Beam me to Planet Gore !
Posted on 06/27/2009 9:29:03 AM PDT by FromLori
A team of MIT scientists recorded a nearly simultaneous world-wide increase in methane levels -the first increase in ten years. What baffles the team is that this data contradicts theories stating humans are the primary source of increase in greenhouse gas. It takes about one full year for gases generated in the highly industrial northern hemisphere to cycle through and reach the southern hemisphere. Since all worldwide levels rose simultaneously throughout the same year, however, it is probable that this may be part of a natural cycle - and not the direct result of man's contributions.
MIT's Matthew Rigby and Ronald Prinn, the TEPCO Professor of Atmospheric Chemistry in MIT's Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Science, state that this imbalance has resulted in several million metric tons of additional methane in the atmosphere. Methane is produced by wetlands, rice paddies, cattle, and the gas and coal industries, and is destroyed by reaction with the hydroxyl free radical (OH), often referred to as the atmosphere's "cleanser."
Methane accounts for roughly one-fifth of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, though its effect is 25x greater than that of carbon dioxide. Its impact on global warming comes from the reflection of the sun's light back to the Earth. Methane is broken down in the atmosphere by the free radical hydroxyl (OH), a naturally occuring process. This atmospheric cleanser has been shown to adjust itself up and down periodically, and is believed to account for the lack of increases in methane levels in Earth's atmosphere over the past ten years despite notable simultaneous increases by man.
Prinn has said, "The next step will be to study [these changes] using a very high-resolution atmospheric circulation model and additional measurements from other networks. The key thing is to better determine the relative roles of increased methane emission versus [an increase] in the rate of removal. Apparently we have a mix of the two, but we want to know how much of each [is responsible for the overall increase]."
The primary concern now is that while the collected data in 2007 reflects a simultaneous world-wide increase in emissions, how relevant are any of the data findings at this late date?
One thing does seem very clear, however; science is only beginning to get a focus on the big picture of global warming. Findings like these tell us it's too early to know for sure if man's impact is affecting things at "alarming rates." We may simply be going through another natural cycle of warmer and colder times - one that's been observed through a scientific analysis of the Earth to be naturally occurring for hundreds of thousands of years.
Posted by Casey Kazan. Photo Credit: Maria Stenzel, National Geographic.
Source Link: http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2008/methane-tt1029.html
MIT Team Asks: Is Global Warming Part of a Natural Cycle?.
Was there a record attendance at the Texas State Chili Cookoff or something?
Thank you
This climate change crap has more holes in it than Bill Clinton’s little black book.
Well looky there.
A team of eggheads figures out what a 4th grade science class figured out decades ago, though the MIT folks muddled up the thesis with a bunch of ancillary mumbo jumbo.
http://www.campaignforliberty.com/blog.php?view=20749
By a final vote of 219-212, HR 2454, the Cap-and-Tax scheme, has passed the House.
Eight Republicans switched over to make the final margin possible. These eight are:
Bono Mack
Castle
Kirk
Lance
LoBiondo
McHugh
Reichert
Smith (NJ)
See the full vote here.
Since this is such a high priority issue for the Obama administration, it’s amazing that the margin was this thin. Incredibly, 44 Democrats voted against the legislation. That would not have happened without your efforts.
Thanks to all those who called, faxed, and emailed. The fight moves to the Senate now, where the bill faces an uncertain future. We still have a very good chance to stop Cap-and-Trade.
ouch!
“Burn” (70’s show)
I really wish they'd cap and trade his rear end.
I would not look too close at the dems who voted against...my feeling is they were given enough cover to do that inasmuch as they were vunerable to being voted out unless they could say they voted against the bill. Once a significant number of yes votes were recorded, they probably voted no. Pelousy would NEVER have brought this up for a vote if she was not certain it would pass. The whole vote is a sham.
The turncoat jerk GOPs who voted for this bill should be thrown out on their asses come 2010 though.
Vince
Unfortunately, the source link article does not map that well to the Daily Galaxy article and you would be well-advised to not use the latter in any argument with an AGW proponent or fence-sitter.
Unfortunately, the source link article does not map that well to the Daily Galaxy article and you would be well-advised to not use the latter in any argument with an AGW proponent or fence-sitter.
ping
Quick, somebody tell Nancy Pelosi...!!!
Cap & Trade is not about the environment. Never was, never will be.
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