Re: OT - *Some* Canadians get it . . . .

Sorry to burst your bubble but it's true.
You're only burst your own bubble because what you've presented about
water vapor vs. CO2 is entirely misleading.

First of all, the 90% is WRONG, so let's correct that one. Secondly,
the whole issue on water vapor is misleading at best.

From http://www.gcrio.org/ipcc/qa/09.html:

"Why Do Human-made Greenhouse Gases Matter When Water Vapor Is the
Most Potent Greenhouse Gas?

The Earth's surface temperature would be about 34°C (61°F) colder than
it is now if it were not for the natural heat trapping effect of
greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and
water vapor. Indeed, water vapor is the most abundant and important of
these naturally occurring greenhouse gases. In addition to its direct
effect as a greenhouse gas, clouds formed from atmospheric water vapor
also affect the heat balance of the Earth by reflecting sunlight (a
cooling effect), and trapping infrared radiation (a heating effect).

However, just because water vapor is the most important gas in
creating the natural greenhouse effect does not mean that human- made
greenhouse gases are unimportant. Over the past ten thousand years,
the amounts of the various greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere
remained relatively stable until a few centuries ago, when the
concentrations of many of these gases began to increase due to
industrialization, increasing demand for energy, rising population,
and changing land use and human settlement patterns. Accumulations of
most of the human-made greenhouse gases are expected to continue to
increase, so that, over the next 50 to 100 years, without control
measures, they will produce a heat-trapping effect equivalent to more
than a doubling of the pre-industrial carbon dioxide level.

Increasing amounts of human-made greenhouse gases would lead to an
increase in the globally averaged surface temperature. However, as the
temperature increases, other aspects of the climate will alter,
including the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere. While human
activities do not directly add significant amounts of water vapor to
the atmosphere, warmer air contains more water vapor. Since water
vapor is itself a greenhouse gas, global warming will be further
enhanced by the increased amounts of water vapor. This sort of
indirect effect is called a positive feedback.

It has been suggested that as greenhouse gases accumulate, the
atmospheric events that generate cumulus clouds in tropical areas
would cause a drying rather than moistening of the upper layers of the
troposphere (the lowest region of the atmosphere). However,
observations of the current atmosphere provide evidence for the
conclusion that on a global scale, a warmed atmosphere will moisten
and this will enhance greenhouse warming.

Clouds are another important factor in determining climate. The
increased levels of water vapor in the atmosphere, as well as changes
in temperatures and winds, will also cause changes in clouds that will
alter the amount of energy from the sun that is absorbed and reflected
by the Earth, at some locations enhancing and at others diminishing
the warming due to greenhouse gases. The response of clouds to global
warming is a major uncertainty in determining the magnitude and
distribution of climate change. "

You know I'll just trust the climatologists over laymen like you.
Nice try though.

Mr Soul

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: AAPG on Global Climate Change
    ... I have no idea what Dr Gerhard's educational credentials are as climate scientist, but he does seem to have reasonable credentials as a geologist, including former KS state geo and former president of the AAPG. ... water vapor is indeed a major player. ... Like solar insolation--there isn't much we can do about water vapor in the atmosphere. ... My guess where the 95% figure came from was it was not pulled entirely out of a hat, but resulted when someone tried to compare the percentages of H20 to other known greenhouse gases on a ppm basis in a 'typical' part' of the atmosphere. ...
    (sci.geo.geology)
  • Re: Has "antenna" died?
    ... which the retention of heat in the atmosphere is not affect by the percentage of greenhouse gases and water vapor. ... Aren't you arguing both sides of the issue now, Cecil? ... Also augumenting/repressing is effects such as atmospheric dust and sulfur dioxide content, and yes, the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. ...
    (rec.radio.amateur.antenna)
  • Re: AAPG on Global Climate Change
    ... water vapor is indeed a major player. ... about water vapor in the atmosphere. ... the dry greenhouse gases, ... saturation, so you're ok there. ...
    (sci.geo.geology)
  • Re: Has "antenna" died?
    ... the retention of heat in the atmosphere is not affect by the percentage ... of greenhouse gases and water vapor. ... Besides that.....earth has bigger catastrophic threats than CO2. ...
    (rec.radio.amateur.antenna)
  • Re: Where Theres a (George) Will Theres A Way ... To Deny Global Warming
    ... We are told that there are the greenhouses gases are water vapor, carbon dioxide,. ... methane, nitrous oxide, Ozone and CFC's. ... In order to know the answer to that question, it seems to me you need to know what can man do to eliminate these greenhouse gases, how much much of a drop can be achieved by the efforts of man. ...
    (soc.retirement)