possible change in our weather pattern?

Apr 6, 2004
3,620
564
Galloway
Sue,

Hopefully you have your priorities set straight. Maybe you should let them secular science books collect some dust for awhile. Better yet, perhaps you could join me for a trip to Freehold, Iowa for the next annual book-burning event?
 

whippoorbill

Explorer
Jul 29, 2003
675
121
66
Bridgeton
I also have no political agenda. The science is what I pay attention to.

It's amazing how political the global-warming issue became. Guess we can blame Al Gore for this? I used to listen with astonishment to the conservative radio talk show Big Three (Glenn, Rush, and Sean) and hear repeatedly that man-enhanced global warming was nothing but a bunch of liberal gobblety-gook.

I'm no scientist, but I do listen to NPR Science Friday a lot, which makes me darned near an expert on the matter. :) Just this past week on the program, the conflicting data regarding the supposed "cooling" of Antarctica was addressed by a scientist -- sure enough, the east coast of the continent is cooling! "Aha!" I sez to meself. "Bah humbug to global warming!" Then the scientist explained that this portion of the continent is beneath the hole in the ozone layer and that heat escapes through this, causing the area to cool. On the whole, however, Antarctica is warming. Or so I was told.

Another scientist immediately thereafter mentioned that the ocean is currently absorbing most of the CO2 gasses, but will eventually reach its capacity. When that happens, the poop's to hit the fan. Or so I was told.

My take on the deal is that Mother Earth is a guinea pig here, but, at the same time, she's indifferent. Ma's good at balancing acts -- or taking the issues she has to deal with and handling them in a proper manner -- and will be fine in the long run. I see no guarantee for us. If we're messing with our planet, our planet will mess with us.
 

grendel

Explorer
Feb 24, 2006
561
2
Fredericksburg VA
I also have no political agenda. The science is what I pay attention to.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vostok_420ky_4curves_insolation.jpg


If this is correct then co2 levels have been this high in the past. Is the co2 increase causing temperature to rise or vice versa? This graph makes it look as though solar insolation is the driver. As global temps rise the warming oceans and perma frost melt release vast amounts of co2 and methane. The other interesting thing about this graph is that those peaks mark the end of interglacial periods like the one we are in right now. Look where we currently are on that graph. Solar insolation drops sharply during low sun spot periods. Anyone here keep up with that? Solar cycle 24 is well overdue, and the sun spot number is at a near century low.
As for political agenda...what if (just for the sake of argument amongst open minded educated people), we are actually headed into a prolonged cooling period? How does that square with a political establishment that will not even hear opposing points of view? After all there is a "scientific consensus" and the issue is"no longer debatable". Would this be the right time to put all of our focus into alternate energy sources?
 

Sue Gremlin

Piney
Sep 13, 2005
1,286
245
61
Vicksburg, Michigan
Grendel, that's an awesome link, thank you! I appreciate it. It tells a very interesting story there, and I will investigate. It is quite different than the other data I have seen. My personal mission is to figure out why. :)
 

MarkBNJ

Piney
Jun 17, 2007
1,875
73
Long Valley, NJ
www.markbetz.net
I'm not a climatologist, or any kind of scientist. What I have read concerning the effects of increased carbon emissions on the atmosphere seems rational to me, and I have no problem believing the mechanisms function as described.

However, there are other causes of climate change, and I wonder whether over time the changes in solar output don't completely dwarf any affect humans have had.
 

grendel

Explorer
Feb 24, 2006
561
2
Fredericksburg VA
Grendel, that's an awesome link, thank you! I appreciate it. It tells a very interesting story there, and I will investigate. It is quite different than the other data I have seen. My personal mission is to figure out why. :)

Figure out why? I thought we already discussed political agenda.
 
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