Presentation on Polar Vortex & Changing Climate

Here's a short excerpt from one of my recent presentations on board the Zaandam while cruising off the coast of Chile.  The aim here is to provide some context for understanding how ocean currents interact with atmospheric circulation to breed hurricanes and how the melting of arctic ice has influenced the polar jet stream and changed climate patterns around the world.



This is an experiment to see how effective it might be to use my 360 camera (Insta360 One X) for recording presentations.  Both the image quality and the sound could be much better; I'm still experimenting with tweaking the settings for low light conditions.  One problem is the extreme contrast between the screen and the background... very hard to compensate for this.  As far as the sound goes, I think the solution is to record the audio separately and then sync the audio with video in post-production.  A second camera from the audience's perspective will also give me some better versatility.

The 360 camera offers interesting possibilities because it is like having a camera crew with you.  Since it records in 360 I can select the point of view during editing - which gives me all sorts of camera angles to choose from.  In this video you can see that at times I focus on myself as the presenter and then pan the POV to show the audience.  When I have more time I will add more powerpoint images - as I did with the water skier losing his shorts in the video above.

Right now I'm preparing for my next lecture series on board the Viking Sun from Durban South Africa to London England.

Thanks for dropping by!  Happy travels!

Cheers, George

Climate Change resource

In my lectures, I try to give folks some insights into the massive changes we're seeing in the oceans, such as rising seas and acidification, and weather conditions around the planet.  One excellent resource is available online at the Guardian website:  the ultimate climate change FAQ.

As far as economics are concerned, here's the conclusion of one of the most recent articles:

It's important to understand that our choices aren't to either reduce carbon emissions or to do nothing. Our options are to either reduce carbon emissions or to continue with business-as-usual emissions that will cause accelerating climate change and damage costs beyond what we can accurately estimate. From an economic perspective, and from a risk management perspective, this should be a no-brainer. As economist Paul Krugman put it,

"So is the climate threat solved? Well, it should be. The science is solid; the technology is there; the economics look far more favorable than anyone expected. All that stands in the way of saving the planet is a combination of ignorance, prejudice and vested interests. What could go wrong?"

Maasdam Lectures Nov 15 - Dec 6

Preparing for my next exciting lecture series on board the ms Maasdam from Civitavecchia to Fort Lauderdale, Nov 15 - Dec 6, 2013.  Lots of really interesting updates on the latest research concerning everything from the status of the endangered Blue Fin Tuna (see an excellent update by PEW) and octopus that are smarter than your average dog... to the mysteries of the coral reef.  Here's a list of my upcoming lectures for this cruise:

Dangerous Volcanoes & Ancient Time Capsules

We've sailed past some of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world.  Learn about the secrets of long-buried civilizations, including the oldest computer -- built 2,000 years BG (before Gates)!

Wealth from the Mediterranean

Wealth comes in many forms…   but empires built on smelly fish intestines, colorful dyes, and stunning sea creatures… Come on… what next…?

Who Owns the Sea… and the Fish Below?

What's the connection between bustling ecosystems, boatloads of tourists, and plentiful fish??   Who owns all the Fish in the sea...?  Who makes the rules out here anyway!!?

Ocean Currents & Your Skyrocketing Insurance!!

 What's up with shrinking icecaps, rising seas, storm surge, extreme weather events and changing ocean currents?!  And what are the costs and impacts…?

We are not the only Smart Suckers on the Planet

 Discover creatures without bones that are as smart as your average dog!  Just muscles, guts & Big Brains!  (OK - don't forget thousands of razor-sharp claws)

Stinging Balls of Slime (and other tasty Treats!)

Meet some creatures that are truly spineless and heartless… and a great source of protein.  Jelly sandwich, anyone...? 

Some of the Biggest and Ugliest Creatures You'll Never Meet

Huge reptiles from the age of the dinosaurs and sharks the size of whales… in the Atlantic ocean?  Could truth be stranger than fiction!?

Cavorting with the Big Ones

Learn about the true giants of the Atlantic.  One species is the loudest creature on the planet… and another can go two hours without taking a breath!  (Sound like someone in your family?)

Romance and Mystery on the Coral Reef

Coral reefs provide some of the richest ecosystems on earth.  Are corals animal or vegetable?  Discover some of the magic and mystery of life among the polyps.

Best Fishes from George, <))))><

Seychelles to South Africa

I'm currently researching lectures for an upcoming segment of Holland America's Grand World Cruise.  Jan and I will be joining the ms Amsterdam in the Seychelles on March 28, visiting Madagascar and several ports along the east coast of Africa, before disembarking in Cape Town on April 7.  These places abound with amazing creatures and wildlife -- a dream trip for naturalists!!



We're looking forward to seeing friends we've met on previous cruises.

Lecture Series - Madagascar to Africa

In the weeks ahead I will be posting about some exciting and interesting topics to be covered in my lecture series:

Unique Wildlife of Madagascar

From Lemurs to fascinating Geckos and Chameleons, Madagascar is home to some of the most unique creatures on the planet and some of the highest biodiversity, with about 150,000 species that exist nowhere else.

Madagascar: Escape from Africa! 

How can islands float…?  Madagascar continues to drift away from the African continent … where did it come from and where is it headed…? 

Mighty Ocean Currents and Feeding Frenzies

We’re sailing near one of the most powerful ocean currents in the world, the Agulhas Current.  Learn how these rich waters produce one of the greatest feeding frenzies on earth!

In the Realm of the Great White Shark

This coast is home to one of the greatest carnivores on the planet.  Discover some fascinating insights into the life of these top predators and the ecosystems they help create and maintain! 

Apex Predators of Africa

Discover the fascinating role of the largest carnivores in Africa… and their valuable ecological roles in “top-down” structuring of the ecosystem.  Without Lions… would their prey survive?

Extreme Winters: When Jet Streams go Whonky

If this is global warming, why are so many people wading through more snow than ever before! Remember the snowfalls in New York and Washington DC.  And the roofs caving in Ontario & Quebec...?? Frozen fountains in Rome!? People trying to escape winter are getting hit with unusual snowstorms!

If you've attended my lecture on Ocean Currents, Changing Climates & Extreme Storms you might remember that I prefer the term Climatic Instability to Global Warming.  There's growing evidence of instability in the polar jet stream. The deterioration of the Polar Vortex could be leading to some of these extreme winter weather events.

The NOAA has an excellent website to explain the Warm Arctic, Cold Continents pattern. 

The graphic below shows the historic, relatively-stable polar vortex of 1968-96 compared to the destabilized vortex pattern we're experiencing lately in December (e.g., Dec 2009). 

The low Arctic pressure field is shown by purple colors in the figure for December 1968–1996. Strong Polar Vortex winds circle this pressure field, trapping cold air in the Arctic regions. In December 2009, this pattern broke down, Polar Vortex winds weakened (green colors) and cold Arctic air (which parallels the color contours) flowed southward.  Graphic credit NOAA

"This change in wind directions is called the Warm Arctic-Cold Continents climate pattern,” writes James Overland of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). “The jet-stream breakdown last winter was the most extreme in 145 years of record. Loss of sea ice is certainly not the whole story behind cold mid-latitude winters, but it’s a constant push in that direction.”

“When the Polar Vortex — a ring of winds circling the Arctic — breaks down, this allows cold air to spill south, affecting the eastern United States and other regions,” says Dr. Overland. “This can result in a warmer-than-average Arctic region and colder temperatures that may include severe winter weather events on the North American and European continents.”

California Regional Weather Server provides up-to-date Jet Stream analyses, charts and archives.  Excellent resource!! Here's a current shot:

 

Thomas Homer-Dixon has done a great job of explaining the changing climatic pattern in an article in the Globe & Mail: And now the weather: nasty and brutish.