Inspiring Moments of 2011 ..[ 2600 ]

Year in review: top events of 2011

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Alaska’s Cleveland volcano erupts...[ 2599 ]

Alaska’s Cleveland volcano erupts by unleashing 15,000 ft. ash cloud

 December 30, 2011 – ALASKA –

An ash cloud erupted some 15,000 feet into the air from Alaska’s Cleveland Volcano, according to satellite images and the Alaska Volcano Observatory.

The volcano, located in the Aleutian Islands about 45 miles west of the community of Nikolski, has been upgraded and downgraded several times over the last few months, flaring up in July and erupting in the form of a growing lava dome in August.

Following several weeks of activity, the volcano was downgraded before being upgraded again to an alert level of “watch” and an aviation hazard color-code of “orange” in early September. Two months later, the alert level was again lowered after the volcano seemed to quiet down.

This latest activity comes six days after the most recent update on the AVO website. The AVO said that satellite imagery from about 5 a.m. Thursday confirmed the presence of a detached ash cloud, about 50 miles away from the volcano and moving southeast. last significant eruption of Cleveland occurred in February 2001 and resulted in three ash plumes that reached up to 39,000 feet above sea level and “a rubbly lava flow and hot avalanche that reached the sea.”

Aviators in the area are encouraged to exercise caution, but the AVO said that the eruption may be an isolated event. “Satellite data indicate that this is a single explosion event,” the AVO said, “however, more sudden explosions producing ash could occur with plumes exceeding 20,000 feet above sea level. Such explosions and their associated ash clouds may go undetected in satellite imagery for hours.” Cleveland volcano lacks any real-time monitoring equipment. –

Season Greetings ...[ 2598 ]

Happy the New Year 2012

,,,,and 

dont' believe to the prophities of Mayas

GRAIL-A Spacecraft 24 Hours Away From Moon...[ 2597 ]

NASA’s GRAIL-A Spacecraft 24 Hours Away From Moon

December 31, 2011 |

Written by DC Agle
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Pasadena, CA – NASA’s Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory (GRAIL)-A spacecraft is within 24 hours of its insertion burn that will place it into lunar orbit. At the time the spacecraft crossed the milestone at 1:21pm PST today (4:21pm EST), the spacecraft was 30,758 miles (49,500 kilometers) from the moon.

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Launched aboard the same rocket on September 10th, 2011, GRAIL-A’s mirror twin, GRAIL-B, is also closing the gap between itself and the moon. GRAIL-B is scheduled to perform its lunar orbit insertion burn on New Year’s Day (January 1st) at 2:05pm PST (5:05pm EST).

Artist concept of GRAIL mission. GRAIL will fly twin spacecraft in tandem orbits around the moon to measure its gravity field in unprecedented detail. (Image credit: NASA/JPL)

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As they close in on the moon, both orbiters move toward the moon from the south, flying nearly directly over the lunar south pole. The lunar orbit insertion burn for GRAIL-A will take approximately 40 minutes to complete and change the spacecraft’s velocity by about 427 mph (687 kph). GRAIL-B’s insertion burn – occurring 25 hours later — will last about 39 minutes and is expected to change its velocity by 430 mph (692 kph).

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The insertion maneuvers will place each orbiter into a near-polar, elliptical orbit with an orbital period of 11.5 hours. Over the following weeks, the GRAIL team will execute a series of burns with each spacecraft to reduce their period down to just under two hours. At the start of the science phase in March 2012, the two GRAILs will be in a near-polar, near-circular orbit with an altitude of about 34 miles (55 kilometers).

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During the science phase, the moon will rotate three times underneath the GRAIL orbit. The collection of gravity data over one complete rotation (27.3 days) is referred to as a Mapping Cycle. When science collection begins, the spacecraft will transmit radio signals precisely defining the distance between them as they orbit the moon in formation. 

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Regional gravitational differences on the moon are expected to expand and contract that distance. GRAIL scientists will use these accurate measurements to define the moon’s gravity field. 

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The data will allow mission scientists to understand what goes on below the surface of our natural satellite. This information will help us learn more about how the moon, Earth and other terrestrial planets formed.

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NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, manages the GRAIL mission. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, is home to the mission’s principal investigator, Maria Zuber. 
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The GRAIL mission is part of the Discovery Program managed at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, AL. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, built the spacecraft. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.
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More information about GRAIL is online at: http://www.nasa.gov/grail and http://grail.nasa.gov .

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N.Korea: Kim Jong-un army commander...[ 2596 ]

North Korea names Kim Jong-un army commander

 

Kim Jong-un was named army chief on Friday, the state news agency said

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BBC., 31 December 2011 Last updated at 01:59 GMT  

North Korea's new leader, Kim Jong-un, has been formally named supreme commander of the country's armed forces, state media said.

Kim Jong-un, who took over after the death of his father Kim Jong-il earlier this month, was appointed at a meeting on Friday, KCNA news agency said.

The move is seen as a clear sign that the young leader is fast consolidating power over North Korea.

Kim Jong-il, who had ruled since 1994, died of a heart attack on 17 December.

On Wednesday, a huge funeral procession was staged for the late leader in the snowy streets of the capital, Pyongyang.

Father's will According to KCNA, Kim Jong-un "assumed supreme commandership of the Korean People's Army" at a Workers' Party meeting on Friday.

North Korea

• Population about 23 million
• One million-strong army thought to be world's fifth largest
• Manufacturing output mainly geared to military's demands
• Daily life strictly controlled by government
• Food shortages, power cuts, poor infrastructure

The appointment, which puts the young Kim in charge of the world's fourth largest army, was made in accordance with a will written by Kim Jong-il on 8 October, the news agency said.
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In a statement, the news agency referred to him for the first time as "Great Leader" - regarded as a clear message of continuity of the regime of his late father.

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Kim Jong-il - known in North Korea as the "Dear Leader" - was in the process of formalising Kim Jong-un as his successor when he died.

However, the transition was not complete, leaving regional neighbours fearful of a power struggle in the nuclear-armed pariah state.

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On Friday, North Korea told the international community not to "expect any change" in the wake of Kim Jong-il's death.

The message came in a statement carried by state media and attributed to the powerful National Defence Commission. 

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"We declare solemnly and confidently that the foolish politicians around the world, including the puppet group in South Korea, should not expect any change from us," it said. 

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Kim Jong-un inherits 1.2 million-strong military and a national policy known as the Songun, that prioritises the welfare of the armed forces over civilians.

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During the memorial service on Thursday, head of state Kim Yong-nam said that, under the new leader, the North would "march firmly along the path of Songun taught by great leader Kim Jong-il".

Songun is the phrase used for North Korea's "military first" policy.