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1500 questions
15
votes
1 answer
How did helium deposits form?
I always wondered, because helium gas is so lightweight, how did it get into the deposits like the ones that people tap? Is it formed underground, or was it trapped?
J. Musser
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15
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Why is the sea salinity high in the Mediterannean and Red Sea and low in Indonesia and Malaysia?
It goes without question that salinity levels will be lower where rivers enter as the river water mixing with the sea water will reduce the salinity levels. But, the thing is, when you look at the map below, salinity levels are different in strange…
Chris Rogers
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15
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1 answer
What happens with the isogonic lines at the South Pole?
While reading about sundials, I've seen maps depicting isogonic lines (those that connect points with the same magnetic declination values). Pray tell, what's happening in Antarctica? Why does it appear to have two South…
C Camerini
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4 answers
Is there a way to find the direction to land in the middle of an ocean?
Can I find the direction to land when I am in the middle of the ocean and can not see any land?
This is a theoretical question.
Any method that doesn't use over-technical methods such as smartphones and GPS will do.
Example: Ocean current direction,…
Damien Golding
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What are the ground motion prediction equations for 3-D ruptures?
Ground motion prediction equations (GMPEs) estimate ground motion at any given site due to an earthquake at a distance. There are many such equations, each with different parameters.
Can somebody please suggest those equations which can estimate…
user590
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15
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6 answers
With all the rain Seattle gets, why is widespread flooding relatively rare?
The Puget Sound region is wedged between the Pacific and the Cascades...you'd think with all that rain (and snowmelt in the warmer months), there would be catastrophic flash flooding in lowland areas, of the magnitude seen in Oklahoma (1, 2, 3),…
spillthrill
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3 answers
If it rains harder, does it mean the rain's duration will be shorter?
If it rains real hard, is there a chance the rain's duration will be shorter? I think the if the rain in the clouds disperses with such force the rain will be over faster than if it was just a light drizzle. Can anyone confirm/deny this? Is there a…
RainKing
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15
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1 answer
What does it mean when the depth of earthquakes get near the surface over a period of time?
First of all, I am not expert at this so correct me. My hometown is Shiraz and since last year I can sense the earth is moving. I call them mini earthquakes. But many people around me can not sense it. Some time ago there was an earthquake it felt…
user70808
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2 answers
Would hurricanes on an ocean planet continue indefinitely?
Hurricanes seem to run out of steam when they make landfall.
If our planet were entirely covered by ocean, would hurricanes continue indefinitely? Would they keep gathering energy and increasing in intensity until...?
SlowMagic
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2 answers
Why was there a negative temperature anomaly between 1950 to 1980?
If I understand the information from this link correctly,
Instrumental temperature record
between 1950 to 1980 there were negative temperature anomalies in the years of those decades.
decade
difference (°C)
difference…
Pablo
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15
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2 answers
Why doesn't sea level show seasonality?
North-hemisphere ice-shelf melts on summer and grows on winter. I would expect appreciable changes on sea-level between seasons, but sea-level looks equal on winter than on summer.
Why doesn't sea level show seasonality?
user12525
15
votes
2 answers
What, if any, paleoclimate data can be derived from stromatolite fossils?
Stromatolite fossils have a layered structure vaguely reminiscent of tree rings, which are a well-known source for climate data. Although the formation process of stromatolite layers is less seasonal than that of tree rings, it seems plausible that…
user26
15
votes
3 answers
Would oceans regenerate if removed?
On Earth, there is enough Hydrogen and Oxygen to make 13,88 million km$^3$ of water (calculation below). However, oceans contain only a tenth of that.
Clearly, most of the hydrogen must be stored in other chemical compounds different to water. Or,…
Camilo Rada
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1 answer
Why would India have so much thorium on its beaches?
The recent BBC News article Why India Wants to Turn its Beaches into Nuclear Fuel includes the passage:
The tropical beaches of India probably bring to mind sun-dappled palms, fiery fish curries and dreadlocked backpackers, but they also hold a…
uhoh
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Is this a former volcano in the Hamad Plateau, in the Syrian desert?
On my random explorations of google maps, I came across this interesting terrain:
(link to map here)
Apparently, this is part of the so-called Hamad Plateau, in the Syrian desert. If so, the rock would be limestone, which I read is not directly…
luchonacho
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