|
 |
Warp wrote:
> nemesis <nam### [at] gmail com> wrote:
>> yeah, I can imagine all those big dinoussaurs certainly contributed much more to
>> global warming via farts than we do via carburetors (and farts)...
>
> I highly doubt there was ever as many dinosaurs big enough to produce
> as many greenhouse gases as cars (plus people) today.
But there were volcanoes, the natural decay of vegetation, the
weathering of carbonate rock, and other natural processes. Those
processes exist today, as well. And that's just for carbon dioxide.
The number one greenhouse gas, more potent and existing in far greater
quantities than anything we make, is water vapor. Water vapor is
responsible for the vast majority of the greenhouse effect.
It must also be remembered that doubling the concentration of greenhouse
gases will not double the amount of radiation absorbed and/or scattered
by the atmosphere; at most frequencies in the IR band absorption and
scattering by the atmosphere is already at 100%, and no increase in gas
concentrations will have any effect at those frequencies.
> The worst case scenario is that we could be facing an ice age, which
> would not be very nice.
The geological data indicates that for most of its history the Earth has
been about three to five degrees warmer then it presently is now. There
was a Little Ice Age that began sometime from 1200 to 1600 and ran until
about 1850, and it substantially and negatively impacted the quality of
life in both Europe and North America.
Regards,
John
Post a reply to this message
|
|
