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Monday, October 22, 2018

Global Warming: About the Polar Vortex

Global warming is ushering in more variable weather patterns as the biosphere becomes more energetic. That’s the gist of what global warming climate change is all about.

Understanding how some regions will experience colder weather at times in the form of polar vortices is part of understanding the overall ramifications of what climate change is all about. Another part is Arctic storms registering temperatures that are over twenty degrees Fahrenheit above average. [A family friend lives in inland Alaska and testifies to this. And, I quote, “When the storm raging outside is 20 degrees below zero instead of forty below, you can’t feel the difference; but, it’s there. In the summer though, you can see the differences creeping in. And we have for a long time now.”

NBC Climate Series (26 minutes):
https://youtu.be/M8EXhJmUkNE

Climate of the Arctic
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_of_the_Arctic

Ancient Greenhouse Gases: Givers and Takers of Life

Once upon a time, there was a planet whose sun was dimmer during the first half of the planet’s existence than during the last half of its geologic history. Yet, temperatures were higher during the first half. Why?! How could this be? It was because of the high levels of the greenhouse gases methane and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. But then, Cyanobacteria (blue green algae) evolved and thru photosynthesis released oxygen as a byproduct. Eventually, the methane and CO2 levels were lowered until the temperatures decreased to the point that the planet was entirely locked in ice. This lasted for millions and millions of years. Finally enough carbon dioxide was emitted by volcanoes and eventually a balance between oxygen and CO2 was achieved. From this point on, the only extinctions that ever occurred were when flood basalt events caused CO2 levels to spike on this, our planet, Earth.

Snowball Earth (4 minutes)
https://youtu.be/YKuoPBbh58Y

Cyanobacteria 
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanobacteria

Snowball Earth
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snowball_Earth

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