Oceans Could Absorb Much More CO2

Posted on September 1, 2009 by Rashid Faridi

Earth’s oceans are vast reservoirs of carbon dioxide (CO2) with the potential to control the pace of global warming.

It all hinges on the fate of marine “snow” — a constant sprinkle of carbon-rich bits that flutter down from the sea surface to the cold depths below. And according to a new study, the flurries could suck much more of the greenhouse gas out of the atmosphere than previously thought.

Each year, phytoplankton floating in the seas’ big blue expanse drink in 10 billion tons of carbon from the air (humans emit about 8 billion tons). Their shells and excretions rain down from the surface, providing a feast for creatures that recycle up to 90 percent of the carbon back into the water as CO2. Only a light dusting lands on the ocean floor.

But small changes in this carbon system have big implications for climate.

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EPA to declare CO2 a dangerous pollutant

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ISRO,India announces launch of Oceansat-2 in September

Posted on August 31, 2009 by Rashid Faridi

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch Oceansat-2, a unique integrated satellite to track marine life and identify potential fishing zones in September, disclosed Y V N Krishnamurthy, Director of ISRO’s Regional Remote Sensing Service Centre.The integration of the satellite, designed to identify potential fishing zones, assists in forecasting marine trends and coastal zone studies will also provide inputs for weather forecasting and climate studies.All pre-launch tests on the functional aspects of the satellite have been successfully completed.Oceansat-2 would blast off on board India’s indigenous workhorse, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) at Sriharikota located on the Indian east coast. The satellite will be an in-orbit replacement to Oceansat-1, which was launched by ISRO in May 1999 to study physical and biological aspects of oceanography.Oceansat-2 would carry an Ocean Colour Monitor (OCM) and a Ku-band pencil beam Scatterometer – for the first time, besides a Radio Occultation Sounder for Atmospheric Studies (ROSA).

source:http://www.gisdevelopment.net

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India loses contact with its first moon mission

Posted on August 30, 2009 by Rashid Faridi

The PSLV-C11 (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle), Chandrayaan-1 sits on the second launch pad of Satish Dhawan space centre at Sriharikota, about 100 km (62 miles) north of the southern Indian city of Chennai, in this October 11, 2008 file photo.

India has lost all contact with an unmanned spacecraft conducting its first moon mission, the national space agency said on Saturday.Communications with the Chandrayaan-1 craft broke down early on Saturday. “It is a serious problem. If we do not re-establish contact we will lose the spacecraft,” said S. Satish, spokesman for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).The $79-million mission was launched amid national euphoria last October, putting India in the Asian space race alongside rival China, reinforcing its claim to be considered a global power.A probe vehicle landed on the moon a month later and sent back images of the lunar surface.But a critical sensor in the main craft, orbiting the moon, malfunctioned in July, raising fears that the two-year mission may have to be curtailed.One of the mission’s main aims was to look for Helium 3, an isotope which is very rare on earth but could be an energy source in the future in nuclear fusion.ISRO has plans to send a manned mission to space in four years’ time and eventually on to Mars.

source:Reuters

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Sun Spot-Climate Link

Posted on August 29, 2009 by Rashid Faridi

Small changes in the energy output of the sun can have a major impact on global weather patterns, such as the intensity of the Indian monsoon, that could be predicted years in advance, a team of scientists said.Using a century of weather observations and complex computer models, the international team of scientists led by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in the United States showed that even a small increase in the sun’s energy can intensify wind and rainfall patterns.

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