Geology.com

Hurricane Irene: Coastal Change Aerial Images

Pre- and post-storm photo comparisons between Cape Lookout, NC and Oregon Inlet, NC. ”

The barrier island coast between Cape Lookout and Cape Hatteras has a very different orientation than the coast between Cape Hatteras and Oregon Inlet; in fact, together, they form nearly a right angle. This difference in orientation has contributed to differences in impact on each coast during the passage of Hurricane Irene.” Quoted from the USGS news release.

Halliburton Could Hire 11,000

Halliburton says that they expect to hire about 11,000 oil field service people in 2011. Many of the jobs will be in North Dakota.

Mount St. Helens Landslide Assessment

The United States Geological Survey has a helicopter flying instruments at low altitude over Mount St. Helens. They are collecting moisture data that will be used to assess the potential for landslides.

Massive Landslide in Taiwan

Dave Petley has posted several images of a massive landslide in Taiwan caused by typhoon Nanmadol.

Did Life Begin on a Pumice Raft?

“Floating rafts of volcanic pumice could have played a significant role in the origins of life on Earth, scientists from Oxford University and the University of Western Australia have suggested.” Quoted from the University of Oxford news release.

Bedrock Nitrogen and Forests

“For the first time, researchers at the University of California, Davis, have demonstrated that forest trees have the ability to tap into nitrogen found in rocks, boosting the trees’ growth and their ability to pull more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.” Quoted from the University of California – Davis news release.

United Kingdom Oil and Gas Report

“The United Kingdom (U.K.) is the largest producer of oil and second-largest producer of natural gas in the European Union (E.U.). After years of being a net exporter of both fuels, the U.K. became a net importer of natural gas and crude oil in 2004 and 2005, respectively. Production from U.K. oil and natural gas fields peaked in the late 1990s and has declined steadily over the past several years, as the discovery of new reserves has not kept pace with the maturation of existing fields.” Quoted from the EIA country analysis report.

Keystone XL Pipeline: Support and Opposition

The Keystone XL Pipeline is a project that would transport crude oil produced from oil sands in Alberta, Canada to refineries on the US Gulf of Mexico coast. The project has oil industry support and significant environmental opposition.

Hurricane Katia – Category 3

“LARGE SWELLS GENERATED BY KATIA WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT MOST OF THE EAST COAST OF THE UNITED STATES…BERMUDA…THE GREATER ANTILLES…AND EAST-FACING BEACHES OF THE BAHAMAS DURING THE NEXT FEW DAYS. THESE SWELLS ARE LIKELY TO CAUSE LIFE-THREATENING SURF AND RIP CURRENT CONDITIONS. PLEASE CONSULT PRODUCTS FROM YOUR LOCAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.” Quoted from the National Hurricane Center.

Argo Floats Monitor Ocean pH and Carbon Dioxide

Scientists can now remotely monitor the ocean’s changing chemistry with help from some of the five-foot-tall Argo floats that drift with deep ocean currents and transmit data via satellite back to land.

Pennsylvanians: Favorable View of the Natural Gas Industry

In a poll by Franklin & Marshall College, two-thirds of Pennsylvanians surveyed reported a favorable view of the Natural Gas Industry.

Geology Field Camp in New Zealand?

An opportunity to attend a December-February field camp located on the Indian-Australian/Pacific plate boundary. The course provides training in basic through to more advanced field geological methods, with applications to geological problems in the varied structural and geomorphic settings of New Zealand. Many students from the USA have completed the course.