Russia probes smelly orange snow

[BurtWorm]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6323611.stm



Russia has flown a team of chemical experts to a Siberian region to find out why smelly, coloured snow has been falling over several towns.

Oily yellow and orange snowflakes fell over an area of more than 1,500sq km (570sq miles) in the Omsk region on Wednesday, Russian officials said.

...

Residents have been advised not to use the snow for household tasks or let animals graze on it.
..

But Vladimir Gurzhey, an official with the civil defence ministry in Omsk, told the Russia TV channel that the snow had four times the normal levels of iron in it.

...

Omsk, in western Siberia, is a centre of Russia's oil industry. About 27,000 people live in the areas affected by the snow, Russian officials said.

[StClone]

1. Betcha it from China

Desert and agricultural dust along with industrial particles.

[leveymg]

6. Isn't everything made there? You're probably right.

[madokie]

2. HMMMM, the whole process of making a snow flake would pretty much rule out 'oily'

would it not :shrug:

[lectrobyte]

8. Not necessarily. Oily smoke particles could serve as seeds for snow crystals. nt

[KamaAina]

3. Watch out where the huskies go...

don't you eat that yellow (or orange) snow!

[leveymg]

4. I know the answer!!!!!!: Snow from Mars. Here's proof>

The high iron content gives it away. :think:

SKI MARS

[MADem]

7. Ahhh....perhaps a spaceship had an oil leak???

:shrug:

[SmokingJacket]

5. Which way are the prevailing winds?

If they're anything like this part of the world, this would be coming straight out of Khazakstan.

[Jim Warren]

9. From the night crew

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=114897&mesg_id=114897

[tinfoilinfor2005]

10. Dad always said,

"Don't eat the yellow snow."

(Probably because we had dogs when I was growing up. :))

[seemslikeadream]

11. Too bad

rain doesn't show it's color