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Andrew Marshall, a veteran Defense Department planner, recently released an unclassified report detailing how a shift in ocean currents in the near future could compromise national security.
Now whether you are a supporter or denier of climate change, it would seem that NASA and the US Defense Dept are taking this latest issue very seriously.
For those not familiar with the North Atlantic current or the global oceanic circulation, it is based on two basic things, the rotation of the earth and temperature variations. As we all know from basic science class, hot air or water rises and colder air or water sinks or falls. It is upon this basic principle that our oceans currents are generated.
Recently, the North Atlantic current which brings warm water out of the equatorial regions of the Atlantic as well as the powerful warm gulf stream which flows northward then east towards Europe has begun to slow. This is the reason why temperatures in places like the UK are relatively mild considering their latitude. When the current slows or stops, then Europe doesn't get its blast of warm water and in turn the mild temperatures.
If this current were to in fact stop entirely, the outcome is likely not to be too good, but read further in the article.
Ocean currents don't change overnight - it takes decades or centuries to see the effect from a particular cause, and this also wouldn't be the first time Europe suffered through some cold weather ("mini ice age"). IOW, there's nothing that connects the potential slowing of the current to anthropogenic global warming.
Ocean currents don't change overnight - it takes decades or centuries to see the effect from a particular cause, and this also wouldn't be the first time Europe suffered through some cold weather ("mini ice age"). IOW, there's nothing that connects the potential slowing of the current to anthropogenic global warming.
Do we know for sure it takes decades or centuries and is there evidence that this is the case? I don't know, I'm asking. After all, they are seeing a measurable depreciating in currents and ocean flows, enough to cause concern from the Pentagon.
As far as ocean currents affecting climates, the Argonne National Laboratory would disagree, as would anyone living on the shores of the Great Lakes who have witness "lake effect" snows which are directly related to, among other thing, temperature differential.
Quote:
Above: A global ocean circulation between deep, colder water and warmer, surface water strongly influences regional climates around the world. Image courtesy Argonne National Laboratory
Do we know for sure it takes decades or centuries and is there evidence that this is the case? I don't know, I'm asking. After all, they are seeing a measurable depreciating in currents and ocean flows, enough to cause concern from the Pentagon.
As far as ocean currents affecting climates, the Argonne National Laboratory would disagree, as would anyone living on the shores of the Great Lakes who have witness "lake effect" snows which are directly related to, among other thing, temperature differential.
There be some way we can stop/reverse the slowing of the ocean currents! I'm sure this has never, ever happened before. If man can prevent the Earth's temperature from rising a 1/2 a degree over 100 years (), surely we can effect the an ocean current.
Oh yeah, I lived in the lake effect snow belt in NY - it would come zipping right over Lake Erie and sock Western NY with many inches, feet of snow. As far as I can recall, usually this happened in the winter, when it was cold.
There be some way we can stop/reverse the slowing of the ocean currents! I'm sure this has never, ever happened before. If man can prevent the Earth's temperature from rising a 1/2 a degree over 100 years (), surely we can effect the an ocean current.
Oh yeah, I lived in the lake effect snow belt in NY - it would come zipping right over Lake Erie and sock Western NY with many inches, feet of snow. As far as I can recall, usually this happened in the winter, when it was cold.
Sure there is! Just remaining ignorant of what's happening will surely change what's happening.
Two topics I stay away from climate change and immigration, but thanks for the link.
Actually upon further reading, some people are theorizing that the BP oil spill may be contributing to this. Reasoning is that oil prevents the natural heat transfer between thermalclines. In addition to all the oil that was dumped into the gulf stream, there was the dispersant as well.
Now, I have no idea if this has merit or not yet, but the current is slowing, whatever the cause.
Sure there is! Just remaining ignorant of what's happening will surely change what's happening.
There is nothing happening that hasn't happened before. The whole AGW is in a shambles, the IPCC political farce has had to walk back many of their "predictions", the polls show people don't believe their fear mongering anymore and the FACTS on the ground (weather that contradicts all their predictions) confirms the AGW proponents have no idea what they are talking about.
The sight of confused and angry travelers stuck in airports across Europe because of an arctic freeze that has settled across the continent isn't funny. Sadly, they've been told for more than a decade now that such a thing was an impossibility — that global warming was inevitable, and couldn't be reversed.
Ten years ago these same nuts at UEA of Climategate "fame" were telling the UK their kids would no longer see snow because of AGW.
This "latest" scare, about the ocean current is just another in a long line of fear mongering "possibilities" of AGW.
You are aware of course that the prediction of a global freeze has been around for a few years from people that actually have some common sense and base that on the actual data...not the made up crap from UEA, or the always upwardly revised temperatures from Hansen.
There be some way we can stop/reverse the slowing of the ocean currents! I'm sure this has never, ever happened before. If man can prevent the Earth's temperature from rising a 1/2 a degree over 100 years (), surely we can effect the an ocean current.
Oh yeah, I lived in the lake effect snow belt in NY - it would come zipping right over Lake Erie and sock Western NY with many inches, feet of snow. As far as I can recall, usually this happened in the winter, when it was cold.
Since you didn't read the article, as you rarely do, you would have noted this article didn't say it was man made or a natural earth cycle, you just assumed it did. You astute observations on a New York regional weather pattern is quite eloquent, well articulated and beyond the level of technical proficiency I thought you capable of, congratulations.
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