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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.

Postcards from the Field Annapurna
Annapurna

Postcards from the Field Annapurna

Dare to Dream 2008, is an expedition to Annapurna - the world's 10th highest mountain. Annapurna is in the Himalayan mountain range and is rich in historical and scientific significance. It is one of only 14 mountains over 8000 meters above sea level. It is a difficult mountain to climb, but mountaineers Tonya Riggs and Brad Clement are up for the challenge. They are leading an expedition to Annapurna during the fall of 2008. These mountaineers will be sending virtual postcards about their experiences climbing Annapurna. Check below for new postcards!

Postcards

Safe in Kathmandu from Tonya Riggs, November 4, 2008

Team Turns Back After Summit No-go from James McKee, October 24, 2008

Annapurna Base Camp! from Brad Clement, October 18, 2008

Traveling to Base Camp from Brad Clement, October 15, 2008

Cooking on the Mountain from Brad Clement, October 14, 2008

Annapurna IV Summary Part 3 of 3 from Brad Clement, October 12, 2008

Annapurna IV Summary Part 2 of 3 from Brad Clement, October 10, 2008

Annapurna IV Summary PART 1 of 3 from Brad Clement, October 9, 2008

Avalanches! from Brad Clement, October 4, 2008

Team Begins Descent of Annapurna IV After a Summit No-go from James McKee, October 4, 2008

Storm Breaks, allows team to ascend to Camp I from James McKee, September 23, 2008

Annapurna IV - Home Sweet Home! from Tonya Riggs, September 22, 2008

Blizzard at Base Camp from James McKee, September 20, 2008

Our Trek From Kathmandu to Humde from Brad Clement, September 14, 2008

Blessings for Safe Passage from Tonya Riggs, September 8, 2008

Packing for the Expedition from Tonya Riggs, September 4, 2008

Last modified September 5, 2008 by Lisa Gardiner.

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Traveling Nitrogen Classroom Activity Kit

Check out our online store - minerals, fossils, books, activities, jewelry, and household items!...more

Brad Clement

I am the owner of Spindrift Films and a freelance producer and camera operator specializing in high altitude mountaineering and wilderness adventure subject matter. I have traveled to some of the most...more

Safe in Kathmandu

We are sorry that we have not communicated more frequently. We ran into many challenges with establishing a satellite connection due to poor weather and the fact that our base camp was surrounded by a...more

Team Turns Back After Summit No-go

Tonya called today via satellite phone to report that their bid for the summit is a no-go due to weather forecast models calling for continuous 110+ km/hr (68 mph) winds. This in conjunction with the route...more

Annapurna Base Camp!

We have arrived in Base Camp and it is absolutely beautiful. This is probably the most remote mountain base camp we've ever been to. No climbers have been to this side of the mountain in a year and a half,...more

Cooking on the Mountain

Cooking in a tiny tent while perched on a steep, icy slope higher than the clouds can be a complicated affair - or very basic - depending on how you look at it. While climbing, we often spend weeks living...more

Annapurna IV Summary Part 3 of 3

Here is part 3 of the summary from Annapurna IV, covering Camps 2 to 3 and our decision to turn around before reaching the summit.... PART III - Camp 2 to Camp 3, and the decision to turn around As with...more

Annapurna IV Summary Part 2 of 3

Hi! Here is part 2 of 3 of our summary report from Annapurna IV... PART II - Camp 1 to Camp 2 After several days of rest and acclimatization to the altitude at Camp 1, we left for Camp 2. Camp 2 is located...more

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