>-----Original Message-----
>From: piclist-bounces@mit.edu [mailto:piclist-bounces@mit.edu] 
>On Behalf Of Ed Browne
>Sent: 16 October 2007 16:06
>To: Microcontroller discussion list - Public.
>Subject: RE: [OT]: CO2 peak may lag warming by 800 years ? *.edu source
>
>
>Experts for Channel 4 (Carl Wunsch) said that it was a result 
>of the air heating first, then warming the oceans.  When the 
>oceans are warmed they begin giving up their stored CO2.  Cold 
>water stores more CO2 than warm water and evidently the 
>process takes about 800 years before a noticeable effect.  
>Presumably, some other mechanism kicked in to prevent thermal 
>runaway (plant growth?).
>

FWIW the Channel 4 program was widely regarded as being even more full of holes than Mr Gores political ramblings.

>If you follow this logic and consider the fact that the 
>current levels of CO2 are higher than the 2 sigma levels 
>derived from ice cores dating back 650,000 years, then there 
>had to have been **one hell of a massive temperature event 800 
>years ago**.

I'm not sure I understand why there would have had to be been a massive "temperature event" 800 years back?  *If* the 800 year lag theory is correct, then surely all this means is that the temperature was rising 800 years ago, and we are now seeing the effects of that.  It doesn't imply that the temperature suddenly jumped to some astounding value bfore falling back to normal.

I agree that man is likely having some effect on our climate, the question how significant it's contribution is compared to the natural climate cycles of the Earth, and wether running around shouting "carbon neutral" to anyone who will listen will actualy help anyone apart from those with a political/financial interest.

Regards

Mike

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