Test driving the Gigapan Epic 100...

robotic camera platform that mounts on a tripod head that automatically assembles ultra-detailed panoramas. That's my Canon G10 mounted on the imaging mechanism. My impressions so far: well made, sturdily built, metal construction, functions well.

However, it was shipped without the proprietary Stitcher software and there is no provision on the company web site for download. The only way to contact the company is by e-mail; there is no 800 number. So, I left an e-mail note five days ago - they have yet to reply, earning a big, fat F for customer support. Sheesh.

Stay tuned for when I am able to assemble the panoramas. I'm anxious, and I've got a number of ambitious projects in the months ahead.

UPDATE on 5 June: I finally received an email from the company, a full two weeks (10 business days) after my initial inquiry. Lousy customer support - consider carefully before purchasing.

I am saddened to learn...

of the passing of Dr. Tony Oertling, chair of the chemistry department. He reportedly drowned yesterday on the St. Joe River near Marble Creek during a kayaking trip with friends.

Tony and I interacted frequently, he as chair of chemistry and me as director of environmental science. The EWU community has lost a valuable member, and for me, a good colleague. My sympathies to his family.

UPDATE: I understand that Tony is survived by his wife; they had no children.

UPDATED NEWS: at KXLY.

New solar cycle prediction...

states that Solar Cycle 24 will peak in May 2013 with a below-average number of sunspots:

"If our prediction is correct, Solar Cycle 24 will have a peak sunspot number of 90, the lowest of any cycle since 1928 when Solar Cycle 16 peaked at 78," says panel chairman Doug Biesecker of the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center. "It turns out that none of our models were totally correct," says Dean Pesnell of the Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA's lead representative on the panel. "The sun is behaving in an unexpected and very interesting way."

More here about the present solar minimum.

Wise words...

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, again. Then quit. There’s no use in being a damn fool about it.

— W. C. Fields

Feel good story of the week...

And in Spokane, no less. Enjoy!

It's getting crowded...

on the newly expanded International Space Station (ISS.) During its 10 years of construction the orbiting lab has been continuously occupied by only two or three people at a time. Today's arrival of three astronauts in a Soyuz capsule begins the full compliment of a crew of six.

When the space shuttle Endeavour flies next month it will temporarily staff the ISS by 13 occupants, the greatest number of ape-descendants in orbit at any time in history.

The new crew of six will toast by drinking water distilled from their own urine. Cheers!

Field trips galore...

this weekend:

• On Saturday, I am leading my ENVS 393 seminar group on a tour of the Rathdrum Prairie - Spokane Valley aquifer, examining various features and issues related to this important sole source groundwater resource. Dr. Nezat is accompanying the group and we'll engage in some comparative water chemistry (Spokane River vs. groundwater) during the outing.
  

• Also on Saturday, Dr. Thomson and Mr. Strout are traveling to the Clarkia fossil beds in Idaho with GEOL 307 students and geology club members.

• Dr. McCollum is leading a field excursion for her GEOL 496 field mapping class on Sunday.

This is what drew me to geology -- the field experiences. And the weather couldn't be better.

Here comes the Sun...

in a prototype laser fusion reactor at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California. Exciting stuff:

"The National Ignition Facility will focus 192 laser beams on a hydrogen pellet the size of a bead, heating it to incredible temperatures in an attempt to recreate the power of the sun. Nuclear fusion would create huge amounts of energy from tiny amounts of fuel. It would produce far less radioactive waste than conventional nuclear reactors. But it takes huge amounts of energy to trigger, and so far humans have managed to do so only by detonating atomic bombs."

It's literally a star factory. Faster, please.

Image courtesy Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

"Curiosity"...

is the name given to the Mars Science Laboratory rover scheduled to launch to the red planet in 2011. Kinda corny, but in keeping with Spirit and Opportunity I guess.

Top 10...

Hubble science discoveries in a gallery of related images that resulted in these new insights.

Artifact from the future...

courtesy Wired Magazine -- chewing gum that makes you smart (click to enlarge.) Warning in fine print: not to be mixed with Altoids Curiously Happy Chewing Gum!

Unfortunately this product won't be available for upcoming final exams. You'll have to wait until 2017. Dang.

IMAX cameras exposed...

in this rare tour. Interesting stuff, though I wouldn't want to carry one on a hike or climb.

Wise words...

There is a growing tendency to think of man as a rational thinking being, which is absurd. There is simply no evidence of any intelligence on the earth.

--Marvin the Martian

Thank E.T. for saving Earth...

if this Russian scientist is to be believed: UFO Collided with Tunguska Meteorite to Save Earth. Not!

Unfortunately this chap is unfamiliar with Widmanstätten pattern that is developed in some meteorites. It usually takes an acid etching to expose the interesting geometric lineations he describes as alien symbols (read the linked article and examine the photograph, then compare it to images at the second link) but I suspect prolonged weathering could do something similar.

Crunchy on the outside, but...

liquid on the inside: Evidence Mounts for Liquid Interior of a Saturn Moon. Background:

"Researchers have speculated about the possibility of liquid water within Enceladus since 2005, when the Cassini spacecraft discovered a geyser of ice particles and vapor emanating from cracks in the moon’s south pole. The possibility of liquid water inside the moon, along with a variety of organic compounds found in the plume, suggest Enceladus may now or in the recent past have had the right stuff to support life."

The technical abstract has more authors than words (almost.)

U.S. not prepared for...

strong solar event: Solar Storms Pose Increasing Threat to Modern World. Our critical electronic infrastructure consisting of communication satellites, GPS, the electrical grid, and aviation would all experience serious disruptions. Here's a hint of things to come:

"They spoke of a solar storm in May of 1921 that stunned scientists with its power and one in March of 1989 that blacked out the entire power grid in Quebec, Canada, in just 92 seconds. In 2003, the "Halloween storm" caused a massive blackout in the Northeast U.S. and $10 billion worth of damage to electrical systems."

But they do produce incredible aurora!

Quake rattles Central America...

earlier this morning and it's a big one, M7.1 according to the USGS. The epicenter is located offshore of Belize and Honduras, and minor damage has been reported. Click on the seismogram recorded in the EWU Department of Geology for an enlarged view. Note the sustained surface wave that lasts at least an hour.

I've done quite a bit of work in cave systems in this region and have observed large quantities of broken speleothems littering the floor of some chambers, speculating that the damage was the result of seismic jolts.

UPDATE: More news.

UPDATED UPDATE: Nice shaded relief map showing topography, faults and epicenter.

An important visit to campus...

was made this morning by the program director of the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust in order to assess a grant proposal to fund the acquisition of a stable isotope mass spectrometer for use in teaching and research in environmental science at EWU. Kudos to my colleagues -- Profs. Black, McNeely and Nezat -- for compiling the grant application and leading the presentation today.

My personal research interest in the device focuses on using it to age date the groundwater circulating in aquifer systems (using oxygen isotopes), thereby allowing better understanding of residence times and recharge areas. Learn more about the use of stable isotopes at this web site.

We'll know if we're funded sometime in late August 2009. Fingers crossed.

My hair is outa control...

I think it's about time to get a hair cut.

Guest speaker...

this Friday, 29 May, at noon in SCI 118. Mr. Kyle Dittmer (M.S. geology, 1988 from EWU) will present "Climate change on the Columbia Basin tribal lands: past - present - future." The lecture is free and open to all.

We make the news...

again, this time in The Easterner, in a well-balanced article about the difficult choices being made in the budget reductions at EWU.

They're not crop circles...

Astronauts Spot Mysterious Ice Circles in World’s Deepest Lake

Genetic engineering...

at its best: Virus Tamed To Destroy Cancer Cells But Leave Healthy Cells Unharmed.

Personal note: I lost my sweet wife to ovarian cancer 18 months ago today. Donna had bravely endured no fewer than six brutal courses of various chemotherapy protocols to extend her life nearly nine additional years. We often spoke about potential future strategies in fighting this terrible disease, hoping for better targeted and less barbaric treatments.

Faster, please.

How to identify other "pale blue dots"...

in nearby solar systems: New Technique Could Find Water On Earth-like Planets Orbiting Distant Suns. More here.

The spacecraft utilized in the Deep Impact mission to comet Tempel 1 in 2005 is still functioning and is imaging Earth from a distance, obtaining spectra of our rotating planet that is dominated by oceans. Scientists will use this spectral "signature" to identify other ocean worlds during on-going exoplanet surveys.

Isn't science cool?

UPDATE: Related comprehensive article: The New Exoplanetology.

It's alive, almost...

Meteorite Contains Record Amount of Organic Compounds

I believe that, many years in the future, we will discover that life is an inevitable accident on terrestrial (rocky) planets.

What about blob...

part two: Giant Blob Found Deep Beneath Nevada.

Previous unrelated "blob" post: What about blob?

Is the term "blob" now formal scientific jargon?

1808 sols past warranty...

and 10 miles on the odometer-- the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity, that is. (The length of a Martian solar day, one sol, is 24 hr 39 min 35.244 sec.)

Meanwhile, its twin, Spirit, is stuck up to its hubcaps in silt while NASA/JPL engineers work on strategies to get it moving again.

These robot explorers are seemingly indestructible!

Size 27 therapod footprint...

that is part of a trackway in the Kayenta Formation near Castle Valley, Utah (click to enlarge.) Note the well preserved claw impression on the right-most toe. That's my former student, DC, who has gone on to earn a Ph.D. in geology and is now enjoying an excellent career.

Go climb a volcano...

this summer: a list of 20 accessible volcanoes in the western US.

We'll visit three on the list during my summer field course to the southern Oregon Cascades.

North Korean nuke test...

on Monday was detected by the USGS at an estimated M4.7.

Start something big!

Free Viagra for the unemployed, says Pfizer.

Best part: "By giving away some drugs for a limited period, market analysts say Pfizer will keep patients loyal to its brand during hard times."

Heh.

Athletics supporters gone wild...

in the comments section of a previous post. I noticed a recent spike in readers of The Bu Element and it turns out that the post on my budget proposal has been linked to a number of sports sites, with encouraging words for their readers to comment at my blog. I must have touched a nerve!

So, check it out, check-it-outers, by clicking on the link above. Be sure to note the lack of reasoned or affirmative argument, the unsubstantiated statements, the ad hominem attacks and insults, and the overwhelming lack of any understanding of my original proposal.

My favorite comment? This one: "Our football program meant a lot more to me than having a geneticist." Golly gee, why am I not surprised?!

An image of Earth from space...

showing some of the glaciers and fjords of the Svalbard (Spitsbergen) archipelago (click to enlarge.) Highlighted in this image is Bockfjorden, located at almost 80 degrees north.

I will be visiting this location and others in about a month as I participate in an expedition as a geologist guide.

Image credit: Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer, (ASTER) on NASA’s Terra satellite, false-color image taken on 26 June 2001.

Wise words...

You’ve got to be careful if you don’t know where you’re going, because you might not get there.

— Yogi Berra

"Aliens cause global warming"...

is the intriguing title of an interesting lecture presented by Michael Crichton (RIP) at Caltech in 2003. It's a "historical approach detailing how over the last thirty years scientists have begun to intermingle scientific and political claims."

Shuttle Atlantis coming home...

to Edwards Air Force Base in southern California - weather in Florida is below minimums thereby forcing NASA to use the alternative landing site. The de-orbit burn will occur at 7:24 am PDT with landing scheduled for 8:39 am.

UPDATE: Picture perfect landing at Edwards this morning concluding the spectacularly successful mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope. The next space shuttle mission STS-127 to launch to the ISS on 13 June.

Approach calving glaciers...

in the fjords of Svalbard (Spitsbergen) with caution advises this technical paper published by the Norwegian Polar Institute. The first sentence of the article states:

"In 2007 a tourist ship came too close to an actively calving glacier in the Hornsund area of Svalbard. Calving ice blocks fell on the boat's deck, injuring a number of the tourists onboard."

The conclusion recommends a 200 m safe minimum distance to "avoid direct hits and large waves." Seems like common sense to me.

Hat tip: MM, the expedition leader for this trip to Svalbard that I will join as a geologist guide shortly after spring quarter ends.

Prehistoric cave paintings...

at Lascaux are under attack by microbes. Not surprisingly, the situation was made worse by applying a fungicide that allowed other bacteria to thrive.

Doh.

Atlantis waved off...

for re-entry and landing yesterday and today due to bad weather at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

I bet it's getting pretty stinky up there, now 12 days into the flight.

New drilling strategy used...

to tap enormous domestic natural gas reserves in shale. Directional drilling parallel to bedding, and subsequent hydro-fracturing of the fine-grained rock, is able to liberate large volumes of gas in these usually low permeability reservoirs.

Science Now!

Disney Lab Unveils its Latest Genetically Engineered Child Stars

Cheney Free Press reports...

on EWU's budget woes: Eastern slashes $26 million from two-year budget.

It's field work Friday...

on the Rathdrum Prairie, Idaho as I make the regular rounds measuring groundwater levels. This is typically the month when the groundwater table in the aquifer attains its highest level in response to recharge from spring runoff.

UPDATE: Groundwater levels are indeed about 0.7 ft higher than the previous month.

Wise words...

Mistakes are the portals of discovery.

-- James Joyce

Is the earthquake hazard...

in western Washington underestimated: Earthquake Fault Much Larger, More Dangerous than Thought? Main thrust (pardon the pun) of the article:

"An earthquake fault previously believed to be limited to an area south of Washington state's Whidbey Island actually stretches 250 to 300 miles, from Victoria, B.C., to Yakima, Wash., crossing the Cascade Mountains and capable of producing a major earthquake, new research shows."

Geologic history of Victoria Crater...

on Mars has been deciphered by Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity. Sedimentary strata exposed in the excavated escarpment reveals changing depositional conditions, alternating between eolian and fluvial environments. Click image to see high-resolution version where the eolian cross-beds can be clearly observed.

Opportunity is presently en route to Endeavor Crater. More discoveries await.

Lots o' meetings today...

First, I've been invited to present my recent lecture on the geology of Mars to the EWU Retirees Association this morning, a group of actively engaged seekers consisting of past faculty and staff.

Then it's off to Mirabeau Point in Spokane for the College of Science, Health and Engineering Advisory Board meeting at noon, followed by a confab with a geotechnical engineering buddy with whom I am consulting on a project. Busy.

Staring down a black hole...

in the center of our Milky Way galaxy is the goal of an ambitious project using very large baseline interferometry (a series of networked telescopes.)

While the black hole itself, named Sagittarius A*, does not emit light, the energetic vortex of swirling gas surrounding the mass does emit radiation and it is hoped that the dark object will stand out in contrast. This innovative imaging technique should yield very interesting images of one of the strangest objects in the universe.

Prepare to be amazed.

The Lance Hill Observatory...

is a far cry from Hubble, but it is my personal backyard astronomical hidaway when the weather is clear (click image to enlarge.)

I became obsessed with amateur astronomy during the summer of 1996 and since then I've learned that the definition of a telescope is an optical tube assembly that is surrounded by electronics and money. So, to allow for efficient use of my new toys, I built the roll-off roof observatory with the help of the Bu Dad during the summer of 1997, which permits the equipment to remain set up and configured for regular use. The robotic Schmidt-Cassegrain scope and astronomical imager (a special low light CCD camera) can even be controlled remotely on my home Ethernet network.

Funny how I've been drawn to things in the dark: caves, astronomy, bats...

Early Mars was cold, wet and...

likely hospitable. This is the conclusion of a recent study of mineral solutions under environmental conditions that exist on Mars:

"Researchers found that solutions containing certain combinations of sulphur, silicon and other ions stay liquid even down to -28 °C – a much more plausible temperature for early Mars than one above 0 °C."

Link to technical abstract: Stability against freezing of aqueous solutions on early Mars.

Stop it!

1 in 4 Americans is Texting While Driving

And, may I remind you, it's illegal in Washington.

Centennial anniversary...

of the discovery of the strange faunas in the Burgess Shale occurs this year which many paleontologists describe as “the most important fossil discovery in history.” More:

"Serendipity played a further role in the discovery of the Burgess Shale: During the final days of the 1909 summer field season, Charles Doolittle Walcott, former head of the Smithsonian Institute and the U.S. Geological Survey, was navigating Burgess Pass on horseback when he discovered these 505-million-year-old fossils, famous for their amazing diversity, bizarre life forms and out-of-this-world appendages and proboscises. Walcott had come to Yoho National Park, in search of “stone bugs” excavated during the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway."

Guided hiking tours (for a fee) to several research quarries are available during the summer season, departing from Field, British Columbia. Information available at this web site.

Wise words...

There aren't any rules around here. We're trying to accomplish something.

-- Thomas Edison

Time-lapse astroimaging...

Be sure to watch this in full screen mode. Outstanding!

Images of agates...

in a colorful photo gallery by Richard Weston. Like snowflakes, every agate is wonderfully unique.

New meaning of the term...

desktop computer. A DIY project for nerdy nerds in Nerdville.

More than a bit ridiculous but, I have to admit, way cool.

Global Positioning System...

(GPS) could begin to fail in 2010 according to this article that references this GAO report.

I think these claims are a tad bit exaggerated but clearly the satellite-based network needs continuous maintenance and launching of replacement units. Civilian users are unlikely to see any degradation in navigation services as it only takes a fix on three satellites for determination of a two-dimensional location on Earth's surface, and most receivers can easily detect eight satellites at a time.

Having said that, I hope you haven't thrown your old compass away.

So-called "missing link"...

between humans and other primates has been recently announced. The teeny tiny 47 million year-old fossilized creature, discovered near Frankfurt, Germany, is shown in the image above (click to enlarge.) Link to more about this interesting fossil.

You know, this does resemble the Bu bro quite a bit.

UPDATE: Link to journal article.

Image credit: PLoS One, Hurum et al.

EWU student research highlighted...

at the two-day Student Research and Creative Works Symposium that features the work of 275 graduate and undergraduate students. The event commences at 5 pm in the Creative Arts Complex. A full day of oral and poster presentations begins at 8 am Wednesday, 20 May, in Senior Hall.

Breaking news...

Bizzare new species...

on display in this photo gallery. The images include the world's smallest snake, the fang-toothed Dracula fish, a lungless frog, a photosynthetic sea slug, and a cute blonde-ginger bat among other strange creatures.

Gas hydrate discovery...

in the Gulf of Mexico by the USGS represents a significant energy resource in the form of frozen natural gas, also known as clathrate hydrate.

Shuttle to release Hubble...

to space early this morning, at approximately 6:00 am PDT, now that all the repairs have been completed. The space telescope will still undergo a three week period of instrument testing, cooling and calibration before it returns to science operations.

Farewell, Hubble, you're on your own now. If I seem a bit teary-eyed and blubbery today, this is why.

Did they taste like chicken?

Humans Ate Neanderthals, Scientist Says. Apparently, perhaps, contributing to their extinction.

Man, they must have tasted good.

A flattering offer has been tendered....

to your humble correspondent requesting that I consider serving in the leadership of the Faculty Organization.

Despite the recent eruption of my latent activist tendencies regarding the outrageous budget reduction proposal by the EWU president, I did not become a university professor to engage in governance, committee, nor administrative duties. In fact, those activities run counter to my focus on my time in the classroom, working on my research projects, leading field trips and performing field work. In sum, even after 25 years at EWU, I immensely enjoy mentoring students.

While it is certainly necessary for faculty to step up to these positions, it's not for me. So, with all due respect, my answer will not be no, but a resounding hell no.

Art of Science...

2009 Gallery. This site showcases artistic images that sprang from scientific work.

Interesting stuff. And artful.

Last time a human will touch...

the Hubble Space Telescope occurs today on the fifth and final spacewalk of the servicing mission. Today, astronauts will install the Fine Guidance Sensors (FGS) and swap out the remaining old batteries for new ones. Lastly, they will attempt to install the New Outer Blanket Layer (NOBL) on two of the equipment bays.

The HST will be released from the grasp of space shuttle Atlantis tomorrow, never to be visited again. Let's hope for an extended healthy life for this amazing instrument.

UPDATE: NASA announces that all tasks related to servicing the HST are now complete. In addition, functionality tests have been passed by all the newly installed and refurbished instruments with the exception of one channel of the STIS (which generates only 5% of data from that instrument.) Sounds like an extraordinarily successful mission.

29th anniversary of the eruption...

of Mount Saint Helens who blew her top on 18 May 1980 after a 123 year period of quiescence. The aerial image above (click to enlarge) shows the dominant north-side breach that was opened in the initial moments of the eruption sequence that began at 8:32 am local time. A 5.1 magnitude earthquake triggered the largest landslide ever recorded, and as the north flank of the volcano collapsed the pressurized magma was free to expand thereby creating an enormous directed blast that nearly instantaneously leveled ~220 square miles of forest.

In addition, the rhyodacite lava dome is easily seen in the crater, as well as the runout of the Pine Creek lahar on the southeast side of the edifice that was fed by the melting Shoestring Glacier. Subsequent lava domes have been constructed during 2004-2006.

Links to current status, a brief summary article, and a photo gallery.

Image credit: NASA

"Let's get real about alternative energy"...

is the title of this commentary piece by David MacKay, professor of physics at the University of Cambridge. Story highlights:

• Replacing fossil fuels will take a massive level of construction
• Most people don't understand the size and scope of the effort needed
• Turning off cell phone charger is a minuscule contribution to saving energy
• Hydrogen-powered cars use too much energy to solve the problem

4.7 magnitude earthquake...

shakes Los Angeles late Sunday, breaking glass and setting off alarms, though no major damage nor injuries reported.

Link to USGS earthquake web site that details this event.

Top 10...

greatest explosions ever.

It's a guy thing.

Wise words...

Every man is a damn fool for at least five minutes every day; wisdom consists in not exceeding the limit.

— Elbert Hubbard

Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge...

is in full glory right now, at least in terms of flowering plants. That's a pic of grass widow, a member of the iris family (click to enlarge.)

I spent the morning and afternoon with EWU botany professors Swedberg and O'Quinn and seven other native plant admirers as we toured the upland area behind the visitor's center. Several dozen plants were in bloom in the mixed prairie and ponderosa pine forest, and the weather was magnificent. A nice day.

No day of rest...

for the space shuttle Atlantis crew today. Extravehicular activity 4 proceeds momentarily where spacewalking astronauts will repair the Space Telescope Imaging and Spectrograph (STIS) and install the New Outer Blanket Layer (NOBL).

The image shown above (click for hi-res version) was captured yesterday, during EVA 3.

Eaglets have hatched...

in this webcam monitored nest and they're hungry. Fantastic! You've gotta check this out, and be patient for the streaming video to load.

Very cool!

UPDATE: There's also a close-up view of the same nest. Enjoy!

We make the news...

in this Spokesman-Review article: EWU budget plan cuts $13.3 million, raises tuition.

UPDATE: Unfortunately most of the entire article remains walled off behind the S-R's subscriber-only service. I can tell you that 7 of 11 paragraphs in the entire article were dedicated to points made by your humble correspondent.

Most ambitious spacewalk yet...

occurs today in order to repair the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) on the Hubble Space Telescope that was never intended to be opened and serviced in space. In addition, astronauts will install the most advanced spectrometer ever flown in space, the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS.) While the first two spacewalks encountered some minor difficulties with equipment installation, all of the new instruments have passed their power and functionality tests according to NASA.

The image shown above (click for hi-res version) was taken yesterday during EVA 2 and shows low level winds above the Cape Verde Islands off the northwestern coast of Africa.

UPDATE: EVA 3 complete (and successful).

Open letter to EWU Board of Trustees...

15 May 2009

Dear EWU Board of Trustees members:

If you examine EWU’s Mission Statement you will find 14 references to “academics” and “student learning” and no mention whatsoever of “sports” or “athletics.” Clearly we are in the business of educating students.

With all due respect, the budget reduction proposal being advanced by Dr. Arevalo does little to protect instructional programs despite all the rhetoric expressing otherwise. Dr. Arevalo’s massive budget reductions in Academic Affairs are largely based on recapturing unfilled academic positions without any consideration of the impact on programs, and moreover, it’s based on arbitrary comparisons with the so-called Delaware model.

For example, we have a biology department that presently lacks a geneticist – how is it possible to offer a credible degree in the field of biology without this critical component? A structural geologist resigned abruptly last year and we are not allowed to hire a replacement for this keystone position. Chemistry and physics similarly lack important positions, as well as other departments across campus. Indeed, student learning does not seem to be a real priority and instructional quality will suffer if Dr. Arevalo’s budget proposal is adopted.

A modest alternative: I have attached my Start Something Big budget reduction proposal that more completely fulfills the primary mission of the university – educating students - and would urge you to consider it seriously. It reduces state support of the Athletics Program by 50% and reassigns those dollars to Academic Affairs for strategic hiring of faculty replacements to maintain program integrity. I believe this is a considerably more equitable distribution of pain across the EWU community.

The EWU Athletics Program is fully capable of fund raising in order to make up the deficit. Ticket prices can be raised, and greater efforts to reach out to boosters and alumni for donations can be initiated, if these ancillary (not indispensible) sports programs must continue. WWU is eliminating football. UW just slashed $1.6 million from their athletics budget. EWU should follow suit, without reservation.

Please reaffirm your commitment to excellence in student education at EWU and adopt the Start Something Big budget. Thank you for your consideration.

Dr. John P. Buchanan
Professor of Geology
Director, Environmental Science Program

Wise words...

In school they told me “Practice makes perfect.” And then they told me “Nobody’s perfect.” So then I stopped practicing.

— Steven Wright

Recent rivers on Mars...

if you define "recent" as one billion years according to this news release. Pull quote:

Using high-resolution images from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, a spacecraft that orbits the planet, Dickson's group zoomed in on the eastern half of the crater and discovered about 20 winding valleys and a number of deposited materials typically found at the end of rivers. Counting the number of impact craters on the surface (the older the surface, the more impact craters it will have), the researchers managed to date the surface to about 1 billion years old.

EVA 2 commences...

this morning as work continues on the Hubble Space Telescope (click image for hi-res version.) Today, three new Rate Sensor Units (RSUs) will be installed (gyro assemblies) which sense motion and help point the telescope precisely for its science observations. In addition, new battery modules will be swapped for older ones.

Couldn't they hold it?

Yellowstone Workers Fired for Urinating in Old Faithful. Caught by an observant observer of this webcam!

You really can't make this stuff up.

RELATED: 1 in 5 Americans Admits Peeing in Pool

Everything you wanted to know about...

radon: EPA Citizen's Guide to Radon. Approximately 65% of homes in Spokane County have elevated radon concentrations > 4 pCi/l, the EPA "action level."

UW slashes athletics...

by $1.6 million dollars and 13 positions. Hey, seems like a great idea to me.

Perhaps EWU should follow their lead? It could happen if we adopt Buchanan's Start Something Big budget!

"Charge your iPod,...

kill a polar bear?" is asked in this article on the environmental (energy) costs of modern electronic gadgets. Things will only get worse when plug-in electric cars begin to stress the power grid.

So what will you give up?

Repairs and refurbishment begin...

on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), shown as a simple schematic in the diagram above (click to enlarge.) The first spacewalk began this morning and will replace the WFC2 - in yellow - with the WFC3, exchanging the old camera with a considerably more capable panchromatic imager.

Watch the extravehicular activity on NASA-TV. By the way, the junior spacewalker has degrees in geology and geophysics.

Search for other Earth-like...

worlds commences as NASA's Kepler spacecraft begins its immense exoplanet hunt. One hundred thousand (100,000) stars will be closely scrutinized during the next 3.5 years by this dedicated telescope, looking for a periodic dimming in the brightness of each, presumably due to an orbiting planetary body. The instrument may be able to detect planets the size of Earth and thus a census of such worlds can be compiled.

Isn't science cool? Perhaps I'm biased.

Previous related post: How common are Earth-like planets?

I reiterate my earlier prediction: terrestrial (rocky) planets will be found to be common around Population I G-class stars such as our Sun.

Supreme Being not required...

as scientists discover chemical reactions that could be the basis for life: How RNA Got Started.

Let me guess - life's crucible is a bowl of spaghetti.

By popular demand...

your humble correspondent has posted the PowerPoint presentation (in .pdf format) that I delivered yesterday at the meeting with president Arevalo. Yes, it includes the now famous Buchanan's Start Something Big alternative budget proposal.

As far as I know my SSB budget proposal is the only alternative offered to president Arevalo for consideration. I doubt that he will give it any serious attention so I'll likely present this to the EWU Board of Trustees at their meeting on campus this Friday.

I aim to keep stirring the pot.

Shuttle grapples Hubble...

and is now placing the school bus-sized telescope in the cargo bay for servicing. Five spacewalks in five days should refurbish the instrument to its most powerful configuration ever.

I've added links to the right column of this blog under NASA MISSION UPDATES that take you to the STS-125 mission as well as detailed information on Servicing Mission 4.

Image credit: NASA-TV

EWU student research highlighted...

at the upcoming Student Research and Creative Works Symposium to be held May 19-20 at various venues on campus. Follow the link to examine the symposium program with abstracts.

Signs along the trail...

at one of the geyser basins in Yellowstone National Park, pointing out the hazard of wandering off the boardwalk (click to enlarge.) Junior is cooked and Dad is oblivious to everything - he's on vacation.

Direct and to the point...

Freaks Survive Because They Are Strange.

Hey, I'm still here.

Does he know the details?

EWU President to Reveal Plan for Cutting $26 Million

The conversation with EWU president...

Dr. Arevalo went very well today; the discourse was polite, it involved all members of the university community (faculty, staff and students,) and a range of opinion regarding athletics funding was articulated. The room was packed and I estimated the crowd at about 80+ in the room with substantial spillover into the hallway.

I opened the meeting with a brief PowerPoint presentation reviewing the mission statement of the university (highlighting the strong emphasis on academics) and ultimately concluded with an alternative budget scenario that takes further reductions from athletics and places that savings in academic affairs for strategic use - I refer to it as Buchanan's Start Something Big budget. President Arevalo gave a brief response and the remaining time was spent engaging in Q&A with the audience.

My expectations? Nothing, really. It was clear that Dr. Arevalo did not have detailed knowledge of some of the budget calculations, and he professed that he was unaware about the opposition to athletics funding on campus. Sheesh.

I would still encourage opinionated readers to contact the EWU Board of Trustees either at their Friday meeting on campus, by phone or e-mail.

UPDATE: An observation I made during the dialogue: not a single person in the administrative entourage that accompanied Dr. Arevalo was taking notes.

Eco-hypocrite of the year...

is Oprah Winfrey who promotes the global warmist agenda on her television show but gloats about having a private jet at a graduation ceremony. Hmm.

Related previous post: eco-hypocrite nominee Prince Charles.

As I've stated before: when people who claim there's a crisis begin to behave like there is a crisis then maybe they'll earn my respect.

Planetary nebula K 4-55...

is shown in the last image acquired by the soon-to-be decommissioned Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST.) This object, remnants of an exploded star, is located in the constellation Cygnus at a distance of 4,600 light-years (1.4 kiloparsecs.)

Although this imaging instrument will be removed from the HST, it will be replaced by a vastly more capable panchromatic camera among other upgrades during Servicing Mission 4.

15 new troglodytic species...

discovered in southwestern caves according to USGS researchers. Link to brief fact sheet.

Gigapan Epic 100 reviewed...

at Wired: Hands-On With the Gigapan Epic 100 Panorama Robot. Mine was ordered about a month ago and I'm anxiously awaiting its delivery. I have a goal of using it to create a panoramic image of Crater Lake from the summit of Mt. Scott, a high peak along the caldera rim, during my summer field trip (among many, many other projects.)

I'm a Trekkie...

from the beginning of the television series in the 1960s. Today, I laugh when I see the wood grain in the elevator doors in the original Enterprise set. But back then it was fresh and adventurous stuff. It's obviously got staying power that spans generations.

So, has anyone seen the new Star Trek movie? Comments?

Bigger problem than global warming...

is the decline of the native chili pepper crop.

I like the pepper.

New species of archaebacteria...

can survive in high temperatures and pressures (up to 105°C and 1000 times atmospheric pressure) at hydrothermal vents along the mid-Atlantic ridge.

Why not on other planets?

Shuttle Atlantis to launch...

today at 11:01 am PDT. All is "go" and there is a 90% favorable weather prediction at the scheduled liftoff time. Watch streaming video of the launch and preparations on NASA-TV.

Link to STS-125 mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope.

UPDATES:

10:50 am PDT: Final clearances are issued. Countdown will resume in two minutes after a scheduled hold.

11:01 am PDT: Off it goes! Perfect launch, and minutes later, in a safe orbit.

Interesting discovery...

in most unusual place: Oldest Human Hairs Found in Hyena Dung.

Breaking news...

Parasitology...

has always fascinated me, especially since my invertebrate zoology class as an undergraduate. That being said, please heed this warning: the following link contains images that many will find graphic, gruesome and disgusting. So, if you dare, enjoy the five most horrific parasitic worms.

I told you, disgusting. But you had to look, eh?

What's next after Hubble?

Why the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), of course. It is now under construction and is slated to launch in 2014.

Beryllium mirrors. Interesting.

Happy Mother's Day...

To mark the holiday that honors the person that birthed you into this cruel world, here's a pic of cut-leaved daiseys (Erigeron compositus) taken at Drumheller Spring Park in Spokane.

Beginner's luck...

seems to have carried me to victory at a Bunco party this evening with two dozen fellow faculty and staff. After four rounds , punctuated by hors d'œuvres and dessert, I won 17 of 24 games, resulting in a tie with JG of the anthropology department. Special thanks to CC for hosting the fun gathering.

I almost felt compelled to purchase several lottery tickets on the journey home. However, upon only momentary reflection, my minor in statistics precluded me from doing so.

EWU Board of Trustees...

accepting input through June 19. It's now or never to express your feelings on the proposed budget reductions! I copied the following from the EWU web site:

The EWU Board of Trustees will be provided its first read of the proposed EWU budget for next year at its upcoming Committee of the Whole meeting, May 15, at approximately 1 p.m. in Tawanka, Room 215 B/C. The public is welcome to attend the Committee of the Whole meeting.The Board would like to provide staff, faculty and students the opportunity to give input regarding the proposed University budget and its alignment with the Board Statement of Budget Reduction Principles.

The EWU Board of Trustees will receive input through June 19, 2009.

The Board is scheduled to take action on the University budget on June 25, 2009.

There are several ways you can offer input. The Board of Trustees will accept comments and input as follows:
A. E-mail - send e-mail communication to the Board of Trustees.
B. Written letter - send or deliver letters to: EWU Board of Trustees, 214 Showalter Hall, Cheney, WA 99004
C. Verbal comment (two minutes per individual)
The EWU Board of Trustees, responsible for policy related oversight of the University, would like to hear from staff, faculty and students regarding the alignment of the proposed University budget (released May 15, 2009) with the Board Statement of Budget Reduction Principles.

The Board will hear input during a public comment period on May 15, 2009 at approximately 2:15 p.m. in Tawanka 215 B/C, following the first read of the University budget at approximately 1 p.m. during the Board Committee of the Whole meeting.
♦ Sign in - individuals and representatives of constituency groups need to sign in on May 15, 2009, beginning around 12:45 p.m. in Tawanka 215 B/C.
♦ Appoint a representative - constituency groups, organizations and clubs - please appoint a representative to speak on behalf of your membership.
♦ The Board may arrange the order of speakers in order to hear from a broad spectrum of constituent groups.
♦ Comments - two minutes per person.

The proposed University budget will be available on the Budget Services Web page following the May 15th meeting. Contact Julie Thayer, assistant to the Board, at 359.4648 with questions.

Pic from the past...

capturing my rappel into a deep cave on my mountain bike (click to enlarge and look closely.) I won't say where. Or when. Or who I was with. Suffice it to say I have photographic evidence (no, this is not a gimmicked photo.) I have to tell you that the view across the handlebars, looking down into the yawning abyss, was a lot like some of my flying dreams.

Athletics thrives while academics die...

in the final budget reduction proposal from the EWU administration which is fundamentally unchanged from an earlier version. Cuts in athletics is limited to $336,100 (out of $7.5 million) while Academic Affairs is reduced approximately $6 million (with ~$1.6 million cut from the College of Science, Health and Engineering.)

In addition, resident undergraduate tuition will rise 14% each year during the next two years.

Looks like I'll have a lot of questions for president Arevalo on Tuesday at our meeting, who, by the way, referred to me as "Mr. Buchman" in an e-mail on Thursday. Not a detail man, I guess.

Sun entering weakest cycle...

since 1928 according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA.) More here.

Wise words...

It is never too late to have a happy childhood.

— Tom Robbins

Truth about rabies...

More people (children) are injured by shopping carts on an annual basis than contract rabies from bats. So why the hysteria about rabid bats? Shouldn't our government do more to protect our citizens from the lurking hazards related to rogue shopping carts?

When comets attack...

you better watch out, especially if the "Tunguska event" of 1908 is any indication. Here's a new twist to the long accepted idea that a fragment of a comet or asteroid exploded in the atmosphere over Siberia, leveling ~ 800 square-miles of forests, in what was the largest non-nuclear explosion in recent history.

Hint: a big part of the object still exists. Guess where it is?

An image of Earth...

from space showing Upheaval Dome in Canyonlands National Park, Utah (click to enlarge.) The origin of this enigmatic 5.5 km diameter structure has puzzled geologists for decades, with various hypotheses being proposed that include a salt dome, a pinched-off salt diapir, volcanism, and a relict impact crater. Recent evidence in the form of microscale deformations of the rocks and minerals around this structure are consistent with a high-energy impact event.

This is a standard stop on my field trips to this area, and an excellent place to discuss multiple working hypotheses. There's a wonderful trail that circumnavigates the perimeter of the structure that I can highly recommend if you've got a full day to explore.

Image credit: NASA, ISS015-E-5983, acquired May 1, 2007.

Carbon-based lavas...

are flowing from Tanzania's Oldoinyo Lengai volcano, arguably the world's most unusual. When this type of lava crystallizes it forms a rare and peculiar volcanic rock termed carbonatite. Key bit:

"The lava expelled from the volcano is highly unusual in that it contains almost no silica and greater than 50 percent carbonate minerals. Typically lavas contain high levels of silica, which increases their melting point to above 900°C (1652°F). The lavas of Oldoinyo Lengai volcano erupt as a liquid at approximately 540°C (1004°F). This low silica content gives rise to the extremely fluid lavas, which resembles motor oil when they flow."

I've got to put this place on my "to do" list, after all, life is just one big geology field trip.

UPDATE: Here's an additional link with images about this bizarre volcano.

Hubble servicing mission 4...

to launch in less than a week. While we're waiting, here's a FAQ about the work to be performed on the aging space telescope.

Washington State observes...

Volcano Awareness Month in May. The USGS news release also announces the publication of Professional Paper 1750 on the renewed eruptions of Mount Saint Helens during 2004 to 2006.

"Crackpot geologist" Charlie Steen...

became enormously wealthy and influential by discovering uranium on the Colorado Plateau in the Moab, Utah area during the 1950s. His colorful life is summarized in this article and, despite the fame and fortune he enjoyed in his early years, his story ultimately ends in bust.

If you read and enjoy the linked article, I recommend Uranium Frenzy as a good summertime read.

Swine flu fizzles...

or so you would like to believe. The graph shown above (click to enlarge) is the history of the Spanish flu pandemic in 1918. Note the initial blip in the mortality rate in July 1918 but the real spike came the following flu season. The same pattern may occur with the swine flu, and here's an article about a potential second wave. We're not out of the woods yet.

For those detractors that say the H1N1 outbreak has been over-hyped by officials and the media, what exactly would you have preferred be done in the initial days of this event? It's easy to criticize in retrospect. Moreover, I look at it as a fire drill - to test our medical response to a modern pandemic - because some day we're really going to need it.

The Bu bro agrees: "The real test will be in the fall/winter."

Pig Latin interface...

for the Google search engine.

Unnyfay!

Postnatural environmentalism...

Op-Ed: Stop Trying to Save the Planet

Indeed, the Earth has never, ever been a static environment through all of time. So why do some expect it to remain the same forever? Perhaps they need to take a GEOL 100 course!

Hat tip: BH

Treasure trove of trilobites...

found in Portugal includes some of the largest specimens and assemblages ever discovered.

Try saying the header to this post three times - quickly.

Wise words...

I am what I am and that's all that I am.

-- Popeye (the Sailor Man)

Google engages a publicity stunt...

to divert attention from the enormous carbon footprint of its search service. The lawns at corporate headquarters were cropped by a herd of 200 eco-friendly goats, rather than being trimmed by conventional carbon-spewing lawnmowers. (Gee, I wonder how the goats got there?)

Eco-hypocrites?

Porcine pestilence update...

from the WHO and CDC. Interestingly, the CDC has confirmed the Kootenai County, Idaho swine flu case but is dragging its feet with the two suspected H1N1 patients in Spokane County. Why?

Meanwhile, as the situation develops, I recommend the following:

This book is a treasure: The Porcine Canticles. For pig lovers, by a pig lover (I particularly like the poem Racehogs.) And remember to support the pork industry!

UPDATE: Spokane County has one confirmed case (just announced this afternoon now that Bloomsday is over.)

Image credit CDC/James Gathany

World's oldest landform...

has been identified in the Negev desert in Israel. Geologists fix the age of the desert pavement surface at 1.8 million years! The long term persistence of this ancient landscape is only possible because of the arid climate and tectonic stability of the region.

How'd they date it? Why cosmogenic radionuclide dating, of course.

Ground rules...

for the meeting with EWU president Arevalo next Tuesday, 12 May, at noon in SCI 143.

Hat tip to the Bu bro for this pic.

Student wins lawsuit against teacher...

who disparaged creationism in the classroom. Admittedly, the California high school teacher's comments were more than just a little over the top.

Thank goodness for tenure!

Hat tip: CO

In recognition of Cinco de Mayo...

it seems appropriate to post a short note on some aspect of Mexican geology. So here it is:

I just lectured on human-caused land subsidence in Mexico City in my geohazards class, an on-going problem there and in other places (e.g. Las Vegas, Nevada; central valley area, California.) This occurs where rapid withdrawal of groundwater in fine-grained aquifers causes the framework to collapse and the land surface to lower in direct response.

Now go out and have a margarita and impress your friends and family with this new found knowledge.

UPDATE: It's the end of the day and I'm at home, preparing to mix a michelada. Be warned - it's muy spicy. Mmm.

"Preemptive denial"...

is a developing strategy used by climate researchers who are proponents of anthropogenic global warming (AGW) in response to conflicting data. Perfect example: the quiet Sun and potential global cooling.

Ironically, the linked article contains this concluding quote:

"There are many uncertainties," said Jose Abreu, a doctoral candidate at the Swiss government's research institute Eawag.

"We don't know the sensitivity of the climate to changes in solar intensity. In my opinion, I wouldn't play with things I don't know."

Funny. Couldn't the same thing be said of the advocates of AGW?

I'm shocked...

to learn that "distractions while driving, such as using cell phones or texting, can be dangerous."

Speechless, in fact.

Signs along the road...

on the Oregon coast.

The most prolific geologic mapper...

of all time has got to be legendary California geologist Tom Dibblee, who during his 60 year career, mapped 550 quadrangles. Wow.

I bet he was good at coloring within the lines after his first couple hundred quads.

Rare Atlantic tsunami...

may have washed ashore 2,300 years ago in the New Jersey and New York area based on evidence in 20 drill cores. The causative mechanism is not known, and speculation ranges from a megastorm to a submarine landslide to an impact event.

It could happen again.

Wise words...

Creationism is wrong; totally, utterly, and absolutely wrong. I would go further. There are degrees of being wrong. The creationists are at the bottom of the scale. They pull every trick in the book to justify their position. Indeed, at times they verge right over into the downright dishonest. Scientific Creationism is not just wrong, it is ludicrously implausible. It is a grotesque parody of human thought, and a downright misuse of human intelligence. In short, to the believer, it is an insult to God.

— Michael Ruse

Multiple moons...

on a summer field trip to Mount Rainier National Park. What the heck are they lookin' at?

Wolfram Alpha...

might give Google a run for the money in Internet search technology. The new search site launches later this month and I look forward to giving it a test drive.

Emerald Creek Garnet Area...

near Clarkia, Idaho is featured in the Spokesman-Review today. Though I've not been there I hear it's a fun activity and most diggers leave with nice finds.

More obfuscation...

and less clarity seems to be the rule these days, especially to push something that's not selling. Case in point: It's not global warming, but "our deteriorating atmosphere" according to marketers hoping to influence environmental legislation.

As a scientist I can tell you that this is extremely frustrating.

Words. Have. Meaning.

Mugshot of H1N1 virus...

from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Influenza Laboratory. It also goes by the alias "swine flu" but apparently we shouldn't use that term anymore. Link to latest info from the WHO and CDC.

US Forest Service closing caves...

to combat white-nose syndrome in bats. The fungus causing the large number of bat deaths may be carried from cave to cave by human visitors, on their gear or clothing. I wonder if they've done any actual testing of boots or clothing before implementing these restrictions? Regardless, the caves, and bats, could use a rest from visitation.

Link to previous related post. Remember: bats need friends.

EWU geology alumnus...

Charles Gulick passed away earlier this week.

Chuck earned his M.S. degree in geology about the time I joined the faculty, and he subsequently worked as a geologist for the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. He is author/co-author of a number of state publications, and most recently he was heavily involved in mined land reclamation.

I remember Chuck as being an amiable fellow with a good sense of humor, a respected professional, and a big supporter of the geology program. I am greatly saddened to learn of his passing.

Time lapse from space...

Don Pettit, a NASA astronaut, shot these time lapse videos of views outside the International Space Station (ISS.) Awesome.

Footage courtesy of Don Pettit. Music courtesy of SYNTHAR.

Last flight to Hubble...

to launch in nine days, on Monday, 11 May, at 11:01 am PDT.

Wake up and smell the flowers...

on a Native Plant Society sponsored walk through Drumheller Springs Park in Spokane - at least that's what I'm doing this morning at 10 am. The walk is being led by a buddy of mine who is a geotechnical engineer, and he has identified well over 100 species of plants in the 12 acre urban wildland.

Be sure to celebrate Native Plant Appreciation Week (May 3-9, 2009.)

Thanks, plants, for being green and attractive, and for scrubbing CO2 and making oxygen. Much appreciated!

Everett Ruess found after 75 years...

of uncertainty surrounding his mysterious disappearance in the 1930s in southern Utah. Link to article describing the science behind the identification.

No spoilers here - you'll have to read the articles. I became more familiar with the Reuss mystery by reading this book as my love affair with southern Utah grew.

Update on Arctic sea ice extent...

this first day of May from the National Snow and Ice Data Center. This graph updates on a daily basis (click to enlarge.) By any measure the recovery of the Arctic ice pack is extraordinary, yet the media have yet to tell this story. Hmm.

UPDATE: The same trend of rapidly growing ice mass is also true in Antarctica as this graph shows:No story here folks. Keep moving along.

Miracle in the kitchen!

Diners report seeing Virgin Mary in food griddle.

I particularly like the "masked Mexican wrestlers" part of the story. Now you're interested, eh?

Messages from Mercury...

via the MESSENGER spacecraft reveal an interesting planet, dominated by volcanism and a titanium oxide-rich regolith. The tiny planet also possesses an oddly behaving magnetic field.

Link to NASA's MESSENGER mission home page.