[Vision2020] [Bulk] Re: snow

[Bev Bafus]

Oh.  I thought it was just dementors.

(re Harry Potter)

Bev

-----Original Message-----
From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com
[mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com]On Behalf Of Paul Rumelhart
Sent: Tuesday, June 10, 2008 8:16 PM
To: keely emerinemix
Cc: vision2020 at moscow.com
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] [Bulk] Re: snow


Not that I fall into the group you're discussing (nor would they
probably want to count me as a member), but I was going post an article
on the recent lack of sunspot activity and what that might mean for
global climate anyway, so why not now?

http://www.montana.edu/cpa/news/nwview.php?article=5982

The Sun goes through an apparent 11-year sunspot cycle, and is now in a
lull between cycles when there is little sunspot activity.  The odd
thing, though, is that this latest sunspot cycle doesn't seem to be
progressing as it should.  We're in a two-year hiatus, with no idea how
long it will be until the cycle starts again.

The reason this may affect the global climate has to do with the amount
of radiation hitting the Earth.  When there are more sunspots, there is
more radiation output and the Sun heats us more than when it is
quiescent and there is little sunspot activity.  The "Maunder Minimum",
which I've posted about before, was a period of around 50-years in the
1600's where there were few sunspots, which correlates with a period of
relative cold dubbed the "Little Ice Age".  As always, Wikipedia is your
friend:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maunder_minimum
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Ice_Age

Just to ward off some pending comments, I'm not claiming that global
warming isn't happening, I'm not claiming that there isn't an
anthropogenic component, I'm not proposing that we do nothing or that we
go burn some oil for heat, I'm not saying the world isn't on the brink
of collapse politically, economically, spiritually, or culturally, your
mileage may vary, opening the case voids your warranty, batteries not
included.

What I will propose for thoughtful contemplation is this: the Earth is
in orbit around a mass of fusing hydrogen that is 109 times the diameter
of the Earth, and which dominates the Earth energy-wise.  The Earth is
mostly balanced energy-wise, meaning that small perturbations in the
radiation output of this gigantic ball of energy can be enough to have
catastrophic effects.  The effects we are talking about with respect to
global warming are small ones.  We're not talking about "snowball
Earths", the atmosphere burning, or the seas boiling.  We're talking
about a few degrees over a few decades in relative temperature change.

Maybe this lack of activity will in some way miraculously help us
overcome the effects of our SUVs and our consumer-driven (and
profit-driven) culture.

Paul

I know the world looks to our little berg for all it's global climate
change news; might as well do my bit for the greater good ("the greater
good").


keely emerinemix wrote:
> I can't wait 'til our Blogmeister friends announce gleefully that this
> is proof -- PROOF,  I say -- that "global warming" is just a big scam
> wrought by sniveling, fear-mongering liberals.
>
> Moscow -- the bellweather for all weather and the standard of global
> climate science since the beginning of the Scientific Age.
>
> Keely
>
>
>
>
>     ----------------------------------------------------------------------
--
>     From: whayman at roadrunner.com
>     To: the_ivies3 at yahoo.com; vision2020 at moscow.com
>     Date: Tue, 10 Jun 2008 09:16:49 -0700
>     Subject: Re: [Vision2020] snow
>
>     Good one! And a happy Solstice, too!
>
>     Warren Hayman
>
>
>         ----- Original Message -----
>         *From:* Tom Ivie <mailto:the_ivies3 at yahoo.com>
>         *To:* vision2020 at moscow.com <mailto:vision2020 at moscow.com>
>         *Sent:* Tuesday, June 10, 2008 8:47 AM
>         *Subject:* [Vision2020] snow
>
>         Merry Christmas!!!
>
>
>         Tom & Liz Ivie
>
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