The Sky IS Falling!
on 07/16/2010 at 01:43 PM
And like every other kind of News that impacts Science, experts are baffled!!
That’s going on my banner, Drew.
Happy to be of service McGoo! It’s a singular NEW though either way works I guess.
I just reread that article ... and I’m kinda reading between the lines here ... the underlying theme is that this might be caused by man added CO2 in the atmosphere. But that gas got added at ground level, and now it’s gone up, past the mid-level zones where it caused global warming, into the furthest upper zones where it’s causing global cooling. Isn’t the implication that the C02 keeps right on rising? This article is already talking about the atmosphere 700 klicks up. How far is up? How far is space, or at least some unsecured border that C02 can sneak across, turn around and flip us the bird, and be forever free from being blamed for all our problems?
Do all our atmospheric gases eventually leak off into space? Are there layers of equilibrium where the pull of gravity is balanced against a gases innate desire to float up? I know that most of the interstellar gas is hydrogen, but I don’t know if it’s only hydrogen. Is there C02 out there too, causing anthropogenic interstellar warming?
And since air is a mix of N, 02, and all the other gases, wouldn’t all the lighter ones leak away eventually? Maybe we’d better feed the cows some extra hay just to be safe. Exhale for Gaia! Rebuild our atmosphere now!!
This C02 escape routine is especially confusing to me, since it is a heavier-than-air gas, with a density of 1.98gm/m^3, compared to air with it’s density of 1.14gm/cm^3. The stuff should sink.
I need a graph or something. I’m feeling baffled again.
Yep. I was confused about the no -s thingy, Drew. But its all better now.
As for your many questions, GrassHopper458, let me preface my remarks by saying I don’t have a fucking clue. But here are my guesses, pulled fresh from my very own ass whilst keeping at more-than-arms-length:
Yes. Until further notice, anything NASA publishes will be linked (no matter how tenuously, and with nothing whatsoever in the way of evidence) to CO2/Global Bullshit. And yes, that’s my take too: NASA makes ALL the assumptions, including that CO2 follows whatever trajectory they need to imply more warming.
Yes - eventually all atmospheric gases will leak off into space. That includes all the unbound dissolved gases in the earths crust and elsewhere. But it’ll take billions (?) of years, so ...
Yes, the various gases would “layer” out into neat strata we could all Ooh! and Aah! over, except that the atmosphere at all levels is being pretty much constantly stirred. Either by the sun, or almost as if someone were constantly nomming at it.
CO2 is heavier than “air” (heh) so it sinks. Much like blog entrees elsewhere that get no comments. None at all. La la la ...
Seriously, I vaguely recall reading about this “atmospheric collapse” years - decades! - ago somewhere. But it was back when Science! consisted of fact and sparse, carefully worded cautious suppositions about possible futures. Back when Scientists were men and women, not pundits.
Somehow I just can’t get excited over any data NASA releases. Their credibility has been questionable for quite awhile. Remember when they proclaimed a found meteorite was proof life once existed on Mars? These pearls of wisdom always come up when funds are running low. I personally think they should follow Obama’s directive and reach out to Muslims by launching a rocket ship full of Iranians to get a closer look at these sunspots...or lack thereof. It’s a win-win situation either way!
Oh, gawd yes!
If any of them express reservations at exploring the Sun, just tell them we’re sending them at night!
Yes, I truly was clueless, Nommer-sir.
You see, I don’t pretend to knowledge and authority I don’t have - unlike a certain utter retard buffoon we know but won’t mention out of politeness.
Yes we will! Its you!
And ... have a wonderful weekend. I mean, er, you probably don’t have that many left… you being really old and decrepit and all dementia’d and all, y’know…
