Archive for May 28th, 2008
Wednesday, May 28th, 2008
NOAA (Washington DC, USA) has announced the launch of a new satellite. The satellite will monitor the rate of sea-level rise and help measure the strength of hurricanes. NOAA will use data from the Jason-2/Ocean Surface Topography Mission (OSTM) to extend a 15-year record from two earlier altimeter missions that currently show sea level is rising at a rate of 3.2 mm/year – nearly twice as fast as the previous 100 years. 
The Jason-2/OSTM is scheduled for lift off June 15 at 1:47 a.m. from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. The spacecraft is a joint, international effort between NOAA, NASA, France’s Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales (CNES), and the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (Eumetsat).
Like its predecessor missions TOPEX/Poseidon and Jason-1, Jason-2/OSTM is designed to extend the climate data record by providing a long-term survey of Earth’s oceans, tracking ocean circulation patterns and measuring sea-surface heights and the rate of sea-level rise. These are all key factors in understanding climate change. The satellite will use a radar altimeter instrument attached to it and fly in a low Earth orbit allowing it to monitor 95 percent of Earth’s ice-free oceans every 10 days.
In addition to detecting climate change factors, Jason-2/OSTM will also be used in the prediction of short-term, severe weather events, such as hurricanes and tropical storms. NOAA will use the altimeter measurements to monitor ocean conditions that trigger changes in the strength of tropical cyclones, as they move over the ocean towards the land. The technique involves mapping the ocean heat content – the fuel that feeds a storm’s intensity – along the storm’s predicted track.
During the Jason-2/OSTM lifespan, NOAA will work with CNES to handle the complete ground system support. This includes commanding all the satellite’s manoeuvres, downloading all the data the satellite captures, and distributing it to weather and climate forecasters, who are monitoring ocean-born storms and phenomena such as El Niño/La Niña and global sea-level rise. Additionally, Jason-2/OSTM will be the first, newly launched satellite in which NOAA provides ground support from its NOAA Satellite Operations Facility in Suitland, Maryland. The facility opened in 2007 and houses $50 million worth of high-tech equipment and controls nearly $5 billion in satellites.
Through the emerging Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), NOAA is working with its federal partners, more than 70 countries and the European Commission to develop a global monitoring network that is as integrated as the planet it observes, predicts and protects.
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Wednesday, May 28th, 2008
Pura Vida from the fishing capital of Costa Rica and the world famous Los Suenos Resort & Marina.
The Los Suenos region once again upheld it’s globally known reputation as the Fishing Capital of Costa Rica with a tremendous Peak Billfishing season this year.( December through April is peak Sailfish season with a very Strong Marlin bite from late November through late January)
Hooked On Costa Rica’s top producing boats and Captains delivered hundreds of visiting anglers incredible numbers of caught and released Sailfish and Marlin per trip, as well as hundreds of enormous Mahi-Mahi in the 35-50lb. range, and lots of tasty Yellowfin Tuna.
The bite as of Mid-May has slowed down a bit as usual for this time of year, however the Hooked On Costa Rica boats are still managing to deliver their guests some very nice fish.
While any travel calendar you read will indicate that the Costa Rica Rainy season has begun (May-Nov), the rains don’t appear until the late afternoon in May and June, offering plenty of nice weather in the morning and throughout the day to enjoy a full day offshore.
Here come the Roosters! While the Billfish season traditionally slows down after April, the Nearshore fishery comes alive. The Hooked On Costa Rica team of the areas best Near Shore Captains and boats are prepared to offer lucky anglers a shot at some of the trophy Roosterfish that habitate our waters. We’re talking 25-90lbs. of hard fighting, drag screaming fish!
Weather you wish to chase Sails, Marlin, Mahi, and Tuna, or trophy Roosterfish, Jacks, and Snappers, Los Suenos Costa Rica is THE place to visit for your best chances at success!!
FISHING FACT: There are more trophy fish caught out of the Los Suneos Resort & Marina year round, than ANY other part of Costa Rica.
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Wednesday, May 28th, 2008
Costa Rica’s largest provider of electricity, CNFL has decided to invest $4m into the Balsa Superior Hydro Electric Plant in between San Ramon and Alfaro Ruiz. However CNFL is part of the ICE Group who have a monopoly on the telecommunications market of Costa Rica and they deem the project to be inviable and highly risky.
The main issue that ICE and CNFL are having is that CNFL says that it has acquired the land and performed all the necessary studies in order to go ahead and perform this project. However the President of ICE, Pedro Quiros stated that these do not exist. It was stated that ICE had told CNFL to halt the project in 2003 however this had not happened.
The CNFL requires the extra 25km of tunnels as the land currently does not have enough water to support the planned plant. However Quiros said that the more tunnels there are means that there is little water in the area and therefore the project will not have sufficient water to generate electricity.
The planned plant would produce 132 megawatts of electricity, enough for over 100,000 families. Costa Rica produces the majority of its energy via hydroelectric means and its long term plan is to become solely sufficient on this type of electricity.
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Wednesday, May 28th, 2008
The embattled president of Costa Rica’s Olympic Committee has finally agreed to step down.Jorge Nery Carvajal submitted his letter of resignation late Monday, two months after the majority of Costa Rica’s 47 sports federations voted to kick him out amid allegations he falsified documents and engaged in fraudulent management of the organization.
Nery Carvajal denied those allegations and initially refused to leave his post. His opponents then set up a parallel committee that was never recognized.
But late Monday at an Olympic Committee meeting mediated by four members of the Pan American Sports Organization, Nery Carvajal said it was time to leave.
In comments broadcast nationally on television, Nery Carvajal said he didn’t want the controversy surrounding his post to affect the six Costa Ricans who have qualified for the Beijing Olympics this summer.
“Our athletes haven’t been able to get behind our flag for the Beijing Games, and we can’t allow that,” he said.
His resignation was effective immediately and came 23 years after he first was named president of the Olympic Committee. He said he will continue in his post as vice president of PASO.
Roberto Verdesia was named the committee’s interim president. A new election will be held in September, after the games, to choose Nery Carvajal’s replacement.
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