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This blog provides commentary on interesting geological events occurring around the world in the context of my own work. This work is, broadly, geological fluid dynamics. The events that I highlight here are those that resonate with my professional life and ideas, and my goal is to interpret them in the context of ideas I've developed in my research. The blog does not represent any particular research agenda. It is written on a personal basis and does not seek to represent the University of Illinois, where I am a professor of geology and physics. Enjoy Geology in Motion! I would be glad to be alerted to geologic events of interest to post here! I hope that this blog can provide current event materials that will make geology come alive.

Banner image is by Ludie Cochrane..

Susan Kieffer can be contacted at s1kieffer at gmail.com


Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Terribly Beautiful: The Fluid Mechanics of Industrial Pollution

An open pit pond holding slurry from hydraulic fracturing
Photo by J. Henry Fair
Time Magazine on-line April 20, 2011, had a collection of J. Henry Fair's air photos of industrial pollution. Fair is a photographer whose goal is "to make aesthetically pleasing photographs," to further his mission that "the viewer will come away with an innate understanding of [his or] her complicity [in industrial pollution] and a will to make a difference." The images are published in Fair's first book, "The Day After Tomorrow: Images of Our Earth in Crisis." Fair relies on complementary charter flights from Lighthawk and Southwings, two volunteer-based aviation organizations, to provide his photographic platform in the air.  He's documented the wastes associated with our extraction industries.  The photos in the Time article include bauxite waste from aluminum smelting, tailings from the extraction of oil from tar sands, the oil spreading from the BP Macondo well blowout, and a wastewater pool at a hydrofluoric acid plant, as well as others. All show beautiful fluid dynamics features.

1 comment:

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It's true! Beautiful. but a little terrifies!