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<font face='Univers condensed',Helvetica,Arial size=+2>News Release

<font face='Univers condensed',Helvetica,Arial size=-1>U.S. Department of the Interior
<font face='Univers condensed',Helvetica,Arial size=-1>U.S. Geological Survey

<font face='Univers condensed',Helvetica,Arial size=-1>Address
Office of Communications
119 National Center
Reston, VA 20192
<font face='Univers condensed',Helvetica,Arial size=-1>Release
May 7, 2004
<font face='Univers condensed',Helvetica,Arial size=-1>Contact
Butch Kinerney
<font face='Univers condensed',Helvetica,Arial size=-1>Phone
703-648-4732
<font face='Univers condensed',Helvetica,Arial size=-1>Fax


<font face='Univers condensed',Helvetica,Arial size=+2>May Science Picks -- Leads, Feeds and Story Seeds

Spring has definitely sprung and summer is just around the corner - and along with summer comes trips to the beach! This month's Science Picks will look at the beginning of hurricane season along with a host of other timely earth and natural science research and investigations at USGS. Where available, photos and web links are provided to enhance your story. If you are not receiving this and would like to, would like to change the recipient, or no longer want to receive it, please email bkinerney@usgs.gov.

Included this month:

LEADS:

Geology Played Key Role in the End of the Civil War -- Depending on your perspective, Mississippi geology was either an aiding ally or formidable foe as Union troops tried to take control of the Mighty Mississippi. It was May, 141 years ago, and Major General Ulysses S. Grant, commander of the Union's Army of Tennessee was again trying to take Vicksburg - a prize long sought by President Abraham Lincoln. Vicksburg, "the Gibraltar of the Confederacy", fell to Federal forces following a 47-day siege at the end of a long campaign to wrest control of the entire Mississippi River from Confederate hands. But it was the geology of the area that almost proved too much for Union forces. Despite the Confederate's 31,000 men and some 170 artillery pieces, 60,000 muskets and ammunition to match, the geomorphology of Vicksburg provided a more powerful adversary, according to USGS geologist Jim Coleman. The land around Vicksburg is dominated by high bluffs, cut by perennial streams and rivers. The geologic surface of the area, made of quartz silt, has unique engineering properties, which made for superb fortifications. This high strength, naturally absorbent material withstood months of land and river bombardment from the some of the largest guns in the Federal arsenal. When infiltrators moved to tunnel beneath and detonate dynamite charges under Confederate fortifications, much of the intended damage was confined by the natural properties of the cliff walls. Finally, in late May, 1863, Gen. Grant's army and naval forces converged on Vicksburg, surrounding a Confederate army under Lt. Gen. John Pemberton. On July 4, Vicksburg surrendered after prolonged siege operations. This was the culmination of one of the most brilliant military campaigns of the war. With the loss of Pemberton's army and this vital stronghold on the Mississippi, the Confederacy was effectively split in half. Grant's successes in the West boosted his reputation, leading ultimately to his appointment as General-in-Chief of the Union armies. For more information, call Jim Coleman at 703-648-6400 or email him at jlcoleman@usgs.gov.

USGS and partners Kick volcanic Ash! Volcanic ash is a worldwide aviation problem. Ash plumes carried downwind from a major volcanic eruption can endanger the aircraft flying in a plume's path. When ash is sucked into a jet engine, it is superheated and turns to a glass-like chunks that can quickly foul a jet engine causing irreparable harm, at 40,000 feet. Each day more than 200 flights transporting about 20,000 people pass overhead en route between the Americas and Far Eastern regions of Russia, China, South Korea, Japan, Indonesia, and Australia. Ninety-three percent of all cargo flights between Asia and North America fly over these lands along the "great circle route" or the shortest distance between the two continents. This region is also home to many volcanoes of the "Ring of Fire" that erupt ash clouds hazardous to aviation. In 1989, a single encounter by a commercial jet with ash from Alaska's Redoubt volcano nearly took the lives of hundreds on board when all four engines lost thrust power and were restarted only minutes before ground impact. The incident also caused $80 million in damage to the aircraft. During the past 15 years, more than 80 aircraft worldwide have encountered drifting volcanic ash clouds, and mid-flight engine stalling has affected seven large commercial airliners. From on-the-ground volcanic monitoring to satellite-based systems, geologists, meteorologists, airline safety specialists and the airline industry itself have joined forces, knowledge and resources to make airline travel safer for everyone. USGS, along with partners at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Federal Aviation Administration, the Department of Defense and the airline industry, play a vital role in mitigating airline disasters caused by volcanic ash. An International Conference on Aviation Hazards from Volcanic Ash will be held in June in Alexandria, Virginia. To learn more, call Butch Kinerney at 703-648-4732 or email bkinerney@usgs.gov.

See the bottom of San Francisco Bay Without Getting Wet! Remember glass-bottomed boats? We're going those a few steps better. A USGS publication to be released on May 17 will show areas of the San Francisco Bay floor that have been modified by man since the 1850s. High- resolution mapping of the bottom of San Francisco Bay provides detailed images of sandy dune fields, rocky pinnacles, and other topographic features. The information reveals evidence of large-scale excavations dug decades ago to provide fill material for adding land area in the Marina district of San Francisco and for creating Treasure Island in the Bay. Natural depressions in the Bay floor have served as sites for disposal of debris, and sand beds on the Bay floor are mined for construction material. "Shifting Shoals and Shattered Rocks - How Man Has Transformed The Floor of West - Central San Francisco Bay" (USGS Circular 1259), includes a 3-D image of the Bay floor and 3-D viewing glasses. See: http://geopubs.wr.usgs.gov/circular/c1259/. For more, call John Chin at 650-329-5270.

FEEDS:

Well, Isn't That Spatial? Computerized geographic tools are becoming increasingly common in our everyday world and most of us don't realize it. Our cell phones are equipped with GPS, Fire trucks are dispatched using mapping tools, we get directions to the store off the Internet and some cars are wired to satellites so we don't get lost. One of the most commonly used geographic tools is still the trusty USGS topographic map. These maps form the foundation for many of the digital maps that we take for granted. USGS topographic maps were the first set of maps that covered the entire country accurately, at a consistent scale and with consistent symbols. They show contour lines, buildings, roads, railroads, boundaries, lakes, rivers, and much more. Mapping the country at these scales was a mammoth undertaking, requiring 55 years, costing between $1 and $2 billion, and resulting in 57,000 maps. Although the USGS was created in 1879, it wasn't until 1990 that the last new map was published to complete the coverage of the country. Since 1990, although some paper topographic maps have been updated, most of them are becoming increasingly dated. Paper cannot provide the kind of current map data that today's researchers, educators, and decision-makers need. Therefore, the USGS has begun a collaborative effort with tribal, federal, regional, and local governments called The National Map. The project uses the most recent available data from a wide variety of partners to bring maps to the public. Each map in The National Map can be customized by zooming in to specific neighborhoods, or out to states or regions. Specific map layers can be turned on and off. Distributed map-server technology using open-GIS Consortium standards makes all of this possible from any Web browser, although a fast connection is advised to take full advantage of its capabilities. Map layers are displayed according to the scale that the user specifies, so that the map never becomes too cluttered. For more, visit http://nationalmap.gov or call Karen Wood at 703-648-4447 or kwood@usgs.gov.

Getting to the Core of the Issue: Scientists to Drill Nation's Largest Known Impact Crater -- Beginning in mid-May, USGS scientists will begin drilling the first scientific test hole to penetrate the central crater of the Chesapeake Bay impact structure near Cape Charles, Va. Previous USGS test holes and geophysical studies targeted the outer part of this buried, 85-km-wide structure. The scientists plan to drill to a target depth of 2,900 ft. The crater formed 35 million years ago when an asteroid or comet measuring one to two miles in diameter and traveling at supersonic speed slammed into the ocean near the present-day mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. This ancient event profoundly affects present-day ground-water quality, availability, and flow throughout southeastern Va., including the rapidly growing Hampton Roads area. During the study, scientists will measure ground-water levels and test water quality within the crater's materials. They will also collect sediment and rock samples to assess the dramatic processes that started the second of impact. Background information on the USGS Chesapeake Bay Impact Crater Project can be found on the Internet at: http://geology.er.usgs.gov/eespteam/crater/. Reporters are welcome to visit and photograph the scientists in the field. For more information, contact Ward Sanford (office: 703-648-5882, cell: 703-209-5755) or Greg Gohn (office: 703-648-4382, cell: 703-517-4196).

This Snakehead Frightens Even Medusa -- With the recent reappearance of the voracious Snakehead Fish (a.k.a. Frankenfish to those of you who covered this story two summers ago) in Maryland, scientists are not asking "Will it happen again?" but "When and where will it happen next?" From his office in Gainesville, Fla., USGS biologist Walter Courtenay cautions wildlife officials across the country to expect it and prepare. "The prospect of an invasion of northern snakehead into the nation's waterways is of particular concern because this species eats nearly anything and scientists currently have no way to eradicate it if it spreads," said Courtenay. Although Frankenfish captures the imagination, few realize the toll invasive species take not only on the environment, but also on the economy. Because invasives are often well- established before they're discovered, resulting economic losses are difficult to calculate. Scientists and economists estimate that losses in the U.S. from all types of invasive plants, animals, and microorganisms total about $138 billion per year. Scientists see the reappearance of this high-profile fish as an opportunity to remind the public that dumping live plants and animals into the environment can have costly consequences. High-resolution snakehead images are available at: http://cars.er.usgs.gov/pics/snakehead/snakehead.html and more information is available at: http://biology.usgs.gov/invasive/factsheets/SnakeHeadFish.pdf. For more information on invasive species or to report a sighting, please see: http://cars.er.usgs.gov/Nonindigenous_Species/nonindigenous_species.html. Call Walter Courtenay at 352-264-3519 or Diane Noserale at 703-648-4333.

STORY SEEDS:

(And boy are his arms tired) -- Longest Non-stop Bird Flight Discovered: Imagine being no more than 13 inches long, but flying non-stop from Alaska to New Zealand - all without ever having to go through airport security. The brave little bar-tailed godwit is the bird collecting these frequent-flyer miles. USGS biologist Robert Gill and colleague Theunis Piersma of Holland have discovered for the first time that the bar-tailed godwit travels the longest non-stop flight of any bird. They recently showed evidence that the bar-tailed godwit migrates from Alaska to New Zealand (more than 7,700 miles!) each year in six days and six nights at speeds of up to 80 mph, without stopping to feed or rest. For more, contact Robert Gill at robert_gill@usgs.gov or call 907-786-3514.

Living Past Your Life Expectancy -- Isn't that something we all wish for? Well our friend in the skies, Landsat 7, has done just that. In April, the land-observing satellite known as Landsat 7 celebrated it's fifth birthday, which was what it was designed and projected to do. In spite of some recent technological difficulties, Landsat 7 continues to provide global observations of the landmass of the planet. In it's first five years, Landsat 7 acquired 405,000 images for the U.S. archive and the U.S. has been 'imaged' 106 times; the daylight landmass of the globe has been covered 20 times; more than 505,400 images have been acquired for international cooperators and the Landsat 7 has produced 339 Terabytes of land imaging data. For more, visit http://landsat7.usgs.gov. For information, call Ron Beck at 605-594-6551 or email him at beck@usgs.gov.

What's Happening With Water Quality in Your Backyard? USGS and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have teamed up to provide Americans an unprecedented online look at the Nation's water quality. Called "Window to My Environment," the website combines USGS and EPA data to provide a comprehensive and consistent view of water quality through a single point of access. Visit the website at http://www.epa.gov/enviro/wme/ and call Ken Lanfear at 703-648-6852 or email him at lanfear@usgs.gov for more information.



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Last Modification: 5-7-2004@3:01pm(BK)