Swarm Of Earthquakes

February 11, 2009 by adminclyd · Leave a Comment
Filed under: News & Media 
The swarm of earthquakes that hit Yellowstone National Park in late December and January was the second-largest earthquake swarm in Yellowstone’s recorded seismic history, the Yellowstone Volcano Laboratory said today in its updated analysis of the quakes. The laboratory said the swarm began Dec. 26 and continued into January but that it subsided rather quickly on Jan. 5. The swarm under the north end of Yellowstone Lake consisted of 813 earthquakes with magnitudes ranging up to 3.9. The sequence contained 19 earthquakes of 3.0 or higher. A number of the quakes were felt in the park itself and in surrounding areas, said the observatory. For the entire month of January, 315 earthquakes were located, with 205 associated with the Yellowstone Lake swarm.

A second swarm of 35 earthquakes from Jan. 9 to Jan. 12 occurred near the northeast edge of the Yellowstone caldera, about 10 miles north northeast of the north end of the Yellowstone Lake swarm. The strongest of the quakes was 3.3. The observatory said Yellowstone commonly experiences 1,000 to 3,000 earthquakes a year. There have been more than 32,000 earthquakes recorded in Yellowstone from 1973 to 2009. Scientists said today that while earthquake activity was elevated during the Yellowstone Lake swarms, the amount of earthquake activity has now “returned to relatively normal background levels.” Through January, said the scientists, the Yellowstone caldera has continued to rise, though at a lower rate than the past several years.

The Yellowstone Plateau, which comprises Yellowstone National Park, is one of the largest super volcanoes in the world and has gone through three volcanic cycles spanning two million years that included some of the world’s largest-known eruptions. Yellowstone is the site of the largest and most diverse collection of natural thermal features in the world. The most devastating earthquake in recent history in the Yellowstone region occurred on Aug. 17, 1959, when a magnitude 7.1 earthquake hit. It was centered near Hebgen Lake, Mont., killed 28 people and caused more than $11 million in damage. The observatory was created as a partnership of the U.S. Geological Survey, Yellowstone National Park and the University of Utah. It monitors long-term volcanic and earthquake activity in the Yellowstone Park region.

Victorian Bush Fire Tragedy

February 11, 2009 by adminclyd · Leave a Comment
Filed under: News & Media 
Helping to protect the environment and the wildlife that inhabited it was what drove Jenny and John Barnett. Both were researchers for environmental organizations and devoted their lives to the cause. Friends and colleagues yesterday said the pair loved going to their holiday house in Steels Creeks every weekend to be “refreshed” and have some peace and tranquility. The couple was at their weekend retreat on Saturday night when the fire swept through the community, taking at least 13 lives. They did not survive. Ms Barnett, a researcher with the Victorian National Parks Association, completed work on mammal counts, endangered species and fuel-reduction burning, which she supported in the state’s national parks. She was also a voice for the environment, tirelessly campaigning on wildlife issues in the media. Mr Barnett had worked at the Department of Primary Industries to help prevent animal cruelty, before moving to the University of Melbourne 12 months ago to take up a role as an associate professor at the department of agriculture and food systems.

Friends described Mr Barnett as a brilliant researcher who was passionate about the protection of animals. “He was a meticulous scientist and was very driven,” said his boss — and friend — Frank Dunshea. Professor Dunshea said Mr Barnett worked on improving the code of practice on how animals were housed, as well as looking at animal behavior. He said his department was still in shock over his death in the bush fire tragedy. “Jenny and John loved their weekend retreat in Steels Creek. They spent every weekend there and he always returned on Monday morning refreshed and relaxed,” he said. Colleagues and friends at the VNPA are coming to terms with losing Ms Barnett. “Jenny was a conservationist, she was a tireless researcher and respected for her reports and contributions,” said Phil Ingamells, who worked with Ms Barnett. “She was also a delight to be around the place.”