EPOD - a service of USRA

The Earth Science Picture of the Day (EPOD) highlights the diverse processes and phenomena which shape our planet and our lives. EPOD will collect and archive photos, imagery, graphics, and artwork with short explanatory
captions and links exemplifying features within the Earth system. The
community is invited to contribute digital imagery, short captions and
relevant links.


Archive - Rupturing of Perito Moreno Glacier Bridge

January 15, 2022

6a0105371bb32c970b017c3658ab35970b

Every weekend we present a notable item from our archives.

This EPOD was originally published February 5, 2013.

Photographer: Christian Grosso
Summary Authors: Christian Grosso; Jim Foster
As the massive tongue (covering 97 sq. mi or 250 sq. km) of the
Perito Moreno Glacier, in the Santa Cruz province of Argentina
moves forward it cuts off the Brazo Rico arm of Lago Argentino. The
blocked water slowly builds up pressure undermining the ice and
eventually forming a cave or tunnel. Over a period of 10 to 50 months,
the resulting ice bridge fails crashing into the frozen lake and upon
its shore. This phenomenon repeats itself at irregular intervals, with
the last two major ice collapses occurring in 2012 and 2008. I was one
of perhaps 20 privileged people in Los Glaciares National Park this
midsummer day to witness the spectacle. Note the robins' egg blue
color of the jagged ice face. Photo taken on January 19, 2013.

Photo details: Camera Model: Canon EOS 7D; Lens: EF35-350mm f/3.5-5.6L
USM; Focal Length: 80.0mm; Aperture: f/5.0; Exposure Time: 0.0003 s
(1/4000); ISO equiv: 400; Exposure Bias: -0.33 EV; Software: Adobe
Photoshop Camera Raw 7.3 (Windows).
* Perito Moreno Glacier, Argentina Coordinates: -50.483333, -73.05

Related EPODs

Archive - Rupturing of Perito Moreno Glacier Bridge Plate
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Cryosphere Links

* Guide to Frost
* What is the Cryosphere?
* Bentley Snow Crystals
* Glaciers of the World
* Ice, Snow, and Glaciers: The Water Cycle
* The National Snow and Ice Data Center Google Earth Images
* Snow and Ice Crystals

-
Earth Science Picture of the Day is a service of the Universities
Space Research Association.

https://epod.usra.edu

--- up 5 weeks, 6 days, 20 hours, 43 minutes
* Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (1:317/3)

EPOD - a service of USRA

The Earth Science Picture of the Day (EPOD) highlights the diverse processes and phenomena which shape our planet and our lives. EPOD will collect and archive photos, imagery, graphics, and artwork with short explanatory
captions and links exemplifying features within the Earth system. The
community is invited to contribute digital imagery, short captions and
relevant links.


Crepuscular Rays Over the Ionian Sea

February 15, 2022

Epod_crepuscularrays

Photographer: Vincenzo Russo

Summary Author: Vincenzo Russo

When sunlight passes through irregular obstacles- such as clouds or
the profile of a mountain- beams of light are created that appear
to converge towards the Sun. These distinct beams can be observed
at either sunrise or sunset and are called crepuscular rays. The
photo above features crepuscular rays as observed from the coast of
Acireale, Italy overlooking the Ionian Sea.

Crepuscular rays widen and lose contrast as they move away from the
Sun. However, in some instances if we look in the opposite direction
away from the Sun, they become visible again as weak beams of light
appearing to converge towards the antisolar point. These beams on
the horizon opposite the sunrise or sunset are called
anticrepuscular rays. Both crepuscular and anticrepuscular rays
produce beams that are parallel to one another although they appear to
converge due to the viewer’s perspective. Photo taken on November
26, 2021, at 15:25 UTC.

Photo data: Nikon D810a; Nikon 24-120mm f/4G; focal length: 34mm;
f/8; ISO-200; 1/125” second exposure; software: Photoshop, Capture NX-D
* Acireale, Italy Coordinates: 37.604, 15.172

Related EPODs

Crepuscular Rays Over the Ionian Sea Belt of Venus and Cirrus
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Solar Halos and Pillars Observed Over Germany
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Atmospheric Effects Links

* Atmospheric Optics
* Optic Picture of Day: Gruppo Astrofili Galileo Galilei
* Color and Light in Nature
* The Colors of Twillight and Sunset
* Refraction Index
* Image Gallery: Atmospheric Effects
* What is a Rainbow?

-
Earth Science Picture of the Day is a service of the Universities
Space Research Association.

https://epod.usra.edu

--- up 10 weeks, 2 days, 20 hours, 43 minutes
* Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (1:317/3)

EPOD - a service of USRA

The Earth Science Picture of the Day (EPOD) highlights the diverse processes and phenomena which shape our planet and our lives. EPOD will collect and archive photos, imagery, graphics, and artwork with short explanatory
captions and links exemplifying features within the Earth system. The
community is invited to contribute digital imagery, short captions and
relevant links.


Black Widow Spider

September 15, 2022


Black Widow 1

Photographer: Brian Toycen
Summary Author: Brian Toycen

I recently came across this black widow spider in my back yard in
Amarillo, Texas. This is the third one I’ve found this year. So, I’m
cautious when moving things around and always look for their
characteristic ‘messy’ web. Only the females are marked with the red
hourglass design.
Black widows are the most venomous spider in North America. Their venom
is around 15 times stronger than rattlesnake venom. Every year
approximately 2,500 people seek treatment for their bites. Fortunately,
they don’t inject much venom and are considered to present a high risk
only to the very young and very old.
This specimen is probably a Latrodectus hesperus, based on my location
in the Texas panhandle. There are currently 31 ‘widow’ spiders in the
Latrodectus genus and of these 5 are black widows, 3 of which
are found in North America, Latrodectus variolus, the northern species;
Latrodectus mactans, the southern species, and Latrodectus hesperus,
the western species. Photo taken on August 20, 2022.
Photo details: Canon EOS 80D; exposure 1/250 second; ISO 640; f5.6;
focal length 200 mm.

Amarillo, Texas Coordinates: 35.2220 -101.8313

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Animal Links

* Animal Diversity Web
* ARKive
* BirdLife International
* Bug Guide
* Discover Life
* Integrated Taxonomic Information System
* Microbial Life Resources
Earth Science Picture of the Day is a service of the
-
Universities Space Research Association.

https://epod.usra.edu

--- up 28 weeks, 3 days, 21 minutes
* Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (1:317/3)

EPOD - a service of USRA

The Earth Science Picture of the Day (EPOD) highlights the diverse processes and phenomena which shape our planet and our lives. EPOD will collect and archive photos, imagery, graphics, and artwork with short explanatory
captions and links exemplifying features within the Earth system. The
community is invited to contribute digital imagery, short captions and
relevant links.


Moondog and Etna Lava Flow

November 15, 2022

Giannitumino_iridescent cloud ETNA_logo_2040pix (1)

Photographer: Giovanni Tumino

Summary Authors: Marco Meniero; Giovanni Tumino

Shown above is a nighttime view of lava streaming down a flank
of Mt Etna as viewed from Naxos Bay, Sicily, on June 9, 2022. Note the
patch of light just above the glowing lava. This looks like it might be
a light pillar resulting from the glowing lava flow, however,
according to Marco Meniero, an expert on meteorological phenomena,
it's actually paraselene or moondog. The Moon can be seen at
the right side of the image. Note also the numerous glitter paths
(both photo). Click here to see a video in timelapse.

Photo details: Canon RA camera; SIGMA DG 50 mm lens; f/1,4;
f/4,5; 4-second single-exposure; ISO 1600.


Naxos Bay, Sicily, Italy Coordinates: 37.847326, 15.294122


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Golden Cumulus Clouds over Mt Makiling at Sunrise
More...

Atmospheric Effects Links

* Atmospheric Optics
* Optic Picture of Day: Gruppo Astrofili Galileo Galilei
* Color and Light in Nature
* The Colors of Twillight and Sunset
* Refraction Index
* Image Gallery: Atmospheric Effects
* What is a Rainbow?

-
Earth Science Picture of the Day is a service of the Universities
Space Research Association.

https://epod.usra.edu

--- up 37 weeks, 1 day, 21 minutes
* Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (1:317/3)

EPOD - a service of USRA

The Earth Science Picture of the Day (EPOD) highlights the diverse processes and phenomena which shape our planet and our lives. EPOD will collect and archive photos, imagery, graphics, and artwork with short explanatory
captions and links exemplifying features within the Earth system. The
community is invited to contribute digital imagery, short captions and
relevant links.


Lace Lichen

December 15, 2022


CindyT_Pismo Preserve Lace Lichen
Photographer: Cindy Todd

Summary Author: Cindy Todd

Lace Lichen (Ramalina menziesii) is the official lichen of the
State of California. This lichen has a fishnet or lace look to it,
hence its common name. Prevalent along the Coast of California, it’s
both a source of food and nesting material for a number of different
animal species.

As a backpacker/hiker who lives in California, I see it often -- it
gives an eerie look to trees on a foggy morning. With the lace
structure hanging down off a branch, you sometimes feel like you're in
a horror movie where an evil witch suddenly appears. But I love
hiking in terrain where lace lichen thrives. Photo taken on July 16,
2022.


Pismo Beach, California Coordinates: 35.1428, -120.6413


Related EPODs

Lace Lichen Golden Torch Cactus Flower On the Wind: Plant
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Plant Links

* Discover Life
* Tree Encyclopedia
* What are Phytoplankton?
* Encyclopedia of Life - What is a Plant?
* USDA Plants Database
* University of Texas Native Plant Database
* Plants in Motion
* What Tree is It?

-
Earth Science Picture of the Day is a service of the Universities
Space Research Association.

https://epod.usra.edu

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