Tiny Bubbles, big scare in Antarctic Ice

A study done by European researchers has discovered that the atmosphere of Earth has 27% more CO2 in it than anytime during the past 650,000 years.

Lauran Neergaard, in an Associated Press release to the Toronto Star, reports of the evidence within tiny bubbles of air in the Antarctic ice cores.
Such a finding puts into dispute the theory that cyclic coolings and warmings, due to normal volcanic eruptions, etc., compare to what is in the air today. I strongly suspect we are responsible for such abnormal amounts.

I find this report very alarming, if true, and imagine it will be discussed widely after the upcoming new issue of the journal Science hits the stands.



[edit on 24-11-2005 by masqua]

[edit on 24-11-2005 by masqua]

wow. Great find masqua.

The cycles are real - but IMO the added CO2 is an additional factor and a real wild card.

Originally posted by soficrow


The cycles are real - but IMO the added CO2 is an additional factor and a real wild card.

The cycles are real enough, you're right, soficrow...and I'll edit that initial post shortly. It's the extra 27% that can't be associated with cycles and I'd call that an Ace up a sleeve more than a wild card.


I can't wait until the Science Journal comes out later this week so I can read up on the study.

Yikes. I just found this article that adds to this story.

bloomberg.com

Earth's Warm Cycle May Last 18,000 More Years, Bubbles Say

Nov. 24 (Bloomberg) -- The planet's current warming cycle may last another 18,000 years, according to studies of air extracted from bubbles more than half million years old.

The Earth has been in a period of relative warmth since the end of the last Ice Age 10,000 years ago. Research on air bubbles trapped in ancient Antarctica ice shows that the planet has seen warming cycles last as long as 28,000 years, many thousands of years longer than previously thought by scientists.

Originally posted by Umbrax
bloomberg.com

Earth's Warm Cycle May Last 18,000 More Years, Bubbles Say

Thanks, Umbrax...this is an interesting addition to the Toronto Star story.
I'm sure there is going to be a storm of controversy over these findings as the mainstream media gets rolling on its implications.

The legions of nay sayers are silent, so far...most likely hoping to see a 'chink in the armor' of this information which they can get a crowbar into for debunking.

We are indeed living in 'interesting times' (within the context of that ancient Chinese curse).

Originally posted by masqua
The legions of nay sayers are silent, so far...most likely hoping to see a 'chink in the armor' of this information which they can get a crowbar into for debunking.

Indeed.
I would expect these groups to soon muddy up these new findings. Just keep an eye out and continue to raise awareness.
Here is also another related news story, Fragile Earth » Oceans rising at record rate.

Its expected that global atmospheric CO2 levels will have been lower, much lower, in the past. 650,000 years ago there was an Ice Age.

with the greatest ever occurring around 650,000 years ago. During this period of extreme ice buildup, the ice advanced deep into the Midwest, from its center around Hudson Bay in Canada, and deep into Germany, from its center on the Scandinavian Shield. So much ice collected in these two major regions and several lesser ones that the sea level dropped by some 400 feet and the overall global temperature was lowered by around 5°C (about 9°F). Mammoth, mastodon, wooly rhinoceros, giant bison, camels, horses, and many large predators (cats, wolves, bears) roamed the grasslands well south of the rim of the miles-high ice, both in North America and in Europe

Actually, I believe there have been 8 ice ages, all told, but between them, during the warm bits, there has never been so much CO2, nor methane, as what it in our atmosphere right now.

27% more by this study.

Edward Brook in the Science journal story;

At no time in the past 650,000 years is there evidence of carbon dioxide or methane significantly higher than the values just before the Industrial Revolution.

(that would be the mid 18th century)

[edit on 25-11-2005 by masqua]

650,000 years ago was the last BIG ice age. We're in an inter-glacial now. There have certainly been far far higher atmospheric concentrations of CO2 before. I'd like to see what exactly these guys are saying in their paper tho, I suspect that the news reports have botched the nuances of what they are saying. Its not, in the big picture, surprsing that CO2 levels are higher now than in any other year for the past 650,000 year, because thats when the last (really big) Ice Age ends, so of course the CO2 levels are going to climb after that.

But I qualify those statements by noting that there have certainly been other ice ages between now and that last really big one, and that none of that means that the increase in CO2 now isn't man made and unnatural.

Originally posted by Nygdan
I'd like to see what exactly these guys are saying in their paper tho, I suspect that the news reports have botched the nuances of what they are saying.

Me too...but Edward Brook is no news reporter...

link

Anyways...the magazine should be hitting my stand in about a week, due to the fact I live in the middle of nowhere.

I don't know what the editing was about, Masqua, but NEVER edit a post's content after there has been enough time for another member to read it. That is a long standing rule of integrity on board posting.

If something is wrong with the post, post another reply amending the original thought, or add the amendment in the origianl post while leaving the original text.

This isn't a public spanking, this is simply me taking the opportunity to give a little class in public where more than one can read it.

Class dismissed. Next time, I expect people to bring me apples and donuts.

Originally posted by Thomas Crowne
I don't know what the editing was about, Masqua, but NEVER edit a post's content after there has been enough time for another member to read it. That is a long standing rule of integrity on board posting.

If something is wrong with the post, post another reply amending the original thought, or add the amendment in the origianl post while leaving the original text.

This isn't a public spanking, this is simply me taking the opportunity to give a little class in public where more than one can read it.

Class dismissed. Next time, I expect people to bring me apples and donuts.

Ok TC...will take more care in the future....thanks for the heads up.