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Unexpected Solar Flare is Also the Largest in Twelve Years

The past summer has been a pretty terrible time in terms of weather. In addition to raging fires in Canada’s western province of British Columbia, the south-eastern United States has been pounded by successive storms and hurricanes – i.e. Tropical Storm Emily and Hurricanes Franklin, Gert, Harvey and Irma. As if that wasn’t enough, solar activity has also been picking up lately, which could have a serious impact on space weather.

This past week, researchers from the University of Sheffield in the UK and Queen’s University Belfast detected the largest solar flare in 12 years. This massive burst of radiation took place on Wednesday, September 6th, and was one of three observed over a 48-hour period. While this latest solar flare is harmless to humans, it could pose a significant hazard to communications and GPS satellites.

The flare was also the eighth-largest detected since solar flare activity began to be monitored back in 1996. Like the two previous flares which took place during the same 48-hour period, this latest burst was an X-Class flare – the largest type of flare known to scientists. It occurred at 13:00 GMT (06:00 PDT; 09:00 EST) and was measured to have an energy level of X9.3.

Essentially, it erupted with the force of one billion thermonuclear bombs and drove plasma away from the surface at speeds of up to 2000 km/s (1243 mi/s). This phenomena, known as Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs), are known to play havoc with electronics in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). And while Earth’s magnetosphere offers protection from these events, electronic systems on the planets surface are sometimes affected as well.

The event was witnessed by a team from a consortium of Universities, which included the University of Sheffield and Queen’s University Belfast. With the support of the Science and Technology Facilities Council, they conducted their observations using the Institute for Solar Physics‘ (ISP) 1-meter Swedish Solar Telescope, which is located at the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory – operated by the Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias.

As Professor Mihalis Mathioudakis, who led the project at Queen’s University Belfast, indicated in a recent University of Sheffield press statement:

“Solar flares are the most energetic events in our solar system and can have a major impact on earth. The dedication and perseverance of our early career scientists who planned and executed these observations led to the capture of this unique event and have helped to advance our knowledge in this area.”

The team was able to capture the opening moments of a solar flare’s life. This was extremely fortunate, since one of the biggest challenges of observing solar flares from ground-based telescopes is the short time-scales over which they erupt and evolve. In the case of X-class flares, they are capable of forming and reaching peak intensity in just about five minutes.

A powerful X2-class flare from sunspot region 2297 glows fiery yellow in this photo taken by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory on March 11, 2015. Credit: NASA

In other words, observers – who only see a small part of the sun at any one moment – must act very quickly to ensure they catch the crucial opening moments of a flare’s evolution. As Dr Chris Nelson, from the Solar Physics and Space Plasma Research Centre (SP2RC) – who was one of the observers at the telescope – explained:

“It’s very unusual to observe the opening minutes of a flare’s life. We can only observe about 1/250th of the solar surface at any one time using the Swedish Solar Telescope, so to be in the right place at the right time requires a lot of luck. To observe the rise phases of three X-classes over two days is just unheard of.”

Another interesting thing about this flare, and the two that preceded it, was the timing. At present, astronomers expected that we were in a period of diminished solar activity. But as Dr Aaron Reid, a research fellow at at Queen’s University Belfast’s Astrophysics Research Center and a co-author on the paper, explained:

“The Sun is currently in what we call solar minimum. The number of Active Regions, where flares occur, is low, so to have X-class flares so close together is very usual. These observations can tell us how and why these flares formed so we can better predict them in the future.”

Professor Robertus von Fáy-Siebenbürgen, who leads the SP2RC, was also very enthused about the research team’s accomplishment. “We at SP2RC are very proud to have such talented scientists who can make true discoveries,” he said. “These observations are very difficult and will require hard work to fully understand what exactly has happened on the Sun.”

Predicting when and how solar flares will occur will also aid in the development of early warning and preventative measures. The is part of growing industry that seeks to protect satellites and orbital missions from harmful electromagnetic disruption. And with humanity’s presence in LEO expended to grow considerably in the coming decades, this industry is expected to become worth several billion dollars.

Yes, with everything from small satellites, space planes, commercial habitats and more space stations being deployed to space, Low Earth Orbit is expected to get pretty crowded in the coming decades. The last thing we need is for vast swaths of this machinery or – heaven forbid! – crewed spacecraft, stations and habitats to become inoperative thanks to solar flare activity.

If human beings are to truly become a space-faring race, we need to know how to predict space weather the same we do the weather here on Earth. And just like the wind, the rain, and other meteorological phenomena, we need to know when to batten down the hatches and adjust the sails.

Further Reading: University of Sheffield

Solar Probe Plus Will ‘Touch’ The Sun

Coronal Mass Ejections (aka. solar flares) are a seriously hazardous thing. Whenever the Sun emits a burst of these charged particles, it can play havoc with electrical systems, aircraft and satellites here on Earth. Worse yet is the harm it can inflict on astronauts stationed aboard the ISS, who do not have the protection of Earth’s atmosphere. As such, it is obvious why scientists want to be able to predict these events better.

For this reason, the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory – a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based non-profit engineering organization – are working to develop specialized sensors for NASA’s proposed solar spacecraft. Launching in 2018, this spacecraft will fly into the Sun atmosphere and “touch” the face of the Sun to learn more about its behavior.

This spacecraft – known as the Solar Probe Plus (SPP) – is currently being designed and built by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. Once it is launched, the SPP will use seven Venus flybys over nearly seven years to gradually shrink its orbit around the Sun. During this time, it will conduct 24 flybys of the Sun and pass into the Sun’s upper atmosphere (corona), passing within 6.4 million km (4 million mi) of its surface.

At this distance, it will have traveled 37.6 million km (23.36 million mi) closer to the Sun than any spacecraft in history. At the same time, it will set a new record for the fastest moving object ever built by human beings – traveling at speeds of up to 200 km/sec (124.27 mi/s). And last but not least, it will be exposed to heat and radiation that no spacecraft has ever faced, which will include temperatures in excess of 1371 °C (2500 °F).

As Seamus Tuohy, the Director of the Space Systems Program Office at Draper, said in a CfA press release:

“Such a mission would require a spacecraft and instrumentation capable of withstanding extremes of radiation, high velocity travel and the harsh solar condition—and that is the kind of program deeply familiar to Draper and the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory.”

In addition to being an historic first, this probe will provide new data on solar activity and help scientists develop ways of forecasting major space-weather events – which impact life on Earth. This is especially important in an age when people are increasingly reliant on technology that can be negatively impacted by solar flares – ranging from aircraft and satellites to appliances and electrical devices.

According to a recent study by the National Academy of Sciences, it is estimated that a huge solar event today could cause two trillion dollars in damage in the US alone – and places like the eastern seaboard would be without power for up to a year. Without electricity to provide heating, utilities, light, and air-conditioning, the death toll from such an event would be significant.

As such, developing advanced warning systems that could reliably predict when a coronal mass ejection is coming is not just a matter of preventing damage, but saving lives. As Justin C. Kasper, the principal investigator at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and a professor in space science at the University of Michigan, said:

“[I]n addition to answering fundamental science questions, the intent is to better understand the risks space weather poses to the modern communication, aviation and energy systems we all rely on. Many of the systems we in the modern world rely on—our telecommunications, GPS, satellites and power grids—could be disrupted for an extended period of time if a large solar storm were to happen today. Solar Probe Plus will help us predict and manage the impact of space weather on society.”

To this end, the SPP has three major scientific objectives. First, it will seek to trace the flow of energy that heats and accelerates the solar corona and solar wind. Second, its investigators will attempt to determine the structure and dynamics of plasma and magnetic fields as the source of solar wind. And last, it will explore the mechanisms that accelerate and transport energetic particles – specifically electrons, protons, and helium ions.

To do this, the SPP will be equipped with an advanced suite of instruments. One of the most important of these is the one built by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory with technical support from Draper. Known as the Faraday Cup – and named after famous electromagnetic scientists Michael Faraday – this device will be operated by SAO and the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

Designed to withstand interference from electromagnetic radiation, the Farady Cup will measure the velocity and direction of the Sun’s charged particles, and will be only two positioned outside of the SPP’s protective sun shield – another crucial component. Measuring 11.43 cm (4.5 inches) thick, this carbon composition shield will ensure that the probe can withstand the extreme conditions as it conducts its many flybys through the Sun’s corona.

Naturally, the mission presents several challenges, not the least of which will be capturing data while operating within an extreme environment, and while traveling at extreme speeds. But the payoff is sure to be worth it. For years, astronomers have studied the Sun, but never from inside the Sun’s atmosphere.

By flying through the birthplace of the highest-energy solar particles, the SPP is set to advance our understanding of the Sun and the origin and evolution of the solar wind. This knowledge could not only help us avoid a natural catastrophe here on Earth, but help advance our long-term goal of exploring (and even colonizing) the Solar System.

Further Reading: CfA

What Was the Carrington Event?

What Was The Carrington Event?

Isn’t modern society great? With all this technology surrounding us in all directions. It’s like a cocoon of sweet, fluffy silicon. There are chips in my fitness tracker, my bluetooth headset, mobile phone, car keys and that’s just on my body.

At all times in the Cain household, there dozens of internet devices connected to my wifi router. I’m not sure how we got to the point, but there’s one thing I know for sure, more is better. If I could use two smartphones at the same time, I totally would.

And I’m sure you agree, that without all this technology, life would be a pale shadow of its current glory. Without these devices, we’d have to actually interact with each other. Maybe enjoy the beauty of nature, or something boring like that.

It turns out, that terrible burning orb in the sky, the Sun, is fully willing and capable of bricking our precious technology. It’s done so in the past, and it’s likely to take a swipe at us in the future.

I’m talking about solar storms, of course, tremendous blasts of particles and radiation from the Sun which can interact with the Earth’s magnetosphere and overwhelm anything with a wire.

Credit: NASA

In fact, we got a sneak preview of this back in 1859, when a massive solar storm engulfed the Earth and ruined our old timey technology. It was known as the Carrington Event.

Follow your imagination back to Thursday, September 1st, 1859. This was squarely in the middle of the Victorian age.

And not the awesome, fictional Steampunk Victorian age where spectacled gentleman and ladies of adventure plied the skies in their steam-powered brass dirigibles.

No, it was the regular crappy Victorian age of cholera and child labor. Technology was making huge leaps and bounds, however, and the first telegraph lines and electrical grids were getting laid down.

Imagine a really primitive version of today’s electrical grid and internet.

On that fateful morning, the British astronomer Richard Carrington turned his solar telescope to the Sun, and was amazed at the huge sunspot complex staring back at him. So impressed that he drew this picture of it.

Richard Carrington’s sketch of the sunspots seen just before the 1859 Carrington event.

While he was observing the sunspot, Carrington noticed it flash brightly, right in his telescope, becoming a large kidney-shaped bright white flare.

Carrington realized he was seeing unprecedented activity on the surface of the Sun. Within a minute, the activity died down and faded away.

And then about 5 minutes later. Aurora activity erupted across the entire planet. We’re not talking about those rare Northern Lights enjoyed by the Alaskans, Canadians and Northern Europeans in the audience. We’re talking about everyone, everywhere on Earth. Even in the tropics.

In fact, the brilliant auroras were so bright you could read a book to them.

The beautiful night time auroras was just one effect from the monster solar flare. The other impact was that telegraph lines and electrical grids were overwhelmed by the electricity pushed through their wires. Operators got electrical shocks from their telegraph machines, and the telegraph paper lit on fire.

What happened? The most powerful solar flare ever observed is what happened.

In this image, the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) captured an X1.2 class solar flare, peaking on May 15, 2013. Credit: NASA/SDO

A solar flare occurs because the Sun’s magnetic field lines can get tangled up in the solar atmosphere. In a moment, the magnetic fields reorganize themselves, and a huge wave of particles and radiation is released.

Flares happen in three stages. First, you get the precursor stage, with a blast of soft X-ray radiation. This is followed by the impulsive stage, where protons and electrons are accelerated off the surface of the Sun. And finally, the decay stage, with another burp of X-rays as the flare dies down.

These stages can happen in just a few seconds or drag out over an hour.

Remember those particles hurled off into space? They take several hours or a few days to reach Earth and interact with our planet’s protective magnetosphere, and then we get to see beautiful auroras in the sky.

This geomagnetic storm causes the Earth’s magnetosphere to jiggle around, which drives charges through wires back and forth, burning out circuits, killing satellites, overloading electrical grids.

Back in 1859, this wasn’t a huge deal, when our quaint technology hadn’t progressed beyond the occasional telegraph tower.

Today, our entire civilization depends on wires. There are wires in the hundreds of satellites flying overhead that we depend on for communications and navigation. Our homes and businesses are connected by an enormous electrical grid. Airplanes, cars, smartphones, this camera I’m using.

Credit: Wikimedia Commons.

Everything is electronic, or controlled by electronics.

Think it can’t happen? We got a sneak preview back in March, 1989 when a much smaller geomagnetic storm crashed into the Earth. People as far south as Florida and Cuba could see auroras in the sky, while North America’s entire interconnected electrical grid groaned under the strain.

The Canadian province of Quebec’s electrical grid wasn’t able to handle the load and went entirely offline. For 12 hours, in the freezing Quebec winter, almost the entire province was without power. I’m telling you, that place gets cold, so this was really bad timing.

Satellites went offline, including NASA’s TDRS-1 communication satellite, which suffered 250 separate glitches during the storm.

And on July 23, 2012, a Carrington-class solar superstorm blasted off the Sun, and off into space. Fortunately, it missed the Earth, and we were spared the mayhem.

If a solar storm of that magnitude did strike the Earth, the cleanup might cost $2 trillion, according to a study by the National Academy of Sciences.

The July 23, 2012 CME would have caused a Carrington-like event had it hit Earth. Thankfully for us and our technology, it missed. Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center

It’s been 160 years since the Carrington Event, and according to ice core samples, this was the most powerful solar flare over the last 500 years or so. Solar astronomers estimate solar storms like this happen twice a millennium, which means we’re not likely to experience another one in our lifetimes.

But if we do, it’ll cause worldwide destruction of technology and anyone reliant on it. You might want to have a contingency plan with some topic starters when you can’t access the internet for a few days. Locate nearby interesting nature spots to explore and enjoy while you wait for our technological civilization to be rebuilt.

Have you ever seen an aurora in your lifetime? Give me the details of your experience in the comments.

How Can You see the Northern Lights?

The Northern Lights have fascinated human beings for millennia. In fact, their existence has informed the mythology of many cultures, including the Inuit, Northern Cree, and ancient Norse. They were also a source of intense fascination for the ancient Greeks and Romans, and were seen as a sign from God by medieval Europeans.

Thanks to the birth of modern astronomy, we now know what causes both the Aurora Borealis and its southern sibling – Aurora Australis. Nevertheless, they remain the subject of intense fascination, scientific research, and are a major tourist draw. For those who live north of 60° latitude, this fantastic light show is also a regular occurrence.

Aurora Borealis (and Australis) is caused by interactions between energetic particles from the Sun and the Earth’s magnetic field. The invisible field lines of Earth’s magnetoshere travel from the Earth’s northern magnetic pole to its southern magnetic pole. When charged particles reach the magnetic field, they are deflected, creating a “bow shock” (so-named because of its apparent shape) around Earth.

However, Earth’s magnetic field is weaker at the poles, and some particles are therefore able to enter the Earth’s atmosphere and collide with gas particles in these regions. These collisions emit light that we perceive as wavy and dancing, and are generally a pale, yellowish-green in color.

The variations in color are due to the type of gas particles that are colliding. The common yellowish-green is produced by oxygen molecules located about 100 km (60 miles) above the Earth, whereas high-altitude oxygen – at heights of up to 320 km (200 miles) – produce all-red auroras. Meanwhile, interactions between charged particles and nitrogen will produces blue or purplish-red auroras.

The visibility of the northern (and southern) lights depends on a lot of factors, much like any other type of meteorological activity. Though they are generally visible in the far northern and southern regions of the globe, there have been instances in the past where the lights were visible as close to the equator as Mexico.

In places like Alaska, Norther Canada, Norway and Siberia, the northern lights are often seen every night of the week in the winter. Though they occur year-round, they are only visible when it is rather dark out. Hence why they are more discernible during the months where the nights are longer.

The magnetic field and electric currents in and around Earth generate complex forces that have immeasurable impact on every day life. The field can be thought of as a huge bubble, protecting us from cosmic radiation and charged particles that bombard Earth in solar winds. It’s shaped by winds of particles blowing from the sun called the solar wind, the reason it’s flattened on the “sun-side” and swept out into a long tail on the opposite side of the Earth. Credit: ESA/ATG medialab
The magnetic field and electric currents in and around Earth generate complex forces, and also lead to the phenomena known as aurorae. Credit: ESA/ATG medialab

Because they depend on the solar wind, auroras are more plentiful during peak periods of activity in the Solar Cycle. This cycle takes places every 11 years, and is marked by the increase and decrease of sunspots on the sun’s surface. The greatest number of sunspots in any given solar cycle is designated as a “Solar Maximum“, whereas the lowest number is a “Solar Minimum.”

A Solar Maximum also accords with bright regions appearing in the Sun’s corona, which are rooted in the lower sunspots. Scientists track these active regions since they are often the origin of eruptions on the Sun, such as solar flares or coronal mass ejections.

The most recent solar minimum occurred in 2008. As of January 2010, the Sun’s surface began to increase in activity, which began with the release of a lower-intensity M-class flare. The Sun continued to get more active, culminating in a Solar Maximum by the summer of 2013.

Locations for Viewing:

The ideal places to view the Northern Lights are naturally located in geographical regions north of 60° latitude.  These include northern Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Scandinavia, Alaska, and Northern Russia. Many organizations maintain websites dedicated to tracking optimal viewing conditions.

The camera recorded pale purple and red but the primary color visible to the eye was green. Credit: Bob Kin
An image captured of the northern lights, which appear pale purple and red, though the primary color visible to the eye was green. Credit: Bob Kin

For instance, the Geophysical Institute of the University of Alaska Fairbanks maintains the Aurora Forecast. This site is regularly updated to let residents know when auroral activity is high, and how far south it will extend. Typically, residents who live in central or northern Alaska (from Fairbanks to Barrow) have a better chance than those living in the south (Anchorage to Juneau).

In Northern Canada, auroras are often spotted from the Yukon, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Northern Quebec. However, they are sometimes seen from locations like Dawson Creek, BC; Fort McMurry, Alberta; northern Saskatchewan and the town of Moose Factory by James Bay, Ontario. For information, check out Canadian Geographic Magazine’s “Northern Lights Across Canada“.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency also provides 30 minute forecasts on auroras through their Space Weather Prediction Center. And then there’s Aurora Alert, an Android App that allows you to get regular updates on when and where an aurora will be visible in your region.

Understanding the scientific cause of auroras has not made them any less awe-inspiring or wondrous. Every year, countless people venture to locations where they can be seen. And for those serving aboard the ISS, they got the best seat in the house!

Speaking of which, be sure to check out this stunning NASA video which shows the Northern Lights being viewed from the ISS:

We have written many interesting articles about Auroras here at Universe Today. Here’s The Northern and Southern Lights – What is an Aurora?, What is the Aurora Borealis?, What is the Aurora Australis?, What Causes the Northern Lights?, How Does the Aurora Borealis Form?, and Watch Fast and Furious All-sky Aurora Filmed in Real Time.

For more information, visit the THEMIS website – a NASA mission that is currently studying space weather in great detail. The Space Weather Center has information on the solar wind and how it causes aurorae.

Astronomy Cast also has episodes on the subject, like Episode 42: Magnetism Everywhere.

The Sun

This image from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) Extreme ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (EIT) image shows large magnetically active regions and a pair of curving erupting prominences on June 28, 2000 during the current solar cycle 23 maximum. Prominences are huge clouds of relatively cool dense plasma suspended in the Sun's hot, thin corona. Magnetically active regions cause the principal total solar irradiance variations during each solar cycle. The hottest areas appear almost white, while the darker red areas indicate cooler temperatures. Credit: NASA & European Space Agency (ESA)

The Sun is the center of the Solar System and the source of all life and energy here on Earth. It accounts for more than 99.86% of the mass of the Solar System and it’s gravity dominates all the planets and objects that orbit it. Since the beginning of history, human beings have understood the Sun’s importance to our world, it’s seasons, the diurnal cycle, and the life-cycle of plants.

Because of this, the Sun has been at the center of many ancient culture’s mythologies and systems of worship. From the Aztecs, Mayans and Incas to the ancient Sumerians, Egyptians, Greeks, Romans and Druids, the Sun was a central deity because it was seen as the bringer of all light and life. In time, our understanding of the Sun has changed and become increasingly empirical. But that has done nothing to diminish it’s significance.

Continue reading “The Sun”

Solar ‘Bombs’ And Mini-Tornadoes Spotted By Sun-Watching Spacecraft

My, the Sun is a violent place. I mean, we knew that already, but there’s even more evidence for that using new data from a brand-new NASA spacecraft. There’s talk now about tornadoes and jets and even “bombs” swirling amid our Sun’s gassy environment.

A huge set of results from NASA’s Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) spacecraft reveals the true nature of a mysterious transition zone between Sun’s surface and the corona, or atmosphere. Besides the pretty fireworks and videos, these phenomena are telling scientists more about how the Sun moves energy from the center to the outskirts. And, it could tell us more about how stars work in general.

The results are published in five papers yesterday (Oct. 15) in Science magazine. Below, a brief glimpse of what each of these papers revealed about our closest star.

This is a heck of a lot of energy packed in here. Raging at temperatures of 200,000 degrees Fahrenheit (111,093 degrees Celsius) are heat “pockets” — also called “bombs” because they release energy quickly. They were found lower in the atmosphere than expected. The paper is here (led by Hardi Peter of the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research in Gottingen, Germany.)

It’s a twist! You can see some structures in the chromosphere, just above the Sun’s surface, showing gas spinning like a tornado. They spin around as fast as 12 miles (19 kilometers) a second, which is considered slow-moving on the Sun. The paper is here (led by Bart De Pontieu, the IRIS science lead at Lockheed Martin in California).

High-speed jets

Artist's impression of the solar wind from the sun (left) interacting with Earth's magnetosphere (right). Credit: NASA
Artist’s impression of the solar wind from the sun (left) interacting with Earth’s magnetosphere (right). Credit: NASA

How does the solar wind — that constant stream of charged particles that sometimes cause aurora on Earth — come to be? IRIS spotted high-speed jets of material moving faster than ever observed, 90 miles (145 kilometers) a second. Since these jets are emerging in spots where the magnetic field is weaker (called coronal holes), scientists suspect this could be a source of the solar wind since the particles are thought to originate from there. The paper is here (led by Hui Tian at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Massachusetts.)

A solar filament erupts with a coronal mass ejection in this image captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory in August 2012. Credit: NASA's GSFC, SDO AIA Team
A solar filament erupts with a coronal mass ejection in this image captured by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory in August 2012. Credit: NASA’s GSFC, SDO AIA Team

Those solar flares the Sun throws off happen when magnetic field lines cross and then snap back into place, flinging particles into space. Nanoflares could do the same thing to heat up the corona, and that’s something else that IRIS is examining. The paper is here (led by Paola Testa, at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.)

Structures and more

And here is the transition region in glorious high-definition. Improving on data from the Skylab space station in the 1970s (bottom of video), you can see all sorts of mini-structures on the Sun. The more we learn about these 2,000-mile (3,220-km) objects, the better we’ll understand how heating moves through the Sun. The paper is here (led by Viggo Hansteen, at the University of Oslo in Norway.)

Source: NASA

NASA Explains: The Difference Between CMEs and Solar Flares

This is a question we are often asked: what is the difference between a coronal mass ejection (CME) and a solar flare? We discussed it in a recent astrophoto post, but today NASA put out a video with amazing graphics that explains it — and visualizes it — extremely well.

“CMEs and solar flares are both explosions that occur on the Sun,” the folks at NASA’s Goddard Spaceflight Center’s Scientific Visualization Studio explain. “Sometimes they occur together, but they are not the same thing.”

CMEs are giant clouds of particles from the Sun hurled out into space, while flares are flashes of light — occurring in various wavelengths — on the Sun.

You can find even more details from NASA here.

Astrophoto: The Sun as a Work of Art

Here’s a solar flare with a little flair added! Astrophotographer Rick Ellis from Toronto, Canada created this “artsy” Sun by using a series of photoshop filters and effects with a combination of two images from the Solar Dynamics Observatory taken on April 12, 2013. He tinkered with the contrast at specific color ranges, applied “equalization,” and used a filter called “accented edges.”

“Then I posterized it and ran it through the “posterize edges” filter which really brings out many details,” Rick said via email.

Rick admitted to some confusion about the difference between solar flares and coronal mass ejections, and so we figured this might be a good time to explain. They do have several similarities, however: both solar flares and CMEs are energetic events on the Sun that are both associated with high energy particles, and they both depend on magnetic fields on the Sun.

In the case of a CME, coronal material is ejected into space at high speeds. According to Berkeley University the most obvious difference between a solar flare and a CME is the spatial scale on which they occur.

“Flares are local events as compared to CMEs which are much larger eruptions of the corona,” says the Berkeley webpage, and sometimes a CME can be larger than the Sun itself. Solar flares and coronal mass ejections often occur together, but each can also take place in the absence of the other.

Want to get your astrophoto featured on Universe Today? Join our Flickr group or send us your images by email (this means you’re giving us permission to post them). Please explain what’s in the picture, when you took it, the equipment you used, etc.

Kapow! Moderate Solar Flare Erupts From The Sun, But Likely Won’t Affect Earth

While this solar peak has been weaker than usual, from time to time we get a moderate punch from the Sun. Here’s an example — what NASA calls a “mid-level” solar flare blasting off the Sun at 8:16 a.m. EDT (1:16 p.m. UTC) yesterday (Aug. 26).

While the related coronal mass ejection can cause auroras high in Earth’s atmosphere and (in more severe cases) cause telecommunications disruptions, in this case the U.S. government isn’t expecting much.

“Given the location of this event,  the associated coronal mass ejection is well off the Sun-Earth line and no significant geomagnetic storming is anticipated as a result,” wrote the National Weather Service’s Space Weather Prediction Center in an update today.

NASA says the flare, which was captured by the Solar Dynamics Observatory, is an M5 flare. X-class flares are about 10 times more powerful than M-class ones.

An unrelated solar event recently caused auroras that astronauts spotted from the International Space Station.

Blast! Sun Pops Off A Moderate Solar Flare. Could Others Follow Soon?

With a watchful NASA spacecraft capturing its moves, the Sun sent off a “mid-level” solar flare on Tuesday (July 8) that you can watch (over and over again) in the video above. The Solar Dynamics Observatory caught the explosion around 12:20 p.m. EDT (4:20 p.m. UTC), which led into a coronal mass ejection that sent a surge of solar material into space.

Solar flares can be disruptive to Earth communications and also cause auroras in the atmosphere. In this case, the M6 solar flare created “short-lived impacts to high frequency radio communications on the sunlit side of Earth … as a result,” wrote the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in a forecast July 8.

In this case, however, the coronal mass ejection (seen by the Solar Dynamics Observatory) is not expected to hit Earth. But with the Sun around its maximum of solar activity in the 11-year cycle, other eruptions could head into space in the coming days. M is considered a moderate flare and X the strongest kind.

“Solar activity is low, but the quiet is unlikely to persist,” wrote SpaceWeather.com in an update published today (July 10). “There are three sunspots with unstable magnetic fields capable of strong eruptions: AR2108, AR2109, AR2113. NOAA forecasters estimate a 75% chance of M-flares and 15% chance of X-flares on July 10th.”

This flare caused a surge in shortwave activity that you can hear in this audio file, recorded by New Mexico amateur astronomer Thomas Ashcraft. “Radio bursts such as these are sparked by shock waves moving through the sun’s atmosphere,” SpaceWeather added. “Set in motion by flares, these shock waves excite plasma instabilitties that emit static-y radio waves.”


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From the age of five I have been interested in the real and imaginary facets of art; always exploring a variety of mediums. I discovered that alternating between realism and abstraction afforded me a new energy application and directional spirit.

Most of my early training and involvement centered in Pennsylvania's Rust Belt, giving an industrial flavor to my large mural abstractions purchased for the offices and boardrooms of the area's steel and aluminum corporations.

Many of these works were architectural in nature or appeared to be geometric interstices derived and compounded from multiple reverse etching procedures.

In the mid 1990's we moved from Pennsylvania to Florida, giving me a deep appreciation for the tropical southern exposure of the United States. I especially became enamored with Florida's year-round abundance of rich and varied plants, particularly the Banana (Musa) I studied and photographed in the backyard of our former Naples home.

Reveling in the Musa's multitudinous leaf patterns, I often shot several rolls of film using the prints as future painting prototypes.   Presently I am filming many images in one frame - automatically producing compounded/fractured imagery which I employ in future mixed-media imagery on paper or canvas, I believe   in the harmonious coexistence of abstraction and realism thereby enhancing and enriching each other. My work embodies realism in abstraction and abstraction in realism - transcending and encompassing these doctrines.

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19 September 2014

University of Queensland researchers won two of five Scopus Young Researcher awards and placed in two other categories at a celebration of academic research excellence in Canberra yesterday (18 September).

The UQ researchers were among 17 young scientists honoured at the 2014 Australasian Research Management Society (ARMS) and Elsevier Scopus Young Researcher of the Year Awards.

Dr Kerrie Wilson, from UQ’s School of Biological Sciences, won the Scopus Life Sciences and Biological Sciences award for her research into habitat restoration for biodiversity and ecosystem conservation.

Professor Ajayan Vinu, from UQ’s Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, won the Scopus Physical Sciences award for his research into novel approaches into nanoporous materials for clean energy.

Associate Professor Julie Henry (UQ School of Psychology) was a runner-up in the Humanities and Social Sciences category, and Dr Bing-Jie Ni (UQ Advanced Water Management Centre) was a runner-up in the Engineering and Technology category.

The Scopus awards were presented by ARC Chief Executive Officer Professor Aidan Byrne.

“The Scopus Young Researcher Awards—a global Elsevier initiative—specifically support early-career researchers, and recognise particularly outstanding young scientists and researchers who have made significant contributions in their field,” he said.

“All of these researchers, and indeed all of the finalists, are making remarkable contributions towards the advancement of science and research in Australia and deserve this high honour.”

Media: communications@uq.edu.au, +61 7 3365 1120.


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A guy who can't hold it in...When a hot girl walks past, he loses it, usually leaving a stain on his pants.
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A celebrity clause is a pact made between two partners who are engaged in a serious relationship in which both partners, if given the chance, may engage in intimate relations with a celebrity one time. Once a partner has used his or her free hook up they are barred from any other future celebrity hook up. Jealousy may not play a part in this clause as each partner has the understanding that actually meeting a celebrity is slim as well as each partner both have the same general chance/opportunity for such a relationship.
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We are not currently accepting applications for internships. To find other internship opportunities in the Denver area, please go to the Colorado Nonprofit Association’s internship page.

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We are Urbansoul, a Manchester digital & design agency offering uniquely tailored web design, brochure design, branding and marketing solutions.

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Paul's Mythology

It is useless to attempt to reason a man out what he was never reasoned into.
-Jonathan Swift

How did Paul pull it off? How did he manage to pull the Jesus movement from its Jewish roots? Before we get into the specifics, it helps to understand his method of biblical interpretation and the political-religious climate in which he lived. This is the first of a four part series on Paul's mythology.

The uninformed take it for granted that there was a smooth transition from Judaism to Christianity, when in fact they never found common ground. The irony is that Christian Bibles include Hebrew Scripture in order to support the New Testament, though they are completely at odds with each other.

How this came about was by a method of interpretation called Midrash. The idea is to look for meanings in the Bible, other than literal. The problem with this technique is that it invites a lot of self-serving rationalizing and abuse, even if it is done with good intentions. Our highest ideal should be truth. Truth deems that we try to be objective by aiming to interpret what the speaker is trying to communicate.

A modern example would be the U.S. Constitution. The Supreme Court has piled on so many layers of interpretation that much of contemporary law conflicts with original constitutional limits. In practice, Midrash requires that the interpreter strip the language of its context and invent new definitions and connections. Some relevant examples help to explain.

1. Aside from being obviously a folk tale, Genesis does not even hint that Adam's curse went beyond sentencing man to a life of hard labor. We really have to stretch our imagination to infer that this was the infectious curse for which Jesus died. Genesis is also clear that man was created as a mortal being. By rationalizing, we could infer that if he wasn't cursed, he would have eaten from the tree of life.

2. After Genesis, Hebrew Scripture defines sin in terms of Torah law. It was endowed to Jews as a commitment to their covenant with Yahweh. To link to the idea of inherited sin, the Torah had to be relegated to a standard that inferior humans can't live up to. Technically this is correct, as evidenced by their fall from grace when they were exiled. From this it was offered as proof that righteous behavior is futile; everybody is a sinner.

3. Late Hebrew Scripture abounds in prophecies about the coming of a day when there will be a Kingdom of Israel on earth, a place free of sin and suffering. It would be a new Eden formed out of a new Creation. On that day mankind would be judged by Yahweh or his consecrated Messiah from the family of David. After much destruction, those judged righteous would be entitled to live in the new Kingdom. There are mutations, but this is the general picture.

Watch how terms shift meaning: The parochial fantasies of the Kingdom of Israel changed to the Kingdom of God to the Kingdom of Heaven to the more universal sounding, Heaven. The Messiah went from a human Davidic son of God to a incarnate divine Son of God. The harsh sounding word, Judgment, was replaced with a more positive sounding Salvation. Once the Torah was relegated as a stopgap measure until the apocalypse, it was no longer necessary to be Jewish as long as one had faith.

This is just a sampling of how Midrash works, but it shows that whenever reality disappoints, the best alternative is to alter the semantics with subtle shifts. It also gives a lie to the claim that the Bible came into print by revelation from God. Could a so-called perfect deity be so fickle every time his plan got frustrated?

Next, it helps to get a flavor for the environment Paul lived in. As much as apologists insist that Christianity came into its own independent of outside influence, that defense is not credible. Aside from its Jewish influence, there are too many similarities with pagan mythology to be ignored.

Historical Background

According to historians, in the years following the Jewish exile 586 BCE, Jews migrated throughout Asia Minor. Under Hellenistic rule, a large number settled in Alexandria, Egypt. After the Roman-Jewish war in 70 CE, many Jewish prisoners were brought to Rome. Within those years and after, without central rule in Israel and Judah, a variety of messianic cults sprang from different speculations of how the messiah would restore the Kingdom of Israel. The Jesus sect embodied one of those speculations.

Now let it be said that the death and resurrection of savior gods who had the power to bring immortal life was typical of pagan religions in Paul's day. This introduction presents a sampling of the many religions, sects and cults that swirled around the Mesopotamia area. Syncretism was a common process by which polytheistic religions were not only tolerant of each other; they borrowed ideas from each other. It explains why Greek speaking gentiles were able to accept Paul's mythology of a personal resurrection.

Egypt had Osiris who was said to be slain by the powers of darkness embodied by his brother Set. He rose from the dead and was enthroned in the world of souls to judge every Egyptian according to his works. There is no more obvious testimony to the Egyptian belief in resurrection than their pyramids and mummies.

The Phoenician fertility god known to the Greeks as Adonis was slain by a boar when he was in the prime of life. His death was annually mourned in the spring, chiefly by women to symbolize the goddess Aphrodite's loss. His yearly death and resurrection was timed to the death and resurrection of vegetation. He was the counterpart to the Babylonian god, Tammuz, which Ezekiel describes below.

14Then he brought me to the entrance of the north gate of the house of the LORD; and behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz. (Ez. 8:14)

In Phrygia, now known as Turkey, the death and resurrection of the god Attis, symbolized the end of winter and arrival of spring. When he was unfaithful to the goddess Cybele, she had him castrated, which caused his death.

Zoroastrianism was popular in ancient Persia (Iran). Zoroastrians saw history as a cosmic struggle between the power of light and goodness and that of darkness and evil. Mankind was perceived as a mere pawn in this cosmic struggle. Upon death each person's soul will be judged at the Bridge of Discrimination. The follower of Truth will cross and be led to paradise, and the adherents of Lie will fall into hell. All evil will eventually be eliminated on earth in an ordeal of fire and molten metal.

The Mithra cult began as an ancient Persian god of light and wisdom. Mithra was supposed to have slain the divine bull from whose dying body sprang all plants and animals beneficial to humanity. Paul's home town of Tarsus was also a center of Mithraic worship, the religion that bears closest resemblance to Christianity.

It's most distinctive feature was the practice of drinking the blood of the sacred bull or a chalice of wine in place of wine. There are other similarities with Christianity: the ideals of humility and brotherly love, baptism, the rite of communion, the use of holy water, the adoration of Shepherds at Mithra's birth, the adoption of Sundays and December 25 as holy days, and the belief in the immortality of the soul, the last judgment, and the resurrection.

In the mid-4th century BCE, Alexander the Great conquered the Persian Empire and the eastern Mediterranean region. It had the effect of inaugurating the Hellenistic Age, in which Greek language, philosophy and culture spread throughout the eastern Mediterranean. When the Romans conquered the area in the first century BCE, they eagerly absorbed Hellenism.

From the Greeks, comes Dionysus, a son of Zeus who was said to die each winter and be reborn each spring. Hercules was another son of Zeus, said to be born of a human mother. The Greeks helped spread the cult of Mithraism by identifying Mithra with Helios, the Greek god of the sun. When the Romans absorbed Greek culture, they absorbed Mithraism as well. Christianity did not emerge from this babble because of some truth. It was a legacy of Roman imperialism.

Religious Darwinism

Although we are used to associating Darwin's theory of natural selection and survival of the fittest with biology, the process applies as well to religious movements and other categories of social evolution. It was standard practice for kingdoms to have their gods. As Jeremiah tells us, there was as many gods as there were cities.

28But where are your gods that you made for yourself? Let them arise, if they can save you, in your time of trouble; for as many as your cities are your gods, O Judah. (Jer. 2:28)

More or less, they had the same themes but encapsulated in different languages. As the smaller kingdoms were swallowed by the larger ones, the religions of the smaller kingdoms usually merged into the larger ones or fell into obsolescence.

From the days of the Babylonian exile 586 BCE to the Fall of Jerusalem 70 CE, the hope of a restored kingdom of Israel was rooted deep in Jewish beliefs. Palestine went from Babylonian rule to Persian rule, then to the Greeks, then to the Romans. There can be no doubt that the Jews absorbed a great deal from their captors. Greek culture especially was absorbed into the region in the same way American culture has spread throughout the world. In the third century BCE, Hebrew Scriptures were translated into Greek, the Septuagint.

By the first century BCE, Yahweh was transformed from a local tribal god, the God of Israel, to a Supreme Being, the God of the universe. Instead of the Kingdom of Israel, the fantasy grew to the Kingdom of God. Instead of a flesh and blood king, the next king would be a supernatural intermediary. This cosmic messiah was going to terminate the old world and inaugurate a new one inhabited by Yahweh's chosen people.

The Book of Daniel was the last to be incorporated into Jewish Scripture. In the next passage, we can see the seeds of reward and punishment when the messiah comes at the end of history.

2And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
3And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.
13But go your way till the end; and you shall rest, and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days." (Dan. 12:2-3, 13)

At the end, the anointed one will put an end to sin and will restore and build Jerusalem. First, there will be a flood, and at the end there will be a war causing desolation. He shall make a strong covenant and shall cause sacrifice and offering to cease.

24"Seventy weeks of years are decreed concerning your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place.
25Know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time.
26And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off, and shall have nothing; and the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war; desolations are decreed.
27And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week; and for half of the week he shall cause sacrifice and offering to cease; and upon the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator." (Dan. 9:24-25)

This apocalyptic vision was so ingrained that the Synoptic Gospel writers have Jesus announcing the good news (gospel) at the beginning of his mission. Yes, dear Christians, Jesus was out to save Jewish sinners before the world came to end. His mission was contingent on a one time event.

17"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matt. 4:17)

15"The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel."(Mark 1:15)

43"I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other cities also; for I was sent for this purpose." (Luke 4:43)

5These twelve Jesus sent out, charging them, "Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans,
6but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
7And preach as you go, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' (Matt. 10:5-7)

The Book of Revelation predicted that Rome (personified as Babylon) would be completely destroyed into oblivion. Of course it is still standing.

21Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, "So shall Babylon the great city be thrown down with violence, and shall be found no more; (Rev. 18:21)

It also predicted that a tenth of Jerusalem would be destroyed and seven thousand people would be killed in the earthquake. Of course Jerusalem was completely destroyed and there was no earthquake.

13And at that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell; seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven. (Rev. 11:13)

The Roman-Jewish War of 66-70 in which the Romans razed Jerusalem and built a new city on top of the ruins, killed off the sects that were pushing for a restoration of an earthly kingdom of Israel. There was no chance of defeating the Romans. The prophecies were worthless; but to the religious mind, time stands still. So the Kingdom of God would have to move upstairs to heaven and wait for the messiah's return.

I've presented this introduction as a way of showing that Christianity did not erupt suddenly because of Jesus' dramatic influence. It evolved slowly in Darwinian fashion where a large variety of religions, sects and cults where pared down to a few remaining survivors. The origins of religion evolved out of a felt need to make sense out of a natural world poorly understood. There was a lot of hubris involved here too.

This is where Paul comes in. By authoritative accounts, he was a Jew whose mission began no earlier than 33 CE. His surviving letters are dated between the years 50-60. He came from the city of Tarsus in southern Turkey. Tarsus was located on a major highway and was an important market for trade between Syria, Egypt and central Asia Minor. In his early life, he could not fail to be impressed by the currents of different religions flowing through Tarsus. This would explain why his ideas contain a mix of Judaic and pagan mythologies.

That his sect survived among the messianic movements has more to do with a lucky chain of events. He did not survive long enough to see the Roman-Jewish war, but it gave his followers credibility. His Kingdom of God was not on earth; it was in heaven. He had no quarrel with the Romans. In fact he taught that they were anointed by God. Such flattery might have been a factor when the Roman Emperor Constantine adopted Christianity as the official religion of the empire in the 4th century. From that time, the word went out to eradicate the pagan religions. You might say Christianity owes its success to Darwinism.

When reading Paul it is essential to keep in mind that his actions were governed by his belief that the world was going to end soon. He saw himself as the only man who was graced by God to spread the word about the coming of Judgment Day. On that fateful day there would much destruction. When the dust settles, the unrighteous and the demonic powers will have been annihilated. There will be a new creation, a new Eden inhabited by the righteous. Of course, he expected to be among the righteous.

This is important enough to repeat: He foresaw a one time opportunity to live forever (as a spirit) that was to occur on the day of the apocalypse. As the centuries rolled by, the Catholic Church had to devise new schemes to keep its authority alive. So as explained above, it was by a series of semantic shifts that Judgment Day was divorced from the Apocalypse and tacked onto the time of an individual's death.

I give Paul credit for his interpretation of the Bible out of convenience, though I'm convinced that he drew heavily from his Jewish contemporaries. On his overall mythology, we can't know what is original to him, but it is not important. What is important is his unchallenged reputation as the ideological founder of Christianity.

From the time of the Babylonian exile 586 BCE to the Jewish-Roman War of 66-70 CE, the Jews did their best to resist any authority that interfered with their tradition. Paul did not foresee the destruction of Jerusalem. So it seems likely that his previous allegiance to Roman authority fit with his quest to break off from Jewish tradition. When the war was over, it made him appear prophetic.

Arguably, if it were not for the establishment of Christianity as the official religion of Rome by Emperor Constantine in 313, the fledgling Christian movement would not have survived. Officially, Constantine claims that he had a vision of Christ which he credits to a major battle victory that accounted for his rise to power. But some scholars believe that he needed a new source of revenue. The pagans had the money and the Christians had the friendliness.

To Paul, all authority comes from God. Whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed and will incur judgment. When you do wrong, they do not use the sword in vain. They are servants of God who execute his wrath on the wrongdoer. Pay your taxes, for they are ministers of God. It didn't seem to matter to him that they were ruthless murderers. Add to the fact that they were pagans; it would imply that God was supporting the pagan religions.

1Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.
2Therefore he who resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.
3For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of him who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval,
4for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain; he is the servant of God to execute his wrath on the wrongdoer.
5Therefore one must be subject, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience.
6For the same reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing.
7Pay all of them their dues, taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.(Rom. 13:1-7)

Jesus also preached cooperation with the Romans.

21."Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." (Matt. 22:21)

On many occasions Paul claimed that his authority came by grace from God. Just so there is no confusion here, he treats Jesus as a separate deity from God the Father.

9For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
10But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God which is with me. (1 Cor. 15:9-10)

15But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God
16to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. (Rom. 15:15-16)

Meanwhile, Jesus said all authority has been given to him. So we would think that Paul would say he preached on authority from Jesus.

18."All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. (Matt. 28:18)

Instead he disavows any prior knowledge of Jesus until the mystery was disclosed to him through the prophetic writings. By "prophetic writings" he was referring to Hebrew Scripture. The Gospels weren't written in his time.

25Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret for long ages
26but is now disclosed and through the prophetic writings is made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith (Rom. 16:25)

I don't recommend to Christians that they share Paul's confidence in the prophets. Isaiah, for example, walked around naked and barefoot for three years because he thought God told him to. If that wasn't bad enough, he believed that his actions would force the Egyptians and Ethiopians to do the same.

2at that time the LORD had spoken by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, "Go, and loose the sackcloth from your loins and take off your shoes from your feet," and he had done so, walking naked and barefoot-
3the LORD said, "As my servant Isaiah has walked naked and barefoot for three years as a sign and a portent against Egypt and Ethiopia,
4so shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptians captives and the Ethiopians exiles, both the young and the old, naked and barefoot, with buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt. (Isa. 20:2-4)

Final Thought

When Paul claims his authority came by God's grace, all anyone has is his word for it. There is no reason to suspect he didn't believe himself, but it doesn't matter. In his time, people were not cognizant of the fact that their thoughts were self generated. This is the conceit upon which Christians are placing their faith.

Related Reading

Paul's Confessions of Ignorance

Paul's Mystery


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Antelope Island State Park

Antelope Island State Park is the largest island in the Great Salt Lake . Covering 28,463 acres, the island is 15 miles (24 km) long and 7 miles (11 km) wide at its widest point.

  • Clean beaches.
  • A marina.
  • Hiking.
  • Camping.
  • Mountain biking.
  • Horseback riding.
  • Cross-country skiing.
  • An historic ranch house.
  • A boat launching ramp.
  • Modern restrooms.
  • Hot showers.
  • And unlimited photographic opportunities.

Wildlife viewing opportunities abound in Antelope Island State Park Utah with a herd of 600 bison, deer, coyotes and antelope. The many backcountry trails provide fantastic opportunities for wildlife sightings.

And the Great Salt Lake is right in the middle of some of the best bird watching habitat anywhere. The visitor center gives a little more background information on this island park's unique biology, geology and history.

How Do You Get Here?

From Salt Lake City, you head north on I-15 to the city of Syracuse. After driving approximately 30 miles (48 km), head west on U-127. Exit 335 -Syracuse/Freeport Center. Just follow the signs to the Davis County Causeway.

The Davis County Causeway

The causeway is a 7.5 mile (12 km) long earthen dike and paved road leading from the mainland to Antelope Island State Park. A scenic drive on its own.

The original causeway, constructed in 1969 by the State of Utah, was washed out frequently by heavy wave action in the early 70's. It was raised slightly and reopened each time. By 1985, the yearly rise of the lake made it a hopeless cause. It remained completely under water for several years.

As the lake receded in the late 80's, the causeway reemerged. But in poor condition. It was rebuilt in 1993 for a total cost of $5 million. A $2 charge is included in your entrance fee to Antelope Island State Park to help cover ongoing maintenance costs.

Some Facts About Antelope Island

  • Antelope Island State Park covers 28,463 acres.
  • Average elevation is 4,200 feet. The highest peak - Frary Peak – reaches 6,596 feet.
  • The park is open year-round.
  • The stay limit is 14 days.
  • There are 75 total units.
  • 64 RV trailer sites.
  • 13 tent sites.
  • The maximum RV length is 35 feet.
  • The camping fee is $11.
  • Group camping is $1 per person.
  • Advanced reservations are required.
  • The day use fee is $8.
  • Facilities include drinking water, modern restrooms, showers, vault toilets and waste disposal.

Camping On Antelope Island

Reservations for camping are required. Call Utah State Parks and Recreation at 801-322-3770 if you’re in the in the Salt Lake City calling area. Or call toll-free 1-800-322-3770 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

You can make individual campsite reservations from three days to 16 weeks in advance. A $6.25 non-refundable reservation fee is charged for each site reserved. A $10.25 non-refundable fee is charged for group sites and building rentals.

An additional reservation fee will be charged for any changes to existing reservations. Visa, MasterCard and personal checks are accepted. A $5 fee is charged for an extra vehicle.

Antelope Island Bison

One of the most intriguing features of Antelope Island State Park is the variety of wildlife. Despite its name, the island’s best known inhabitants are the hundreds of bison roaming the island.

The herd varies from 550 to as many as 700. Not only is it one of the largest publicly owned bison herds in the country, it’s one of the oldest.

Some estimates put the population of bison roaming North America prior to European settlement at 50 to 60 million. But by the 1890s, they had been “hunted” to near-extinction. Not hunted really. Exterminated. As few as 800 remained!

Without quick and massive efforts by conservationists to save the species, they would have very quickly become extinct. Two Utahns, William Glassman and John Dooly, brought bison to Antelope Island in 1893.

Today, the bison herd is managed to maintain a population of 550. New calves born each March through May swell the population to more than 700.

If the herd was allowed to exceed this number, the island’s grasslands would soon be overgrazed. This fine balance is maintained through vigilant management. The large herd flourishes while providing a suitable habitat for other wildlife species.

The annual bison roundup at Antelope Island State Park Utah takes place at the end of October. It’s one of the great fall spectacles in northern Utah. A team of horsemen and helicopters drive the bison to corrals on the island’s north end. There they are vaccinated and given a general health evaluation.

Excess bison are sold at auction. A few are designated for the annual bison hunt in December. The Division of Wildlife Resources oversees this hunt.

Other Wildlife

You’ll find several other species of mammals on the island which is Antelope Island State Park.

  • mule deer
  • pronghorn antelope
  • bighorn sheep
  • coyotes
  • bobcats
  • badgers
  • jackrabbits
  • porcupines

The Great Salt Lake’s shoreline marshes provide some of the best bird watching habitat in the state. In fact, it’s right in the path of one of the most important flyways for migrating birds in North America.

The nearby Bear River Bird Refuge and the state’s Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area are unparalleled. Prodigious numbers and varieties of migratory birds make their home here.

Antelope Island State Park attracts a diverse mix of migrating and nesting birds. Along the shoreline of the island, you’ll see avocets, black-necked stilts, willets and sanderlings.

The island grasslands provide habitat for long-billed curlews, burrowing owls and chuckars. The Great Salt Lake attracts incredible numbers of eared grebes, Wilson's phalaropes and California gulls - the state bird.

Huge numbers of brine shrimp and brine flies living in or near the lake serve as a rich food source for these birds.

It’s a unique mix of wildlife. Unlike few places in the world.

Why Is It Named Antelope Island?

John C. Fremont and Kit Carson were the first white men to explore the island. It was 1845. After shooting two antelope, Fremont gratefully named the island after the animal providing them meat.

But by the 1930's, there were no antelope left on Antelope Island. In 1993, a joint effort between two Utah state entities - the Division of Wildlife Resources and the State Parks and Recreation Division – reintroduced 24 pronghorn antelope to the island.

Within two years, the population had nearly doubled. Natural predators - coyotes, bobcats, and eagles – are expected to control the pronghorn population

The Fielding Garr Ranch

In 1848, a man name Fielding Garr began building a ranch house on Antelope Island. He realized how fantastic a livestock range the island could be. Being a talented mason, he used materials found on the island to form adobe bricks to build the house.

This house stands today and is a link to that era. It is the oldest continually inhabited Anglo-built home in the state of Utah. From 1848 until the island became a state park in 1981. It is also the oldest Anglo-built house in Utah still resting on its original foundation.

The Fielding Garr Ranch is a wonderful gem of history. You can visit on most weekends between March and October. Check with the park for dates.

In 1969, the state bought the northern-most 2,000 acres with an eye on its future recreation potential. It bought most of the rest of the island in 1981 thus allowing it to be preserved as a state park - Antelope Island State Park. It is now available for all visitors to enjoy.

Antelope Island Trails

Antelope Island has a number of trails both mountain bikers and hikers will enjoy. Trail riders of all levels – from beginner to expert – will find a challenge here.

Most of these trails afford stunning views of the Great Salt Lake. And the mainland. These trails provide riders and hikers numerous opportunities to view the island's wildlife.

You can pretty much enjoy hiking and biking the Antelope Island trails year-round. Early spring and fall are the best. This helps you avoid the extreme heat of summer and the cold of winter.

Where else in the world can you explore trails allowing you to:

  • enjoy stunning views of a beautiful turquoise inland lake.
  • savor the smell of salty ocean-like air.
  • see thousands and thousands of waterfowl take flight over the mud flats below.
  • spot bison and antelope roaming nearby.
  • rejoice in the magnificent views of the Wasatch Mountains and a metropolitan city in the distance.

And all in the same place!

Antelope Island State Park rewards visitors with close to 20 miles (32 km) of trails suitable for hiking, biking and horseback riding. Even better, new and challenging trails are being continually added.

Guidelines set up by Utah State Parks and Recreation are designed to protect the unique mix of wildlife and resources on the island while still allowing trail access. Help protect this environment by heeding these guidelines.

There is even a volunteer trail patrol. To help keep the trails a little safer as well as to ensure the guidelines are being followed. This helps preserve these trails and the island’s ecology for future users.

Antelope Island State Park Hours

  • May through September: 7 a.m. - 10 p.m.
  • November through February: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
  • March: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
  • April: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
  • October: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Visitor Center and Fielding Garr Ranch Hours:

  • September 15 to April 14: 9a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • April 15 to September 14: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
  • Day visits cost $9/$3 for cyclists and pedestrians.
  • Camping costs $13.

Antelope Island State Park is closed for Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

         Maps of Antelope Island, the Campgrounds, and the Hiking Trails

Do You Have A Story To Tell
About Antelope Island State Park?

How about an upcoming event to tell us about?

Tell us your story and show some of your photos of Antelope Island and give others the chance to experience it.

People with whom you share your story get a lot of joy out of it. And it also adds to their knowledge of the outdoors. Show YOUR KNOWLEDGE and share your experience to friends who share your passion!

But the difference here is that:

  • your story or upcoming event will be placed on a separate webpage on our website.
  • sharing your story or event is FREE.
  • it’s as easy to do as typing it in.
  • it will be available to you and visitors to this site for years to come!

Have Something You Want To Tell Us About Antelope Island State Park?
A Story? An Event?

Do you have a great story about Antelope Island? Are there upcoming events on Antelope Island you want to tell people about? Share this info! Each entry will be visible as a link below and have its own web page.

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What Other Visitors Have Said

Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...

Antelope Island Bison Not rated yet
The 24th annual Bison Roundup on Antelope Island was held on Friday October 29th. The state of Utah uses this roundup to keep the herd at right around …

Antelope Island Programs for July - COME PLAY! Not rated yet
July 3. Join us for a hike to Beacon Knob to see the fantastic firework displays of Salt Lake. Hike begins at 8:30 pm – and is 2.2 miles one way. …

June Events Antelope Island Not rated yet
Sunset Hike @ Buffalo Point . June 5. Join park naturalist for a guided hike up our .4 mile trail to the top of Buffalo Point. We will gather and …

May Events on Antelope Island! Not rated yet
Junior Ranger Program – Life in the Brine . May 8th Join park naturalist for a look at those little pink critters who call Great Salt Lake home. …

April Events @ Antelope Island State Park Not rated yet
Here's what's going on this month out at Antelope Island! For more information please contact park naturalist at 801-721-9569 or …

Lakeside Hike REVISION - White Rock Bay trailhead not Bridger. Not rated yet
The Lakeside Trail hike will be meeting at White Rock Bay trailhead. NOT Bridger Bay. Thank you!

Hogle Zoo at Antelope Island - Raptors!
February 27
 Not rated yet
Join our special guest Hogle Zoo as they introduce us to a few high-flying friends. Get to know - up close and personal - the birds of prey that live here …

Junior Ranger Program - Survival Skills
February 20
 Not rated yet
Come and learn: how to make a fire without matches. what to do if you get lost. how to find water. And what to put in a survival kit. These …

Winter Hike - Lakeside Trail
February 6
 Not rated yet
Join Antelope Island State Park naturalist for a guided winter hike around the Lakeside trail for some spectacular snowy views of the Island. We'll …

Tracy Aviary comes to Antelope Island - Tracking! Not rated yet
Join our special guest Tracy Aviary for an in-depth look at animal tracks on Saturday January 30! There will be a presentation of tracking photos, …

Hogle Zoo at Antelope Island - Wetlands! Not rated yet
Join our special guest HOGLE ZOO as they bring some amazing wetland animals to Antelope Island on Saturday January 16 . Learn why wetlands are so important …

Snowy Wonders Junior Ranger Program Not rated yet
On Saturday January 9 , join Park Naturalist for a junior ranger program all about Snow! Learn why snow is white, how it's made, take a look at crystals …

Click here to write your own.

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Master of Science in Computer Science

The MS in Computer Science degree program offers intensive preparation in design programming, theory and applications. Training is provided for both academically oriented students and students with professional goals in the many business, industrial and governmental occupations requiring advanced knowledge of computing theory and technology.

Courses and research opportunities are offered in a variety of subfields of computer science, including operating systems, computer architecture, computer graphics, pattern recognition, automata theory, combinatorics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, virtual reality, database design, computer networks, programming languages, software systems, analysis of algorithms, computational complexity, parallel processing, VLSI, computational geometry and computer vision.

A comprehensive program of evening courses is offered, providing both part-time and full-time students with a convenient means to either earn a master’s degree or to select individual courses of interest.

The University maintains a large network of computer facilities including specialized computers for research within the program. In addition to computer science faculty, many other individuals at the University are involved in computer-related work in the physical and social sciences and in various areas of business and management. Computer science students with an interest in these important application areas may have opportunities to consult and work with talented faculty from a wide range of disciplines.

Program Information

School: Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science

Program: Computer Science

Catalog page: MSCS

MSCS in Computer Science Fact Sheet

MSCS in Computer Science Fact Sheet

Application Requirements

Degree requirements: Bachelor's degree which includes 2 semesters of calculus and 1 semester of linear algebra and a strong foundation in programming.

GPA: A GPA (grade point average) of at least 3.0 (last 60 semester credit hours). GPA in quantitative courses of at least 3.3.

Test score required: Yes

GRE revised scores of 308, 153, 155, and 4 for the combined, verbal, quantitative, and analytical writing components, respectively, are advisable based on our experience with student success in the program.

Deadlines: University deadlines apply.

Other application requirements:

Applicants are admitted on a competitive basis.

[email protected]

For Advising:
Shyam Karrah (for Master's students)
800 W. Campbell Rd. EC31
Richardson, TX 75080-3021
Office - ECSS 3.907

Possible Careers

Graduates of the program seek positions such as Software Engineer, Software Developer, Data Scientist, Programmer Analyst, Computer Systems Analyst, Database Administrator and Network Systems and Data Communication Analyst.

Salary Information

See Bureau of Labor Statistics for detailed salary information on these careers. Another great resource is the Occupational Outlook Handbook.

The University of Texas at Dallas | Office of Admission and Enrollment 1-972-883-2270
Student Services Bldg | 800 W. Campbell Rd, Richardson, TX 75080-3021 1-800-889-2443


text:
December 16, 2018

December 16, 2018

UT Dallas Team's Microscopic Solution May Save Researchers Big Time

UT Dallas researchers say they have solved a long-standing problem plaguing the scanning tunneling microscope, paving the way for atomically precise manufacturing. If you don't see the video, watch it on Vimeo.

A University of Texas at Dallas graduate student, his advisor and industry collaborators believe they have addressed a long-standing problem troubling scientists and engineers for more than 35 years: How to prevent the tip of a scanning tunneling microscope from crashing into the surface of a material during imaging or lithography.

Details of the group’s solution appeared in the January issue of the journal Review of Scientific Instruments, which is published by the American Institute of Physics.

Scanning tunneling microscopes (STMs) operate in an ultra-high vacuum, bringing a fine-tipped probe with a single atom at its apex very close to the surface of a sample. When voltage is applied to the surface, electrons can jump or tunnel across the gap between the tip and sample.

Farid Tajaddodianfar

Farid Tajaddodianfar

“Think of it as a needle that is very sharp, atomically sharp,” said Farid Tajaddodianfar, a mechanical engineering graduate student in the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science. “The microscope is like a robotic arm, able to reach atoms on the sample surface and manipulate them.”

The problem is, sometimes the tungsten tip crashes into the sample. If it physically touches the sample surface, it may inadvertently rearrange the atoms or create a “crater,” which could damage the sample. Such a “tip crash” often forces operators to replace the tip many times, forfeiting valuable time.

Dr. John Randall is an adjunct professor at UT Dallas and president of Zyvex Labs, a Richardson, Texas-based nanotechnology company specializing in developing tools and products that fabricate structures atom by atom. Zyvex reached out to Dr. Reza Moheimani, a professor of mechanical engineering, to help address STMs’ tip crash problem. Moheimani’s endowed chair was a gift from Zyvex founder James Von Ehr MS'81, who was honored as a distinguished UTD alumnus in 2004.

“What they’re trying to do is help bring atomically precise manufacturing into reality,” said Randall, who co-authored the article with Tajaddodianfar, Moheimani and Zyvex Labs’ James Owen. “This is considered the future of nanotechnology, and it is extremely important work.”

What they’re trying to do is help bring atomically precise manufacturing into reality. ... This is considered the future of nanotechnology, and it is extremely important work.

Dr. John Randall,
adjunct professor at UT Dallas and president of Zyvex Labs

Randall said such precise manufacturing will lead to a host of innovations.

“By building structures atom by atom, you’re able to create new, extraordinary materials,” said Randall, who is co-chair of the Jonsson School's Industry Engagement Committee. “We can remove impurities and make materials stronger and more heat resistant. We can build quantum computers. It could radically lower costs and expand capabilities in medicine and other areas. For example, if we can better understand DNA at an atomic and molecular level, that will help us fine-tune and tailor health care according to patients’ needs. The possibilities are endless.”

In addition, Moheimani, a control engineer and expert in nanotechnology, said scientists are attempting to build transistors and quantum computers from a single atom using this technology.

“There’s an international race to build machines, devices and 3-D equipment from the atom up," said Moheimani, the James Von Ehr Distinguished Chair in Science and Technology.

‘It’s a Big, Big Problem’

Randall said Zyvex Labs has spent a lot of time and money trying to understand what happens to the tips when they crash.

“It’s a big, big problem,” Randall said. “If you can’t protect the tip, you’re not going to build anything. You’re wasting your time.”

Tajaddodianfar and Moheimani said the issue is the controller.

“There’s a feedback controller in the STM that measures the current and moves the needle up and down,” Moheimani said. “You’re moving from one atom to another, across an uneven surface. It is not flat. Because of that, the distance between the sample and tip changes, as does the current between them. While the controller tries to move the tip up and down to maintain the current, it does not always respond well, nor does it regulate the tip correctly. The resulting movement of the tip is often unstable.”

It’s the feedback controller that fails to protect the tip from crashing into the surface, Tajaddodianfar said.

“When the electronic properties are variable across the sample surface, the tip is more prone to crash under conventional control systems,” he said. “It’s meant to be really, really sharp. But when the tip crashes into the sample, it breaks, curls backward and flattens.

“Once the tip crashes into the surface, forget it. Everything changes.”

The Solution

According to Randall, Tajaddodianfar took logical steps for creating the solution.

“The brilliance of Tajaddodianfar is that he looked at the problem and understood the physics of the tunneling between the tip and the surface, that there is a small electronic barrier that controls the rate of tunneling,” Randall said. “He figured out a way of measuring that local barrier height and adjusting the gain on the control system that demonstrably keeps the tip out of trouble. Without it, the tip just bumps along, crashing into the surface. Now, it adjusts to the control parameters on the fly.”

Moheimani said the group hopes to change their trajectory when it comes to building new devices.

“That’s the next thing for us. We set out to find the source of this problem, and we did that. And, we’ve come up with a solution. It’s like everything else in science: Time will tell how impactful our work will be,” Moheimani said. “But I think we have solved the big problem.”

Randall said Tajaddodianfar’s algorithm has been integrated with its system’s software but is not yet available to customers. The research was made possible by funding from the Army Research Office and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

Media Contact: Melissa Cutler, UT Dallas, (972) 883-4319, [email protected]
or the Office of Media Relations, UT Dallas, (972) 883-2155, [email protected]

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© The University of Texas at Dallas 800 West Campbell Road, Richardson, Texas 75080 (972) 883-2111


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7:33 Frantastic
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Datum - Titel - Rating Videos with tag frantastic
by Ragnos.UTzone
A new UT2004 Movie was released called Frantastic. As the name suggests it features frags of the dutch player Frantic-. The movie was created by pilman. You can find a reaction from both pilman and Frantic- in the full article. pilman wrote: In a comment on the forums of Unrealnorth I saw Frantic- mentioning that he wants his own fragmovie. I asked him on irc if he found a moviemaker for his project already and he answered my question with "No, not yet!". I proposed to make his fragmovie and he agreed. The making of the fragmovie costed me 2 months, a lot of hours and lots of cigarettes. Frantic- has done an amazing good job, he helped me a lot to find (timestamp) his frags and gave me some great feedback. It was a hard project because Frantic- had a lot of requests. He wanted a...
Stichworte: frantastic, frantic, pilman
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