Post by Tamith on Jan 5, 2006 13:02:22 GMT -5
Do not panic friends The global warming we are currently experiencing is very normal in Earth's history; it’s just that we humans happen to help nature speed things up! So... maybe there is reason to worry;)
The geologic record is littered with evidence of extreme temperature fluctuations leading to what is known as an icehouse (glaciations period) or a green house (like now). We know this because of the ratio of O18 vs. O16 found in the shells of certain foraminifera. Translation? Two oxygen isotopes that occur in known quantities in the ocean: the O18 is heavier than the O16 so if there comes a period where, say lots of water is frozen in a glacier, then there will be a higher ratio of O18 in the sea water. Because of this, our little friends the foraminifera (little microscopic organisms that live in the oceans) will use some of that O18 to make their shells.
How does all of this happen? It's all part of the water cycle. I'm sure many of you know what that is, but I'll refresh your memories. Heat from the sun evaporates ocean water making clouds. These clouds travel into landmasses and rain down on earth when they meet mountains. Now, some of this water may stay there as ice (glaciers) and some will join rivers as runoff and return to the ocean where the cycle repeats itself.
What does this have to do with global warming, ice house/ green house? Because the O18 is a heavier isotope, greater ratios of it stay in the ocean waters. The hydrologic cycle (water cycle) involves way more O16 than O18. If we were going through and icehouse or ice age, the rain would stay frozen in the mountains and not return to the oceans as runoff thus increasing the amount of heavier O18 in ocean water because the lighter O16 is frozen in the mountains. This forces the foraminifera to use the resource available to them and eventually, this is what geologist use to know about paleoclimate.
Why is O16 frozen and not O18? As I mentioned earlier, O18 is heavier because of the extra neutrons it has in its nucleus. Try picturing two cats trying to climb a tree. One as a lean, more athletic cat while the other is fat and heavy. If there was a contest on which cat would reach the treetop first, the lighter and smaller cat would most likely win. In the hydrologic cycle, O16 is the lighter cat and O18 the fat cat.
So, what about global warming? Yes, it is very true but we must keep in mind that it’s not a new thing. There have been several icehouse/greenhouse periods in the past and at the rate this planet is going, it will happen again. During greenhouse periods there is a lot of CO2 in the atmosphere. CO2 increases the atmosphere’s ability to hold heat thus warming up the planet. Carbon dioxide forms part of what is known as the Carbon Cycle (yes, scientists have cycles for just about everything), a natural process during which carbon is recycled from atmosphere, to geosphere, to hydrosphere, to biosphere. It is this gas which is causing the ‘trouble’ we have today. We (you know, humans) are affecting this cycle by the extreme use of fuels such as oil and coal thus putting more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than can be removed naturally. So basically we are slowly forcing the planet to clean itself with an ice house. Aren’t we great (Muahahahahaha!) . Again, the changes in temperature are normal… we just happen to be in a hurry to freeze
The geologic record is littered with evidence of extreme temperature fluctuations leading to what is known as an icehouse (glaciations period) or a green house (like now). We know this because of the ratio of O18 vs. O16 found in the shells of certain foraminifera. Translation? Two oxygen isotopes that occur in known quantities in the ocean: the O18 is heavier than the O16 so if there comes a period where, say lots of water is frozen in a glacier, then there will be a higher ratio of O18 in the sea water. Because of this, our little friends the foraminifera (little microscopic organisms that live in the oceans) will use some of that O18 to make their shells.
How does all of this happen? It's all part of the water cycle. I'm sure many of you know what that is, but I'll refresh your memories. Heat from the sun evaporates ocean water making clouds. These clouds travel into landmasses and rain down on earth when they meet mountains. Now, some of this water may stay there as ice (glaciers) and some will join rivers as runoff and return to the ocean where the cycle repeats itself.
What does this have to do with global warming, ice house/ green house? Because the O18 is a heavier isotope, greater ratios of it stay in the ocean waters. The hydrologic cycle (water cycle) involves way more O16 than O18. If we were going through and icehouse or ice age, the rain would stay frozen in the mountains and not return to the oceans as runoff thus increasing the amount of heavier O18 in ocean water because the lighter O16 is frozen in the mountains. This forces the foraminifera to use the resource available to them and eventually, this is what geologist use to know about paleoclimate.
Why is O16 frozen and not O18? As I mentioned earlier, O18 is heavier because of the extra neutrons it has in its nucleus. Try picturing two cats trying to climb a tree. One as a lean, more athletic cat while the other is fat and heavy. If there was a contest on which cat would reach the treetop first, the lighter and smaller cat would most likely win. In the hydrologic cycle, O16 is the lighter cat and O18 the fat cat.
So, what about global warming? Yes, it is very true but we must keep in mind that it’s not a new thing. There have been several icehouse/greenhouse periods in the past and at the rate this planet is going, it will happen again. During greenhouse periods there is a lot of CO2 in the atmosphere. CO2 increases the atmosphere’s ability to hold heat thus warming up the planet. Carbon dioxide forms part of what is known as the Carbon Cycle (yes, scientists have cycles for just about everything), a natural process during which carbon is recycled from atmosphere, to geosphere, to hydrosphere, to biosphere. It is this gas which is causing the ‘trouble’ we have today. We (you know, humans) are affecting this cycle by the extreme use of fuels such as oil and coal thus putting more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than can be removed naturally. So basically we are slowly forcing the planet to clean itself with an ice house. Aren’t we great (Muahahahahaha!) . Again, the changes in temperature are normal… we just happen to be in a hurry to freeze