Japan Earthquake: Macro facts, radiation, and a time for compassion

The destruction wreaked upon Japan by the earthquake, tsunami, and ongoing threat from radioactivity is, understandably, central on the minds of people and media worldwide. The loss of life, property, and the infrastructure of a developed culture is near apocalyptic and begs comparisons to what befell Japan at the end of the Second World War.



Macro Facts
Not to take away from the impact on the Japanese people, but there are also some staggering macro or global facts and issues as result of these recent events. Writing for Yahoo News, Vanessa Evans cited these facts:

* Although the largest earthquake recorded on Friday was the massive 8.9 quake that caused the vast majority of the damage, there have been hundreds of aftershocks, some of which reached magnitude 6 strength, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

* Any number of those aftershocks were as large as the earthquake that shook Christchurch, New Zealand, late last month.

* Geophysicist Richard Gross of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California, has estimated that the Japanese earthquake shortened the Earth's day by 1.8 microseconds. Gross also said that the axis of the Earth probably shifted about 6.5 inches, which affects how it rotates, but not its position or movement in space.

* The U.S. Geological Survey initially estimated that Japan as a whole has physically moved by approximately 8 feet, but other scientists around the globe have estimated that some parts of the country may actually have moved as much as 12 feet closer to North America. In addition, parts of the country's terrain are now permanently under sea level, which will make it difficult for the flooding caused by the tsunami to drain.

* The loss of 1.8 microseconds as a result of the shift in the Earth's axis is unlikely to cause more than minute changes, but among those changes will actually be differences in the passing of the seasons. This will only be observable using satellite navigation systems with very precise monitoring equipment.

* The shift of the Earth's axis and loss of time is similar to that experienced after the Chilean earthquake last year, which sped up the Earth's rotation and resulted in the loss of 1.26 microseconds.

Radiation and the Sea
While many of these facts are scientifically interesting, they won't necessarily have a profound effect on the day-to-day activities of the planet. However, one ongoing issue, that of the possibility of a large discharge of radiation from the Fukushima nuclear facility, is an important concern to the ocean environment.

Current weather forecasts are showing prevailing winds blowing to the East, therefore taking any escaped radiation away from the mainland - but out to sea. The Japanese government has been exceedingly cautious in their pronouncements about the crisis at the nuclear facility. However, from an ocean ecology perspective, there are some important questions to be answered.

How powerful or strong would the radiation be if there was a major leakage from the facility? What kinds of particles would the radiation consist of? Would these particles travel great distances above the sea or would they settle quickly, close within Japanese waters? Could the radiation be consumed by fish or smaller creatures, entering the food chain at a base level and work their way up in time? Could certain fish like swordfish, tuna, or sharks - which are known to accumulate other pollutants - also accumulate radiation over time. Or would the radiation dissipate to such low levels as to not be an issue.

The potential harm from radiation to the Japanese people is certainly an important concern. However, the same can be said of the environment, and particularly the sea, should a major discharge occur and the predicted winds carry it out to sea.

Our Better Nature
Speaking of the Japanese people, I have read a few online comments from some highly passionate but misguided conservationists who see the events of the past few days as a fitting retribution on the Japanese people for their whaling, dolphin, and tuna fishing activities. Nothing could be further from the truth and, in fact, denigrates us as a civilized society when we stoop to those kind of pronouncements.

This was not justice, or God's will, or bad karma, or any other vengeful nonsense. Natural disasters of this sort have occurred throughout the history of this planet and they will continue to do so long after we have either resolved the issues of protecting the environment or vanished through our own self-extinction. If we are at all worthy of sharing any space on this planet it will be because we can call upon the "better angels of our nature" - the same ones that make us strive to protect endangered species and conserve our natural resources - and bring comfort and compassion to our fellow man in the face of such catastrophe.

Support the relief efforts through the American Red Cross or similar agency in your country.

Read more about the changes in the earth in Yahoo News.

Aspens and Chernobyl: nature's resiliency and ability to survive or not

Turning from the wet to the dryside for a moment, have you ever noticed how trees like Aspens seem to change into their fall colors simultaneously? Like the drop of a hat, one moment they're green and the next moment they are a striking brilliant yellow - almost as if they were one tree rather than individuals.

Well, in essence, they are one tree. Certain species, particularly aspens, have the ability to sprout new trees from an expanding root network without the need for reproduction or fertilization. Call it botanical cloning. In fact, some groves of aspens constitute some of the largest single living organisms on the planet (there are some fungus experts that might argue who has the title, as there are huge underground fungi that grow in a similar fashion).

However, a group of Canadian researchers from British Columbia have determined through groundbreaking (no pun intended) DNA studies, that this ability of the aspen to "clone" itself is not everlasting. Their studies show that this method of propagation, like with other biological species, can produce genetic mutations with each succeeding tree which impacts its fertility and its ultimate life span. At some point the tree (or trees) must reproduce by more "traditional" means.

According to Howard Falcon-Long of the BBC News, "Dr Ally's team found that genetic mutations gradually build up with each subsequent generation of clone, resulting in a decline in fertility. This means that the aspen cannot clone itself indefinitely, but eventually must reproduce sexually or die."

Here's a video I shot along California's eastern Sierras which contains scenes of aspen groves in the midst of changing to their fall colors. Imagine that many of the trees you see here are actually all part of the same tree.



On the other side of the globe, the effects of genetic mutation and biodiversity brought about by contamination have been the subject of a long study at Russia's Chernobyl nuclear facility. After four years of study in and around the plant's "exclusion zone," scientists from the U.S. and France have reported a decline in the number of mammals, insects, and reptiles. So, with environmental contamination events - like Chernobyl or, say, the Gulf oil spill - when left to its own devices, without human interference, nature does not necessarily heal itself or bring itself back to "normal."

According to a BBC News report, birds were heavily impacted by the contamination. "During their census work, [scientists Professor Timothy Mousseau] and Dr. [Anders] Moller have also examined the effects of radiation contamination on the animals. They say that these impacts are particularly obvious in birds. 'We think they may be more susceptible, after long migrations, to additional environmental stress.' explained Professor Mousseau."

The scientists are not without their critics. Though their motives or supporting data may be questionable, Ukrainian scientists have said the opposite is true: that without human influence, animals are thriving in Chernobyl. Professor Mousseau claims their evidence is totally anecdotal.

Nature has amazing ways to perpetuate life; backup systems, if you will, like the cloning and traditional reproduction methods of the aspens. But mankind's technology has been able to produce impacts that can overpower nature's ability to heal and come back strong. We must carefully monitor what happens in the wild, what happens in and around facilities like energy and oil drilling plants, and we must not drop the ball when it comes to following up on the effects of our mistakes.

Read about the aspens and Chernobyl in BBC News.