8.9 quake in Sumatra...

[ZokesPro]

So many casualties... so sad.

8.9 (or 9)... I've been in a 4.2 earthquake and I thought THAT was scary, just can't grasp the concept of a 8.9 one. Nature can giveth, nature can take away.

[Dr Mordrid]

Yes, I'm really old....or at least I've felt like it since Christmas

That population is based on recent studies of human mitochondrial DNA (passed only by the mother). Mitochondrial DNA is found not in the cells nucleus but in small bodies outside the nucleus called mitochondria.

The mutation rates are pretty constant for mDNA, so if you take worldwide samples then apply them to reverse calculations you can determine many things including the diversity of the mDNA gene pool and population at a given time.

In this case human mDNA shows a diversity bottleneck shortly after the last eruption of Toba. These changes correspond to to a human population of <5000 (some studies say ~2,000 and others <10,000). At any rate we alomst didn't survive.

Before this time the calculations show a relatively large population with many mDNA lines, but after the Toba event human population goes down to a few thousand individuals with just a few mDNA lines before going into a rapid expansion that continues to the current day (with a blip or two along the way).

Since the Toba event corresponds to the bottleneck it's presumed that the after-effects of its eruption (a volcanic "nuclear winter" lasting as long as 6 years followed by a long-term ice age) were responsible for the drop in human population.

Interesting reading;

http://amonhotep.com/2003/09072003.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/horizon/1999/supervolcanoes_script.shtml

Dr. Mordrid

[agallag]

The toll has now passed 50,000.

[cjolley]

Originally posted by agallag
The toll has now passed 50,000.

I bet it winds up more than double that.
Maybe much more.
Chuck

PS We are all going to die.

[Jon P. Inghram]

If the media persists in calling resurgent calderas "super-volcanos" I think we should also start calling asteroids "super-meteors," mass-murderers and other big-time criminals "super-criminals," tsunamis "super-waves, "and just apply the word "super" to anything that's larger than normal.

[Helevitia]

I am blown away by the enormity of this disaster. Because of the amount of victims involved, it is effecting everyone from the rich and famous, to the poor and ederly. From children to adults, and everyone in between. I just read about Sports Illustrated's 2003 Cover model clinging to a tree for 8 hours with a shattered hip and internal injuries. And of course, Thailand's King's son was killed while we was jet skiing.

Very sad

[cjolley]

Originally posted by Jon P. Inghram
If the media persists in calling resurgent calderas "super-volcanos" ...

It's scientists who started calling them "Super Volcanos"
A meteor whether big or small is just a lump of rock or metal and they are all powered by gravity.
"Super Volcanos" are completely different from any that scientific age humans have ever seen erupt not just in size, but in structure and mechanism.
For example, they are depressions in the ground and not mountains.
Perhaps "Active Caldera" or "Explosive Depression" would be a better name.
But I suspect it's too late for that.
Chuck

[agallag]

59,000.

[Jon P. Inghram]

Off Topic:

---

It's scientists who started calling them "Super Volcanos"

Not according to the USGS, and spending some time searching newsgroups didn't show the word being used before that BBC show.

For example, they are depressions in the ground and not mountains.
Perhaps "Active Caldera" or "Explosive Depression" would be a better name.
But I suspect it's too late for that.

Since the term "resurgent caldera" has been used by the geology community for a long time, perhaps that would be more appropriate than something made up by televison producers?

---

Back on topic, it's rather fascinating that the politicians in the region claimed that disasters like that were too uncommon to justify the cost of a warning system:

Deaths by Regions, 1600-1982:

[Novdid]

Ain't that chart "death by result of volcanic eruptions"?

Cause if I'm not wrong, many many more has died from quakes than that.

[cjolley]

Originally posted by Jon P. Inghram
...
Back on topic, it's rather fascinating that the politicians in the region claimed that disasters like that were too uncommon to justify the cost of a warning system:

But, according to that chart, the last big kill in Indonesia by Tsunami was Krakatau in 1883.

1883 might as well have taken place on Mars when it comes to politicians spending money.

Chuck

PS You may be right about the term "Super Volcano", I will look into it.
I remember talk of huge explosive calderas from Geology class. But that was 30 years ago and I must admit I don't remember what they were called or even if they were given a name other than "huge explosive calderas"

[KeiFront]

Originally posted by Dr Mordrid

In this case human mDNA shows a diversity bottleneck shortly after the last eruption of Toba. These changes correspond to to a human population of <5000 (some studies say ~2,000 and others <10,000). At any rate we alomst didn't survive.

Never heard of that theory only of this one http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitochondrial_Eve.

[KvHagedorn]

The word "supervolcano" is easier for the average dummy to identify with than "resurgent caldera." That's why the term was used.

[agallag]

68,000. Still rising fast.

[Dr Mordrid]

The first order of business is for those who can afford it to contribute to the Red Cross/Red Crescent as soon as possible.

That said this whole thing happened mainly because there is no centralized tsunami/seaquake warning system for the SE Asia and Indian Ocean region.

Here in the US, Japan and in other Pacific rim nations such systems have been in place for some time, but these nations seem to have cared about other things than the safety of their populace.

Some nations of course claim poverty, but IMO this is a lousy excuse since the largest parts of an effective basic system are logistical and educational.

All they really needed to do is;

1. educate people from birth that when an earthquake occurs and/or when coastal waters suddenly recede it's time to head for higher ground at warp speed.

2. provide a central phone number for the US, Japanese and other systems to call when an event occurs and set up a way to widecast the warning on every radio station in their populated coastal regions.

3. set up a few sirens, at least in populated and resort areas, tied to the local government or police

and you have a relatively affordable and most likely an effective system.

Rant on

This kind of basic system could have been set up by the UN if the area nations are really too poor to do it themselves. All that's missing is willpower and foresight. God knows they waste enough money on things of far less immediate importance.

At least this kind of activity would provide some reason for the UN's existance past providing diplomatic cover for the parking tickets and criminal charges collected by reps of its member nations.

Rant off

Dr. Mordrid