Climate change is easy to understand — boethius
↪boethius
With global warming
1. The greenification of Antarctica will occur.
2. The northward march of the timber line has been predicted.
Negative feedback loops, oui? — Agent Smith
These are not negative feeback loops. — boethius
For decades now, scientists have known, just from looking at the geological record, that the reglaciation should start sometime in the next few centuries. — Tate
In glaciology, ice age implies the presence of extensive ice sheets in both northern and southern hemispheres.[3] By this definition, Earth is currently in an interglacial period—the Holocene. The amount of anthropogenic greenhouse gases emitted into Earth's oceans and atmosphere is predicted to prevent the next glacial period for the next 500,000 years, which otherwise would begin in around 50,000 years, and likely more glacial cycles after. — Ice age
The problem is that it's as irrelevant as stating any random fact about the climate. — Xtrix
For decades now, scientists have known, just from looking at the geological record, that the reglaciation should start sometime in the next few centuries. That means glaciers come back down and cover Chicago. It means the UK is under a sheet of ice. This was disturbing news when it was first discovered, and we now know quite a bit more about how it works, what the trigger is, and so forth.
We don't presently know if increased CO2 will cause us to miss the trigger, or if reglaciation will begin anyway. There are aspects of the question that we don't even know how to model right now.
No, it's not simple. — Tate
You present yourself as "knowledgeable" about ice-ages ... but have not even bothered to read the second paragraph of the wikipedia entry "ice age": — boethius
Why? A rise in CO2 causes global warming which in turn causes greenification that counters the rise in CO2. That's a negative feedback loop alright! — Agent Smith
We're in an interglacial period of a large scale ice age. Specifically, we're at the end of an interglacial awaiting reglaciation. — Tate
It's possible. If we burn all the coal we can access it will become more likely. That would take around 200 years. — Tate
I don't even know what that means. — Tate
It would probably be prudent to put the brakes on CO2 emissions, like completely. — Tate
For decades now, scientists have known, just from looking at the geological record, that the reglaciation should start sometime in the next few centuries. — Tate
If you want to discuss ice ages, and how climate change may impact the next ice age, fine -- that's a different topic. — Xtrix
where are the climatologists predicting reglaciation starting something in the next few centuries? — boethius
And if reglaciation is going to happen in the next few centuries, why worry about warming or stop CO2 emissions? — boethius
If you want to discuss ice ages, and how climate change may impact the next ice age, fine -- that's a different topic.
— Xtrix
I think it's very much on topic. — Tate
As I said, we've known about this since the 1980s. It just doesn't come up much because it's centuries away. — Tate
I would say because of the unknown, something unforeseen. Suppose some super disease appears because of climate change,and we don't survive it?
If down the road we want to stop reglaciation, let tomorrow's scientists figure out how to do that safely.
Thanks for being so friendly, and not at all unnecessarily aggressive. — Tate
The amount of anthropogenic greenhouse gases emitted into Earth's oceans and atmosphere is predicted to prevent the next glacial period for the next 500,000 years, which otherwise would begin in around 50,000 years, and likely more glacial cycles after.[4][5][6] — Ice age-Wikipedia
The amount of anthropogenic greenhouse gases emitted into Earth's oceans and atmosphere is predicted to prevent the next glacial period for the next 500,000 years, — Ice age-Wikipedia
Didn't know that. Reference? — Tate
Apologies, can't seem to find one. However, in my defense, since climatologists claim global warming is a fact, they should be able to confirm/counter my claim; after all science is all about making accurate quantifiable predictions.
nowReplyOptions — Agent Smith
Wow. This is wrong. Wikipedia lets us down — Tate
Like, how is Wikipedia wrong on this point, — boethius
The amount of anthropogenic greenhouse gases emitted into Earth's oceans and atmosphere is predicted to prevent the next glacial period for the next 500,000 years, — Ice age-Wikipedia
There is a delay from CO2 emission to associated temperature increase. Maybe that's what you were thinking about? — Tate
God moves in a mysterious way. — William Cowper
If an ice age is in the offing, the grenhouse effect could be just what the doctor ordered. — Agent Smith
Models show that at present levels of CO2, reglaciation will begin somewhere between 500 and 3000 years. If we burn all the available coal, it becomes a near miss. In other words, we don't know for sure, but it looks like we would miss this trigger, and it would be around 40,000 years before another trigger arrives. — Tate
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