San Francisco Metblogs » Science http://sf.metblogs.com Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:51:42 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 en hourly 1 NASA 3D View of the San Andreas Fault! http://sf.metblogs.com/2009/06/25/nasa-3d-view-of-the-san-andreas-fault/ http://sf.metblogs.com/2009/06/25/nasa-3d-view-of-the-san-andreas-fault/#comments Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:18:53 +0000 Richard Ault http://sf.metblogs.com/?p=5788 From Nov. last year, but posted recently as a NASA image of the day we bring you a killer 3D view of the San Andreas Fault running up the peninsula and out to see north of Pacifica. This project is about mapping which parts of the fault are creeping past each other with little “stickiness,” and which parts appear to be locked together—places where pent-up stress may be released suddenly in a major earthquake.

San Andreas Fault Satellite Imagery

San Andreas Fault Satellite Imagery

To read more about NASA’s mission to map the San Andreas and related faults with radar imagery, please read Scientists Search for a Pulse in Skies Above Earthquake Country.

]]> http://sf.metblogs.com/2009/06/25/nasa-3d-view-of-the-san-andreas-fault/feed/ 1 Cal Academy Wins Award of Excellence! http://sf.metblogs.com/2008/05/13/cal-academy-wins-award-of-excellence/ http://sf.metblogs.com/2008/05/13/cal-academy-wins-award-of-excellence/#comments Tue, 13 May 2008 20:55:56 +0000 Richard Ault http://sf.metblogs.com/2008/05/13/cal-academy-wins-award-of-excellence/ The Green Roof Industry Association has awarded the new Cal Academy of Sciences with an award of excellence for their green roof installation. The new Academy opens on September 27, 2008. The living roof is a key part of the platinum LEED certification the museum has accomplished. From the southeast view the building truly blends in to the landscape. From the west, see picture below, still a sight to behold.

The roof also retains 2 million gallons of rainwater, preventing 70% of the rainwater that falls on the roof from becoming runoff. The water that does run off the roof is collected in basement-level cisterns and reused for roof irrigation. No potable water will be used to irrigate the living roof.

The roof covers an ambitious 197,000 sq. ft. to a depth of 6-7 inches and cost $17 per sq. ft. In conjunction with the building’s other innovative sustainable features, the living roof contributes to many of the anticipated LEED® points, which, when achieved, will make the Academy the world’s largest LEED® Platinum -certified public space

2290733552_a1d1723a61.jpg

Photo Credit: Peter Kaminski. H/t to Inhabitat.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post’s poll.

]]> http://sf.metblogs.com/2008/05/13/cal-academy-wins-award-of-excellence/feed/ 0