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Super Pathway Discovered In Southern Ocean
Posted by
kdawson
on Fri Aug 17, 2007 03:34 PM
from the been-there-right-along dept.
from the been-there-right-along dept.
WaltonNews writes in to let us know that a major underwater current called the Tasman Outflow has been discovered by Australian scientists. It helps to regulate the Earth's climate by providing water flow between three oceans in the southern hemisphere. Relatedly, a senior climate scientist has called for the establishment of a Southern Hemisphere network of deep ocean moorings, to complement the network already established in the North Atlantic. The intent is to detect any change in ocean circulation that may adversely influence global climate.
Related Stories
Firehose:Super ocean pathway discovered: Tasman Outflow by Anonymous Coward
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Dude! (Score:5, Funny)
I call bullshit! (Score:4, Funny)
There are no natural processes which affect climate. We all know what affects climate, is our use of incandescent light bulbs!
If only we'd all switch to mercury filled compact flouros, we'd reduce this nations energy consumption by almost 0.005%! Not only that, we'd increase the amount of mercury in our groundwater by over 200%! Mercury is good for you and helps build strong bones and teeth.
Also, we should junk our existing cars and build and purchase new ones which are marginally more efficient.
WHEN WILL WE LEARN?! THE ONLY SOLUTION TO CLIMATE PROBLEMS IS TO SPEND SPEND SPEND SPEND ON COMPANIES AL GORE HAS STOCK IN.
You don't get it. (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:I call bullshit! (Score:5, Insightful)
seems like you're better off keeping a moderately efficient car for as long as you can (maybe 10 years?) instead of dumping it before its time is up to get a hybrid. not just environmentally but financially. not having to make $300/mo payments seems like you could afford a little extra gasoline.
CFL are great, but without a wide spread recycling program it is just going to cause poison to be released into the environment. Causing severe problems to sensitive species, including ourselves. If Al Gore is so smart why did he not propose a federal mandatory disposal/recycling program for CFLs and hybrid's lead batteries?
Parent
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
seems like you're better off keeping a moderately efficient car for as long as you can (maybe 10 years?) instead of dumping it before its time is up to get a hybrid. not just environmentally but financially. not having to make $300/mo payments seems like you could afford a little extra gasoline.
If all you're concerned about is your personal welfare, then I'd have to say ... it depends. Only an idiot would "dump" a working automobile. Clearly, you'd sell it, thus recouping some fraction of its value. And then you'd pay cash for the hybrid, you're unlikely to get a new car loan on a hybrid for less than 7%. I find that the best way to decide is to calculate the cost (to you) per mile. Depending on what you're driving today, how far you're driving, how fast you're driving, etc., a hybrid may or
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
What about the "I'm an idiot who bought a car with a nickel metal-hydride battery which when refined produces shitloads of sulfer dioxide. But that's okay since carbon isn't present which makes everything fucking hunky-dory." crowd?
You must be referring to the (totally spurious) article comparing the Prius with the Hummer, where the Hummer comes out as more environmentally friendly. Perhaps some further research [thecarconnection.com] is warranted?
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
I want to have my cake and eat it too.
I hope that was meant to be a parody (Score:3, Insightful)
Scientists (i.e., real skeptics) know that NASA just had to revise the warmest year in the US on record to 1934 instead of 1998 because of a software bug that had nothing to do with Y2K errors, although it did occur in 2000. Scientists also know that 1934 was already a very close second (in the US), and happened during the US dust bowl. Scientists know the difference between l
IT'S SETTLED SCIENCE (Score:5, Funny)
Holy shit, it's hot out today! WE'RE DOOMED!!!!
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
You know, lots of people are posting variations on this as if it were some kind of clever skewering of the Al Gore and others advocating policy change to address global warming, but all it really does is demonstrate that the people posting this
Tasmanian Outflow vs. North Atlantic Current (Score:2)
Re:Tasmanian Outflow vs. North Atlantic Current (Score:4, Funny)
Parent
Sequel time (Score:3, Funny)
Bad bad reporting (Score:5, Insightful)
That is pretty normal (Score:5, Informative)
Pay attention to what the real scientist are saying directly. Get past what fox news and oil companies have to say. Listen to the top ones (such as Dr. Hansen who is one of thousands ) and even ones like Dr Grey ( from Colo State, who is one of the very few accredited skeptics). It is a good thing to pay attention to both sides, just skip the garbage.
Parent
Three words ... (Score:3, Informative)
learn a lot from "former" members of the IPCC.
Energy source (Score:5, Interesting)
These flows are far more steady and reliable than the wind. And no pollution. A great source of energy.
Re:Energy source (Score:5, Interesting)
They're trying to do this in the East River in New York. Unsuccessfully so far...
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/13/nyregion/13power .html [nytimes.com]
Parent
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Don't for a second dismiss out of hand the effect we might have on the
Ted Stevens had this comment... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Adverse changes? (Score:5, Informative)
Hey guys, it is mid-August in what was supposed to be a record hurricane season. No storms yet.
Apparently you do not live in Texas, where Hurricane Dean (the fourth named storm of the season) is about to hit. But hey, don't let facts get in the way of a good story.
Parent
Re:Adverse changes? (Score:5, Funny)
Haven't you heard? All change is adverse. Change that hurts humans is bad because it hurts the oppressed, and change that helps humans is bad because it helps the oppressors. Welcome to the 21st century, it's stranger than fiction.
Parent
But that would change the climate (Score:3, Informative)
The efforts you suggest would change the climate. The climate change debate says that we need to stop change. It does not say that we need to work on technologies to make our lives better. If a place was covered with a glacier in 1976, then it needs to be covered with a glacier in 2076. If a place was covered with a barren desert in 1976, it needs to be covered with a desert in 217
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
We knew deep ocean currents existed, the article really just points out that we have firmer evidence of there being a common flow between all of the southern oceans. The existence of the deep Atlantic currents we knew about was pretty good evidence this one likely existed, we just hadn't found it.
As far as climate goes, the deep return currents (much like this one) are very slow. Much slower than say the Gulf Stream in the north Atlantic. The time scale for these large flows to change is in the hundreds