Earthweek: a diary of the planet
Tropical cyclone Tropical Storm Beatriz, the second named storm in the eastern Pacific hurricane season, killed at least five people as it drenched Mexico’s Pacific Coast.
Longer growing season
A U.S. researcher says the frost-free season across North America is now 10 days longer than it was a century ago, mainly because of altered atmospheric circulation patterns and, to a lesser extent, global warming. “If you ask a U.S. forecaster what determines the first fall frost, they’ll say a cold air mass coming down out of Canada, clearly due to circulation,” said University of Utah atmospheric scientist Court Strong. “There’s a role for warming, but on the other hand, forecasters will tell you there’s clearly a role for circulation as well.” Of the 10 additional days that North America is now frostfree, Strong says that only three can be directly attributed to a warmer climate.
But other scientists have said that global warming has actually altered atmospheric circulation patterns.
Antarctic fracture
A massive chunk of Antarctica’s Larsen C ice shelf is on the verge of breaking off, according to satellite data. The calving of Larsen C is likely to produce one of the largest icebergs ever observed, roughly the size of the island of Cyprus. A fracture that has developed through part of the ice shelf suddenly grew by 11 miles in late May, leaving only 8 miles to go before the chunk
breaks away into the Antarctic Ocean.
Rat invasion
A southern Myanmar island has been overrun by thousands of rats, prompting residents to fear they are omens of an impending flood or earthquake. The rats are said to have come into one village on Haingyi Island, in the Irrawaddy Delta, in a single row, like ants. The villagers hit them with sticks, slingshots and rocks. People began piling up the dead rodents by the thousands after officials offered a reward of about 4 U. S. cents for each carcass in an attempt to avert a health crisis. There is no word on what might have caused the massive pest invasion.
Marine life pollution Human medicines and traces of chemicals manufactured for cosmetic, household and industrial use have been found in the blood of green turtles swimming in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. Researchers say the substances have caused adverse effects in the reptiles, such as inflammation and liver dysfunction. “What you put down your sink, spray on your farms, or release from industries ends up in the marine environment and in turtles in the Great Barrier Reef,” said Amy Heffernan of the University of Queensland.
Eruption rescues
Eight hikers venturing onto the slopes of West Sumatra’s Mount Marapi had to be rescued when the mountain suddenly burst into a period of activity that produced 40 eruptions in just two days. The area around the volcano also was placed on alert after an eruption in 2011. Until the most recent eruptions, Marapi had been relatively quiet.
Earthquakes
At least two people were injured when a magnitude 6.2 temblor rocked the northwestern Peru-Ecuador border region. Earth movements also were felt in western India, greater New Delhi, southeastern Missouri and Maine’s central coast.