Barb Adams
GCN Live.com

Sunspot AR1476, which is so large that NASA scientists are calling it a “monster,” has rotated around the sun and is about to put Earth in its crosshairs.

Sunspot AR1476, which was first spotted by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory this past weekend, is so big that it has been visible without the aid of solar telescopes. Consisting of at least four dark cores, each of which is larger than the Earth, AR1476 measures more than 60,000 miles across. The gigantic sunspot can be seen at sunrise and sunset when the light of the low-hanging sun is somewhat dimmed to human visibility. (WARNING: Never look directly at the sun with your naked eye or with unfiltered telescopes or binoculars. Special filters are required for viewing the sun directly.)

Sunspots are temporary phenomena on the photosphere of the Sun’s surface, and appear as dark spots because they are slightly cooler than surrounding areas (being roughly 3,000 to 4,500 degrees Kelvin as opposed to around 5,780 K). Sunspots form when there is intense magnetic activity on the sun, and can increase in number as the sun ramps up towards solar maximum. The next solar maximum will occur in 2013. Scientists use sunspots to measure the sun’s activity.

Thus far, sunspot AR1476 has proven to be quite active. On Thursday morning, May 10, SpaceWeather.com reported AR1476 unleashed a strong M4- or M5-class solar flare. Fortunately, the almost X-class eruption did not send a significant coronal mass ejection (CME) toward Earth, although a minor radio blackout was reported by NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). Earlier in the week, AR1476 fired off a couple of M-class flares which did launch CMEs toward Earth. CMEs are massive clouds of solar plasma that travel through space at speeds of 3 million mph and higher. Along with solar flares, CMEs can disrupt radio transmissions and cause damage to satellites in space and power grid systems on Earth. CMEs can also produce dazzling displays of northern and southern lights (auroras).

Sunspot AR1476 has the potential to produce some of the strongest types of solar flares known (X-class) because it has a “beta-gamma-delta” magnetic field, which means it contains plenty of energy to produce very strong eruptions. X-class solar flares are the largest and strongest class of solar flares, and are considered major events because they can trigger planet-wide communications and power-grid disruptions and blackouts. They are also capable of producing long-lasting geomagnetic storms. M-class flares are considered to be moderate sized, and may cause brief radio blackouts and minor radiation storms. C-class flares are considered the smallest, and have the least noticeable effects on Earth. NOAA forecasters are estimating event probabilities of 75 percent for additional M-class flares and 20 percent for X-class flares during the next several days as sunspot region 1476 continues to grow in size.

In addition to AR 1476, another sunspot group, AR 1471, erupted on the sun’s surface this week as well, shooting an M1 flare towards Earth.

The sun has been surprisingly quiet during this current solar cycle (24), but may be coming into a more active period as it heads towards solar maximum in 2013. Solar storms are inevitable, and today’s modern society depends heavily on technologies that are vulnerable to the effects of intense geomagnetic storms and other solar-energetic particle events. Could there be another Carrington Event or, thanks to improved prediction systems, will we be able to take appropriate mitigation actions to prevent large-scale blackouts and damage should an intense storm occur? With AR1476 turning its aim towards Earth, we just might find out.

Click here to watch the solar flare and listen to radio burst sounds from AR1476.

Barb Adams is the host of Amerika Now talk radio show, which airs on GCN Saturdays 10:00p-1:00am Central Time. Listen to the show On Demand.

Like GCN Live on Facebook and follow on Twitter for more great news, opinions, and announcements from GCN Live’s hosts and staff.

Barb Adams
GCN Live.com

As Japan shut down its last operating nuclear reactor this weekend, Edison International, owner of California’s San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, announced plans to bring their troubled plant back online in June.

With the peak-use summer season just around the corner, troubles continue to plague California’s two nuclear power plants. On April 18th, a small electrical fire of unknown origin broke out at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station near San Clemente, which remains shut down since January due to faulty tubes in its steam generators and a radiation leak. Then, on April 26th, California’s other nuclear power plant, Diablo Canyon near San Luis Obispo, was knocked offline by an unusual invasion of jellyfish-like sea creatures known as salp, which clogged intake vents at the plant. Although the Diablo Canyon plant was able to re-open on May 1st, Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) officials have stated all along that San Onofre will remain shut down until safety issues are addressed. San Onofre and Diablo Canyon together supply about 14 percent of California’s electricity.

The announcement by Edison International to restart San Onofre in June is in contrast to previous announcements by both plant operators and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which must sign off on the restart-up. Edison says it will submit its plans for restart-up by mid-May to the NRC, and hopes to have its Unit 2 reactor back online by June 1 and Unit 3 reactor back by June 12. Those dates could change depending on final plans and NRC approval.

The San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station consists of three units which each contain tens of thousands of alloy tubes that carry radioactive water in the plant’s steam generators. The tubes are critical to safety. When one of the tubes breaks or is ruptured, radioactivity can be released into the atmosphere or radioactive water can escape into surrounding areas, including the Pacific Ocean. Troubles at San Onofre began in January when a steam tube in Unit 3 ruptured, releasing radioactive steam. Officials originally said there was no danger from the leak; however, upon investigation they discovered that there was “unusual and excessive” wear on hundreds of tubes in not only Unit 3, but also Unit 2. Unit 3 was shut down immediately, and Unit 2, which had been taken off-line earlier in January for maintenance and refueling, was also then shut down. Unit 1 has been permanently shut down since 1992, and is used as a spent-fuel repository.

Edison believes it has figured out the cause of the rapid tube wear at both units, and says it appears to be related to the amount of steam flowing through the pipes, which causes vibration and rubbing. “The higher the power, the greater the flow and the more likely the tubes are to vibrate,” says Stephen Pickett, Executive Vice President with Southern California Edison. Hundreds of tubes in the plant’s reactors showed excessive wear, which was highly unusual considering the pipes had been recently installed in 2009 and 2010. Edison is planning to “plug” the defective pieces of equipment and run the reactors at 50 to 80 percent capacity over the summer according to Pickett.

Activists and many community leaders and members are seeking a permanent shut down of the nuclear plant. “When your nuclear reactor is springing leaks and radioactive pipes are deteriorating 20 times faster than they should, it’s a big deal, and no amount of nuclear spin by Edison or the NRC can hide that fact,” says Shaun Bernie, a nuclear specialist to Friends of the Earth.

Although Edison officials say they have solved the mystery involving the vibration-and-wear tube problems in San Onofre’s reactors, it is interesting to note that plant officials also announced recently that they will begin working with the Scripps Institution of Oceanography to conduct seismic studies around the San Onofre plant. Scripps professor Neal Driscoll said that the study will be the first in approximately 20 to 30 years to assemble this type of data, and will look at known offshore faults as well as search for other potential faults in the area.

Both the San Onofre and Diablo Canyon power plants were constructed in seismic hazard zones along the coast. San Onofre is located less than one mile from a major tectonic fault known as the Cristianitos Fault, which is considered “inactive.” The Diablo Canyon Power Plant is located near four faults, including the very active San Andreas and Hosgri faults. The NRC says that nuclear power plants built in earthquake zones, like California’s coast, have a surprisingly low risk of damage, and that the “odds” are in the public’s favor. Those odds haven’t won over activists, however, who are concerned about the effects a major earthquake might have on the nuclear plants, and believe California is overdue for such a catastrophic quake. They have asked for the evacuation zone around San Onofre to be increased from 10 miles to 50 miles. Officials at the San Onofre plant, however, say their plant is designed to withstand a magnitude 7.0 earthquake and an ensuing tsunami of up to 8 feet. The Diablo Canyon plant, which was originally built to withstand a 6.75-magnitude earthquake, has been retrofitted recently to withstand a 7.5-magnitude earthquake, and a seismic study is currently ongoing there.

Considering San Onofre has the worst safety record of all the nuclear reactors in America, it’s hoped that the NRC will make certain all safety issues have been addressed completely before San Onofre is allowed to restart-up. And with both San Onofre and Diablo Canyon sitting on the Pacific Ring of Fire, no one wants to find out just how bad it could be if those safety issues haven’t been dealt with adequately.

Barb Adams is the host of Amerika Now talk radio show, which airs on GCN Saturdays 10:00p-1:00am Central Time. Listen to the show On Demand.

Like GCN Live on Facebook and follow on Twitter for more great news, opinions, and announcements from GCN Live’s hosts and staff.

Barb Adams
GCN Live.com

Saturday, May 5th, will present a unique opportunity to observe both a ‘supermoon’ and the remnants of Halley’s Comet in the form of the Eta Aquarid meteor shower.

On Saturday, May 5th, the biggest full moon of the year, known as a ‘supermoon,’ will occur at 11:35 p.m. EDT (0335 May 6). Simultaneously, the Eta Aquarid meteor shower, formed from remnants of Halley’s Comet, will also be hitting its peak.

A supermoon occurs when the moon comes into its fullest phase (full moon) while at the same time making its closest approach to Earth for the month, a term known as a perigee. This type of supermoon event is also known as a “super perigee moon.” The moon will come within 221,802 miles of Earth on Saturday, its closest approach in 2012, and may appear to be 14 percent larger and 30 percent brighter than other full moons of the year according to NASA. The moon will then reach its apogee, or farthest point from the Earth, on May 19th.

The last time a supermoon occurred was on March 19, 2011, and at that time, it was the biggest and brightest in 18 years.

The best time to view the supermoon will be in the early evening just as the moon is rising and close to the horizon. The optical illusion produced will make the moon appear remarkably larger.

Although the moon may appear to be unusually close, scientists have stated that there is no need for alarm, and that the difference in distance occurring during this perigee will not be significant enough to cause major earthquakes or tidal events. The supermoon will, however, have an effect on both ocean tides and winds—with the highest and lowest tides of the year expected as well as the possibility for increased winds.

Occurring simultaneously during the supermoon is the Eta Aquarid meteor shower of 2012, which began on April 19th and will continue through May 28. The shower is expected to hit its peak during the overnight hours of Saturday, May 5, into Sunday, May 6. The Eta Aquarid shower is one of two meteor showers created by the remnants of Halley’s Comet, the other being the Orionid meteor shower which occurs in October. The Eta Aquarid meteor shower occurs every April-May as the Earth passes through debris from Halley’s Comet’s 76-year orbit around our sun.

Because the meteor shower will be happening at the same time as the supermoon, many smaller meteors may be more difficult to see. However, there will still be larger meteors which will be very bright that can be seen at the rate of several per hour. At its height, the Eta Aquarid meteor shower will produce as many as 60 meteors per hour, however, taking the bright light from the moon into account, “forecasters estimate a maximum of 30+ visible meteors per hour.”

Although skywatchers in the southern hemisphere will have better viewing opportunities, the best time to look for meteors in the northern hemisphere is just before your local sunrise, with “earthgrazers” being visible between 2:00 to 2:30 AM local time. If you do plan on doing a bit of skywatching, be sure to dress for the occasion. The best strategy is to lie down on the ground and look slightly towards the eastern sky and be patient. It’s worth the wait, and you’ll probably get to see some amazing sights!

Barb Adams is the host of Amerika Now talk radio show, which airs on GCN Saturdays 10:00p-1:00am Central Time. Listen to the show On Demand.

Like GCN Live on Facebook and follow on Twitter for more great news, opinions, and announcements from GCN Live’s hosts and staff.

Barb Adams
GCN Live.com

Sunday, April 22, marks the 42nd anniversary of Earth Day, and while millions around the globe celebrate, remembering what Earth Day represents is as important now as it was in 1970.

In 1970, most Americans were more concerned about the Vietnam War than they were about the “environment.” The environmental movement, as it would come to be known, was in its infancy. Americans drove gas-guzzling automobiles which ran on leaded fuel, and there were few or no legal consequences for industries or individuals who polluted the waters and atmosphere.

The nation was firmly in the midst of the “hippie movement,” with their anti-war slogan of “Make Love, Not War.” Although protests were commonplace, they were directed at the unpopular war in Vietnam and at a draft that served to foster even more resentment against the war and strengthen the anti-war movement. Most Americans were still consciously unaware of environmental issues. Silently, however, the stage had been set for what would become the “environmental movement.”

In 1962, Rachel Carson’s book, Silent Spring, hit the New York Times bestseller list. The book, which is credited with helping launch the environmental movement, documented the effects of pesticides on the environment, particularly birds. Carson, already known for being a writer of natural history, became known as a social critic and strong environmental advocate. She accused the chemical industry of disinformation and public officials of collusion while raising public awareness about environmental issues. Silent Spring inspired widespread concern about pesticides and pollution, and helped to facilitate the ban of DDT in 1972.

After witnessing the devastating effects of a massive oil spill near Santa Barbara, California in 1969, Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson realized that he could bring attention to the need for environmental policy by combining the student anti-war movement with the emerging environmental consciousness. Using national media, Nelson publicized his idea for a “National Teach-In on the Crisis of the Environment” day, and persuaded conservation-oriented Republican Congressman Paul McCloskey to serve as his co-chair. Nelson also recruited Denis Hayes to serve as the national coordinator, and Hayes went on to found the Earth Day Network.

As a result of their bipartisan efforts, the first Earth Day was held on April 22, 1970. Twenty million Americans came out to demonstrate for the protection of the environment. Colleges and universities across the country organized protests, and groups which had been working separately became united in their cause.

Earth Day helped re-unite the country as well. After a decade of partisan rancor and social division during the 1960s, Earth Day not only brought environmental issues to the forefront of public awareness, but it also crossed political and social boundaries. Republicans and Democrats took up the cause as did rich people and poor, city dwellers and farmers, housewives and scientists, educated and uneducated, and both the elderly and young. The movement was inter-generational, bipartisan, and not based on economic, educational, or social status. It led to the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on December 2, 1970, and to the President’s Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ). It also led to the passage of other significant environmental protection including the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts.

Earth Day 1970 was a national awakening. At a speech given before a crowd in Denver, Colorado, on the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, Gaylord Nelson pointed out that “Our goal is not just an environment of clear air and water and scenic beauty. The objective is an environment of decency, quality and mutual respect for all other human beings and all living creatures.”

The last 42 years have seen many positive environmental changes, but we must not become complacent. As Americans worry more about the economy, jobs, war, and government overgrowth and encroachment, environmental issues fall farther down the list of concerns. We must remember that this planet, which provides for more than seven billion of us, also provides the basis for our economies and jobs. “The wealth of the nation is its air, water, soil, forests, minerals, rivers, lakes, oceans, scenic beauty, wildlife habitats and biodiversity…that’s all there is. That’s the whole economy. That’s where all the economic activity and jobs come from. These biological systems are the sustaining wealth of the world.” (Gaylord Nelson)

Every single choice you make from this moment forward will build the world of tomorrow. You have the power, and you can make a difference. Be responsible for all of your actions… make every day Earth Day!

“We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.”
- Native American Proverb

Barb Adams is the host of Amerika Now talk radio show, which airs on GCN Saturdays 10:00p-1:00am Central Time. Listen to the show On Demand.

Like GCN Live on Facebook and follow on Twitter for more great news, opinions, and announcements from GCN Live’s hosts and staff.