)
If you'd like to collect all of Asimov's collected essays from the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, here are the titles:
Fact and Fancy (1962)
View from a Height (1963)
Adding a Dimension (1964)
Of Time, Space, & Other Things (1965)
From Earth to Heaven (1966)
Science, Numbers and I (1968)
The Solar System and Back (1970)
The Stars in Their Courses (1971)
The Left Hand of the Electron (1972)
The Tragedy of the Moon (1973)
Of Matters Great & Small (1975)
The Planet that Wasn't (1976)
Quasar, Quasar, Burning Bright (1977)
Road to Infinity (1979)
The Sun Shines Bright (1981)
Counting the Eons (1983)
X Stands for Unknown (1984)
The Subatomic Monster (1985)
Far as Human Eye Could See (1987)
The Relativity of Wrong (1988)
Out of the Everywhere (1990)
The Secret of the Universe (1990)
Most of these can be bought from Amazon for a penny...and $3.99 postage. Others are more expensive. All of them are worth the cost, as you will discover as this blog progresses.
All of those books are out of print now, and you'll be lucky to find them in a library, too. (I assembled my collection of these essays by purchasing used books through Amazon.com's service - more than half of the books I recieved were de-accessioned library books.)
And this is a pity, because more than half of the essays Asimov wrote still have applications today. He explained his topics simply and clearly, so that even if a layperson couldn't quite grasp the intricacies involved, they still understood the general concept. These books really should be read by everyone aspiring to a scientific education. (And that should be all of us!)
Asimov explains it in his introduction to the anthology Adding A Dimension. I reproduce a few of the relevant paragraphs below.
[There is a fallacy called] the "growing edge," the belief that only the very frontier of scientific advance counted; that everything that had been left behind by that advance was faded an dead.
But is that true? ...
There is not a discovery in science, however revolutionary, however sparkling with insight, that does not arise out of what went before. "If I have seen further than other men," said Isaac Newton, "it is because I have stood on the shoulders of giants."
... In fact, an overly exclusive concern with the growing edge can kill the best of science, for it is not on the growing edge that growth can best be seen. If a growing edge only is studied, science begins to seem a revelation without a history of development.
... Science gains reality when it is viewed not as an abstraction, but as the concrete sum of work of scientists, past and present, living and dead. Not a statement in science, not an observation, not a thought exists in itself. Each was ground out of the harsh effort of some man [or woman] and unless you know the man and the world in which he worked; the assumptions he accepted as truths, the concepts he considered untenable; you cannot fully understand the statement or observation or thought."
All of this is my explanation for why, even though this blog is devoted to Volcanology, I will occasionally recommend books on other subjects - such as chemistry, classical physics, astronomy, and so on. All these disciplines come together to make someone an informed scientific layperson - and that is the goal of this blog.
(Asimov continues in this vein and has some interesting things to say on the scientific method, and I'll share that in my next post.)
If you'd like to collect all of Asimov's collected essays from the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, here are the titles:
Fact and Fancy (1962)
View from a Height (1963)
Adding a Dimension (1964)
Of Time, Space, & Other Things (1965)
From Earth to Heaven (1966)
Science, Numbers and I (1968)
The Solar System and Back (1970)
The Stars in Their Courses (1971)
The Left Hand of the Electron (1972)
The Tragedy of the Moon (1973)
Of Matters Great & Small (1975)
The Planet that Wasn't (1976)
Quasar, Quasar, Burning Bright (1977)
Road to Infinity (1979)
The Sun Shines Bright (1981)
Counting the Eons (1983)
X Stands for Unknown (1984)
The Subatomic Monster (1985)
Far as Human Eye Could See (1987)
The Relativity of Wrong (1988)
Out of the Everywhere (1990)
The Secret of the Universe (1990)
Most of these can be bought from Amazon for a penny...and $3.99 postage. Others are more expensive. All of them are worth the cost, as you will discover as this blog progresses.
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