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Volcano
Raises New Island Far South of Japan
Time,
21
November, 2013
(TOKYO)
— A volcanic eruption has raised an island in the seas to the far
south of Tokyo, the Japanese coast guard and earthquake experts said.
Advisories
from the coast guard and the Japan Meteorological Agency said the
islet is about 200 meters (660 feet) in diameter. It is just off the
coast of Nishinoshima, a small, uninhabited island in the Ogasawara
chain, which is also known as the Bonin Islands.
The
approximately 30 islands are 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) south of
Tokyo, and along with the rest of Japan are part of the seismically
active Pacific “Ring of Fire.”
The
coast guard issued an advisory Wednesday warning of heavy black smoke
from the eruption. Television footage seen Thursday showed heavy
smoke, ash and rocks exploding from the crater, as steam billowed
into the sky.
A
volcanologist with the coast guard, Hiroshi Ito, told the FNN news
network that it was possible the new island might be eroded away.
“But
it also could remain permanently,” he said.
The
last time the volcanos in the area are known to have erupted was in
the mid-1970s. Much of the volcanic activity occurs under the sea,
which extends thousands of meters deep along the
Izu-Ogasawara-Marianas Trench.
Japan’s
chief government spokesman welcomed the news of yet another bit,
however tiny, of new territory.
“This
has happened before and in some cases the islands disappeared,”
Yoshihide Suga said when asked if the government was planning on
naming the new island.
“If
it becomes a full-fledged island, we would be happy to have more
territory.”
The
Japanese archipelago has thousands of islands. In some cases, they
help anchor claims to wide expanses of ocean overlying potentially
lucrative energy and mineral resources.
Japan
has plans to build port facilities and transplant fast-growing coral
fragments onto Okinotorishima, two rocky outcroppings even further
south of Tokyo, to boost its claim in a territorial dispute with
China.
Seven
Volcanoes In Six Different Countries All Start Erupting Within Hours
Of Each Other
Chris
Carrington
21
November, 2013
A
new island has appeared in the Pacific. A submarine eruption just off
Nishino-Shima Island Japan has erupted for the first time in 40
years. The Japanese Navy noticed the explosions as boiling lava met
sea water giving rise to plumes of steam and ash.
Almost
7,000 miles away in Mexico, the Colima volcano blew its top after a
period of relative calm. A steam and ash cloud rose two miles into
the sky and the grumbling of the mountain could be heard in towns a
few miles away.
In
Guatemala the ‘Fire Mountain’ belched out lava and sent up a
moderate ash cloud causing an ash fall over nearby towns. The
explosions and shock waves occurring in the volcano can be felt by
residents over 6 miles away. Doors and windows are reported to be
rattling, but there has been no damage so far.
In
Vanuatu the Yasur volcano is giving some cause for concern. Although
the explosions are quite weak the continuous ash that is coming from
the mountain is starting to build up on farming land.
Over
to Italy, Mount Etna is putting on quite a display. The current
eruption started a few days ago and has been getting stronger as time
moves on. A massive eruption lit up the sky and disturbed residents
yesterday. The ash cloud was high enough to see flights canceled. The
lava flow was the biggest in years, and the town of Zafferana which
lay in its path saw some damage. Lava diverters were put into place,
and most of the town escaped unscathed.
In
Indonesia a four mile high ash cloud is making life hard for
residents. Mount Sinabung came back to life in 2010 after dormancy of
hundreds of years. Occasionally coming to life after its 2010
awakening, the rumbling of the volcano prompted the evacuation of
over 6000 people as scientists feared a major eruption. There has
been no lava flows so far but the ash cloud is growing.
Still
in Indonesia but on the island of Java this time, Mount Merapi
exploded yesterday. Hundreds of people were killed when it last
erupted in 2010. There is no news of casualties at this point.
So, we have eruptions big enough to prompt evacuations. Flights are canceled, and a new island pops up off the coast of Japan. I would have called that newsworthy myself but obviously I’m wrong. If I was right it would have been common knowledge right? Reports may have been on the news right?
So many volcanoes throwing so much gas, ash and particulates into the air can have an effect on climate, this is a scientific fact. I’m not saying that these volcanoes herald the start of a new ice age but the planet certainly seems to be getting a bit more active of late.
Continued large eruptions put a huge amount of particulate matter into the atmosphere, and these particles reflect sunlight away from earth and when there is enough of them the temperatures can drop.
The Mount Pinatubo eruption lowered temperatures by around 0.5°C across the Northern Hemisphere.
Considering that we are in a cooling period anyway, having so many volcanoes going off at the same time is not good. Aside from the devastating effects the lava and ash can have on the lives of those living near to them, the global impacts can be enormous.
Lost crops due to ash fall and lower temperatures can lead to hunger and famine, as happened after the Tamboraeruption in 1815.
Economic losses due to lost crops and canceled flights runs into millions of dollars a day, as with the Icelandic eruption of Eyjafjallojkull (pronounced: aya fiat la u cud la) in 2010.
The spasms of the earth come without warning, but at the same time those spasms should be a wake up call to all of us that change can happen in the blink of an eye.
Better be prepared for it.
Sources:
So, we have eruptions big enough to prompt evacuations. Flights are canceled, and a new island pops up off the coast of Japan. I would have called that newsworthy myself but obviously I’m wrong. If I was right it would have been common knowledge right? Reports may have been on the news right?
So many volcanoes throwing so much gas, ash and particulates into the air can have an effect on climate, this is a scientific fact. I’m not saying that these volcanoes herald the start of a new ice age but the planet certainly seems to be getting a bit more active of late.
Continued large eruptions put a huge amount of particulate matter into the atmosphere, and these particles reflect sunlight away from earth and when there is enough of them the temperatures can drop.
The Mount Pinatubo eruption lowered temperatures by around 0.5°C across the Northern Hemisphere.
Considering that we are in a cooling period anyway, having so many volcanoes going off at the same time is not good. Aside from the devastating effects the lava and ash can have on the lives of those living near to them, the global impacts can be enormous.
Lost crops due to ash fall and lower temperatures can lead to hunger and famine, as happened after the Tamboraeruption in 1815.
Economic losses due to lost crops and canceled flights runs into millions of dollars a day, as with the Icelandic eruption of Eyjafjallojkull (pronounced: aya fiat la u cud la) in 2010.
The spasms of the earth come without warning, but at the same time those spasms should be a wake up call to all of us that change can happen in the blink of an eye.
Better be prepared for it.
Sources:
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