by admin | Mar 31, 2025 | environmentalism, geology, great salt lake, science, world
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EXPLORE FURTHER: California Getaway Marred by Intense Odors
Following many years of unsuccessful efforts to maintain
California
‘s endlessly troubled
120-year-old Salton Sea
A variety of new proposals aimed at rescuing the saline-filled lake are emerging.
Scientists discovered a monumental
18 million tons of lithium lie beneath the waters of Southern California’s ocean.
In late 2023—a significant discovery of $540 billion—however, they now must hurry as the saline body of water is rapidly disappearing.
The unintentional inland sea, situated 120 miles away from San Diego, came into existence around 120 years ago when the
Colorado
An irrigation canal east of Palm Springs was breached by a river.
The abrupt appearance of shimmering waters led to a temporary surge in tourism lasting through the 1960s; however, over most of that fifty-year period, the lake was more aptly characterized as an ‘ecological catastrophe.’
Currently, a fresh surge of conservation initiatives, fueled by substantial federal funds amounting to millions of dollars, has emerged, inspiring optimism among many who believe that the ensuing industrial development could catalyze economic growth—assuming everything unfolds as anticipated.
During the preceding presidential term, California saw significant financial support for conservation efforts. However, with the new Trump administration taking office, the previously approved funding now faces potential risks.
Introducing further instability into an environment that was already fragile, the massive discovery of lithium worth billions of dollars has sparked a competition between government entities and businesses aiming to harness this precious resource at breakneck speed—potentially jeopardizing the well-thought-out strategies designed to protect the dwindling water source.
Moreover, if a significant threat to funding weren’t sufficient, the very passage of time is exacerbating the decline of the sea due to its distinctive geographical features.
As the salt content in the leftover water keeps rising, the endorheic basin – which has no outlet for drainage – is vanishing at an accelerated pace, posing challenges for the local fauna.
The area surrounding the lake, known as a ‘sump,’ experiences contamination due to polluted runoff originating from adjacent agricultural lands. Additionally, this water body has been linked to the release of hazardous dust particles, which have led to degraded air quality and higher rates of asthma among residents living in proximity.
If left unaddressed, these problems could ultimately render the whole area ‘ uninhabitable,’ warns the Salton Sea Authority.
Nevertheless, aid for the needy region has arrived in numerous guises.
In 2022, the Bureau of Reclamation, under the Department of the Interior, unveiled a $250 million initiative aimed at speeding up the restoration efforts for the Salton Sea.
A year later, in late 2023, a $70million check designated towards ongoing conservation efforts landed, with more just like that in line.
The initial installment among numerous millions will partly fund the expansion of the state’s Species Conservation Habitat Project.
California’s Governor Gavin Newsom stated that the extensive initiative aims to establish a system of ponds and wetlands covering more than 4,000 acres designed to offer habitats for fish and birds as well as reduce dust emissions.
Another $2 million was obtained for the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians nearby to assist with the execution of the programs.
In November 2024, the far-westernmost state approved Proposition 4 — the Climate Security Bond — securing more than $10 billion for numerous conservation and climate initiatives.
The substantial contribution spurred another $170 million towards the ‘Salton Sea Restoration’ initiative, which also encompasses an extra $10 million for establishing the Salton Sea Conservancy.
Large amounts of money have similarly motivated the bird-focused Audubon Society, which has acquired more than 560 acres to help with ‘securing, protecting, and improving the current developing wetlands’.
SFGate
reported.
“This conservancy serves as an example of the state’s dedication to significant and enduring rehabilitation of this ecologically stressed area,” stated California Senator Steve Padilla.
California, together with various agencies, has been granted an extension until January 2026 to select over a dozen individuals for membership in the conservancy.
CalMatters
reported.
Nevertheless, owing to the recent wave of budget cuts initiated by the Trump administration, the anticipated increase in funding might still change course.
However, according to Department of Interior officials, these funds are currently ‘allocated’ for Salton Sea initiatives.
“Led by President Donald J. Trump, the Department of the Interior aims to reduce administrative waste and guarantee that taxpayers’ money is utilized effectively,” stated Michelle Helms, the Bureau of Reclamation’s Regional Communications Chief.
Reclamation has declared and committed $250 million for the Salton Sea under the IRA [Inflation Reduction Act of 2022]. So far, $35 million has been spent. The organization is collaborating with California state officials to secure funding for ongoing initiatives, according to the email sent to SFGate.
Now a competition has begun for the rights to the world’s biggest “white gold” deposit.
Various firms, both big and small, have flocked to the Salton Sea seeking affordable methods to retrieve lithium from the beleaguered body of water.
Research supported by the Department of Energy revealed that the basin contains an even larger quantity of lithium—referred to as “white gold” due to its soft, silver-white appearance—than was initially calculated.
The research, released in November 2023, revealed that approximately 18 million tons of recoverable metal may reside within the saline ocean, sufficient to fulfill America’s requirement for this critical element for several decades.
Governor Newsom has formerly referred to the ‘salty sea’ as the Saudi Arabia of lithium extraction.
This change would position the reservoir as the biggest globally, surpassing Chile’s capacity of nine million metric tons.
Currently, one ton of lithium costs $29,000, which means the resource in the Salton Sea has an estimated value exceeding $540 billion.
The DOE stated that this billion-dollar supply has the potential to support more than 375 million electric vehicle batteries.
Lithium is an essential element for battery production that
control anything from cellphones to EVs and solar panels
– And China has been dominating the market for years since 90 percent of the extracted metal is processed within the country.
Jeff Marootian, the principal deputy assistant secretary for energy efficiency and renewable energy, stated: “Lithium plays a crucial role in reducing carbon emissions and achieving President Biden’s objective of having electric vehicles make up 50% of all sales by 2030.”
This report highlights the rare chance to establish a domestic lithium sector domestically, concurrently boosting clean and versatile power production.
‘Leveraging American ingenuity, we can spearhead the clean energy revolution, generate employment opportunities, build a robust local supply chain, and enhance our nation’s energy security.’
Located in Riverside and Imperial counties at the southern tip of California, the Salton Sea spans 35 miles in length and 15 miles in width with a depth of 51 feet.
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by admin | Mar 24, 2025 | earth, earthquakes, geology, news, seismology
On Monday, an earthquake with a magnitude of 4.5 on the Richter scale hit Tibet, as reported by the National Center for Seismology (NCS), according to ANI news on March 24th.
As per the NCS, the quake happened at a relatively shallow depth of 5 kilometers, which makes the area prone to aftershocks.
Following a posting on X, NCS stated, “Magnitude EQ: 4.5, Time: March 24, 2025 at 10:08:35 IST, Latitude: 28.94 N, Longitude: 93.82 E, Depth: 5 km, Area: Tibet.”
On March 15, an earthquake with a magnitude of 3.5 shook Tibet earlier that day.
As per the National Centre for Seismology (NCS), the quake happened at a depth of 10 kilometers, which makes it prone to aftershocks.
The NCS stated in an X post that “On March 15, 2025 at 00:49:17 IST, an earthquake with a magnitude of 3.5 was recorded. The epicenter had coordinates latitude 28.39N and longitude 86.89E, with a depth of 10 kilometers, located in Tibet.”
On March 13, the National Center for Seismology reported that three earthquakes with magnitudes between 3.5 and 4.3 hit Tibet.
Shallow earthquakes pose a higher risk than deep ones because they unleash their considerable energy nearer to the Earth’s crust. Consequently, this leads to intensified ground vibrations and heightened destruction of buildings along with more significant loss of life when contrasted with deep quakes, which tend to dissipate force before reaching the surface.
The Tibetan Plateau experiences significant seismic activity because of colliding tectonic plates.
Tibet and Nepal sit along a significant geological fracture zone where the Indian tectonic plate collides with the Eurasian plate, leading to frequent seismic activity. This ongoing collision causes substantial uplifting forces capable of altering the elevations of the Himalayan summits, according to reports from Al Jazeera.
Marianne Karplus, a seismologist and geophysicist, stated to Al Jazeera that educating individuals about earthquakes and constructing quake-resistant buildings, along with providing funds for renovations and robust infrastructure, could safeguard people and properties during powerful seismic events.
“The Earth’s system is highly intricate, and forecasting earthquakes remains beyond our capabilities. Nonetheless, we can carry out scientific research to gain deeper insights into the factors triggering earthquakes in regions like Tibet and enhance our understanding of the tremors and their effects,” stated Karplus, a professor of geological sciences at the University of Texas at El Paso, during an interview with Al Jazeera. (ANI)
Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc.
Syndigate.info
).
by admin | Mar 24, 2025 | geology, volcanic eruptions, volcanoes, volcanology, world
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EXPLORE FURTHER: How would life on our planet be different if Yellowstone were to erupt?
Located five miles below the surface of Yellowstone National Park in
Wyoming
is a timebomb that has been brewing for over 640,000 years.
The Yellowstone supervolcano is a huge chamber filled with molten rock that has the capability to
trigger an eruption categorically eight times stronger than one hundred Krakatoa explosions
.
Thankfully,
Yellowstone
Has not had an eruption since humans started recording history.
However, a recent finding has underscored just how active this apparently inactive volcano truly is.
Researchers with the United States Geological Survey (USGS) have identified a recently formed volcanic vent in Norris Geyser Basin.
The vent is located at the base of a rhyolite lava flow and is releasing scalding steam upwards into the atmosphere.
‘While driving south from Mammoth Hot Springs towards Norris Geyser Basin early on August 5 last summer, a park scientist noticed a billowing steam column through the trees and across a marshy expanse,’ the USGS explained.
The keen-eyed scientist alerted the park geology team to confirm whether this was actually new activity.
The discovery of the new vent took place last summer inside an area known as the Roadside Springs thermal region.
Situated in an area marked by warm, hydrothermally altered terrain, the newly discovered feature spans roughly 200 feet (60 meters) in length and lies about 9.8 feet (three meters) beneath the surface of the marsh.
Soon after its discovery, park geologists went to examine the vent up close.
Over there, they found a layer of gray siliceous clay that was extremely thin, scarcely covering the surface, with temperatures reaching 77°C (171°F).
The team suggests that this shows the new vent is quite ‘recently formed.’
This kind of hydrothermal activity hasn’t been observed for the first time in this region.
In 2003, a comparable vent was observed on the opposite side of the same rhyolite lava flow.
USGS questioned whether the new feature and the event initiated in 2003 have a hydrological connection.
‘Probably.
‘A line drawn along the axis of the more ancient active region would cross through the newer feature.’
This line continues the pattern of fault lines extending from Norris Geyser Basin northwards towards Mammoth Hot Springs and further areas.
The fresh vent kept releasing steam into the sky throughout autumn, yet slowly faded away during the winter months.
“The feature stays enabled; however, there is some moisture present in the vent, which reduces the quantity of steam emitted,” the specialists noted.
‘It remains to be seen whether the robust plume will return during the summer of 2025.’
Up until now, geologists have documented over 100 significant hydrothermal sites in Yellowstone National Park and more than 10,000 features of these systems within its borders.
“The intensity of these phenomena fluctuates over time—one could say that some of them actually gain momentum!” the experts quipped.
Fortunately, USGS assures us that we have approximately 100,000 more years before the supervolcano is expected to erupt.
“When it comes to major eruptions, Yellowstone has had three such events approximately 2.08, 1.3, and 0.631 million years apart,” it stated.
This averages out to approximately 725,000 years per eruption.
‘Given these circumstances, we have roughly another 100,000 years before the next event; however, this estimation relies solely on the averages from only two eruption intervals, making it essentially insignificant.’
Read more
by admin | Jan 10, 2025 | earth science, earthquakes, geology, science, seismology
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EXPLORE FURTHER: The Enigma of Over 100 Quakes That Hit Surrey
is solved
From Atlantis to El Dorado and Avalon, legends suggest that our planet is scattered with vanished realms that suffered spectacular fates.
Although these are often regarded as creative legends, recent research uncovers proof of a ‘vanished realm’ under the Pacific Ocean.
Researchers from ETH Zurich and the
California
The Institute of Technology (Caltech) has discovered massive formations deep under the Pacific Ocean that theoretically shouldn’t be there.
This mystery material – which is making seismic waves in the region behave strangely – could be evidence of a lost land from hundreds of millions of years ago.
Based on present scientific theories, the unusual material located in the lower mantle, approximately 600 miles (1,000 km) under the ocean surface, ‘ought not to be present’ there.
Referred to as a significant enigma, these discoveries challenge ‘our present comprehension of how our planet functions,’ stated the scientists involved.
“The team, in their paper published in various journals, emphasize that understanding Earth’s structure is crucial for deciphering its internal movements,” they state.
Scientific Reports
.
These discoveries indicate a greater variety of sources for these irregularities in Earth’s lower mantle.
The Earth consists of three layers: the crust, the mantle, and the core, as identified subsequently.
divided into ‘internal’ and ‘external’ parts
.
The issue is that nobody can observe what lies beneath the Earth’s surface, and drilling deep enough to collect rock samples from the mantle is impossible for us.
Rather than directly observing Earth’s insides, researchers examine the velocities of seismic waves – the tremors triggered by quakes and blasts – as these waves move through our planet’s depths.
Seismograph stations capture these waves, and from these records, experts can deduce information regarding the Earth’s structure and makeup.
‘ETH Zurich explained that this process closely resembles how medical professionals utilize ultrasound technology to visualize internal structures such as organs, muscles, or blood vessels within the body without requiring surgical intervention.’
It is widely recognized that Earth’s lithosphere—the rocky exterior layer consisting of the upper part of the mantle and the crust—is made up of approximately 15 tectonic plates.
Earthquakes can be identified around the edges of tectonic plates, where these massive sections grind against one another.
However, long ago, substantial tectonic plates vanished beneath Earth’s surface through a process known as ‘subduction.’
What methods do scientists use to learn about Earth’s inner structure?
Nobody can observe what lies within the Earth, and drilling isn’t sufficient to obtain rock specimens from the mantle—the layer located between the planet’s core and crust.
Therefore, geophysicists employ indirect techniques to understand what lies far below our surface.
For instance, they utilize seismograms, which are records of earthquakes, to ascertain the velocity at which seismic waves travel.
They subsequently utilize this data to determine the Earth’s interior composition—much like physicians employ ultrasounds to visualize the insides of the human body.
This is the geological process where one tectonic plate gets thrust beneath another, and gradually, an entire plate can disappear.
Previously, seismologists have located submerged tectonic plates across the Earth’s mantle, though these were consistently found beneath subduction zones.
In their latest research, scientists from ETH Zurich and Caltech employed a computational method known as ‘full-waveform inversion.’ This approach generates a three-dimensional representation of the Earth’s structure utilizing seismic wave information.
They pinpointed regions beneath the Pacific that appear to be remnants of sunken tectonic plates, yet these zones are situated far from plate edges without any geologic signs of previous subduction activity.
The Pacific Plate is essentially one single tectonic plate, which means there shouldn’t be any subducting material beneath it at all.
This implies that the anomalies are not simply submerged tectonic plates. Nevertheless, identifying the actual nature of this material—or understanding its implications for the dynamic processes within the Earth—remains a mystery.
“It’s akin to a physician who has spent years using ultrasounds to examine blood flow and discovers arteries precisely where they should be,” stated co-author Professor Andreas Fichtner, a seismologist at ETH Zurich.
‘If you provide him with a more advanced examination tool, he abruptly detects an artery in the buttocks that shouldn’t actually be present. This precisely mirrors our reaction to these new discoveries.’
Nevertheless, the researchers offer several hypotheses regarding the anomalies, suggesting that these would require additional data beyond just wave speeds to draw any firm conclusions.
These might consist of ancient, high-silica substances that have remained within the mantle from its inception around four billion years ago.
Instead, these areas might be regions where iron-rich rocks gather due to mantle activity spanning millions of years.
They state in their paper, “There are various possible interpretations for the observation of positive wave speed anomalies within Earth’s (lower) mantle besides the existence of subducted slabs.”
‘Our study highlights the essential function of full waveform inversion as a crucial technique for exploring the mantle.’
Read more
by admin | Sep 2, 2024 | earth, earth science, engineering, geology, science
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Scientists identified a torus-like area at the upper boundary of the outer core.
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This less dense area aids in agitating the molten metal, thereby producing the magnetic field.
Researchers have discovered an enormous ring-like formation hidden deep below the surface.
Scientists from the Australian National University utilized seismic waves created by
earthquakes
to gaze into the Earth’s enigmatic liquid center.
By following the trajectory of these waves throughout the Earth, scientists discovered a layer approximately hundreds of kilometers deep where their speed decreased by two percent compared to usual.
The doughnut-shaped formation encircles the Earth’s liquid outer core along an equatorial path, potentially playing a key role in generating our planet’s shielding magnetic field.
Professor Hrvoje Tkalčić, who led the research, states: “The magnetic field is an essential component required for sustaining life on Earth’s surface.”
Our planet consists of four primary layers.
the exterior crust, the partly molten mantle, a fluid metallic outer core, and a solid metallic inner core.
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When the movement of tectonic plates in the crust creates earthquakes, these produce vibrations that spread out through all the other layers of the Earth.
Leveraging the global network of seismic monitoring stations,
Scientists can observe how the waves propagate and use this information to forecast the circumstances beneath the water’s surface.
Researchers typically focus on the large, strong wavefronts that circulate globally within the initial hour following an earthquake.
Nevertheless, Professor Tkalčić and his co-author Dr. Xiaolong Ma managed to identify this pattern by examining the subtle remnants of waves that persisted for several hours following the primary shock.
The technique demonstrated that seismic waves propagating close to the poles were traveling at a quicker pace compared to those nearer to the equator.
When they compared their findings with various models of the Earth’s interior, Professor Tkalčić and Dr Ma discovered that these observations were most accurately described by the existence of an extensive subterranean ‘torus’, essentially a doughnut-shaped area.
They forecast that this area is located solely at low latitudes and aligns with the equator close to the upper boundary of the outer core, where the liquid part interfaces with the mantle.
“We aren’t certain about the precise thickness of the doughnut, but we deduced that it extends several hundred kilometers below the core-mantle boundary,” states Professor Tkalčić.
Due to the vital importance of this area, their discovery might also hold significant consequences for understanding life on our planet and beyond.
The Earth’s outer core extends about 2,160 miles (3,480 km), which is somewhat bigger than the size of Mars.
Primarily composed of molten nickel and iron, convection currents combined with the planet’s spin drive the fluid metals in this region into elongated vertical whirls oriented from north to south, similar to colossal water tornadoes.
The rotating flows within these molten materials function akin to a dynamo, generating the Earth’s magnetic field.
As this donut-shaped area has risen to the upper part of the liquid outer core, it implies that it might contain an abundance of lighter elements such as silicon, sulfur, oxygen, hydrogen, or carbon.
Professor Tkalčić states: “Our discoveries are intriguing as this reduced speed within the liquid core suggests a significant presence of lightweight chemical elements in those areas, which would consequently decelerate the seismic waves.”
These lightweight components, along with variations in temperature, assist in agitating the fluid within the outer core.
Without that vigorous movement to power the planet’s internal dynamo, Earth’s magnetic field may not have come into existence.
In the absence of the magnetic field, the planet’s surface would face an unrelenting assault from charged particles.
From the sun, which has the power to damage the genetic material of living organisms.
This ring-like area could thus be an essential clue in understanding how life originated on Earth and what signs we should search for when identifying potentially livable exoplanets.
Dr. Tkalčić concludes: “Our findings might encourage further investigation into the magnetic fields of both our planet and others.”
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