Can you give me an idea of the time scales? I think this is what I am struggling to grasp. Would it be gradual or sudden? What causes it?
That all depends on which theorys you want to look at.
Anything from the shut down of the gulf stream due to fresh water. Which could send us into an ice age in as little as 3 years. To research being carried out on limestone. That shows a past period of extremely high co2 levels yet we where in a deep ice age. Theory being that once you reach a certain level of co2. The heat is reflected or trapped in high atmosphere. Leaving the inner atmosphere extremely cold.
Like all climate change. There are a million and one theorys. All with different time periods and all with different outcomes.
Interesting.
Wasn't that the basis for a movie? The North Atlantic current switching off I mean. Is that happening now?
Can't remember where I heard this, probably down at the pub or something...
The amount of co2 pollution we've created (since human existance) doesn't even come close to how much Co2 is released when a volcano erupts. If that's true, it kinda put's it into abit of perspective doesn't it?
Or was that drunken pub talk.
Comparison of CO2 emissions from volcanoes vs. human activities.
Scientists have calculated that volcanoes emit between about 130-230 million tonnes (145-255 million tons) of CO2 into the atmosphere every year (Gerlach, 1999, 1991). This estimate includes both subaerial and submarine volcanoes, about in equal amounts. Emissions of CO2 by human activities, including fossil fuel burning, cement production, and gas flaring, amount to about 27 billion tonnes per year (30 billion tons) [ ( Marland, et al., 2006) - The reference gives the amount of released carbon (C), rather than CO2, through 2003.]. Human activities release more than 130 times the amount of CO2 emitted by volcanoes--the equivalent of more than 8,000 additional volcanoes like Kilauea (Kilauea emits about 3.3 million tonnes/year)! (Gerlach et. al., 2002)
Hmm, so volcanoes emit a tiny proportion of CO2 relative to our own emissions. I'd never pondered exactly how much they would release but that figure is less than I might have imagined.
Earth has a cycle of heating up and cooling down, but seeing as the passed 100 years we have been burning carbon dioxide and the population booming, its only a matter of time probably long before we are all dead when we find out if we have sped up the global warming from out industries.
Hah hah, nice...google George Carlin - The planet is fine, my favourite take on global warming, can't link directly though
George Carlin: Saving the Planet?? said:The planet has been through a lot worse than us. Been through all kinds of things worse than us. Been through earthquakes, volcanoes, plate tectonics, continental drift, solar flares, sun spots, magnetic storms, the magnetic reversal of the poles...hundreds of thousands of years of bombardment by comets and asteroids and meteors, worlwide floods, tidal waves, worldwide fires, erosion, cosmic rays, recurring ice ages...And we think some plastic bags, and some aluminum cans are going to make a difference? The planet...the planet...the planet isn't going anywhere. WE ARE!
CO2 levels have been higher in the past.
Absolute temperatures have been higher in the past.
Yet life survived and we are here as a result.
I gave up trying to reason with the green lobby, they seem just as misguided as religious folk.
CO2 levels have been higher in the past.