From: owner-alloy-digest@smoe.org (alloy-digest) To: alloy-digest@smoe.org Subject: alloy-digest V3 #50 Reply-To: alloy@smoe.org Sender: owner-alloy-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-alloy-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk X-To-Unsubscribe: Send mail to "alloy-digest-request@smoe.org" X-To-Unsubscribe: with "unsubscribe" as the body. alloy-digest Monday, February 23 1998 Volume 03 : Number 050 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Alloy: Manchester sand and fallout [bcohen@LPL.Arizona.EDU (Barbara A Coh] Alloy: Tuc-son --- my bad ["Stephen M. Tilson" ] Re: Alloy: Shirt adventures [Paul Baily ] Alloy: Is Paul back? Really really really?? [RThurF@aol.com] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 21 Feb 1998 23:46:05 -0700 From: bcohen@LPL.Arizona.EDU (Barbara A Cohen via crow ) Subject: Alloy: Manchester sand and fallout > > Couldn't the seemingly inevitable war in the mideast become a worldwide > catastrophe, if any weapons-grade bacteria or poison is spread the same way as > the Saharan sand & Chernobyl fallout? Just how virile are these (would they > travel to far away places via fallout, retaining any potency?) Bad enough that > they should even affect those living in nearby towns. Are any of Alloy's > experts able to comment on this? > Well, I'm not really an expert on this, but when did that ever stop a good comment?? The stratosphere is the atmospheheric level where the jet stream runs. It starts roughly 5 miles up from the surface (about the height of Mt. Everest). Particulate matter that gets blown up that high gets entrained and distributed, often far from its origin. Volcanoes do this all the time--remember Mt. Pinatubo? Its dust got up there and formed a global band. Large impacts do the same thing. Now, the settling time for a particle out of the stratosphere is a strong function of size. Smallish sand-sized particles might just go up and come down on a nearly ballistic trajectory. I hadn't heard of this particular sandstorm, but that makes me suspect that it didn't get as far as the U.S. because of the particle size (if you can see it as particulate, that's "sand-sized" to a geologist).. Dust, like volcanic dust, or some of the fine impact dust (or nuclear winter type dust) takes a butt-long time to settle out. Pinatubo's dust ring took months, and that was a baby volcano compared to some in Earth's history. Dust may also go global, depending on how long it's caught up there in the shifting circulation patterns. In fact, one of the best indicators of the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction event (that killed the dinosaurs) is the global dust layer in rocks of that age. The impact that caused the dust layer was immense, and probably caused a big climatic change because of the dust it generated (among other things). Now, having said that, one can also say that things like poison and radioactivity are much more potent if you get a lot of it at once. We're all getting low-level and constant doses of both as it is anyway. If biological weapons or radioactive dust does get loose, the area immediately around the source is, obviously, the worst off. Chernobyl dust did get disseminated pretty widely, but there have been no reports of obvious correlations with deaths or illnesses beyond a few hundred km radius or so. This is because the dose you get with dust is very low and very gradual. In effect, it's indistinguishable from background radiation or viruses or bacteria or whatever. Please don't think I mean that nobody should be concerned, though. Radioactivity has a scary and sometimes undeserved rep, but biological warfare is actually pretty scary--radiation acts the same for everything in an understandable way, but developing new viruses and bacteria designed specifically to kill people is another matter entirely. Our current best atmospheric models are really really preliminary and there's a lot we still don't understand as well, as is always the case with science, which is why scientists still have jobs. :) p.s. Stephen, I did get my tshirt, thanks much. For future reference: tuc-son. I still wear it proudly though :) *B* Barbara Cohen Cosmochemical Cocktail Mixer, PhD to be ****************************************** Heard about the new restaurant on the Moon? Good food, but no atmosphere! ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 22 Feb 1998 05:02:17 -0500 From: "Stephen M. Tilson" Subject: Alloy: Tuc-son --- my bad Uhhhh, Beth wrote: > Stephen, I did get my tshirt, thanks much. For future reference: > tuc-son. I still wear it proudly though :) I am like, sooo, uhh, like, you know, EMBARASSED! Well, I don't think I'll *ever* misspell Tucson again. Neither will I be able to forget that I learned it at your expense. Geez, /\/\ajorly Sorry ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 22 Feb 1998 02:01:33 -0800 (PST) From: Brian Clayton Subject: Alloy: New Fiorella Terenzi book Dr. Fiorella Terenzi's new book, "Heavenly Knowledge: An Astrophysicist Seeks Wisdom in the Stars," is now out in stores from Avon Books. In it, she "combines reason and emotion to demonstrate how and why we should all have an ecstatic relationship with our universe." I came across one reference to Thomas as she describes performing "N.E.O." and "Quantum Mechanic" at a university auditorium, doing her "striptease" where she goes from prim, lab-coated scientist to silver mini-skirted "diva doc." Hmm, I think I've been going to the wrong universities.... I am sad to report, though, that her web site is STILL woefully out of date...the "What's New" section hasn't been touched in TWO YEARS. With the new book out (which mentions her site) I certainly hope this changes very soon. BC - --- Brian Clayton | This block is | stemish@kumr.lns.com | not valid postage | ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 22 Feb 98 22:58:11 +1000 From: Paul Baily Subject: Re: Alloy: Shirt adventures > > So cool...you could use it as an icepack in an esky! > >Umm, help me out here? What mean you say? Aust. NZ US ___________________________________________________________________ Eskie Chully Bun Uh, dunno. It's an insulated portable case you use to keep stuff. Icepack Icepeck Uh, dunno. It's a fluid filled thing you freeze then use to keep said Eskie and contents cold. Good thing I speak a few languages eh? >Glad you're pleased, Paul. Do post the "headshot" when it comes . . >. I mean when you get your hands on it ... er, nevermind. Jeez Ester, can't take you anywhere. ;-) cheers, Paul - back from the wilderness. [this message powered by, wait for it, "Breathe" by Kylie Minogue] ________________________________________________________________________ Paul Baily paulb@thehub.com.au JustSomeGuy http://www.thehub.com.au/~paulb Brisbane tel: +61-7-3857-8048/+61-411-875-009 Australia Who is Lisa? ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 22 Feb 1998 11:22:33 EST From: RThurF@aol.com Subject: Alloy: Is Paul back? Really really really?? PAUL!! Does this mean you're back with us? I'm so happy!! (if it *doesn't* mean you're back with us, then for heaven's sake don't tell me or you'll crush me to bits) How is your new work going? Has your photo appeared yet in that publication you mentioned? In a message dated 98-02-22 08:08:25 EST, Paul wrote: << Paul - back from the wilderness. [this message powered by, wait for it, "Breathe" by Kylie Minogue] >> odd that you should mention her...! Dave and I just bought Nick Cave's "Murder Ballads" and Kylie Minogue is featured in many of the songs. Most of us in the US haven't heard from her musically since the "Locomotion" thing in the '80's (though I used to see her on Neighbours just about every day when I was in England) so I was really impressed by her work on this cd. "Murder Ballads" is an incredible piece of work but it is not, I repeat NOT, for the faint- hearted. Of course, Dave and I can't stop listening to it at all because it's so unbelievably intense - like sitting through all the scariest scenes in your favorite horror flicks! And maybe Paul will answer a related (brief, non-TMDR question) Have you ever been to the American west, Paul? Are parts of Australia anything like it? I ask because Nick Cave's work has the feel of remote, lonely desert towns containing people who've snapped (sounds like America to me!) but Nick is Australian. I assume there must be similarities..? Robin ------------------------------ End of alloy-digest V3 #50 **************************