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Chile
Deadly Wildfires Kill 26
Soaring temperatures and dry weather have driven multiple wildfires through central and southern Chile, killing at least 26 people and injuring around 2,000. The European Union’s Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service reported over 1,040 square miles (2,700 sq km) have burned from 280 separate active fires, and more than 1,000 homes have been destroyed. This year’s fires are already the deadliest on record and the second most destructive in terms of area destroyed. More than 6,000 Chilean firefighters continue to battle the blazes with supporting firefighters from Spain, Mexico, and Argentina. Temperatures in Chile’s Central Valley have risen as high as 104°F (40°C), and a forecast of continued high temperatures and dry seasonal “Puelche winds” from the east threatens to further strengthen the fires in the days ahead.
This map depicts smoke from wildfires in central and southern Chile, captured by satellite (left) and a temperature readings across the region (right). Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: New Scientist
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World
Threat of Glacial Lake Flooding
A new study published in the journal, Nature Communications, has found up to 15 million people are at risk of catastrophic levels of flooding from glacial lakes. Released yesterday, the research, led by Newcastle University in England, is the first global attempt to map potential hot spots for glacial lake flooding. The study highlights the presence of people, specifically already vulnerable populations, with more than half of glacial flooding vulnerable populations living in India, Pakistan, China, and Peru. Glacial lake outburst floods are projected to worsen with a warming climate, and the world has already experienced the number and volume of glacial lakes increase by 50% since 1990.
This map depicts the world distribution of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) that are expected to impact 15 million people globally. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: Nature.com
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United States
Dinosaur Killer Simulated
Researchers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released new findings from a simulation of the asteroid impact believed to have driven the extinction of dinosaurs from Earth around 66 million years ago. The accompanying video simulation illustrates the impact of the tsunami waves produced when the asteroid struck the Yucatan peninsula, ranging from ten minutes after impact to 48 hours. The initial wave produced may have reached as high as 2.8 miles (4.5 km). As the North American and South American continents had not yet been connected by what is now Central America, the tsunami waves would have rushed into both the Atlantic and the Pacific basins after pushing out from the Gulf of Mexico and through the Caribbean. Geological data collected from more than 100 sites around the world have offered evidence to confirm the accuracy of the model.
This map depicts the newly-produced simulation from NOAA, showing impacts of the asteroid that struck the Yucatan peninsula and killed off the dinosaurs. Click on the map to learn more.
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Q: What lake, the deepest in the world, holds one-fifth of Earth’s fresh water?
A: Lake Baikal, Russia
Nicknamed the “Pearl of Siberia,” and known for its crystal clear waters, Lake Baikal is the deepest and oldest lake in the world, estimated to be 25 – 30 million years old. The bottom of the lake is 3,893 ft (1,187 m) below sea level, surrounded by mountains that rise over 6,600 ft (2,000 m) above the lake’s surface. Located in southeast Siberia near the Russian-Mongolian border, Lake Baikal holds over 5,600 cubic miles (23,300 cubic km) of water, making it the world’s largest fresh water lake by volume, holding more water than all the North American Great Lakes combined. The deep fresh water lake is surrounded by mountains, including the Baikal Mountains, the Barguzin Range, and the Primorsky Range, and lies in a rift valley where Earth’s crust is slowly being pulled apart 2 centimeters per year. Lake Baikal is home to over 2,000 plant and animal species, of which two-thirds are found no where else in the world, including the lake’s native seal species, the Baikal seal or “nerpa.” Similar to the Caspian seal, the Baikal seal is related to the Arctic ringed seal and is the only freshwater seal species in the world.
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Cape Horn, Chile and Cape Agulhas, South Africa are the southern most points of the South American and African continents, respectively. Which one lies furthest south?
Stay tuned for the answer to today’s question in tomorrow’s DailyGeo.
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