Posted on 04/26/2007 1:56:50 PM PDT by Omega Man II
Volcanic eruptions caused global temperature spike 55 million years ago
By Alan Zarembo, Times Staff Writer
1:03 PM PDT, April 26, 2007
Scientists believe they have solved the mystery of what caused the most rapid global warming in known geologic history, a cataclysmic temperature spike 55 million years ago driven by concentrations of greenhouse gases hundreds of times greater than today.
The culprit, the researchers reported Thursday in the journal Science, was a series of volcanic eruptions that set off a chain reaction releasing massive quantities of carbon into the atmosphere.
The eruptions occurred on the rift between two continental plates as Greenland and Europe separated.
In 10,000 years -- a blip in Earth's history -- the polar seas turned into tropical baths, deep-sea dwelling microorganisms went extinct, and mammals migrated poleward as their habitats warmed. It took about 200,000 years for the atmospheric carbon to be transferred to the deep ocean, allowing the planet to cool.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Thanks for the info.
Point 2: Notice in recent times that large volcanic eruptions have caused global cooling. Why not also in the past?
No mention that global warming was caused by SUV's and George Bush !
I can't believe that serious so-called scientists continue to repeat an unsupported guess!
All leading edge studies confirm that warming preceeds increased CO2 concentrations.
On the other hand, why aren't present day volcanic influences never mentioned by the hysterical Gorons?
Jeepers President Bush is OLD, to have caused this 55 million years ago! </sarcasm off>
The global warming zealots have been searching, begging for a carbon-related fall guy for the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum. First it was the "Oceanic Methane Belch". Now it is mass, chain-reaction volcanoes and lava burning peat bogs.
The evidence shows an 800 year lag between rising temperatures and CO2 increases.
But the Maunder Minimum period of low solar activity coincides with the Little Ice Age.
I think there is more to the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum than volcanoes.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.