The big daddy came in 1971. Project Cannikin was a 5-megaton explosion that inspired the formation of the group Greenpeace, a group of environmentalists from British Columbia who joined together to oppose the test. But Greenpeace and many others-including Alaska senator Mike Gravel and Congressman Nick Begich-were not able to prevent Cannikin.
The Columbia Glacier is one of Alaska's better known tidewater glaciers, both from the standpoint of tourist attraction and the model it provides for scientific investigation. In 1973 it became the object of close scientific scrutiny. In Alaska, some 50 to 60 glaciers calve into the sea, but exhibit such diversified behavior that they have baffled glaciologists for decades. For instance, some ...
Columbia Glacier, located about 40 kilometers (25 miles) west of Valdez near the epicenter of the great 1964 earthquake, is rapidly losing its battle for survival. It is the last of Alaska's 52 tidewater glaciers to begin its epic retreat from the sea. Granted, Alaska still has plenty of glaciers left, but the tidewater glaciers--those that empty directly into the sea--are on a drastic decline ...
At the same time, a ridge of high pressure built northward over British Columbia and the Alaska Panhandle, setting up a pattern that steered warmer air from the south into much of mainland Alaska. As a result, temperatures climbed above average across much of mainland Alaska early in the month, although the Arctic Coast remained cold.
By glowing red on Sunday night, , the heavens over the United States displayed their pleasure with the successful flight of the shuttle Columbia. Perhaps because Columbia was up that night, more Americans than usual looked up at the sky and saw the red aurora that covered much of the nation, even as far south as Texas.