You are browsing the archive for February 2010 - Dan's Wild Wild Science Journal.
28 February 2010
The Two Most Powerful Images of Climate Change
Almost EVERY email I get from those who think climate change is a hoax or a conspiracy to take their gun has a mention of Al Gore in the first paragraph. Usually in the first sentence! It’s actually helpful. Nothing I say or write will make any difference, so I can use my time to better purposes. Has Al Gore helped or hurt getting the message out? Without doubt he …
27 February 2010
How big was The Quake?? This big.
This is the broadband seismogram from Virginia Tech. It is set to record distant quakes. It speaks for itself. Keep in mind the distance between Chile and Blacksburg Virginia. The Earth rang like a bell last night. Any questions? Click image to see the full size. Ctsy. Va. Tech. Sesimo. Observatory
Massive Quake in Chile Shakes Seismographs Around The World
An 8.8 Magnitude quake has hit Chile. It was recorded at a depth of only 35km. This is very shallow and likely means that catastrophic damage is possible. Large aftershocks are already being recorded. The quake hit when most people were in bed asleep. The USGS says this quake occurred 230 km north of the location of the 9.5 quake of May 1960. That quake holds the record for the …
26 February 2010
A Meteorologists View of The Satellite Image Today
Here are just a few of the things I see on the high res. GOES image today…
25 February 2010
I Highly Recommend This iPhone/iTouch App.
One of the best science blogs out there is Skeptical Science. It is written by Aussie John Cook. His background is solar physics, among other things, and he does a fantastic job of showing the silliness of some of the wild things certain people say about climate science. A few months back I was given the Woody Guthrie Award for a Thinking Blogger by Mike Kaulbars at Greenfyre’s. The recipient …
Penguin Dreams and Other Things
Not too many people can say they have seen a Polar Bear and a Penguin in the wild. To do so one must go to the far North and the far South. Polar Bears live only in the High North and Penguins in, and near Antarctica. I like penguins best, they don’t consider me a tasty snack. My travel colleage on our National Science Foundation expedition to Antarctica sent me …
24 February 2010
Amazing Ignorance- You have to see Phil Plaits Post
One of the very best science blogs online is written by astronomer and author Phil Plait. He has been covering the story of the magic wands the Iraqi government has been buying to detect bombs. These things work as well as those copper bracelets you see advertised on late night TV. You know, the ones that are supposed to make you feel great and work better. They even have sports …
23 February 2010
The Blizzard That Snuck Up On NYC and Boston??
So while I am looking intently at the model guidance for next week and the possible blizzard up the East Coast, Mother Nature decides not to wait! It is looking very likely that a snow hurricane may develop in 48 hours over the Northeast! I bet my friends Harvey Leonard and Dick Albert in Boston are locked away looking at weather charts right now! Will it be too warm for …
22 February 2010
East Coast Blizzard??- Models Are Still Flaky
The long range numerical weather prediction models continue to show wild run to run swings regarding the possible next winter storm to pound the Eastern USA. There is little doubt that something is coming, but the track and the amount of cold air is still very questionable. Here is an example of the differences. The picture below is from the DGEX. It’s a long range model run this afternoon and …
Another Blizzard Coming For The East?? Maybe!
The long range weather models have been indicating that a major blizzard will develop in about 8 days and hot the East Coast of America. First of all, you should know that numerical weather models are NOT reliable this far into the future. Things can and will be different than what the image above shows. That said the guidance is a lot better than it was 10 years ago and …
Dan Satterfield has worked as an on air meteorologist for 32 years in Oklahoma, Florida and Alabama. Forecasting weather is Dan's job, but all of Earth Science is his passion. This journal is where Dan writes about things he has too little time for on air. Dan blogs about peer-reviewed Earth science for Junior High level audiences and up.