5-9 January 2009

• Earth processes seen from space -- Images from the MODIS sensors on NASA's Aqua and Terra satellites show a variety of processes that occur near the Earth's surface that ultimately affect the regional and planetary weather and climate:
  •  Volcanoes -- An image taken on Christmas Day by the MODIS sensor on NASA's Aqua satellite shows a plume of volcanic ash and steam being carried by the winds away from the Koryaksky Volcano on Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula.  [NASA Earth Observatory]
    A MODIS image from NASA's Terra satellite at the end of December shows a volcanic ash plume carried by local winds away from the Soufriere Hills Volcano on the Caribbean island of Montserrat.  [NASA Earth Observatory]
  • Haze along the Himalayas -- An image made during the last week of December by the MODIS instrument on NASA's Aqua satellite shows a large area of thick haze along the south facing slopes of the Himalayas, generated by urban pollution, along with agricultural fires and wildfires.  [NASA Earth Observatory]
  • Fires across Africa -- A MODIS image taken from the NASA Aqua satellite near the end of December shows the locations of the numerous large fires that were burning across sections of Africa, along with the smoke and haze that were from these fires and from the dust originating in Chad.  [NASA Earth Observatory]
  • A global view of wildfires -- Comparison can be made of computer generated maps of the locations of wildfires in February and August of 2008 from around the world as obtained from the MODIS sensor on NASA's Terra satellite. A seasonal shift in the areas with the most wildfires can be detected. [NASA Earth Observatory]
  • Low clouds across central China -- A MODIS image obtained in early December 2008 from NASA's Aqua satellite shows low clouds that spread across central China’s Sichuan Basin. [NASA Earth Observatory]
• Ancient earth was covered by water and barren land -- A scientist at Australia's University of Sydney and colleagues recently reported that they calculated that until approximately 2.5 billion years ago, much of early Earth was covered by water, with barren land comprising of less than four percent of the planet's surface area.  [New Scientist]
• Neanderthal extinction may not have been climate related -- A multidisciplinary team of French and US researchers recently reported that the Neanderthal extinction approximately 40,000 years ago was primarily the result of competition with Cro-Magnon populations, rather than due to climatic change. [EurekAlert!]
• Swarm of comets could have initiated the Younger Dryas and disrupted Clovis peoples -- A scientific team discovered six sites across North America that have abundant quantities of tiny diamond dust particles that appear to have been created by a swarm of carbon and water rich comets that may have bombarded the Earth approximately 12,900 years ago, producing the Younger Dryas, a 1300-year cold spell, that resulted in the disruption of the Clovis culture. [EurekAlert!]
• Effects of chlorine gas disaster examined -- A new study of a deadly disaster caused by a chlorine gas release in a South Carolina town during January 2005 was conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, resulting in some recommendations to emergency response agencies. [EurekAlert!]
• An All-Hazards Monitor--This Web portal provides the user information from NOAA on current environmental events that may pose as hazards such as tropical weather, fire weather, marine weather, severe weather, drought and floods. [NOAAWatch]
• Global and US Hazards/Climate Extremes -- A review and analysis of the global impacts of various weather-related events, including drought, floods and storms during the current month. [NCDC]
• Earthweek -- Diary of the Planet [earthweek.com] Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.

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Prepared by Edward J. Hopkins, Ph.D., email hopkins@meteor.wisc.edu
© Copyright, 2009, The American Meteorological Society.