Pictures from Japan including Zoo

Humboldt Penguins

24 hour loop, missing three afternoon satellite 12 PM, 3PM and 6PM

October 3, 2007
1200 UTC
Temperature map of Antarctica's reporting stations.

There are primarily very low temperatures at the highest elevations in Antarctica. There is also a very drastic drop in temperature outside of these elevations. That is due to the arrival of heat transfer systems and the transcending effects to the lower altitudes/elevations, including the coastal areas (Noted are outlying exceptions, but, there could be microenvironment climates or simply instruments that need to be calibrated.) The coastal areas, when hot, tranfer heat themselves in the East Wind Drift (the coastal 'sea' circulation of Antarctica) which in turn transfers heat to the West Wind Drift and then the southern Pacific and Atlantic. At the point where the three ocean circulations meet in the Circumpolar Ocean there is heat transfer primarily directed 'into' the West Wind Drift from the larger southern oceans. But, that is being met also by higher land temperatures from the continent as well.

The purpose to look at this temperature map is to realize the heat transfer systems are having an impact 'chronically.' And let me state that word again. 'Chronically' on the stability of the ice mass of Antarctica. Those lower elevation ice structures are at risk for sublimination and the 'idea' the Blue Ice might be compromised is a real, not theoretical, but real world issue that requires scrutiny.


October 3, 2007
0600 AM
Antarctica Wind Satellite (click here for loop)


A lot of high wind has transcended from the arriving high altitude vortices. I have never seen the heat transfer into Antarctica this ferocious before. It is constant now. I believe we will see some major ice loss this Spring and Summer season in Antarctica. If there is one season that might actually ignite danger to the biotic life of Antarctica it might be starting with this one.


October 2, 2007
0600 AM
Antarctica Jet Stream Satelitte (click for animation loop)

The animated satellite shows a chronic arrival of heat vortexes from September 27 through October 2, 2007. The highest altitudes where Vostok resides is mostly immune from these huge, ionic heat transfer systems. They are arriving at the lower altitudes of 6 - 8 ,000 feet in elevation.



October 3, 2007
0723 gmt
South Pole Satellite

Three major vortexes arriving in this satellite image. They are all directly connected to equatorial heat and water vapor. They are at 2, 4 and 7 o'clock. The vortex that arrives at 2 o'clock actually originates at the equator at 10-11 o'clock. The one arriving at 4 o'clock orginates at 3 o'clock equatorially.

The vortex as 7 o'clock begins over Hobart Island, Australia. The weather at Hobart is not very different than the high temperatures of Antarctica (click for Hobart weather history). Hobart is an interesting place. It has water vapor, low pressure and what concerns me is a homogenizing of climate at these latitudes. There is one other map I need to include at the top of the entry today. It shows a homogenizing of low temperatures with the chronic arrival of the vortexes.

Why is that an issue? Because these areas are under attack by the heat transfers. They, as ice structures are not GETTING relief from the heat to attempt to regain it's balance. These areas at lower altitudes/elevations are also supporting structures to the Blue Ice. The ultimate question is always, what happens to the rock solid Blue Ice when the supporting structurs surrounding it disappears. Does it simply melt, which is not likely, or does it plummet into the oceans?




October 3, 2007
0600
Antarctica temperature satellite (click title of entry for loop)



The warmest reporting stations today:

Base San Martin

12:00 PM GMT

Elevation :: 13 ft / 4 m

Temperature :: 35 °F / 2 °C

Conditions :: Overcast, Calm

Humidity :: 52%

Dew Point :: 24 °F / -4 °C

Wind :: Calm

Wind Gust :: -

Pressure :: 29.46 in / 998 hPa (Falling)

Visibility :: 12.0 miles / 20.0 kilometers

UV :: 0 out of 16

Clouds:
Overcast 9843 ft / 3000 m
(Above Ground Level)



King Sejong

12:00 PM GMT

Elevation :: 33 ft / 10 m

Temperature :: 35 °F / 2 °C

Conditons :: Partly Cloudy

Humidity :: 90%

Dew Point: :: 33 °F / 1 °C

Wind :: 4 mph / 6 km/h from the SE

Wind Gust :: -

Pressure :: 29.68 in / 1005 hPa (Rising)

Visibility :: 12.0 miles / 20.0 kilometers



Palmer Station

8:00 AM CLT

Elevation :: 26 ft / 8 m

Temperature :: 36 °F / 2 °C

Conditions :: Clear

Humidity :: 64%

Dew Point :: 28 °F / -2 °C

Wind :: 16 mph / 25 km/h from the NE

Wind Gust :: -

Pressure :: 29.60 in / 1002 hPa (Falling)

Visibility :: 10.0 miles / 16.0 kilometers

The coldest reporting stations today:

Vostok

12:00 PM VOST

Vostok, Antarctica

Elevation :: 11220 ft / 3420 m

Temperature :: -83 °F / -64 °C

Coinditions :: Clear

Humidity :: 37%

Dew Point :: -90 °F / -68 °C

Wind :: 6 mph / 9 km/h from the WNW

Wind Gust: :: -

Pressure :: iin / hPa (Rising)

Visibility :: 12.0 miles / 20.0 kilometers

Aviation
Flight Rule:
VFR ()
Wind Speed :: 6 mph / 9 km/h /

Wind Dir :: 300° (WNW)

Ceiling :: 100000 ft / 100000 m



Clean Air ( Amundsen-Scott, AA )

11:50 PM NZST

Elevation :: 9285 ft / 2830 m

Temperature :: -80 °F / -62 °C

Conditions :: Ice Crystals

Wind :: 7 mph / 11 km/h / 3.1 m/s from the ESE

Pressure :: 28.11 in / 952 hPa (Falling)

Visibility :: 6.2 miles / 10.0 kilometers

UV :: 0 out of 16

Clouds:
Few 7000 ft / 2133 m
(Above Ground Level)

continued...

The Voiceless - Mike's e-front page give them recognition today

Just to be fair, ever hear of "The Children's Defense Fund?" (click here) The topics most on this organization's mind today are "Bipartisan Bill to Expand Children's Health Coverage Passes Congress" and "America's Cradle to Prison Pipeline® Report and Summit."

The Children's Defense Fund has been around a long time and is recognized as an organization strongly noted to be affiliated with Democrats. It doesn't have to have that strong affiliation. It 'obtained' that identity because the founder, Marian Wright Edelman (click here), and one of it's most staunch supporters happened to attend the same law school long before they were affiliated with a particular political party. That other fervent supporter was/is Hillary Rodham Clinton. That was before there was a Hillary and Bill Clinton. I find it interesting because Hillary was, in her early years, a Republican.

At any rate, this is an observation of how 'steadfast' the current Democrats are in their focus to bring equity and representation to those least likely to get it.

I do believe they have all come out in favor of SCHIP, the children's national health insurance, guaranteed to insure any child in families with incomes below something like $50,000. I might remind those that oppose this needed insurance, if it's necessary, that many households with a gross income of $50,000 are primarily two incomes if not three whereby each job pays somewhat better than minimum wage. These people fall outside the tax breaks for low income workers, pay taxes that lowers their take home pay and can't afford the skyrocketing price of health insurance. There is no way a household with a disposable income of perhaps $35,000 can pay for any type of health insurance. Just no way.

But, to return to the focus of the current majority legislative party, both the topics at the top of the list for The Children's Defense Fund have been voiced on the campaign trail for the Democratic nomination for President of the USA.

Recently, John Edwards brought up the fact there is a segment of the community of American citizens that find they have a sole purpose in life and that is to fill our prison cells. While there are many Black Americans finding success in the American Landscape, finding success in high school and moving onto college, their are communities with revolving doors to prison. The majority of prison inmates come from the Black community. So while this is an issue to many voters, it isn't as though it hasn't been studied by people who care. The Children's Defense Fund clearly is concerned about the "Cradle to Prison" phenomena met by a 'certain' segment of the minority communities in the country.

Children don't vote. The first child abuse case in the country occurred in the 1950s in New York City. It wasn't because children were valued and the nation passed laws, it was because some people did value children and moved a case into court based on Animal Welfare Laws. The case based it's right for children due to the value of Carriage Horses and the laws that protected their economic worth. From there blossomed Child Abuse Laws and the protections of the voiceless began. It is this reality The Children's Defense Fund has built it's purpose and it is open to membership and support from anyone of any party. It's time the nation pay attention to the issues of the voiceless.