From: Michael Lorrey (retroman@together.net)
Date: Wed Dec 10 1997 - 04:02:13 MST
Warrl kyree Tale'sedrin wrote:
>
> > From: Michael Lorrey <retroman@together.net>
>
> > I've also seen simulations by oceanographers at UW a couple years
> > ago that showed that most of the rise in CO2 levels had much more to
> > do with the killoff of oceanic plankton in the southern hemisphere,
> > which is directly and conclusively linked to the chlorine caused
> > ozone hole.
>
> Hm... "the chlorine caused ozone hole".
>
> (1) What is the primary source of chlorine in the atmosphere?
Sorry, I whould have said CFC caused ozone hole.
>
> (2) More specifically, what is the primary source of chlorine in the
> upper atmosphere over Antarctica?
Of course, one source of chlorine is not necessarily as dangerous as
another.
SUpposedly CFCs released by all those refrigeration systems and spray
cans.
>
> (Surprisingly enough, the answers to the two questions are
> different).
>
> (3) How do human (industrial and other) emissions of chlorine into
> the atmosphere relate or compare to either of these?
>
> (4) How much human-source chlorine is specifically in the upper
> atmosphere over Antarctica?
>
> (Answers: oceans, a volcano, infinitesmal, and essentially none.)
I've seen studies in SciAM, Nature, and written on in Aviation Week
based on U-2 data collection flights.
>
> (5) What do you propose the government, or anyone else, should do
> that would actually affect this situation?
Nothing any more. From What I've seen, the worldwide CFC levels should
be back below pre WWII levels within 20 years. At which point, the ozone
will come back, so long as we haven't caused an ice age to start,
plankton will return to previous levels, CO2 absorption will come back
up, as well as the major fisheries returning to normal levels.
>
> I think that turning off
> volcanoes is currently beyond our technology, and coating the oceans
> with oil to prevent chlorine evaporation might have significant
> undesirable side effects. :-)
I think a greater threat with the oceam bottom is if it gets too warm at
the bottom in equatorial regions, if the thermohaline conveyor system
shuts down, then the vast methane hydrate deposits in equatorial ocean
bottoms might release themselves rather explosively.
-- TANSTAAFL!!! Michael Lorrey ------------------------------------------------------------ mailto:retroman@together.net Inventor of the Lorrey Drive MikeySoft: Graphic Design/Animation/Publishing/Engineering ------------------------------------------------------------ How many fnords did you see before breakfast today?
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