A Volcano is an opening, or rupture, in a planet's surface or crust, which allows hot magma, volcanic ash and gases to escape from below the surface. Volcanoes are generally found where tectonic plates are diverging or converging. Magma is molten rock within the Earth's crust. When magma erupts through the earth's surface it is called lava.
The map below shows the divergent plate boundaries and recent sub aerial volcanoes.
After I did some online research about volcanoes, I was amazed by the destructive power of mother earth. Every time a volcano erupts, human activities will be interrupted and a great number of economic damage will be caused. It may cause injuries or deaths.
The questions was raised long time ago: can we predict when a volcano will erupt?
Scientists can often find clues about past eruptions by studying the deposits left behind. Areas affected by lava flows, debris flows, or pyroclastic flows can be mapped, making disaster planning more effective. In addition to these long-range forecasting, scientists are becoming more and more skilled at spotting the warning signs of the eruption.
Before an eruption, magma moves into the area beneath the volcano and as it comes closer to the surface, the magma releases gases. Animal and bird movements, melting snow-caps, and crate lakes drying up, all these events could be monitored as the warning sign of volcano eruption. However, more efficient and effective detection methods related to the inner workings of an active volcano have been developed. The most common of these instruments are tiltmeters and seismographs that are used to measure the ground swell produced by the strain of the magma pushing its way to the surface before an eruption, as well as the vibrations in the earth.
As up to today, volcanic eruptions can not be predicted by stochastic methods, but not by catching early symptoms before an eruption. Therefore, continuous monitoring even of dormant volcanoes, though costly, is the only way to enable eruptive behavior forecasts. Many countries operate volcano observations at a lesser level of funding. Volcanic activity prediction has not been perfected, but significant progress has been made in recent decades. I'll keep in touch with the latest progress of volcanic eruption prediction and I'm looking forward to seeing the day when we are able to predict every single volcanic eruption so that we could minimize the loss.
Have been living in Singapore for 2 years, I've met a great number of Chinese immigrants as well as immigrants from other countries, such as Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Myanmar. After studying the "Population Geography" chapter this term, I was always wondering the current status of foreign immigration in Singapore.
Spanning 42 kilometers from east to west and 23 kilometers north to south, Singapore is a small yet densely populated city. According to the SingStat (Department of Statistics of Singapore), the population has reached 5.076 million as of the year 2010, including 3.2 million of Singapore Citizens, and 0.541 million Permanent Residents.
According to the 2009 United Nations Development Report, Singapore has the highest immigration rate in Asia Pacific after Hong Kong. Migrants make up 35% of the population in Singapore. Singapore has a long history of encouraging foreign workers and so most of the problems of relocating and settling in have already been anticipated and solved.
There are two major reasons behind the high immigration rate in Singapore as well as the government policy on immigration: low TFR and competition in attracting highly skilled immigrants.
A landmark study on future population growth and change for Singapore was published earlier this month, states that Singapore's resident population will decline and become extremely aged if the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) is extremely low and if there is no immigration. The study said with TFR at 1.24 births per woman and zero net immigration, Singapore's population will decline to 3.03 million in 2050. Even if Singapore's total fertility rate rises from the current 1.15 to 1.85, the total population will decline, without immigration. The number of working people available to support elderly person is also set to drop. The study also projected the number of young people under 14 years of age will go down by more than half from 699,000 in 2005 to 274,400 by 2050.
The immigration debate is becoming more often in many countries especially the US, UK and Australia. The anti-foreigner sentiment, capping the the number of immigrants and making it harder to obtain a worker visa, all these tougher immigration rules are driving out highly skilled immigrants and discouraging foreign talents from building their careers and businesses in those countries. At the same time, Singapore is adopting a much opener style in facing the competition of foreign talents. Mr. Lee Hisen Loong, the Prime Minister, commented on the importance of staying open to foreign talent: "Because we need talent, we need to gain talent. It makes a tremendous difference to us doing critical work in our economy, helping Singapore to become an outstanding city...We need reinforcements to grow our economy and create better jobs for Singaporeans. The foreign workers supplement our ranks and enable us to build successful companies."
As a foreign student myself, I appreciate Singapore government's effort in welcoming foreign talent. I hope that after my graduation, I could work here and contribute to the economy.
Can you imagine that maybe one day in future, the pandas in the above picture will not have their forest to live in?
After taking "Deforestation in Kalimantan" as the topic of my group presentation this term, I was surprised to find out the current deforestation status in Kalimantan. Therefore I'm very interested to study the deforestation in China.
I've found the below picture which shows the greening map of China shot from a satellite. It clearly shows that the north-western China is facing very serious deforestation problem.
According to the National Greening Commission, forest coverage had increased to 18.6% last year, comparing to 12% two decades ago. The increase was largely due to the recent reforestation efforts. The trees are immature and the quality of forest is low. If you travel in the west of China, you would easily encounter entire hillsides where the timber has been razed to the ground, as shown in the below pictures.
China introduced a logging ban in 1999 after rampant tree cutting had been blamed for soil erosion and severe flooding along the Yangtze River. During the last five years, Chinese loggers annually exceeded logging quotas by an average of 75 million cubic meters.
Following a logging quota system and widespread domestic logging bans in the late 1990s, China's rising demand for imported wood and wood products has been seen as a driving force behind destructive timber cutting in neighboring countries, according to environmental groups such as Greenpeace. According to the forestry administration, China legally imported more than 30 million cubic meters of timber in 2011.
A widespread flooding has struck northern regions of China August last year. On Aug 7 2010, the rainstorm has loosened the mud and rock that buried and killed more than 1,000 people in Zhouqu, in the north-western China province of Gansu.
The scientists said, the mudslide was caused by geology, but it was worsen by deforestation. The disaster has brought that summer's nationwide death toll from floods and landslides to more than 3,000, which was the highest number in a decade.
Fortunately more and more people have realized the challenging situation we are facing today and more people are posing a question. It was discussed at length during the National People's Congress in Beijing few months ago, particularly by specialists in the advisory body which meets at the same time. There are encouraging signs of a greater understanding on the need to plant and maintain trees on a long-term basis. After all, tree planting has deep roots in Chinese culture.
I'll use the below ads to end this blog. The four Chinese characters shown in the picture mean - forest, woods, wood, "a cross". It warns people that deforestation will lead to destructive environment where no one could survive in the end.
Michael Jackson is one of my favorite pop stars and his "Heal The World" is one of my favorite songs. This song was released in 1991, in his album "Dangerous". Michael composed and wrote this song himself and according to him, this is the song he was most proud to have created. He also created the "Heal The World Foundation", a charitable organization which was designed to improve the lives of children. Other than the core value - World Peace, delivered in the song, Michael also described a world with sustainable development in future.
When Mr. Ken told us to prepare a blog on Sustainable Development, the first thing appeared in my mind was this song.
Fortunately, we are living in a world with various advanced technologies. We are not worried about war, starvation, lack of living resources. Most of us even have no idea that in some part of the world, people have no access of electricity at all.
At the same time, people have sacrificed a lot of things to meet our fast-growing demands, such as pollution, distinction of species, and unlimited use of natural resources. Unfortunately, our children will have to pay for what we are doing one or two generations later.
Heal the world, Michael was one of the people who have realized this situation and brave enough to stand out and voice out the message. We should seriously consider healing the world, repairing the damages, and making sustainable development plans to achieve a better tomorrow.
Sustainable Development (SD), is a pattern of resources use, that aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but also for generations to come. It ties together concerns for the carrying capacity of natural systems with the social challenges facing humanity. The fields of sustainable development can be broken into three parts: environmental sustainability, economic sustainability, and sociopolitical sustainability.
To achieve a sustainable development doesn't mean we'll ignore the needs of the people living under poor conditions. The key is to control and limit the use of resources, by adopting power-saving technologies, replacing conventional energies with renewable energies, and so on.
As we are living in Singapore, we should take a look at the sustainable development status in Singapore and start to think what we could contribute. Because Singapore is a small island country with very few natural resources, the government here have made many policies to ensure sustainable development.
The Inter-Ministerial Committee on Sustainable Development (IMCSD) was set up in January 2008 to formulate a national strategy for Singapore's sustainable development in the context of emerging domestic and global challenges. Ministers involved in IMCSD are Minister for National Development, Minister for Environment and Water Resources, Minister for Finance, Minister for Transport, and the Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry. IMCSD has published the Sustainable Development Blueprint which contains the strategies and initiatives needed for Singapore to achieve both economic growth and a good living environment over the next two decades.
I have read the outline and highlights of the Blueprint and I feel thankful to Singapore government that they have realized the importance of Sustainable Development and detailed plans have been in place to guide the society. I hope all the governments in the world, if haven't started, could start their own Sustainable Development Blueprint as soon as possible.
This world is colorful, fast-growing, changing on daily basis, but it is also sick, and only us, who have caused the sickness, could heal the world, and make it a better world.
Do you enjoy Michael's song? Please sing it along with me. Let's heal the world together.
I was aware of the very famous movie, The Cove, long time ago. I had some rough idea of the story but I never had a chance to watch it. Recently, as an assignment of our Geography module, I finally watched it, as well as the "Whale Wars" of the South Park series.
I have to say that, I was shocked by the true story presented in the movie. The movie, which is documentary, revealed the truth in a cove in Taiji, Japan, where the Japanese fishers slaughter dolphins every year. What's more, the Japanese government obviously knew about this fact but because of the economical reasons, the government helps to cover up the truth. Fortunately there is a group of people who risk their lives to search the fact and put it into the public media. And that's how the movie is finally made.
Although I'm not a vegetarian, I don't encourage people to eat certain animals and species. Even after watching the movie, I still don't understand the reason why the Japanese fishers have to kill so many dolphins. They had some excuses such as tradition, culture, or as a food supply, but in the movie, these excuses were disclosed as nonsense. In the world, there are about 800 wild animals are endanger to extinction. Many more have already extincted due to human activities. Although dolphins are still commonly seen in many regions, can you imagine that one day we will not be able to see any dolpin at all?
"Whale Wars", from the South Park series, describes the story in another angle. I was amazed and I have to admit that it is really a funny show, but I don't like the way it describes and it is also violent. I'm wondering would any Japanese people complaint about it?
In summary, The Cove is a great movie and deserves the awards it received. After watching the movie, I have a better understanding of dolphins and whales. I hope the Japanese government would stop what they have been doing on treating the dolphins and whales. And I sincerely admire those volunteers who revealed this cruel facts. I hope there will be no, or at least less, killings of any wild animals and other species. There is only one Earth and we will have nowhere to runaway if we destroy it.
After reading a report from Sky News: US Tornadoes And Storms Kill Over 250, I spent some time searching for more reports on this disaster. Tornadoes and violent storms ripped through seven southern US states, killing more than 250 people as they flattened neighborhoods, flipped cars and toppled trees and power lines. I was shocked by the damage caused when I saw some "before and after shots" released by NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration).
Before
After
I had been living in Beijing for a long time and the biggest natural disaster we had there was sandstorm. It was very annoying but nobody would get killed. After I came to Singapore, another disaster free place, the biggest worry would be tsunami as Singapore is a small island country. Luckily we never had any and hopefully there won't be any in future.
We've seen many reports on the earthquakes and tsunami, the damage and casualties. But tornado is really far from my knowledge and most of time we could only see it from American movies. I might not have a chance to get to know its huge power until I read this report.
Quote from Wiki:
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact of both the surface of earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or cyclone. Tornadoes have been observed in every continents except Antarctica. However, the vast majority of tornadoes in the world occur in the Tornado Alley region of the US.
A tornado moves through Tuscaloosa, Alabama
A typical tornado has winds of 110 mph (175 km/h) or less, is approximately 250 feet (75 m) across, and travels a mile (1.6 km) or so before dissipating. However, tornadic behavior is extremely variable. Even the smallest tornado can kill.
Just two weeks ago at least 47 people died as storms tore a wide path from Oklahoma to North Carolina. Meanwhile the worst drought in more than 40 years intensified across Texas, with high winds and heat causing massive crop losses. Then on 28 April, this deadliest twister outbreak in nearly 40 years, killed at least 259 people in seven states. Even the US. president Barack Obama had announced he would visit Alabama where dozens of tornadoes struck.
So, here is my question, are we able to detect the tornadoes early enough to alert the residents to reduce damage and avoid deaths? What can we do?
In fact, study in warning of tornadoes began in US. in the mid-20th century. Before the 1950s, the only method to detect a tornado was by someone seeing it on the ground. Often, news of a tornado would reach a weather office after the storm. But, with the advent of weather radar, areas near a local office could get advance warning of several weather. The first public tornado warnings were issued in 1950 and the first tornado watches and convective outlooks in 1952. In 1953 it was confirmed that hook echoes are associated with tornadoes. By recognizing these radar signatures, meteorologists could detect thunderstorms likely producing tornadoes from dozens of miles away.
After the implementation of the WSR-88D network in the U.S., the probability of detection of tornadoes increased substantially. The average lead time rose from 4 minutes to 13 minutes, and a 2005 NOAA report estimated that as a result of improved warnings that there are 45% fewer fatalities and 40% fewer injuries annually. Other than the U.S. and Canada, very few other nations have specific tornado watch and warning services.
Although technology has improved and we are now equipped with powerful radar and even satellites to help forecast tornadoes, it is still not possible to detect and issue advance warnings all the time. Lessons are learnt and the experience gained through painful disasters.
I hope to see more and more advanced methods are innovated to detect tornadoes, and such tragedies would never happen again. And I am pleased to be living in such a peaceful and safe country as Singapore. I'd also like to thank my Geography teacher as he refers me to read the news about tornado and many other geographic facts which are very interesting and helpful.
Today I'd like to write a blog on the geography of my hometown, Beijing.
Here are some of the geography facts of Beijing: - Location & Area Locates at the northern tip of the North China Plain (Latitude 39 ° 54 ', longitude 116 ° 20'), consists of 8 city districts, 8 suburban districts and 2 rural counties, Beijing covers a total area of 16,808 square kilometers.
- Climate The city's climate is a rather dry, monsoon-influenced humid continental climate, characterized by hot, humid summers due to the East Asian monsoon, and generally cold, windy, dry winters reflect the influence of the vast Siberian anticyclone. January averages -3.7'C, while July averages 26.2'C. Annual precipitation is around 570 millimeters.
Four Seasons
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter
Apr 1- May 25
May 26- Sep 5
Sep 6- Oct 25
Oct 26- Mar 31
65 days
95 days
45 days
160 days
- Population As of February 2010, the combined population of permanent and non-permanent residents exceeded 22 million. In addition, there are a large number of migrant workers who live in Beijing without any official residential permit.
- Ethnic Groups The permanent residents of Beijing come from all of China's 56 ethnic groups. The Han nationality accounts for 96.5% of the total. The other 55 ethnic minorities claim a population of more than 300,000. Most of them are from Hui, Manchu, and Mongolian.
- Economy Beijing is amongst the most developed cities in China with tertiary industry accounting for 73.2% of its GDP. Finance is one of the most important industries in Beijing. By the end of 2007, there are 751 financial organizations generated 128.6 billion RMB revenue accounting for 11.6% of the total financial industry revenue in the entire country. In 2010, Beijing's nominal GDP reached 1.37 trillion RMB. The real estate and automobile sectors have continued to boom in recent years. Beijing is increasingly becoming known for its innovative entrepreneurs and high-growth start-ups. Major industrial areas located on the western outskirt of the city. Agriculture is carried out outside the urban area, with wheat and corn being the main crops. Vegetables are also grown in the regions in order to supply the city.
I have spent 18 years in this city and I love it so much. Everything, the food, the people, the shopping area, the childhood memories. Of course there are issues and problems, as well as faced by other mega-cities, such as the public traffic congestion, air pollution, boom in real estate price, etc. Good thing is we have seen improvement throughout the years and the government has realized these issues and corresponding policies are undergoing.
I strongly suggest all of my friends, who have never been to Beijing before, pay a visit to this city with long history, beautiful sceneries, and great people. You will never regret that. And of course, I would be more than happy to be your guide for your tour!
