Re: Time to talk about Global Warming [was Re: Maccies aren't fanatical? (by the way, what is a "Maccie?)]


Mayor of R'lyeh wrote:
On 29 May 2006 16:43:42 -0700, "Dave Fritzinger"
<dfritzin@xxxxxxxxxxx> chose to bless us with the following wisdom:


Mayor of R'lyeh wrote:
On 29 May 2006 12:52:00 -0700, "Dave Fritzinger"
<dfritzin@xxxxxxxxxxx> chose to bless us with the following wisdom:


George Graves wrote:
[snip]
Quick: what else -- other than carbon dioxide -- comes out of a volcano
that acts as a greenhouse gas?

Sulphur dioxide? Nitrous oxide? Water vapor?
See: http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/1997/of97-262/of97-262.html

Sulphur dioxide actually causes more sunlight to be reflected from the
earth, so it isn't a greenhouse gas (according to this article-again,
this isn't my area of expertise). I don't think water vapor is a
greenhouse gas, but I could be wrong. Not sure about nitrous oxide...

Not only is water vapor a greenhouse gas its THE greenhouse gas. It
has about ten times the effect that CO2 does. So much for you being
knowledgeable on the topic. No wonder you were so easily taken in by
the ninnies.

Sigh! As usual, *I* have to look up the Mayor's source for him.
Probably the reason for that is that it the science, as usual, doesn't
really support what he is saying.

http://lwf.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/gases.html
"Water Vapor is the most abundant greenhouse gas in the atmosphere,
which is why it is addressed here first. However, changes in its
conentration is also considered to be a result of climate feedbacks
related to the warming of the atmosphere rather than a direct result of
industrialization. The feedback loop in which water is involved is
critically important to projecting future climate change, but as yet is
still fairly poorly measured and understood.

As the temperature of the atmosphere rises, more water is evaporated
from ground storage (rivers, oceans, reservoirs, soil). Because the air
is warmer, the relative humidity can be higher (in essence, the air is
able to 'hold' more water when its warmer), leading to more water vapor
in the atmosphere. As a greenhouse gas, the higher concentration of
water vapor is then able to absorb more thermal IR energy radiated from
the Earth, thus further warming the atmosphere. The warmer atmosphere
can then hold more water vapor and so on and so on. This is referred to
as a 'positive feedback loop'. However, huge scientific uncertainty
exists in defining the extent and importance of this feedback loop. As
water vapor increases in the atmosphere, more of it will eventually
also condense into clouds, which are more able to reflect incoming
solar radiation (thus allowing less energy to reach the Earth's surface
and heat it up). The future monitoring of atmospheric processes
involving water vapor will be critical to fully understand the
feedbacks in the climate system leading to global climate change. As
yet, though the basics of the hydrological cycle are fairly well
understood, we have very little comprehension of the complexity of the
feedback loops. Also, while we have good atmospheric measurements of
other key greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane, we have
poor measurements of global water vapor, so it is not certain by how
much atmospheric concentrations have risen in recent decades or
centuries, though satellite measurements, combined with balloon data
and some in-situ ground measurements indicate generally positive trends
in global water vapor."

Bottom line-the increased water vapor in the atmosphere is a result of
global warmng (which then makes it worse), not a cause. This is
because, the amount of water vapor the atmosphere can hold is dependent
on the temperature of teh atmosphere. So, unless the atmosphere gets
warmer, the water vapor will just come out of the atmosphere as rain or
snow. So, it appears that water vapor isn't the engine driving global
warming.

Not even a good try, Mayor. Oh, and do keep up the insults. It shows
everyone how desperate you are.
8^)


Dear Dave,

You are suffering from the belief that I am arguing with you or trying
to influence your convictions on this topic in any way. I'm not.

If you want to join the ranks of fools who sincerely believe that the
earth is going to turn into a charcoal briquet because someone let
their Chevy idle too long then I have no problem with that. Enjoy
hiding in a cave and having a neverending sense of impending DOOM!.
If that's how you want to live your life then have at it. You'll get
no argument from me about it.

Just don't expect me to join you. I'll be out in the fresh air and
sunshine living a happy life through the entirety of this DOOM!
episode just like I did through all the other episodes of DOOM! that
have occurred in my lifetime.

Yours,
Your Mayor

Tell me, Mayor. Why do you always come up with this same stupidity
every time I come up with a reference that demonstrates your utter lack
of scientific knowledge. In your previous post, when you thought you
had a point you could make, you were only too quick to post your
supposed "facts". Yet, when I refute that "fact", you post the same old
BS.

You really should refrain from posting about science, Mayor. You really
suck at it.
--
Dave Fritzinger
Honolulu, HI

.

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