EPOD - a service of USRA

The Earth Science Picture of the Day (EPOD) highlights the diverse processes and phenomena which shape our planet and our lives. EPOD will collect and archive photos, imagery, graphics, and artwork with short explanatory
captions and links exemplifying features within the Earth system. The
community is invited to contribute digital imagery, short captions and
relevant links.


Archive - Soda Dry Lake

March 12, 2022

6a0105371bb32c970b0120a86b98ee970b

Every weekend we present a notable item from our archives.

This EPOD was originally published on February 11, 2010.

Photographer: Barbara Traub
Summary Authors: Barbara Traub; Jim Foster

The photo above shows a scenic view of Soda Dry Lake in the
Mojave Desert of California. Soda Dry Lake is a playa, which is a
shallow, more or less rounded lake or wetlands area filled by rainfall.
Playas are formed in areas where there’s no outlet to a river or
larger water body. Thus, the relief where they are encountered is
extremely flat – nearly level terrain. In the United States playas are
found in the Basin and Range province, west of the Rocky Mountains,
and in portions of the Great Plains. During periods when rainfall is
particularly scarce, a crust of evaporite minerals is often
observed on the surface and along the edge of playas. Capillary action
draws the scant water from below the lake bed upward to the surface
where it quickly evaporates. Note: because of the shading on the photo,
the eye is tricked into believing that the surface is wetter than was
the case. Photo taken late in the afternoon of January 10, 2010.
* Mojave Desert Coordinates: 35.163, -116.071

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Geography Links

* Atlapedia Online
* CountryReports
* GPS Visualizer
* Holt Rinehart Winston World Atlas
* Mapping Our World
* Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection
* Types of Land
* World Mapper

-
Earth Science Picture of the Day is a service of the Universities
Space Research Association.

https://epod.usra.edu

--- up 1 week, 5 days, 20 minutes
* Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (1:317/3)

EPOD - a service of USRA

The Earth Science Picture of the Day (EPOD) highlights the diverse processes and phenomena which shape our planet and our lives. EPOD will collect and archive photos, imagery, graphics, and artwork with short explanatory
captions and links exemplifying features within the Earth system. The
community is invited to contribute digital imagery, short captions and
relevant links.


Canary Island Pine Regrowth After Eruption

April 12, 2022

20220129_170049

Photographer: Ana García Suárez

Summary Author: Ana García Suárez

This photo from January 29th, 2022 shows a Canary Island Pine
(Pinus canariensis) that sprouted again a little more than a month
after the end of the volcanic eruption on the island of La
Palma. For kilometers around the volcano, forests are no longer green
because of the emission of gases and acid rain. These acidic gases
damage the photosystems of the trees, causing plant tissue
chlorosis and necrosis. As is evident in the photo above, even
after these severe eruption episodes involving noxious gases, acid
rain, and ash, the vegetation is not dead. Slowly the landscape is
growing back, including the Canary Island Pine that is particularly
known to be able to sprout again after a fire. Nature takes its
course and does not give up.
* Las Manchas, La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain Coordinates: 28.5994,
-17.8836

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Plant Links

* Discover Life
* Tree Encyclopedia
* What are Phytoplankton?
* Encyclopedia of Life - What is a Plant?
* USDA Plants Database
* University of Texas Native Plant Database
* Plants in Motion
* What Tree is It?

-
Earth Science Picture of the Day is a service of the Universities
Space Research Association.

https://epod.usra.edu

--- up 6 weeks, 1 day, 21 minutes
* Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (1:317/3)

EPOD - a service of USRA

The Earth Science Picture of the Day (EPOD) highlights the diverse processes and phenomena which shape our planet and our lives. EPOD will collect and archive photos, imagery, graphics, and artwork with short explanatory
captions and links exemplifying features within the Earth system. The
community is invited to contribute digital imagery, short captions and
relevant links.


Waterspout Over Lake Los Molinos

May 12, 2022

_DSC3740A

Photographer: Omar Curcio

Summary Authors: Omar Curcio; Cadan Cummings

Shown in the photo above is a waterspout that formed over Lake
Los Molinos in Argentina on February 21, 2022. With weather conditions
in the region being suitable for waterspout creation, an alert was sent
by the National Meteorological Service for the Paravachasca Valley at
around 12:41 p.m. local time. Waterspouts can be divided into two
types: tornadic and fair weather. Like the name implies, tornadic
waterspouts typically develop as tornadoes produced by severe
thunderstorms over land before moving over a waterbody. Conversely,
fair-weather waterspouts are generated solely over water and are
usually less severe and smaller. Watching this event from a distance,
it was evident the strength varied as the waterspout moved above the
lake.

Photo details: Nikon D500 camera, ISO 200, f/10, 1/250 sec, Df 55mm
* Potrero de Garay, Córdoba, Argentina Coordinates: -31.7919,
-64.5471

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Severe Weather Links

* World Severe Weather Information Center
* Enhanced Fujita Scale
* A Lightning Primer
* More About Thunderstorms
* Staying Safe Outdoors in Severe Weather
* NOAA Storm Prediction Center
* Patterns of Lightning Activity
* US National Weather Service

-
Earth Science Picture of the Day is a service of the Universities
Space Research Association.

https://epod.usra.edu

--- up 10 weeks, 3 days, 21 minutes
* Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (1:317/3)

EPOD - a service of USRA

The Earth Science Picture of the Day (EPOD) highlights the diverse processes and phenomena which shape our planet and our lives. EPOD will collect and archive photos, imagery, graphics, and artwork with short explanatory
captions and links exemplifying features within the Earth system. The
community is invited to contribute digital imagery, short captions and
relevant links.


Varvite Park in Brazil

July 12, 2022

1

Photographer: Monikeli Wippel

Summary Author: Monikeli Wippel

Varvite Park is a geological monument in the town of Itu – located
about 60 miles (95 km) northeast São Paulo, Brazil. The artificial rock
outcrops in an abandon quarry are the result of mining activity dating
back to the early 18th century. Following many years of mining, this
area was converted into a municipal park in 1995 and now represents a
milestone in the protection and valuing of geoheritage in Brazil.

The photo above shows a varvite present in the park. Varvite is a
name used by geologists to designate a kind of sedimentary rock formed
by the repetitive succession of pairs of layers or laminas
deposited over the years. The name "varvite" is derived from the word
“ varve” of Swedish origin. It is generally used to designate
rhythmic sedimentary seasonal deposits, which said another way means
they are controlled by how the deposits formed based on variation in
weather throughout the year. The most known type of varve is
represented by laminas or layers of sediments in fractions of sand,
silt, and clay. Photo taken on April 22, 2022.

Photo details: Moto G9, f/1.7, ISO-100, 1/897 second exposure
* Varvite Park, Brazil Coordinates: -23.2636, -47.3011

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Geology Links

* Earthquakes
* Geologic Time
* Geomagnetism
* General Dictionary of Geology
* Mineral and Locality Database
* Mohs Scale of Mineral Hardness
* This Dynamic Earth
* USGS
* MyShake - University of California, Berkeley
* USGS Ask a Geologist
* USGS/NPS Geologic Glossary
* USGS Volcano Hazards Program

-
Earth Science Picture of the Day is a service of the Universities
Space Research Association.

https://epod.usra.edu

--- up 19 weeks, 1 day, 21 minutes
* Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (1:317/3)

EPOD - a service of USRA

The Earth Science Picture of the Day (EPOD) highlights the diverse processes and phenomena which shape our planet and our lives. EPOD will collect and archive photos, imagery, graphics, and artwork with short explanatory
captions and links exemplifying features within the Earth system. The
community is invited to contribute digital imagery, short captions and
relevant links.


Distortion of the Setting Moon and Lower Mock Mirage

August 12, 2022


Lorenzo_IMG_20220517_095942

Photographer: Lorenzo Busilacchi

Author: Lorenzo Busilacchi

As shown above, the atmosphere acts to flatten the apparent lunar
disk when it’s on or close to the horizon. This photo was captured at
Porto Ottiolu, Sardinia. Light emanating from the bottom of the Moon
passes through more of our atmosphere when it’s closer to the
horizon than does light from the upper reaches of the Sun. The Sun's
bottom is thus refracted upwards a greater amount than at the top -
this holds for all celestial objects as they approach the horizon. Note
also the lower mock mirage, caused by a sharp temperature
inversion, which further exaggerates the shape of the lunar disk. Photo
taken on May 15, 2022.


Porto Ottiolu, Budoni, Sardinia, Italy Coordinates: 40.7374, 9.7079


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Atmospheric Effects Links

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* Refraction Index
* Image Gallery: Atmospheric Effects
* What is a Rainbow?

-
Earth Science Picture of the Day is a service of the Universities
Space Research Association.

https://epod.usra.edu

--- up 23 weeks, 4 days, 20 minutes
* Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (1:317/3)

EPOD - a service of USRA

The Earth Science Picture of the Day (EPOD) highlights the diverse processes and phenomena which shape our planet and our lives. EPOD will collect and archive photos, imagery, graphics, and artwork with short explanatory
captions and links exemplifying features within the Earth system. The
community is invited to contribute digital imagery, short captions and
relevant links.


The Wonder of Roots: Part 2

September 12, 2022


Black Rock Mountain 7

Photographer: Ray Major
Summary Author: Ray Major
While hiking Black Rock Mountain State Park, Georgia, I took a side
trail that led to a boulder pile, where serendipitously I discovered
this unusual tree. This is what can happen when a tree sprouts on top
of a decaying stump. The stump continued to rot away, leaving the
tree standing on its roots. Photo taken on May 13, 2022.


Black Rock, Georgia, Coordinates: 34.9226, -83.4106


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Plant Links

* Discover Life
* Tree Encyclopedia
* What are Phytoplankton?
* Encyclopedia of Life - What is a Plant?
* USDA Plants Database
* University of Texas Native Plant Database
* Plants in Motion
* What Tree is It?

-
Earth Science Picture of the Day is a service of the Universities
Space Research Association.

https://epod.usra.edu

--- up 28 weeks, 21 minutes
* Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (1:317/3)

EPOD - a service of USRA

The Earth Science Picture of the Day (EPOD) highlights the diverse processes and phenomena which shape our planet and our lives. EPOD will collect and archive photos, imagery, graphics, and artwork with short explanatory
captions and links exemplifying features within the Earth system. The
community is invited to contribute digital imagery, short captions and
relevant links.


Arizona’s China Wall

October 12, 2022


TomMc_ChinaWall

Photographer: Thomas McGuire

Summary Author: Thomas McGuire

Shown above is China Wall, a rock formation in the Tonto National
Forest, north of Scottsdale, Arizona. It forms a broken vertical wall
nearly a mile long (1.6 km), and about 10 feet high (3 m) and 5 feet
wide (1.5 m), draped over the summit of Bronco Butte (satellite
photo below). It was so-named because of its resemblance to the ruins
of the Great Wall of China, which is about two to three times
larger.

China Wall is a sill intrusion of rhyolite, a relatively common
igneous rock. Rhyolite has a composition similar to granite, but
due to relatively rapid cooling, the crystals are much smaller than
granite. The China Wall magma was injected into meta-sedimentary
rocks that are nearly half as old as Earth itself. Although the layer
of rock is oriented vertically, it’s inferred that the sill was
injected horizontally and the whole regional package was rotated into
the vertical position by a billion years of plate tectonic forces.
With the sparse vegetation found in the U.S. Southwest, bedrock
exposures often reveal the orientation of the layers.

TomMc_ChinaWall.jpg2b


China Wall, Arizona Coordinates: 33.9008, -111.8810


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Geology Links

* Earthquakes
* Geologic Time
* Geomagnetism
* General Dictionary of Geology
* Mineral and Locality Database
* Mohs Scale of Mineral Hardness
* This Dynamic Earth
* USGS
* MyShake - University of California, Berkeley
* USGS Ask a Geologist
* USGS/NPS Geologic Glossary
* USGS Volcano Hazards Program

-
Earth Science Picture of the Day is a service of the Universities
Space Research Association.

https://epod.usra.edu

--- up 32 weeks, 2 days, 20 minutes
* Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (1:317/3)

EPOD - a service of USRA

The Earth Science Picture of the Day (EPOD) highlights the diverse processes and phenomena which shape our planet and our lives. EPOD will collect and archive photos, imagery, graphics, and artwork with short explanatory
captions and links exemplifying features within the Earth system. The
community is invited to contribute digital imagery, short captions and
relevant links.


Joggins Fossil Cliffs

December 12, 2022

P9070408-Joggins Cliffs

Photographer: Rick Stankiewicz
Summary Author: Rick Stankiewicz

The seaside cliffs near Joggins, Nova Scotia are a mecca for anyone
interested in fossils and are well worth the drive off the beaten path
to this small community in western Cumberland County. The above photo
is a section of this incredible 9 mile (15 km) stretch of shoreline
along the Bay of Fundy.

Joggins is famous for its rich fossil record going back more than
310 million years to the Pennsylvanian “Coal Age” of the Late
Carboniferous Period. During this time Nova Scotia was covered by a
tropical rainforest to which the fossil record attests. As early as
1871, the fossils from Joggins were considered the finest in the world
from this Period. In 2008 the Joggins Fossil Cliffs were designated a
UNESCO Natural Heritage Site.

When I visited this site with my wife in 2016, I was captivated by the
content of the displays at the “ Joggins Fossil Centre”, which does
an admirable job of illustrating the geology and history of this unique
landscape and the fossil record it both preserves and exposes for
discovery. Though not legal to “collect” at this site, a guided tour
will show fossilized specimens that have literally fallen from the
cliff-face to the shoreline below. With the highest tides in the
world, nature is exposing the fossil record on a daily basis.

P9070407-Ripples

One interesting example I witnessed on my tour was a plate-sized
example of “ripples”, from an ancient waterbed that had been fossilized
and now lay on the shore near the base of the cliffs (above). Our guide
picked it up to explain its significance to our group. I personally
found segments of plant stems both on the shore, amongst the rubble and
embedded in the cliff-face (below). The specimen shown here is likely a
section of a tree sized relative ( Calamites) of today’s smaller,
reedy horsetail rushes. Photos taken on September 7, 2016.

P9070398-Plant Stem

Photo details: Olympus TG-860 camera; f/6; ISO 125; 1/500th second
exposure.

Fossil Cliffs, Nova Scotia, Canada Coordinates: 45.694515 -64.449432


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Geography Links

* Atlapedia Online
* CountryReports
* GPS Visualizer
* Holt Rinehart Winston World Atlas
* Mapping Our World
* Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection
* Types of Land
* World Mapper

-
Earth Science Picture of the Day is a service of the Universities
Space Research Association.

https://epod.usra.edu

--- up 41 weeks, 21 minutes
* Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (1:317/3)