Volcanic eruptions and climate change

With the horrendous weather conditions that have occurred this winter, I'm seeing a little bit of a pattern. In my neck of the woods, we had a record number of days where temperatures were below 0. Most of the winter, temperatures were 15-20 degrees below normal. I know it was that way in many areas, not just where I live. There was a major volcanic eruption in Iceland last year or the year before. Air traffic had to be diverted. I also remember having very harsh winters after Mt. Pinatubo erupted in the Phillipines, and Mt St Helens erupted in Washington state. every time there has been a major volcanic eruption, winters a year or two after are extremely cold. I know there is climate change, but weather forecasters cannot predict weather five days out with much accuracy, much less figure out what will happen 50-100 years down the road. The volcanic eruptions are worrisome. Hopefully scientists are keeping careful watch on this. Not that anything could be done to stop volcanic eruptions. do any of you live near an active volcano? Do you have a plan in place to evacuate quickly?

ChiefD
I know there is climate change

How?

reply to post by VoidHawk


Based on many articles that have come out on it by respected scientists.

ChiefD
The volcanic eruptions are worrisome. Hopefully scientists are keeping careful watch on this. Not that anything could be done to stop volcanic eruptions.

Why are they worrisome? They happen on a pretty regular basis. Are you concerned that they are increasing in frequency or force?

ChiefD
reply to post by VoidHawk

 

Based on many articles that have come out on it by respected scientists.

And there's as many respected scientists that say the opposite, so how can we "Know" ?
I often ask this question and nobody ever answers it. What would the weather be like if there was no global warming?

We did have a record breaking year for eruptions, a total of 84.

reply to post by VoidHawk

And there's as many respected scientists that say the opposite

No.
Unless, of course, you have statistics to back up that claim.

reply to post by Goteborg


It seems like there have been more lately. That one in Iceland was pretty intense.

VoidHawk

ChiefD
reply to post by VoidHawk

 

Based on many articles that have come out on it by respected scientists.

And there's as many respected scientists that say the opposite, so how can we "Know" ?
I often ask this question and nobody ever answers it. What would the weather be like if there was no global warming?

no. there are NOT many respected scientists that say the opposite. there are people who are not scientists.... sure. scientists? no. many many more all agree that accelerated climate change is really a thing and humans are the reason. "What would the weather be like if there was no global warming".... weather makes up climate. climate is the big picture and weather is the parts. so, your question doesn't really make a lot of sense.... that might be why you never get an answer.

ChiefD
reply to post by Goteborg

 

It seems like there have been more lately. That one in Iceland was pretty intense.

Yes, it was pretty intense. I did some reading on this topic after I posted and 2013 was in fact a record year for recorded eruptions so you may be on to something here. I did read some material which said that recent technological developments have allowed us to more completely record the number of global eruptions so while 2013 was a record year it was a record for a relatively short time period. Apparently according to ice cores a spike in volcanic activity is normal every 4,000 years or so. Instead of counting eruptions maybe we should just try to get a total on the amount of gas spewed into the atmosphere and then compare that amount to recorded levels in the ice cores.

Off topic for a second. I know some of you really, really, really believe we're killing the planet but it's OK to take a break once in a while. Oh my God! Someone in a thread somewhere cast doubt on your faith! This must be handled immediately! Please, can we have one thread on climate where a dissenter is allowed to give their opinion without that dissenter being smacked with your Gaia Bible or whatever you people call the latest reports from the IPCC? Please?

I know some fundie Christians that I thought were rabid but they've got absolutely nothing on some of you greenies.

reply to post by VoidHawk


I hope you aren't being serious.
There is always climate change . You don't need a "expert" to tell you that. The climate has and will continue to change.
I would be more worried if there was no climate change.

reply to post by ChiefD


I read somewhere that the Iceland eruption released more green house gasses that human have released in 5 years . Don't know if it's true, just putting it out there . I do know a whole lot of crap comes out during a eruption.
I have had similar thoughts as you. Keep watching and observing I suppose .

reply to post by ZeussusZ


What is interesting, perhaps laughable, is that the "scientists" DO NOT know how many undersea vents and volcanoes there are, that are actively spewing all sorts of gases into the oceans and atmosphere. So, they DO NOT factor that into their equations at all. How very "scientific" of them! Can't determine the extent of a major contributing factor, so just ignore it and blame everything on another source! That seems to be the only bit of "settled" science among the doomsayers.

From memory:- in the last 2,000 years, volcanic activity has gone up %300.(heard on Qi BBC America)
Dr Judith Curry,( a climatologist) in one of her blogs,(climate etc.) stated that of 1,100 scientists polled only 53 agreed on anything.
Volcanoes spew out Sulpherdixode, which I have read helps to hold in heat? (that was a laugh, spellchecker came back with sheephearder!)
Climate depot has some good stuff on the IPCC this week, well worth a read.

ZeussusZ
reply to post by VoidHawk

 

I hope you aren't being serious.

My point is that every time there is any freezing - snowing - heavy rain - long periods of sunshine etc etc they bring out the trumpets and announce that its been caused by global warming.

ZeussusZ
There is always climate change . You don't need a "expert" to tell you that. The climate has and will continue to change.
I would be more worried if there was no climate change.

Thank you, thats what I'm realy getting at. Normal weather is what we are seeing, yet its being pushed as evidence of global warming.

reply to post by Goteborg


You are spot on! There are so many gasses, dust, etc that are spewed into the atmosphere. I remember when Mt. St Helens erupted, we didn't get real noticeable fallout. It was a little hazy for a few days, kind of creepy. Later on, it was revealed that the fallout impacted the honey crop, was way down. I imagine the bees were very much affected. That is scary.

The only time I got close to any volcano was Kiluea in Hawaii. It frightened me quite a bit, even though it's considered a "mild" volcano. I took a few pictures and got out of there.

I really feel that all the things going into the atmosphere are altering the weather.

If surface volcanic activity has increased by 300%... then what the hell are the underwater volcanoes doing ?

Does anyone know of any existing data/stats on underwater volcanic activity ?

reply to post by CranialSponge

If surface volcanic activity has increased by 300%... then what the hell are the underwater volcanoes doing ?

I would first ask for evidence of the former but to address the latter, underwater volcanic eruptions don't really affect climate much since their emissions don't make it into the atmosphere. Except in the rare occasions when they are near the surface.

In any case, the effect of volcanic activity is a cooling one. The Pinatubo eruption lowered the average global temperature by about 0.4 °C.

reply to post by Phage

I would first ask for evidence of the former but to address the latter, underwater volcanic eruptions don't really affect climate much since their emissions don't make it into the atmosphere. Except in the rare occasions when they are near the surface.

In any case, the effect of volcanic activity is a cooling one. The Pinatubo eruption lowered the average global temperature by about 0.4 °C.

I wasn't thinking along the lines of atmospheric warming and/or AGW...

I was thinking more along the lines of the earth's core and what might be going on in there IF volcanic activity has increased so much. Which could connect some dots with regards to increased volcanic activity and increased earthquake frequency (which I'm not necessarily sure of either).

I'm reading a lot of conflicting info these days with regards to both of those subjects (volcanoes and earthquakes).

So in my mind, if there is any available historical data on, specifically, underwater volcanic activity (increase/decrease/no change), then surely it would validate (or not) other claims of "increased frequency" on the other two subjects.