Failing ocean current raises fears of mini ice age

[IronBits]

The ocean current that gives western Europe its relatively balmy climate is stuttering, raising fears that it might fail entirely and plunge the continent into a mini ice age.
http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn8398

[Fozzie]

has been getting a hammering.

That combined with the effect reducing particle emissions as part of our global warming crusade and the effect that has on Global Dimming I think we have made a hell of a good job of messing the earth up.

Looks like we may see the catastrophic effects in our lifetimes too. :mad:

[Jeff]

Eh... we'll adapt... we always do. I think there is too much "news" and "research" going on in today's world and not enough living. :shrug:

[edit]

But Richard Wood, chief oceanographer at the UK Met Office’s Hadley Centre for climate research in Exeter, says the Southampton team's findings leave a lot unexplained. The changes are so big they should have cut oceanic heating of Europe by about one-fifth – enough to cool the British Isles by 1°C and Scandinavia by 2°C. "We haven’t seen it yet," he points out.

Though unseasonably cold weather last month briefly blanketed parts of the UK in snow, average European temperatures have been rising, Wood says. Measurements of surface temperatures in the North Atlantic indicate a strong warming trend during the 1990s, which seems now to have halted.

See... twist the article in your favor and then at the bottom leave yourself an out. I hate "news"... :(

[LAURENU2]

That reminds me of that movie The Day After Tomorrow Flash freeze the earth

[black_civic55]

ok mini ice age or global warming?!?!?!

have they decided yet?

[Fozzie]

climate dynamics that will be the problem soon.

We have 3 effects that are working in concert to cause the catastrophic issues for Europe.

Global warming via greenhouse gases which we are all pretty much au fait with.

Global Dimming due to particles in the upper atmosphere caused by heavy fossil fuel usage and other pollutants. These have been creating a sheen in the upper atmosphere that has been reflecting much of the sunlight back out into space. The problem is that now the easier target for stopping pollution is the sort that produces these particles. The less particles in the upper atmosphere in conjunction with no significant reduction in greenhouse gases maginifies the effect of warming further than what was previously thought.

The effect of this is to melt more glacial ice both in the arctic Ice sheets and the tundras of Siberia etc. This causes a significant increase to the flow of fresh water into the atlantic and this is what will ultimately slow down and stop the Atlantic conveyor and stop the Gulf stream.

This is irreversable damage that is being done while all our governments sit and watch.

So whilst The day After Tomorrow is a bit previous the decade after next wouldn't be out of the way.

Can't say I'm looking forward to our tumble to self destruction. It will not just mean a semi permanent winter in the majority of Europe but and complete redefinition of the climate throughout the planet. Where crops grew once we will see deserts, rainforests will wither to be grasslands at best and many other environments that are relied upon to produce huge amounts of our global crops will juts not be able to do so.

The balance of power will shift to those countries that will be able to furnish crops.

It's not pretty reading really but we still fail to act. I think they said it perfectly in terminator 2, it is in man's nature to destroy himself. Won't be nukes though or meteors etc. Simply complacence and greed.

[black_civic55]

in my opinion it all goes in cycles so its inevetable no matter what. Its science, at least thats what my smart friend told me.:looney:

[CaptainMooseInc]

yeah i believe it's all hype. there have been studies of the ice layers and whatnot that show cycles and whatnot. it's just getting near time for another cycle to hit. Maybe not in the next 100 years but definately in the next 1000 or 2000 I'd say.

I hate all the "Global Warming" and "Global Dimming" talk. It's all just so companies can make "better emissions" and blah blah blah so we can pay thousands more when it takes them an extra 3 pennies per vehicle to make.

I just want my 1969 Chevelle w/ a 454 Chevy Big Block Engine added to it, straightpiped, running on 100+ octane gas. There are 6 stations in Indiana that sell racing fuel to us "commoners". And I want that to be my daily driver.

Screw environmentalists IMHO. :)