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The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has imaged a set of enigmatic quasar ghosts – ethereal green objects which mark the graves of these objects that flickered to life and then faded.
The eight unusual looped structures orbit their host galaxies and glow in a bright and eerie goblin-green hue. They offer new insights into the turbulent pasts of these galaxies.
The ethereal wisps in these images were illuminated, perhaps briefly, by a blast of radiation from a quasar – a very luminous and compact region that surrounds a supermassive black hole at the center of a galaxy.
Galactic material falls inwards towards the central black hole, growing hotter and hotter, forming a bright and brilliant quasar with powerful jets of particles and energy beaming above and below the disc of infalling matter.
In each of these eight images a quasar beam has caused once-invisible filaments in deep space to glow through a process called photoionization.
Oxygen, helium, nitrogen, sulphur and neon in the filaments absorb light from the quasar and slowly re-emit it over many thousands of years. Their unmistakable emerald hue is caused by ionized oxygen, which glows green.
These ghostly structures are so far from the galaxy’s heart that it would have taken light from the quasar tens of thousands of years to reach them and light them up.
So, although the quasars themselves have turned off, the green clouds will continue to glow for much longer before they too fade.
Not only are the green filaments far from the centers of their host galaxies, they are also immense in size, spanning tens of thousands of light-years.
They are thought to be long tails of gas formed during a violent past merger between galaxies – this event would have caused strong gravitational forces that would rip apart the galactic participants.
Despite their turbulent past, these ghostly filaments are now leisurely orbiting within or around their new host galaxies.
These Hubble images show bright, braided and knotted streams of gas, in some cases connected to twisted lanes of dark dust.
Galactic mergers do not just alter the forms of the previously serene galaxies involved; they also trigger extreme cosmic phenomena.
Such a merger could also have caused the birth of a quasar, by pouring material into the galaxies’ supermassive black holes.
The first object of this type was found in 2007 by Dutch schoolteacher Hanny van Arkel (heic1102). She discovered the ghostly structure in the online Galaxy Zoo project, a project enlisting the help of the public to classify more than a million galaxies cataloged in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). The bizarre feature was dubbed Hanny’s Voorwerp (Dutch for Hanny’s object).
These objects were found in a spin-off of the Galaxy Zoo project, in which about 200 volunteers examined over 16 000 galaxy images in the SDSS to identify the best candidates for clouds similar to Hanny's Voorwerp.
A team of researchers analyzed these and found a total of twenty galaxies that had gas ionized by quasars. Their results appear in a paper in the Astronomical Journal.
The Hubble Space Telescope is a project of international cooperation between ESA and NASA.
HIDDEN VALLEY LAKE, Calif. – The Hidden Valley Lake Community Services District is preparing to hold public meetings this month to introduce a proposed new water and sewer rate structure that the district's general manager said is necessary in order to carry out state-required projects and update aging infrastructure.
Under the auspices of Proposition 218, the district has to hold public meetings to let the community weigh in on the rates.
The main public meeting will take place at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 21, at the district’s administration office, 19400 Hartmann Road.
Ahead of that meeting, there will be a more informal event from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 7, in the Coyote Valley Elementary School multipurpose room.
District General Manager Roland Sanford said the April 7 meeting will be the opportunity for people to talk through the proposals.
“There’s actually quite a few changes going on there and it’s somewhat complicated,” said Sanford.
Last year, the district – which has just under 2,500 customers – hired a firm, NBS, to conduct a rate study in preparation for the rate increases, Sanford said.
NBS completed the rate study about a month and a half ago. It is posted below as well as on the district’s Web site, http://www.hiddenvalleylakecsd.com/2014-2015-rate-study .
Out of the rate study has come a proposal for changing the district's rate structure, and a switch from bimonthly billing to monthly billing, which Sanford said will allow the district to keep better track of water use and detect leaks.
Sanford said what's proposed for the district is not a typical rate increase. “It’s a much more complicated project,” due to the rate structure changes.
The district has identified $20 million in needed capital improvements in the water system, Sanford said.
At the same time, he said the district has a structural deficit in its water system, meaning it isn't bringing in enough revenue to cover costs.
Part of that he attributed to the recession's impact on the community, and the fact that the district did not get the number of new hookups it had projected in a loan it had taken out in the 1990s for water system upgrades.
If adopted, over the next five years the proposed water rate increases would generate an additional $2.8 million, Sanford said.
Sanford said the goal is that, over the next five years, a portion of those funds, along with state and federal loans, would be used to finance and complete approximately $6.9 million of capital improvements.
On the sewer side, where there are $15 million in needed capital improvements, if adopted, over the next five years the proposed sewer rate increases would generate an additional $1.9 million million, Sanford said.
Over the next five years the goal is to finance and complete approximately $3.6 million in sewer system capital improvements, again using a portion of the rate increase proceeds combined with state and federal loans, according to Sanford.
Explaining rate structure’s proposed changes
Regarding the proposed changes to the rate structure, Sanford explained that the district currently has a flat rate for residential customers that comes out to about $74.32 bimonthly, which covers the first 3,000 cubic feet of water.
He said that customers who use less than that amount of water continue to pay for it whether they use it or not, and one of the main criticisms of the district's current structure is that there is no incentive in its rates for conserving water.
It also comes back to issues of environmental justice and water affordability. “Right now we certainly don’t have a strong financial incentive,” he said.
In the new tiered rate structure, the new base rate would cover 700 cubic feet of water, which is billed at the cheapest rate. Sanford said that equates to about 60 gallons of water per person per day, per capita.
Three additional tiers get progressively more expensive, Sanford said. So, while people can have landscaping, it will cost incrementally more to pay for it.
He estimated that roughly half of all customers consistently will fall in the second tier rate, which will be for 800 to 1,100 cubic feet of water per month. The third tier will be for 1,200 to 2,400 cubic feet of water monthly, with 2,400 cubic feet per month and above in the fourth tier.
Sanford said the average customer is looking at a $54 increase in their annual water bill, or just under $4.50 a month.
For the district's lowest 25 percent of users – who stay within 700 cubic feet of water use per month – in their first year their water bill will decline on the order of about $40.
“This is very good for them,” said Sanford.
The proposed rate structure currently shows incremental changes to the water rates, and Sanford said it would be the board's decision every year to actually implement those rate changes.
For example, in the 5/8-inch fixed meter category – the most common single family residential meter size – the current rate monthly is $37.13. If the rate increases are approved, in fiscal year 2015-16 the base rate would roll back to $27.54.
The base residential rates would, with board approval, then rise to $30.57 for 2016-17; $33.93 for 2017-18; $36.65 for 2018-19; and $39.58 for 2019-20.
“If you're a low water user, you’ll come out ahead. If you’re a big water user it will cost more,” Sanford said. “It is simpler.”
On the sewer side, which also is now billed bimonthly, everyone plays the same flat sewer rate of a little over $100 bimonthly, Sanford said.
Sanford said the district wanted to provide a more equitable sewer rate structure based on actual usage. In order to look at the amount of sewage generated, Sanford said they are looking at winter water use to help them make an approximation.
So far, the bulk of concerns from ratepayers involves understanding the new rate structure, which Sanford said is part of the reason for the informal April 7 meeting.
“This is a much different approach that what has been done here ever before,” and as such it requires an educational component, Sanford said.
The capital projects list
Sanford said NBS performed the rate study by starting with a financial plan for the district and how it will address its capital projects over the next five to 10 years.
Suggesting that aging infrastructure may be the No. 1 issue affecting water nationwide, Sanford said that maintenance and upgrades can be put off for a time but, ultimately, they have to be addressed.
One of the key questions asked, Sanford said, was, “How much revenue do you need over this time horizon to operate the district and do all these things you want to do?” There also was the question of how to raise the funds needed in an equitable manner.
He said the district needed to decide if it was able to fund all of its projects up front. The short answer, he said, is no.
Then, the district had to consider if it would borrow money or pay for the projects as it went, he said.
On the water side, the district decided to fund a third of its capital expenditure needs over the next five to 10 years, leveraging the revenue from the rate increases with funds borrowed through a state revolving fund and low-interest, 30-year loans from other sources.
As for the projects the district is planning, on the sewer side, “Our biggest concern is our sewer collection system,” he said. “The older system is on the order of 40 years old.”
He said there are a number of cracks and leaks, with roots pushing into some pipes. When it rained heavily in early December, Sanford said the district had a “tremendous influx” of what is called “inflow and infiltration.”
While the district's infrastructure held up during that heavy storm – in which there were 7 inches of rain in one day – “Admittedly, December was pretty dicey,” Sanford said.
He added, “That very thoroughly tested the situation here.”
Sewer capital expense projects will include refurbishing the system overall and upgrading various lift stations, Sanford said.
On the water side, Sanford said the projects will be more wide-ranging and “none of them are going to be very cheap.”
Among them are system upgrades to address new government-mandated rules for handling hexavalent chromium in drinking water, which will be an expensive project to undertake, Sanford said.
In that case of that requirement, the district's choices include building new facilities and processes to remove the hexavalent chromium or dilution. He said both are expensive, with many unknowns.
The district also needs to secure its water rights. It was hit with a temporary water hookup moratorium and curtailment last year, as Lake County News reported.
Sanford said the district has to petition the State Water Resources Control Board for changes to its water rights, which he said is a fairly expensive and complicated process.
“This is a big ticket expense that we’re looking at,” he said.
Then there are other more general issues, including deficiencies on the water side resulting from marginal water pressure in some parts of the district, Sanford said.
Sanford said the district will address those matters by upgrading water tanks and fire hydrants.
The district also has as a goal expanding its investment in solar power capability on the water side, like it has done for its water reclamation plant operations.
“It’s been very successful on the sewer side,” said Sanford, noting that it's done wonders for blunting the district's power expenses.
“Right now electricity is our second-largest expense,” Sanford said.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Weather forecasters are predicting a rainy Easter for Lake County and other parts of Northern California.
The National Weather Service on Thursday issued a special weather statement for areas including Lake County ahead of rainstorms forecast to arrive this weekend.
The agency said a series of low pressure systems – originating from the Gulf of Alaska – will move over Northern California, with the largest potential impact expected to be up to a foot of snow in the Sierras.
The first of the systems will arrive on Saturday night, with a second system that's shorter but forecast to bring a more intense round of precipitation coming on Tuesday, the National Weather Service reported.
The specific forecast for Lake County gives a 40-percent chance of rain beginning after 11 p.m. Saturday, along with gusts of wind of up to 26 miles per hour in parts of the county.
Chances of showers will range up to 70 percent on Sunday morning, tapering off to between 20 and 40 percent Sunday night, based on the forecast.
The National Weather Service also forecasts chances of showers on Monday and Tuesday in Lake County.
Temperatures over the weekend will range from daytime highs up into the high 50s to nighttime temperatures dipping as low as the mid-30s, according to the forecast.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
On the heels of Gov. Jerry Brown’s announcement Wednesday of the first-ever statewide mandatory water reductions, Save Our Water – California’s conservation education program – is launching Keep Saving CA, a statewide public education campaign to help Californians make lasting and permanent reductions in the amount of water they use everyday.
Save Our Water is a partnership between the Association of California Water Agencies and the California Department of Water Resources.
The Keep Saving CA campaign acknowledges Californians' efforts to conserve water so far during this four-year drought, yet makes it clear that Californians can do even more to save.
Running through the end of June, the Keep Saving CA campaign includes billboards, outdoor media, traditional and digital radio, digital and social media, and on-the-street efforts that will be seen and heard throughout the state.
This week Save Our Water also unveiled a robust new Web site at www.SaveOurWater.com filled with tips, tools, and inspiration to change every Californian's water lifestyle.
Among the features on the Web site is a new tips section allowing users to visually explore how they can save water both inside and outside the home.
“Sierra Nevada snowpack supplies 30 percent of our water each year, with no snowpack to speak of this year we are facing a long and dry summer,” said Mark Cowin, director of California Department of Water Resources. “Many Californians have taken steps to reduce their water use but we must do more. Save Our Water is a great tool for Californians to find ways to continue make reductions around the home.”
“California is in a historic drought and all of us must take unprecedented steps to save water,” said Tim Quinn, executive director of the Association of California Water Agencies. “From fixing leaks to ripping out grass, Californians have to change their approach to using water.”
Throughout the drought, Save Our Water has aimed to give Californians tools and tips to help everyone easily conserve at home and at work, every day.
Save Our Water connects with Californians on its Facebook page, Twitter and Instagram accounts.
Gov. Brown has directed the first-ever statewide mandatory water reductions in California, calling on all Californians to reduce their water use by 25 percent and prevent water waste.
Save Our Water is a partnership between the Association of California Water Agencies and the California Department of Water Resources.
NORTH COAST, Calif. – Caltrans will hold a memorial ceremony on Thursday, April 9, for the 15 Caltrans District 1 employees who have lost their lives in service to the people of California since 1927.
This event comes one week before the statewide Highway Workers Memorial in Sacramento, and will acknowledge the loss of all 183 fallen California highway workers, with a specific emphasis on those from Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake and Mendocino counties.
Speakers will include District 1 Director Charlie Fielder, Deputy Directors Matt Brady and Mark Suchanek, Construction Manager Susan Tappan, Patsy Broeske (widow of Dan Broeske, who lost his life in a workzone incident south of Willits in 2005), and Ed Holgerson, a District 1 highway worker who was struck by an errant motorist while working near McKinleyville in October of 2013.
A moment of silence will be observed after the placing of 15 memorial cones for the fallen workers from District 1. These cones will be added to an arrangement of 168 others which serve to represent fallen workers from other parts of the state.
The ceremony will be held at the Caltrans District 1 office in Eureka in the Union Street parking lot, and will begin promptly at 10 a.m. The ceremony is expected to last approximately 40 minutes.
The general public is welcome to attend.
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Police have arrested a Clearlake man believed to have been responsible for a drive-by shooting in a city neighborhood on Tuesday.
Dustin Matthew Kirk-Dillard, 24, was arrested for several felony violations including being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, illegal discharge of a firearm with negligence, assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony crime, driver shoot from a vehicle and shooting at persons from a vehicle, according to Sgt. Rodd Joseph of the Clearlake Police Department.
On Tuesday at about 1:44 p.m. Clearlake Police officers responded to a report of shots fired in the 3600 block of Oleander Street, Joseph said.
Joseph said the caller reported hearing three to four gunshots and seeing a red Honda CRX speed away. The caller also stated that the vehicle may have gone to an unknown address on Toyon Street, which is located approximately two blocks from the scene of the reported shots fired call.
Officers arrived in the area of the shooting, finding no one injured, and then drove to Toyon Street where they located a red Honda Civic hatchback, resembling a Honda CRX, Joseph said.
The vehicle was parked in front of a residence located in the 3500 block of Toyon Street. As the officers approached the parked vehicle they observed a subject run into an exterior room on the south side of this residence. Joseph said officers were unable to identify the subject.
Joseph said the vehicle was hot to the touch as if the vehicle’s engine had just been running.
As officers began approaching the exterior room where they saw the male subject run, Kirk-Dillard exited, Joseph said.
Two other male subjects were located in this room, Joseph said. One was 28-year-old Nice resident Lawrence Amaral and the other was the resident of the property.
Kirk-Dillard denied being involved in a shooting. Joseph said Kirk-Dillard was in possession of paperwork from the red Honda Civic.
During the investigation it was determined that Amaral and the other male subject were inside this exterior room together when Kirk-Dillard ran inside and tossed a firearm onto a bed located in this room. Joseph said both Amaral and the resident know Kirk-Dillard.
The resident gave officers consent to enter and seize the firearm Kirk-Dillard had tossed onto the bed just as officers were arriving. Joseph said the weapon was a small-caliber handgun.
Seized along with the handgun were two empty magazines and one partially loaded magazine containing live ammunition, Joseph said.
While on scene, Joseph said officers also searched the red Honda Civic and discovered several spent shell casings matching the brand and caliber to the handgun and live ammunition found inside the room.
Based on investigative leads, Joseph said it appears that Kirk-Dillard was shooting towards a particular person who lives at a residence located in the 3600 block of Oleander Street.
This particular person, believed to be the intended shooting victim, is not cooperating with the investigation, Joseph said.
Joseph said no one was injured in this shooting and a motive for the shooting is still being sought.
Amaral, who is not believed to be involved in the shooting, was found to have several misdemeanor and felony warrants out of Lake County and Mendocino County, Joseph said.
He said both Amaral and Kirk-Dillard were later booked into the Lake County Jail. Kirk-Dillard's bail was set at $25,000.
Anyone with information on this crime is asked to contact Officer Elvis Cook at 707-994-8251, Extension 508. Callers may remain anonymous.