ArticlesScience

Earthquakes, Tsunamis, Mudslides: Extreme Events - What Do They Mean?

read ( words)


In lieu of recent, tumultuous occurrences, people are more compelled than ever to discover the mystery of these modern-day, earth-changing events.

One day, Earth(1) is experiencing the fourth largest earthquake in a century - a 9.0 tectonics plate(2) shift(3) off the coast of Sumatra(4), the next day - Tsunami(5).

A Report(6) from NASA explains how the poles have permanently shifted by an entire inch. According to Dr. Benjamin Fong Chao, "...Any worldly event that involves the movement of mass affects the Earth's rotation, from seasonal weather down to driving a car." Per the findings of Doctors Chao and Gross, the North Pole(7) has shifted by an inch in the direction of 145 degree East Longitude. Based on their report too, was that Earth's oblateness(8) (gravity field) was also decreased by a small amount.

To translate into laymen's terms, the change in mass distribution(9) can effect long-term global climate changes(10)(11); thus, the El Nino/La Nina(12) effect is strengthened due to unusual mean sea level pressure(13).

The Journal of Geophysical Research(14) published an abstract on data analysis from the Earth's gravity field(15). In their profound study, results showed that Earth's gravity field has undergone significant variations during the past 28 years alone. The largest (of these fluctuations) occurred during the 1996 - 2002 time frame. Again, we have a scenario of mass redistributions in the atmosphere and ocean in a relatively short period.

Personal research from the National Earthquake Information Center(16) showed that between December 5, 2004 and January 5, 2005 there were over 170 earthquakes across the globe that measured over a 5.0 (on the Richter Scale).

According to the Volcano Information Center(17), 77 volcanoes have erupted or are experiencing ongoing eruptions since 2002 - 2004; of which, 57 began erupting during 2004 alone.

The recent California Mudslides(18), the torrential downpours, and extreme winter precipitation begs one to try and comprehend what exactly is occurring and why it is happening at this point in time. Once again, we return to the statement made by Dr. Benjamin Fong Chao, "...Any worldly event that involves the movement of mass affects the Earth's rotation, from seasonal weather down to driving a car."

Based on this analogy, we can clearly define that magnetic field composition and movement can and does affect global weather (on a broad scale). But what other effects can the magnetic field have on the planet as a whole?

Interestingly enough, I was able to retrieve different reports that may somehow involve magnetic field proponents: In February of 2004, `...over 10,000 Bramblings dropped dead in a `bird rain' in the Eastern Province of Jiangsu - Yangzi,' as reported in the BBC News. In addition, in November of 2004, 100s of Whales and dolphins were found stranded off the coast of Tasmania and New Zealand (Australia Broadcasting Corp ). Reporter Jocelyn Nettlefold stated, "...The weather appears to be central to the stranding cycle. Every decade or so, atmospheric changes bring cooler, sub-Antarctic waters further north..." Professor Mark Hindell further elaborated, "...there have been suggestions in the past that seismic exploration may have been associated with strandings in the US..."

In a more comprehensive Article from Progress in Physical Geography, Sudden Climate Transitions during the Quaternary, Scientists found that the `...time span of the past few million years has been punctuated by many rapid climate transitions, most of them on time scales of centuries to decades or even less...' and `...Judging by its past behavior under both glacial and interglacial conditions, climate has a tendency to remain quite stable for most of the time and then suddenly `flip'; at least sometimes over just a few decades, due to the influence of the various triggering and feedback mechanisms..."

This, in relation to magnetic pole shifts would inevitably and theoretically explain dramatic climate transitions. Since 1990, surface waters in tropical and subtropical Atlantic Ocean regions became markedly saltier, while at the same time, much of the water column in the high altitudes of the North and South Atlantic Oceans became fresher. (Report: New Study Reports Large-scale Salinity Changes in the Oceans)

My own theory is as such: Seismological Events = Polar Shifts = Climatic Changes = Global Warming = Sea Level Rise = Continued Seismological Events = etc., etc., etc. In other words, seismological events brought on by nature or manmade contraptions, is the beginning of a vicious cycle.

To further fuel the debate of greenhouse effects directly attributed by sea level rise, `Glacial Melt Alarms Scientists,' as reported by Terry Rombeck of Journal-World, Prasad Gogineni (Kansas Univ. Researcher) stated, "...I don't think sea-level rise is an immediate concern. You're talking about the long term, 50 or 100 years. But the assumptions we've made are based on gradual increases over 100 years. What we're seeing are dramatic increases."

Overall, the Earth, as we know it is inconceivably changing before our eyes. It is still not too late to make our own transitions in how we proceed with this newfound knowledge. The key to scientific research and global climatic/geological phenomena is that we, as human beings, have the inevitable power to implement strategic changes that can ultimately reverse or at least slow the effects of our own ability to inhabit this Earthly plane. In so, the solution lies within us all. The only difference between mankind's survival and mass-level extinction is whether or not we choose to use the solution.

For a more metaphysical point of view on polar shifts, Crawford 2000 has an interesting site at http://www.crawford2000.co.uk/mag.htm

For information on what you can do to make our world a better one, visit the websites of the US Environmental Protection Agency & GreenPeace

? 2005 - Earthquakes, Tsunamis, Mudslides: Extreme Events - What Do They Mean? By C. Bailey-Lloyd, Aka. LadyCamelot in conjunction with Holistic Junction

References

1, 3, 4, 5 Wikipeida, the free Encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/

2. Geology: Plate Tectonics http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/geology/tectonics.html

6. National Aeronautics and Space Administration: NASA News - NASA Details Earthquake Effects on Earth - Gretchen Cook-Anderson/ Dolores Beasley - Headquarters, Washington Jan. 10, 2005: RELEASE: 05-0011

7. Woods Hole Marine Magnetism Group: Magnetic North Pole - mtivey@whoi.edu - Last revised: 1999/12/14

8. Wolfram Research: Scienceworld.wolfram.com - Mechanics, Gravity - Oblateness: Stacey, F. D. Physics of the Earth, 2nd ed. New York: Wiley, p. 56, 1977. ? Eric W. Weisstein

9. Ask A Scientist - Astronomy Archive: Land Mass Distribution, NEWTON is an electronic community for Science, Math, and Computer Science K-12 Educators. Argonne National Laboratory, Division of Educational Programs, Harold Myron, Ph.D., Division Director.

10. EPA: Global Warming: Climate: An Introduction, January 7th, 2000

11. NASA - Most Changes in Earth's Shape are Due to Changes in Climate - 81-07-05

12. US Dept of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: NOAA El Nino Page - Environmental Services Data and Information Management (ESDIM)

13. Australian Government - Bureau of Meterology: Mean Sea Level Pressre Analysis: Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 2005, Bureau of Meteorology (ABN 92 637 533 532)

14. AGU - Journal of Geophysical Research, VOL 109, B09402, doic.10.1029/2004JB003028, 2004 - Variations in the Earth's oblateness during the past 28 years: Byron D. Tapley, Center for Space Research, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA

15: EO Newsroom: New Images - Earth's Gravity Field - Earth Observatory (NASA)- Responsible NASA official: Yoram Kaufman

16. USGS: Earthquake Hazards Program: National Earthquake Information Center - Earthquake Hazards Program - URL: http://neic.usgs.gov

17. Volcano Information Center (VIC): Copyright (C) 1999, by Richard V.Fisher. All rights reserved.

18. The Science of Slides: A Primer on How Debris Flows Work, by Jen Shaffer

Additional Sources:

BBC News

Australia Broadcasting Corp

Progress in Physical Geography - Sudden Climate Transitions during the Quaternary by Jonathan Adams, Mark Maslin, Ellen Thomas

Free Republic - New Study Reports Large-scale Salinity Changes in the Oceans - Space Daily

Glacial Melt Alarms Scientists - From Lawrence Journal World By Terry Rombeck

C. Bailey-Lloyd
aka. LadyCamelot
Public Relations' Director & Staff Writer for Holistic Junction - Your Source for information on Massage Therapy Schools, Holistic Practitioners, Alternative Health, Insightful literature and more!

Rate this article
Current Rating 0 stars (0 ratings)
Click the star above that marks your rating