See the 90-Mile-Wide Storm Brewing Underwater
- Posted on February 22, 2012 at 8:34pm by
Liz Klimas
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What we may call a huge underwater vortex, scientists call an eddy — and a satellite spotted a huge one off the coast of Africa just before the new year.
Giant eddy spotted by Terra Satellite. (Image: NASA Earth Observatory)
New Scientist reports that NASA’s Terra satellite caught the 90-mile-wide, blue, swirling mass in late December and NASA released the photos last week. But there is and was no need to worry, even though its size rivals that of many a tropical storm. New Scientist states that unlike above water cyclones, eddies actually create a nutritious, underwater haven:
[...] these ocean whirlwinds draw nutrients up from the deep, nourishing blooms of microscopic marine life in the otherwise barren open ocean.
In fact, it’s the life — mostly plankton — inside this eddy that is giving it this bright blue color.
The Daily Mail reports that the eddy is moving in a counter-clockwise direction and most likely stemmed from the Agulhas Current, which flows near the southeastern African coast and around South Africa. Live Science says that eddies from the Agulhas Current are often the largest in the world.
This post has been updated to correct a typo.
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Comments (110)
83plus
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 10:59amVery cool
Report Post »Chuck Stein
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 3:14pm@ Jmiller_42
This story is in “The Wire” section of The Blaze. I didn’t follow your link, but I bet it is what you are looking for.
WASHINGTON (AP) — A nonpartisan study says big tax cuts proposed by GOP presidential candidates Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum would explode the budget deficit while Mitt Romney’s budget plan could produce deficits in line with current projections.
The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget also estimates that wrenching budget cuts proposed by Ron Paul would lessen the flow of red ink compared with current policies but still leave the government running a sizable deficit.
The GOP candidates all propose sharply cutting or eliminating taxes on investments and capital gains. Each candidate would eliminate inheritance taxes on large estates. Tax rates on individuals would be cut as well.
President Barack Obama has proposed higher taxes on the wealthy to try to reduce the deficit.
Report Post »Miami
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 3:31pmIts a vortex to Obama’s homeland
Report Post »db321
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 4:14pmAim that satellite toward the White Mosque – you might be able to see all the Bull Sh#t coming from Obama and his Administration. You might even be able to measure the vortex of all the sucking up they are doing to Soros and the Muslim Brotherhood.
Report Post »The-Monk
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 5:44pmIsn’t that the “Ocean Plug” that looked like the Millennium Falcon?
Report Post »The-Monk
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 5:46pmFree carnival ride for the Plankton, weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
Report Post »NOTYERHUCKLEBERRY
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 6:57pmHey Chuck! What the hell does your rant have to do with this vortex story?
Report Post »jlcook
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 7:49pmNow thats an eddie alright.
Report Post »BOMUSTGO
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 10:54amLuke 21:25;26 25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
Report Post »Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
SHOOTnCRASH
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 11:26amand the plankton shall inherit the earth.
Report Post »Philo Beddoe
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 12:34pmThey already have.
They are in the White House and OWS
Report Post »Joel Knows
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 12:53pmPhilo, I resent you demeaning plankton like that, afterall plankton show higher moral character and are beneficial within the food chain!
Report Post »scuba13
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 1:06pmPlankton brings whales. I like whales.
Report Post »cessna152
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 2:54pmPlankton? I thought Nickelodeon had the rights to that….
Report Post »hi
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 3:06pmbomustgo
Report Post »Definitely a sign!!
americanfirst
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 3:19pmAgreed! Plankton is not parasitic like Obama and his administration’s philosophy!!!!
Vote anyone but a Democrat from here on out!! They are officially not in any ballot I will vote in from here on out!
Report Post »madasblazes
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 1:23pm@Bo Must Go,
Report Post »Thinking the same thing!
GotLead
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 10:53amHeard of spell check Duuuuuuuhhhhh
Report Post »proudinfidel54
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 11:12amExplorer does not have spell check Duhh you are an other example of can’t see the forest for the trees
Report Post »Captain Crunch
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 3:05pmYou can download it here. No excuses any more for being ignorant.
Report Post »http://iespell.com/download.php
kevinj319
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 7:02pmproudinfidel54 still uses IE duuuh
Report Post »BehindBlueEyes
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 8:52pm@PROUDINFIDEL54
Report Post »Try Google Chrome its a better browser and you can download a spell checker extension for it.
LennyTheComputerGuy.blogspot.com
Posted on February 29, 2012 at 11:03pmI like Speckie better for IE. http://www.Speckie.com
Report Post »miamisammy
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 10:49amMy bad. I was reaching for the soap and lifted the rubber stopper with my big toe.
Report Post »English Major
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 6:47pmI knew somebody had pulled the plug! This is actually good because that way when the ocean levels rise because of the global warming/melting ice caps, you will have let some of the water out already. Florida misses a close call.
Report Post »Southern Rebel
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 10:44amI just finished reading a novel by Clive Cussler (of the Dirk Pitt fame, novels) called Polaris Rising, which spoke about underwater eddy’s and electromagnetic interference from above, which causes this kind of interesting effect. In the book however, a anarchist globalist organization was using electromagnetic pulses in order to switch the globes poles, or a ‘pole flip’ you might say, which would send us into quite a bit of chaos.
Report Post »Oddly…now I’m seeing this stuff in the Blaze and have seen several articles recently related to a possible pole reversal, electromagnetic interference, and now eddy’s. I thought I was reading very good fiction…now I’m beginning to wonder. :)
oldguy49
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 10:55ampole reversal happens naturally and the earth is due for a reversal from a report i read somewhere last year….hopefully it will also be a gov. reversal also
Report Post »Spyder
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 11:17amLook up ‘HAARP’, located in Alaska, if you want to spook yourself out a bit further. lol
Report Post »vaughan
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 12:09pmThat’s may be a Kurt Austin Adventure called “Polar Shift” by Clive Cussler w/ Paul Kemprecos. Its seems like the same story.
Report Post »AmericanPatriot01
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 3:10pmWell I have researched this extensively and the information I have compiled about the polar shift events in the past are related to the passage of our galaxy through the “dark rift”, or for a more scientific explaination, the event horizon of the black hole that is in the center of the universe. As out galaxy passes through this region of the universe, as it does every 25,600 years, the reversal of the poles happens. This is the result of the attractive force of the event horizon. Think of it as a huge magnet. Once you move a polorized magnet around a more powerful magnet it will orientate itself with its influence. This is the same type of reaction our solar system experiences as our Galaxy transits this region of space, every 25,600 year cycle. This transit take apporx. 6.7 years co complete. It is also the event that is explained and described in the ancient texts of the Aztec/Mayan codecs and the reason the calendar ends. After this event the calendar will have to be re-written because there will be changes in many aspects other than the orientation of the poles, like the hours in a day and the days in a year. There may also be changes in the cycles of the moon and the seasons. It is one thing to be blind to science or disbelieve ancient folklore, but when enough evidence presents itself the individual perceptions become irrelevant and truth prevails. WAKE UP!! you have been informed, wether you want to believe it or not, will not change the truth of this reality.
Report Post »Jasper
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 4:27pmHow funny LOL!!!
Report Post »garylee123
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 5:06pmAny Clive Cussler book is a good read.
Report Post »The-Monk
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 6:31pmI’ve been discussing this with Physicists for about 10 years now. A shift in the magnetic poles doesn’t mean that North becomes South and South becomes North, magnetically. The theory is (and there is data that suggests it is true) that the Earth will, in one rotation, spin over 90 degrees and the North and South poles will be the new Equator; the Equator will be the North and South Poles. One Physicist took off his Signet Ring and spun it on the table. In one rotation it flipped over sideways. He explained it like this; if the North and South Poles get too drastically different in size from each other centrifugal force takes over and the heavier of the two causes a 90 degree rotation.
The proof you ask?
Consider the Wooly Mammoths that have been found frozen in the Arctic’s; almost as if they froze to death in a matter of hours. They were well preserved. In their stomachs was fresh grass that they had just eaten. There is no grass in the Arctic’s. Where did the grass come from? The Wooly Mammoths were eating grass in the tropics when the Earth rotated 90 degrees and now they were; 1- dead from the sudden rotation, 2- frozen in a matter of hours and 3- well preserved for future scientist.
The Earth spins at about 1000 MPH. Imagine what would happen to all the buildings and to us when, in one revolution, the Earth spins over 90 degrees at 1000 MPH? Life on dry land would cease to exist.
Report Post »CATPBJ
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 12:29am@ THE MONK – Your theory is just that, a theory – ie., that the north and south poles become the equator. that would mean that the earth experiences a 90-degree shift in polarity and this is not evidenced anywhere in the geologic record. Look it up from a reliable source such as the USGS or AGU. The ocean floor, especially within the Atlantic Basin which is spreading from the center east and west. Ocean floor mapping has generated maps showing the Atlantic Ocean floor with black and white stripes like a zebra. These ‘stripes’ are related to the Earths magnetic polarity (north and south). while the true magnetic north and south ‘poles’ wander a bit (geomagnetic excursions) they seem to reverse polarity every so often – there is no “regular” timeframe for polar reversal. the Earth’s last N-S magnetic reversal was roughly 780,000 years ago. I’d hate to be flying in a plane when the next polar reversal happens, if it indeed happens at all in my lifetime…..
Report Post »BODYBAG
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 10:39amDo the writer’s use spellcheck or recognize correct grammer & sentence structure?
Report Post »Check the opening sentence
PlowMan
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 10:54amDo you understand that the people who work here are human just like you? Or do you not make mistakes like everyone else in the world. If I‘ve said this once I’ve said it dozens of times here, IF YOU DON‘T LIKE THIS SITE DON’T COME HERE!!!!! We live in a free nation, at least for now.
Report Post »jeffersonian1776
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 11:00amExactlt, I’ve been saying this for some time. Who the heck does he have writing these stories. Where’s the person called an EDITOR at? If it was his/her job to do this, and they worked for me, they would be sent packing. I’m beginning to wonder about if they even have an editor at all, and they are using anyone off the street to write for TheBlaze.com.
Put it this way, it would NOT be a considered professional establishment for journalism that you would ever want to use as a cited source for any type of academic writing. That’s not an opinion, that is how the academic world works. And no, I’m not one of those “socialist” intellectuals. But seriously Blaze, do your job, because your product as it stands that you’re selling is really less than lackluster, sorry.
Lesbian Packing Hollow Points
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 11:13amI use a text to speech system to aurally read back my comment texts before clicking Reply. (Usually) It picks up a LOT of typoes and thinkoes. That and Firefox’s auto-spellcheck wavy red underlining help keep my posts cogent.
Would that all web content were subjected to such review prior to publication.
Report Post »bohdanko
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 12:06pmI agree – one of my biggest pet peeves with this site. Poor spelling and grammar is par for the course in the comments section, but the acrticles themselves lose a certain amount credibility for me because of the poor editing.
Report Post »jespasinthru
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 12:26pmI love that wavy red underlining. It always makes me reach for the dictionary.
Report Post »Da_Souf
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 2:38pmYou forgot to add a period at the end of your second statement. So you might want to make sure you are using correct grammer before you start correcting people about correct grammer. /fail
Report Post »SERUM
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 3:00pmThe apostrophe “s” in the word writer’s is not necessary either…bwahaha!
Report Post »SERUM
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 3:04pmOmg! The word “grammar” also?
Report Post »Captain Crunch
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 3:15pmPull that log out of own eye before you strain at the editors eye. Almost every story on the Blaze has someone slamming the editors for errors. When I read a story I’m looking for the thought, not the error. I hardly ever notice the errors. “Sutch Nittpickkers”. lol
http://iespell.com/download.php
Report Post »The-Monk
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 6:47pm@Captain Crunch
Nice! And funny 2 (oops, I meant too) : )
I just type my reply in MS Word 2007 first and copy and paste it. That way if it doesn’t post I still have it in Word to re-post.
Report Post »kevinj319
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 7:10pm1. Stop using Internet Explorer already
Report Post »2. The article itself should be held to the utmost standards of proofreading, unlike the comments
3. Stop using Internet Explorer
Cat
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 8:00pmFrom Cambridge University:
O lny srmat poelpe can raed tihs.
Report Post »I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn’t mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, t he olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rgh it pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt! if you can raed tihs psas it on !!”
jespasinthru
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 10:50pmKevinJ319, you are so right. Internet Explorer has been obsolete for about two years now. Firefox has so many more updates, doohickeys and shields. And it’s all FREE. Get with the program, people.
Report Post »4xeverything
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 10:37amI didn’t realize that Pelosi could hold her breath that long. Even at the bottom of the ocean she’s full of a swirling mass of hot air.
Report Post »Joel Knows
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 11:30amIt has been long state that Nature Abhors a Vacuum….
Report Post »scuba13
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 1:08pmCan we please leave Pelosi in San Francisco? There are enough problems downhere.
Report Post »Joel Knows
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 3:36pmScuba13, Maybe if we gave Nancy and Harry property in Nevada…near Yucca Mountain, would you be okay with that? San Francisco could be such a fine city if they just cleaned it up a bit!
Report Post »readyfornov
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 10:34amBest posts I’ve seen today…….
Report Post »chips1
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 10:27amGod’s just helping feed His creations. He does it all the time.
Report Post »RedManBlueState
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 10:24amIt’s the Halliburton Hurricane Machine!!
Has anyone seen Dick Cheney lately?
Report Post »supressorgrid
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 10:05amAtlantis rising.
Report Post »supressorgrid
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 10:04amPosidon just flushed.
Report Post »smalldog
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 10:00amMaybe that area is Africa’s Bermuda Triangle? I wonder what kind of treasures litter the ocean floor?
Report Post »scuba13
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 1:06pmI will let you know if I find any.
Report Post »Lesbian Packing Hollow Points
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 9:47amIt‘s really the mothership that’s been parked on the ocean floor for millennia preparing to take off.
Report Post »smalldog
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 9:56amI wish there was a ‘like’ or ‘thumbs up’ button…
Report Post »MidWestMom
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 10:08am….Mothership….. ROLMAO Best comment I’ve seen in days!
Report Post »independentvoteril
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 9:37amWell at least this is not a hash over of all the DEBATES.. and the bias of of the left that we are already aware of..
Report Post »jihadazzkicker
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 8:41amNot sure what this thing is, however I do not believe this lame excuse. I do not recall seeing this type of thing before and satellites have been up there for a long time. With that being said I am sure this type of “ swirling plankton ” would have been exposed by satellite imagery before. I smell misinformation.
Report Post »cloudsofwar
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 8:40ami always learn something new on the blaze. an eddy? underwater storm? an it’s not sy fy. thanks for the story. for a minute i thought it was another dooms day story, 2012 you know.
Report Post »AIDANMAN
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 8:11amits a smug storm….
atlantis shall rise again…..
it that gigantic flushing sound (his name escapes me) herd….
Report Post »Captain Crunch
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 3:23pmWhen my toilet flushes it sounds like Obama singing “feed me”. And I have a large family!
Report Post »Onodacops
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 8:08amIf Godzilla pops out of that I’m going to soil myself !
Report Post »MidWestMom
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 10:22amMan I‘m hoping he doesn’t. If he does it could mean Mothra and/or King Ghidorah are on their way.
Report Post »power_cord
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 7:53amSwirling plankton my butt… that’s a very large unidentified submerged object (USO) heading directly toward to east coast of the United States. It’s scheduled to arrive on 21 December 2012. Then, all he!! breaks loose. Prepare now.
Report Post »wtune
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 10:35amIf you were serious, I would think you were unplugged!!!
Report Post »power_cord
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 3:42pm@ WTune… I believe you have me confused with MTV. Although I didn’t count them, it appears the majority of this story’s comments lean more toward my train of thought than the “don’t worry, be happy” side.
Report Post »Shrugged
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 7:48amI am awaiting the pronouncement this is caused by global warming and will soon swallow the continent killing all life there.
Report Post »woodydad
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 8:00amThose gas guzzling motorboats that are owned by the idle rich. Destroying the saline aquafir and causing through their excessive pollution, shrimp, lobsters, and other unsuspecting crustaceans to start walking and swimming backwards. Oh, where will our arrogance end? Oh, when will we think of something besides ourselves? Oh!….Oh!….Oh, well, what the hey.
Report Post »ebw1957
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 6:48amstock up on tea…
Report Post »bpodlesnik
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 9:42amTwo If By Tea, that is.
Report Post »Arc
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 5:36amThere is a 3000 mile wide storm brewing just south of Canada and just north of Mexico.
No plankton, just BS, It is not swirling…..as a matter of fact. its going in 360 directions and NOAA has never seen anything comparable>
Report Post »Inlandmar2
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 6:14amYeah…mountainous drifts of BS are being piled high by huge blasts of hot air.
Report Post »goahead.makemyday
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 8:30amI believe the storm was caused by an eruption of mount Government. Most of the BS in the air originated from one central point known as as DC, While no one with a moral back bone has been able to confirm most sane Americans believe the blast was focused at 1600 Penn Ave. I would like to stress that no one that should be listened to has confirmed it but 99% ;) of useless and pathological liars deny it.
Report Post »wtune
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 10:37amAmen!!!!
Report Post »Christianmyson
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 5:33amThats cool
Report Post »Christianmyson
Posted on February 23, 2012 at 5:33amCool
Report Post »