Author Topic: Ice Caps Growth?  (Read 990 times)

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Offline KZN02

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Ice Caps Growth?
« on: September 10, 2013, 04:06:03 am »
You may have seen reports about the ice in the Arctic growing by a significant amount and saying how climate scientists are scrambling to account for this.

But ...

Yeah, if you look at the data in a certain way, you probably get the opposite results. Oh, and climate scientists already predicted that a year ago.
« Last Edit: September 10, 2013, 04:09:02 am by KZN02 »
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Offline Askold

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Re: Ice Caps Growth?
« Reply #1 on: September 10, 2013, 04:36:54 am »
In other words, this is yet another way to say "since it rains snow during the winter global warming is a hoax."
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Offline mellenORL

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Re: Ice Caps Growth?
« Reply #2 on: September 10, 2013, 02:25:09 pm »
Large swaths of ice reflect sunlight, including heat, back into space - high Albedo. Large areas of water, oceans and lakes, do not reflect sunlight effectively - low Albedo.

Rising average temps create higher humidity, more rain, more SNOW and ultimately more ice. Greenhouse leads to Icehouse. Pendulum swings in climate activity get severe and oscillate out of control when one parameter or the other is shoved up higher on the scale too quickly. Play with a plumb bob or a yoyo to see this modeled for your dumb ass eyes, denialists!

Snowball Earth happened. Over and again. Massive extinction event. The popular imagery is found in the later scenes in the Spielberg movie,  "A.I.".

That we are seeing regrowth of the icecaps following right on the heels of rapid melt off, shows the pendulum effect is accelerating.
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Offline Radiation

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Re: Ice Caps Growth?
« Reply #3 on: September 10, 2013, 08:57:19 pm »
For some reason, this makes me think of the dreams that I have been having since I was kid where it's snowing- in July.

I haven't read too much about global warming but this stuff is fascinating and scary to read, is it too late for us to change the things we do (driving cars, overfishing) and get global warming back down or is the damage far to much done?
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Offline mellenORL

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Re: Ice Caps Growth?
« Reply #4 on: September 10, 2013, 10:36:07 pm »
If the swings in temperature/precipitation trends keep accelerating, yes, it's going to get scary in the next decade or two. The Earth's climatic system is huge and has great inertia, however, and if societal attitudes change a bit more quickly, a difference can be made in slowing down the process. It is important to keep in mind that we are "about due", or within the geologic time scale window (a couple thousand years wide) for another mini ice age.

With that in mind, it is a good idea to realize that we will have to adapt our crop growing regions and lifestyles down the road, regardless. It would be nice, and save innumerable lives, if we took this shit seriously to stave off the onset of a mini ice age until we're at a point technologically to cope with it first.

China is desperately trying to upgrade their electric power generation away from coal - look at how bad the air is in Beijing, to see why that impetus is obvious, and why they were so ruthless in getting the 3 Gorges hydroelectric dam system built.  The US really, really, really needs to get cracking, since we do already have the money, tech and trained labor to upgrade our power sources away from CO2 releasing sources, too. Australia has to get on the solar convection tower model, and get off the coal, as well. People need to quit thumping their spears and pitchforks at proposals to build new nuclear plants; the French have it nicely figured out how to do it safely and extremely efficiently - 80% of their national power grid runs from their nuclear plants. It ain't the '70's, the tech is sound and safe.

Since the English speaking world seems hell bent on electing conservative climate change denialists to power, it is going to be important for people to socially educate their family, friends, and neighbors to reduce their carbon footprint so we can make some difference in the meanwhile. If you can afford it, gradually add solar panels to your roof, if you are an apartment dweller, dry your clothes on a portable clothes drying rack. There are lots of ways to help that don't break the bank and make a real difference, especially when you add up all the little "nickel and dime" things like LED light bulbs, etc.
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