Posted on 03/29/2016 6:23:23 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
A pair of local scientists say climate change may bring one more thing to worry about: rock slides from out of the blue.
It's a caution they raised this month after studying a high cliff in Yosemite National Park to find out why mountainous rocks fall from high places for no obvious reason.
"There are often rockfalls that happen on beautiful, sunny summer days and there is often no explanation: no rain, earthquakes or any other obvious explanation," said Brian Collins, a researcher at the U.S. Geological Survey.
They concluded that daily and seasonal fluctuations in temperature led to expansions and contractions of the rock that were, over time, enough to trigger a potentially hazardous rockfall.
"Over time, the cracks are going to become bigger and bigger and bigger and ultimately result in a rockfall."
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Water-cracks-freezing temperatures-layers of rock...it’s nothing new.
Children and minorities hardest hit.
Expansion due to crossing the freeze/thaw boundary is seasonal.
“Children and minorities hardest hit.”
We need a law requiring children and minorities to wear protective gear when standing below falling rocks.
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