Author: razz0934

Dr. Sridhar, a NASA scientist, had created a contraption that can use solar energy to transform the atmosphere of Mars into one habitable by humans. However, when the endeavor was shutdown, he began to focus on ways to reduce the climate change on earth. NASA has developed a fleet of fuel-cell generators that produce electricity through a chemical reaction, and with a recent deal for Dr. Sridhar’s company Bloom Energy to install generators at a dozen data centers in California and New Jersey for Equinix. The deal will create a reliable energy source that uses natural gas, rather than hydrogen to produce electricity. This is striking as natural gas has become very abundant due to the production boom over the last decade. Each cell is made from a thin ceramic wafer which are placed between metal plates, and the resulting structure is a solid oxide fuel cell that can operate at very high temperatures, about 800 degrees Celsius. At that temperature, when natural gas mixed with steam flows over one surface of the cell while oxygen flows over the other, a reaction occurs that results in the release of electricity, steam that is recycled through the process and carbon dioxide. The cells prove to be better in combatting global warming as they release less of the heat-trapping gases like carbon dioxide than conventional plants. Also, cells have been slowly gaining users who are energy-conscious, already proving to be more efficient and viable. Fuel cells are installed on site, and thus they do not need to burn extra fuel to compensate for energy lost over long transmission lines. In addition, they use less fuel per watt of power than conventional plants as they don’t burn fuels to heat water or air to spin turbines, further making them more efficient and an efficient energy alternative.

Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that traps heat. It is created when the combustion of fossil fuels combines carbon gas and oxygen gas through the burning of a hydrocarbon in oxygen gas. Carbon dioxide traps the heat energy from the sun’s rays in the atmosphere and causes the planet to begin to warm, altering climate patters. Energy arrives from the sun in the form of visible light and ultraviolet radiation which the Earth emits as infrared radiation. Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere capture a portion of this heat, and then emit it in back to the Earth’s surface. Through this process, carbon dioxide along with other greenhouse gases keep the Earth’s surface  warmer and allows life to prosper. However, an excess of these gases can trap an even greater amount of heat and lead to drastic climate change. Some of the effects of these increased greenhouse gases include sea level rises by almost four feet within the next century as well as stronger hurricanes. In addition, warmer climates can cause the arctic ice to melt and alter entire ecosystems, extend the growing season through warmer temperatures, and even increase the occurrence of droughts and heat waves.  Alternative sources of energy such as the NASA fuel cells can help decrease the impact of greenhouse gasses on climate change.

“Global Climate Change: Effects.” NASA, NASA, 3 Aug. 2017, climate.nasa.gov/effects/.

Cardwell, DIane. “Energy Idea for Mars Yields a Clue for Powering Data Cells”The New York Times, The New York Times, 10 Dec. 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/30/business/energy-environment/data-center-energy.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fscience&action=click&contentCollection=science&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=42&pgtype=sectionfront

-Rasman Rayyan

This past Tuesday, Russia had announced that there was a significant radiation spike in the Ural Mountains in which a Soviet-era nuclear plant had an accident 60 years ago. The Mayak facility in Russia once produced plutonium for Soviet nuclear weapons. In the 1957 breach, a nuclear waste storage tank exploded which created a radioactive cloud over an area of 20,000 square miles. The accident is considered to be one of the worst on record after those at Chernobyl in Ukraine in 1986 and Fukushima, Japan, in 2011. A further accident was reported at Mayak in which officials confirmed that radioactive waste had been dumped in a river near the facility. French and German scientists state that the site is a potential source for ruthenium 106 which was detected above several European countries in the air back in September, with the highest levels above Russia. Weather stations have been reporting that the ruthenium 106 levels are now up to 986 times higher than they have been in previous months. Although many Russian researches and officials state that these radioactivity levels are 20,000 times lower than the lethal level of the ruthenium isotope, many argue that areas surrounding the Ural Mountains should be evacuated until further research is conducted to determine the safety hazards of the area. Nuclear plants produce steam to convert into electricity through the process of fission in which uranium atoms are split in a nuclear reactor to provide the heat energy to produce steam. When neutrons hit other atoms, those atoms split, releasing neutrons of their own with heat. These neutrons hit other atoms, splitting them. One fission triggers the next until there is a chain reaction. When that happens, fission becomes self-sustaining. However, this plant in particular also attempted to produce weapons-grade uranium and plutonium releasing ruthenium as a byproduct, and thus the hazards of the accident are slightly different. In Mayak, a waste storage tank exploded, which released the radioactive element into the atmosphere over a stretch of 20,00 miles where it continues to remain to date.

The nuclear accident forced 10,000 people to evacuate from their homes and seek shelter elsewhere without any explanation as to why as much of the public was uninformed of the accident. Radiation contaminated a large portion of marine animals as well as soil and water samples. In addition, radioactive isotopes emitted by the nuclear plant affects many people living in Russia today as they are at an increased risk of developing cancer or other radioactive-related diseases. Ruthenium can form bonds with oxygen to form ruthenium tetroxide. Ruthenium tetroxide’s fumes are irritating to the skin, eyes, and respiratory tract. However, Ruthenium, in very small quantities, is also used in medicine in radiotherapy of eye tumors (malignant melanomas of the uvea).

Buttinger, Scott. “The Kyshtym Disaster.” The Kyshtym Disaster, Stanford University, 22 Feb. 2017, large.stanford.edu/courses/2017/ph241/buttinger1/.

Cowell, Matthew Luxmoore And Alan. “Russia, in Reversal, Confirms Radiation Spike.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 21 Nov. 2017, www.nytimes.com/2017/11/21/world/europe/russia-nuclear-cloud.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fscience&action=click&contentCollection=science®ion=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=5&pgtype=sectionfront.

-Rasman Rayyan

Six years after the power plant accident at Fukashima, in which an earthquake and tsunami knocked out the vital cooling systems of the plant, scientists were able to pilot a small robot into the heart of the nuclear plant. The “Manbo” used tinay propellers to hover and glide through water and avoid dangerous hot spots in the flooded reactor building unlike previous attempts. The robot was able to successfully send back pictures of a hole at the bottom of the reactor that scientists believe to be melted uranium fuel. Researchers are unable to predict the fate of this fuel, but are confident that they can move from a “contamination” phase to a “cleanup” phase. Nuclear plants produce steam to convert into electricity through the process of fission in which uranium atoms are split in a nuclear reactor to provide the heat energy to produce steam. When neutrons hit other atoms, those atoms split, releasing neutrons of their own with heat. These neutrons hit other atoms, splitting them. One fission triggers the next until there is a chain reaction. When that happens, fission becomes self-sustaining. The earthquake that knocked out the cooling system of the plant occurred as a result of subduction from the Pacific Ocean plate pressing down under the continental plate carrying the islands of Japan. When tension caused by subduction was released, an earthquake occurred. Along the fault, the two plates of Earth’s crust slid past each other up to 260. The Tohoku quake lifted the seafloor by 30 feet and the vertical displacement of seawater was the cause of the tsunami that expanded away from the earthquake site. The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant was damaged by tsunami flooding, causing multiple meltdowns and a massive release of radioactivity.

The earthquake, tsunami and power plant accident caused many effects on the people living in Japan and the environment. The earthquake and tsunami destroyed several buildings which led to a large amount of falling debris as well as flooding throughout the island. Many people lost their homes and even their lives. The magnitude 9.0 Tohoku-Oki quake was the most powerful earthquake known to hit Japan and the fifth-most powerful quake ever recorded, and coupled with the tsunami, killed thousands of people. The cooling system collapse of the power plant caused three of the reactors to melt which released a plethora of radioactivity. Radiation contaminated a large portion of marine animals as well as soil and water samples. In addition, radioactive isotopes emitted by the power plant affects many people living in Japan today as they are at an increased risk of developing cancer or other radioactive-related diseases.

Fackler, Martin. “Six Years After Fukashima, Robots Finally Find Reactors’ Melted Uranium Fuel.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 19 Nov. 2017, www.nytimes.com/2017/11/19/science/japan-fukushima-nuclear-meltdown-fuel.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fscience&action=click&contentCollection=science®ion=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront.

“Fukushima Accident.” World Nuclear Association, World Nuclear Association, 12 Oct. 2017, www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/safety-and-security/safety-of-plants/fukushima-accident.aspx.

Aldrich, Daniel P., et al. “Triggers for Policy Change: The 3.11 Fukushima Meltdowns and Nuclear Policy Continuity.” SSRN Electronic Journal, 2015, doi:10.2139/ssrn.2679587.

-Rasman Rayyan

In the Paris Climate Agreements of 2015, 195 countries vowed to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to lower the rise in global temperature since the Industrial Age by 2^oC. However, many nations are struggling with meeting their initial goals and thus are meeting in Bonn, Germany to discuss next steps in reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The talks will focus on establishing a “rule book” which will allow countries to keep each other in check and force one another to better their efforts in meeting their goals. This proves to be a difficult task as the plans that the nations had originally put out in 2015, which they are failing to meet, still means that the global temperature will increase by 3^oC, an outcome with a far greater risk of destabilizing ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica, drastic sea-level rise and more destructive heat waves and droughts. To stay well below 2 degrees, countries would need to cut back fossil-fuel emissions far more rapidly than they’ve promised so far, yet the plans set out by many of the countries are vague and a specific set of guidelines may alleviate this issue.

Carbon dioxide is a heat-trapping greenhouse gas that is created when the combustion of fossil fuels combines carbon and oxygen through the burning of a hydrocarbon in oxygen. Carbon dioxide traps the heat and energy from the sun’s rays in the atmosphere and causes the planet to begin to warm which affects the overall climate. Energy arrives from the sun in the form of visible light and ultraviolet radiation which the Earth emits as infrared radiation. Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere capture some of this heat, then emit it in back to the Earth’s surface. Through this, carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases keep the Earth’s surface about 33°C warmer and allows life to thrive on our planet, an excess of these gases can trap an even greater amount of heat and lead to drastic climate change. Some of the effects of these increased greenhouse gases include sea level rises by almost four feet within the next century, and stronger hurricanes. In addition, warmer climates can cause the arctic ice to melt and alter entire ecosystems, extend the growing season through warmer temperatures, and even increase the occurrence of droughts and heat waves.

“Global Climate Change: Effects.” NASA, NASA, 3 Aug. 2017, climate.nasa.gov/effects/.

Plumer, Brad. “What’s at Stake at the Bonn Climate Talks?”The New York Times, The New York Times, 12 Nov. 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/10/climate/bonn-climate-change-conference.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fscience&action=click&contentCollection=science&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=9&pgtype=sectionfront

-Rasman Rayyan

Officials in Abbot Point, Australia plan to open a coal mine about 100 miles from the northeastern town. The mine may produce 66 million tons of coal a year and has the potential to create jobs in a declining economy, but receives a great deal of opposition as it calls for the production of large amounts of fossil fuels that may compound to the preexisting climate change. The coal from this region alone would release 700 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere every year, which is as much as the entire country of Germany releases as emissions. Carbon dioxide is a heat-trapping greenhouse gas that is created when the combustion of fossil fuels combines carbon and oxygen through the burning of a hydrocarbon in oxygen. As a long-lived gas that remains semi-permanently in the atmosphere and does not respond physically or chemically to changes in temperature, this gas is described as “forcing” climate change. Carbon dioxide traps the heat and energy from the sun’s rays in the atmosphere and cause the planet to begin to warm which affects the overall climate. Energy arrives from the sun in the form of visible light and ultraviolet radiation which the Earth emits as infrared radiation. Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere capture some of this heat, then emit it in back to the Earth’s surface. Through this, carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases keep the Earth’s surface about 33°C warmer, and excess of these gases can lead to drastic climate change.

The opening of the coal mine and the burning of fossil fuels can lead to both local and global consequences. In Australia, the change in climate can further damage the Great Barrier Reef by altering the ecosystem through changes in temperature. Also, the mine will make farming more difficult as one farmer states that it will drain too much of the groundwater in the region. Global effects of this mine include sea level rises by almost four feet within the next century, and stronger hurricanes. In addition, warmer climates can cause the artic to become ice-free and alter entire ecosystems, extend the growing season through warmer temperatures, and even increase the occurrence of droughts and heat waves. In the U.S., in the northeast, fisheries, infrastructure and agriculture are at great risk from heat waves and heavy downpours. In the Northwest, changes in the timing of streamflow reduce water supplies for competing demands. Ocean acidity in this region poses threats to many ecosystems and organisms. In the south and Midwest, water supplies will decline and decrease agricultural yield, which poses a threat for feeding a growing population. Water supplies will shorten in some areas while flooding in the Great Lakes may lead into nearby cities.

Williams, Jacqueline. “Australia Debates: Does a Warming Planet Really Need More Coal?”The New York Times, The New York Times, 14 Oct. 2017, www.nytimes.com/2017/10/14/world/australia/australia-adani-carmichael-coal-mine.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fscience&action=click&contentCollection=science®ion=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=21&pgtype=sectionfront.

“Global Climate Change: Effects.” NASA, NASA, 3 Aug. 2017, climate.nasa.gov/effects/.

-Rasman Rayyan

Yellowstone National Park contains a supervolcano that may expel more than 1,000 cubic meters of rock and ash at once, which is 2,500 times more debris than was expelled from Mount St. Helens in 1980. Volcanoes erupt because the lower density of magma compared to the surrounding rocks causes it to rise. When the magma begins to rise, bubbles begin to form from the dissolved gasses which exert even more pressure. This allows the magma to rise to the surface and reach great heights. Supereruptions occur every 100,000 years in which it takes thousands of years for the volcano to awaken or the magma to gradually buildup. However, it was recently found when tracing volcanic crystals that the outer rims of crystals show a rapid, drastic change in temperature and composition, which means that magma may move into the system and spark a supereruption within only decades.

The supervolcano under Yellowstone National Park has many societal connections. The eruption is expected to be thousands of times more powerful than that of Mount St. Helens, and may blanket a majority of the United States in a thick layer of ash and create a volcanic winter. The debris from the eruption can remain in the atmosphere and block the sun’s rays from reaching the earth. This will in turn lead to a drastic change in the planet’s climate and diminish food sources and other resources and may make survival difficult for a range of species. Furthermore, since recent studies show that it may only take decades for a supervolcano to mobilize thousands of tons of magma, it is difficult to predict the next supervolcano eruption and thus, preparation for such an outcome is challenging.

Hall, Shannon. “A Surprise From the Supervolcano Under Yellowstone.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 10 Oct. 2017, www.nytimes.com/2017/10/10/science/yellowstone-volcano-eruption.html?rref=collection%2Fcolumn%2Ftrilobites.

“Why Are There Volcanoes? Why Do They Erupt?” Oregon State University, Oregon State University, 12 Aug. 2017, volcano.oregonstate.edu/why-are-there-volcanoes.

-Rasman Rayyan