War is the lowest form of humanity.
We’re all here. Let’s get on with it.**
Tony Bennett
LARGEST QUAKES -
This morning -
None 5.0 or higher.
Yesterday -
10/12/10 -
6.0 NEAR S COAST OF PAPUA, INDONESIA
5.9 TONGA
5.6 TONGA
VOLCANOES -
NEW ZEALAND - Auckland may be more vulnerable to ash-fall from volcanic eruptions than previously thought according to new research. The findings identified 29 previously unknown volcanic ash layers. On average, the Auckland has been impacted by ash-fall from local or distant eruptions once every 400 years for the past 80,000 years. The previous estimate was once every 750 years. The release of this new research has been made to coincide with the screening of a realistic TV3 docu-drama about an volcanic eruption in central Auckland. In 2008 TV3 aired a similar programme 'Aftershock' which created an uproar after viewers thought it was real.
The message of this show is to 'Be Prepared' - “Watch and enjoy Eruption as a drama. But also think about what it says about our preparedness for disasters." The Auckland Volcanic Field covers 360sq km and stretches from Manurewa in the south to Takapuna in the north. It has been active for at least 200,000 years and, based on similar fields in other parts of the world, researchers believe it may have a life expectancy in excess of 500,000 years. Volcanologists expect any future volcanic activity in Auckland will be preceded by a warning period of precursory earthquakes that may last for a few days to a few weeks.
TROPICAL STORMS -
-Tropical depression 15W was 266 nmi WSW of Agana, Guam
-Hurricane PAULA was 151 nmi SSE of Cancun, Mexico
Hurricane Paula gains strength as it heads to Mexican coast. Strong winds have already hit Mexico Hurricane Paula is gaining strength as it is heading towards Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. The hurricane intensified to a category-two storm with winds of up to 160km/h (100 mph. It has brought strong winds and heavy rain to north-east Honduras and damaged homes in Honduras. The centre of the hurricane was expected to hit the Mexican coast early today. Heavy rainfall was also expected in Nicaragua and Belize.
As Paula approached, schools were closed along the eastern coast of Honduras. Officials said rain of up to 20cm (8 inches) of rain had fallen in part of the country. In the eastern region of Gracias de Dios, winds and rain had damaged 19 homes. Mexico and Central America have been hit by a series of floods and landslides in recent weeks, with thousands of people left homeless.
SPACE WEATHER -
Spaceweather.com items:
Asteroid 2010 TD54 flew past Earth Tuesday morning (Oct. 12) at 6:50 am EDT. It was only 46,000 km above the planet's surface. For comparison, geosynchronous satellites orbit at 36,000 km, so the asteroid was not far beyond Earth's satellite fleet.
The geomagnetic storm of Oct. 11th sparked bright auroras over both ends of Earth - north and south. "Lights were spilling out of the sky. It made the Southern Cross look like Niagra Falls." The display was triggered by a "south-pointing IMF" - the interplanetary magnetic field near Earth tilted south, opening a crack in Earth's magnetosphere. Solar wind poured in and fueled a G1-class geomagnetic storm. The storm is subsiding now.
An enormous magnetic filament is perched directly above sunspot 1112 near the sun's southeastern limb. If the filament collapses (as they often do) and hits the sunspot below, the resulting explosion could be impressive.
(photos)
