U.S. Geological Survey
U.S. Department of the Interior
News Release
For release: June 5, 2008
Contact:
Jessica Robertson, 703-648-6624, jrobertson@usgs.gov
Science Picks — Leads, Feeds and Story Seeds
June 2008 Edition
In this edition of Science Picks, discover details about the recent major
earthquake in China, including expectations for aftershocks, and find out
about a hypothetical earthquake scenario unveiled for Southern California
and new publications on how to trek along the Hayward fault line. Learn
about climate change impacts on the Colorado River basin and an opportunity
to attend a briefing on the issue, how mineral production data reflect the
U.S. economic slowdown, the start of hurricane season, and much more! If
you would like to receive Science Picks via e-mail, would like to change
the recipient, or no longer want to receive it, please e-mail
jrobertson@usgs.gov.
June Highlights:
· Major Earthquake in China Results in Casualties and Severe Damage
· Disaster Earthquake Scenario Unveiled for Southern California
· Tracing the Hayward Fault: Online and On the Ground
· Climate Change Impacts to the Colorado River Basin
· Mineral Production Data Reflect Economic Slowdown
· Hurricanes: The Season is Here
· What’s Up With Sinkholes?
· Dying Bats in the Northeast Remain a Mystery
· Boldly Going Where No Man (or Woman) Goes: USGS Unmanned Aircraft
· Is the Water Warm Enough for a Dip?
· No Bandying Around: The Future of the Bird Banding Laboratory
· Humans Hunting Wolves: Effects on Wolf Packs
· Sea Otters: Picky Eaters
· Ducking in for a Spring Break: Southern Oregon and Northeastern
California
LEADS: (top news, updates and happenings in natural science)
Major Earthquake in China Results in Casualties and Severe Damage
A magnitude-7.9 earthquake occurred on May 12, about 55 miles west of
Chengdu, Sichuan, China, an urban area with a population of more than 10
million. As a result of this earthquake, there have been at least 34,000
casualties and severe damage in the nearby mountainous areas. The
earthquake was felt throughout South Asia, including as far away as
Pakistan, Thailand and Vietnam. Earthquakes in this part of China are
infrequent but not unexpected. The most recent damaging earthquakes were a
magnitude-6.1 earthquake in 1989 and a magnitude-7.5 earthquake in 1933,
which killed more than 9,000 people. Aftershocks of the May 12 quake are
expected to continue for months. Within the first few hours following the
7.9 quake, more than 13 moderate-size earthquakes were recorded, the
largest being a magnitude 6.0. The USGS is continuing to monitor earthquake
activity in the area. More detailed information about these and other
earthquakes around the world can be found at
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/.
For more information, contact Clarice Nassif Ransom at 703-648-4299 or
cransom@usgs.gov.
Disaster Earthquake Scenario Unveiled for Southern California
Scientists recently unveiled a hypothetical scenario describing how a
magnitude-7.8 Southern California earthquake — similar to the recent
earthquake in China — would impact the region. Impacts include loss of
lives and massive damage to infrastructure, including critical
transportation, power, and water systems. In the scenario, the earthquake
would kill 1800 people, injure 50,000, cause $200 billion in damage, and
have long-lasting social and economic consequences. This is the most
comprehensive analysis ever of what a major Southern California earthquake
would mean, and is the scientific framework for what will be the largest
earthquake preparedness drill in California history, scheduled for November
13, 2008. A copy of the full technical report “The ShakeOut Scenario” is
available online at
http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2008/1150, and a non-technical
summary narrative is online at
http://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/1324/. Paper
copies of the narrative are available by request. High-resolution images
and a computer animation showing the scenario earthquake rupture and the
waves of energy spreading across Southern California are online at
http://urbanearth.usgs.gov/shakeout. For more information, contact Clarice
Nassif Ransom at 703-648-4299 or cransom@usgs.gov.
Tracing the Hayward Fault: Online and On the Ground
Ever wonder exactly where the Hayward Fault is located? Three new
educational publications will show you just where to look. A field trip
guidebook, online virtual tour, and factsheet aimed at increasing awareness
of the greater Bay Area’s most hazardous and urbanized fault are available
courtesy of USGS scientists. The 140th anniversary of the 1868 Hayward
earthquake this October 21 marks an important milestone — the past five
large earthquakes on the Hayward Fault have been about 140 years apart on
average, and a repeat of this powerful earthquake could happen at any
moment. A recent report indicates that the Hayward Fault is the most likely
fault to produce a magnitude-6.7 or larger earthquake in the greater Bay
Area in the next 30 years. The field trip guidebook is available online at
http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2008/1135/, the online virtual tour at
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/nca/...rtualtour/, and the factsheet
at
http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2008/3019/. For more information, contact Susan
Garcia at 650-329-4668 or garcia@usgs.gov.
Climate Change Impacts to the Colorado River Basin
Scientific research indicates that warmer temperatures may create
substantial water supply shortages in the Colorado River. This would
greatly impact the more than 25 million people who rely on this source for
water and power. Science-based tools and information are needed to adapt to
changing climate conditions in this region of growing population and
limited water resources. For more information on the USGS model showing
potential shortages from this basin, visit
http://water.usgs.gov/nrp/proj.bib/Publi...k_2007.pdf
. The USGS is hosting a congressional briefing on June 6 in Washington,
D.C. on climate change impacts on the Colorado River. The briefing is open
to the public. For more information about this briefing, visit
www.usgs.gov/solutions or contact Jessica Robertson at 703-648-6624 or
jrobertson@usgs.gov.
Mineral Production Data Reflect Economic Slowdown
The USGS releases minerals information essential to the U.S. economy and
national security. The latest quarterly USGS data on U.S. mineral
production reflect the domestic housing market decline over the past year.
The USGS study shows significant declines in domestic production for a
number of construction materials, including cement, gypsum, crushed stone,
and construction sand and gravel. USGS mineral data are used by the Federal
Reserve System’s Board of Governors in preparing its index of industrial
production, a principal economic indicator. To see the report “U.S.
Production of Selected Mineral Commodities,” visit
http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/c...y/mis.html. For more
information on the USGS Mineral Resources Program, visit
http://minerals.usgs.gov/. You can also contact Jessica Robertson at
703-648-6624 or jrobertson@usgs.gov.
FEEDS: (USGS tools and resources)
Hurricanes: The Season is Here
June 1 marks the start of this year’s hurricane season and the USGS has
science that weathers the storm. More than half of the U.S. population is
located within 50 miles of a coast, and that number is continuously
increasing. A major goal of the USGS is to reduce the vulnerability of the
people and areas most at risk from natural hazards. Learn more about what
the USGS is doing by visiting
http://www.usgs.gov/hazards/hurricanes/2008/.
For more information, contact Jennifer LaVista at 703-648-4432 or
jlavista@usgs.gov.
What’s Up With Sinkholes?
Sinkholes are common where the rock below the land surface can naturally be
dissolved by ground water circulating through them. These rocks include
limestone, gypsum and salt. As the rock dissolves, underground voids and
caverns develop. The recent sinkhole and catastrophic collapse in Texas is
an example of an area impacted by subsurface salt. Sinkholes are dramatic
because the land surface may not show evidence of the caverns below until a
collapse occurs. These collapses can range from several feet in diameter to
many acres and affect houses, roads and other infrastructure. About 25 to
30 percent of our country is underlain by soluble rock, practically every
state contains soluble rock in the subsurface, and large regions in the
Appalachians, the Midwest, Florida and Texas are prone to sinkhole
collapses. For more information about sinkholes, listen to an interview
with USGS scientist Randall Orndorff at
http://www.usgs.gov/corecast/details.asp?ID=74 or visit
http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/earthgwsinkholes.html. You can also contact
Randall Orndorff at 703-648-4316 or rorndorf@usgs.gov or David Weary at
703-648-6897 or dweary@usgs.gov.
Dying Bats in the Northeast Remain a Mystery
Investigations continue into the cause of a mysterious illness that has
resulted in the deaths of thousands of bats since March 2008. At more than
25 caves and mines in the northeastern United States, bats exhibiting a
condition now referred to as “white-nosed syndrome” have been dying. The
USGS recently issued a Wildlife Health Bulletin, advising wildlife and
conservation officials throughout the United States to be on the lookout
for the condition and report suspected cases of the disease. You can listen
to a podcast interview with two USGS scientists speaking about this
syndrome in bats at
http://www.usgs.gov/corecast/details.asp?ID=77. For
more information, visit
http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/, or contact Gail Moede
Rogall at 608-270-2438 or gmrogall@usgs.gov.
Boldly Going Where No Man (or Woman) Goes: USGS Unmanned Aircraft
In dangerous and remote areas — such as polar regions, volcanic islands,
and expansive deserts — remote-controlled unmanned aircraft can provide
more detailed, more timely data about the status of natural resources and
environmental conditions than would be feasible by any other means. That is
why the USGS is establishing a new program for earth observation using
unmanned aircraft systems. In many cases, this technology is simply the
most cost effective way to gather earth observation data for a wide variety
of applications: managing federal lands, investigating climate change,
mapping and charting, conducting environmental risk assessments, and
responding to and recovering from natural and human-induced disasters.
Working in partnership with many other federal agencies, academic
institutions and industry groups, the USGS will promote unmanned aircraft
system technology for civil, domestic applications. For more information,
visit
http://rmgsc.cr.usgs.gov/UAS/ or contact Heidi Koontz at 303-202-4763
or hkoontz@usgs.gov.
Is the Water Warm Enough for a Dip?
Continuous real-time information on water quality is a vital asset that
helps safeguard lives and property and ensures adequate water resources for
a healthy economy. As the weather heats up, swimming, boating and fishing
become the ideal way to spend a weekend. Find out if the water is warm
enough for your favorite recreational activities by checking out real-time
water quality information through the USGS WaterQualityWatch Web site at
http://water.usgs.gov/waterwatch/wqwatch/. Real-time water quality
measurements are available at more than 1,300 sites across the nation.
Measurements include streamflow, water temperature, pH levels, dissolved
oxygen, turbidity and specific conductance. For more information, contact
Jennifer LaVista at 703-648-4432 or jlavista@usgs.gov.
No Bandying Around: The Future of the Bird Banding Laboratory
Since 1920, the USGS Bird Banding Laboratory and the Canadian Wildlife
Service have banded more than 63 millions birds. A just-released Federal
Advisory Committee report details future actions and goals for the Bird
Banding Laboratory’s next 10 to 15 years. Although the earliest banding
studies focused on migration, information from banded birds is now used to
study bird behavior and ecology; monitor populations and restored
endangered species; assess the effects of environmental disturbances; set
hunting regulations; educate people about the environment; and address
concerns about human safety and health. For example, banding studies are
helping researchers track diseases such as West Nile virus and avian
influenza. The report, authored by scientists from the bird-banding
community and published by the USGS, can be accessed at
http://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/circ1320/. For more information about the Bird
Banding Laboratory, visit
http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbl/ or contact Daniel
James at 703-648-4253 or dan_james@usgs.gov.
STORY SEEDS: (points to ponder or investigate)
Humans Hunting Wolves: Effects on Wolf Populations
The prospect of hunting wolves recently removed from the Endangered Species
List in the northern Rockies or the western Great Lakes region may be
surprising, but throughout Alaska and Canada wolves have long been
harvested by people for their pelts. The effects of human harvest on wolf
populations are not well understood because wolf research has focused
largely on protected, at-risk populations or those subject to agency
control programs. According to a new Wildife Monograph by the USGS and
Alaska Department of Fish and Game, half of the wolves harvested in the
central Brooks Range of Alaska were probably transient wolves, including
dispersers from local packs and distant migrants. The authors also examined
other North American wolf studies and found that wolf population trends are
not affected by human-caused losses that are less than 30 percent of the
population each year. These results are important for wildlife managers and
the public because they provide information for the debate surrounding wolf
management. For more information, visit
http://www.wildlifejournals.org/perlserv...st=get-toc&issn=0084-0173&volume=170&issue=1
or contact Layne Adams at 907-786-7159 or ladams@usgs.gov.
Sea Otters: Picky Eaters
“What’s for dinner?” is a question researchers studying the California sea
otter population have been closely examining. Understanding foraging
behavior may prove helpful in pinpointing sea otters’ exposure to specific
vectors of food-borne diseases. Scientists at the USGS and the University
of California, Santa Cruz, found that the diets of individual sea otters
vary as a response to reduced food availability. By comparing sea otter
populations in central California and San Nicolas Island, they found that
sea otter diets are highly consistent when food is abundant. When food
becomes limiting, as it has in parts of central California, individual sea
otters tend to specialize on particular types of prey, and these
specialized diets differ between individuals at any given location. At the
population level, this results in a more diverse prey base, even though
there can be reduced diet diversity at the individual level. For more
information on sea otter diets and feeding strategies, visit
http://soundwaves.usgs.gov/2008/05/research.html or contact Tim Tinker at
831-459-2357 or ttinker@usgs.gov.
Ducking in for a Spring Break: Southern Oregon and Northeastern California
Over a million waterfowl per day used Southern Oregon and Northeastern
California as a major layover region during their spring migration in 2002
and 2003, according to a recent USGS study. Using aerial surveys, USGS
scientists studied the abundance and distribution of ducks, geese, swans
and coots during spring, quantifying this region’s critical importance to
Pacific Flyway waterfowl. Northern pintail, a species of special concern,
was the most common species that stopped there. To learn more, visit
http://www.werc.usgs.gov/pubbriefs/flesk...r2008.html or contact Joe
Fleskes at 707-678-0682 x628 or joe_fleskes@usgs.gov.