Carrington Event

A “Carrington event” is something I had never heard of before.  Refers to a massive ejection of plamsa that hits the earth’s magnetic field.  British astronomer Richard Carrington observed such an event in 1859.  When the plasma hit the earth, the auroras stretched from the polar areas to close to the equators.  The telegraph system was strongly affected.  The problem with such an event happeneing today is that society is far more dependednt on networks that would are more vulnerable to serious (and often permanent) damage from an event of this magnitude.  Primarily the electrical grid.  Read the sobering details here.

World Water Day

Well, I missed WWD on March 22.  Things here is northern California are slightly less grim than two or three weeks ago, but still pretty bad.  With a week to go before the official end of the rainy season, it looks pretty certain that there will be various forms of water rationing all across the Bay Area.

Things are serious in other parts of the world as well – it appears that northern China is in a multi year drought as well.  This article claims that the water demand of Beijing cannot be sustained indefinitely:

Probe International, a leading development policy group, has warned that the city of Beijing faces economic collapse and will need to resettle part of its population in coming decades, as it could run out of water in five to 10 years.

Ultramafic rocks CO2 sequestration

A new report by scientists at Columbia University’s Earth Institute and the US Geological Survey points to an abundant supply of carbon-trapping rock in the US that could be used to help stabilize global warming. 

This article mentions that there are studies about to begin around the world to use this (or volcanic basalt) to try and lock away carbon dioxide after it has been mineralized.  This would remove the “leaking out” issue of gas phase sequestration.  Sounds promising, but the reaction times sound very slow.  A plus is that apparently appropriate minerals exist in the tailings resulting from asbestos mining, and reacting with CO2 would reduce their toxicity.  Now that is a double whammy.

Next generation surveillance drone – the Hindenburg?

This article gives some details about a DARPA prototype observation platfrom that would operate at 65,000 feet for up to 10 years.  Not sure of what part of the spectrum it would operate in, but radar is mentioned, and it seems that it will be using large antenna structures.  Sounds technically cool – solar panels used to recharge the hydrogen fuel cells that power the craft, which is filled (and buoyed) by helium.

The Air Force has signed an agreement with DARPA to develop a demonstration dirigible by 2014. The prototype will be a third as long as the planned surveillance craft — known as ISIS, for Integrated Sensor Is the Structure, because the radar system will be built into the structure of the ship.

CA water notes

Well, the official end of the rainy season is fast approaching, and things still look fairly bleak for this summer.  Two articles of interest to water issues in the state: one about a geothermal plant in Inyo county being allowed to draw from an aquifer in addition to its dwindling well water to generate steam AND use as cooling water, the second about the Montara Water and Sanitary District being blocked from gaining title to wells at the regional airport.

I am not sure of the oparting specifics of the Inyo geothermal plant, but it does seem a waste to use potable water to cool condensed steam.  Why can’t that water be reinjected to generate more steam?

If things go awry in the 100-square-mile Rose Valley aquifer basin, in local farm wells, at the hunting club’s 1,200-acre retreat at Little Lake — or for endangered animals, including the desert tortoise — Coso would be required to reduce or stop pumping.

The firm originally wanted to pump 4,800 acre-feet of water per year. Instead, the commission approved extraction of 3,000 acre-feet in the first year. Barring unforeseen problems, the amount could be increased to 4,800 within one year.

The water is used to create steam to drive turbines, as well as to cool the system.

The second article has some confusing details also.  It seems the airport wells provide 60% of the districts raw water, and that amount may still be provided, but that the district wanted to treat it with a new process:

The water district had hoped to win the lawsuit and begin treating the water with a more state-of-the-art facility than the one in place, as well as build two storage tanks to hold extra water the district was hoping to coax out of the ground.

Lithium battery improvement

This article describes and improvement in lithium iron phosphate battery charging rates.  Sounds interesting, especially this line:

Amazingly, under these conditions, the charge capacity of the battery actually increased as it underwent more charge/discharge cycles.

Fisker battery supplier named

The Karma plug-in hybrid will sport 22.6 kWhr Li-ion Canadian batteries:

The Irvine automaker said it would buy the batteries for its $88,000 luxury sedan, the Karma, from Advanced Lithium Power, a Vancouver, B.C., concern that also supplies batteries to the U.S. military.

Iranian drone shot down over Iraq

Apparently the US shot down an Iranian drone over Iraq.  Interesting read – seems the Iranians are busy improving their drone fleet.  And it was not a Predator that took it out – that would have been more interesting.

Five “must-dos” for a green home

This article from the NYT has 5 must-do things for a green home:
1) Reduce vampire loads
2) Put two liter bottle in tank of toilet
3) Install ultra low-flow shower head
4) Get grey-water system that diverts soapy sink water to toilet tank for flushing
5) Install programmable thermostat
All but 4 do sound pretty straightforward. Even though there is a good suggestion (two actually) for a commercial solution to 4), it seems a bit more involved than the others.

Edit – ok, I looked at the sinkpositive.  I don’t like the idea of having to straddle the toilet to wash your hands.  Seems to cry for a redesign – not sure the best way, but having the sink face the other way seems much more appealing, even if that introduces some placement roblems for the unit.

Change Aptera can believe in

A California lawmaker is trying to introduce legislation that would allow Aptera to apply for federal auto stimulus money to help with its 2e model.  I hope they can get some money – they are more deserving to me than GM or Chrylser.

Rep. Brian Bilbray wants to change that. The California congressman is pushing legislation that would give Aptera and other companies making three-wheelers a shot at billions in federal loans to encourage the development of electric cars. The “Innovative Vehicle Act” would expand the loan program’s definition of a car to include vehicles with three wheels.

Bilbray’s legislation (HR 1382) would amend Section 136 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to create an “ultra efficient vehicle” classification defined as “a fully closed compartment vehicle designed to carry at least two adult passengers.” The vehicle must deliver at least 75 mpg if it’s a gasoline or diesel; and at least 100 mpg — or the equivalent — if it’s a hybrid or EV. It also would direct the Department of Energy to reconsider loan applications from manufacturers of such vehicles provided they were submitted before Jan. 1, 2009.