Just wanted to pop in and give an update. As I mentioned earlier, I have decided to try out my new strategy on the Deccan Traps issue. So far, I have some preliminary research resources to read as well as a couple professional journal articles. One article is about the age of a mantle plume source; the other is about major events at the end of the Cretaceous. I also did a quick brainstorming session a few days ago. Now I just added what I like to call a zero draft, less detailed than a full rough draft. As a matter of fact, this one is only one page long and bereft of any conclusions or even a single mention of the KT Boundary or the collision associated with it. However, I have also drawn up an outline to give me some direction and a focus and mentions more detail about the collision and boundary layer.
One important detail regarding this writing is going to be determining the evidence of the collision from that of the eruption. There is likely a distinct difference between the two, as far as evidence is concerned. This ought to make it clear which event took place first. Relative dating shows the Deccan Traps eruption took place some time after the impact. As I mentioned in an earlier post, it seems that most scientists are avoiding linking the two events in any way. Maybe they are afraid to lose credibility or that no one would take them seriously. Actually, I can see a good sound reason for this, as well. By holding off on linking the two events until more evidence is gathered and studied and more is known about each event, they are building up credible evidence to support a theory that definitely links the two.
Until next time...
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Night Pigeons Evolving in Pittsburgh
I observed something a bit unusual last night. I have noticed that some pigeons have taken to nighttime flying and roaming about on city streets. Last night I paid a bit more attention. What I noticed was the bird's coloring. Not the usual light grey with darker patches. This one was nearly all black - with some gray on its tail feathers and on the undersides of its wings while flying. This is probably to protect it from night predators like birds of prey and bats - though I don't think the local bats get big enough to kill a pigeon. A lighter colored pigeon would be more noticeable at night and at higher risk. They are not coming out in great numbers - only a daring few - taking advantage of the lighted streets and plenty of food to be found. They're developing their own new niche. It's something interesting to watch develop. I just love evolution in action!
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Update, Developments, and the Deccan Traps
I have been very busy with class work and the like. Since my last post - I've written a set of instructions for measuring strike, dip, etc. with a Brunton. I collaborated on a website project. Yes, there's now a new website that I am partly responsible for - and it is about geological phenomena. It's just a simple site - a class assignment project. Truth to tell we all wanted it to have more "bells and whistles" - via cool links, a Google Earth download, and even a link to this blog - but, alas it was not meant to be. It just became impossible with other projects cramming for limited time and space in our busy schedules. It would have taken less than a couple hours to gather the links, etc. - but converting everything into the website would have likely taken longer and that was the final death nell for those plans. Fortunately, they were not essential for the assignment. We did it in basic HTML coding - much more difficult and time consuming than current methods. Embedding the Google Earth download into it might have been impossible anyhow. The site is aptly named - Environmental Phenomena in Geology - and can be accessed at www.pitt.edu/~ajh32/engcmp1101/.
I believe another good thing came from not adding at least the link to this blog. Some religious type has already seen the site and wrote a handwritten letter to me at my home address with their opinions regarding the phenomena covered in the site's content. This person claims that tsunamis and other potentially destructive natural forces are God's wrath for the sins of humanity. I could go into a massive commentary here about that but since religion is kind of off topic, I will refrain from doing so.
This reminds me of other previous scientists who were sent letters by religious types quoting scripture for all its worth - hopefully it's a foreshadowing of what's to come. If my blog was mentioned in the website - I'd be spending a lot of my time arguing with this woman instead of getting anything worthwhile done. If I believed that a dialogue would help this person see reason and reality, I wouldn't mind so much. Unfortunately folks like this are quite stubborn even when the obvious is put plain. The Mormons in my neighborhood steer clear of me - I think they've heard that they can't win an argument with me. I like to call these types - Sophists - after a group of similar men of ancient Greece. I have about as much respect for them as Socrates did - which is to say, not very much.
As for my research projects... First, I have a new one which may or may not be related to an old one. I went to the Dinosaur Hall Preview at the Carnegie - and while I was there I saw a short film about the Deccan Traps. I had heard snippets about them over the past few years and ran across them in a couple journal articles about the KT Event. They are a set of massive volcanoes located in India which had a massive eruption at the time of the extinction event. From what I've gathered so far on the topic, not many scientists are putting forth a possible correlation between the Chicxulub impact and this catastrophic eruption. The Traps are used as evidence of volcanism being the cause of the extinction - including the source of the Iridium anomaly. However, something the Carnegie paleontologists mentioned alluded to a cause and effect relationship between both events. I remember my physics and my knowledge of the Earth's interior.
Essentially, the Deccan Traps already existed prior to the KT Event. However, and timing is extremely important here, the severity of these End Cretaceous volcanics was catalyzed by an unusually high temperature heat source BELOW the already existent magma chamber and a massive up-warping of the Moho layer underlying the volcanoes. There is no known cause of such phenomena. Tectonic plate movement is currently held as the reason for the Traps strange behavior. Unfortunately, tectonics does not explain the extreme heating or the up-warping.
This is where the meteorite collision may shed some light on the answer. The object that hit Earth was massive enough to create a 3000 foot tsunami that literally travelled the globe. The crater still exists under the Yucatan Peninsula. The connection between both events is likely disturbing enough that scientists are sidestepping it - or just focusing on one event. Obviously, the locations of the two are the problem - one in India - the other in the Gulf of Mexico. How could they possibly be related?
Simple physics combined with the Earth's interior leads paleontologists to the conclusion that some sort of shockwave would have travelled through the Earth to the other side - exiting at the Deccan Traps site in India. It explains the heat source - outer core material carried along through the mantle - along an already existent mantle plume - to its final destination underneath the Deccan volcanoes. It also explains the major upwarping - from below - of the Moho layer.
The shockwave would not necessarily have traveled directly through the center of the planet. This would only have been the case if the object hit the Earth's surface perpendicularly - or straight down. It is already known that it actually collided at an oblique angle - thus sending the shockwave through the Earth's interior at the same angle. This means the shockwave would not have "exited" at the opposite side of the planet - but at some point along the surface that is in direct alignment with the initial impact/shockwave.
Well, I am getting a bit antsy to get on with my own research. And since I seem to always regret not running with a new idea when the topic hits me - I may as well start my newest strategy with this Deccan Traps project. I will mention the new strategy later - once I see if it's going to fly my way. If it works, I may have a new high speed method of getting my work moving along at a good clip. [all puns intended] Moving along...
I believe another good thing came from not adding at least the link to this blog. Some religious type has already seen the site and wrote a handwritten letter to me at my home address with their opinions regarding the phenomena covered in the site's content. This person claims that tsunamis and other potentially destructive natural forces are God's wrath for the sins of humanity. I could go into a massive commentary here about that but since religion is kind of off topic, I will refrain from doing so.
This reminds me of other previous scientists who were sent letters by religious types quoting scripture for all its worth - hopefully it's a foreshadowing of what's to come. If my blog was mentioned in the website - I'd be spending a lot of my time arguing with this woman instead of getting anything worthwhile done. If I believed that a dialogue would help this person see reason and reality, I wouldn't mind so much. Unfortunately folks like this are quite stubborn even when the obvious is put plain. The Mormons in my neighborhood steer clear of me - I think they've heard that they can't win an argument with me. I like to call these types - Sophists - after a group of similar men of ancient Greece. I have about as much respect for them as Socrates did - which is to say, not very much.
As for my research projects... First, I have a new one which may or may not be related to an old one. I went to the Dinosaur Hall Preview at the Carnegie - and while I was there I saw a short film about the Deccan Traps. I had heard snippets about them over the past few years and ran across them in a couple journal articles about the KT Event. They are a set of massive volcanoes located in India which had a massive eruption at the time of the extinction event. From what I've gathered so far on the topic, not many scientists are putting forth a possible correlation between the Chicxulub impact and this catastrophic eruption. The Traps are used as evidence of volcanism being the cause of the extinction - including the source of the Iridium anomaly. However, something the Carnegie paleontologists mentioned alluded to a cause and effect relationship between both events. I remember my physics and my knowledge of the Earth's interior.
Essentially, the Deccan Traps already existed prior to the KT Event. However, and timing is extremely important here, the severity of these End Cretaceous volcanics was catalyzed by an unusually high temperature heat source BELOW the already existent magma chamber and a massive up-warping of the Moho layer underlying the volcanoes. There is no known cause of such phenomena. Tectonic plate movement is currently held as the reason for the Traps strange behavior. Unfortunately, tectonics does not explain the extreme heating or the up-warping.
This is where the meteorite collision may shed some light on the answer. The object that hit Earth was massive enough to create a 3000 foot tsunami that literally travelled the globe. The crater still exists under the Yucatan Peninsula. The connection between both events is likely disturbing enough that scientists are sidestepping it - or just focusing on one event. Obviously, the locations of the two are the problem - one in India - the other in the Gulf of Mexico. How could they possibly be related?
Simple physics combined with the Earth's interior leads paleontologists to the conclusion that some sort of shockwave would have travelled through the Earth to the other side - exiting at the Deccan Traps site in India. It explains the heat source - outer core material carried along through the mantle - along an already existent mantle plume - to its final destination underneath the Deccan volcanoes. It also explains the major upwarping - from below - of the Moho layer.
The shockwave would not necessarily have traveled directly through the center of the planet. This would only have been the case if the object hit the Earth's surface perpendicularly - or straight down. It is already known that it actually collided at an oblique angle - thus sending the shockwave through the Earth's interior at the same angle. This means the shockwave would not have "exited" at the opposite side of the planet - but at some point along the surface that is in direct alignment with the initial impact/shockwave.
Well, I am getting a bit antsy to get on with my own research. And since I seem to always regret not running with a new idea when the topic hits me - I may as well start my newest strategy with this Deccan Traps project. I will mention the new strategy later - once I see if it's going to fly my way. If it works, I may have a new high speed method of getting my work moving along at a good clip. [all puns intended] Moving along...
Monday, November 12, 2007
A Global Warming Rant - and Warning
Why is it so difficult for people to realize and understand that global warming is truly happening and that it affects everyone on Earth? It also affects the economy. As the ice caps melt away - possibly forever the sea level of the oceans will rise significantly. What do folks truly believe will happen as this takes place? Apparently nothing! At least they do not see how it affects them personally. Who gives a damn about anyone else on this planet? Everyone is out for themselves, apparently!
What will happen to the country's economy - and the world's - as the coastlines recede and islands disappear? We can realistically expect to lose Hawaii and possibly a few other states - especially ones in New England. We could lose Florida altogether. And there's really no point to rebuilding New Orleans - since it too will be completely submerged fairly soon. What do you think might possibly happen to our political system - not to mention our economy? Oh yes, it will have to adapt to these changes. And so will we. You better think about that when you go to the voting polls next year. There will be at least a few politicians to lose their jobs - when their districts, counties, and states disappear - along with their voters.
I did mention that isostatic rebound could lessen the problem - but it's too soon to determine if and to what extent it will alleviate some of this problem. Canada might be the only North American country to get any advantage from this process - and Alaska, of course. But if anyone ever planned to visit Hawaii - they better go soon - before it's gone for a very long time. We can also say adios to the Galapagos and other important island groups. That does not even take into account all the ecological niches destroyed and animal and plant extinctions. Habitat destruction is nothing new to the human race - and sadly, neither are extinctions.
If the Northwest Passage is now open - decades before it was expected - do we really believe that these significant changes are not going to become a reality very soon?! Many islands in the Pacific Ocean and elsewhere are disappearing - forcing the farmers and other inhabitants to leave for high and dry ground. This is not a maybe folks - it is a REALITY! Turning a blind eye and a deaf ear does nobody any good whatsoever!
Until next time...
What will happen to the country's economy - and the world's - as the coastlines recede and islands disappear? We can realistically expect to lose Hawaii and possibly a few other states - especially ones in New England. We could lose Florida altogether. And there's really no point to rebuilding New Orleans - since it too will be completely submerged fairly soon. What do you think might possibly happen to our political system - not to mention our economy? Oh yes, it will have to adapt to these changes. And so will we. You better think about that when you go to the voting polls next year. There will be at least a few politicians to lose their jobs - when their districts, counties, and states disappear - along with their voters.
I did mention that isostatic rebound could lessen the problem - but it's too soon to determine if and to what extent it will alleviate some of this problem. Canada might be the only North American country to get any advantage from this process - and Alaska, of course. But if anyone ever planned to visit Hawaii - they better go soon - before it's gone for a very long time. We can also say adios to the Galapagos and other important island groups. That does not even take into account all the ecological niches destroyed and animal and plant extinctions. Habitat destruction is nothing new to the human race - and sadly, neither are extinctions.
If the Northwest Passage is now open - decades before it was expected - do we really believe that these significant changes are not going to become a reality very soon?! Many islands in the Pacific Ocean and elsewhere are disappearing - forcing the farmers and other inhabitants to leave for high and dry ground. This is not a maybe folks - it is a REALITY! Turning a blind eye and a deaf ear does nobody any good whatsoever!
Until next time...
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Some Stray Thoughts on Global Warming
Some things have occurred to me regarding the global warming trend. It was recently brought to my attention that the Northwest passage is now open for travel and exploration. A giant peat bog is now available for playing around in - I think, in northern Canada. These are things we did not have since they were buried under tons of glacial ice. It is true that the sea level will rise, altering coastlines the world over and submerging most islands. But for anyone who has ever played Sim City, islands are not the best landforms for booming populations of humans. Unless we are planning on shrinking ourselves to take up significantly less space on this planet, or give up the American dream of owning our own chunk of land with a nice big house on it, we are going to be needing continental land mass for living on and growing crops.
God forbid if some terrorist nut cases end up nuking some part of the planet, that region will be uninhabitable for thousands of years, at least. Maybe the Iranian warlords over there in the Middle East might want to think about that for a while before they push the wrong button. I do believe al Quaida and the Taliban have a suicide wish - because that's what will happen if they even try such a tactic - the entire Middle East will be wiped out in less than a day.
There's more to the Global Warming situation than a lot of folks realize. First of all, as the ice melts, sea level will rise everywhere. However, there is a concept in geology called isostatic rebound. As glacial ice melts away, the excess weight on the continental plate is decreased. The continental plate takes advantage of this and buoyantly bobs upward, similar to a spring being released after the pressure is taken off. In the final analysis, we may all end up with more coastline, instead of less, once all the ice is done for.
Since it is melting anyway, and since we need as much fresh water as we can get. I believe that the best course of action would be to harvest as much of the fresh water from these glaciers as we can, before it all ends up in the saline sea water. We could build massive reservoirs and catchments to collect it in and transport it to parts of the planet where it will do the most good, where fresh water is most needed for growing crops and making life livable.
These were just a few thoughts I have scurrying around in my mind, of late. Until later...
God forbid if some terrorist nut cases end up nuking some part of the planet, that region will be uninhabitable for thousands of years, at least. Maybe the Iranian warlords over there in the Middle East might want to think about that for a while before they push the wrong button. I do believe al Quaida and the Taliban have a suicide wish - because that's what will happen if they even try such a tactic - the entire Middle East will be wiped out in less than a day.
There's more to the Global Warming situation than a lot of folks realize. First of all, as the ice melts, sea level will rise everywhere. However, there is a concept in geology called isostatic rebound. As glacial ice melts away, the excess weight on the continental plate is decreased. The continental plate takes advantage of this and buoyantly bobs upward, similar to a spring being released after the pressure is taken off. In the final analysis, we may all end up with more coastline, instead of less, once all the ice is done for.
Since it is melting anyway, and since we need as much fresh water as we can get. I believe that the best course of action would be to harvest as much of the fresh water from these glaciers as we can, before it all ends up in the saline sea water. We could build massive reservoirs and catchments to collect it in and transport it to parts of the planet where it will do the most good, where fresh water is most needed for growing crops and making life livable.
These were just a few thoughts I have scurrying around in my mind, of late. Until later...
Sunday, October 14, 2007
A Pet Peeve
Declawing of animals should be outlawed.
People who get their pets declawed do not seem to realize what they do to their beloved pets. All that matters to them is material possessions like sofas, rugs, and window treatments.
I wish people would think about the animals feelings, for once in their lives. Why do certain people even bother to buy or adopt animals?! A status symbol - to show off how much they can afford to spend on a living toy?! Animals are not toys, not things, not mere objects! They are thinking creatures with feelings and, yes, they do feel pain. In order to declaw a cat, or any animal, the fingertips are surgically removed - or else the claws will grow back. I have heard of cats crippled with arthritis from declawing. But hey, who gives a damn about these animals' quality of life or the right to live a pain free life when we can just give them an injection to put them to sleep and put them out of their misery. God forbid if we should be expected to watch the poor creatures suffer because of what their adopted parents did to them at an early age. Look at your fingers. Where do your fingernails start growing from? It is the same for all mammals -and likely for all animals with claws, talons, or fingernails. GET THE POINT?! [pun intended].
Even those monsters who do animal testing for cosmetics have to cut their test animals' vocal chords so the testers won't be bothered by the animals crying and screaming in pain. It's one thing to do genetic testing on lab mice and rats to find cures for cancer - especially since the US federal government refuses the use of stem cells for real human embryos for such tests. Why test a bunch of human cells to find cures for human ailments and illnesses - when we can just as well torture some innocent creatures for the same thing?! Except, maybe, because they are not human, and do not have human DNA! If we used the human stem cells, we wouldn't even have to use the mice or rats anymore. It would cut down on the costs for the research since we could go directly to the human genome to do what we must do - it would save valuable time and needless suffering of those with such illnesses. It would also save countless animals needless suffering, as well.
Do not worry; I am not an advocate for PETA. I have never, and will never condone or support such a radical group. They care more about the political dramatics than they do about the animals they claim to protect. Just like the so-called pro-life advocates who are just as likely to throw their own children out on the streets at the age of twelve - or younger - because the child happens to be gay. All life is precious - but to these groups - only under certain conditions.
I saw a Rotweiller without its ears and tail clipped, for the first time in my life, this past weekend at the local pet expo - so I guess there's some hope. Animals are not perfect, and neither are humans. Guess what folks, humans are animals, too. That tends to offend some folks. It offends me when we expect other creatures, including ourselves to be perfect, to fit our ideals. I also do not much care for folks who go around and say that everyone is evil and going to hell. I admit that I make mistakes in this world, all the time. But, it is usually the humans, who are the most disappointing to me. The only creatures that ever cared about me were, and still are, the furry, four-legged kind. I have a rapport with animals. Currently, I have two beautiful cats, whom I adore - and a bunch of furry neighbor friends, several of which have been trying to cheer me up lately - since my human friends are apparently incapable of giving a damn. I am sure they are trying to tell us something. Too bad we cannot quiet our thoughts enough to listen, to them or each other.
People who get their pets declawed do not seem to realize what they do to their beloved pets. All that matters to them is material possessions like sofas, rugs, and window treatments.
I wish people would think about the animals feelings, for once in their lives. Why do certain people even bother to buy or adopt animals?! A status symbol - to show off how much they can afford to spend on a living toy?! Animals are not toys, not things, not mere objects! They are thinking creatures with feelings and, yes, they do feel pain. In order to declaw a cat, or any animal, the fingertips are surgically removed - or else the claws will grow back. I have heard of cats crippled with arthritis from declawing. But hey, who gives a damn about these animals' quality of life or the right to live a pain free life when we can just give them an injection to put them to sleep and put them out of their misery. God forbid if we should be expected to watch the poor creatures suffer because of what their adopted parents did to them at an early age. Look at your fingers. Where do your fingernails start growing from? It is the same for all mammals -and likely for all animals with claws, talons, or fingernails. GET THE POINT?! [pun intended].
Even those monsters who do animal testing for cosmetics have to cut their test animals' vocal chords so the testers won't be bothered by the animals crying and screaming in pain. It's one thing to do genetic testing on lab mice and rats to find cures for cancer - especially since the US federal government refuses the use of stem cells for real human embryos for such tests. Why test a bunch of human cells to find cures for human ailments and illnesses - when we can just as well torture some innocent creatures for the same thing?! Except, maybe, because they are not human, and do not have human DNA! If we used the human stem cells, we wouldn't even have to use the mice or rats anymore. It would cut down on the costs for the research since we could go directly to the human genome to do what we must do - it would save valuable time and needless suffering of those with such illnesses. It would also save countless animals needless suffering, as well.
Do not worry; I am not an advocate for PETA. I have never, and will never condone or support such a radical group. They care more about the political dramatics than they do about the animals they claim to protect. Just like the so-called pro-life advocates who are just as likely to throw their own children out on the streets at the age of twelve - or younger - because the child happens to be gay. All life is precious - but to these groups - only under certain conditions.
I saw a Rotweiller without its ears and tail clipped, for the first time in my life, this past weekend at the local pet expo - so I guess there's some hope. Animals are not perfect, and neither are humans. Guess what folks, humans are animals, too. That tends to offend some folks. It offends me when we expect other creatures, including ourselves to be perfect, to fit our ideals. I also do not much care for folks who go around and say that everyone is evil and going to hell. I admit that I make mistakes in this world, all the time. But, it is usually the humans, who are the most disappointing to me. The only creatures that ever cared about me were, and still are, the furry, four-legged kind. I have a rapport with animals. Currently, I have two beautiful cats, whom I adore - and a bunch of furry neighbor friends, several of which have been trying to cheer me up lately - since my human friends are apparently incapable of giving a damn. I am sure they are trying to tell us something. Too bad we cannot quiet our thoughts enough to listen, to them or each other.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Bolivian Crater Information and a Rant
This image courtesy of NASA Earth Observatory http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Source: http://intute.ac.uk/sciences/worldguide/html/image_2093.html
Apparently, there hasn't been much research done on the Bolivian impact crater. This is due to its remote location. I did get a few bits and pieces of information about it.
- It's called the Iturralde Structure or the Araona Crater.
- It's located at 19 degrees 49' South by 68 degrees 19' West - NW edge of the Salar de Uyuni, Eastern Bolivia
- Oval - elongated in a north-south direction and bowl-shaped - 8km across
- Flat-bottomed with very steep inner walls [similar to the Barringer Crater, AZ] with raised external rim
- It is located downslope of some volcanic craters with evidence of a more recent lava flow being diverted as well as a diverted river. This proves that it is relatively recent. Also, even though some weathering has obviously occurred, the crater is still in relatively good condition - albeit, buried under layers of decomposing organic-rich soils and vegetation.
This is about all there is about this crater. No tektites, shocked minerals, or other necessary evidence. Most of the data is biological in nature with a detailed study of the soil layers and their organic and ecological implications. Geological evidence is minimal and largely absent. Where's the evidence of a human settlement destroyed by the impact? The age is not even determined: estimated to have originated between five and twenty thousand years ago. If they had conducted proper geological sampling and measurements, a more accurate date could be determined. Who cares what the ecologies were/are inside the crater since the impact? They can do that later! We need to know when it occurred and any other pieces of evidence regarding the impact itself. This is not very encouraging. It is science of the most absurd kind. A botanist led the expedition who apparently decided that the geology was of little importance. Why did they go to investigate the crater in the first place? It's a geological impact structure - that's what drew them to the site. Instead they decide to study what plants have lived inside since the impact. The impact and the crater itself are of little importance to the advancements of science. Apparently! The sad lack of geological evidence has some scientists believing that it is merely a volcanic crater instead of one created by a meteor. The vast majority of the evidence is from satellite images - that's the only way we know its size and general shape. There is just nothing written about this crater. Maybe evidence has been gathered but not yet put out there in print for reference. It is a very vexing problem. Until later...
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