SCI/TECH: Satellites Record Weakening North Atlantic Current

In what could be a sign of real climate change in the future satellite images now show the slowing of ocean currents which are seen as a global climate regulator by many experts. This could indicate a significant change in climate but many in the science community are divided on how much change and how soon. Some believe that a dramatic climate change is in the works and others say it is too soon to tell. A theory shows that the major ice ages of this world were preceded by extreme global warming followed by melting polar ice flows and rising ocean levels and that introduction of fresh water into the salty ocean contributed to the slowing of ocean currents and the following climate change which caused rapid and massive global cooling thus the dawn of an ice age...




There is much more in the full report.

There really is a change happening to our climate and it is REAL not the works of fiction or a Movie. There are extremes of weather all over the globe. The polar ice is melting and giant chunks are breaking off every day. The polar ice is shrinking at a rapid rate, the ocean levels are rising. and the ocean currents are now proven to be slowing.

It could spell a time in most of our lives where we will have to endure extreme weather in all forms. and a generation or two into the future could see massive global cooling.

[edit on 7-8-2004 by UM_Gazz]

Wow, that's amazing and very scary

so...is the coincidence of this and the movie just that? a coincidence? or is the movie to lob a shot over our collective bow and try to give us the heads up without scaring the holy mackerel out of us?

hmmm. I HATE COLD WEATHER! But if you'll note, both in the movie and in maps depicting the Wisconsin Glacier - I'm just south of the ice-line. You northerners be sure and stop by my hot cocoa stand on your way to Mexico.

Valhall, Actually the movie The Day After Tomorrow was based on real science.. but it went far beyond reality, There is danger ahead if these currents in the ocean continue to weaken, But for most of us based on the data I have been able to pull together will be faced with growing extremes in weather in all forms.

It is our future generations who could face the ultimate change if these conditions continue.

Gazz

That goes back to those images I had posted along with another user in another topic. There is good physical evidence that the crap is going to hit the fan and quickly. I could really use a good blizzard. I might be older but playing in the snow is still fun :-)

I'll start waxing my snowboard

Well let us see,

I am returning to Alaska on July the 1st to celebrate my Independence and continue my research and clean up the mess I left. On the subject of weather changes this is about the most informational site I have come across. Warning it requires a great deal of reading. Have fun while your Bippy is freezing.
Guess who Melissa!

Bear


www.iceagenow.com...

[edit on 11-6-2004 by Polar Bear]

Originally posted by Polar Bear

www.iceagenow.com...

From the page Polar Bear posted the link to:

"Next week, next month, next year, it's not a question of if, only when. One day you'll wake up or you won't wake up, rather buried beneath nine stories of snow. It's all part of a dependable, predictable cycle, a natural cycle that returns like clockwork every 11,500 years.

And since the last ice age ended almost exactly 11,500 years ago"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My Opinion:

A bit dramatic, but it could happen although I do not think it will be that instant. Rather what I think we will see over time is more and more extremes in weather. Imagine thunderstroms that never seem to end and dump feet of rain not inches, areas where there once was rain will be overcome with extreme drought conditions, winters where places that get normal snow may get a LOT more than noraml and the extremes will grow. HEAT WAVES that will make the one last year that killed thousands in europe seem mild. These are the kind of things I see coming in the not so distant future. and the cause is still debatable.. but by many accounts it is a part of a natural earth cycle and NOT global warming created by green house gas although that could speed things up a bit.

Gazz



[edit on 11-6-2004 by UM_Gazz]

Hey Gazz... read his book. Its pretty good. There are some really interesting things in it. I personally liked the part about the massive pile of dinosaur bones. The number of animals needed to make this size of a pile must have been enormous. And the biggest thing is what could have caused them to keep climbing on themselves. Like a bunch of women at Walmart trying to get the hottest give at Christmas.

Mars is going to warm up and we are going to cool down.


Well I have nothing to support that, im jus saying. I think that the way thigns are going in our lifetime we will some some interesting stuff. Either way the human race and all our god forsaken technology is going to bring down this planet. We are sadly living in the begining. I would like to see what happens to our planet in say, 200 years. gee

Originally posted by Omega Pickle
Mars is going to warm up and we are going to cool down.

Mars is a good example of a world gone wrong although it is nothing like earth now many believe it once was, a warmer place, with oceans and at least simple life. but something changed Mars forever many many millions of years ago. and that should show you that we have been very lucky to have lived in a time of calm here on our planet.. But it is not beyond imagination to see the same thing happen here.

We seem to have lost respect for the world that gives us this life and there is a good chance in the very near future this world is going to claim that due respect once again.

Gazz

how many years we had the last ice age exactly?

Originally posted by rai76
how many years we had the last ice age exactly?

I will try to answer your question.

By the best estimates we have from science the last ice age ended or began to end 11,500 years ago and was believed to have been near what we would see as normal by 10,800 years ago.

From a friend's scinece journal:

the prominent warm periods that have followed each of the terminations of the major glaciations have had durations of 10,000 plus or minus 2000 years. In each case, a period of considerably colder climate has followed immediately after the interglacial interval.
Since about 10,000 years have passed since the onset of the present period of prominent warmth, the question naturally arises as to whether we are indeed on the brink of a period of colder climate.

These are debatable facts and could be subject to critical review.

However if what we are seeing is a part of a natural cycle then we are at a time where things should begin to change in a dramatic way and by some accounts we are passed due for this change.

Gazz

Gazz correct me if I am wrong on this please. I think we are in an ice age right now and have been for over 100,000 years. We are just in a warm phase. I think most people associate an ice age when ice covering most of the northern hemisphere. I think thats called the glacial maximum. That can last for thousands of years or more. To get that kind of coverage in theory will take a very long time. That however doesn't mean we cannot be into a period of severe cooling very fast. It really doesn't take a whole lot to cause crop failures and that is the big problem. The rest really doesn't matter. Crops will fail long before the continent is covered with ice again.

Here is why I think a superstorm is critical to kick off an ice age (that or an event like a meteor or yellowstone). Look at how snow cover in the winter on a clear night lets the temperatures drop. This snow cover helps sustain an arctic air mass for a longer period of time. The larger the coverage of snow the more area an arctic air mass can travel without modifying. Those of you in northern states have surely experienced this. In the winter when you have snow on the group the air stays colder. Even with systems advancing from the south they override the cold air at the surface and drop precipition to the ground in a frozen format. Its like a system that feeds on itself. So when a superstorm comes through it drops an amazing amount of snow over an enormous area. Then the mechinisim is in place to support the extremely large cold air masses which of course gives the system the ability to add more and more snow. Eventually what you end up with is so much snow that it doesn't melt in the summer. And that basically is the end of it.

I will use the Shrek analysis: The air has layers.

Really Indy the air mass is quite more complex than that.

To make it simple look at an ice storm, this occurs when the surface air mass is much colder than the air above really the precipitation can start as ice high up the extreme upper air mass and then melt while falling through the warmer air mass and then freeze on contact with the surface.

Bottom line the upper air mass cannot be supported by the lower because they are different air mass's. Get it?

Now as for the cold at night from snow that is more a matter of perception than fact.. when temps are below freezing well below at night also the humidity is extremely low and if it is clear without the humidity what ever warmth there was during the day is quickly radiated out into space. humidity is like a thermal blanket.

I do think it is possible to have a "super storm" but the way it will happen is not all that unusual.. it will begin like a normal snow storm and it could continue dumping heavy snow over a given region for weeks or perhaps months. In fact we have seen some storms close to this in the past. One expert I read up on had a thought once that perhaps the slowing currents in the ocean could also weaken the jet stream in the upper air mass.. now if that were to happen and a storm was blocked by a ridge of opposing high pressure that will not budge be it rain or snow it could stay in place dumping its massive load for a very long time.

Gazz



[edit on 11-6-2004 by UM_Gazz]

Gazz it depends on the thickness of the cold layer. Obviously at the edge of the snowcover the layer will be thin. Farther into the cover you get the thicker the cold layer can get. The thicker the layer the more it changes the type of precipitation you get. From rain to freezing rain to sleet and eventually snow. Then of course you get that wonderful effect when war air overrides the snow. You get that beautiful layer of clouds that never seems to go away. Some of you in Seattle may recognize this look. You call it summer. LOL.

You bring up a very good point about the jet. How will this change if at all when the current changes. Will it flatten out more? Will it slow down? This is getting a little over my head so work with me. Isn't the jet a product of the earths rotation? How much of the jet speed is lose due to the dips and ridges? What would happen if this were to flatten out over an extended period of time? Would the wind speeds in the jet accelerate? How would this impact storm development?

Now on the superstorm. I do believe the superstorm is likely. Look at March of 1993. The massive storm that hit the east coast of the US could have easly blown up to superstorm strength had the tropical waters been warmer and the northern waters colder. This would be the case if the gulf stream fails. Then look at the falling temps in the upper atmosphere. Those elements would give a storm the explosive dynamics necessary to reach the levels of a superstorm. You would have the verticle and horizontal instability necessary.

I wonder if that means the north east hurricane season is going to be worse this year.

The jet stream is in part controled by earth's rotation, but it can be moved by changes in pressure and air mass.. the more extream the weather event the more the upper jet can be moved or bent. and if it can be moved it is possible that it can also be stronger or weaker.. of course it is speculation as you seen in my last post.. not mine.. just food for thought.

Gazz

[edit on 12-6-2004 by UM_Gazz]

John.. its a little early to tell. If you look at this SST map you will see its too cold right now north of 30N.

www.oceanweather.com...

You have to be over 80 to support tropical systems.

Gazz..... the thing to watch out for is a storm that basically gets cut off and left behind. Get a cut off low pressure area behing fed by a very warm gulf of mexico and that air clashing with unusually cold air to the north you could be in for a very long couple of weeks.