Climate change, Earthquake hazard reduction, Plate tectonics, and Public Warning

Teton Tectonics

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Teton Tectonics

To read the basis for these conclusions, click here.

Click here to read this magazine and to find other documents concerning earthquake hazard reduction.

Click here to read these papers.

Click here to read the various reports.

1) Low emissions cause cooling and drought.
2) Moderate emissions from a single large volcanic eruption cause cooling for a few years.
3) High emissions from one or more large volcanic eruptions each year cause global warming.
4) Extreme emissions from millions of cubic kilometers of basaltic lava flows cause runaway global warming, extensive acid rain, and mass extinctions.

Global Climate Change

Sulfur dioxide (SO₂ ) emitted by volcanoes and by humans burning fossil fuels appears to control global climate change in four primary ways:

Humans burning fossil fuels are currently emitting SO₂ at a rate equivalent to one large volcanic eruption each year, causing global warming. Reducing SO₂ emissions is probably more important than reducing CO₂ emissions. We have learned many ways to limit SO₂ emissions in order to reduce acid rain.

Earthquake Hazard Reduction

In 1990 I conceived of, wrote, produced, and published a magazine entitled "The Next Big Earthquake May Come Sooner then You Think. Are You Prepared?" A total of 3.3 million copies were distributed in 41 newspapers throughout northwestern California and by request. The magazine was printed in English, Chinese, Spanish, and Braille. This magazine won the Public Affairs Award of the Department of Interior and the highest award of the National Association of Government Communicators.

Plate Tectonics

Tectonics is the study of earth's structural features. I wrote several papers relating the structural features of western North America to the motion of ocean plates in the northeast Pacific. These papers provide new insight into the origin and structure of major silicic volcanic provinces whose roots form the granite batholiths such as those seen today in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. The papers provide insight into how subduction zones go through cycles, the origin of hot spots, and the origin of the California Central Valley.

Public Warning

People at risk from natural or terrorist hazards can take appropriate action saving lives and property when they are warned in a timely manner. Numerous technologies exist to reach only the people at risk no matter where they are or what they are doing. What is missing is coordination by the federal government fostering national and international standards. From 1997 to 2005, I led several groups exploring the problems and needs of such a system. It could have easily been implemented after 9/11 but was not.