when will global warming shut down the gulf stream and cause an ice age?
2007-04-23 03:25:52 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Environment
It's not clear what effect global warming will have on the Gulf Stream. One reason it might shut down is because cold meltwater running off Greenland and the Arctic Ice Cap could interupt the normal flow of the Gulf Stream - quite how this might happen requires a bit of guesswork.
Cold water is more dense (heavier) than warm water so the cold meltwater would flow UNDER the Gulf Stream but... the meltwater is also freshwater which is less dense than salt water so it would flow OVER the Gulf Stream. No one can accurately predict which will happen.
If the Gulf Stream were to shut down it would only have a cooling effect in certain areas - namely parts of Greenland and parts of north western Europe (France, the UK, Iceland, Ireland).
The effects wouldn't be enough to trigger another ice age.
The Gulf Stream doesn't actually generate heat it just move it around, there will still be the same amount of heat in the world but it will be in different places. Whilst some places will cool down others will warm up.
If you want more information the term to look up in a search engine is 'Thermohaline Circulation'.
2007-04-23 03:36:13 · answer #1 · answered by Trevor 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The Earth's tilted axis factors alternately closer to the sunlight and lots from it as quickly as each and every 3 hundred and sixty 5 days, so as which could have no result. Conservation of orbital angular momentum means that we can not circulate measurably closer to the sunlight or farther from it, to boot as quickly as a three hundred and sixty 5 days by way of our orbital eccentricity, so as that would have no consequence the two. Passing by utilising ability of area of galactic dirt would shrink the sunlight vigor accomplishing us. some authors blame this for the main modern ice a at a similar time as. super volcanic sport can not impression the standard power balance till it replaced our surroundings to mirror extra sunlight ability back into area and lose it. The vigor not contemplated is by utilising definition absorbed, so it would desire to wind up accomplishing the earth come what would or distinctive.
2016-11-26 22:34:09 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
One of the things scientists are finding out by collecting data is that so far, there is no sign that global warming is affecting ocean circulation.
Doesn't mean it won't happen later. It's another risk we can't afford to take. We need to work on reducing global warming.
2007-04-23 03:35:03 · answer #3 · answered by Bob 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
isn't this an oxymoron? Global warming causes and ice age??? I thought we were worrying about the greenhouse effect.
2007-04-23 03:31:52 · answer #4 · answered by bignose68 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Time magazine in 1975 said that by 2000 we would be starting an ice age, and that by 2010 Glacial Developments in the US would ve very visable.
2007-04-23 03:34:17 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
It's a good question. Look up "Younger Dryas" sometime to see a bit about the last time that ironic thing happened.
http://www.stuffintheair.com/ancient-climates.html
It lets you know how hard it is, really, to predict climate.
2007-04-26 04:55:49 · answer #6 · answered by Radiosonde 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The day after tomorrow
2007-04-23 03:30:32 · answer #7 · answered by mrshinytooth 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋