How Bad Is Global Warming?

[DrEvil]

^^If you mean global warming then everyone is screwed. We only have one planet and way too many idiots.

If not - what geoengineering?

[tapitsbo]

Indeed. In university we discussed the implications of it as if it was a fait accompli with precious little reference to extant projects. My understanding is that their are government/military documents in circulation discussing some of the activites?

My assumption is that corrective or offensive geoengineering has indeed taken place and it's not unrelated to warming, weather warfare etc. (no I'm not suggesting it's the cause of warming)

[Luther Blissett]

As far as I know, we haven't been able to prove the practice of any of the 20 or 30 or so proposed schemes by global powers and militaries, other than the lesser ones, like reforestation, reservoir shading (?), biomass and biochar landfilling.

[tapitsbo]

Ah, okay - I'd assumed atmospheric/weather stuff was undeniable but unverified in detail

[DrEvil]

^^Pretty sure it's still on the theoretical stage, except for some small trials.

Speaking of: whatever happened to that guy who did his own experiment somewhere off the coast of Alaska? He dumped a load of something (iron sulfide?) in the ocean without permission.

[Luther Blissett]

^^Pretty sure it's still on the theoretical stage, except for some small trials.

Speaking of: whatever happened to that guy who did his own experiment somewhere off the coast of Alaska? He dumped a load of something (iron sulfide?) in the ocean without permission.

Wow good call, I totally forgot about him. Russ George from Planktos and he dumped 100 tons of iron sulphate. According to the National Review it worked, but who knows if they're to be trusted or not. The salmon run in that area the next year supposedly went from 50 to 220 million.

I wouldn't definitely believe that some larger-scale geoengineering projects are happening, but I'm fairly certain there's no proof yet.

[FourthBase]

http://www.nature.com/nclimate/journal/ ... te2938.pdf

Good news!

[smoking since 1879]

http://www.nature.com/nclimate/journal/v6/n3/pdf/nclimate2938.pdf

Good news!

really?

anomaly.png

i rescaled the legend slightly, so it's a bit more realistic.

methane anyone?

[Joe Hillshoist]

Methane - I hope not.

A feedback loop between decreasing ice cover and decreasing reflection of sunlight might also explain the excess heat.

[Joe Hillshoist]

http://www.nature.com/nclimate/journal/v6/n3/pdf/nclimate2938.pdf

Good news!

According to Ed hawkins one of the authors of the paper you linked:

Firstly, climate scientists agree that global warming has not ‘stopped’ – global surface temperatures and ocean heat content have continued to increase, sea levels are still rising, and the planet is retaining ~0.5 days of the sun’s incoming energy per year.
...
Overall, there is compelling evidence that there has been a temporary slowdown in observed global surface warming, especially when examined relative to our expectations, which can be explained by a combination of factors. Research into the nature and causes of this event has triggered improved understanding of observational biases, radiative forcing and internal variability. This has led to more widespread recognition that modulation by internal variability is large enough to produce a significantly reduced rate of surface temperature increase for a decade or even more — particularly if internal variability is augmented by the externally driven cooling caused by a succession of volcanic eruptions.

The legacy of this new understanding will certainly outlive the recent warming slowdown.

I don't think the news is as good as it might seem at first glance.

[smoking since 1879]

Methane - I hope not.

A feedback loop between decreasing ice cover and decreasing reflection of sunlight might also explain the excess heat.

yup Joe, that's how I see it, and the warming soil releases it's stinky gas

[Joe Hillshoist]

Methane - I hope not.

A feedback loop between decreasing ice cover and decreasing reflection of sunlight might also explain the excess heat.

yup Joe, that's how I see it, and the warming soil releases it's stinky gas

Yeah, its not a good time to have a 6 day old kid.

[Luther Blissett]

Methane - I hope not.

A feedback loop between decreasing ice cover and decreasing reflection of sunlight might also explain the excess heat.

It's even worse than that - the arctic is pretty much shrouded in complete darkness at this time of the year and still has managed to creep above freezing. There isn't even any sunlight to absorb through this hot arctic winter - it's all residual heat from 2015's record-shattering heat, disrupted ocean currents, and changes in ocean stratification.

But when we fight we win, and your child's generation will be far more progressive than any of us ever were.

[Joe Hillshoist]

Methane - I hope not.

A feedback loop between decreasing ice cover and decreasing reflection of sunlight might also explain the excess heat.

It's even worse than that - the arctic is pretty much shrouded in complete darkness at this time of the year and still has managed to creep above freezing. There isn't even any sunlight to absorb through this hot arctic winter - it's all residual heat from 2015's record-shattering heat, disrupted ocean currents, and changes in ocean stratification.

Yeah i spose that's shitloads worse and you're right. Where else could that heat come from.

But when we fight we win, and your child's generation will be far more progressive than any of us ever were.

Fuck yeah. Good one.

[smoking since 1879]

Methane - I hope not.

A feedback loop between decreasing ice cover and decreasing reflection of sunlight might also explain the excess heat.

It's even worse than that - the arctic is pretty much shrouded in complete darkness at this time of the year and still has managed to creep above freezing. There isn't even any sunlight to absorb through this hot arctic winter - it's all residual heat from 2015's record-shattering heat, disrupted ocean currents, and changes in ocean stratification.

But when we fight we win, and your child's generation will be far more progressive than any of us ever were.

bloody hell, i didn't even consider that

we've had no winter to speak of here (Central Europe) and some disturbingly warm winds

well this is gonna be fun