20100118 科學家：強震可能再襲印尼外海引發巨大海嘯

clipped from hk.news.yahoo.com （法新社巴黎17日電） 地震專家團隊今天指出，將會引發巨大海嘯的強烈地震，可能會侵襲印尼蘇門答臘島（Sumatra）外海，以及巴東市（Padang），足以造成與2004年南亞大海嘯相匹敵的慘重傷亡。 專家團隊致函英國「自然地球科學」（NatureGeoscience）期刊，並於信中提出警告。該團隊由著名科學家麥克羅斯基（John McCloskey）領軍；他曾精準預測2005年蘇門答臘島地震，令人深感驚奇。 研究人員指出，這項威脅的成因是過去200年來，巽他海溝（Sunda Trench）其中一段的壓力不斷增加。巽他海溝與蘇門答臘島西部海岸平行，是全球最著名的地震帶之一。 研究人員在信函中不諱言指出，孟塔維區段（Mentawai patch）「已接近臨界點」。此區段是以印尼孟塔維群島（Mentawai Islands）為名。 「孟塔維區段可能會發生規模超過8.5的強烈地震，並引起巨大海嘯…此威脅不曾減弱，2004年南亞大海嘯的恐怖記憶，很可能會重演。」 研究人員於信中指出：「大海嘯發生的威脅很明顯，政府必須盡速採取行動，防患於未然。」 2005年3月，麥克羅斯基曾警告指出，2004年12月26日發生的強震，在斷層帶南方相鄰的地殼上形成一股龐大壓力。麥克羅斯基斷言，該地區即將發生規模8.5強震，且將引發海嘯，並敦促有關當局應做好萬全準備。 地震科學研究上，這類預測相單罕見。雖然地震學家能夠預測地震可能發生區域，但究竟何時會發生，誰也說不準。 雖然去年地震規模很大，卻未能減緩孟塔維區段承受的擠壓，尤其是位於蘇門答臘西伯路特島（SiberutIsland）下方的部分。該處於1797年發生規模8.7強震，造成長達10公尺的斷層滑動，並引發海嘯，淹沒巴東以及鄰近區域。自此之後，板塊壓力不斷累積。 麥克羅斯基的團隊指出，2009年地震發生後，西伯路特島下方的「大型逆衝區（mega-thrust）應變能（strain-energy）大體來說維持不變。」西伯路特島是孟塔維群島（Mentawai Islands）中最大島。 「在國際社會和非政府組織的協助下，印尼當局的當務之急是要盡快完成救援工作，在強震後進行防震重建工程，並和巴東地區民眾合作，協助居民為下一次強震做好準備。」（譯者：中央社蔡函岑）

20100118 啟德打造全港最綠屋邨 三成面積園林 樹蔭購物大道

clipped from hk.apple.nextmedia.com 房署副署長馮宜萱表示，啟德公屋計劃是全港歷來最大規模的綠化屋邨項目。 【本報訊】房屋署打造啟德發展區內的公屋項目，成為全港最綠及最環保屋邨。座落於啟德的 15幢公屋會以「綠茵家居」為主題，逾９公頃屋邨範圍內會有逾三成面積，包括大廈天台、牆身及空地，是種滿花草樹木的綠化地區。邨內又設有一條媲美尖沙嘴栢麗大道的綠化購物大道，邨民可在樹蔭下邊散步邊購物。 記者：馮永堅 啟德公屋設中央公園，綠化面積逾 2.7公頃。 房署提供設計圖片 綠化環境令空氣更清新，若引入更多凉風及太陽光，屋邨住客就會恍如置身大自然一樣。馮宜萱說，設計整體規劃佈局時特別加入微氣候研究，採取最有利的自然通風和採光的大廈佈局。房署特別在邨內設立多道「翼牆」，以便引入更多自然風入邨。此外，房署又研究過公屋地盤的日照時間，令樓宇不會阻擋太陽光，「好似喺唔曬嘅地方就會整兒童遊樂場，等啲小朋友唔會曬親。」 好的居住環境總要有一個好商場，方便居民購物。為配合環保，房署放棄採用樓高數層的商場，仿效尖沙嘴栢麗大道街舖形式，在兩個屋邨之間一段長 450米的「 L3」路，打造成一條有逾百間商舖的購物大道。馮宜萱說，街舖商場遠較整幢商場環保，可以節省大量冷氣及燈光等用電。購物大道兩旁也會大量栽種綠色植物，及一道結合垂直綠化的弧形外牆，宣揚綠色訊息。 綠化的購物大道，邨民可邊散步邊購物。 房署提供設計圖片 非住宅部份採用了新穎的環保物料。房署會在其中一個邨內的停車場及一些低層建築物採用「 i-Crete」技術，馮宜萱指這是一項石屎監控系統，可以用較少水泥便可調出與普通混凝土一樣堅硬的「優質混凝土」，從而減少生產混凝土時的二氧化碳。不過，有關監控技術屬仍要經反覆測試，效果良好才應用於建樓。

20100118 TIME Cartoon_Climate Change

clipped from http://www.time.com/time/video/player/0,,56037363001_1947068,00.html Climatoon: An Animated Climate Change Chat Starting in Copenhagen, Journalist Jesse Hardman and illustrator Arthur Jones take a trip around the globe to explore climate change RELATED Part I: Conversations and Climate Change Part II: The Climate Change Tour Continues Part III: Sinking Islands and Copenhagen

20100118 Top 10 Deadliest Earthquakes

clipped from www.time.com A 7.0-magnitude earthquake hit the capital of Haiti Jan. 12, and thousands are presumed dead. Here's a look at some of the most unforgiving earthquakes in history Full List Treacherous Tremors 1556: Shaanxi, China 1976: Tangshan, China 2004: Indian Ocean Tsunami 1920: Haiyuan, China 1923: Kanto, Japan 1948: Turkmenistan 2008: Sichuan Province, China 2005: Kashmir, Pakistan 1908: Messina, Italy 1970: Chimbote, Peru

200907210 Made in India: The $12,000 Electric Car

clipped from www.time.com Members of the Indian Youth Climate Network drive Reva, a low-cost electric car, in New Delhi At a time when almost every carmaker in the world is looking at making environmentally friendly vehicles, a little-known Indian company is jumping the queue by ramping up production of a low-cost electric car called the Reva. Reva faces a growing list of potential competitors that plan to launch all-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles over the next several years. The cars haven't exactly taken the world by storm. Reva — which has received venture capital from Draper Fisher Jurveston, the Global Environment Fund and Mellon HBV Master Global Event Drive Fund — has sold only 3,000 cars over the past eight years. Half of those have been exported to Europe, mainly to London. Despite Reva's relatively low cost, consumers may not be convinced, especially in India, that the car can compete against similarly priced gasoline-powered family sedans. "Reva is yet to hit the price-performance equation

20100111 Big-City Buyers Seem Ready for Electric Cars

clipped from www.time.com 2010 could finally be the year of the electric car, with at least two major models — the plug-in hybrid Chevrolet Volt and the all-electric Nissan Leaf a new report by the consulting firm McKinsey finds that in megacities — metropolitan areas with over 10 million people — there might already be enough interest to get electric cars moving off the lots surprisingly fast. Already densely populated and set to grow — 286 million people lived in 19 megacities in 2007, a number expected to rise to 447 million people in 27 megacities by 2025 — megacities are the perfect laboratory for the electric car. There's also a strong need in megacities to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and other air pollutants — megacities already emit roughly 10% of global CO2 emissions. The McKinsey survey found that in New York, Paris and Shanghai many drivers report that they would be willing to buy electrics even in the face of range limitations and other inconveniences

20100114 諾貝爾氣候專家﹕港50年內變乾燥

clipped from hk.news.yahoo.com 美國國家海洋和大氣管理局地球物理流體動力學實驗室氣候診斷項目首席科學家劉雅章，昨日重回母校中大主持講座，他呼籲年輕人要忠於「內心呼喚」，努力埋首於自己喜愛的科目。（朱永倫攝） 【明報專訊】近日全球處處出現暴風雪，加上日前有科學家聲言地球再現「迷你冰河期」，聽來已令人冷得抖震，但全球變暖報告執筆人之一、與美國前副總統戈爾一起獲頒諾貝爾和平獎的劉雅章則認為有關說法誇張，形容二、三十年的氣溫變化不足以抵消全球暖化的影響。他的研究預料未來50年，全球氣候會出現異常變化，南北地區的濕度可能出現逆轉，包括香港華南沿岸地區的濕度可能因而變得較北部低，即香港會愈來愈乾燥。 在美國國家海洋和大氣管理局地球物理流體動力學實驗室研究逾30年的氣候診斷項目首席科學家劉雅章，昨日在中大主持講座。根據實驗室的研究，假設人類活動持續及受氣候變化影響，全球氣候在未來50年將出現劇變，其中現時濕度較高的南部和西部，與較乾燥的北部和東北部的濕度會出現逆轉， 在2040年至2070年，華南地區包括香港會出現較乾燥的氣候。 「預測未來50年南部會出現一個很強的高壓中心，中心的範圍觸及沿海地區，令濕的空氣難以進入，雨水屆時會北移，令南部少雨，北部反而多雨」，他又指出，全球的颱風和雨水將於未來50年增加，地面溫度最大變化將出現於西伯利亞，其溫度會較1970至2000年上升逾3.5℃。他解釋，西伯利亞如其他較鄰近雪地的地區，本身因雪的反射而不易吸熱，但當雪地融化，地面會較易吸熱，其溫度變化會較遠離雪地的地區明顯，「但預測有多準確要視乎人口變化、發展速度、各國有否減排政策等」。 對於日前有氣候專家指全球將於未來20年至30年經歷「迷你冰河期」，劉形容「冰河期」的用詞誇張，「一般指是幾萬甚至十幾萬年的現象，二、三十年的氣溫變化怎能稱為冰河期？」。他指出，全球暖化是100年的現象，相信數十年的氣溫變化不足以抵消其影響，科學家仍認為全球溫度的增幅於本世紀內不可超出2℃。對於去年底哥本哈根氣候峰會無具體減排目標，「不會失望，起碼我們的研究結果開始獲得部分國家重視……科學家已做了應做的事」。

20100114 劉雅章籲年輕人忠於「內心呼喚」

clipped from hk.news.yahoo.com 【明報專訊】2007年參與撰寫全球氣候變化報告而獲頒諾貝爾和平獎的劉雅章，於1974年中文大學畢業後，決心投身當時較「冷門」的氣象學。原來令劉雅章對氣象感興趣的，也是天氣劇變，43年前還是中三生的他，在地理課堂上看了人生首幅天氣圖，圖上顯示香港錄得4.6℃的低溫…… 1967年，劉雅章從地理科老師手上首次認識天氣圖，該幅1月16日天氣圖上的符號、箭嘴、顯示風向的彎線等，都十分新奇，至中四的暑假，他讀到人生第二張天氣圖─1968年8月21日香港遇上颱風雪麗，「那是香港這麼多年來，少有正面吹襲香港的颱風」。 從此，劉雅章愛上氣象，天氣圖是他於「內心的呼喚」（inner voice），「一個老師展示的一幅天氣圖，或是恒常工作的舉動，老師或許不知道，這對我有多大的影響」，他呼籲年輕人不要輕易放過內心的啟發，要忠於「內心的呼喚」，鼓起勇氣埋首於自己喜愛科目。

20100114 Oil imports hit alarming level in China: Study

clipped from www.chinadaily.com.cn China's crude oil dependency reached alarming levels last year with more than half of the country's total oil consumption coming from abroad, latest official statistics show. Imported crude oil accounted for 52 percent of the country's total oil consumption last year Importing more than 50 percent is a globally recognized energy security alert level. Due to the country's fast economic development, increased oil imports will continue for a long time and stepping up the exploration and development of natural gas as substitute energy is very urgent China has acted only as the buyer not the seller and the surging oil price means constantly losing money. An effective way to avoid China's oil dependency is to change the domestic energy consumption pattern and to encourage the development and use of electric vehicles, because about 60 percent of the oil consumption is for vehicles we should pay more attention to how to increase the efficiency of energy consumption

20100114 Tens of thousands feared dead after Haiti quake

clipped from www.chinadaily.com.cn Resident search for survivors among the debris after an earthquake in Port-au-Prince on January 13, 2010. [Agencies] Haiti seems especially prone to catastrophe — from natural disasters like hurricanes, storms, floods and mudslides to crushing poverty, unstable governments, poor building standards and low literacy rates. People streamed into the Haitian countryside, where wooden and cinderblock shacks showed little sign of damage. Many balanced suitcases and other belongings on their heads. Ambulances and UN trucks raced in the opposite direction, toward Port-au-Prince. The first cargo planes with food, water, medical supplies, shelter and sniffer dogs headed to the Western Hemisphere's poorest nation a day after the magnitude-7 quake flattened much of the capital of 2 million people. Preval said thousands of people were probably killed. Leading Sen. Youri Latortue told The Associated Press that 500,000 could be dead, but conceded that nobody really knows.

20100114 專家多年前發預警 位處兩斷層交界

clipped from hk.news.yahoo.com 【明報專訊】海地位處環太平洋地震帶，過往亦曾經發生多宗嚴重地震。專家相信，今次地震由加勒比海板塊與北美板塊磨擦碰撞造成，由於震源淺且震央離人口稠密地區極近，故造成嚴重破壞。 專家解釋，今次地震發生的斷層與美國加州的聖安德列斯（San Andreas）斷層構造十分相似，兩者均屬走向滑移斷層（Strike-slip faults），即撞擊的板塊沿著水平方向來回移動。當兩塊板塊擠壓時，就產生強大力量，造成地震。 科學家多年前已警告，海地與多明尼加所在的伊斯帕尼奧拉島（Hispaniola，又稱西班牙島）可能發生大地震。2008年3月，5名科學家在第18屆加勒比海地質會議上共同發表文章，指伊斯帕尼奧拉島南面的斷層將引發大型地震災害。 報告其中一名作者曼恩（Paul Mann）說﹕「我們一直關注這斷裂帶，這類地震的麻煩之處是，它們可以在數百年內一直處於『休眠』狀態，很難預測到底何時會爆發。」伊斯帕尼奧拉島附近地區近代最大規模地震發生在1946年，當年一場8.1級地震奪去了1790人性命，令2萬人無家可歸。 法新社/有線新聞網絡/美聯社

20100113 Cold snap linked to global warming

clipped from www.chinadaily.com.cn Weather experts say global warming not only warms the world, it also brings colder extreme weather. Kuang said most regions that are located north of 40 degrees latitude are suffering from the freezing cold this year. Kuang said human activities are concentrated north of the equator, which quickens the global warming process in the northern hemisphere. The heated air, carrying the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, rises and circulates to the southern hemisphere. As the air loses its heat high in the atmosphere, the dense air, loaded with carbon dioxide, sinks and brings cold air from the upper atmosphere with it. "And the cold air causes the south part of the Earth to become colder," Kuang said. When carbon dioxide builds up in the south, the process reverses, with cold air descending on the northern hemisphere.

20100113 Venezuela announces nationwide energy rationing

clipped from www.chinadaily.com.cn Venezuela's government imposed rolling blackouts of up to four hours every other day throughout the country on Tuesday to combat an energy crisis. rationing is necessary to prevent water levels in Guri Dam -- the cornerstone of Venezuela's energy system -- from falling to critical lows and causing a widespread power collapse. Drought has cut the flow of water into the dam, which feeds three hydroelectric plants that supply 73 percent of Venezuela's electricity. water levels at the dam in southeastern Venezuela have dropped drastically as a result of the El Nino weather phenomenon in the Pacific Ocean, saying "it's a global phenomenon and it's affected us in recent months." He noted there has been particularly little rain in southeastern Venezuela, where the watershed that feeds Guri is located. The government recently reduced the hours of electricity supply for shopping centers and required businesses and large residential complexes to cut energy use by 20 percent or face fines.

20100113 Haiti quake aid effort launched

clipped from www.chinadaily.com.cn Help is coming: Aid from outside agencies and countries will be crucial. Many have already stepped up and promised to help. * Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres will be deploying additional staff to help at severely damaged medical facilities. * UNICEF will provide supplies to allow access to adequate sanitation, safe water and basic health care. * The State Department has also set up a help line (888-407-4747) for those seeking information about family and loved ones in Haiti. Due to high call volume, callers may hear a recording. * A 50-member Chinese rescue team is ready to depart for quake-hit Haiti Wednesday. * France is sending 65 clearing specialists, rescue dogs and a team of medical personnel. * The Red Cross has directed $200,000 for immediate assistance.

20100113 Haiti quake updates

clipped from www.chinadaily.com.cn A worker for Action Medeor relief organization packs parcels in emergency health kits in Toenisvorst, western Germany, on Wednesday Jan. 13, 2010, to help the victims of the earthquake in Haiti. The sign reads : 'Haiti Emergency'. [Agencies]  Although information coming out of the Caribbean nation is limited, due to the fact that power and telephone lines were downed in the quake, some news has reached the outside world via cell phones and Twitter accounts. At the time of this writing, officials have released no casualty estimates, but thousands of people are feared dead. Political instability has left the country with few construction standards, and so buildings are simply not made to withstand such a natural disaster. Emergency services are practically nonexistent, forcing survivors to risk their own lives by scrambling over rubble and inside unstable structures.

20100113 Thousands feared dead as major quake strikes Haiti (1)

clipped from www.chinadaily.com.cn President Barack Obama offered prayers for the people of Haiti and said the US stood ready to help. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said the US was offering full assistance — civilian and military — and a national organization of registered nurses called for nurse volunteers to provide care in Haiti. Venezuela's government said it would send a military plane with canned foods, medicine and drinking water and provide 50 rescue workers. Mexico, which suffered an earthquake in 1985 that killed some 10,000 people, planned to send doctors, search and rescue dogs and infrastructure damage experts. "You want to go there, but you just have to wait," she said. "Life is already so fragile in Haiti, and to have this on such a massive scale, it's unimaginable how the country will be able to recover from this."

20100113 Thousands feared dead as major quake strikes Haiti

clipped from www.chinadaily.com.cn People walk along a street lined with buildings, which were destroyed after a major earthquake struck, in Port-au-Prince in this January 12, 2010 video grab. [Agencies] The quake struck at 4:53 pm, centered just 10 miles (15 kilometers) west of Port-au-Prince at a depth of only 5 miles (8 kilometers), the US Geological Survey said. USGS geophysicist Kristin Marano called it the strongest earthquake since 1770 in what is now Haiti. The temblor appeared to have occurred along a strike-slip fault, where one side of a vertical fault slips horizontally past the other, said Tom Jordan, a quake expert at the University of Southern California. Most of Haiti's 9 million people are desperately poor, and after years of political instability the country has no real construction standards. In November 2008, following the collapse of a school in Petionville, the mayor of Port-au-Prince estimated about 60 percent of buildings were shoddily built and unsafe in normal circumstances.

20100113 Thousands feared dead as major quake strikes Haiti

clipped from www.reuters.com A five-story U.N. headquarters building was also brought down by Tuesday's 7.0 magnitude quake, the most powerful to hit Haiti in more than 200 years according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The quake's epicenter was only 10 miles from Port-au-Prince. About 4 million people live in the city and surrounding area. Aftershocks as powerful as 5.9 rattled the city throughout the night and into Wednesday. The poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti is ill-equipped to respond to such a disaster, lacking heavy equipment to move debris and sufficient emergency personnel. "If a building like the palace, which is very solid, collapsed, then the devastation is going to be worse because a lot of the buildings are not up to code around Port-au-Prince," he told ABC's Good Morning America. "They're flimsy little abodes hanging on the sides of hills." Experts said the quake's epicenter was very shallow at a depth of only 6.2 miles, which was likely to have magnified the destruction.