USA.gov Blog Daily Update - 3 Jan 13

Posted:  3 Jan 13


On Thu, Jan 3, 2013 at 1:17 PM, USA.gov Blog Team <subscriptions@subscriptions.usa.gov> wrote:

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Video Description: A beautiful solar prominence eruption on the...

01/03/2013 03:00 PM EST

Video Description: A beautiful solar prominence eruption on the east side of the Sun, recorded over several hours in April 2012 and played back at different speeds. For some perspective on the size of this eruption, the diameter of the Sun is 100 times greater than that of the Earth. That means the eruption was about 10 Earths long. The event was seen by NASA’s SDO satellite.

A solar prominence is a large, bright feature extending outward from the Sun’s surface. Prominences are anchored to the Sun’s surface and extend outwards into the Sun’s hot outer atmosphere. A prominence forms over timescales of about a day, and stable prominences may persist in the corona for several months, looping hundreds of thousands of miles into space. Scientists are still researching how and why prominences are formed. 

The red-glowing looped material is plasma, a hot gas comprised of electrically charged hydrogen and helium. The prominence plasma flows along a tangled and twisted structure of magnetic fields generated by the sun’s internal dynamo. An erupting prominence occurs when such a structure becomes unstable and bursts outward, releasing the plasma.
Video courtesy of NASA

Green Marketing Claims: How to Tell Fact From Fiction

01/03/2013 01:00 PM EST

You have probably seen products with labels claiming that they are “eco-friendly”, “all-natural”, or “made from recycled materials”. The challenge with these statements is that there is no clear definition of these terms. Here are some tips to help you sort through green marketing:

• Look for specific (ex. “contains 75% post-consumer recycled materials”) rather than vague statements about environmental impact.
• Determine whether the green marketing claims apply to the packaging, the product, or both.
• Beware of fake third-party certification. Visit Consumer Reports’ website to find reliable environmental labels.

Get more tips to help you go green.

Learn How to Host International Leaders Visiting the United States

01/03/2013 10:00 AM EST

Learn How to Host International Leaders Visiting the United States:Did you know you can volunteer as a “citizen diplomat” and host international leaders visiting the United States? Learn how.

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