Are we heading into a new Ice Age?

I was once told that when the oceanic conveyer stops, we go into another Ice Age. With the polar ice caps melting, I've been told that this will stop the current. Has anyone else heard this? Is it true?

Originally posted by JessicaS
I was once told that when the oceanic conveyer stops, we go into another Ice Age. With the polar ice caps melting, I've been told that this will stop the current. Has anyone else heard this? Is it true?

If you plan on being around 30-50,000 years, then I would say there's a 99.99% chance you will experience a new ice age.

Otherwise, it's highly debatable and there's little data that says we are cooling off anytime soon:
The global cooling myth RealClimate

The UK Met Office has been pretty accurate for the last 7 years:
2007 to be 'warmest on record' BBC

I heard that on Inconvenient Truth (the Al Gore movie). If you haven't watched it, you might want to check it out. It's not as bad as everyone says, IMO.

With Global Warming though, I would have to agree with Regenmacher, that is many, many years away.

Though I often wonder with a change in all the climates, could it change the climate of a specific region. Like snow in the Sahara, and droughts in the rainforests? If all the other climates are changing isn't it possible these climates can change as well? Just a thought.

"...when the oceanic conveyer stops"

I don't know where I've heard this, but isn't there some concern that the Gulf Stream is weakening? Is that a part of the oceanic conveyer?



Meanwhile back at the frozen tundra, looks like our Yeti friends are planning to come to town...

Originally posted by JessicaS
I was once told that when the oceanic conveyer stops, we go into another Ice Age. With the polar ice caps melting, I've been told that this will stop the current. Has anyone else heard this? Is it true?

This idea was popularised in recent years by the film 'Day After Tomorrow'

The truth is, although this film had its basis in science fact... the film took this and then added Hollywood science magic to create a dramatic film.

"What is the science fact" I hear you say...

Here in Britain we are roughly on the same latitude as Canada and Siberia... But thanks to the warming effects of the Gulf Stream Britain is kept temperate.



However, if the Gulf Stream were ever to be disturbed, cold air would indeed push down and Britain would find itself in a deep freeze...

Alarm over dramatic weakening of Gulf Stream

The Greenland Ice Sheet is comprised of fresh water and is melting at an alarming rate... caused by global warming... Global warming is now in a run away effect caused by the lessening of Global dimming....

Now... the fresh water dilutes the saline solution that is the Arctic Ocean and this stops the warm water circulating....

The Gulf Stream has been measured to be reducing at a rate of about 30% over the last 12 years....

At that rate it would be completely no existent in less than one quartet of a century...

What's more is that when one looks upon matters of nature and the environment, one this is very clear.... There are far too many variables to be able to come up with anything better than attempting to read a trend.

A true accurate forecast of what will happen is something that is so far beyond our capabilities that even the worlds fastest computers could spend thousands of years running simulations and still get it wrong.....

The sun has been shown to be a major cause of ice ages on the earth, with mini Ice ages happening roughly every 100'000 years.. Though this is by no means a set time frame. The last Ice Age ended 10,000 years ago…

The Sun’s Chilly Impact on Earth

All the best,

NeoN HaZe.


[edit on 1-2-2007 by Neon Haze]

friday we will get that new global repot, and we will see what the climate scientists say. so threadstarter lets just read the report tomorrow.

i am sure there will be a big fuss over it.

on things like ice age in europe, it takes alot of factors to go that way. the truth is no one really knows.

Originally posted by dirty_underground
Though I often wonder with a change in all the climates, could it change the climate of a specific region. Like snow in the Sahara, and droughts in the rainforests? If all the other climates are changing isn't it possible these climates can change as well? Just a thought.

it has actually been snowing in Tuscon Arizona I believe. I also heard that the Saguaro cactii are starting to die from the cold. So, in a sentance, yes, I think it can affect localized regions.

en.wikipedia.org...

It snows in parts of the Sonoran desert every winter. Snow won't hurt saguaros, it's a hard freeze that they don't tolerate too well. Urbanization and people stealing them for their yards is the biggest threat to saguaros. Mt. Lemmon, Tucson has a ski resort too.

Cave Creek, Arizona just north of Pheonix:
March 2006 snow and cactus photos

It's 46 in Tucson as I post this and will be in the 70's by next week.

____________________________

The Gulf Stream Myth columbia.edu
Ocean Circulation: New evidence (Yes), slowdown (No) Real Climate
False Alarm: Atlantic Conveyor Belt Hasn't Slowed Down After All AAAS


Lots more here: ATS: Atlantic Current Halted In 2004


[edit on 1-2-2007 by Regenmacher]

That's good to know that the saguaro will be around longer. Sorry to de-rail the thread. Back to gulf streams and ocean currents.

so... i'm confused.. are the currents actually slowing enough to cause one in our lifetimes?