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1500 questions
16
votes
2 answers
Why do clouds sometimes form a ring around the Sun?
Someone shared a video with me in which clouds were forming a ring around the Sun. I took this screen shot of that video:
What is the reason behind this?
Aishwarya Shiva
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16
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3 answers
What processes produced the basalt columns of the Giant's Causeway?
The Giant's Causeway is, according to the Wikipedia page was formed during
during the Paleogene Period, Antrim was subject to intense volcanic activity, when highly fluid molten basalt intruded through chalk beds to form an extensive lava…
user2872
16
votes
3 answers
How do geologists find ore deposits?
From my research, there is lots of information on how to extract ore, but I can't find any information on how these ore deposits are found in the first place, apart from 'looking for surface formations'. So, what kind of formations would exist for…
Ben Hollier
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16
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6 answers
(Why) Is there more landmass on Earth's Northern hemisphere than the Southern Hemisphere?
This Question on Worldbuilding is based on the presumption that there is a greater amount of landmass on the Earth's Northern Hemisphere than there is on the Southern Hemisphere.
While researching to form an answer to this question, I found it…
Zibbobz
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16
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1 answer
Is Iceland an example of a hot-spot overlying a mantle plume?
Iceland has been cited as the location of a hot-spot overlying a mantle plume (similar to that of the Hawaii chain in the Pacific), though for some time this model has been challenged (see Gillian Foulger's mantle plumes site, especially Lundin &…
Siv
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16
votes
2 answers
How to reconcile hourly vs. daily probability of precipitation in the forecast?
How should I interpret the hourly precipitation forecasts?
Most of the time, when there is rain in the forecast, the maximum Probability of Precipitation (PoP) in the hourly forecast is about the same as the daily PoP.
My problem is that the…
J-P
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16
votes
2 answers
What are these lake-like blue patches in the desert, visible in satellite image?
I found some blue patches in the Arabian desert in Google Earth. It looks like as if they were lakes with sand dunes rising out of the water. But there isn't water in the desert, at least not this much, or is there? So what do we see on the…
Glacialis
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16
votes
2 answers
Why does the El Niño Stop?
The reason for the initiation of the El Niño is unknown, but what is well known is how it progresses once initiated. The West Pacific warm pool begins to drift East, and the strength of the trade winds begins to decrease. In turn, the decreased…
Kenshin
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16
votes
2 answers
Did the impact event that caused the Chicxulub-Crater definitively and single-handedly cause the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction?
Opinions abound on the web. What is the state of the current science regarding this theory and what is the best evidence? Is the theory gaining or losing traction? If it's losing what's the best of the alternatives? Perhaps there was more than one…
kwknowles
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16
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3 answers
What is a good definition of the word "rock" for teaching?
Note that it needs to include coal and chert, therefore the common answer "a rock is made of minerals" is incomplete.
Vulcan
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16
votes
3 answers
How does a meandering river form?
I read this explanation about rivers:
"As the river erodes laterally, to the right side then the left side, it forms large bends, and then horseshoe-like loops called meanders"
Why does the river erode laterally to the right side then the left…
Kenshin
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16
votes
1 answer
Can impact events cause widespread volcanic activity on the other side of the planet?
The currently accepted theory for P-T mass extinction is environmental change triggered by the Siberian Traps volcanic activity.
A paper(1) suggests that the Siberian Traps were caused by a hotspot created after an impact event on what was back then…
Gimelist
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16
votes
1 answer
What do quasi-geostrophic and ageostrophic mean?
I know that geostrophic flow means straight wind flow that is balanced by the pressure gradient and Coriolis forces. But what do quasi-geostrophic and ageostrophic mean specifically?
anon
16
votes
8 answers
Is it possible to create an enclosed manmade weather system?
There are plenty of experiments, usually geared toward kids, that involve "making a cloud in a bottle" or something similar. These exercises are neat for what they are, but pale in comparison to the beauty of real clouds. Really you're just making…
The111
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16
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1 answer
What are the differences between geology, petrology, and lithology?
What differences are there between geology, petrology, and lithology?
If I were to get into any of those fields, what exactly would I be studying?
Also, are petrology and lithology just branches of geology?
Azzie Rogers
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