Submitted by Steve on Mon, 06/23/2014 - 12:49
In any
field of endeavor be it sports, law, medicine, or science, there are legendary places,
episodes, and people that you just can’t miss reading about. In geophysics,
Lituya Bay stands in this category, one almost verging on tall tale.
Submitted by Steve on Fri, 05/16/2014 - 12:33
If
you have ever holidayed in Rome, probably you took a side trip to the Alban
Hills, 15 miles south of the City.
The Alban Volcano Complex has been a get away spot for Romans for 1000s
of years. Emperor Caligula took his mammoth ‘pleasure ship’ out for summer
night spins around Nemi Lake in one of the Alban craters. To escape city heat, Popes have retreated to
their summer home at Castel Gandolfo above Albano Lake since 1700.
Submitted by Steve on Tue, 04/15/2014 - 11:33
One
February several years ago I was invited to give a presentation at the “Spring
Meeting” of a Geological Club in Saint John’s Newfoundland. I arrived to face freezing
rain and three inches of ice coating every possible exterior surface. I learn
later that the “Spring Meeting” handle was an example of Newfoundland humor. I
guess that same humor explains why Newfoundland Standard Time is GMT less three --- AND ONE HALF --- hours.
Submitted by Steve on Fri, 03/07/2014 - 12:12
The
French Riviera enjoys a wonderful climate. No surprise that all those movie stars,
sports heroes, and super models hang out in places like Monaco, Nice, Cannes
and Fréjus. OK -- maybe not so many rich and famous spend time
in Fréjus, but it is the setting for today’s blog, so bear with me.
Submitted by Steve on Tue, 02/04/2014 - 13:07
March
27, 2014 marks the 50-th anniversary of the Great Alaska Earthquake and
Tsunami. Although perhaps not an occasion
for cake and ice cream, it certainly is an occasion for thought regarding both
historical and future earthquake disasters. Who can say, 50 years from now we might be reminiscing about the Great Cascadia
Earthquake and Tsunami of 2015.
Submitted by Steve on Wed, 01/01/2014 - 15:18
Have
you ever heard of China’s Three Gorges Dam? That’s that mega project intended to
control the Yangtze River. At 1.3 miles
long, 610 feet high, and possessing the hydroelectric capacity of eleven Hoover
Dams, the thing is sometimes called “China’s Other Great Wall”.
Submitted by Steve on Mon, 12/02/2013 - 10:46
Submitted by Steve on Sun, 11/03/2013 - 14:24
Submitted by Steve on Fri, 09/27/2013 - 15:09
Last
time I asked that you stay tuned for the ‘Worst Dam Disaster in History’. From the title of this blog you might guess
where that happened. Yep, China. The year, 1975 – not that long ago really.
From
the late 1950’s to mid 1970’s, China went on a dam building binge. Lacking local
talent, Russians largely supervised the design, engineering, and construction
of 100s of dams. Impoundment and distribution of irrigation water to grow food for the
masses drove the frenzy.
Submitted by Steve on Mon, 08/26/2013 - 14:48
In
the 1960s, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation drew plans for Teton
River Dam in eastern Idaho. Like most of their type, Teton River intended to be of
multi-value to nearby inhabitants in the forms of irrigation, flood control,
hydro-power and recreation. The earth-fill barrier, 93 meters high and 520 meters across fitted out in May, 1976.
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