Friday, 22 October 2010

How we get to the next Ice Age

Really bored of hearing people refer to 'climate change' or 'Global warming' , but everyone seems to agree that the planet is getting warmer and that our climate has been changing since as far back as scientists can tell.

This is my very simplistic explanation how a warming planet leads to an ice age.

Bearing in mind that the amount of Methane in our atmosphere is only 1.7 parts per million (trace), and that a more proportional combination of Oxygen an Methane would be highly combustible, its is interesting that our atmosphere, rather than being explosive, has remained relatively stable for millions of years on earth, its chemical composition supporting life (as we know it) - despite the fact that the planet has been exuding billions of tons of C02 and methane for millenia.

Note also that methane is approx. 23 X more powerful than C02 as greenhouse gas.

So. as earth warms up the permafrost and methane hydrates melt, simultaneously cooling the oceans and releasing methane into the atmosphere.

Methane + C02 causes atmosphere to warm up (greenhouse effect).

The cooling oceans disrupt jet streams that move warm weather around planet (we in the UK are very grateful)
A cool sea absorbs more C02, which causes it to become more acidic.

An acidic ocean destroys sea life, and planktonic algae (the source of Cloud Condensing Nuclei)

So, obviously,  Less clouds = less rain = less trees.
Less trees= less Oxygen and more C02.
Less Clouds = less moisture in our atmosphere and less cloud cover to stop the warmth from escaping into space.

No clouds+no jet streams = No more warm weather

Hello Ice Age.

simples!

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