Mary Owen, 23, was found with some injuries and frostbite.
By KGW.com staff
GOVERNMENT CAMP, Ore. -- Mary Owen, a 23-year-old woman who disappeared after going hiking alone on Mount Hood, was found alive on Sandy Glacier by a National Guard Helicopter Saturday morning, officials said.
Owen was reportedly taken by helicopter to Legacy Emanuel Hospital with some injuries and frostbite, according to the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office.?
Owen was found after a second day of searching by rescue teams from around the area. She was reported missing at 8:15 p.m. Thursday, according to Deputy Bryon O'Neil of the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office. She had written in an email to a friend Sunday that she planned to go hiking, but had not been heard from since then.?
Read original story at KGW.com
Deputies called Timberline Lodge Thursday and the manager on duty said Owen's vehicle, a white 1998 Toyota 4-Runner was parked in the lot, O'Neil said. Investigators said the vehicle looked like it had been parked there for some time.?
"Ms. Owen's backpack is still in her vehicle so she may be short on supplies," O'Neil said. "She is an experienced hiker who has in the past hiked the Pacific Coast Trail from Mexico to Canada."?
Anyone who may have seen her since Saturday was asked to call CCSO at (503) 655-8211 or send an email to Sergeant Sean Collinson.?
??Keith Urban performs on 'American Idol' Keith Urban talks with AccessHollywood.com's Laura Saltman about why the judges didn't save Devin Velez from elimination on "American Idol." Plus, he tells The Dish how nervous he was to perform in front of the other judges.
LITHOSPHERE covers Canada, California, the Alps, and the Scandinavian CaledonidesPublic release date: 29-Mar-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Kea Giles kgiles@geosociety.org Geological Society of America
Boulder, Colo., USA - The April 2013 issue of Lithosphere is now available. Four classic research papers cover the Saint Elias Mountains of Yukon and British Columbia, Canada; the Nacimiento fault near San Simeon, California, USA; the western Alps; and the Caledonides in Scandinavia. An invited review relays the significance of dynamic topography to long-term sea level change. This month's research focus article, which is open access online, discusses the revolution in remote sensing-LiDAR-laser altimetry swath mapping.
Abstracts are online at http://lithosphere.gsapubs.org/content/current. Representatives of the media may obtain complimentary copies of LITHOSPHERE articles by contacting Kea Giles at the address above.
Please discuss articles of interest with the authors before publishing stories on their work, and please make reference to LITHOSPHERE in articles published. Contact Kea Giles for additional information or assistance.
Non-media requests for articles may be directed to GSA Sales and Service, gsaservice@geosociety.org.
Detrital zircon Hf isotopic compositions indicate a northern Caledonian connection for the Alexander terrane
L. Beranek et al., Stockholm University, Geological Sciences, Svante Arrhenius vg 8, Stockholm, Stockholm 106 91, Sweden. Issue: April 2013. Originally posted online 19 Dec. 2012; http://dx.doi.org/10.1130/L255.1.
Earth's plate tectonic history during the Silurian and Devonian periods, approx. 400 million years ago, was dominated by the closure of the Iapetus Ocean and subsequent continent-continent collision between Laurentia (ancestral North America) and Baltica (ancestral northern Europe). This collision led to the rise of the Appalachian-Caledonian Mountains and the assembly of supercontinent Laurussia. To test ancient stratigraphic connections between the northern Caledonian mountains of Laurussia and crustal fragments now located in the North American Cordillera, Luke Beranek and colleagues acquired new analytical data from Silurian and Devonian sedimentary rocks of the Alexander terrane in the Saint Elias Mountains of Yukon and British Columbia, Canada. Their datasets indicate that terrestrial and shallow-marine rocks of the Alexander terrane, including distinctive red-bed sandstones, were sourced from northern Caledonian granitoids and are analogous to sedimentary units of the Old Red Sandstone in the present-day North Atlantic region. These data have major ramifications not only for the paleogeography and displacement history of the Alexander terrane, but also the proposed Caledonian affinities of other terranes in the North American Cordillera that underlie much of Alaska, British Columbia, and western United States.
Kinematic analysis of mlange fabrics in the Franciscan Complex near San Simeon, California: Evidence for sinistral slip on the Nacimiento fault zone?
J. Singleton, Dept. of Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Earth Sciences, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia 22030, USA; and M. Cloos, Dept. of Geological Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712 USA. Issue: April 2013. Originally posted online 19 Dec. 2012; http://dx.doi.org/10.1130/L259.1.
A controversial topic in California geology is the tectonic significance of the Nacimiento fault, a major structure that was active approximately 75 to 60 million years ago during subduction of oceanic crust beneath California. This fault juxtaposes granitic rocks similar to the Sierra Nevada batholith on the northeast side of the fault (the Salinian block) against rocks that formed within a subduction zone on the southwest side of the fault (the Franciscan Complex). Most previous studies have interpreted the Nacimiento fault either as (a) a left-lateral strike-slip fault along which the Salinian block granitic rocks moved 500-600 km northwestward with respect to the Franciscan Complex rocks; or (b) a thrust fault along which the Salinian block rocks were displaced more than 100 km southwestward over the Franciscan rocks. This study by John Singleton and Mark Cloos presents new structural data from Franciscan Complex rocks exposed along beach cliffs near San Simeon, California. These rocks have undergone left-lateral shearing parallel to the Nacimiento fault. Singleton and Cloos suggest this shearing was related to movement on the Nacimiento fault, supporting the tectonic interpretation of the Nacimiento fault as a major left-lateral structure.
Short-lived fast erosional exhumation of the internal Western Alps during the late Early Oligocene: constraints from geo-thermochronology of pro- and retro-side foreland basin sediments S. Jourdan et al., ISTerre, Grenoble, 38110, France. Issue: April 2013. Originally posted online 25 Feb. 2013; http://dx.doi.org/10.1130/L243.1.
The Oligocene is a key period in the evolution of the western Alps during which the mountain belt evolved from an accretionary wedge (Late Cretaceous to Eocene) to a relatively high-elevation mountain belt, similar to the central Alps today. Studying the sediments and sedimentary rocks deposited in basins adjacent to this mountain belt helps in reconstructing the orogenic evolution. During this period, relatively fast erosion is seen as a result of rapid surface uplift coupled with increasing orographic precipitation during this phase of orogenesis. Surface uplift may have been caused and sustained by different plate-tectonic processes such as a change in convergence direction, intermediate-depth slab breakoff, and emplacement of the Ivrea body during continental collision. The occurrence of contemporaneous volcanic activity on the pro-side of the western Alps on the subducting European plate between 36 and 30 million years ago is seen in connection with slab rollback of the Apennine slab and upwelling of hot mantle material beneath the western Alps.
Subduction along and within the Baltoscandian margin during the closing of the Iapetus Ocean and Baltica-Laurentia collision D. Gee et al., Uppsala University, Earth Sciences, Uppsala, 752 36, Sweden. Issue: April 2013. Originally posted online 19 Dec. 2012; http://dx.doi.org/10.1130/L220.1.
There are few places in the world where it is possible to trace a hot allochthon for 200 km across a continental margin, demonstrate its lateral displacement to have been more than twice this distance, infer that it was generated in an outer-margin subduction system during the final stages of ocean closure, and show that emplacement onto the platform occurred during subsequent continent collision. As a result of good exposure in the Scandian mountain belt and erosion to middle-crustal levels, the Caledonides in Scandinavia provide one of the best opportunities on the planet to study these aspects of mountain building.
INVITED REVIEW ARTICLE A review of observations and models of dynamic topography N. Flament et al., The University of Sydney, School of Geoscience, Madsen Building F09, Room 416, Eastern Avenue, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia. Issue: April 2013. Originally posted online 4 Feb. 2013; http://dx.doi.org/10.1130/L245.1.
It has been known since the early 1960s that moving tectonic plates shape the Earth's surface, forming mountain belts and rift valleys. In addition to this tectonic topography, the more subtle deformation of the Earth's surface due to mantle flow in the Earth's interior, called dynamic topography, has been an active research topic since the mid-1980s. Dynamic topography has received increased interest over the last few years because it challenged the well-established view that long-term sea level change can be deduced from the rock record of "stable" continental shelves. In this review article, Nicolas Flament and colleagues show that there is good agreement between long-wavelength (greater than 5,000 km) observations and models of dynamic topography. Their work confirms the significance of dynamic topography to long-term sea level change and reinforces that comparing the predictions of mantle flow models to the geological record constrains the physical properties of the mantle. Larger data sets and increasing computing power will enable progress in this field in the coming years.
RESEARCH FOCUS ARTICLE Active tectonics and LiDAR revolution A. Meigs, College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, 104 CEOAS Administration Hall, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331, USA. Issue: April 2013; free access at http://dx.doi.org/10.1130/RF.L004.1.
A revolution in remote sensing, light detection and ranging (LiDAR) laser altimetry swath mapping, reveals the details of topographic features at such high resolution that they have transformed our understanding of tectonic forcing of the shape of the Earth's surface. Meter-scale DEMs (digital elevation models) capture fault offsets, fault zone structure, off-fault deformation, and landscape properties at microgeomorphic scale, highlighting that the surface faithfully records the complexity and sensitivity of deformation in detail.
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[ | E-mail | Share ]
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
LITHOSPHERE covers Canada, California, the Alps, and the Scandinavian CaledonidesPublic release date: 29-Mar-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Kea Giles kgiles@geosociety.org Geological Society of America
Boulder, Colo., USA - The April 2013 issue of Lithosphere is now available. Four classic research papers cover the Saint Elias Mountains of Yukon and British Columbia, Canada; the Nacimiento fault near San Simeon, California, USA; the western Alps; and the Caledonides in Scandinavia. An invited review relays the significance of dynamic topography to long-term sea level change. This month's research focus article, which is open access online, discusses the revolution in remote sensing-LiDAR-laser altimetry swath mapping.
Abstracts are online at http://lithosphere.gsapubs.org/content/current. Representatives of the media may obtain complimentary copies of LITHOSPHERE articles by contacting Kea Giles at the address above.
Please discuss articles of interest with the authors before publishing stories on their work, and please make reference to LITHOSPHERE in articles published. Contact Kea Giles for additional information or assistance.
Non-media requests for articles may be directed to GSA Sales and Service, gsaservice@geosociety.org.
Detrital zircon Hf isotopic compositions indicate a northern Caledonian connection for the Alexander terrane
L. Beranek et al., Stockholm University, Geological Sciences, Svante Arrhenius vg 8, Stockholm, Stockholm 106 91, Sweden. Issue: April 2013. Originally posted online 19 Dec. 2012; http://dx.doi.org/10.1130/L255.1.
Earth's plate tectonic history during the Silurian and Devonian periods, approx. 400 million years ago, was dominated by the closure of the Iapetus Ocean and subsequent continent-continent collision between Laurentia (ancestral North America) and Baltica (ancestral northern Europe). This collision led to the rise of the Appalachian-Caledonian Mountains and the assembly of supercontinent Laurussia. To test ancient stratigraphic connections between the northern Caledonian mountains of Laurussia and crustal fragments now located in the North American Cordillera, Luke Beranek and colleagues acquired new analytical data from Silurian and Devonian sedimentary rocks of the Alexander terrane in the Saint Elias Mountains of Yukon and British Columbia, Canada. Their datasets indicate that terrestrial and shallow-marine rocks of the Alexander terrane, including distinctive red-bed sandstones, were sourced from northern Caledonian granitoids and are analogous to sedimentary units of the Old Red Sandstone in the present-day North Atlantic region. These data have major ramifications not only for the paleogeography and displacement history of the Alexander terrane, but also the proposed Caledonian affinities of other terranes in the North American Cordillera that underlie much of Alaska, British Columbia, and western United States.
Kinematic analysis of mlange fabrics in the Franciscan Complex near San Simeon, California: Evidence for sinistral slip on the Nacimiento fault zone?
J. Singleton, Dept. of Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Earth Sciences, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia 22030, USA; and M. Cloos, Dept. of Geological Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712 USA. Issue: April 2013. Originally posted online 19 Dec. 2012; http://dx.doi.org/10.1130/L259.1.
A controversial topic in California geology is the tectonic significance of the Nacimiento fault, a major structure that was active approximately 75 to 60 million years ago during subduction of oceanic crust beneath California. This fault juxtaposes granitic rocks similar to the Sierra Nevada batholith on the northeast side of the fault (the Salinian block) against rocks that formed within a subduction zone on the southwest side of the fault (the Franciscan Complex). Most previous studies have interpreted the Nacimiento fault either as (a) a left-lateral strike-slip fault along which the Salinian block granitic rocks moved 500-600 km northwestward with respect to the Franciscan Complex rocks; or (b) a thrust fault along which the Salinian block rocks were displaced more than 100 km southwestward over the Franciscan rocks. This study by John Singleton and Mark Cloos presents new structural data from Franciscan Complex rocks exposed along beach cliffs near San Simeon, California. These rocks have undergone left-lateral shearing parallel to the Nacimiento fault. Singleton and Cloos suggest this shearing was related to movement on the Nacimiento fault, supporting the tectonic interpretation of the Nacimiento fault as a major left-lateral structure.
Short-lived fast erosional exhumation of the internal Western Alps during the late Early Oligocene: constraints from geo-thermochronology of pro- and retro-side foreland basin sediments S. Jourdan et al., ISTerre, Grenoble, 38110, France. Issue: April 2013. Originally posted online 25 Feb. 2013; http://dx.doi.org/10.1130/L243.1.
The Oligocene is a key period in the evolution of the western Alps during which the mountain belt evolved from an accretionary wedge (Late Cretaceous to Eocene) to a relatively high-elevation mountain belt, similar to the central Alps today. Studying the sediments and sedimentary rocks deposited in basins adjacent to this mountain belt helps in reconstructing the orogenic evolution. During this period, relatively fast erosion is seen as a result of rapid surface uplift coupled with increasing orographic precipitation during this phase of orogenesis. Surface uplift may have been caused and sustained by different plate-tectonic processes such as a change in convergence direction, intermediate-depth slab breakoff, and emplacement of the Ivrea body during continental collision. The occurrence of contemporaneous volcanic activity on the pro-side of the western Alps on the subducting European plate between 36 and 30 million years ago is seen in connection with slab rollback of the Apennine slab and upwelling of hot mantle material beneath the western Alps.
Subduction along and within the Baltoscandian margin during the closing of the Iapetus Ocean and Baltica-Laurentia collision D. Gee et al., Uppsala University, Earth Sciences, Uppsala, 752 36, Sweden. Issue: April 2013. Originally posted online 19 Dec. 2012; http://dx.doi.org/10.1130/L220.1.
There are few places in the world where it is possible to trace a hot allochthon for 200 km across a continental margin, demonstrate its lateral displacement to have been more than twice this distance, infer that it was generated in an outer-margin subduction system during the final stages of ocean closure, and show that emplacement onto the platform occurred during subsequent continent collision. As a result of good exposure in the Scandian mountain belt and erosion to middle-crustal levels, the Caledonides in Scandinavia provide one of the best opportunities on the planet to study these aspects of mountain building.
INVITED REVIEW ARTICLE A review of observations and models of dynamic topography N. Flament et al., The University of Sydney, School of Geoscience, Madsen Building F09, Room 416, Eastern Avenue, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia. Issue: April 2013. Originally posted online 4 Feb. 2013; http://dx.doi.org/10.1130/L245.1.
It has been known since the early 1960s that moving tectonic plates shape the Earth's surface, forming mountain belts and rift valleys. In addition to this tectonic topography, the more subtle deformation of the Earth's surface due to mantle flow in the Earth's interior, called dynamic topography, has been an active research topic since the mid-1980s. Dynamic topography has received increased interest over the last few years because it challenged the well-established view that long-term sea level change can be deduced from the rock record of "stable" continental shelves. In this review article, Nicolas Flament and colleagues show that there is good agreement between long-wavelength (greater than 5,000 km) observations and models of dynamic topography. Their work confirms the significance of dynamic topography to long-term sea level change and reinforces that comparing the predictions of mantle flow models to the geological record constrains the physical properties of the mantle. Larger data sets and increasing computing power will enable progress in this field in the coming years.
RESEARCH FOCUS ARTICLE Active tectonics and LiDAR revolution A. Meigs, College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, 104 CEOAS Administration Hall, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331, USA. Issue: April 2013; free access at http://dx.doi.org/10.1130/RF.L004.1.
A revolution in remote sensing, light detection and ranging (LiDAR) laser altimetry swath mapping, reveals the details of topographic features at such high resolution that they have transformed our understanding of tectonic forcing of the shape of the Earth's surface. Meter-scale DEMs (digital elevation models) capture fault offsets, fault zone structure, off-fault deformation, and landscape properties at microgeomorphic scale, highlighting that the surface faithfully records the complexity and sensitivity of deformation in detail.
###
http://www.geosociety.org
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Researchers at Panasonic's imaging division have found a way to increase the sensitivity of digital camera sensors, which in turn equates to almost double the brightness in photos taken in low light conditions. But the discovery has nothing to do with the sensor itself; instead, the company's improved the color processing filter placed in front of it. More »
WASHINGTON (AP) ? More than 4 out of 5 Americans want to prepare now for rising seas and stronger storms from climate change, a new national survey says. But most are unwilling to keep spending money to restore and protect stricken beaches.
The poll by Stanford University released Thursday found that only 1 in 3 people favored the government spending millions to construct big sea walls, replenish beaches or pay people to leave the coast.
This was the first time a large national poll looked at how Americans feel about adapting to the changes brought on by global warming, said survey director Jon Krosnick, a professor of political science and psychology at Stanford.
The more indirect options the majority preferred were making sure new buildings were stronger and reducing future coastal development. New building codes rated the highest with 62 percent of those surveyed favoring it.
Three in 5 people want those who are directly affected by rising seas to pay for protection, rather than all taxpayers.
Krosnick said the low favorability of sea walls and sand replenishment "reflect the public's fatalistic sense that it's more realistic to just give up the beach than to try to save it when other storms in the future will just wash it away again."
The nationally representative survey of 1,174 Americans conducted online by GfK Custom Research has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.9 percentage points.
University of Miami geology professor Harold Wanless, who wasn't involved in the survey, said he was at a Miami Beach meeting on Thursday with business and political leaders on how to try to keep from losing their "hugely expensive" land. But they are afraid of spending money in vain attempts that won't work.
There are three ways the public can deal with the effects of rising seas on beaches, said coastal geology professor S. Jeffress Williams of the University of Hawaii. He is an expert on sea level rise and methods of adapting to it. You can "hold the line" with expensive sea walls, retreat and leave the beach, or compromise with sand dunes and beach replenishing.
Sand dunes helped protect the New Jersey town of Seaside Park more than its dune-less neighbor Seaside Heights when Superstorm Sandy hit last fall, said Laurie Mcgilvray, a government coastline science expert.
Williams said the public's attitude about not doing much to protect current beach development would be fine if it were 100 years ago. "But we've got tremendous trillions of dollars of a tourist economy that depends on the coast.
"You should expect that if you are going to use the coast, you need to put some money in to maintain it," he said.
But people surveyed said money is an issue.
When it came to the general question of who should pay to protect the coast, 60 percent of the public said it should be paid for by local property owners and businesses, not the general taxpayers. And when it comes to specific solutions, about 80 percent of those surveyed said the money should come from local property taxes, not federal or state income taxes.
Nearly half, 47 percent, said the government should prohibit people from rebuilding structures damaged by storms.
The survey also found that 82 percent of the public believes global warming is already happening. About 3 out of 4 people said rising sea levels caused by global warming is a serious problem.
___
Online:
Stanford study: http://stanford.io/16kTvKo
___
Seth Borenstein can be followed at http://twitter.com/borenbears
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ? Internet search leader Google is taking another step beyond information retrieval into grocery delivery.
The new service, called Google Shopping Express, will initially provide same-day delivery of food and other products bought online by a small group of consumers in San Francisco and suburbs located south of the city. The company, based in Mountain View, Calif., didn't say how many people will be part of the test.
If the pilot program goes well, Google Inc. plans to expand delivery service to other markets.
"We hope this will help users explore the benefits of a local, same-day delivery service, and help us kick the tires on the new service," Google said in a Thursday statement.
The delivery service is part of Google's effort to increase consumer reliance on the Internet, so it will have more opportunities to show online ads, which generate most of its revenue.
Google has learned that the more time people spend online, the more likely they are to use its dominant search engine or one of its other popular services, like its YouTube video site or Gmail, that include advertising.
The delivery service also could spur merchants to buy more online ads if Google's same-day delivery service encourages consumers to do more of their shopping online. Having to wait days or, in some cases, more than a week for the delivery of online orders ranks among the biggest drawbacks to Internet shopping.
It's a problem that Amazon.com Inc. and eBay Inc., which operate the largest e-commerce sites, already have been trying to solve by offering same-day service in some U.S. markets. Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world's largest retailer, also offers same-day delivery in five markets.
A mix of national, regional and neighborhood merchants are enlisting in Google Shopping Express. The best-known names on the list include Target Inc. and Walgreen Co. All the merchants in the Google program will sell certain items through a central website. Google has hired courier services to pick up the orders at the merchant stores and then deliver them to the customer's home or office.
Although the couriers will be working on a contract basis, they will be driving Google trucks and wearing company-issued uniforms.
It remains unclear whether Internet shopping and same-day delivery can be profitable. Online grocer Webvan collapsed in 2001, largely because it couldn't devise a pricing plan that would pay for the costs of same-day delivery without alienating shoppers unwilling to pay too much extra for the added convenience.
Google is still trying to figure out how much to charge for its same-day delivery service. For the six-month test period in the San Francisco area, consumers won't have to pay a surcharge. Google instead will receive a commission from participating merchants.
The expansion into same-day delivery comes at the same time that Google is preparing to close some of its older online services so it can devote more attention and money to other projects.
The realignment has irked some Google users. The biggest complaints have centered on Google Reader, which allows people to automatically receive headlines and links from their favorite sites, and iGoogle, which allows Web surfers to design a page consisting of the Google search engine surrounded set up other online features, such as local weather reports and stock market quotes.
Google Reader is scheduled to close in July and iGoogle will shut down in November.
Google shares fell $8.47 to close at $794.19 on Thursday.
Mar. 14, 2013 ? A team of astronomers, including Quinn Konopacky of the Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics, University of Toronto, has made the most detailed examination yet of the atmosphere of a Jupiter-like planet beyond our Solar System.
According to Konopacky, "We have been able to observe this planet in unprecedented detail because of the advanced instrumentation we are using on the Keck II telescope, our ground-breaking observing and data-processing techniques, and because of the nature of the planetary system."
Konopacky is lead author of the paper describing the team's findings, to be published March 14th in Science Express, and March 22nd in the journal Science.
The team, using a high-resolution imaging spectrograph called OSIRIS, uncovered the chemical fingerprints of specific molecules, revealing a cloudy atmosphere containing carbon monoxide and water vapour. "With this level of detail," says Travis Barman, a Lowell Observatory astronomer and co-author of the paper, "we can compare the amount of carbon to the amount of oxygen present in the planet's atmosphere, and this chemical mix provides clues as to how the entire planetary system formed."
There has been considerable uncertainty about how systems of planets form, with two leading models, called core accretion and gravitational instability. Planetary properties, such as the composition of a planet's atmosphere, are clues as to whether a system formed according to one model or the other.
"This is the sharpest spectrum ever obtained of an extrasolar planet," according to co-author Bruce Macintosh of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. "This shows the power of directly imaging a planetary system. It is the exquisite resolution afforded by these new observations that has allowed us to really begin to probe planet formation."
The spectrum reveals that the carbon to oxygen ratio is consistent with the core accretion scenario, the model thought to explain the formation of our Solar System.
The planet, designated HR 8799c, is one of four gas giants known to orbit a star 130 light-years from Earth. The authors and their collaborators previously discovered HR 8799c and its three companions back in 2008 and 2010. All the planets are larger than any in our Solar System, with masses three to seven times that of Jupiter. Their orbits are similarly large when compared to our system. HR 8799c orbits 40 times farther from its parent star than Earth orbits from the Sun; in our Solar System, that would put it well beyond the realm of Neptune.
According to the core accretion model, the star HR 8799 was originally surrounded by nothing but a huge disk of gas and dust. As the gas cooled, ice formed; this process depleted the disk of oxygen atoms. Ice and dust collected into planetary cores which, once they were large enough, attracted surrounding gas to form large atmospheres. The gas was depleted of oxygen, and this is reflected in the planet's atmosphere today as an enhanced carbon to oxygen ratio.
The core accretion model also predicts that large gas giant planets form at great distances from the central star, and smaller rocky planets closer in, as in our Solar System. It is rocky planets, not too far, nor close to the star, that are prime candidates for supporting life.
"The results suggest the HR 8799 system is like a scaled-up Solar System," says Konopacky. "And so, in addition to the gas giants far from their parent star, it would not come as a surprise to find Earth-like planets closer in."
The observations of HR 8799c were made with the Keck II 10-metre telescope in Hawaii, one of the two largest optical telescopes in the world. The telescope's adaptive optics system corrects for distortion caused by Earth's atmosphere, making the view through Keck II sharper than through the Hubble Space Telescope.
Astronomers refer to this as spatial resolution. Seeing exoplanets around stars is like trying to see a firefly next to a spotlight. Keck's adaptive optics and high spatial resolution, combined with advanced data-processing techniques, allow astronomers to more clearly see both the stellar "spotlight" and planetary "firefly."
"We can directly image the planets around HR 8799 because they are all large, young, and very far from their parent star. This makes the system an excellent laboratory for studying exoplanet atmospheres," says coauthor Christian Marois of the National Research Council of Canada. "Since its discovery, this system just keeps surprising us."
Konopacky and her team will continue to study the super-sized planets to learn more details about their nature and their atmospheres. Future observations will be made using the recently upgraded OSIRIS instrument which utilizes a new diffraction grating -- the key component of the spectrograph that separates light according to wavelength, just like a prism. The new grating was developed at the Dunlap Institute and installed in the spectrograph in December 2012.
"These future observations will tell us much more about the planets in this system," says Dunlap Fellow Konopacky. "And the more we learn about this distant planetary system, the more we learn about our own."
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Toronto, via Newswise.
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Journal Reference:
Quinn M. Konopacky, Travis S. Barman, Bruce A. Macintosh, and Christian Marois. Detection of Carbon Monoxide and Water Absorption Lines in an Exoplanet Atmosphere. Science, 14 March 2013 DOI: 10.1126/science.1232003
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
If you love watching movies but hate the unwashed masses—and happen to have giant heaping truckloads of money—designers and interior architects can offer a simple solution: your very own deluxe in-home movie theater. Here are some of the most amazing in the world, inspired by everything from Star Wars and Star Trek, to Paris and Egypt, to well, okay a little more Star Trek. More »
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Contraband cellphones are a massive problem in prisons - now there's a way to see who's using one
Scott Youkilis looks harmless. Hell, he?s downright huggable, with a boyish face and bright smile that belie his serious experience in an industry where bleary eyes, gray pallor, and short fuses are the norm. But with the opening of ?his third restaurant, the man appears to be quietly taking over the Mission.
The chef-owner at neighborhood favorites Maverick and Hog & Rocks, Youkilis strikes thrice at Hi Lo, where meat, and plenty of it, comes to its delicious demise. On the grill, rabbit and game birds may twirl over 700-degree heat. Meanwhile, a 6,000-pound monster called the ?Oyler Pit,? which is capable of swallowing lambs, goats, and up ?to six suckling pigs whole, smokes large cuts for 12 to 14 hours at a cool 190 degrees.
True to its name, Hi Lo?s team hails from the Bay Area?s most highfalutin establishments. Chef Ryan Ostler lists Boulevard and Range on his resume, while Scott Beattie (of Cyrus fame) and Michael Lazar (author of Left Coast Libations) tag-teamed the bar program with big, juicy drinks designed to slice through all that protein. ?Imagine having barbecue sauce all over your hands,? Beattie says. ?Do you really want a drink in a tiny coup? glass??
With top talent putting quality, seasonal ingredients to good use and an order-at-the-counter, meat-by-the-pound scheme, Hi Lo is an exercise in extremes that might balance out just right. As Youkilis explains, ?It?s going to be casual and fun, but we?re serious about the food.?
Hi Lo BBQ, 3416 19th Street, 415-874-9921
This article was published in 7x7's March issue. Click here to subscribe.
ATLANTA (AP) ? The Atlanta Falcons found their replacement for Michael Turner on Thursday by agreeing to terms with Steven Jackson, considered the top free-agent running back, on a three-year, $12 million deal.
The 30-year-old Jackson had 1,042 yards rushing and four touchdowns with the Rams last season. It was his eighth straight season with more than 1,000 yards rushing.
"I think this is a very big signing for us," Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff told The Associated Press. "It continues to bolster our offensive firepower. It gives us not only strength, power in running ability but also the versatility to catch out of the backfield, which is a very important part of this offense."
In separate posts on his Twitter feed, Jackson referred to Dimitroff and Falcons owner Arthur Blank as he thanked the Falcons for the new deal.
"To the AMAZING Atlanta Falcons Owner, GM & Management team, I SINCERELY THANK EACH OF YOU for making this happen. I EAGERLY anticipate 2013!" Jackson tweeted.
Jackson would have earned $7 million with the Rams in 2013 before he opted out of his contract to become a free agent.
He tweeted his thanks to the Rams "for believing in me & allowing me to be an integral part of this team for so many years."
Jackson's 10,135 yards rushing for his career are the most of any active player. He set career highs with 1,528 yards rushing and 13 touchdowns with St. Louis in 2006.
Turner's average of only 3.6 yards per carry last season set a career low. The Falcons released Turner, defensive end John Abraham and cornerback Dunta Robinson on March 1. He had 800 yards rushing, his low total in his five seasons in Atlanta.
Jackson averaged 4.1 yards per carry with the Rams and gives Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan another receiver to target. Jackson had at least 38 catches in each of his last eight seasons in St. Louis.
"We're hoping he has his best years ahead of him, there's no question about that," Dimitroff said. "We think he still has much fuel in the tank and I know that he believes that."
Turner's modest total of 19 catches last season set a career high. He had his first career touchdown catch.
The deal with Jackson came only two days after the Falcons announced tight end Tony Gonzalez is returning for the 2013 season after saying last year he was 95 percent sure he would retire.
The Falcons also have re-signed strong safety William Moore and right guard Garrett Reynolds.
Gwyneth, 6 months, and Randy Roest wear false mustaches as a crowd attempts to break the Guinness World Record for the most people wearing false mustaches, Thursday, March 7, 2013, to kick off Gilda's LaughFest 2013 in Grand Rapids, Mich. (AP Photo/The Grand Rapids Press, Sally Finneran) ALL LOCAL TV OUT; LOCAL TV INTERNET OUT
Gwyneth, 6 months, and Randy Roest wear false mustaches as a crowd attempts to break the Guinness World Record for the most people wearing false mustaches, Thursday, March 7, 2013, to kick off Gilda's LaughFest 2013 in Grand Rapids, Mich. (AP Photo/The Grand Rapids Press, Sally Finneran) ALL LOCAL TV OUT; LOCAL TV INTERNET OUT
A crowd of people wearing fake mustaches gathers in an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the most people wearing false mustaches, Thursday, March 7, 2013, to kick off Gilda's LaughFest 2013 in Grand Rapids, Mich. (AP Photo/The Grand Rapids Press, Sally Finneran) ALL LOCAL TV OUT; LOCAL TV INTERNET OUT
MLive's Todd Chance puts on a fake mustache Thursday, March 7, 2013 in Grand Rapids Mich., where a crowd gathered in an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the most people wearing false mustaches to kick off Gilda's LaughFest 2013. (AP Photo/The Grand Rapids Press, Sally Finneran) ALL LOCAL TV OUT; LOCAL TV INTERNET OUT
Cheryl Fell sports mustache glasses over a false mustache Thursday, March 7, 2013 in Grand Rapids Mich., where a crowd gathered in an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the most people wearing false mustaches to kick off Gilda's LaughFest 2013. (AP Photo/The Grand Rapids Press, Sally Finneran) ALL LOCAL TV OUT; LOCAL TV INTERNET OUT
A crowd of people wearing fake mustaches gathers in an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the most people wearing false mustaches, Thursday, March 7, 2013, to kick off Gilda's LaughFest 2013 in Grand Rapids, Mich. (AP Photo/The Grand Rapids Press, Sally Finneran) ALL LOCAL TV OUT; LOCAL TV INTERNET OUT
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) ? Magnum P.I., Ron Burgundy and Ron Swanson would be impressed.
Organizers of an annual laugh festival in Michigan say they've broken the world record for the most people wearing fake mustaches.
Gilda's LaughFest is reporting that 1,544 people donned various shapes and sizes of dark 'staches on Thursday, the Grand Rapids festival's opening day.
The record is awaiting Guinness World Record certification.
If it sticks, the record would be the third set at the festival in as many years. Last year the festival broke the record for the most people wearing fake animal noses. The year before, it was people tossing rubber chickens.
LaughFest officials say the previous fake mustache record of 648 participants was set in September at a St. Louis Rams event.
Are you hunting for a method to create residual income streams to ease the financial pressures in your life or to become even rich in the procedure?
Here?s a quick internet marketing test. See how you score.
Here are two real world affiliate internet business opportunity network success techniques. Which is more profit-making in the long run?
In one promoting scenario, it takes 100 clicks to make a sale. The commission received once that sale is created is $100. The normal refund rate for the item is 5%. If you pay 80 cents per click, what is going to be the return on your 1st $100 investment (did we mention there was math involved?).
In the second scenario it takes the same ? a hundred clicks to make a sale. That sale also pays a $100 commission. There is however the increased bonus of an additional $10 a month commission for 4 months. There?s also money back rate of 5%, and you will get paid that extra $10 four times. Again, if you pay $.80 per click what will your return on a $100 investment be?
O.K, in the first example it might cost $80 to make one sale. So you would make $20 minus the 5% refund rate thus ending up with an ROI of $19. That is not such a terrible investment.
Now, in the second example, you get the same result for the sale ? $80, but your net profit is a great deal more inspiring due to that four months worth of residual income. You would still get the $19 ROI on your 1st $100 investment, but here you make that extra $40; a 59% return on investment.
Pay very close attention to any affiliate?s marketing model and you?ll quickly discover the one time they?ll offer a one-up product (it pays only once for 1st sale ) is if they can somehow leverage that sale.
As an example, they may supply a free report or special insider review and bonus if you make the purchase through their affiliate link, where the LEVERAGE for the business opportunity network is in collecting the opt-in information.
A focused opt-in list is often worth $0.25 to $5.00 PER MONTH or even more to the list owner.
Or perhaps there?s an UPSELL later which has the capability to earn another commission.
But what you?ll notice more often is they focus on promoting services that not only pay a one-up commission but also pay a major monthly residual commission. Yes, there is an internet business opportunity network such as this.
Put simply, if the affiliate marketing product doesn?t have a continuity program behind it ? most associates will never touch it.
Why should they? It can mean the most important difference between a 19% ROI and a 59% ROI.
Multiple Residual Income Streams through Internet Business Opportunity Network is the Key to Wealth
The longest stream in the world is the Nile. The only possible way you can appreciate the dimensions of the Nile is by seeing it from outer space. It is awe-inspiring. What you don?t see when you look down from your starship is that the Nile is what it is because it?s fed by thousands of tiny tributaries. Thousands of them. This huge river only exists due to all of the small tributaries and streams that run into it.
By understanding that many small streams of income can build to form a river of wealth, you must take your internet business opportunity marketing attempts to a higher level. Start by promoting products that pay residual monthly income on top of an initial commission. Don?t be tempted by other products, these are the ones that will create wealth in the long run. After just a few months, you will see these tiny brooks of income turn into a serious flood of income. The beauty of residual monthly income is that you never start a month with nothing in the bank. Imagine that!
You are never really beginning over or starting from nothing in any business opportunity network and hoping beyond hope that you sell something this month. If you want to learn more residual income business opportunities, just CLICK HERE!
data-text=?How to Find an Online Business Opportunity Network to Build Residual Incomevia @kevinklau.com? data-url=?http://kevinklau.com/business-opportunity-network/? data-via=?" >
The benefits of Pilates stems back to the fact that it is an exercise form based on your body?s muscular skeletal construction, the end result of which is designed to bring your body to a state of perfect balance. Unlike many other forms of exercise it is not overtly strenuous, meaning that people of all ages and fitness levels can safely attend regular Pilates classes to tone their bodies.
Pilates works on a holistic basis, which, for the benefit of those not fully conversant with the term, means that it deals with the whole, rather than a part. Holistic healing for example includes wellness of not only the body, but of mind and soul too. Pilates classes are one of the few forms of exercise that are recommended by physicians, osteopaths, and physiotherapists alike.
Pilates was invented by Joseph Pilates, a German who later in life relocated to North America. Joseph was a sickly child and it was his own ill health that led him into studying ways of improving his health via exercise. This method was called ?Controlology?., which is now known as ?Pilates?, worked on practicing muscle control through the mind.
The benefits of Pilates are many, and they include:
An improvement in your posture
Making your spine more supple and flexible
Toning muscle tissue
Making your core being more efficient
It improves pelvic, and shoulder stability
It promotes healthy, more mobile joints and strengthens joint muscular support
The benefits of Pilates for the more senior citizen have long been heralded, including:
Helping to ward off injury to muscles and joints
Helping physical balance and body co-ordination
The Easing of various aches and pains
It can help to improve the density of your bones
It improves blood circulation through improved lung function
Pilates classes are recommended for those suffering from arthritis
But no matter what age or fitness level you are, there are other more general benefits of Pilates to be enjoyed, such as:
You will look and feel younger
Your stress levels will diminish
You will lower tension in the body
You will improve your overall quality of life
Pilates classes are practiced widely across the world, so find one near to where you live or work, and begin to enjoy the benefits of Pilates now.
David Ayers, center, walks out of the Justice Center as a free man, Monday, Sept. 12, 2011. Ayers, who was serving time for murder, had his charges dropped because of DNA testing that did not trace back to him. Carrie Wood, from the Innocence Project, leads him outside.
By Gil AegerterStaff Writer, NBC News
A man who spent 11 years in prison on a murder conviction that was later reversed has won a $13.2 million award in a civil rights lawsuit against the city of Cleveland.
A federal jury found Friday that two Cleveland detectives fabricated or withheld evidence in the 2000 trial of David Ayers, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported.
Ayers was convicted of aggravated murder in the Dec. 17, 1999, beating death of Dorothy Brown, a 76-year-old woman who lived in a high-rise run by the Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority. Ayers was a resident of the same complex and a security guard for the housing authority, according to court documents.
He was arrested in March 2000 and convicted late that year.
He maintained his innocence, and after the Ohio Innocence Project took up his case in 2008, Ayers got a state appeals court to order the trial judge to allow DNA testing of a single pubic hair found on Brown?s body ? the results of which showed the hair did not come from Ayers.
But while the hair was being tested, the 6th?U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed his conviction (read the decision here in PDF), saying the trial judge improperly allowed testimony of a jailhouse informant who said Ayers confessed to killing the victim and stealing money from her.
Ayers was freed in 2011.
One detective settled with Ayers out of court. But in the civil rights trial, the Plain Dealer reported, Ayers? lawyers said two other detectives, Denise Kovach and Michael Cipo, had tried to frame Ayers because he was gay ? despite evidence that Brown had also been sexually assaulted.
According to The Associated Press:
Among the most serious allegations by Ayers against Kovach and Cipo were that the two detectives conspired with each other to fabricate a confession that he never made, coerced a friend of Ayers to lie by saying that Ayers had told him of the murder before Brown's body was discovered, and gave key information about the crime to Ayers' prison cellmate so he could later testify against Ayers about an admission he didn't make.
The detectives had denied any wrongdoing.
After the civil rights verdict, The Plain Dealer reported, the director of Cleveland's law office said the city was "considering our options."
As for Ayers, the newspaper quoted him as saying: "My goal is that it never happens to anyone else ever again."
LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - "Oz the Great and Powerful" cannot match the wonder and magic of the 1939 film classic "The Wizard of Oz" - at least in the estimation of America's top critics.
The film, which stars James Franco as the wizard and Michelle Williams, Mila Kunis and Rachel Weisz as a trio of witches, is a prequel of sorts that explains how the title character drifted out of Kansas and into the mystical land. It also unwraps the mystery of how a certain evil witch got her signature greenish hue.
The Emerald City update had many reviewers, such as the New York Times' Manohla Dargis, wishing they could click some ruby slippers together to expunge the memory of Disney's attempt to ride the powerful brand recognition of writer L. Frank Baum's children's fables to cross-promotional gold. The film scored a so-so 57 percent "rotten" rating on critics aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.
Not that all of the notices were bad. Some critics, such as USA Today's Claudia Puig, praised Raimi for executing a worthy exercise in escapism.
Ultimately, any bad reviews are unlikely to diminish audiences' interest in heading down the Yellow Brick Road. "Oz the Great and Powerful" is expected to generate as much as $85 million at the box office this weekend.
Count Alonso Duralde among the film's partisans. TheWrap critic hailed the film for nimbly avoiding the trap set by umpteenth reboots and prequels and finding surprises in a familiar story.
"In revisiting the iconic 1939 classic 'The Wizard of Oz' (and the L. Frank Baum novels that inspired it), there are any number of missteps that director Sam Raimi ('Spider-Man,' 'Drag Me to Hell') and screenwriters Mitchell Kapner ('The Whole Nine Yards') and David Lindsay-Abaire ('Rabbit Hole') could have taken on that particular Yellow Brick Road," Duralde writes.
"That 'Oz the Great and Powerful' is so thoroughly effective both on its own terms and as a prequel to one of the most beloved movies ever made indicates that this team has magic to match any witch or wizard."
In the Times, Dargis slammed the film as the nadir of globalized, bloated-budgeted inanity and a sad comment on the sorry state of the modern movie business.
"Can the major studios still make magic? From the looks of 'Oz the Great and Powerful,' a dispiriting, infuriating jumble of big money, small ideas and ugly visuals, the answer seems to be no," Dargis asked and answered.
She went on to add that beyond the problem of barely masking its profit motivations, the film suffered from a troubling regressivism when it comes to sexual politics. In particular, she was none too thrilled that the Wicked Witch turns literally green with envy after Oz rejects her advances.
"The bigger bummer, though, is that the studio that has enchanted generations with Tinker Bell and at least a few plucky princesses has backed a movie that has such backward ideas about female characters that it makes the 1939 'Wizard of Oz' look like a suffragist classic," Dargis writes.
Kenneth Turan praised the film's visual style and effective use of 3D in his review in the Los Angeles Times, but faulted the picture for being a jumble of visual effects and discordant storylines.
"The moral here is that we are capable of more than we know, so how can we not be won over - especially if munchkins are involved?" Turan writes. "But 'Oz the Great and Powerful' is a rougher slog getting there than it needs to be."
It's better than Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland" served as Dana Stevens' backhanded compliment. The Slate reviewer admired Raimi's cojones in taking on a classic film, but said "Oz the Great and Powerful" suffers in comparison to its predecessor.
"The next time I watch The Wizard of Oz - which, given the fact I have a 7-year-old daughter, will probably be within a matter of days - I may briefly flash back on the memory Oz the Great and Powerful, perhaps amusing myself with the notion that Billie Burke's burbling Glinda and Frank Morgan's crotchety Oz are old flames awkwardly crossing paths again in their middle age," Stevens writes. "But the towering masterpiece that is The Wizard of Oz will soon absorb this small insult."
Joe Morgenstern clearly wished he could back up over the rainbow and return to the more gripping confines of, say, Topeka. The Wall Street Journal critic said the film has energy to spare, but all of that visual enthusiasm doesn't translate into enchantment. Despite the millions thrown at the visual effects, Morgenstern implies that Raimi and company cannot find the story's human heart.
"What 'Oz' might well have borrowed from its predecessor, however, is what allowed Garland and her colleagues to be great - a sense of drama that still resonates with contemporary audiences," Morgenstern writes. "Remember what happens even before 'The Wizard of Oz' gets to the tornado? Dorothy sings a sublime song, 'Over the Rainbow,' then loses her precious Toto, then recovers him. The relevant lessons aren't in the cuteness of the pooch, or the matchless song, or even the use of music (although Disney's 'Oz' does use one dismally unmusical ditty). They're in the urgency of yearning and despair that the song and Toto's loss convey."
For Puig, "Oz the Great and Powerful" may fall short of the original film, but it has its pleasures. The USA Today critic praised Raimi for creating a "powerfully entertaining fantasy" and commended Weisz for embracing her evil role.
"In creating additional mythology, director Sam Raimi has fashioned a viable escapist fantasy in its own right," Puig writes. "His blend of computer-generated images and gorgeously designed sets enhances the story's theatrical quality. This is the rare case where 3D doesn't feel superfluous, but integral to the plot."
A bill signed by South Dakota's governor Friday allows districts to create firearms-training programs for teachers. The program is not mandatory, but it still worries some educators.
By Mark Guarino,?Staff writer / March 8, 2013
South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard, seen here at the National Governors Association 2013 Winter Meeting in Washington last month, signed a bill Friday that allows trained teachers to bring firearms into the classroom.
Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP/File
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South Dakota on Friday became the first state since the shootings in Newtown, Conn., to allow teachers to carry a gun into the classroom.
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The bill, signed by Gov. Dennis Daugaard (R), does not mandate that teachers carry guns. Instead, it allows any school board to create a so-called ?school sentinel program? that involves the local county sheriff and establishes a firearms- training course for employees in K-12 schools.
Eighteen states allow firearms on school grounds, according to a tally by NBC News, but such policies are typically reserved for security personnel or volunteers. Only Utah allows teachers ? who have concealed-carry permits ? to bring guns in the classroom, though other states have considered expanding laws since the Newtown massacre, in which a gunman killed 20 children and six teachers.
Supporters said that the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary showed the need for such a law. Many rural South Dakota schools are located far from emergency personnel, they said. But the rigorous training criteria ? which are the same required of law enforcement in the state ? might mean few teachers take advantage.
?My guess is this would be, for many people, an investment of time along the lines of getting a pilot?s license, something along that line of difficulty,? says Gabriel Chin, a professor at the University of California at Davis School of Law.
The bill?s main sponsor, state Rep. Scott Craig (R), said he started working with federal law enforcement officials on the measure in early November, and the Connecticut tragedy weeks later ?only affirmed the rightness of this bill.?
School boards are not required to establish the programs, but 5 percent of registered voters in any school district can file a petition to get their local board to vote for the program.
?There are plenty of school districts that let us know that they?ve wanted this, and they?ve wanted this kind of provision for quite some time,? Mr. Craig said.
But some school administrators in the state are against the law, saying they would have preferred safety sessions in the summer.
?I just wish ... everybody would have talked a little bit together before we started passing legislation. I don't believe there will be very many districts, at least to begin with, who are going to jump at putting sentinels in a school until they've done a lot of research,? said Don Kirkegaard, superintendent of the Meade School District, told the Rapid City Journal Friday.
He added that he would not promote the program to teachers or board members in his district.
National teachers organizations have also rejected the idea of arming teachers.
?Under no circumstances do we think guns are appropriate for schools and we continue to reject the notion that when teachers carry guns, schools are safer,? says Janet Bass, a spokeswoman for the American Federation of Teachers in Washington. ?We don?t think teachers are going to be packing heat on the holsters during math class. There?s a real risk that a kid could grab a gun.?
? Material from wire services was used in this story.
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Public release date: 29-Mar-2013
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The benefits of Pilates stems back to the fact that it is an exercise form based on your body?s muscular skeletal construction, the end result of which is designed to bring your body to a state of perfect balance. Unlike many other forms of exercise it is not overtly strenuous, meaning that people of all ages and fitness levels can safely attend regular Pilates classes to tone their bodies.