Exploring Mendenhall’s Worst Flood Yet

JUNEAU, Alaska — In early August, an outburst of glacial water from Suicide Basin flooded Juneau’s Mendenhall River, destroying one home and rendering several others uninhabitable. This was a historic flood for the Mendenhall, as the area has never experienced erosion this severe. Aaron Jacobs, Senior Service Hydrologist at the Juneau National Weather Service, said in a statement: This flooding event was historic in an … Continue reading Exploring Mendenhall’s Worst Flood Yet

UASWhalesongSeptember 27, 2023October 25, 2023Leave a comment

News, Opinion

Climate Change: Effects and Awareness

BY ANNELIESE MOLL
For the UAS Whalesong

We live in a greenhouse. The life we see around us depends on the energy we receive from the sun. Only about half of the light from the sun that reaches the Earth passes through the atmosphere. Once it’s through it’s absorbed and radiated back up in the form of infrared heat. From there roughly 90% of the heat is absorbed by greenhouse gasses and is ultimately radiated back to the surface, which causes warming of the surface. The Earth is an average nice, life-supporting, 59 degrees Fahrenheit. Continue reading “Climate Change: Effects and Awareness”

UASWhalesongApril 20, 2016April 19, 2016Leave a comment

Features, News

Kelp and Global Climate Change

BY ANNELIESE MOLL
For the UAS Whalesong

Kelp forests are important for a wide variety of reasons. These amazing forests provide habitats for many species of marine organisms and are one of the most productive ecosystems in the world. They have a dramatic impact on the strength of currents within an area because of the drag they create with their large blades. That drag slows the water within the bed, which makes it a perfect shelter and feeding ground for many species ranging from worms and fish to sea otters and other larger marine mammals. Apex predators—in this case the most commonly thought of predator is the sea otter—play a huge role within these ecosystems because of their indirect effects on the kelp. Continue reading “Kelp and Global Climate Change”