Earthweek: A Diary of the Planet -
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New Ozone Threats Four mysterious and previ- ously unidentified man- made compounds have been found that can destroy Earth’s upper-atmosphere ozone, pos- sibly preventing the ozone hole from healing. The production of chlorofluo- rocarbon (CFC) gases came under re- striction worldwide in the mid-1980s after the compounds were found to be creating the hole above Antarctica. A total global ban on production came into force in 2010. But researchers say the four newly discovered chemicals, also powerful greenhouse gases, may be leaking from insecticide production and from solvents used in cleaning electronic components. Scientists now caution that many others probably ex- ist. “They might well add up to dan- gerous levels, especially if we keep finding more,” said Johannes Laube at the University of East Anglia. Since the ozone-killing chemicals take de- cades to break down in the atmosphere, their impact on climate and the ozone hole is long-lasting. Smog Drones Outbreaks of smog around Beijing have become so acute that officials are test- ing a new, more efficient type of drone to be used to spray smog- clearing chemicals, primarily around airports. The South China Morning Post reports that drones equipped with parasails can carry about 1,500 pounds of the unspecified smog-busting com- pounds, which are said to have the ca- pacity to cleanse the air in a 3-mile ra- dius. The vehicles will reportedly spray chemicals that “freeze pollut- ants,” causing them to fall to the ground. But environmental advocates warn that such a process would simply coat the city’s surfaces with still-toxic pollutants. They add that the govern- ment is tackling the symptom rather than the root cause of pollution. Great White Voyager A great white shark, tagged off Jacksonville, Fla., appears to be headed for British coastal waters in an epic trans-Atlantic journey re- searchers say is the first ever observed in the species. The satellite-tracked fish, named Lydia, was observed crossing the mid-Atlantic ridge, which is roughly the midway point between North America and Europe. “No white sharks have crossed from west to east or east to west,” said Dr. Gregory Skomal, senior fisheries biologist with Massachusetts Marine Fisheries. Lyd- ia has zigzagged approximately 20,000 miles across the western Atlantic since being tagged last March. One scientist monitoring her movements with the Ocearch project speculates that the fish is pregnant. “If I had to guess, I would guess that Lydia … has been out in the open ocean, gestating her babies and that this spring she will lead us to where those baby white sharks are born — the nursery,” Chris Fischer told the BBC. Earthquakes Parts of southern Oregon and northwestern Califor- nia were jolted for 20 sec- onds by a quake centered 50 miles offshore. • Fracking operations were halted along the Ohio-Pennsylvania bor- der after tremors struck the typically quake-free area. • Earth movements were also felt in south-central Alaska, coastal Los Angeles and from the Florida Keys to northern Cuba. Russian Eruption Far East Russia’s Karymsky volcano spewed ash high above the Kamchatka Pen- insula. The volcano has been among the most active in the re- gion since 1996. Tropical Cyclones At least three people were killed when Cyclone Lusi lashed the South Pacific is- land nation of Vanuatu, causing buildings to collapse. Lusi then took aim on northern New Zea- land late in the week as a weakening tropical storm. The region was set to receive drought-breaking rains along with widespread severe conditions. • Tropical Storm Gillian drenched parts of northeastern Australia’s Cape York Peninsula as it churned the Gulf of Carpentaria. • Tropical Storm Hadi developed briefly over Queensland’s Great Bar- rier Reef without threatening the mainland. Long-Haul Salmon California’s severe drought has wildlife officials con- sidering whether to move millions of hatchery-raised Chinook salmon by tanker trucks to the ocean. The unusual move would be necessary because the Sacramento River and its tributaries have become too shallow and warm for the fish to migrate safely on their own. The fish are typically released down the water- ways from the Coleman National Fish Hatchery near Red Bluff in April and May. But low water levels this year could have depleted the food supplies needed during the trip and make the salmon far too vulnerable to predators. The Sacramento Bee reports that fall- run Chinook salmon from the Sacra- mento River and its tributaries com- pose the bulk of the wild-caught salmon available in California markets and restaurants. Unless the rest of March proves unusually wet, trucking the fish to the Pacific may be the only way to preserve the run. Distributed by: Universal Uclick www.earthweek.com © MMXIV Earth Environment Service Earthweek: A Diary of the Planet By Steve Newman +112° 3.2 6.9 4.7 3.7 3.0 Dampier W. Australia -87° Vostok, Antarctica Week Ending March 14, 2014 Lusi Gillian Hadi
Transcript of Earthweek: A Diary of the Planet -
New Ozone ThreatsFour mysterious and previ-ously unidentified man-made compounds have been found that can destroy
Earth’s upper-atmosphere ozone, pos-sibly preventing the ozone hole from healing. The production of chlorofluo-rocarbon (CFC) gases came under re-striction worldwide in the mid-1980s after the compounds were found to be creating the hole above Antarctica. A total global ban on production came into force in 2010. But researchers say the four newly discovered chemicals, also powerful greenhouse gases, may be leaking from insecticide production and from solvents used in cleaning electronic components. Scientists now caution that many others probably ex-ist. “They might well add up to dan-gerous levels, especially if we keep finding more,” said Johannes Laube at the University of East Anglia. Since the ozone-killing chemicals take de-cades to break down in the atmosphere, their impact on climate and the ozone hole is long-lasting.
Smog DronesOutbreaks of smog around Beijing have become so acute that officials are test-ing a new, more efficient
type of drone to be used to spray smog-clearing chemicals, primarily around airports. The South China Morning Post reports that drones equipped with parasails can carry about 1,500 pounds of the unspecified smog-busting com-pounds, which are said to have the ca-pacity to cleanse the air in a 3-mile ra-dius. The vehicles will reportedly spray chemicals that “freeze pollut-ants,” causing them to fall to the ground. But environmental advocates warn that such a process would simply coat the city’s surfaces with still-toxic pollutants. They add that the govern-ment is tackling the symptom rather than the root cause of pollution.
Great White VoyagerA great white shark, tagged off Jacksonville, Fla., appears to be headed for British coastal waters
in an epic trans-Atlantic journey re-searchers say is the first ever observed in the species. The satellite-tracked fish, named Lydia, was observed crossing the mid-Atlantic ridge, which is roughly the midway point between North America and Europe. “No white sharks have crossed from west to east or east to west,” said Dr. Gregory Skomal, senior fisheries biologist with Massachusetts Marine Fisheries. Lyd-ia has zigzagged approximately 20,000 miles across the western Atlantic since being tagged last March. One scientist monitoring her movements with the Ocearch project speculates that the fish is pregnant. “If I had to guess, I would guess that Lydia … has been out in the open ocean, gestating her babies and that this spring she will lead us to where those baby white sharks are born — the nursery,” Chris Fischer told the BBC.
EarthquakesParts of southern Oregon and northwestern Califor-nia were jolted for 20 sec-onds by a quake centered
50 miles offshore. • Fracking operations were halted
along the Ohio-Pennsylvania bor-der after tremors struck the typically quake-free area.
• Earth movements were also felt in south-central Alaska, coastal Los Angeles and from the Florida Keys to northern Cuba.
Russian EruptionFar East Russia’s Karymsky volcano spewed ash high above the Kamchatka Pen-insula. The volcano has
been among the most active in the re-gion since 1996.
Tropical CyclonesAt least three people were killed when Cyclone Lusi lashed the South Pacific is-land nation of Vanuatu,
causing buildings to collapse. Lusi then took aim on northern New Zea-land late in the week as a weakening tropical storm. The region was set to receive drought-breaking rains along with widespread severe conditions.
• Tropical Storm Gillian drenched parts of northeastern Australia’s Cape York Peninsula as it churned the Gulf of Carpentaria.
• Tropical Storm Hadi developed briefly over Queensland’s Great Bar-rier Reef without threatening the mainland.
Long-Haul SalmonCalifornia’s severe drought has wildlife officials con-sidering whether to move millions of hatchery-raised
Chinook salmon by tanker trucks to the ocean. The unusual move would be necessary because the Sacramento River and its tributaries have become too shallow and warm for the fish to migrate safely on their own. The fish are typically released down the water-ways from the Coleman National Fish Hatchery near Red Bluff in April and May. But low water levels this year could have depleted the food supplies needed during the trip and make the salmon far too vulnerable to predators. The Sacramento Bee reports that fall-run Chinook salmon from the Sacra-mento River and its tributaries com-pose the bulk of the wild-caught salmon available in California markets and restaurants. Unless the rest of March proves unusually wet, trucking the fish to the Pacific may be the only way to preserve the run.
Distributed by: Universal Uclickwww.earthweek.com
© MMXIV Earth Environment Service
Earthweek: A Diary of the Planet By Steve Newman
+112°
3.26.9
4.7
3.7
3.0
DampierW. Australia
-87°Vostok,
AntarcticaWeek Ending March 14, 2014
LusiGillian
Hadi
