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1500 questions
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Did the Geothermal Power Plant contribute to Pahoa's Lava Fissures?

There was lava in the area near the wells that the Puna Geothermal Venture facility created. The plant has nine wells that run as deep as 8,000 feet, according to Wil Okabe, managing director for the County of Hawaii. -Washington Post 8,000 feet…
Travis J
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What supports the Rockies?

What supports the Rocky Mountains in North America? Or put another way, Why are they there? and Why are they still there? It might be tempting to think of compression, especially in an east-west direction. However at the south end, New Mexico is…
winwaed
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15
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Why air do not suffer density stratification of its gaseous components?

The different gases that make up the air have different densities. So, naively, one would expect the heavier gasses to pool in the lower atmosphere and the light ones at the top. I asked myself this question a long time ago and I found the answer to…
Camilo Rada
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What causes "hydrocarbons" to take the form of petroleum versus natural gas?

"Hydrocarbons" are found in geological formations consisting of strata or layers of rocks. Specifically, they are formed from decomposed organic material (that contains carbon), that bonds with hydrogen, which is a component of water. (Somehow, the…
Tom Au
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15
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CO2 emissions per calorie (food)

I have seen several lists with CO2 emissions by weight for producing several different food products. I think this is an interesting consideration, and possible argument for vegetarianism/veganism. I would however prefer a list with CO2 emissions by…
Toke Faurby
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15
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How does geothermal heating work?

I have heard that geothermal heating is a way of generating energy from the temperature difference between the inner layers of the Earth and the Earth's crust. How is it possible to extract this energy? Must one be near a tectonic plate boundary…
Kenshin
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14
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Why is colored seismic inversion called 'colored'?

One of the seismic inversion algorithms is called 'colored' inversion. It is performed in the frequency domain and the point is in building an operator that directly transforms a seismic trace into reflectivity trace. What does 'colored' mean and…
antongrin
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14
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What are the scientific consequences of the loss of the Nereus submersible?

The Nereus submersible was lost at sea while exploring the Kermadec Trench at 10,000 meters during a May 2014 research cruise. During its life, it was planned for the ROV to help investigate the evolution and diversity of life in the deepest part of…
arkaia
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14
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What is the difference between a high-resolution model and a regular model run?

So we have high-resolution models like the HRRR (High Resolution Rapid Refresh). But what exactly is the difference between a high-resolution model and a regular model? I realize that the higher resolution models are more accurate, but why is this?…
hichris123
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14
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Where does the biggest land-based ice cap reside?

I'm thinking biggest in volume, regarding which area of the planet will contribute more to a raising in sea level - were the ice in those regions to melt. I can basically think of two candidates, namely Greenland and Antarctica. So maybe some…
harogaston
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14
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How to remove 'silk braid' noise in satellite data?

Satellite remote sensing data is a powerful tool for researching the spatial distribution and temporal variation of atmospheric species. Aura is one satellite owing to NASA which meaning atmosphere in Latin literally. OMI which means Ozone…
Han Zhengzu
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14
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Why is the Atlantic Hurricane Season defined as being between June 1 and November 30?

Historically, the Atlantic Hurricane Season has shifted, as close as June 15 to October 31, but since 1965, it has been between June 1 and November 30(1). Why is the Atlantic Hurricane Season defined as being between June 1 and November 30? I know…
user402
14
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6 answers

Where did the sand in the Sahara come from?

If the Sahara used to be fertile and has since experienced minimal rainfall causing the current desert conditions, where did all the sand come from? I assume the original dirt is still there, just underneath the sand.
BWhite
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14
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Do ringwoodite minerals point to an "ocean's worth" of water, or a true subterranean ocean?

Appears that the answer is that it is highly likely that the water that the ringwoodite minerals point to is an "ocean's worth" of water, not a true subterranean ocean. Do ringwoodite minerals point to an "ocean's worth" of water, or a true…
blunders
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St. Elmo's Fire not dangerous?

I know that St. Elmo's Fire is a form of plasma that occurs during thunderstorms that is similar to lightning because it is formed by a difference in charges. But why isn't it dangerous if St. Elmo's Fire is around you? For one, the fact that there…
Caters
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