Biggest Volcanic Eruption in History

It all depends on what you mean by â€Å"history.† While Homo sapiens have been able to accurately record scientific information for only a short amount of time, we do have the ability to estimate the size and explosive strength of historic and prehistoric volcanoes. In an attempt to answer the question, we’ll take a look at the largest eruptions in recorded, human and geologic history.   Mt. Tambora eruption (1815), Indonesia The biggest eruption since the rise of modern science would undoubtedly be  Tambora. After showing signs of life in 1812, the volcano erupted with such force in 1815 that its 13,000-plus feet peak was reduced to around 9,350 ft. By comparison, the eruption produced more than 150 times the amount of volcanic material than the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens. It registered as a 7 on the Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) scale Unfortunately, it was responsible for the biggest loss of life from volcanic eruption in human history, as ~10,000 people died directly from volcanic activity and more than 50,000 others died from post-eruption starvation and disease. This eruption was also responsible for a volcanic winter that lowered temperatures worldwide. Mount Toba eruption (74,000 years ago), Sumatra The really huge ones were long before written history. The largest since the rise of modern humans,  Homo sapiens, was the great eruption of Toba. It produced some 2800 cubic kilometers of ash, around 17 times that of the Mount Tambora eruption. It had a VEI of 8. Like the Tambora explosion, Toba probably produced a devastating volcanic winter. Scholars think that this may have decimated the early human population. The eruption lowered temperatures by 3 to 5 degrees Celsius for several years after. La Garita Caldera eruption (~28 million years ago), Colorado The largest eruption we have firm evidence for in  geologic history  is the La Garita Caldera eruption during the Oligocene Epoch. The eruption was so large that scientists recommended a 9.2 rating on the 8-point VEI scale. La Garita put 5000 cubic kilometers of volcanic material into play and was ~105 times more powerful than the largest nuclear weapon ever tested.   There might be larger ones, but the further back in time we go,  tectonic activity becomes increasingly responsible for the destruction of geologic evidence.   Honorable Mentions: Wah Wah Springs eruption (~30 million years ago), Utah/Nevada – While this eruption has been known about for some time, BYU geologists recently revealed that its deposit may be larger than the La Garita deposit. Huckleberry Ridge eruption  (2.1 million years ago), Yellowstone Caldera, Wyoming – This was the largest of 3 major Yellowstone hotspot volcanoes, producing 2500 cubic kilometers of volcanic ash. It had a VEI of 8.   Oruanui eruption (~26,500 years ago) of Taupo Volcano, New Zealand  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ this VEI 8 eruption is the largest to occur in the past 70,000 years. Taupo Volcano also produced a VEI 7 eruption around 180 AD. Millennium eruption  (~946 CE) of Tianchi (Paektu), China/North Korea – This VEI 7 eruption dropped nearly a meter of ash on the  Korean Peninsula. Mount St. Helens eruption (1980), Washington – While dwarfed in comparison to the rest of the eruptions on this list – for context, La Garita’s deposit was 5,000 times larger – this 1980 explosion reached a level 5 on the VEI and was the most destructive volcano to occur in the United States.

Hurricane Devastation Of The United States - 1034 Words

Hurricane Katrina struck the United States on August 29, 2005; it was the costliest and deadliest hurricane to ever hit the nation. It was one of the strongest to hit the coast in the last 100 years. Katrina caused as widespread of devastation along the Gulf Coast states and cities such as Mobile, AL, Gulfport, MS and the worst being New Orleans, LA. Although many people were prepared for the hurricane, no one would imagine the damage it would cause and the many lives it would take. Katrina started off as a tropical depression over the Bahamas on August 23rd and by the 25th it had made its way to southern Florida as a Category one. While passing through Florida, Katrina had weakened, however that all changed as soon as it was over water again. It re-intensified as it stalled beneath a very large upper-level anticyclone that dominated the entire Gulf of Mexico and became a Category five with winds blowing about 175 mph. Once again the storm weakened, this time to a Category three as i t made landfall on the Louisiana-Mississippi boarder but it still brought winds that ranged from 100-140 mph and stretched about 400 miles across. Prior to Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans had been flooded by hurricanes five times: 1915, 1940, 1947, 1965, and 1969. About half of the city of New Orleans lies above sea level, however, its average elevation is about six feet below sea level and is surrounded by water (History, 2009). The Army Corps of Engineers had constructed a system of leveesShow MoreRelatedThe Hurricane Devastation Of The United States933 Words   |  4 PagesThe massive hurricane that decimated large areas of the southeastern coast originated as a small category 1 hurricane. The state and federal government received lots of criticism for their minimal preparation and their ineffectual evacuation procedures. 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Sleep Deprivation Free Essays

Formal Informative Outline Sleeping Deprivation General Purpose: To inform. Specific purpose: Sleep is a precious gift that allows people to rest. Not getting enough rest on a constant basis can lead to greater problems, even death Organizational Pattern: Introduction I. We will write a custom essay sample on Sleep Deprivation or any similar topic only for you Order Now Blame It On the Light Bulb. College students and individuals around the world are suffering from a health problem that can be more detrimental to their health than some forms of cancer. What is it? Sleep Deprivation II. People are losing sleep daily, in such a fashion that most have trouble staying awake during work, driving, or even in class. III. I have learned a lot about sleeping disorders during the past three years being in college, and I did additional research for this speech. IV. Sleep deprivation is a serious medical situation that can harm your everyday life. Sleep disorders are a highly common medical issue that affects millions of Americans each year. Without adequate rest, the brain’s ability to function quickly deteriorates. Today I’m going to explain what sleep deprivation is, causes for the problem, how to remedy the problem, and how to test yourself to see if you suffer from sleep deprivation. Transition: let’s start with the nature of sleeping disorders. I will start with the definition of what a sleeping deprivation is) Body I. What is Sleep Deprivation? A. Sleep Deprivation (CancerWEB’s  Online Medical Dictionary) – the condition of being deprived of sleep either under experiment or under real life conditions, as distinguished from being unable to sleep. Sleep Depri vation can even effect acne development, and cause bad hair days. B. The Cold was thought to be one of the greatest inflictions among Americans, when it is actually drowsiness. (Stedman, â€Å"Tired of being, Tired†) a. 0 percent of American adults admit that their work suffers when they are sleepy. b. Even more so, College students suffer more than anyone with odd hours and periodic naps during the day. (Transition) Summary (In essence, Sleep deprivation is the simple lack of the required amount of sleep in order to function fully the following day. )(This lack has to be caused by something, but what? ) II. What aids in the accumulation of Sleep debt (Sleep Deprivation). (Good Housekeeping) A. Sleep Life is a factor 1. Disrupting associations with the bed and bedroom, diet troubles, and mental state all effect the ability to sleep a. Regular activities in the same room as you sleep in can disrupt and disturb sleeping patters such as working in the room, watching television, even sex. b. Remedies:  Ã‚  Before bed take a hot bath (temperature change causes drowsiness), eat light dinners and have snacks at least every three hours for maximum energy and minimum fatigue, Drink plenty of H20. Mental state is another factor, extreme boredom, and extreme stress can both prevent sleep as well as promote it. B. Natural Remedies  (Starbuck) 1. Chamomile-Provides soothing comfort from the aromatic smell, allows peace before falling asleep. When ingested in a caplet form it is a type of painkiller as well as sleep-inducers. 2. Hops-Yes, what they use to make beer. A mild sedative is used to treat insomnia in its herbal form. Like beer, it can have slight depression inducing effects. (Transition) Summary: (Sleep deprivation is obviously a complicated thing, with an even more complicated solution. ) (Transition)(How can you tell if you have sleep deprivation or a sleep  debt. ) III. If you are not getting enough sleep, it can lead to health problems. A. A Simple test can evaluate sleep  deprivation  (Test passed out, evaluate yourself afterwards. B. Health Problems resulting from sleep deprivation include 1. Decreased Immune System activity 2. Development of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome 3. May be the start or result of a sleep disorder: i. Sleep Apnea-(Snoring and stopping of breathing during sleep) ii. Insomnia 4. Could be a sign of depression. C. Sleep Deprivation is one of the main causes for deaths of those who fall asleep at the wheel of a moving vehicle as well as those who slowly drift to sleep during a lecture in class. (Transition) (Sleep Deprivation is a compound entity with ties to many other forms of problems with one’s health. Conclusion I. Sleep Deprivation is condition that effects how well someone functions during the day, and can be caused by numerous ways. A self-test was administered so that everyone can evaluate how well one is sleeping, if you are having difficulty sleeping, evaluate your patterns to find a solution. II. (Last thought)  if you find yourself falling asleep during class, at the wheel, or unable to concentrate during the day, try to get more sleep; it just might save your life. Bibliography Books (Find 2 Book References) Articles Fahey, Valerie. How Sleep Deprived Are You? †Ã‚  Ã‚  Health. September 93, Vol. 7. Newman, Judith. â€Å"Yes,  It’s  Sleep. †Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Health. March 2000. Vol  14 Issue 2. p 112. Starbuck, J. Jamison. â€Å"And, Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep. †Ã‚  Ã‚  Better Nutrition. Oct 98. Vol  60 Issue 10. p 52. Stedman, Nancy. â€Å"Tired of Being Tired? †Ã‚  Ã‚  Good Housekeeping. Aug 2000. Vol  231 Issue 2. p 74. Internet Sources (Find 1 more Internet Source) On-line Medical Dictionary. Academic Medical Publishing ; CancerWEB. â€Å"Sleep Deprevtation† 23 Sep. 2012. ;AHREF=http://www. graylab. ac. uk/omd/index. html;. 1997-98. How to cite Sleep Deprivation, Papers Sleep Deprivation Free Essays In today s busy lifestyle, the days are just not long enough to get everything done. Getting the correct amount of sleep is important to not only be healthy, but also to live safely, as may Americans may not know the severity of sleep deprivation. The human body requires sleep to regenerate, and a lack their of causes it to function abnormally. We will write a custom essay sample on Sleep Deprivation or any similar topic only for you Order Now High school and college students generally need more sleep than adults, but on average sleep less than the 9 hours recommended. Time schedules and hectic life styles cause sleep deficiencies. What people may not know is how dangerous it can be to not get enough sleep. If you find yourself taping your eyelids open, and yawning all day, you may need to reschedule your time to get more sleep! The exact cause of sleep is still unknown to scientists, however many theories on how and why we sleep are in circulation. For example, sleep could be away to sort thoughts and memories or to give our immune system a chance to catch up. In addition sleep could be a way to prevent the brain from overheating, build neurons and our body to manufacture proteins. Further more, scientists believe that sleep is a way to restock depleted glucose levels that the brain needs to function. Most everyone has been caught a few times with bags under their eyes, but over time Americans have continued to push deprivation to the extreme. For example, students have more pressure on them to do well in school, as competition continues to rise for degrees ext. Staying up late to finish homework and study is common these days. In addition, hobbies and sports deprive young people the sleep they might need to become fully rested. Scholarships may be the only hope for some people to get an education past high school, and this demands early morning or late night practices and studying. Furthermore, social lives force most young adults to stay out late on weekends, and then sleep in Saturdays and Sunday mornings, throwing their sleeping patters off even more. Whether you are aware of it or not, sleep deprivation is dangerous. In a survey across America, 62% of the population admitted to driving drowsy, and 27 % further admitted to falling asleep behind the wheel at least once in the past year. As it only takes a split second to cause an accident, being a victim to a sleepy driver would not be an enjoyable experience. Not to mention that sleep deprived people are moody, filled with malaise, have poor concentration, and are susceptible to illnesses. Research has also shown that a sleep deficiency not only has a negative impact on work output, but also takes away from peoples will to perform the task hand. In addition, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that approximately 100,000 police-reported crashes annually (about 1. % of all crashes) involve drowsiness or fatigue as a principal factor in the accident. It s unfortunate to loose 1,500 people in the U. S. alone to a situation that can be easily avoided with such a simple function as sleep (4% of all traffic crash fatalities are sleep related). At least 71,000 people are injured in fall-asleep crashes each year. The NHTSA estimates these crashes represent $12. 5 billion each year. Furthermore, laws are being placed to prevent sleepy drivers from getting on the road. This is because deprivations mimics drunkenness, and slows down drivers reaction time to nothing in many cases. Although being ticketed for driving under an *exosted* state of mind would be a hassle and inconvenience, it would help to save lives. Good sleeping patterns not only promote a good health, but also prevent accidents from occurring. Sleeping properly and regularly, allows your brain to perform at maximum capacity. If at all possible scheduling time to get the most out of every day, including 8 to 9 hours of sleep is very important. If not for yourself, sleep properly to prevent the distress on others that may occur from an accident. You may not notice your mistake, but a death certificate leaves an erasable mark on families. How to cite Sleep Deprivation, Essay examples

Case Study Exelon Corporation Utilities- Free Essay Solutions

Question: Case Study "Exelon Corporation Utilities". Answer: Helping Exelon reduce costs every year by improving efficiency and sustainability. Background A key division of Exelon, one of the nations leading energy companies, faced a challenge common to many organizations today. It wanted to get more control over its extensive office infrastructure, reduce costs and be more environmentally responsible. In 2003, Exelon committed to a voluntary emissions reduction goal under the EPA Climate Leaders program. With the Exelon 2020 program that debuted in 2008, the Exelon family of companies charted a course to a lowcarbon future with an industry-leading plan to shrink its carbon footprint by more than 15 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year by 2020. The Challenge The division had more than 2,700 document devices from 35 manufacturers in its office environment. Arranging for service and supplies was time-consuming. And division leaders didnt have an easy way to calculate and control the total costs, since purchasing decisions were decentralized. Division leaders decided to address the situation so they could improve efficiency and reduce costs. But they realized they didnt have the in-house document management expertise to analyze the infrastructure and develop an effective optimization plan. So they called in experts from Xerox to conduct a thorough Office Document Assessment (ODA) based on Lean Six Sigma. It was the first step in the development of a long-term strategic partnership that would help Exelon realize substantial savings, improve its approach to sustainability and transform key business processes throughout the enterprise. Optimizing the office. Transforming business processes. Case Study Snapshot The Challenge Inefficientemployee-to-deviceratio Time-consumingbusinessprocesses Needforsustainabilityimprovements The Solution OfficeDocumentAssessmentbasedonLeanSixSigma Comprehensiveofficeoptimizationplan Networkedmultifunctionsystemswithadvancedscanningcapabilities Proactivemaintenance,serviceandsuppliesmanagement Businessprocesstransformationbasedondigitaldocumentworkflows Energyefficienttechnologyandgreenerdocumentpractices The Results 80%reductionindocumentdevices 48%reductioninenterprise-widecostperemployee 98%equipmentuptime Faster,moreefficientbusinessprocesses Substantialannualsavings 55tonsofGHGeliminated 727millionBTUsconserved Reducedpaperconsumption Optimizing the office. Transforming business processes The Solution We carefully analyzed the divisions need for document services and assessed all of the costs involved in equipment, service, support and supplies. The results of this analysis revealed a major opportunity for improvement. The overall employee-to-device ratio indicated inefficiency in the allocation of office equipment. In addition, some of the document devices in the office environment did not provide the advanced scanning capabilities required for highly efficient digital workflows. After a careful review of the ODA findings, we began working closely with the client to develop an effective optimization plan designed to reduce costs, improve efficiency and productivity, and lower the divisions impact on the environment. A key component of the plan involved the replacement of older, inefficient devices with state-of-the-art, networked multifunction systems. Following the successful implementation, we helped other Exelon divisions assess and optimize their office infrastru ctures. Then we provided comprehensive management services on an outsourced basis. These enterprisewide services covered equipment, end user support, and a proactive approach to on-site maintenance and supplies. We also developed a series of innovative solutions to improve key document-driven business processes in Accounts Payable, the legal department and other operational areas. The Results The initial optimization project reduced the total number of document devices in the divisions office environment by 80%. It also rationalized the number of models and manufacturers and improved the critical employee-to-device ratio to approximately 12:1. The efficiency gains helped the division save approximately 20% in the first year with additional savings coming from continuous year-over-year improvements. After the enterprise-wide rollout of the office optimization process, Exelon reduced its overall document services cost per employeeanother key Lean Six Sigma-based efficiency metric by 48%. With improvements in the quality of document devices, service and support, the client also increased equipment uptime to 98%. In addition, the enterprise-wide office optimization effort made an important contribution to Exelons ambitious corporate sustainability program. The installation of advanced multifunction systems equipped with scanning capabilities helped the company in crease the use of digital documents and reduce paper consumption. The widespread use of energy-efficient technology reduced greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption. Smart green office practices like duplex printing and toner cartridge recycling also helped the company lower its impact on the environment. Another process improvement for the heavily regulated nuclear division helped expedite the on-boarding of outside contractors, saving Exelon substantial dollars per year. About Xerox Services. Xerox Corporation is a world leader in business process, information technology and document outsourcing services. Our unique combination of industry expertise and global delivery capabilities helps you reduce costs, streamline operational processes and grow revenue while clearing the way for you to focus on what you do best: your real business. For more information on how we help energy and utility companies, visit www.xerox.com/utilities or call 1-800-ASK-XEROX.