Rare Optical Displays in the Skies Harbinger Of Changes Within the Earth?

ETA: I failed to mention that I am in the NW corner of Washington State. Skagit County.

In the past three years I have become increasingly aware of natures beauty. I have always been a lover of the woods, outdoors and geology. I am honestly not sure if what I am seeing is the result of simple awareness, increased observation, or a real change.

I'll acknowledge that I am an avid photographer and have always had an eye for things that stand out; patterns, lights/shadows and perhaps things that are not always obvious to others. I got a much nicer camera about four years ago and have since jumped with both feet into the digital world.

Having said that: It seems to me that as I see one amazing thing after another and am driven here to ATS and the search engines to put a name to it, that there comes a point when I have to ask myself why? The word 'rare' often accompanies the definitions I am coming up with. Am I REALLY that fortunate, that lucky, that much of a top notch observer that I am catching most of these from literally my back yard???

Or is there another reason?????

Those on here that have been reading my various threads over the past years know that I often say I do NOT believe in coincidences. I don't. So yesterday, as I looked through my past 2.5 yrs of pictures of sun halos, sun dogs, pillars, rainbows, circumvential arcs, etc.....I began to think. (uh-oh) You see, I just added a couple of more images yesterday. One was of an absolutely jaw-dropping horizontal rainbow that was as wide as a mountain behind my house (I got a picture), and a DOUBLE/double reflection rainbows that my son saw and managed to get a picture of a few miles from our home the day before.

You guys also know that my first love is geology and seismology. It is because of this, that I am aware of a theory pertaining to electromagnetic precursors to earthquakes. Stay with me now, I promise this interesting.

I am going to first give you my dummied down version (how I understand it) to what I am proposing, and then follow it up with the scientific papers and articles to possibly support it. I am looking for insight. If you do or do not agree and why. I am not saying that this is what I believe, but only a working theory as to a possible explanation for WHY there are so many RARE optical displays happening in this area lately. Okay, here it is:

The earth is surrounded by several different layers of atmosphere: (from closest to the earth to farthest away) troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, Ionosphere and exosphere. There is a constant exchange of air and chemicals between them. I could talk about it for a long time, but here is a simple LINK that explains it nicely.

Rainbows are basically different wavelengths of light being bent in a raindrop and refracted back out the other side. There is also what's called an electromagnetic spectrum and visible spectrum components. Here is a nice article that explains it.

We all know that clouds are formed by various forms of water and water crystals and how these interact with all the various air currents/temps and conditions in the atmosphere. There are theories on how the electromagnetic field and its variables can also affect clouds. There have been several NEW types of clouds lately and I also have seen and gotten a picture of a few of them.

So this brings me to rocks. Or rather, the crushing of them. An earthquake is the literal release of energy. This energy comes from the grinding of rock against rock. A growing theory (claimed to have been proven in a laboratory setting) and with mounting, credible data from years of large quakes, believes that when this process of crushing rocks happens, radon gas is emitted. This creates an exchange in the...you guessed it! Atmosphere! Or, another theory is that the crushing of the rock itself causes an electrical discharge which then interacts with the ions in the atmosphere. Here, this little excerpt from an article explains much better than I can:

One of the possible explanations for this relationship is the Lithosphere-Atmosphere-Ionosphere Coupling mechanism, which provides the physical links between the different geochemical, atmospheric and ionospheric variations and tectonic activity. Briefly, the primary process is the ionization of the air produced by an increased emanation of radon (and other gases) from the Earth’s crust in the vicinity of [an] active fault. The increased radon emanation launches the chain of physical processes,which leads to changes in the conductivity of the air and a latent heat release (increasing air temperature) due to water molecules attachment (condensation) to ions."

Got that? If not, here's a translation from the arXiv blog at MIT's Technology Review:


The thinking is that in the days before an earthquake, the great stresses in a fault as it is about to give cause the releases large amounts of radon.

The radioactivity from this gas ionises the air on a large scale and this has a number of knock on effects. Since water molecules are attracted to ions in the air, ionisation triggers the large scale condensation of water.

But the process of condensation also releases heat and it is this that causes infrared emissions. "Our first results show that on March 8th a rapid increase of emitted infrared radiation was observed from the satellite data," say Ouzounov and co.

These emissions go on to effect the ionosphere and its total electron content.

Not everyone buys that explanation of the lithosphere-atmosphere-ionosphere mechanism. Here's an alternative theory as reported today in California Watch:


Friedmann Freund, another NASA scientist and a researcher at San Jose State University, says the observed atmospheric changes have nothing to do with radon and other gases escaping from the earth.

"There is no evidence that links radon emanation closely with seismic or pre-seismic events," he said. "There is another much more powerful, much more general and observationally supported process which causes massive air ionization, when stresses build up deep below earthquakes."

He says the electromagnetic changes are caused by extreme pressure on the rocks themselves. His theory is simple: If you squeeze a block of granite rock hard enough, it’ll become electrically active.

In 2007, Freund and others set up a laboratory experiment in which they squeezed a rock really hard, while detecting the emissions around it. As soon as pressure was applied to the rock, the electrical field around it changed

Here is the full article which claims these changes were noted in the atmosphere days before Japans Monster 9.0 quake.

For those that are technical minded and enjoy digging into a more scientific article, here is THIS. It goes a bit over my head, but I still appreciate it.


So what I am suggesting, is WHAT IF:


The increasing mechanism within the Cascadian Subduction Zone (including the deep tremors) is having an electromagnetic affect on our atmosphere? What if it is getting to the point where the affects are becoming more visible? Could these be pre-cursors to the 'Big One'?


Continued.......

reply to post by westcoast


Once again, I am not saying I believe this is true, only that I think it could be a possibility. I know there are going to be those who want to slam me or talk about HARP, but I would like to request that we keep the responses in line with the OP and why you do or do not support the theory.

I also want to point out that there are a lot of geologist who do not agree with the Radon theory, but like any good science, until disproven it is a possibility.

SO...I am going to provide my own personal picture documentation of the various rare optical displays I have witnessed. Of all of these pictures (taken over the past two years or so) only the next to last is not mine, but my sons. It was sent to my phone from his so I have a first-hand account for where, when and what it was.

If my theory is crap, then all that is wasted is my time. If there is any kind of validity to it, than I would like to think that this information could prove valuable.

First: This is simply a rainbow. A beautiful one, yes. I am including it because it was really the catapult for me. After seeing and capturing this image, I wanted more. I started watching. It is my avatar and was taken from my own backyard. It was actually close to a spiritual experience. For anyone that has had the pleasure of something similar, you know what I mean.
(this was taken 3/21/2010)



I had seen a sun halo once or twice in my life up until three years ago. Then, I started seeing them ALL the time. So much so, that I had just come to accept that they really are everywhere all the time but people simply don't notice them. I'm still not sure if that is the case, but in correlation to everything else, I am including them.
(this was taken just two months after the above rainbow, from my yard)


One month later, an even brighter one, from my yard:


I saw several that first summer, and I began noticing more sun dogs. I got many pictures, but this was my best one early the next year, on my street:


A couple of more sun halos that summer of 2011, both from my yard:



Then I started noticing other things in the sky. This picture was taken a couple of days of the 6.6 quake just off-shore Vancouver Island on 9/10/2011 (on my street)
(taken looking NW, towards Vancouver. I know many will say it was shadows from the sun on clouds....but I am certain it wasn't.)


Just three months later I saw an amazing sun pillar. The sun is below the horizon here, being reflected into the clouds. (taken 2/2/2012, on my street)


Rainbow cloud while snowing lightly in February of 2012, from my yard:


Then I really started sun halos and double sun dogs on a regular basis last summer:

(march 2012)

(april 2012...at a track meet a few miles from my house)


(also april of 2012 from my yard)


Then I saw a rare fire rainbow...again, this was taken from my backyard (6/20/2012)



I also got video of this. I was driving home when I saw it and started recording on my phone as I drove towards my house. It was huge. It was still there when I got into my backyard for the pictures.


Another sun halo from my backyard that summer


A couple of months later, I got this image also from my yard:



Then, a couple of months later in November 2012, for the first time ever I saw what I think to be a circumvential tangent arc. I was in Anacortes, about 15 miles from home. I was taking pictures of a friends child when I looked up to check out a sun dog and saw this. I didn't know what I was seeing at the time...it was upside-down rainbow!!!!!


You have to understand that the above image was very exciting for me. I had made a thread here on ATS about it and it was so cool to find out I got an image of a somewhat rare rainbow. Could you imagine my surprise when only ONE MONTH later, I saw another one in front of my own house??!!! Not only that, but it started out as a sun halo....turned into double sun-dogs and than a tangent arc!!! I was laying down in a cut corn field trying desperately to get it all in one picture. Here is what I got.

The halo/double sun dogs (12/31/2012..happy new year!!)


The halo at the top:


Two weeks later I saw a cool hole punch cloud:


About three weeks after that in February of this year (2/13) I saw another rainbow that topped the original. As you can see, it is even in the same spot:


A month later, the brightest sun halo ever. It was easter, so I got creative.


Two days later I saw a giant hole punch form..(3/26/2013 from my backyard).


And then a hole punch within the hole punch!!!


I have seen countless sun halos and sun dogs just in the past three months. It has become so common for me that most of the time, I don't even take pictures. Is that normal???

About a week ago my husband and I saw something in the night sky we couldn't explain. I tried to get a picture and this is the poor result:


After starting a thread here on ATS, evidence was found to support that we saw a combination of noctiluscent clouds and rare E/W white auroras.

Check out this LINK about it. Scroll down to the picture...exactly what we saw. (thanks to ATS member whatnext21 for that link!)

A few days ago, these very rare double/double reflection rainbows were captured a few miles from my house. Look closely....there are two double rainbows being reflected!!



Then yesterday as I was about one black from house, I saw the widest, lowest rainbow ever. This is looking SE towards my house. It isn't obvious, you have to look. The picture doesn't do it justice, all I had was my cell phone. Look at the low tree covered hill...you can see the extremely broad colors starting at the ground going from right to left...the red extends very low into the sky..


I also got video of this, and I think you can see it better on that:


I did a search for this type of rare rainbow....and guess what I found? Another recent sighting not far south of me (also along the CSZ)

another horizontal rainbow

Here is a LINK to some really neat rainbow pictures. If you scroll down aways it has one of the double reflection and explains how rare they are.


SO....there it is. This thread has taken me hours to put together and I hope that some of you find it an interesting concept.

What do you think? Am I really just that lucky? Or could there be something going on....an electromagnetic mechanism that can't be seen, but is showing up in all of these rare optical illusions and cloud formations?


ETA: Okay, I have to do it. After reading through what I have written, I think it only fair to add that I have also been hearing the notorious 'rumbling'. I won't make that thread about this, you can easily click on my sig line link and read about it. (or look at my vids). But I think it appropriate to mention it, since I have also always felt that its geological in nature and the timing corresponds with what I am seeing in the sky.


Have at it ATS......

Fantastic pics. I have to agree im seeing more phenomena. Noctilucient clouds are getting more common and i have my own theory about that. The ionisation above japan may have been caused by the 7.1 earthquake a few days before the 9.1. But Why radon? Why not a massive release of radiation from a nuclear power plant? Could that have caused the ionisation?
Anyway star and flag.

I have also always been very aware of nature and often find 'odd' things and see unusual things and plenty of other incidents that aren't average, for example I have found 2 fossilised mushrooms, by chance in the same year, I wasn't looking for fossils nor digging around anywhere, I have seen small orbs show on photos I took around some druids graves, UFO, more intense UFO experiences, I have seen 2 apparent solar discs in the sky at different places at the same time, one was larger than the other, the other wasn't the moon or jupiter / venus, and it wasn't a sun dog either. A few months ago, there was a night where it stayed as light as about twilight all night, it was after a weird day of unexpected snow that fell for a few hours intensely then stopped in the afternoon, so even if there cloud and reflection it shouldn't have been that bright, I have seen plenty of snow, it was unusual. Also a few nights ago there was a whole patch of sky lit up around 3 am with radial noctilucent clouds radiating from near the horizon, the patch of light sky was circular and at an angle that didn't match the horizon, all the sky was clear apart from the noctilucent clouds and the rest of the sky was dark black, I felt like photographing it but my intuition said otherwise, it looked odd though.

My opinion is that as well as the weird weather, the Earth and possible solar system / galaxy is experiencing things humanity isn't currently well versed on.

Perhaps the area where you are makes more of these phenomena possible also.

Woah! Double Rainbow all the way!



I don't really think these are a "Harbinger of Changes Within the Earth". I would think it would have more to do with activity above the Earth, in the atmosphere. Or maybe beyond the Earth, from the sun. You know how sunlight does funny things with water vapor in the sky...

That said, I still feel as though there is 'something' coming... But i think it will be much more important that most anticipate, and less appreciated at the same time. Hard to explain. Just hunches.

I'm not science minded, but I definitely think you're onto something! I'm looking forward to seeing what the ats 'experts' think of your theory - but really - it makes perfect sense to me. I can only comment on where i'm from, but i've never seen anything other than a double rainbow, and where I live has never had anything other than 4ish mag.

btw, I don't know if i've asked, but do you have a Flickr? I'd love to see more of your photos! (also a big dslr geek/photog ;p)

Yes i find that every time something is photographed lately the word to describe it is 'rare'. Odd. By the way, i found that link for you for the pic you took. Keeping a close eye on the sky and I don't have a good camera, but i keep my iphone close by for those 'rare' events.

By the way, i found that link for you for the pic you took and were looking for an explanation to.

Originally posted by Heliophant
Woah!

Double Rainbow all the way!

I don't really think these are a "Harbinger of Changes Within the Earth". I would think it would have more to do with activity above the Earth, in the atmosphere. Or maybe beyond the Earth, from the sun. You know how sunlight does funny things with water vapor in the sky...

That said, I still feel as though there is 'something' coming... But i think it will be much more important that most anticipate, and less appreciated at the same time. Hard to explain. Just hunches.

Thanks for the comment!

Not sure if you had a chance to read the quoted text or article, but that's actually what I'm suggesting. That the electromagnetic affects from energy being released in the earth is interacting with the ionization in the atmosphere.

I suppose I could have made my original thread much shorter and just condensed down to that one sentence.

I know it may seem a bit of a stretch, but there is some compelling evidence to support it. I find it a fascinating theory and that it might have an affect on the visible electromagnetic spectrum isn't too far out there, IMO.

reply to post by whatnext21


Yes, from tornados to clouds to floods...seems to be a lot epic, or never-before-seen things happening.

You are also correct about being my source for the article about the auroras. Thank you for that! (I added a credit to the OP) It was actually a huge relief for me to see that...and for my husband, I was driving him crazy trying to figure it out!!

Those are some awesome pictures,westcoast.

WOW!

Love the rainbow shots,those are very unique.

Thank you for sharing that.

Peace,
Kev

Are you up near the airport/ Farm-to-Market /Bayview area? Just asking, I have a house on Bennett near Avon-Allen which is now rented out as I am living out-of-state for a while. Prior to leaving the Mt Vernon/Skagit area a couple of years ago, I was noticing what wild rainbows and similar sky phenomena as you. I did not photograph it often but might be able to dig up some that I took from Padilla bay with my wife. You have certainly jogged my memory and got my interest.

Awesome pics! Awesome thread. I think you'e theory is a good one...GAS!, but IMO it may be more related to methane levels causing climate change, or drastically heating our atmosphere by trapping the sun's heat. This is causing an extreme increase in moisture...as evidenced by the large amounts of rain falling everywhere, and the radical snow events prior to that this spring. High levels of humidity arrived in Florida much earlier than usual, not to mention the extreme heat. New York experiences an average of 1.5 inches of rain in June, but already this month they had 8 inches and this was before the major storms rolling through this morning. It's all about moisture. It's like when you turn up the hot water in your shower, the mirror fogs up much quicker and thicker the hotter the shower. That's what's happening to our planet right now. We're heating up and as we do we the moisture is increasing which could explain the rare and unusual but extremely cool visuals you are experiencing on a not so rare level anymore...the sun interacting with the water vapor.

Read all about my methane theories in my signature. A whole lot of information and debate in those threads

Beautiful pictures! thanks for sharing

Maybe it has more to do with the time of year? and of course you are probably looking up to the sky a lot more

I wish I had taking the opportunity to take a picture,but I witnessed a quad rainbow one time.Nature is a wonder.

reply to post by Lady_Tuatha


Thanks for the responses!

It doesn't seem to matter on the time of year. Happens all seasons, whether it is hot or cold, wet or dry. (rainbows more often wet, of course. )

I have been trying to find other common factors, but that is one of the reasons I decided to put it all together.

Originally posted by westcoast
Not sure if you had a chance to read the quoted text or article, but that's actually what I'm suggesting. That the electromagnetic affects from energy being released in the earth is interacting with the ionization in the atmosphere.

I suppose I could have made my original thread much shorter and just condensed down to that one sentence.

I must admit, I did hastily skim through your massive full-page post. It's a lot to take in. I will get through it, though.

Couldn't resist the "Double-Rainbow All the Way" opportunity.

Star for the huge effort.
Flag as soon as I get through the post.

Hi,s+f for you,this is a most interesting premise.Good thread,I will keep an eye on this.Your photo's are amazing,thank you for sharing.Good thread

I Hope it's just an amazing display of a Chance in the atmosphere.

Yellowstone isn't that very near ? It not be funny finding out the quakes with rainbows are the same warning here.
Cause I can only wish you good luck and cross my fingers it isn't what links your sightings.

Nice thread !

Well, thats a relief, im just about directlyNW of you on Vancouver Island.....
The sky has been fascinating me too for a while......
I keep thinking im just having more time to see it lately but no, ive always been a skywatcher.
And yes the thought has occurred that the sundogs and moondogs?? have been more frequent......the sky in daytime seems more brassy (when not raining) and the sun actually hurts in my eyes even indirectly..
Whether its a precursor im not entirely sure...but i like the idea of looking at the earth and all things in in from the center to the atmospheres edge, and including atmospherics as part of the grounds activity, and perhaps vice versa....(as in what do lightning storms actually DO when they strike the earth?
Where does all that power go?)

reply to post by westcoast


I don't have much to add to this topic, as you seem to have covered it quite thoroughly. However, your mention of Noctilucient clouds was a bit of deja vu for me, as I have just begun noticing them recently myself, here in Indiana. I had in fact, pointed them out to my husband a few nights ago and set about googling them when I had the opportunity because I wasn't sure if I was just incredibly non-observant and never noticed them or if they were more of a rare occurrence.

Anyway, aside from my rambling, cool thread! I know I really enjoyed reading it and will definitely be checking back to read all the replies on the topic