Next Ice Age Delayed by Burning of Fossil Fuels
Mon, Sep 3, 2007
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Future ice ages may be delayed by up to half a million years by our burning of fossil fuels, according to a new study released by researchers lead by Dr. Toby Tyrell at the University of South Hampton.
The current warming of the Earth is also blamed on the burning of fossil fuels.
The team used a mathematical model to predict what would happen.
Dr Tyrrell said, “Our research shows why atmospheric CO2 will not return to pre-industrial levels after we stop burning fossil fuels. It shows that it if we use up all known fossil fuels it doesn’t matter at what rate we burn them. The result would be the same if we burned them at present rates or at more moderate rates; we would still get the same eventual ice-age-prevention result.”
Humanity has to date burnt about 300 gigatons of carbon of fossil fuels. This work suggests that even if only 1000 gigatons are eventually burnt (out of total reserves of about 4000 gigatons of carbon) then it is likely that the next ice age will be skipped.
Burning all recoverable fossil fuels could lead to avoidance of the next five ice ages.
Ice ages occur around every 100,000 years, due to the change in Earth’s orbit.
Via :: University of South Hampton
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April 13th, 2009 at 6:38 am
Nice read here. I’m glad we will be skipping this ice age. I’m sure I wouldn’t see it, but my kids, kids, may.
January 2nd, 2010 at 7:31 am
CO2 levels are a trivial climatic factor compared to the massive geophysical forces that produce the Ice Ages. The next glaciation will start in the next few or several centuries,following the geopulsation cycle. (See Roots of Cataclysm, Algora Publ.NY 2009.)