Quote:
Originally Posted by geojen
As an earth scientist (technically, a geomorphologist, but no one ever knows what that means  ) I have to chime in here.
The earth's ocean's have 2 types of "conveyor belts"--deep, cold belts and warmer surface belts like the gulf stream. Cold water at the northern latitudes is denser and saltier, causing it to sink. As the water sinks, it cycles back to the equator where the water is less salty and warmer, so it rises to the top. This conveyor belt system is what moderates the temperatures of the UK and other northern countries and makes them livable. However, as glaciers melt, fresh water could inundate the cold water belt, making the water less salty and therefore less dense. This would shut down that belt and disrupt the entire system. This would then lead to a cooling in the north.
Besides, I have to ask the naysayers--what the heck is the downside of taking care of the environment, cutting our co2 emissions, and getting off foreign oil? (chirp....chirp...) |
geojen - thank you for bringing up the 'conveyor belts'! I was trying to work it into the conversation but....
I worked at NOAA (PMEL) in the '80s got to drink with scientists who could explain why the bubbles in our beer behaved the way they do. Drinking with the Ocean Currents group, they told me the story of the 'World River' carrying all the 'marine snow' south to the coast of South America. It has been so long that it gets hazy at the equator, I seem to remember that the 'world river' actually continues down to Antarctica and then back up the Atlantic. Could you enlighten me or point me in the right direction to find out more?