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1500 questions
16
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2 answers
How does remote sensing of ocean currents work?
I am aware that techniques exist for measuring surface currents using HF radar, either from land-based installations or from space.
How do these work? I have assumed in the past that it's some sort of doppler system, but if I'm right about that, how…
Semidiurnal Simon
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16
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What is the global distribution of oil filled geodes?
In a general 40 mile radius of Keokuk, Iowa many sedimentary geodes can be found. They are abundant in the Warsaw Formation with the type section at Geode Glenn in Warsaw, Illinois. In one specific area in Hancock County, Illinois geodes filled…
user11318
16
votes
1 answer
How old is the Earth?
According to most articles I've read online, the estimated age of Earth is 4.5 billion years.
Question: How old is the Earth?
So I actually want to confirm that this is the case. Maybe there are other famous theories saying it is 3 billion years old…
Kilise
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16
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6 answers
How to reduce the atmospheric temperature artificially?
Is there any gas/substance which absorbs/reduces atmospheric temperature?
Ozone filters UV rays from the sun light and allows in infrared rays. In my knowledge these infrared rays are the cause of the heat. Do we have any provision to block these…
Jashan PJ
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16
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2 answers
How does the precession of the Earth's apses affect climate?
The gravitational influence of the gas giants (plus general-relativistic effects) are known to cause the apses of the Earth's orbit to precess. For an illustration of that process, see this image. Now, it's clear that apsidal precession combined…
senshin
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15
votes
1 answer
How long does it take for the atmosphere to mix?
If I release a say, one litre of gas, at a particular point on the planet, how soon, on average, would it take to be distributed evenly (mixed) across the entire earth's atmosphere?
nemo183
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15
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2 answers
Will model resolution have an effect on model spin-up time?
In terms of uncoupled AGCM studies, I've seen people use periods within a decade (say, 5 years) as spin-up time, but I also see some people take tens of year as spin-up in some recent studies. So I'm thinking if it's related to the model resolution…
Mchaiiann
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15
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1 answer
Does a green or yellow sky actually indicate a tornado?
It seems to be a fairly widely held belief that if the sky is green or yellow, a tornado may be developing/approaching. But is there any truth to it? Could the color of the sky actually be associated with the hail that usually accompanies a tornado?
Chris Laplante
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15
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1 answer
What constitutes a blizzard in meterological terms?
Blizzards are most commonly associated with a large amount of snowfall and low visibility. However, snow squalls can induce low visibility whereas a 12" snowfall doesn't have to induce low visibility.
What constitutes a blizzard in meterological…
user402
15
votes
3 answers
What do continents "lay" on?
It's a simple question.. What do continents "lay" on? Do they float on water? or are they huge bodies that "emerge" from the sea floor/bed? are they connected to the bottom of the oceans? Hope the question is clear. Don't be afraid to be thorough…
Matan
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15
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5 answers
How did plants adapt to $\small\sf{CO_2}$ levels past 400k years? Why won't they do it again?
(Description from climate.nasa.gov: This graph, based on the comparison of atmospheric samples contained in ice cores and more recent direct measurements, provides evidence that atmospheric $\small\sf{CO_2}$ has increased since the Industrial…
A. Candy
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15
votes
1 answer
What is the formula used for atmospheric visibility?
I am working on NCEP GFS data to plot various maps. One such plot I would like to have is visibility. I have seen some of the sites showing visibility charts and the source of the data was shown as NCEP GFS.
I could not find any variable related to…
sundar_ima
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15
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2 answers
If the Earth were a smooth spheroid, how deep would the ocean be?
At the moment there are deep seas and high mountains. But imagine that the land elevation of the Earth is equal everywhere. How deep would the ocean be in that case?
Marijn
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15
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2 answers
Why are weather service atmospheric pressures systematically different from those I measure in Johannesburg?
I live in the northern suburbs of Johannesburg in South Africa.
I have noticed while working with synoptic weather charts in geography class that the isobars indicate that Johannesburg should have atmospheric pressure of around 1010-1020 hPa, just…
RaymondSWalters
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15
votes
1 answer
Recharge a dry aquifer?
Aquifers have a natural recharge rate. However, some aquifers rely on fossil water for their primary (or even sole) water supply. When water in a well is pulled from these aquifers faster than they can replenish, the level drops and they…
Richard
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