Re: melting melting

Ocean of Nuance wrote:
Bill Kambic wrote:
On Sun, 16 Dec 2007 19:22:24 -0500, Ocean of Nuance
<lizzardwomanRMOVE@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Bill Kambic wrote:

(snip)

I'm not convinced that CO2 is a substantial factor. I do know that we
humans produce other gasses that could be a substantial factor. This
bothers me, because if we go for the CO2 (a probable minor player)
when the real cuplits (like the sulfer compounds) are under emphasized
we're doing two Bad Things at once.
I think we've been down this road. You have to consider not just partial pressures but intrinsic greenhouse forcing. Thus while CH4 is a much more potent greenhouse gas, it is present is such vanishing partial pressures that the much "weaker" CO2 contributes more by dint of the much higher partial pressures. You have to consider both factors (inter alia) when calculating total effect.

Well, maybe so and maybe not. It's not always the quantity or
pressure of something, but where it is. One presentation I saw noted
that the sulfer compounds tended to be found in the higher atmosphere,
where their effect was several orders of magnitude greater than CO2
found at the lower levels. So maybe it's more complicated than even
you have suggested.

Look, I'll grant you UP FRONT it is way more complicated than either of us imagine because, last I checked, we are not top shelf climate guys.

!!!

That's why when lay folks comment of the sufficiency of the scientific evidence, it can appear a bit comical. ;)

sharon

Just wanted to add, you will not find a single scientist who disagrees that the greenhouse forcing function of CO2 >>>>>> CH4 at present. It's physical chemistry and nobody can argue with physical chemistry (except the creationists of course who are obliged to try).

sharon
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: melting melting
    ... Thus while CH4 is a much more potent greenhouse gas, it is present is such vanishing partial pressures that the much "weaker" CO2 contributes more by dint of the much higher partial pressures. ... You have to consider both factors when calculating total effect. ...
    (rec.equestrian)
  • Re: More Gore
    ... greenhouse gases do, and how they do it, and what "pressure ... probably nearly as clueless as Eeyore, but at least I do know what CO2 ... The oceans are in fact absorbing about half the carbon dioxide we are ...
    (sci.electronics.design)
  • Re: More Gore
    ... probably nearly as clueless as Eeyore, but at least I do know what CO2 ... suggested) the opposite where CO2 atmospheric levels are supposed to ...
    (sci.electronics.design)