On May 4, 1976, NASA launched a cannonball-shaped satellite that transformed studies of Earth’s shape, rotation and gravity field.

LAGEOS – short for Laser Geodynamic Satellite – was the first NASA orbiter dedicated to the precision measurement technique called laser ranging. With it, scientists have measured the movement of Earth’s tectonic plates, detected irregularities in the rotation of the planet, weighed it, and tracked small shifts in its center of mass.

Small deviations in the satellite’s orbit were used to develop early models of Earth’s gravitational field. Further perturbations in the orbit helped explain how sunlight heating small objects can affect their orbits, including near-Earth asteroids.

Built to last, the 900-pound (about 400 kilograms) satellite is passive, with no on-board sensors or electronics and no moving parts. Its brass core is covered by an aluminum shell that is dotted with 426 retroreflectors, making the satellite look like a giant golf ball.

“LAGEOS is elegantly simple – a ball covered with reflecting prisms,” said Stephen Merkowitz, manager of NASA’s Space Geodesy Project at the agency’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “But it set a new standard for laser ranging and has provided 40 years of continuity for these measurements.”

The satellite was launched from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The design, development and construction of the orbiter was managed by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

LAGEOS travels in a stable circular, pole-to-pole orbit more than 3,600 miles (5,900 kilometers) above Earth’s surface. At this altitude – medium Earth orbit – the satellite feels very little atmospheric drag and can be observed by ground stations on different continents simultaneously.

Over the years, 183 stations worldwide have ranged to LAGEOS, and dozens still do. A laser pulse is transmitted from a ground station and bounces off one of the satellite’s retroreflectors, directing part of the signal back to the station. The time it takes the pulse to make this round trip is measured precisely and used to calculate the distance between the satellite and the station.

This technique is called satellite laser ranging. By making these measurements over time, the absolute positions of the stations – relative to Earth’s center of mass – can be determined. From that, subtle changes in the positions of the stations relative to one another can be calculated.

One of the original goals of LAGEOS was to enable accurate measurements of the movements of the major plates that make up Earth’s crust. By the time the satellite was launched, the theory of plate tectonics was established, already supported by evidence of seafloor spreading and magnetic patterns in the crust. However, questions remained about how much the plates were moving in modern times and how that information could be applied to help understand earthquakes.

“What had been missing was a way to measure the speed and direction of plate movement over time,” said Frank Lemoine, a geophysical scientist at Goddard.

Satellite laser ranging had begun before LAGEOS, but early measurements had accuracies on the order of about 3 feet (1 meter). LAGEOS would make it possible to achieve accuracies of less than half an inch (1 centimeter) – the level needed to detect tectonic plate motion. Modern measurements have improved by another factor of 10.

“At the time, people couldn’t believe that we could actually range to a satellite orbiting at that altitude with such high accuracy,” said Erricos Pavlis, a researcher with the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

These precise measurements also made it possible to detect small irregularities in Earth’s rotation, caused by the movement of mass in the atmosphere and oceans, and polar motion – the migration of the planet’s axis of rotation.

Ranging to LAGEOS was good enough to reveal small perturbations in the satellite’s orbit, which provided the basis for early gravity models of Earth. The satellite also was used to detect a rebounding of Earth’s crust in regions where it had flattened slightly when ancient ice sheets covered the Hudson Bay area, Finland and Scandinavia.

“Today, we see Earth as one system, with the planet’s shape, rotation, atmosphere, gravitational field and the motions of the continents all connected. We take it for granted now, but LAGEOS helped us arrive at that view,” said David E. Smith, who was the LAGEOS project scientist at Goddard and is now at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge.

A nearly identical sister satellite, LAGEOS-2, was launched in 1992 as a joint venture of the Italian Space Agency and NASA. This satellite travels in a complementary orbit, and together, the two enabled a wider range of studies.

The data from this pair were used to confirm one prediction of Einstein’s general theory of relativity: frame dragging. This is a tiny perturbation of an object’s orbit around a massive rotating central body, called the gravitomagnetic or Lense-Thirring effect.

LAGEOS also led to the discovery of other subtle effects. One was the seasonal Yarkovsky effect, a tiny braking force that occurs when sunlight heats one side of the spacecraft and the spacecraft later emits that heat.

This drag is a variation of the original Yarkovsky effect, which takes place because of the rotation of the satellite about its axis. The seasonal version takes place over the course of its orbit around Earth.

The seasonal Yarkovsky effect – along with other miniscule forces – lowers LAGEOS’ orbit by a fraction of an inch each day.

“These and related effects are of particular interest lately because they can redirect the orbits of small objects, such as near-Earth asteroids,” said David Rubincam, a Goddard scientist involved in these studies.

NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft will investigate the Yarkovsky effect as part of its mission to study asteroid Bennu and return a sample to Earth for analysis.

These days, LAGEOS is part of a constellation of satellites that help establish and maintain the terrestrial reference frame, which links together navigation systems across the globe and serves as a fundamental reference for interplanetary navigation of spacecraft. The two LAGEOS satellites have the unique role of defining the origin, or center point, of the terrestrial reference frame; this is based on Earth’s center of mass.

Still going strong on its 40th anniversary, LAGEOS is expected to revolve around Earth for millions of years.

With that in mind, the orbiter carries a plaque designed by Carl Sagan. Most of the plaque is devoted to three panels, each with a map of Earth at a different epoch. The top panel represents Earth 268 million years ago, when the continents were joined as a single land mass. The middle panel shows the modern-day configuration of the continents. The last panel projects the configuration 8.4 million years in the future, when the satellite was originally predicted to finally fall to Earth.

“There is a lot of optimism embodied in this message to the future,” said Merkowitz. “It represents the vision that went into launching a satellite designed to operate for ages to come.”

Elizabeth Zubritsky works for NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Animal Care and Control has four cats needing homes this week.

The cats include three females and four males.

In addition to spaying or neutering, cats that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are microchipped before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.

If you're looking for a new companion, visit the shelter. There are many great pets there, hoping you'll choose them.

In addition to the animals featured here, all adoptable animals in Lake County can be seen here: http://bit.ly/Z6xHMb .

The following cats at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption (other cats pictured on the animal control Web site that are not listed here are still “on hold”).

Domestic medium hair mix

This male domestic medium hair mix cat has an orange tabby coat with white markings.

He's in cat room kennel No. 20, ID No. 4773.

'Misty'

“Misty” is an adult female domestic short hair mix with a gray and white coat.

She's in cat room kennel No. 32, ID No. 4727.

Domestic long hair mix

This female domestic long hair mix cat has an all-black coat.

Shelter staff describes her as a “love bug.”

They said she came in injured and they cannot yet determine when she will be available, but they invite applications.

She already is spayed so her adoption fee will be less expensive.

She's in cat room kennel No. 58, ID No. 4809.

'Mom'

“Mom” is a female domestic short hair mix with a gray tabby coat.

She's in cat room kennel No. 114, ID No. 4823.

Adoptable cats also can be seen at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Cats_and_Kittens.htm or at www.petfinder.com .

To fill out an adoption application online visit http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Dog___Cat_Adoption_Application.htm .

Lake County Animal Care and Control is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport, next to the Hill Road Correctional Facility.

Office hours are Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Visit the shelter online at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control.htm .

For more information call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Animal Care and Control has another varied selection of dogs this week needing new homes.

This week's available dogs include mixes of border collie, boxer, German Shepherd, hound, Labrador Retriever, pit bull, Pomeranian, retriever and Shar Pei.

Dogs that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are either neutered or spayed, microchipped and, if old enough, given a rabies shot and county license before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.

If you're looking for a new companion, visit the shelter. There are many great pets hoping you'll choose them.

In addition to the animals featured here, all adoptable animals in Lake County can be seen here: http://bit.ly/Z6xHMb .

The following dogs at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption (additional dogs on the animal control Web site not listed are still “on hold”).

Pomeranian mix

This female Pomeranian mix has a short black and tan coat with some white markings.

She's in kennel No. 2, ID No. 4830.

Male retriever mix

This male retriever mix has as a short brown coat.

He's in quarantine kennel No. 3, ID No. 4769.

Pit bull terrier mix

This female pit bull terrier mix has a short brown coat.

She's in kennel No. 4, ID No. 4850.

Shar Pei-pit bull mix

This male Shar Pei-pit bull mix has a short white coat with brown markings.

He's in kennel No. 5, ID No. 4855.

Male terrier mix

This young male terrier mix has a short brown and white coat.

He's in kennel No. 6, ID No. 4833.

'Patches'

“Patches” is a female pit bull terrier mix with a short brown and white coat.

She's in kennel No. 9, ID No. 4817.

Male boxer

This handsome male boxer has a short brown coat with white markings.

He's in kennel No. 11, ID No. 4802.

Pit bull mix

This female pit bull terrier mix has a short brown and white coat.

She's in kennel No. 12, ID No. 4854.

'Squid'

“Squid” is as male Labrador Retriever mix.

He has a short black coat with white markings.

He's in kennel No. 23, ID No. 4814.

'Missy'

“Missy” is a female border collie mix.

She has a medium-length black coat with white markings.

She's in kennel No. 24, ID No. 4813.

Hound-shepherd mix puppy

This male hound-shepherd mix puppy has a short brown coat.

He's in kennel No. 25a, ID No. 4845.

Hound-shepherd mix puppy

This male hound-shepherd mix puppy has a short brown coat.

He's in kennel No. 25b, ID No. 4846.

Hound-shepherd mix puppy

This male hound-shepherd mix puppy has a short brown coat.

He's in kennel No. 25c, ID No. 4847.

Female pit bull terrier mix

This female pit bull terrier mix has a short gray and white coat.

Shelter staff said she is very people friendly and good with other dogs, and would do best in a home with no cats.

She walks well on a loose leash and is not food aggressive. She allows handling of ears, mouth, paws and tail. Shelter staff said she would make a great family pet and would do well with kids.

She's in kennel No. 29, ID No. 4749.

'Rosie'

“Rosie” is a female boxer-pit bull mix.

She has a short brown brindle coat with white markings.

Her adoption fee will be less expensive due to already being spayed.

She's in kennel No. 32, ID No. 4670.

Female German Shepherd

This female German Shepherd has a short tan and black coat with white markings.

She's in kennel No. 33, ID No. 4812.

Male German Shepherd

This male German Shepherd has a short tan and black coat.

He's in kennel No. 34, ID No. 4811.

To fill out an adoption application online visit http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Dog___Cat_Adoption_Application.htm .

Lake County Animal Care and Control is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport, next to the Hill Road Correctional Facility.

Office hours are Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Visit the shelter online at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control.htm .

For more information call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

UPPER LAKE, Calif. – The stage is being set for the annual celebration of Upper Lake's western heritage.

“Wild West Day” will ride into downtown Upper Lake once more on Saturday, June 4. Hours will be 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

As in the past this celebration will feature the costume and beard contests, parades, The Blue Canyon Gang, good eats, live music and vendors. New to this year's festivities will be the juggling troupe "Physics at Play.”

This year's event also will feature a celebration of Upper Lake's beautiful 100-year-old Harriet Lee Hammond Library.

The Upper Lake Library, now a branch of the Lake County Library, opened in the fall of 1916, and will be open “true-to-form” during Wild West Day.

To the delight of readers young and old, from all walks of life, the library will be open for information, getting library cards, a book sale and just visiting.

The Women's Protective Club, which meets at the library the first Wednesday of each month, will be in the equestrian parade dressed in historical fashion and Linda Bushta, librarian of the Upper Lake Library, will be the grand marshal of the floats and autos parade.

This Wild West Day event is popular with the community and visitors alike thanks to an annual pancake breakfast served by Northshore Fire Support, the tri-tip barbecue prepared by ULHS Boosters and a strawberry ice cream social provided by the Oddfellows Hall IOOF No. 241.

So don your favorite old west attire, your dancing boots or walking shoes and join the fun on Main Street, June 4, for a day of western family fun, good food, a little toe-tapping music and shopping the great variety of "something for everyone" vendors. Don't forget to stop by and lasso a little history at the beautiful 100-year-old library.

Wild West Day is sponsored by Northshore Fire Protection District, Upper Lake Community Council, North Shore Business Association and Oddfellows Hall IOOF No. 241.

For more information call 707-275-2000 or 707-275-9515, or download parade and vendor forms at www.northshorebusinessassociation.com .

May is National Bike Safety Month, and the California Highway Patrol is reminding motorists and bicyclists to share responsibility for roadway safety.

California’s weather allows bicyclists to enjoy riding many months throughout the year. Although bicycle safety should be practiced every day, the month of May has been set aside to draw awareness to how we can all help minimize bicycle injuries and deaths.

“As important as it is for drivers to be mindful of bicyclists, those who ride their bicycles, must exercise safe practices and ride smart,” said CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow. “With all roadway users doing their part, we can help reduce the number of tragedies.”

According to 2014 statistics from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, each year about 2 percent of collision victims are bicyclists.

In a majority of the bicycle deaths, the most serious injuries are to the head, highlighting the importance of wearing a bicycle helmet. Helmet use has been estimated to reduce the odds of head injury by 50 percent.

Bicyclists and motorists should be especially aware that a large portion of collisions that result in death occur in the late afternoon or evening.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that 48 percent of bicyclist deaths occurred between 4 p.m. and midnight.

Bicyclists on the roadway have all the rights and responsibilities of a vehicle driver and are responsible for complying with the law.

Riders must also obey the laws of the road, such as stopping at stop signs and stop lights, and yielding to pedestrians.

Riders can increase their safety by wearing reflective clothing, wearing a helmet, watching for parked cars, staying alert at all times, looking before turning, and riding with the flow of traffic.

In recent years, California has implemented traffic safety laws to help improve conditions on the road for both bicyclists and motorists.

The “Three Feet for Safety Act” became operative on Sept. 16, 2014, and requires motorists to allow at least three feet of clearance when passing a bicyclist.

Also, effective Jan. 1, 2016, the slow-moving vehicle statute was clarified to require any vehicle, including bicyclists, proceeding upon a highway at a speed less than the normal speed of traffic, to pull off the roadway if it has five or more vehicles lined up behind it.

Motorists need to be aware of bicyclists on the roadways and take certain precautions when sharing the road.

Drivers should follow a few safety tips to help reduce bicycle-involved collisions, such as: slow down, be patient, share the road, look twice for bicyclists and expect bicyclists on the roadway.

Data from the Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System shows that in 2013 there were 164 bicyclists killed in collisions statewide, which represents an 11.5 percent increase from the previous year.

Since 2013, the number of bicyclists killed in collisions has dropped each year. In 2015, there were 133 bicyclists killed in collisions statewide. This represents a 23-percent decrease from 2013.

Although the number of bicyclists killed has declined recently, there are still too many fatal collisions occurring throughout the state. There is work to be done on the part of both bicyclists and motorists.

“With the month-long promotion of bicycle safety awareness throughout the state, we hope to see the number of incidents involving bicyclists continue to decline,” added Commissioner Farrow. “Through education, mutual respect, and observance of traffic laws we can help make the roadways a safer place for all.”

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – An effort to provide free spaying and neutering for hundreds of Lake County pets got under way on Saturday.

The Clearlake Pet Project will provide a total of 500 free spay and neuter surgeries over the coming months in a large scale effort to help reverse the trend of dog and cat overpopulation in the county.

Organizers report that it's the largest free spay/neuter program in the county's history, and estimate that the 500 surgeries will prevent the birth of 7,500 unwanted puppies and kittens.

On Saturday, 31 pets were operated on at the SPCA of Lake County's Kelseyville clinic, according to SPCA Board President Brenda Crandall.

In addition to providing free spay and neuter surgeries, the Clearlake Pet Project – run by the nonprofit group Animal Refugee Response of Contra Costa County through a generous grant from PetSmart Charities – will offer free vaccinations and parasite control for pets of very low income pet owners.

The Clearlake Pet Project aims to decrease the incidence of unwanted litters, reduce incidence of preventable disease, and ultimately to reduce Lake County's pet euthanasia rate, which is one of the highest in California. Many of the prequalified pets have never before been seen by a veterinarian.

The first phase of the program focuses on the pets of Clearlake and Lower Lake residents. Applicants have been pre-approved and surgeries have been scheduled through the summer months.

Medical oversight is being provided by Animal Care Clinic of Contra Costa County. Transportation for pets without a way to and from their appointment is being provided by Animal Coalition of Lake County. Jameson Rescue Ranch of Napa County also is contributing additional support.

Although excellent low-cost spay/neuter options do exist in Lake County, including a voucher program from Animal Coalition of Lake County, and the FIX Lake County program from Orphan Dog, some pet owners cannot even afford these options.

The second phase of Clearlake Pet Project, planned to begin in the fall of 2016, will open up to other Lake County communities.

For more information contact Blythe Lucero at 510-230-3758 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

For pet owners who do not qualify for the Clearlake Pet Project but still need assistance with spay/neuter services, contact the local nonprofit animal rescue group Orphan Dog to fill out an application for its FIX Lake County initiative at http://www.orphandog.org/info/display?PageID=16604 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Lake County Animal Control and Care offers spay and neuter services for qualified individuals, and they will fix any pit bull for reduced rates ($50 for males, $70 for females). Call 707-263-0278 for more information.

For low cost spay and neuter vouchers in the city of Clearlake contact the Animal Coalition of Lake County at 707-995-0552.

“The Earth laughs in flowers.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“I must have flowers, always, and always.” – Claude Monet

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Spring has blessed us with a paradise of wildflower cover, as if to say, "All is not lost, I am still here."

Sometimes known as “fire followers,” some flowering plants which were dormant for years, need the intense heat for their seeds to sprout.

Botanists have discovered that there is a chemical reaction which occurs with the combination of ash, scorched wood and spring rains to help bring to life these living carpets of color.

Many other flowers thrive after fires have raced over the hillsides, since there is no competition to take up nutrients or shade them.

Of the more than 6,000 varieties of wildflowers in our state, we appear to have more than our fair share, here in Lake County.

Lake County's Mediterranean climate hosts hot and dry summers, then a rainy season which normally drops anywhere from 30 to 55 inches of rain.

We see an abundance and variety of color most years, due to our many micro-ecosystems. We have serpentine grasslands, chamise chaparral, riparian communities, and more.

During this time of Lake County's ecological and spiritual recoveries, the opulence of Lake County's flora is a true blessing.

Kathleen Scavone, M.A., is an educator, potter, writer and author of “Anderson Marsh State Historic Park: A Walking History, Prehistory, Flora, and Fauna Tour of a California State Park” and “Native Americans of Lake County.” She also writes for NASA and JPL as one of their “Solar System Ambassadors.” She was selected “Lake County Teacher of the Year, 1998-99” by the Lake County Office of Education, and chosen as one of 10 state finalists the same year by the California Department of Education.