Portal:Earth sciences/DYK/19

Debris-covered slopes of the Brenva Glacier

... that when a massive rockfall in 1920 covered part of the Brenva Glacier (pictured), it caused it to lengthen considerably, at a time when nearby glaciers were retreating?
... that Desmarestia tropica, or tropical acidweed, is possibly extinct because of the 1982–83 El Niño event?
... that the Lilac Fire in Southern California grew from a small brush fire to 4,100 acres (17 km²) in one day?
... that the Los Frailes ignimbrite plateau has a volume of about 2,000 cubic kilometres (480 cu mi), and volcanism may have continued into the Holocene?
... that several astronomical observatories are constructed on the Purico volcanic complex?
... that a large lake formerly covered California's Death Valley, and occasionally reappears?