A very warm antarctic

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Dec 10, 2009 | 11:19 AM

#21 (permalink)

radmanly

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From: Plymouth, MN

Re: A very warm antarctic

Quote:

Originally Posted by jayded6

Also, during past periods of high volcanic activity, and certainly before humans, I'm sure the statistic of humans emitting more C02 than volcanoes would not be correct. That snapshot may only apply to today.

True, because humans haven't been digging up vast amounts of carbon and burning it for very long.

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Tomorrow it may not.

I hope not but that is entirely dependent on our ability to develop carbon-free energy sources.

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Also, water vapor is a more effective greenhouse gas than co2, and has consistently been around in larger, but variable, quantities.

True but water vapor concentrations are a dependent variable. Something else has to heat the air before water can evaporate.

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During glacial periods, less c02 is consumed by plants and absorbed by frozen oceans. But, less water vapor consumed and emitted (available) too. As glaciers retreat, more co2 and water vapor are released, but also consumed. More questions about where we actually are today...

We know we're not in a glacial period so none of that is relevant today.

Dec 10, 2009 | 02:22 PM

#22 (permalink)

Kurts

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Joined: Sep 2006

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From: N.E. Wisconsin

Re: A very warm antarctic

Quote:

Originally Posted by pizzaguy

Not sure I can even agree with THAT. While the earth warms and cools over cycles, sure, I agree.

As to if it has been warming over the past 5-10 years, no I am not so sure of that at all.

Glacier National Park used to have 150 glaciers at the end of the last century. It now has 27. Within the next few years we should be able to use the Arctic sea lanes through most of the year because most of them are darn near ice free already. Permafrost in Alaska is melting at an accelerated rate releasing more methane into the atmosphere.
No, global warming IS happening.

Mt. Pinatubo in the Phillippines....I remember that year because my wife & I took our annual vacation in August of that year & it was downright cool for an August. The next summer rebounded nicely. All due to volcanic ash & dust in the No. hemisphere.

Should we try hard to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions? Well, of course, why not? That's just good stewardship. But that doesn't mean I think we should begin to jump off the cliff with every half-baked idea that pops up.