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  • Irish Chronicles Document Links Between Volcanoes and Weather
    A study of over 40,000 written entries in Irish Annals and ice core measurements shows a strong corr...Read more

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    Irish Chronicles Document Links Between Volcanoes and Weather

    A study of over 40,000 written entries in Irish Annals and ice core measurements shows a strong correlation between the occurrence of volcanic eruptions and extreme cold weather in Ireland over a 1200 year period. Data analyzed in this study cover the period from 431 to 1649, during which time up to 48 volcanic eruptions are identified in Greenland ice core records through deposition of volcanic sulfate in annual layers of ice. You can find the study (open access), published on 6 June 2013 in IOP Publishing's journal Environmental Research Letters, at http://iopscience.iop.org/1748-9326/8/2/024035/article. Find out more about how volcanoes can influence climate.
  • EF-5 Tornado in El Reno, Oklahoma Widest Ever Recorded in US
    The EF-5 tornado that hit El Reno, Oklahoma on May 31st was the widest ever recorded in the US, acco...Read more

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    EF-5 Tornado in El Reno, Oklahoma Widest Ever Recorded in US

    The EF-5 tornado that hit El Reno, Oklahoma on May 31st was the widest ever recorded in the US, according to the National Weather Service in Norman Oklahoma. The tornado, which remained on the ground for 40 minutes and reached 2.6 miles across (4.2 km), took the lives of 18 people including storm chasers Tim Samaras, Paul Samaras and Carl Young. For more information on the tornado, visit http://ow.ly/i/2hfDG.
  • Atmospheric CO2 Level Tops 400 ppm
    During the week of May 13th, the CO2 level at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii topped 400 ppm rep...Read more

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    Atmospheric CO2 Level Tops 400 ppm

    During the week of May 13th, the CO2 level at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii topped 400 ppm repeatedly. Daily levels of CO2 can vary due to weather, and there are seasonal trends as well. The level of atmospheric greenhouse gases continues to increase, now over 120 ppm since the Industrial Revolution began. For more on the Keeling Curve, see http://keelingcurve.ucsd.edu/. Find out more about greenhouse gases and warming.

A Photo Album of the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake

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This photograph of San Francisco, CA was taken just after the great 1906 earthquake and fires had ravaged the city in 1906. Many buildings were ruins. The earthquake and fires destroyed so many homes that more than half the people who lived in San Francisco were homeless after the events.

National Archives Still Picture Records Section, Special Media Archives
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The Nob Hill area of San Francisco after the 1906 earthquake and fires.

National Archives Still Picture Records Section, Special Media Archives; Photograph by War Department Office of the Quartermaster General
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A large crack in Van Ness Avenue at Vallejo Street after the 1906 earthquake. Note that this is not the fault. This street and many others cracked because of the force of the earthquake.

National Archives Still Picture Records Section, Special Media Archives; Photograph by the Department of Agriculture, Office of Public Roads

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San Francisco City Hall at McAllister Street and Van Ness Avenue was falling down after the earthquake.

National Archives Still Picture Records Section, Special Media Archives; Photograph by Department of Defense, Department of the Army, Office of the Chief Signal Officer
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This picture, taken facing north from Battery Street, shows the destroyed buildings along California Street in San Francisco after the 1906 earthquake and fires.

National Archives Still Picture Records Section, Special Media Archives; Photograph by Department of Defense, Department of the Army, Office of the Chief Signal Officer
sfo5 Fires started in San Francisco after the 1906 earthquake hit. The earthquake had broken all but one water main, so firefighters did not have access to water to fight the fires.

National Archives Still Picture Records Section, Special Media Archives
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This photograph shows clouds of smoke from the fires in San Francisco's mission district. Fires started in the city after the 1906 earthquake.

National Archives Still Picture Records Section, Special Media Archives

Life in San Francisco Just After the 1906 Quake

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This picture shows one of the temporary kitchens that was set up outdoors in San Francisco after the 1906 earthquake and fires.

National Archives Still Picture Records Section, Special Media Archives; Photograph by War Department Office of the Quartermaster General
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The city of San Francisco organized ways to get food and water to people after the 1906 earthquake and fires. These people are standing in line for bread.

National Archives, Center for Legislative Archives
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These people are outside their temporary houses in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. Cities of tents were built in parks and other open spaces to house the homeless after the 1906 earthquake and fires.

National Archives Still Picture Records Section, Special Media Archives; Photograph by the Department of Agriculture, Office of Public Roads

Learn More About the San Francisco Earthquake of 1906

What Is an Earthquake?

Where Do Earthquakes Happen?

Why Do Earthquakes Happen?

Last modified May 20, 2008 by Lisa Gardiner.

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Shop Windows to the Universe

The Spring 2011 issue of The Earth Scientist is focused on modernizing seismology education. Thanks to IRIS, you can download this issue for free as a pdf. Print copies are available in our online store.

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