[ RadSafe ] Climate change

[Jerry Cohen]

Although the topic of climate change is of marginal relevance on radsafe, I 
thought, correctly, that it might stir up some interest.
It might also be noted that after collision with a major asteroid, there 
will continue to be a climate on earth, or what's left of it
Jerry Cohen
.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Johansen, Kjell" <Kjell.Johansen at nexteraenergy.com>
To: <radsafe at health.phys.iit.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2013 10:40 AM
Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] Climate change


> With regard to the 4 previously mentioned options regarding climate change 
> [warmer, colder, no change, or being hit by an asteroid], I am in the camp 
> that has come to the conclusion that the climate will move to higher 
> temperatures. [We were discussing this back in the '70s in my meteorology 
> and oceanography classes at the University of Michigan and those profs 
> were smart guys.]  Any change in the solar output or axis wobble will make 
> some small changes.  Continuing to pump greenhouse gases (methane, CFCs, 
> and carbon dioxide) into the atmosphere increases the heat containing 
> capacity of the atmosphere. (Ok, to be technically correct, you are 
> increasing the capacity of the atmosphere to capture outgoing radiation 
> and radiating back to the earth as heat.  But, in the overall picture, it 
> results in an increase in the earth's temperature.) By analogy with solar 
> output and axis wobble, compare the water content of an 8-oz glass to that 
> of a 16-oz glass.  No matter how the rate at
> which you fill the glasses, the 16-oz glass will always contain more 
> water.  Therefore, more greenhouse gases, higher temperatures.
>
> Look at the records in the oceanic sediment cores and the ice cores.  When 
> the greenhouse gases CO2 and methane concentrations are high, so are all 
> of the geochemical markers for increased temperature, ie, the O18/O16 
> ratios, etc.  To deny any link between greenhouse gases and the average 
> earth temperature is an extreme case of reverse hubris.
>
> Too many people who regularly contribute to RADSAFE tend to dismiss the 
> data which lead climatologists to be concerned about higher earth 
> temperatures because it does not fit their already formed conclusions. 
> Being flippant is not worthy response to scientific concerns.
>
> As always, these words are my own and I do not intend to formulate any 
> official position for my employer.
>
> Kjell Johansen, PhD
> Nuclear Chemistry Analyst
> kjell.johansen at NextERAEnergy.com
>
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