News

Tick, tick, tick. The device – a Geiger counter strapped to a miniature tape recorder – was registering radiation levels a thousand times greater than anyone expected.

As the instrument moved higher, more than 900 miles above the surface, the counts ceased. Scientists were baffled. It was early 1958, the United States had just launched its first spacecraft, and a new discipline of physics was about to be born.

Sixty years ago today, the United States launched its first satellite into space. Dubbed Explorer 1, the spacecraft followed just months after the Soviet Union’s Sputnik 1 and 2 spacecraft commenced the Space Age.

Data captured by the Geiger counter aboard Explorer 1 heralded the emergence of space physics and ushered in a new era of technology and communications.

Far above Earth’s atmosphere, the radiation picked up by the instrument aboard Explorer 1 wasn’t of Earthly origin. In fact, it was from a region scientists previously considered largely void of particles.

Prior to launch, scientists expected to measure cosmic rays – high-energy particles primarily originating beyond the solar system – which they had previously studied with ground- and balloon-based instruments. But what they found far outpaced the levels of radiation that would be expected from cosmic rays alone.

The radiation recorded by Explorer 1 was humanity’s first glimpse of Earth’s radiation belts, two concentric rings of energetic particles surrounding the planet.

The inner belt, composed predominantly of protons, and the outer belt, mostly electrons, would come to be named the Van Allen Belts, after James Van Allen, the scientist who led the charge designing the instruments and studying the radiation data from Explorer 1.

The outer belt is made up of billions of high-energy particles that originate from the Sun and become trapped in Earth’s magnetic field, an area known as the magnetosphere. The inner belt results from interactions of cosmic rays with Earth’s atmosphere.

Satellites that unwittingly or intentionally venture into the belts can be damaged by the radiation, which could have an impact on unprotected astronauts as well. Understanding the dynamics of this region is essential for protecting technological assets and planning crewed space missions.

“Our current technology is ever more susceptible to these accelerated particles because even a single hit from a particle can upset our ever smaller instruments and electronics,” said David Sibeck, Van Allen Probes mission scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “As technology advances, it’s actually becoming even more pressing to understand and predict our space environment.”

Sixty years later, scientists are still working to understand the peculiar and puzzling nature of the Van Allen Belts. In 2012, NASA launched the twin Van Allen Probes to study particle behavior in the dynamic region.

Equipped with superior, radiation-hardened technology, the Van Allen Probes’ instruments go far beyond Explorer 1’s Geiger counter to observe particles, waves and fields in the radiation belts.

“We study the Van Allen radiation belts both for scientific reasons – to understand particle acceleration, which occurs through the universe – and practical reasons – because particles accelerated to high energies are a hazard to both astronauts and spacecraft,” Sibeck said. “At Earth, we can study these details and apply that knowledge both to our journey to Mars and to better protect astronauts at the Moon.”

From the beginning, the Van Allen Probes set a pace of rapid discovery. Within days of their launch, the probes found the void between the inner and outer belts – which was thought to be empty – was occupied by a third, temporary belt. The third belt lasted just a month, but appeared again later in the mission with major solar activity.

Explorer 1’s discoveries six decades ago paved the way for new generations of spacecraft to explore the radiation belts.

Today, with the help of other missions, like the Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms, or THEMIS, and Magnetospheric Multiscale, or MMS, missions, NASA scientists are continually unveiling new secrets in our magnetic space neighborhood.

Multipoint observations are essential to understanding the belts’ dynamics and in 2016, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, launched the satellite Arase to cooperate with the Van Allen Probes mission in studying the radiation belts.

A new CubeSat mission, the Compact Radiation Belt Explorer or CERES, is scheduled to launch in April 2018 to work in conjunction with the Van Allen Probes, studying the interactions between plasma waves and electrons in Earth’s upper atmosphere.

“We don’t know what other discoveries are hidden in the radiation belts,” said Shrikanth Kanekal, Van Allen Probes deputy mission scientist and CERES principal investigator at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “As technology improves, who knows what we’ll be able to find.”

Mara Johnson-Groh works for NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake City Council has approved the purchase of an apartment building with redevelopment bonds and directed staff to form an ad hoc committee to address animal control-related issues.

At its Jan. 25 meeting the council gave the go-ahead to purchase the eight-unit apartment complex, along with a single-family residence, located at 14141 Lakeshore Drive. The asking price is $850,000, with $5,000 in closing costs.

City Manager Greg Folsom took the proposal to the council, explaining that the city has $3 million in 2006 Series B bond redevelopment funds that it must use for housing-related projects.

He said city staff looked at several options, including student housing at the community college, purchasing existing housing and converting it to low- or moderate-income rentals, buying fixer uppers, purchasing new modular homes and putting them on vacant land, and purchasing existing low-moderate income apartments. The last option was the one they concluded was best.

Folsom said the property would provide monthly cash flow, with a total of $70,000 annually in gross rent, an 8-percent annual return on investment. He said the funds would go into the enterprise fund, not the general fund, which was a mistake in the staff report.

He said they have a staffer with experience in property management so they would not need to hire a project manager. They also don’t need to renovate or rebuild the complex, as the seller has already made significant upgrades and had agreed to do some other fixes – including installing a new roof – prior to the close of escrow.

Folsom said the current owner is in escrow to purchase the Jules Resort property in order to fix it up for corporate housing.

Joan Mingori, who owns nearby property, criticized the city for considering the purchase, saying that they want to build a stronger resort and business community yet were supporting low-income housing on Lakeshore Drive.

Other comments from community members led Folsom to clarify that the city isn’t converting it from a resort to apartments. “We’re not making any changes. It’s not currently a resort.”

Councilwoman Joyce Overton pointed out that if the city owns it, it can make sure it’s cleaned up.

Based on Overton’s questions of the ability for the city to sell the property in the future to a developer, City Attorney Ryan Jones said that, over a period of time, the city could sell the property to someone else who could convert it to another use.

Overton also asked about a loan program for property owners to make improvements, but city Finance Director Chris Becnel said that the cost of administering small loans exceeds the cost of the loans themselves.

Councilman Phil Harris said the community is faced with rising rent costs and limited housing. He said they need to take steps to keep affordable housing available in the city.

Councilman Russ Perdock pointed out that the complex already is fully occupied, and the seller has put in significant investment, including new kitchen facilities and paint.

Mayor Bruno Sabatier said the purchase is a great way for the city to benefit and pursue its goals.

Overton moved to approve the purchase, which the council supported 5-0.

Another key item on the agenda was the council’s support for the creation of an ad hoc committee to support Clearlake Animal Control.

Folsom said the city has done ad hoc committees for other topics – including the cannabis ordinance and the Measure V road sales tax – and suggested it as way to make outreach to the community on animal control-related issues.

“Animal control is an issue that has been receiving a large number of complaints in the city,” he said.

Folsom suggested that the committee can help disseminate information regarding animal control-related challenges and planned improvements to its shelter facilities, and would encourage citizen interaction.

Overton said she had concerns about ad hoc committees, stating that the marijuana ad hoc committee had gotten out of control.

The council received positive public feedback on the proposal.

Retired veterinarian Dr. Debi Sally, who has been volunteering with animal control for the last few months to help them with animal health issues, said she can see that there has been a tremendous amount of improvement.

Sally said the ad hoc committee would have more transparency, and people would appreciate the difficulties animal control has.

Harris said forming the ad hoc committee is a way of inviting the community to help, and he said he was very excited about it. He said he already has had interest expressed from a number of community members.

Sabatier suggested the Animal Coalition and possibly Orphan Dog rescue be included on the committee, along with him and Harris, Sally, a representative from the police department – which oversees animal control – and two public members at-large.

Overton said she didn’t want to limit it to city residents due to concerns of missing out on expertise and experience, a sentiment with which Sabatier agreed.

Applications are being accepted through Feb. 8 and can be downloaded at http://clearlake.ca.us/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=208 or picked up at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.

The meeting also included what Folsom anticipated would be the final update on the Sulphur fire cleanup.

Folsom said 155 rights-of-entry had been submitted for debris removal, 114 sites were signed off as cleaned, there were 13 owner cleanups and two summary abatements. Contractors through the US Army Corps of Engineers are done pending final testing of cleaned sites.

He said that 22,583 tons of debris were removed from the Sulphur fire area as of Jan. 24.

The council also confirmed assessments of administrative penalties totaling $55,000 for failure to abate public nuisances at 4054 Lansing Ave., 14170 Konocti St., 14541 Lakeshore Drive, 3634 Redwood St., 6352 James St., 3786 Oak Ave., 15890 20th Ave. and 16216 34th Ave.

In other business, the council reviewed and considered the submittal of the recognized obligation payments schedule for fiscal year 2018-19, and decided against a citizen’s request to refunding assessments collected by the city from a county held tax defaulted sale of property.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Special Olympics Northern California is encouraging local residents to “Feel the Thrill of the Chill” and take an icy dive for charity at the Lake County Polar Plunge, beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 24, at Lakeside County Park.

The Polar Plunge is a national movement to raise funds and awareness for Special Olympics and its athletes.

Plungers are asked to raise a minimum of $125 each to participate and take the chilly dive in support of children and adults with intellectual disabilities.

Registration includes a Polar Plunge long-sleeve shirt and festivities such as contests, games, refreshments, and awards for top fundraisers and best costumes.

Supporters not up to the plunge itself may also raise money as a “chicken” and receive the shirt but stay nice and dry. Additional fundraising is encouraged and will be rewarded with exclusive incentives.

Registration and more information for the Lake County Polar Plunge is available at www.ipolarplunge.com .

All proceeds benefit Special Olympics Northern California to continue to showcase the capabilities and achievements of individuals with intellectual disabilities.

Along with providing free year-round sports and competition programs for more than 20,000 athletes, Special Olympics Northern California encourages education through Unified Sports and the Schools Partnership Program; and is committed to improving the health and well-being of athletes through a variety of screenings and programs.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The state, federal and local community partners conducting the Consolidated Debris Removal Program have reached a major milestone with the removal of more than one million tons of fire-related debris from properties affected by the October 2017 Northern California Wildfires in Lake, Mendocino, Napa and Sonoma counties.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, or USACE, is managing debris removal operations under the direction of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services.

Currently, Lake County is 100 percent complete with debris removal. In Lake County, USACE contractors have removed more than 22,655 tons of debris from the 155 approved parcels in the program.

"One hundred percent debris removal for Lake County is a huge milestone," said Col. Eric McFadden, Commander of the USACE Recovery Field Office. "Some work continues on the remainder of those properties – soil sampling and the review of those results; re-scrapes and retesting, if needed; and installation of erosion control measures and other punch list items."

Another notable milestone is the completion of debris removal in the severely damaged Coffey Park neighborhood in Santa Rosa.

Some 1,200 properties were cleared of debris there as part of the program, but like other areas, there is additional work to do on some lots in Coffey Park before the county will be notified that the parcel is cleared.

"We have made significant progress on debris removal since the devastating wildfires back in October," said Cal OES Director Mark Ghilarducci. "While this achievement is a major milestone, there is still a lot of work to be done. We will be here to ensure the project is complete and continue assisting with the overall community recovery in these counties."

With major debris removal operations wrapping up in Coffey Park, crews will mobilize to other focus areas to make further progress.

As of Feb. 2, contractors have cleared 63 percent of all approved parcels across the four counties, with 3,087 parcels cleared of debris.

The Consolidated Debris Removal mission is a two-phase process.

Phase I is the removal of household hazardous waste by the Environmental Protection Agency in Sonoma and Napa counties and by the California Department of Toxic Substance Control in Lake and Mendocino counties.

Phase II is the removal of other fire-related debris from structures destroyed or damaged by the fire including concrete foundations.

"The achievement of these debris removal milestones reflects the ongoing collective efforts to rebuild and recover from the October fires," said FEMA Regional Administrator Bob Fenton.

AccuWeather reports Punxsutawney Phil, Pennsylvania's weather forecasting groundhog, saw his shadow on Friday morning, signaling six more weeks of winter weather for the United States.

The forecast aligns with that of AccuWeather's long-range meteorologists, who say cold weather will largely dominate throughout the month of February.

The main storm track from the East Coast will favor the Northeast and mid-Atlantic throughout February, allowing for a few powerful storms to impact the I-95 corridor.

"Boston to New York City and Philadelphia may see snow a few more times before the end of the season," AccuWeather Expert Long-Range Forecast Paul Pastelok said.

Harsh cold will also make a return around the middle of the month.

Across the Midwest and northern Plains, a blast of arctic air caused by a shifting polar vortex will cause temperatures to plummet. A few heavy snow events will be possible.

Meanwhile, in the southern Plains, one or two big cold waves remain in store before the air begins to feel springlike.

Across the remainder of the U.S., the air will gradually warm as the calendar nears March and April.

From the Northwest to the Rockies, temperatures around normal in February will mean a mix of snow and rain.

Conversely, temperatures in the Southwest are predicted to climb well above normal, preventing storms from leaving much precipitation behind.

In the Southeast, where warmth can appear at times, February will usher in the threat for severe thunderstorms.

The spring season officially begins on March 20.

AccuWeather's 2018 spring forecast, a region-by-region breakdown of the season, will be released on Feb. 7.

Jillian MacMath is a staff writer for www.AccuWeather.com.

The largest animal ever to have lived on Earth is not a long-extinct dinosaur, but a mammal that’s found throughout the world’s oceans – the blue whale.

An adult can weigh up to 180 metric tons and stretch nearly 6 full-sized cars in length. Despite its massive size, this gentle giant is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

“The biggest threat to whale populations…is still humans,” said Monica DeAngelis, a marine mammal biologist with NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service. And the threats are numerous, she added: “Vessel collisions, climate change, habitat loss or destruction, entanglement in any kind of gear – marine debris or fishing gear.” In fact between 1988 and 2012, there were 100 documented large whale ship strikes along the California coast alone.

No ship’s crew wants to risk a whale strike during its operations, and in terms of protecting both vessel and marine mammal, the largest obstacle has been knowing where the whales are located.

“The whale swims underwater most of the time and the ships don’t have a sensor that they can see it,” explained Kip Louttit, executive director of the Marine Exchange of Southern California, which oversees maritime commerce through the region. “In the same way that the ships are very conscious about the weather, they’re very conscious of the whales…and if they know where the whales are, they can avoid them.”

The practice of tagging the whales has helped both scientists and mariners track whale movements through satellite telemetry, but now a joint NASA/NOAA project is using Earth observations to predict where the whales will likely be.

Led by Research Assistant Professor Helen Bailey of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, the project integrates the tagging database with NASA satellite information to generate an online tool called WhaleWatch.

“We have tracking data from 1993 to 2009 that was collected by Bruce Mate and his team at Oregon State University,” said Bailey. “[With WhaleWatch] we are combining the satellite telemetry data for the whales with satellite-derived environmental data to understand not just where are the whales going, but why are they going there.”

That environmental data includes sea-surface height, sea-surface temperature, chlorophyll concentration, and water depth.

These factors help characterize habitats the blue whales favor or travel through during different times of their migration.

With this information, the team is able to determine suitable locations for the whales, and then predict where they are moving along the California Current System, from Washington State southward to Baja California.

The benefit of the satellite data is that it fills the gaps in the telemetry data — providing new insights into blue whale migration and behavior.

During the project’s research, the team found that “the most important variables were sea-surface temperature, which helped to explain the seasonal migration…chlorophyll concentration, which was related to the abundance of food, and…ocean winds,” Bailey remarked. The winds were important because they produced the upwelling that supports the whales’ food source – krill. In addition, information on seabed slope determines where the krill aggregate.

With this combination of multiple data sources, the project team was able to create maps of standardized daily blue whale locations as well as habitat-based models of population density and probability of occurrence – a blue whale forecast, so to speak.

Marking the culmination of this project, these forecast model maps are now online and publicly available on NOAA’s website, so the question of knowing where the whales are located and headed can be solved by the click of a mouse. In fact, with its success with the blue whale, this approach is now being used for other species.

“The bottom line is, this is the best available science,” DeAngelis noted. “We are now able to use that information to give whales a voice, so that humans can change their behavior to reduce the threat to whales.”

Helen Bailey leads this project.

To check out WhaleWatch, visit http://www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/whalewatch/index.html.