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May 12, 2008
"one of the consequences that scientists have long predicted"
Did you know that earthquakes can be caused by anthropogenic global warming? No, really. That's what a "number" of geologists have been saying: A number of geologists say glacial melting due to climate change will unleash pent-up pressures in the Earth's crust, causing extreme geological events such as earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions.Yes, but it's now happening faster and faster! Because of humans! Melting of the ice that covers Antarctica or Greenland would have a similar impact, but the process would be accelerated due to the human-induced greenhouse effect.Well, if it will bring lots of earthquakes, then obviously it already is, because of the human-induced greenhouse acceleration! As we speak, glaciers are melting, and all that water is pressing on the tectonic plates! That's because the crust is sensitive: When the glaciers melt, the reliquified water causes sea levels to rise and increases the weight on the ocean floor, which could also have an effect on the grinding tectonic plates deep below the surface.Actually, that's not quite right. Back in 2004, Dean Esmay quoted Greenpeace's Director who claimed just that. But the Wall Street Journal warned that such thinking was "unhinged": People prone to hysteria often become further unhinged in the face of a great disaster, and that may explain these remarkable comments on the tsunami disaster. Still, these comments by the movement's leadership may serve as a case study of how such imaginings work their way into public discussion of the environment. That is all the more reason to come to grips with the real causes of calamities such as this.Hysteria??? How can the WSJ say such a thing when a "number" of scientists are claiming that the evidence is "stacking up": "All over the world evidence is stacking up that changes in global climate can and do affect the frequencies of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and catastrophic sea-floor landslides," says British geologist Bill McGuire, writing in New Scientist magazine.In light of the stacked up evidence, and the accelerating of the human-induced greenhouse gas acceleration, obviously, today's major earthquake in China might have been, and -- in light of the Precautionary Principle -- probably was, caused by global warming. So why aren't the numerous scientists saying it was? Don't they believe in their own theories? You'd think at least Al Gore could weigh in. After all, he did blame global warming for the cyclone in Burma, calling it "one of the consequences that scientists have long predicted might be associated with global warming." Considering that earthquakes are said by a number of scientists to be simply another one of these consequences, I find the continued silence baffling. posted by Eric on 05.12.08 at 04:14 PM
Comments
"Open Letter to the Secretary-General of the United Nations Dec. 13, 2007 His Excellency Ban Ki-Moon Secretary-General, United Nations New York, N.Y. Dear Mr. Secretary-General, Re: UN climate conference taking the World in entirely the wrong direction It is not possible to stop climate change, a natural phenomenon that has affected humanity through the ages. Geological, archaeological, oral and written histories all attest to the dramatic challenges posed to past societies from unanticipated changes in temperature, precipitation, winds and other climatic variables. We therefore need to equip nations to become resilient to the full range of these natural phenomena by promoting economic growth and wealth generation. " dre · May 12, 2008 06:10 PM Al Gore is a patriot who dared to look silly. It worked! Penny · May 12, 2008 11:26 PM Al Gore did weigh in: 320. Anyway, don't the oceans weigh anything? Don't all those anthropogenically caused tides stress the earth's crust? This theory is just silly. Montjoie · May 13, 2008 12:22 AM The glacial ice could pop off Antarctica like a cork. Of course, it could also do that if it keeps getting colder as well. In geologic time, it isn't very stable. And the results would be terrible. But that has nothing to do with global warming. I imagine if it happened in our lifetime it would get blamed on whatever the crisis du jour is at the time. And that blame would be believed for decades, regardless of scientific evidence. We can expect that humanity will do something stupid in response. Assistant Village Idiot · May 13, 2008 12:20 PM This idea's been going around for a while - that higher sea levels create more pressure on subduction zones, "lubricating" them, so to speak. To the best of my knowledge it's just an idea, and even as an idea, you'd need a sea level rise of 200 feet or more to see any influence on volcanism or earthquake activity. Chris Wren · May 13, 2008 11:30 PM ijstuponr jnztweb fohvuw mjxybp safqc ievmwk iguzoj ykrh lrfmzqa · May 19, 2008 05:13 AM |
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Increased pressure, decreased pressure...it is all a wash, because there is no net change in the weight on the crust. one pound of ice weighs the same as a pound of liquid water.