~ Mother Earth ~ replied by poon cho tang @ Fri, 05 May 2006 23:58:35 +0800

poon cho tang — Fri, 05 May 2006 23:58:35 +0800

Celtic Sea

The Celtic Sea (Irish: An Mhuir Cheilteach) is the area of the Atlantic Ocean off the south coast of Ireland. It is bounded to the east by Saint George's Channel, the Bristol Channel and the English Channel, as well as adjacent portions of Wales, Cornwall and Brittany. The Celtic heritage of the bounding lands give the sea its name, first proposed by E.W.L. Holt in 1921. The northern portion of this sea had previously been considered part of Saint George's Channel and the southern part had no common name; the need for a common name came to be felt because of common geology and hydrology. The name is now commonly used by workers in the oil and fishing industries.

Map of the Celtic Sea, an arm of the Atlantic.

The southern and western boundaries are less clearly defined. Holt suggested the 200 fathom (366 m) marine contour and Ushant; the International Hydrographic Organization definition uses plumb lines and extends slightly further south.

Issue #400

~ Mother Earth ~ replied by poon cho tang @ Sun, 23 Apr 2006 01:35:04 +0800

poon cho tang — Sun, 23 Apr 2006 01:35:04 +0800

Shenandoah Valley

The Shenandoah Valley region of western Virginia, from Winchester to Staunton, is bounded by the Blue Ridge mountains to the East and the Allegheny mountains to the West. Harrisonburg, Waynesboro,Winchester and Front Royal are also among the many small towns in the Valley. The region also includes the eastern panhandle of West Virginia and the cities of Martinsburg and Harpers Ferry. Down the center of the Shenandoah Valley runs the Massanutten Mountain range, encompassing Powell's Fort Valley in Shenandoah County.

A farm in the fertile Shenandoah Valley

The word Shenandoah was derived for the Native American expression for "Beautiful Daughter of the Stars." The Valley Pike (or Valley Turnpike) began as a migratory trail for tribes such as the Delaware and Catawba and became the major thoroughfare of wagons, and in time, motor vehicles. By the 20th century, the Valley Turnpike was a toll road, eventually being acquired by the Commonwealth of Virginia and becoming U.S. Highway 11. For much of the length, the newer Interstate 81 parallels the old Valley Pike.

Geologically the Shenandoah Valley reaches as far as Roanoke; however, it and Lexington are not in the Shenandoah River basin, which reaches somewhat south of Staunton. From north to south, the Shenandoah Valley encompasses two counties in West Virginia: Berkeley County and Jefferson County; and seven counties in Virginia: Frederick County, Clarke County, Warren County, Shenandoah County, Page County, Rockingham County, and Augusta County.

The Shenandoah Valley is a productive agricultural region. Despite the great promise of the rich farmland of the Valley, the Blue Ridge Mountains, crossed by Governor Alexander Spotswood's legendary Knights of the Golden Horseshoe Expedition at Swift Run Gap in 1716, were a major obstacle to colonial expansion from the east. Instead, the Valley was first settled by German and then by Scotch-Irish immigrants from Pennsylvania in the 1730s. The former were known as "Shenandoah Deitsch". Both stocks came south into the Valley from the Potomac River, in contrast to the largely English settlement of the Virginia tidewater and piedmont regions.

The Shenandoah Valley was a major site of battles in the American Civil War.

Issue #399

~ Mother Earth ~ replied by poon cho tang @ Sat, 22 Apr 2006 00:26:58 +0800

poon cho tang — Sat, 22 Apr 2006 00:26:58 +0800

Geysir

Geysir (sometimes known as The Great Geysir), in the Haukadalur valley, Iceland, is the oldest known geyser and one of the world's most impressive examples of the phenomenon. The English word geyser to describe a spouting hot spring derives from Geysir (which itself is derived from the Icelandic verb gjósa meaning to erupt. The English verb gush is probably related to that word). Geysir lies on the slopes of Laugarfjall hill which is also the home to Strokkur geyser.

Eruptions at Geysir can hurl boiling water up to 60 metres in the air. However, eruptions may be infrequent, and have in the past stopped altogether for years at a time. Currently, eruptions are occurring about three times a day on average.

Strokkur, a geyser in the Geysir area

History

The oldest accounts of a geyser at Haukadalur date back to 1294. Earthquakes in the area caused significant changes in local neighbouring landscape creating several new hot springs. Changes in the activity of the Geysir and the surrounding geysers are strongly related to earthquake activity. In records dated 1630 the geysers erupted so violently that the valley around them trembled.

In recent times earthquakes have tended to revive the activity of Geysir which then subsides again in the following years. Before 1896 Geysir was almost dormant before an earthquake that year caused eruptions to begin again, occurring several times a day, lasting up to an hour and causing spouts of up to 60 metres in height. By 1935 the geyser was almost dormant again and a manmade channel was dug through the silica rim around the edge of the geyser vent. This ditch caused a lowering of the watertable and a revival in activity. Gradually this channel too clogged with silica and eruptions again became rare. In 1981 the ditch was cleared again and eruptions could be stimulated, on special occasions, by the addition of soap. Following environmental concerns the practice of adding soap was seldom employed during the 1990s. During that time Geysir seldom erupted. When it did erupt, it was spectacular, sending boiling water about forty metres into the air. On the Icelandic National Day authorized government geologists would force an eruption. A further earthquake in 2000 revived the geyser again. Initially eruptions were taking place on average eight times a day. By July 2003 this activity had again decreased to around three times per day.

The nearby geyser Strokkur erupts much more frequently than Geysir, erupting to heights of up to 20 metres every five minutes or so. Strokkur's activity has also been affected by earthquakes, although to a lesser extent than the Great Geysir. There are around thirty much smaller geysers and hot pools in the area, including one called Litli Geysir ('Little Geysir').

Descriptions of the Great Geysir and Strokkur have been given in every travel guide to Iceland published from the 18th century onwards. Today the geyser remains an essential element of almost every tourist's itinerary. The place is, together with Þingvellir and the Gullfoss waterfall, part of the most famous sights of Iceland, the Golden Circle.

Ownership of the Geysir area

Until 1894 the Geysir area was owned by a local farmer. In that year the area was sold to James Craig (later Lord Craigavon), a whisky distiller and future Prime Minister of Northern Ireland. Initially he erected large fences around the site and an entrance fee was charged for visitors wishing to view the geysers. The following year however Craig appeared to tire of his project and gave the area as a present to a friend, E. Craig, who dropped the entrance fees. Later Craig's nephew Hugh Rogers inherited the site. In 1935 he sold the site to film director Sigurður Jónasson who subsequently donated it to the Icelandic people in perpetuity.

Issue #398

~ Mother Earth ~ replied by poon cho tang @ Fri, 21 Apr 2006 00:10:05 +0800

poon cho tang — Fri, 21 Apr 2006 00:10:05 +0800

Pacific temperate rain forests

The Pacific temperate rain forests of Canada and the United States are the largest temperate rain forest zone on the planet. The Pacific temperate rain forests occur on west-facing coastal mountains along the Pacific coast of North America, from Kodiak Island in Alaska to northern California, and are part of the Nearctic ecozone.

Pacific temperate rain forests often grow right up to the shoreline.

These rain forests occur in a number of ecoregions, which vary in their species composition, but all are predominantly conifers, sometimes with an understory of broadleaf trees and shrubs. The Pacific temperate rain forests can be found along the west coast from Alaska south to California. The forests in the north contain predominantly Sitka spruce and western hemlock, while those in the coastal forests are home as well to Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), Coast Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii). Notably, the three tallest species of trees are found here.

The Pacific temperate rainforests are characterized by a high amount of rainfall, in some areas as much as 100 inches per year. Dense growths of epiphytes and mosses cover the trees, and lush vegetation is present everywhere.

Issue #397

~ Mother Earth ~ replied by poon cho tang @ Thu, 20 Apr 2006 00:28:55 +0800

poon cho tang — Thu, 20 Apr 2006 00:28:55 +0800

Balboa Island, Newport Beach, California

Balboa Island is an area of Newport Beach, California actually comprising three modified or artificial islands in Newport Harbor: Balboa Island, the largest; the smaller Little Balboa Island to the east of Balboa Island, joined by a two-lane bridge; and the smallest Collins Island to the northwest of Balboa Island, joined by a one-lane bridge. The Balboa Island community is joined to the mainland by a short two-lane bridge on the northeast of Balboa Island, and a privately-operated fleet of three, three-car ferryboats (Balboa Island Ferry) which provide access across the harbor to the Balboa Peninsula which lies to the south.

Balboa Island

Balboa Island is one of the most expensive real estate markets in North America outside of Lower Manhattan. A two-bedroom house with a water view from the living room can cost about $3 million.

Local tradition has it that Balboa Island is where the frozen chocolate banana was first marketed: There are snack shops on Marine Avenue that will dip a frozen banana on a stick into chocolate sauce and roll it around in ground nuts or candy sprinkles. This legend is referenced in the American television show Arrested Development in which the wealthy Bluth family of Orange County owns a frozen chocolate banana stand on Balboa Island. Also popular is the Balboa bar, a square of vanilla ice cream on a stick prepared in a similar fashion.

The zip code for Balboa Island is 92662.

The island was not always easily accessible. Newport Harbor was still largely undredged, and sailboat was often the only way to get around. Robert McFadden, an early Balboa Harbor developer had established a successful fishing wharf on the Balboa Peninsula and by 1906, the Pacific Electric line Red Cars began service to the Balboa Peninsula and Balboa Pavilion, and soon, the Red Cars would bring thousands of summertime visitors from Los Angeles.

Within a few years, real estate promoters began sending salesmen up to wealthy Pasadena and soon to Los Angeles (both connected by the Red Cars) to promote property in and around Newport Harbor. Considerable Balboa Island property was sold in Pasadena, and this is one of the reasons that so many longtime Island residents continue to have family and contacts in the Pasadena area. One of these real estate promoters was William Collins. At the time, Balboa Island was little more than a sandbar that was usually swallowed up by high tide.

In 1908 and 1909, with permission of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, Collins dredged the surrounding bay and piled the sand on the little sandbar that he came to call Balboa Island. Collins originally sold lots on the Island for as little as $25, with the promise of a bridge and ferry service to follow. Joseph Allan Beek, while still a student at Pasadena City College, was enchanted with the area, and became one of Collins' salesmen. Joe Beek played a crucial role in the development of Balboa Island, and spent a lifetime devoted to it. He later served as Secretary of the California State Senate until his death in 1968.

The island grew slowly at first, but in 1916, it became part of the City of Newport Beach. By 1921, homes were beginning to fill in the Island and Balboa Peninsula. Roads to the Newport Harbor area were still largely undeveloped, and many people still arrived by rail to the peninsula and took the ferry over to the island. Although the first bridge from the mainland to the North Bayfront was built in 1912, it was not capable of carrying automobiles until 1929, when it was refurbished.

In 1919, after complaints of inadequate service, the city of Newport Beach awarded a fifteen-year franchise to Joseph Beek to run the ferry. At first it only carried pedestrians, but by 1921, was also transporting cars to the Island. The ferry operation remains in the Beek family.

In 1953, the International Boy Scout Jamboree held its event where Newport Center and Fashion Island now sit. Thousands of tents were pitched in the area reachable only by a two-lane muddy trail called Palisades Road. The road was soon paved, and later the name was changed to Jamboree Road in honor of the Scouts.

Today it remains a major thoroughfare through Newport Beach, and ends at Balboa Island. Over the years, Balboa Island has developed into a close-knit community, home to professionals, families, retirees, students and celebrities.

Issue #396

~ Mother Earth ~ replied by poon cho tang @ Wed, 19 Apr 2006 00:34:12 +0800

poon cho tang — Wed, 19 Apr 2006 00:34:12 +0800

Kimberlite

Kimberlite is an ultrapotassic, ultramafic, igneous rock composed of olivine, phlogopite, pyroxene and garnet, with a variety of chemically anomalous trace minerals.

Hewn kimberlite core sample from the James Bay Lowlands region of Northern Ontario, Canada. Green olivine grains and purplish red garnet are visible. The sample is 13 cm (5 inches) long.

Morphology and volcanology

Kimberlites are found as dikes and volcanic pipes which underlie and are the source for rare and relatively small explosive volcanoes (maars). Kimberlites in the Guyana Shield, in Venezuela and French Guyana, form thin, tabular dipping sills.

Kimberlite pipes are the result of explosive diatreme volcanism from very deep mantle derived sources. These volcanic explosions produce vertical columns of rock that rise from deep magma reservoirs. The morphology of kimberlite pipes are varied but generally include a sheeted dyke complex of tabular, vertically dipping feeder dykes in the root of the pipe which extend down to the mantle. Within 1.5-2 km of the surface the highly pressured magma explodes upwards and expands to form a conical to cylindrical diatreme, which erupts to surface. The surface expression is rarely preserved but is usually similar to a maar volcano.

Petrology

Kimberlites are divided into Group I (basaltic) and Group II (micaceous) kimberlites. This division is made along mineralogical grounds.

The general consensus reached on kimberlites is that they are formed deep within the mantle, at between 150 and 450 kilometres depth, from anomalously enriched exotic mantle compositions, and are erupted rapidly and violently, often with considerable CO2 and volatile components. It is this depth of melting and generation which makes kimberlites prone to hosting diamond xenocrysts.

The mineralogy of Group I kimberlites is considered to represent the products of melting of lherzolite and harzburgite, eclogite and peridotite under lower mantle conditions. The mineralogy of Group II kimberlites may represent a similar melting environment to that of Group I kimberlites, the difference in mineralogy being caused by the preponderance of water versus Ócarbon dioxide.

Group I kimberlites

Group I kimberlites are of CO2-rich ultramafic potassic igneous rocks dominated by a primary mineral assemblage of forsteritic olivine, magnesian ilmenite, chromian pyrope, almandine-pyrope, chromian diopside (in some cases subcalcic), phlogopite, enstatite and of Ti-poor chromite. Group I kimberlites exhibit a distinctive inequigranular texture cause by macrocrystic (0.5-10 mm) to megacrystic (10-200 mm) phenocrysts of olivine, pyrope, chromian diopside, magnesian ilmenite and phlogopite in a fine to medium grained groundmass.

The groundmass mineralogy, which more closely resembles a true composition of the igneous rock, contains forsteritic olivine, pyrope garnet, Cr-diopside, magnesian ilmenite and spinel.

Group II kimberlites

Group-II kimberlites (or orangeites) are ultrapotassic, peralkaline rocks rich in volatiles (dominantly H2O). The distinctive characteristic of orangeites is phlogopite macrocrysts and microphenocrysts, together with groundmass micas that vary in composition from phlogopite to "tetraferriphlogopite" (anomalously Fe-rich phlogopite). Resorbed olivine macrocrysts and euhedral primary crystals of groundmass olivine are common but not essential constituents.

Characteristic primary phases in the groundmass include: zoned pyroxenes (cores of diopside rimmed by Ti-aegirine); spinel-group minerals (magnesian chromite to titaniferous magnetite); Sr- and REE-rich perovskite; Sr-rich apatite; REE-rich phosphates (monazite, daqingshanite); potassian barian hollandite group minerals; Nb-bearing rutile and Mn-bearing ilmenite.

Kimberlitic indicator minerals

Kimberlites are peculiar igneous rocks because they contain a variety of mineral species with peculiar chemical compositions. These minerals such as potassic richterite, chromian diopside (a pyroxene), chromium spinels, magnesian ilmenite and high-aluminium garnets are generally absent from most other igneous rocks, making them particularly useful as indicators for kimberlites.

These indicator minerals are generally sought in stream sediments in modern alluvial material. Their presence, when found, may be indicative of the presence of a kimberlite within the erosional watershed which has produced the alluvium.

Economic importance

Kimberlites are the most important source of primary diamonds. Many kimberlite pipes also produce rich alluvial or eluvial diamond placer deposits.

The deposits occurring at Kimberley, South Africa were the first recognized and the source of the name. The Kimberley diamonds were originally found in weathered kimberlite which was colored yellow by limonite, and so was called yellow ground. Deeper workings encountered less altered rock, serpentinized kimberlite, which miners call blue ground.

Issue #395

~ Mother Earth ~ replied by poon cho tang @ Tue, 18 Apr 2006 00:14:49 +0800

poon cho tang — Tue, 18 Apr 2006 00:14:49 +0800

Miramar Peninsula

The Miramar Peninsula is at the southeastern end of the city of Wellington, New Zealand. It contains the suburbs of Miramar, Seatoun, and Strathmore. The isthmus connecting the peninsula to the rest of Wellington separates Evans Bay to the north from Lyall Bay to the south, and is the location of Wellington International Airport.

Miramar Peninsula

To the east of the peninsula lies the mouth of Wellington Harbour, which opens into Cook Strait at its southern end. The notorious rocks of Barrett Reef lie close to the shore of the peninsula.

The peninsula was originally called Watt's Peninsula. In 1872 the first settler in the area, James Coutts Crawford, changed the name to Miramar — which means Behold the sea or Wonderful Sea.

The original Maori name was Whataitai.

Miramar Borough was formed on November 18, 1904.

Film director Peter Jackson has built a multi-million dollar series of studios, sound stages, pre- and post-production facilities in Miramar.

Issue #394

~ Mother Earth ~ replied by poon cho tang @ Mon, 17 Apr 2006 00:07:28 +0800

poon cho tang — Mon, 17 Apr 2006 00:07:28 +0800

Colca Canyon

Colca Canyon is the canyon of the Colca River in southern Peru. It is located about 100 miles (160 kilometers) northwest of Arequipa.

Long thought to be the deepest canyon on earth at 10,725 ft (3,269 m), it is more than twice as deep as the Grand Canyon in the United States. The Cotahuasi Canyon nearby to the northwest is now known to be deeper at 11,488 ft (3,501 m), and the Yarlung Tsangpo Canyon along the Brahmaputra in Tibet is now thought to be the deepest canyon in the world at 16,650 ft (5,075 m). Since they are such major features of the landscape, the Colca and Cotahuasi canyons are both easily recognizable in even low-resolution satellite photos of the region.

Colca Canyon

The Colca River starts high in the Andes at Condorama Crucero Alto and changes its name to Majes, and then to Camana before reaching the Pacific Ocean. Parts of the canyon are habitable, and Inca and pre-Inca terraces are still cultivated along the less precipitous canyon walls. The small town of Chivay is on the upper Colca River, where the canyon is not so deep but where many terraces are present in the canyon and continue for many kilometers downstream. As the canyon deepens downriver, a series of small villages is spread out over the approximately 35 mi (56 km) between Chivay and the village of Cabanaconde. The canyon reaches its greatest depth nearby, and in contrast, only about 15 mi (24 km) to the southeast rises the 20,630-ft (6,288-m) Nevado Ampato, a snow-capped extinct volcano.

The canyon is the habitat of the great Andean condor (Vultur gryphus), a species that has seen world-wide effort to preserve it.

The Spanish laid out towns along the canyon and built churches there, but the towns did not thrive and have faded out of memory. In the 1980s, the Majes Hydroelectric Project built roads and opened the area to outsiders. Access today is usually through Arequipa.

Cruz del Condor is a popular tourist stop to view the condors, which hunt in the early morning and late afternoon. At this point the canyon floor is 3,960 ft (1,200 m) below the rim of the canyon.

Issue #393

~ Mother Earth ~ replied by poon cho tang @ Sun, 16 Apr 2006 01:47:23 +0800

poon cho tang — Sun, 16 Apr 2006 01:47:23 +0800

Pantanal

The Pantanal is the world’s largest wetland area, a flat landscape, with gently sloping and meandering rivers that flood during the wet season, submerging over 80% of the area, and nurturing the world's richest collection of acquatic plants.

Location of the Pantanal

It is situated in South America, and is thought to be the world’s most flora and fauna dense ecosystem. It is often overshadowed by the Amazon Rainforest, partly because of its proximity, but is a just as vital and interesting part of the Biosphere. The Pantanal is mostly found within Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul, which are states of Brazil. There are also small portions which are within Bolivia, and a small amount in Paraguay. In total, the Pantanal covers over 200,000 square kilometers.

This ecosystem is home to a known 3,500 species of plants, as well as over 650 birds, and 400 species of fish. The Pantanal is a natural home for the Hyacinth Macaw. This bird is endangered due to its US$10,000 price tag on the black market. Other threatened species include the Jaguar, Maned Wolf, Giant Otter, Giant Armadillo, and Brazilian Tapir.

The Pantanal has an average yearly rainfall of 1,000-1,400 mm, but is fed by the Upper Paraguay River. Its average temperature is 25 °C, but temperatures can conceivably fluctuate from 0 to 40 °C.

During the rainy season (December to May), the Pantanal water levels will rise more than three meters. Just as annual floods on the Nile allow for fertile, farmable land, the dramatic increase of water during the rainy season nourishes the producers of the Pantanal, which in turn nourishes all the other species as well. Humans have taken advantage of this so much that it has become a problem. Approximately 99% of the land in the Pantanal is privately owned for the purpose of agriculture.

The Pantanal is a natural water treatment facility. It supplies freshwater to the nearby areas by removing chemicals and other pollutants from the water which flows through it. However, when this “cleaning system” becomes overloaded, species which call the Pantanal home begin to suffer. Industrial development (especially gold mining) has begun to cause such problems already.

Issue #392

~ Mother Earth ~ replied by poon cho tang @ Sat, 15 Apr 2006 01:42:13 +0800

poon cho tang — Sat, 15 Apr 2006 01:42:13 +0800

Lockport Powerhouse

The Lockport Powerhouse is a dam used by the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago to control the outflow of the Sanitary and Ship Canal and limit the diversion of water from Lake Michigan into the Des Plaines River.

Lockport Powerhouse

The Powerhouse was built in 1907 and is located on the Main Channel Extension in Lockport, Illinois. Credits worth millions of dollars have been earned with Commonwealth Edison for millions of kilowatt hours of hydropower generated at this facility. The Powerhouse contains two turbines, each with a nameplate capacity of 6.8 megawatts, according to Inventory of Nonutility Electric Power Plants in the United States 2000, published by the United States Department of Energy.

Issue #391

~ Mother Earth ~ replied by poon cho tang @ Fri, 14 Apr 2006 00:39:55 +0800

poon cho tang — Fri, 14 Apr 2006 00:39:55 +0800

Oahu

O'ahu (usually Oahu outside Hawaiian and Hawaiian English), the "Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous island in the State of Hawaii. It has a total land area of 608 mile² (1,600 km²). In greatest dimension, this volcanic island is 71 km (44 mi) long and 48 km (30 mi) across. The length of the shoreline is 366 km (227 mi). The island is the result of two separate shield volcanoes: Wai'anae and Ko'olau, with a broad "valley" or saddle (the central O'ahu Plain) between them. The highest point is Mt. Ka'ala in the Wai'anae Range, rising to 1,225 m (4,019 ft) above sea level (Macdonald, Abbott, & Peterson, 1983).

O'ahu

The island is home to about 900,000 people (approximately 75% of the resident population of the state) and partly because of this, O'ahu has for a long time been nicknamed "The Gathering Place". However, the term O'ahu has no confirmed meaning in Hawaiian, other than that of the place itself (Pukui, et al., 1976). Ancient Hawaiian tradition attributes the name's origin in the legend of Hawai'iloa, the Polynesian navigator credited with discovery of the Hawaiian Islands. The story relates that he named the island after a son.

The city of Honolulu—largest city, state capital, and main deepwater marine port for the State of Hawai'i—is located here. As a jurisdictional unit, the entire island of O'ahu is in the City & County of Honolulu, although as a place name, Honolulu occupies only a portion of the southeast end of the island (essentially, the Honolulu District). The island extends from Ka'ena on the west end to Makapu'u on the east. Well-known features found on O'ahu include Waikîkî, Pearl Harbor, Diamond Head, Hanauma Bay, Kâne'ohe Bay, and the North Shore.

History

Kamehameha III moved his capital from Lahaina;, Maui to O'ahu in 1845. 'Iolani Palace, built later by others of the royal family, still remains as evidence of the only monarchy now on American soil.

O'ahu was apparently the first of the Hawaiian Islands sighted by the crew of HMS Resolution on 18 January 1778 during Capt. James Cook's third Pacific expedition. Escorted by HMS Discovery, the expedition was surprised to find high islands this far north in the central Pacific. O'ahu was not actually visited by Europeans until 28 February 1779 when Captain Clerke aboard HMS Resolution stepped ashore at Waimea Bay. Clerke had taken command of the ship after Capt. Cook was killed at Kealakekua Bay (Island of Hawai'i) on February 14, and was leaving the islands for the North Pacific.

The opening battle of the Second World War in the Pacific for the United States was the Imperial Japanese Navy attack on Pearl Harbor, Oʻahu on the morning of December 7, 1941. The surprise attack was aimed at the Pacific Fleet of the United States Navy and its defending Army Air Corps and Marine air forces. The attack damaged or destroyed twelve American warships, destroyed 188 aircraft, and killed 2,403 American servicemen and 68 civilians.

Today, O'ahu has become a tourism and shopping haven as over 5 million visitors (mainly from the American mainland and Japan) flock there every year to enjoy the quintessential island holiday experience that the Hawaiian Islands and her multicultural people now personify.

Issue #390

~ Mother Earth ~ replied by poon cho tang @ Tue, 11 Apr 2006 00:19:15 +0800

poon cho tang — Tue, 11 Apr 2006 00:19:15 +0800

Alluvial fan

An alluvial fan is a fan-shaped deposit where a fast flowing stream flattens, slows, and spreads typically at the exit of a canyon onto a flatter plain.

Alluvial Fan in Death Valley

Formation

Owing to the slowing of flow any solid material carried by the water is dropped. As this reduces the capacity of the channel, the channel will change direction over time, gradually building up a slightly mounded or shallow conical fan shape. This fan shape can also be explained with a thermodynamic justification: the system of sediment introduced at the apex of the fan will tend to a state which minimizes the sum of the transport energy involved in moving the sediment and the gravitational potential of material in the cone. It can easily be seen that there will be iso-transport energy lines forming concentric arcs about the discharge point at the apex of the fan. Thus the material will tend to be deposited equally about these lines, forming the characteristic cone shape. Multiple braided streams are usually present and active during water flows. Alluvial fans are most likely to be found in desert areas subject to periodic flash floods from nearby thunderstorms in local hills. Alluvial fans are very common around the margins of the sedimentary basins of the Basin and Range province of southwestern United States and northern Mexico.

Plants often are concentrated at the base of alluvial fans and many have long tap roots (30-50 feet) to reach water. The long-rooted plants are called phreatophytes by biologists. The water at this level is derived from water that has seeped through the fan and hit an impermeable layer that funneled the water to the base of the fan where it is concentrated and sometimes forms springs and seeps if the water is close enough to the surface. These stands of bushes cling onto the soil at their bases and over time wind action often blows away sand around the bushes which form islands of habitat for many animals.

Issue #389

~ Mother Earth ~ replied by poon cho tang @ Mon, 10 Apr 2006 00:02:35 +0800

poon cho tang — Mon, 10 Apr 2006 00:02:35 +0800

Albemarle Sound

Albemarle Sound is a body of generally fresh water on the coast of North Carolina in the United States located at the confluence of a group of rivers, including the Chowan and Roanoke. It is separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Outer Banks, a long barrier peninsula upon which the town of Kitty Hawk is located, at the eastern edge of the sound. Roanoke Island is situated at the southeastern corner of the sound, where it connects to Pamlico Sound.

Albemarle Sound with the northern Outer Banks.

The sound forms part of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway.

Issue #388

~ Mother Earth ~ replied by poon cho tang @ Sun, 09 Apr 2006 00:43:18 +0800

poon cho tang — Sun, 09 Apr 2006 00:43:18 +0800

Mehrangarh Fort

Mehrangarh Fort (meaning "Majestic Fort") is one of the largest forts in India. The fort is located in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India.

Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur, India.

Though the fort was originally started in 1459 by Rao Jodha, founder of Jodhpur, most of the fort which stands today dates from the period of Jaswant Singh (1638–78). This magnificent fort is located at the centre of the city spreading over 5 kilometres atop a 125-metre high hill. Its walls, which are up to 36 metres high and 21 metres wide, protect some of the most beautiful and historic palaces in Rajasthan.

In order to to create the original fort, legend has it that, a hermit was evicted from his abode. During the eviction he lay a curse upon any future building on the hill. He stated that any building on the hill would have severe problems obtaining water. To avoid the consequences of this curse a man volunteered to be buried alive in the foundations of the fort.

To commemorate historic victories three gates are found in the fort. Within the fort, several brilliantly crafted and decorated palaces are found. Of these, Moti Mahal (Pearl Palace), Phool Mahal (Flower Palace), Sheesh Mahal (Mirror Palace), Sileh Khana, and Daulat Khana are notable. One also finds the fort museum comprising several palaces. This museum houses an exquisite collection of palanquins, howdahs, royal cradles, miniatures, musical instruments, costumes and furniture. The ramparts of the fort provide not only excellently preserved cannons but also a breathtaking view of the city.

Issue #387

~ Mother Earth ~ replied by poon cho tang @ Sat, 08 Apr 2006 00:05:52 +0800

poon cho tang — Sat, 08 Apr 2006 00:05:52 +0800

Robert Bartlett

Captain Robert Abram Bartlett was a notable ice navigator and Arctic explorer of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Born in Brigus, Newfoundland on August 15, 1875, Bartlett was the eldest of 10 children and heir to a family tradition of seafaring men. By the age of 17, he mastered his first ship and began a life-long love affair with the Arctic. Bartlett spent over 50 years of his life mapping and exploring the waters of the Far North and led over 40 expeditions to the Arctic, more than anyone before or since.

Robert Abram Bartlett

Bartlett was captain of the Roosevelt and accompanied Commander Robert Peary on his attempts to reach the North Pole. Bartlett was awarded the Hubbard Medal of the National Geographic Society for breaking the trail through the frozen Arctic wastes to within 130 miles of the pole; yet he was excluded from the final exploring party possibly due to a rivalry between the two men. Bartlett had taken a ship further north than anyone before him and was the first person to sail north of 88° N lattitude.

In 1914, Bartlett’s leadership in the doomed Karluk Expedition helped save the lives of most of its stranded participants after leader Vilhjalmur Stefansson abandoned the expedition. After being stranded on Wrangel Island for several months, Captain Bartlett walked 700 miles over the ice from Wrangel Island to Siberia across the Bering Strait to Alaska to summon help; he received the highest award from the Royal Geographical Society for his outstanding heroism.

From 1925-1945, at the command of his own schooner, the Effie M. Morrissey, Bartlett led many important scientific expeditions to the Arctic, sponsored by American museums, the Explorers Club and the National Geographic Society, and also helped to survey the Arctic for the United States Government during World War II.

Robert Bartlett died on April 28, 1946 in a New York hospital. Bartlett was struck by pneumonia and could not recover. He is buried in Brigus, Newfoundland.

The Canadian Coast Guard vessel, CCGS Bartlett is named for Robert Bartlett. Hawthorne Cottage, Bartlett's place of residence located within Brigus, is a Canada National Historic Site.

Issue #386

~ Mother Earth ~ replied by poon cho tang @ Fri, 07 Apr 2006 00:22:42 +0800

poon cho tang — Fri, 07 Apr 2006 00:22:42 +0800

Northeast Greenland National Park

Northeast Greenland National Park is the largest national park in the world, with an area of 972,000 square kilometres. It is also the only national park in Greenland and in Denmark. The park encompasses the entire coastline and interior sections of Greenland, which is the largest island on Earth. Originally created on May 22, 1974, the park was expanded in 1988 to its present size. In January 1977 it was designated an international biosphere reserve. It is overseen by the Greenland Department of Environment and Nature.

Location of Northeast Greenland National Park in Greenland

Population

The park has virtually no permanent human population. In 1986, the permanent population of the park was 40, living at Mesters Vig although 400 sites saw occasional summertime use. These 40 were involved in cleanup and closeout operations at mining exploration sites and soon left. Recently only 27 people and about 110 dogs over-winter in North East Greenland: 2 at Mestersvig, 12 at Daneborg, members of the Sirius Patrol, the park policing agency, as well as 8 at the civilian weather station Danmarkshavn and 5 at the military base Station North.

Fauna

An estimated 5,000 to 15,000 musk ox as well as numerous polar bears, walrus can be found near the coastal regions of the park. This is claimed to be 40% of the world population of musk ox. Other mammals include arctic fox, stoat, collared lemming and arctic hare. Reindeer left the park in 1900 and wolves in 1934, although wolves occasionally return. Other marine mammals include ringed seal, bearded seal, harp seal and hooded seal as well as narwhal and white whale.

Species of birds which breed in the park include great northern diver, barnacle goose, pink-footed goose, common eider, king eider, gyrfalcon, snowy owl, sanderling, ptarmigan and raven.

Issue #385

~ Mother Earth ~ replied by poon cho tang @ Thu, 06 Apr 2006 00:38:47 +0800

poon cho tang — Thu, 06 Apr 2006 00:38:47 +0800

Virga

Virga is a meteorological term for precipitation that falls from a cloud but evaporates before reaching the ground. At high altitudes the precipitation falls mainly as ice crystals before melting and finally evaporating; this is usually due to compressional heating because the air pressure increases closer to the ground. It is very common in desert nations.

Nimbostratus virga

Virga can cause very interesting weather effects, because as rain changes from liquid to vapour form, it removes much heat from the air due to the high heat of vaporization of water. These small pockets of extremely cold air then descend rapidly, creating a microburst which can be extremely hazardous to aviation.

Virga also has a role in seeding storm cells, where light particles from one cloud are blown into neighbouring supersaturated air and act as nucleation particles for the next thunderhead cloud to begin forming.

Virga can produce dramatic and beautiful scenes, especially during a red sunset. The red light can be caught by the streamers of falling precipitation, while aloft winds push the bottom ends of the virga so it falls at an angle, making the clouds appear to have commas attached.

Virga is a Latin word for a branch or twig, and hence for objects made from it, as a broom, a staff, or a rod (hence the English word virge).

Issue #384

~ Mother Earth ~ replied by poon cho tang @ Wed, 05 Apr 2006 00:08:13 +0800

poon cho tang — Wed, 05 Apr 2006 00:08:13 +0800

Drakensberg

The Drakensberg ("Dragon Mountains" in Afrikaans) mountains are the highest in South Africa, rising up at Thabana Ntlenyana to 3,482 m (11,422 ft) in height. In isiZulu, the language of the Zulu People, they are uKhahlamba, the "barrier of spears". In Sesotho they are referred to as Maluti.

The Drakensberg

They are located in the eastern part of South Africa, running for some 1,000 km (600 mi) generally southwest to northeast, with a northwesterly bend forming the northeastern border of Lesotho with South Africa. They are drained on the west by the Orange and Vaal rivers, and on the east and south by a number of smaller rivers, the Tugela being the largest. The range thus separates KwaZulu-Natal Province from Free State Province, looming over the nearby coast of Natal.

The highest peak is Thabana Ntlenyana at 3,482 m (11,422 ft). Other notable peaks include Mafadi at 3,450 m, Makoaneng at 3,416 m, Champagne Castle at 3,377 m, Giant's Castle at 3,315 m, and Ben Macdhui at 3,001 m. All of these are in the area bordering on Lesotho; north of Lesotho the range gradually becomes lower and less rugged.

Geologically, the Drakensberg is a remnant of the original African plateau. The mountains are capped by a layer of basalt up to 1,500 m thick, with sandstone lower down, resulting in a combination of steep-sided blocks and pinnacles. Caves are frequent in the sandstone, and many have rock paintings by the San peoples.

Snow falls regularly in the winter, while rains and mists can occur year-round.

Many of the Drakensberg peaks offer challenging mountaineering. While the major summits have all been conquered, a number of minor pinnacles have yet to be ascended. Hiking is also a popular activity. Navigation on long hikes is often aided by GPS receivers, and current maps distributed by KZN (KwaZulu-Natal) Wildlife uses the Cape datum as the geodesic reference. GPS users should be careful to use the correct datum as WGS 84 is not always the default.

Tourism in the Drakensberg is developing, with a variety of hotels and resorts appearing on the slopes. Most of the higher South African parts of the range have been designated as game reserves or wilderness areas. The uKhahlamba or Drakensberg National Park, located in KwaZulu-Natal, near the border with Lesotho, was listed by UNESCO in 2000 as a World Heritage site. The park is also in the List of Wetlands of International Importance (under the RAMSAR convention).

The most well known national park in the Drakensberg is the Royal Natal National Park. It contains the source of the Tugela river, and includes the 912 m high Tugela Falls, the second highest waterfall on earth. But it is the Central Drakensberg that offers tourists the best access to bushman rock art Kamberg and the largest range of hiking trails.

Issue #383

~ Mother Earth ~ replied by poon cho tang @ Tue, 04 Apr 2006 00:03:53 +0800

poon cho tang — Tue, 04 Apr 2006 00:03:53 +0800

1999 Izmit, Turkey Earthquake

The Izmit earthquake with a magnitude of 7.4 which lasted for 45 seconds killed over 17,000 in northwestern Turkey on August 17, 1999.

The epicentre of the Izmit earthquake in 1999.

The earthquake had a rupture length of 150 kilometers (93 miles) from the city of Düzce to all the way into the Sea of Marmara along the Gulf of Ýzmit. Movement along the rupture was as large as 5.7 meters (18.7 ft). (Reilinger, et al., 2000)

This earthquake occurred in the North Anatolian Fault Zone (NAFZ). The Anatolian Plate which consists primarily of Turkey is being pushed west about 2-2.5 cm/yr (0.8-1.0 in), as it is squeezed between the Eurasian Plate on the north, and both the African Plate and the Arabian Plate on the south. Most of the large earthquakes result as slip occurs along the NAFZ or Eastern Anatolian Fault.

The official number of casualties is about 17,000 although real numbers are thought to be above 35,000. The rupture passed through major cities that are among the most industrialized and urban areas of the country, including oil refineries, several car companies and navy headquarters and arsenal in Golcuk thus increasing the severity of the life and property loss.

This quake was predicted using the new discovery Earthquake storms.

Issue #382

~ Mother Earth ~ replied by poon cho tang @ Mon, 03 Apr 2006 00:15:13 +0800

poon cho tang — Mon, 03 Apr 2006 00:15:13 +0800

Muir Glacier

Muir Glacier is a tidewater glacier in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve in the U.S. state of Alaska. It is located at 58.917°N, 136.117°W, and is about 3 km (2 miles) wide and about 80 m (265 feet) tall. It calves or sheds icebergs.

Muir Glacier

The glacier is named after John Muir, the naturalist, who visited the area and wrote about it, generating interest in the area and in its preservation. His first two visits were in 1878 and 1880, at age 41. During the visits, he sent an account of his visits in installments to the San Francisco Bulletin. Later, he collected and edited these installments in a book, Travels in Alaska, published in 1915, the year he died.

Issue #381

~ Mother Earth ~ replied by poon cho tang @ Sun, 02 Apr 2006 11:55:52 +0800

poon cho tang — Sun, 02 Apr 2006 11:55:52 +0800

Stratocumulus cloud

A stratocumulus cloud is a cloud belonging to a class characterized by large dark, rounded masses, usually in groups, lines, or waves, the individual elements being larger than those in altocumulus and the whole being at a lower altitude, usually below 2,400 m (8,000 ft).

A group of stratocumulus clouds hanging low over the mountain valley seen from the summit of Mount Kinabalu.

Issue #380

~ Mother Earth ~ replied by poon cho tang @ Sat, 01 Apr 2006 01:04:04 +0800

poon cho tang — Sat, 01 Apr 2006 01:04:04 +0800

Marlborough Sounds

The Marlborough Sounds is an extensive network of sea-drowned valleys at the north of the South Island of New Zealand.

Sea kayakers in the Marlborough Sounds.

Geography

Covering some 4,000 km² of sounds, islands, and peninsulas, the Marlborough Sounds lie at the South Island's north-easternmost point, between Tasman Bay in the west and Cloudy Bay in the south-east.

The steep, wooded hills and small quiet bays of the sounds are sparsely populated, as access is difficult. Many of the small settlements and isolated houses are only accessible by boat. The main port is Picton on the mainland, at the head of Queen Charlotte Sound. It is at the northern terminus of the South Island's main railway and State Highway networks.

The main sounds, other than Queen Charlotte Sound, are Pelorus Sound and Kenepuru Sound. Tory Channel is a major arm of Queen Charlotte Sound, and between them they isolate the hills of Arapawa Island from the mainland. Other islands in the sounds include D'Urville Island.

Ferries and marine farms

The Marlborough Sounds are connected with Cook Strait at the north-east extreme. At this point, the North Island is at its closest to the South Island, and the inter-island road, rail, and passenger ferry service between Picton and Wellington travel through the sounds.

Marine farming is increasingly common, although the wake caused by fast catamaran vehicular ferry services to the North Island has been alleged to damage farms, and has resulted in a dispute heard in the environment court. The fast ferries (which only operate for the summer season) are restricted to a lower speed in the sounds, reducing their time advantage over the conventional ferries.

Dangerous waters

The main channels of the Marlborough Sounds have calm water and are popular for sailing. Cook Strait, however, is infamous for its strong currents and rough waters, especially when the wind is from the south or north. Because of this, some of the narrow channels closer to the Strait are notoriously dangerous. Notable amongst these is French Pass at the southern end of D'Urville Island, which has several vortices.

The most notable shipwreck in the sounds is that of the Russian cruise liner Mikhail Lermontov, which sank in 1986 in Port Gore, close to the mouth of Queen Charlotte Sound, after striking rocks. One life was lost in the incident.

Issue #379

~ Mother Earth ~ replied by poon cho tang @ Fri, 31 Mar 2006 00:16:14 +0800

poon cho tang — Fri, 31 Mar 2006 00:16:14 +0800

International Stadium Yokohama

The International Stadium of Yokohama (Japanese: Yokohama Kokusai Sougou Kyougijou) has 73,237 seats, and was inaugurated in March 1998. It is the home stadium of Yokohama F. Marinos of the J. League.

International Stadium Yokohama

It hosted three first-round games during the Football World Cup 2002, and the final game between Germany and Brazil was played there on June 30, 2002 (the game was won by Brazil, 2–0).

From March 1, 2005, its name was changed to Nissan Stadium (Japanese: Nissan Sutajiamu) to reflect the sponsorship of the Nissan Motor Co.

It hosted some matches of the 2005 FIFA Club World Championship, including the finals. During the tournament, its name was temporarily reverted to the original due to FIFA requirements (FIFA does not recognise sponsorship of stadia at official FIFA events).

Issue #378

~ Mother Earth ~ replied by poon cho tang @ Thu, 30 Mar 2006 00:17:41 +0800

poon cho tang — Thu, 30 Mar 2006 00:17:41 +0800

Lava dome

In volcanology, a lava dome is mound-shaped growth resulting from the eruption of high-silica lava (usually rhyolite and/or dacite) from a volcano. It is also known as a plug dome, although that term is rarely used.

A forested lava dome in the midst of the Valle Grande, the largest meadow in the Valles Caldera National Preserve.

The high silica content makes the lava very viscous, so that it cannot flow very far from its vent before solidifying. Lava domes are one of the principal building materials of many stratovolcanoes worldwide. Domes may reach heights of several hundred metres, and can grow slowly and steadily for months or years. Because high-silica lava can build more highly and steeply than low-silica lava (such as basalt), lava domes can be unstable and prone to collapse. When part of a lava dome collapses while it still contains molten rock and gases, it produces a pyroclastic flow, one of the most lethal forms of volcanic event. Ultimately, many volcanic domes are destroyed by large explosive eruptions.

Some of the world's most famous active lava domes include those at Mount Merapi in central Java of Indonesia, Soufriere Hills volcano in Montserrat, and Mt. St. Helens in the U.S. state of Washington. Lassen Peak in the northern part of the U.S. state of California is one of the largest single lava domes in the world and has the distinction of being the only other Cascade volcano besides Mount St. Helens to have erupted (1914-1921) in the 20th Century.

Issue #377

~ Mother Earth ~ replied by poon cho tang @ Wed, 29 Mar 2006 00:11:48 +0800

poon cho tang — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 00:11:48 +0800

Tidal island

A tidal island is a piece of land that is connected to the mainland by a natural or man-made causeway that is exposed at low tide and submerged at high tide. Because of the mystique surrounding tidal islands the majority of them have been sites of religious worship, such as Mont Saint Michel with its Benedictine Abbey. Tidal islands are also commonly the sites of fortresses, due to their natural fortifications.

St. Michael's Mount at high tide in 1900.

The former Bennelong Island in Sydney, Australia was developed into Bennelong Point and is now the location of the Sydney Opera House.

Issue #376

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