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Placement of continents and their impact on ocean circulation have major impacts on climate thus the climate system of 300ma was very different form today's. This makes it hard to compare that time period with this one. (Read: I don't buy it.) Yeah, the article does make the point that as an analogue, it's lacking, but it's the only analogue. But I think if the correlation between CO2 and temperature are as tight as they claim (or the article claims) I wouldn't have any problem with that aspect. The wild fluctuations analogy was the fun one, and much more iffy. The idea that systemic transitions are marked by instability and fluctuation before settling in at the new state makes intuitive sense to me, but as far as an analogy between the Paleozoic and today, I agree with you. The CO2:temperature correlation is not as well known as the article implies. There may well be a tight relationship and most evidence to date has implied that relationship but it is not yet well enough known to call it a certainty. But it is well enough known to be taken seriously as a political-social issue that needs to be addressed. As for the wild fluctuations that is most certainly how the Earth system would react to a change into a new state. The question is open though whether anthropogenic climate change would lead to a new state in the climate system (though with enough time with the present system it is hard to say it wouldn't). Thanks for the clip and the interesting articl... |
View the Top Clips from January 6, 2007
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