Global Warming and Hurricane Katrina

[STOIC]

After hurricane Katrina questions are being raised whether global warming is playing any role in the global climate change. There is a rising evidence that global warming is a real problem today. Many of the leading scientist believe it prudent to address the problem soon, rather than having to deal with the problem once it become a catastrophic disaster like the hurricanes Katrina in the gulf coast. Sudden environmental changes such as hurricane Katrina can be more destructive, lives can be lost and properties damaged.

 

 

When the sun radiation passes through the clear atmosphere, most of the radiation is absorbed by the earth surface. Some of the solar radiation may be reflected back to the atmosphere by the earth. The atmosphere allows short –wave visible light to pass through while retarding the flow of longer wavelength back to space, this is what the scientist mean when they say the green house effect.

 

 

You might be asking yourself what is causing this green house effect to reflect this radiation back to earth. Now here is where those gases to be capped plays a role. These activity of re-radiation is caused by green-house gases e.g. carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor, and ozone. These gases are placed in the order of their emissivity strength across the infra-red spectrum.Emissivity is the ability of the atmosphere to retard thermal flow back to space. Carbon dioxide and water vapor are on top of the list. They are the most infra-red absorbers. These gases are costly to reduce. This is because the solutions entail curbing the economic growth of some country-which will likely create some unemployment. Is there any evidence that there is already any climate change occurring in the world today?

 

 

The Intergovernmental panel on climate changes concluded in 2001 that there is a great evidence of global climate change occurring. According to the panel the seven warmest years in the past 140 years occurred in the 1990’s and 2000’s.This changes have been supported by new analysis that the ocean temperature have risen steadily. A decrease in the sea ice has been reported in the arctic. There has been 10-20 cm change in the sea level. There have also been changes in species shift.

 

 

Is there any man-made linkage to these changes? I personally believe since there is a strong scientific principle that support all the documented changes, man has something to do with the changes. The gases that cause the greenhouse effect result from a large spectrum of human activities such as burning fuel.

 

 

PS I dedicated this thread to global warming debate. If you might think that this sudden violent weather changes has nothing to do with global warming you are welcome to bring all your arguments without any brusqueness. If you are arguing from religious stand point you are invited too to state your arguments with proof and evidences.

[Castro]

I've been thinking about hurricanes this weekend. In 1905, Galveston, TX, was hit by a hurricane that killed over 10,000 people. At the time, one can argue man-made global warming could not have been an issue. Katrina was a strong hurricane but probably not the strongest ever. The melting of the polar ice caps may be cyclical. In other words, as scheduled, it melts every few thousand years. We might be at the end of one cycle or the begining of another. However, it is the case that there is a rapid rate of melting of the ice caps. So fast, in fact, it is unlikely a cyclical atmospheric influence alone is the culprit.

[STOIC]

Castro, you are right many may argue that there was no evidence that global warming had any effect on the planet most powerful hurricanes that occured (e.g the Galveston one).However today a connection is emerging between ocean warming and tropical cyclones.According to the atmospheric scientist, global warming and cyclones share the apetite for heat.According to new research that is out there is a great increase in the number of category 4 and 5 hurricane in the last 35 years.Many are wondering weather global warming is driving the tropical cyclones.

 

If we continue to see these global climate changes around the world, poor countries in Africa and other third world countries will be the most vulnerable because of lack of their ability to adapt to this kind of changes.

 

PS: It took me a while to respond to you-i was busy in the general section, my apologies saaxiib.

[xiinfaniin]

^^This thread should be forwarded to those nickel-head republicans in the white house! Bush may not be able to understand all the scientific jargons, but he is certain that global warming aint coming at all . As usual, I disagree with Bush. If he says, xarash I say madax .

 

On a serious note, I am quite certain that global warming is real, but one thing is for sure; we had not been responsible tenants on this planet. Only fool would think that excessive emitions of harmful gases to the atmosphere would not off set the delicate balance of our habitat. What about nuclear waste that we had been dumping for the last fifty years? Would that has an effect too?

 

As far your reference to religious argument and how it pertains to this issue, sound and observable science (mind you) does not contradict with the correct understanding of the divine word, I say. It may be the case that less able minds hide behind twisted religious arguments to bang their head against the yields of scientific work. I even heard when man landed on the moon hasty fatwas had been issued to negate his achievement! Gone are the days of Xer, good Stoic.

 

But to be fair, there are also those who blindly admire anything that is wrapped with scientific cloth. From evolution to the tales of the big bang, those weak souls brandish scientific speculation (an incomplete scientific enquiry that is) that they can’t proof without a leap of faith. That is an ironic incongruity between their cocky pose and the reality of their intellectual capacity, don’t you say?

 

I should stop now...and go home. Waa inoo berri Inshaa-Allah.

[Socod_badne]

There is no doubt the planet is warming but there is very little evidence that says any preventative actions we take will slow down or reverse the effects of global warming.

 

At this stage, the causes and possible solutions to global warming is speculative.

[Alle-ubaahne]

Stoic,

I personally believe since there is a strong scientific principle that support all the documented changes, man has something to do with the changes.

You believe in Science as a principle guidence for truth, and then you believe in the ability of man to changing the natural course of the universe! Interesting rationale!

 

Where Allah's magnificent unimaginable power, by the way? I am realy disturbed by the fact that people believe in everything about the whimsical sensationalism of the scientists, including the one who attempted to describe us as the descedents of the monkey and animal species, i.e. Darwin.

 

Well, scientists are nothing but denailists, because they disguise the facts and hijack the truth. The majority of the climatologists who predict about the future don't show any corralation between the ruining moral degradations, sins, filthy obseneties, injustices, killing and so on and so forth of their own society and the divine consequences. They can't even speak about or predict where everyone is going after death. Yes, its unscientific to talk about religion, because, as they claim, its related to faith, and thus faith is unverifiable. Does that sound exceptable when the same scientists are trying to convince us that what happen, in their own calculations, 1000 million years ago and what will happen the next 5000 million years are the absulate truth.

 

Believe it, as of now, I am another scientist who will always talk about the truth of what will happen definately in the day of judgement, and that all scientists will go to the hellfire if they don't believe in Allah and His Messenger.

[STOIC]

Xiin, let me first apologies for my sardonic wit this morning.I wrote the words while gnashing my teeth together. Perhaps that was a lapse of judgment that proved less than scintillating nomad I am. I went back to read my words and found that my writing was mered by execrable judgement on my side.

 

Back to the topic, This year has seen a strengthening of the consensus that global warming is real, with hurricane Katrina,Sceptics have turned their heads around this time and thought my be this is real.Previously skeptics have found a strength in the tempature discrepancies that was reported earlier but now with a new report out the datas have been reconciled.It was found that the temperature is rising.Bush and his “Texas oil boys†have argued time and again that the Kyoto protocol is flawed. They fear that science of global warming could be used to cap their emission of green house gases.I think their main threat now will be the public.Every one now knows about the climate.

 

Xiin you touched on a nice issue about the religion.I have met and talked with people who feign ignorance with their own agenda.I guess this is a failure of medial temporal lobe on their brain.I personally beleive Sceince has its limitation when it comes to the matters of creation but there are some things that are guided or prooved with sound scientific evidence which if we look in to it, we will be able to find it parrallel with our religion.

 

Alle, Saaxiib i will let you read my words one more time before you tailored my writting with some other topic (evolutionary biology).I guess you will be able to tell the differences between my beleive in this particular subject and other scientific beleives.Its not that hard, this ain't the task of telling the difference between a haze and a smoke.

[Castro]

Originally posted by Alle-ubaahne:

Believe it, as of now, I am another scientist who will always talk about the truth of what will happen definately in the day of judgement, and that all scientists will go to the hellfire if they don't believe in Allah and His Messenger.

The argument can't simply be reduced to a choice between science or faith in god. The two are not mutually exclusive and they both serve a purpose.

 

Global warming (or cooling as it did at some point in history) has evidence to support it. The (scientific) evidence of such phenomenon is documented, objective and reproducible. The leap to link the current warming of ocean water to human activities is conjecture at this point.

 

We do know the earth's temperature, on average, has risen in the past 100 years. That means, on average, any given day is warmer than its equivalent 100 years ago. It is not a statistically insignificant difference either. We also know that the rate of increase of temperature (the slope of that function if you will) is more rapid (steeper) now than it was at the beginning of the 100 year period. Still, neither of the facts above conclusively indicate any human involvement. However, we do know that Carbon Dioxide and other gases known as Greenhouse gases (some produced naturally but lately by humans in ever greater quantities) do trap heat within the earth's atmosphere.

 

This trapped heat causes the temperature of ocean surfaces to rise. Which, in turn, assists in melting of snow and ice on the earth's poles. The melting of such snow and ice makes earth (at least at the poles) darker which leads to even more heat absorption. Hurricanes by nature use warmer ocean waters to generate their awesome power. Their season in the Atlantic ocean runs in the summer months when ocean surface waters are warmest. Hurricane intensity studies show an increase in their destructive power (wind velocity) over the past few decades only to, inexplicably, coincide with rapid increase in greenhouse gas emissions, a rise in ocean temperatures and an increase in overall earth temperature.

 

The problem of weather is a difficult one to solve. To add complexity by looking at patterns that normally occur in hundreds, if not thousands, of years makes it even more difficult. It is, however, fair to conclude that hurricane intensity and global warming may be linked. The degree of relationship is unknown at this time. Nonetheless, the conclusion (or leap of faith if you will) must not be dismissed as wishful thinking nor can understanding and accepting it, within the normal scientific guidelines, be labeled a heresy.

[Alle-ubaahne]

None of you guys can definately pinpoint the sublime underlying complexities that drive Allah's creations, except that you use and talk about your western mentors who teach you not the reasons but the mere words of hallow meanings!

 

Its time to grasp the will of Allah, gentlemen!

[Castro]

Originally posted by Alle-ubaahne:

None of you guys can definately pinpoint the sublime underlying complexities that drive Allah's creations, except that you use and talk about your western mentors who teach you not the reasons but the mere words of hallow meanings!

 

Its time to grasp the will of Allah, gentlemen!

Please explain how the will of Allah goes against global warming and it's possible causes. Also explain how the will of Allah disallows a possible link between hurricanes and global warming. Finally, please explain how understanding the world we live in goes against the will of Allah.

 

It really makes you appear uninformed if all you can add to the discussion is "Allah's will". Exlpore the topic and its theme. Think about it. Read about it. Add to it. Don't just throw in these apocalyptic two-liners, saaxib.

[xiinfaniin]

Alle-Ubaahow, ama baxso ama ninka iska dhici .

Be true to your signature saaxiib .

 

Stoic, though I read very little about this issue I think you and Castro are on to some thing. Facts are very stubborn; neither Bush nor his party could avoid dwelling in sheer ignorance (they are even trying to fix scientific data relating to this very issue by selecting sympathetic pseudo scientists) too long. Just as they did to the WMD issue .

 

It was good read.

[Alle-ubaahne]

Xiinfaniin, lol. Waa runtaa saxiib, sometime ago, the same topic was prompted to me by this movie that is called 'the day after tomorrow', and I started to dig more about the subject by reading several books out of curriousity. What I only came out of them was the sense of predictive analysis that was solely based on the essence of climate studies. The only aspect they look stronger is the observations they obtain from the settalites and but the rest are scientific show-down wrangling that is obviously propelled by political dogmas. My two brothers in the above are disoriented with the hype in the atmosphere about the exagerative claims of global warming.

 

but surely, I will contribute my part on this subject in the coming few days, insha allah.