>>21227719 TYB
>>21227393 LB
'Destructive' Derecho Seen From Space
Jul 16, 2024 at 4:11 PM EDT
A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) satellite captured imagery from space of a "destructive" derecho rolling across several Midwestern states on Monday night.
The derecho brought severe thunderstorms and strong winds, cutting off power to thousands as it tore through Iowa, Illinois and Indiana. As of Tuesday afternoon, roughly 250,000 people across the Midwest were without power.
A derecho is a widespread, long-lived windstorm that produces gusts equal to at least 58 mph, though stronger winds can spawn from the storm, according to the National Weather Service (NWS) Storm Prediction Center.
Some places in Illinois saw wind gusts exceeding 100 mph overnight, and tornado warnings also were issued as the storm rolled across several states.
NOAA's GOES16 satellite—a geostationary weather satellite—showed the derecho's development over Iowa and its intensification as it moved across Illinois, southern Wisconsin, Indiana and southern Michigan.
"@NOAA's #GOES16 caught the destructive #derecho that swept across the Midwest yesterday evening," the NOAA Satellites Public Affairs page posted on X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday morning.
"The storm caused widespread wind damage from Iowa to Indiana and dropped a #tornado near Des Moines."
NWS Weather Prediction Center meteorologist Richard Bann told Newsweek that derechos are more common during the summer months.
Intense heat to the south and cooler temperatures to the north helped create the environment for Monday night's storm.
Extreme storm chaser Colin McCarthy shared a timelapse video of the storm rolling across the Midwest.
"Destructive derecho with embedded tornadoes and hurricane force wind gusts up to 100 mph, roaring across the Midwest, now approaching Chicago," he posted on X on Monday night.
Derechos are more common during warm seasons, the NWS Storm Prediction Center said, posing a dangerous threat to people enjoying outdoor activities such as hiking. To be classified as a derecho, the wind damage must extend at least 400 miles, be 60 miles wide and includes wind gusts of 58 miles per hour, as well as "several well-separated 75 miles per hour or greater gusts."
Amid the power outages and wind damage, the storm created a frightful situation for many planes on the tarmac at the Chicago O'Hare International Airport.
"Our plane is sitting on the runway at Chicago O'Hare right now while everyone's phones receive multiple tornado warnings.
Captain announced that air traffic control and ground control have evacuated. Plane is shaking as it is blown back and forth by the wind," one user posted on X.
McCarthy also posted about the near disaster at the airport.
"Disaster was narrowly avoided at Chicago O'Hare International Airport tonight as dozens of airplanes carrying thousands of people sat on taxiways during a tornado warning," he posted in the early morning hours on Tuesday.
"A tornado was confirmed to have touched down less than 2 miles east of the airport."
https://www.newsweek.com/destructive-derecho-seen-space-1925963
Sun blasts out 2nd X-class flare this week, triggers more radio blackouts
July 16, 2024
The sun continues firing off solar flares during what has been a period of intense activity.
Sunspot AR3738 might be making its exit as it rotates out of our view on the sun's western limb, but not before firing off a powerful X-class solar flare, the strongest of its kind.
The solar flare from sunspot AR3738 occurred Tuesday morning (July 16) at 9:26 a.m. EDT (1326 GMT). A shortwave radio blackout in conjunction with the latest event was reported over mostly the Atlantic Ocean and also noted across much of Africa, Europe, and parts of North and South America.
Solar flares are powerful blasts of electromagnetic radiation that explode outward from sunspots on the sun's surface when pent-up magnetic energy in the solar atmosphere is released.
These flares are sorted into lettered groups based on their size. X-class flares like the two this week are the most powerful group, followed by M, C and the weakest, B.
For each of these classes, numbers from 1 to 10 (and beyond for X-class flares) are assigned based on each flare's relative strength.
When solar flares erupt, the radiation they emit travels to Earth at the speed of light where it ionizes (electrically charges) the upper atmosphere upon arrival.
This electrical charge means high-frequency shortwave radio signals, used for communication, have a much denser environment to pass through.
As radio waves travel through this dense, ionized layer, they lose energy due to increased collisions with electrons, which can degrade or completely absorb the radio signals.
However, because of the sunspot's current location, forecasters do not anticipate Earth to be along the path for a direct impact.
SWPC said that its forecasters will continue to keep an eye out in case there's any other information that comes in from coronagraph imagery that will be assessed as it becomes available.
Spaceweather.com noted that the location of the large AR3738 is nearing what they call "the danger zone,' where the Parker Spiral, a spiral-shaped area of the sun's magnetic field, connects the sunspot with Earth.
As the massive sunspot rotates over the western edge, or limb, of the sun, it enters this location that magnetically joins it to our planet.
A high-speed acceleration of charged particles, or protons, from the sunspot can hop on this superfast space freeway and catch a ride from the sun to Earth.
We saw this happen back in May with the historic AR3664 that created worldwide auroras. All eyes will remain on this solar exploder for any future activity that could bring another whirl of protons and electrons spiraling our way.
https://www.space.com/sun-solar-flare-x-class-2nd-this-week-july-16-2024
Time might be a mirage created by quantum physics, study suggests
July 16, 2024
Time may not be a fundamental element of the universe but rather an illusion emerging from quantum entanglement, a new study suggests.
Time is a thorny problem for physicists; its inconsistent behavior between our best theories of the universe contributes to a deadlock preventing researchers from finding a "theory of everything," or a framework to explain all of the physics in the universe.
But in the new study, researchers suggest they may have found a clue to solving that problem: by making time a consequence of quantum entanglement, the weird connection between two far-apart particles.
The team published their findings May 10 in the journal Physical Review A.
"There exists a way to introduce time which is consistent with both classical laws and quantum laws, and is a manifestation of entanglement," first author Alessandro Coppo, a physicist at the National Research Council of Italy, told Live Science.
"The correlation between the clock and the system creates the emergence of time, a fundamental ingredient in our lives."
In quantum mechanics, our best theory of the microscopic world, time is a fixed phenomenon — an inexorable, unidirectional flow from the past to the present.
It remains external from the bizarre and ever-changing quantum systems it measures and can be seen only by observing changes to outside entities, such as the hands of a clock.
Yet, according to Einstein's theory of general relativity — which describes larger objects, such as our bodies, stars and galaxies — time is interwoven with space and can be warped and dilated at high speeds or in the presence of gravity.
This leaves our two best theories of reality at a fundamental impasse. Without its resolution, a coherent theory of everything remains out of reach.
"It seems there is a serious inconsistency in quantum theory," Coppo said. "This is what we call the problem of time."
To resolve this problem, the researchers turned to a theory called the Page and Wootters mechanism. First proposed in 1983, the theory suggests that time emerges for one object through its quantum entanglement with another acting as a clock.
For an unentangled system, on the other hand, time does not exist, and the system perceives the universe as frozen and unchanging.
By applying the Page and Wootters mechanism to two entangled but noninteracting theoretical quantum states — one a vibrating harmonic oscillator and the other a set of tiny magnets acting as a clock — the physicists found that their system could be perfectly described by the Schrödinger equation, which predicts the behavior of quantum objects.
Yet, in place of time, their version of the famous equation ran according to the states of the tiny magnets acting as a clock.
This insight is not new, but the team's next step was. They repeated their calculations twice, assuming first that the magnet clock and then the harmonic oscillator were macroscopic (larger) objects.
Their equations simplified into those for classical physics, suggesting that time's flow is a consequence of entanglement even for objects on large scales.
"We strongly believe that the correct and logical direction is to start from quantum physics and understand how to reach classical physics, not the other way around," Coppo said.
Other physicists have expressed caution. Despite finding the Page and Wootters mechanism a fascinating idea for the quantum origins of time, they said it has yet to produce anything testable.
"Yes, it is mathematically consistent to think of the universal time as the entanglement between quantum fields and quantum states of 3D space," Vlatko Vedral, a professor of quantum information science at the University of Oxford who was not involved in the work, told Live Science. "However, no one knows if anything new or fruitful will come out of this picture — such as modifications to quantum physics and general relativity, and corresponding experimental tests."
Despite these doubts, building ground-up theories of time from quantum mechanics may nonetheless be a promising place to start — so long as they can be shaped to fit experiments.
"Maybe there is something about entanglement where it plays a role," Adam Frank, a theoretical physicist at the University of Rochester in New York who was not involved in the study, told Live Science.
"Maybe the only way to understand time is not from some God's-eye perspective, but from the inside, from a perspective of asking what is it about life that manifests such an appearance of the world."
https://www.space.com/time-a-mirage-quantum-physics-suggests
https://journals.aps.org/pra/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevA.109.052212
US Space Forces Korea holds first change of command ceremony
July 17, 2024
Col. John Patrick accepted command of U.S. Space Forces Korea from Lt. Col. Joshua McCullion during a change of command ceremony at Osan Air Base, July 12.
The event marks the first official change of command for the unit, which was activated as a USSF field component under U.S. Space Forces Indo-Pacific and assigned to the U.S. Forces Korea sub-unified command in December 2022.
Patrick took command of SPACEFOR-KOR from his previous assignment at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, where he established NATO’s Combined Force Space Component Command and the NATO Space Centre.
He is a career space operations officer, with command experience at the squadron level and joint experience in both Germany and Belgium.
Brig. Gen. Anthony Mastalir, commander of U.S. Space Forces Indo-Pacific, recognized the benefit of Patrick’s history in his comments during the ceremony.
“His entire career has prepared him for the diverse and complex missions of the Indo-Pacific.
He has served two tours with [United States European Command], working directly with our NATO allies, and brings a detailed understanding of coalition operations and alliance integration here to Korea,” Mastalir said.
The ceremony drew attendance from high-ranking officials, service members, and distinguished guests from across South Korea, highlighting the importance of SPACEFOR-KOR’s role in the South Korea-U.S. Alliance.
“Our two nations understand the value of a joint, combined coalition,” Mastalir said.
“Whether it’s participating in combined exercises, conducting exchanges, or executing operations together — U.S. Space Forces Korea is the tip of the spear for allied space integration and preserving peace in the Indo-Pacific."
SPACEFOR-KOR provides space planning and employment expertise, as well as space command and control to the USFK commander.
Since its activation, the unit made significant strides integrating space operations with the joint force, providing organic space planning and employment expertise, and supporting the combatant commander with space command and control capabilities.
“U.S. Space Forces Korea provides capabilities that support multi-domain operations in Korea, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days per year.
Our joint, combined forces operate more effectively because of the Guardians that stand before us here today,” said Gen. Paul LaCamera, commander of United Nations Command, ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command, and U.S. Forces Korea, speaking as the ceremony’s presiding officer.
As tradition dictates, the event included the passing of the flags in front of SPACEFOR-KOR Guardians to signify the change of authority from one commander to the other.
The ceremony also included the presentation of the U.S. Defense Superior Performance Medal to McCullion by LaCamera.
The DSSM is awarded by the Secretary of Defense to military officers who perform exceptionally within the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, special or outstanding command in a defense agency or any other joint activity designated by the secretary.
“[McCullion] ensured that space-based training objectives were expertly integrated into our annual joint, combined training exercises,” LaCamera said.
“He expertly led his team in coordinating space operations, which includes missile warning, position, navigation and timing, and satellite communications, in the Korean theater of operations.”
McCullion concluded his time as the first SPACEFOR-KOR commander and departs for his next assignment as the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command’s Division Chief of Space and Integrated Air and Ballistic Missile Defense.
This position marks the first time Patrick has been permanently assigned to the Republic of Korea, although he completed several temporary duty missions here.
He expressed his excitement to finally be station in Korea with his concluding remarks. “As military members we are often asked where we come from — for me, it’s wherever the Space Force sends me … and now I get to say, ‘I’m from Osan.’”
Patrick said, recounting a family history of military service extending to his grandfather. “When I get asked why I do what I do, in part it’s to carry on my family legacy to support and defend the United States, and now, the Republic of Korea.”
https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3841374/us-space-forces-korea-holds-first-change-of-command-ceremony/
Remarks by CSO Gen. Chance Saltzman at the 2024 Global Air and Space Chiefs Conference
July 17, 2024
Wow, what a distinguished group again! I enjoyed last year so much I thought I’d come back, and the weather was better. So, thanks for all of that.
Thanks, Susannah, for that kind introduction, and thanks to everyone here at GASCC that helped make this important conversation possible.
It’s going to be my honor later to share the stage with Generals Novak and Tedman. So, thanks for indulging me with your patience while I try to set the stage for this important conversation.
And to my fellow air and space chiefs as well as the academic and industry leaders gathered today, thank you for being here, and I look forward to sharing ideas on deterrence with you.
Now, when I was a young officer, I could not understand deterrence. But now, after many years of education, experience, and intense mentoring, I can assure you — I am no longer a young officer.
Let me apologize in advance to the non-history buffs in the room because I’m going to dive into the history of deterrence in an attempt to contextualize the challenges we are currently facing applying the concept to space.
So, hang in there; I think it’s going to help us chart our way forward. Let’s start with some of the earliest discussions of ‘deterrence’ as a concept. And by early, I mean some 2,500 years ago, to that famous Athenian general and historian Thucydides.
I know; I said, “bear with me,” right? I can say anything I want now.
cont.
https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3841700/remarks-by-cso-gen-chance-saltzman-at-the-2024-global-air-and-space-chiefs-conf/
Wild Trump assassination conspiracy theory claims attempt was 'to hide truth about UFOs'
18:29, 16 JUL 2024
A wild conspiracy theory has claimed that Donald Trump’s assassination attempt was part of an alleged effort to stop him ‘releasing the truth about UFOs.’
The bonkers claim makes reference to alleged affairs that legendary actor Marilyn Monroe had with both former US president John F Kennedy and his brother Robert F Kennedy.
The wild yarn has been offered up by UFO filmmaker Mark Christopher Lee who said: "It sounds a bit out there but I do believe that this attempt may have been due to the fact that if elected President again Trump would release the full truth about UFOs.
"He's already said he would release all the files on the JFK assassination, and I believe that in those files will be evidence that both JFK, and his lover Marilyn Monroe, were murdered due to them both wanting this information released to the public."
On Saturday (July 13) a bullet clipped the ear of Trump, who narrowly avoided fatal injuries, during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in an attempt on his life from 20-year-old state resident Thomas Matthew Crooks.
Crooks and another person were killed during the incident and another was left with serious injuries.
As part of the outlandish theory, Lee claimed that aliens could be living among us – and that the US government is keeping it under wraps because the general population “would not be able to handle it.”
He said: "The truth is far more bizarre and weird and I guess those who control this - most likely a secret compartment of the US Military maybe the Collins Elite - know this truth and believe that the public would not be able to handle it.
"They could handle other life forms from other planets that are physical beings but I doubt they could handle an inter-dimensional intelligence that exists in some other form of reality.
Maybe Quantum Physics will eventually be able to prove this eventually."
Regarding the declassification of US government research relating to UFOs, former president Trump declared in 2023 on his Truth Social platform:
"When I return to the White House, I will declassify and unseal all JFK assassination-related documents, It's been 60 years, time for the American people to know the TRUTH!"
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/us-news/wild-trump-assassination-conspiracy-theory-33259555