nothing to worry about here since the republican brain trust has assured us that global warming is faked by scientists: Arctic sea ice looks set to hit a record low by the end of the month, according to satellite data. Scientists at the US National Snow and Ice Data Center said data showed that the sea ice extent was tracking below the previous record low, set in 2007. Latest figures show that on 13 August ice extent was 483,000 sq km (186,000 sq miles) below the previous record low for the same date five years ago. The ice is expected to continue melting until mid- to late September. "A new daily record... would be likely by the end of August," the centre's lead scientist, Ted Scambos, told Reuters. "Chances are it will cross the previous record while we are still in ice retreat." 'Rapid melt' Sea ice extent refers to a measurement of the area of Arctic Ocean that contains at least some sea ice. Areas with less than 15% are considered by scientists to mark the ice edge. In its latest summary, the centre said the average rate of ice loss since late June had been "rapid", with just over 100,000 sq km melting each day. However, it added, the rate of loss doubled for a few days earlier this month during a major storm. Responding to the latest update, Prof Seymour Laxon, professor of climate physics at University College London, said that he was not surprised that 2012 was set to deliver a record minimum. We got very close to a record minimum last year," he told BBC News. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-19330307
You know, I've decided to take in a re-read of Asimov's Foundation Series, which is 15 books. After the first one and into the start of the second, I realize that zealots will always be around, trying to drag humanity backwards. Asimov wrote much of the Foundation in the 50's and it is scary how on target he has been about the future so far. If there is a WWIII, it will be conservatives who started it, believing they have an obligation to "God". Whether they be Christian conservatives or Muslim conservatives or Jewish conservatives, it will be conservatives who blow us up.
Some recent headlines..... U.S. Drought Could Cause Global Unrest By Brandon KeimEmail Author July 24, 2012 | 11:26 am | +++++++++++++++++++++ Drought sends Mississippi into 'uncharted territory' +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ July Hottest Month on Record in U.S. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Melting of Greenland Ice Sheet Breaks 30-Year Record LiveScience.com - 10 hrs ago On Aug. 8, the Greenland ice sheet shattered a seasonal record ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Arctic Sea-Ice Melt Picks Up, Could Set Record LiveScience.com - 11 hrs ago In roughly a month, Arctic sea ice is expected to reach its annual minimum extent, but already, this summer's trend has the look of unusually low-ice year ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Exxon CEO blames 'illiterate' public for 'overreacting' to global warming Rex Tillerson, the head of the world's largest oil company, admitted fossil fuels are causing climate change But, Tillerson blamed 'lazy journalists' and environmentalists 'manufacturing fear' for 'overblown' concern about the issue Scientists say the violent and sporadic weather this year is a taste of the impact of global warming
Other recent headlines... "Scientist Discover Stupidest Man Alive" AP August 23, 2012 by Glen Incredulous Today scientists found the stupidest person ever tested. He goes by the name "wildchild".... because he doesn't know his real one. When he was given the test sheet, he ate it thinking it was lunch. The scientists, having never seen anyone so dumb were at a loss about how to proceed with the testing. So they placed a ten foot wide fence in front of him and placed some tasty food on the other side of it. Wildchild was unable to figure out that he had to walk around it and kept trying to smash directly through the fence. When asked how someone could be so idiotic the scientists guessed that perhaps he was dropped on his head at a young age, either that or he watched Fox News.
Wildchild is right. Here is a link straight from the US senate committee on environment & public works. And just so you dont think these are republican scientists coming out with these reports, the named scientist is from the University of Berkeley, which is probably one of the most, if not the MOST liberal university in the world. http://epw.senate.gov/public/index....ecord_id=469DD8F9-802A-23AD-4459-CC5C23C24651
10. Can the observed changes be explained by natural variability, including changes in solar output? Since our entire climate system is fundamentally driven by energy from the sun, it stands to reason that if the sun's energy output were to change, then so would the climate. Since the advent of space-borne measurements in the late 1970s, solar output has indeed been shown to vary. With now 28 years of reliable satellite observations there is confirmation of earlier suggestions of an 11 (and 22) year cycle of irradiance related to sunspots but no longer term trend in these data. Based on paleoclimatic (proxy) reconstructions of solar irradiance there is suggestion of a trend of about +0.12 W/m2 since 1750 which is about half of the estimate given in the last IPCC report in 2001. There is though, a great deal of uncertainty in estimates of solar irradiance beyond what can be measured by satellites, and still the contribution of direct solar irradiance forcing is small compared to the greenhouse gas component. However, our understanding of the indirect effects of changes in solar output and feedbacks in the climate system is minimal. There is much need to refine our understanding of key natural forcing mechanisms of the climate, including solar irradiance changes, in order to reduce uncertainty in our projections of future climate change. In addition to changes in energy from the sun itself, the Earth's position and orientation relative to the sun (our orbit) also varies slightly, thereby bringing us closer and further away from the sun in predictable cycles (called Milankovitch cycles). Variations in these cycles are believed to be the cause of Earth's ice-ages (glacials). Particularly important for the development of glacials is the radiation receipt at high northern latitudes. Diminishing radiation at these latitudes during the summer months would have enabled winter snow and ice cover to persist throughout the year, eventually leading to a permanent snow- or icepack. While Milankovitch cycles have tremendous value as a theory to explain ice-ages and long-term changes in the climate, they are unlikely to have very much impact on the decade-century timescale. Over several centuries, it may be possible to observe the effect of these orbital parameters, however for the prediction of climate change in the 21st century, these changes will be far less important than radiative forcing from greenhouse gases. http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/globalwarming.html#q10
Ummm, that's a right-wing blog. Supported I'm sure by Big Oil/Coal. Scientific studies don't end like this...... "Here's a prediction: The sun's current active phase is expected to wane in 20 to 40 years, at which time the planet will begin cooling. Since that is when most of the greenhouse emission reductions proposed by the UN and others are slated to come into full effect, the "greens" will see that cooling and claim, "See, we warned you and made you take action, and look, we saved the planet." Of course, they will have had nothing to do with it."
=============== Thanks for the small sample charts; not that a 5 year [ice]chart means much compared to 10 years or 2,000 +/years.Al Gore should be sued for fraud, the founder of weather channel said. And not that Muslims have much in common with Christians or Jews. Sure some modern textbooks neglect to mention the NYC World Trade Center bombings/airline attacks were Muslims.See CBN news. Also you maybe comforted to add a bit, to your small sample mindset. One US General said sarcastically''Where are all the Baptist suicide bombers?.{Hint; There are none} President Harry Solomon Truman was a Democrat, if you like conservative or Democrat labels, feel free to use labels. Its a free country, you are certainly entitled to your '' blow us up prediction'' Iran may believe you, but I am not in Iran.