Life on earth is threatened with extinction by a little known lurking disaster -- the release of huge quantities of methane trapped in the Arctic tundra.
Twice before, 55 million and 251 million years ago, naturally occurring methane "burps" almost wiped out life on earth. Now, if humanity continues to emit carbon as a result of the burning of fossil fuels, we are in serious danger of triggering this irreversible event by the middle of the current century.
Hero999 said:It doesn't say exactly how an increase in temperature will trigger this event or exactly how it wipes out all life on earth so I'm a bit sceptical to say the least.
3v0 said:It goes ABOUT like this. When the ocean temperature rises enough to melt the methal hydrate (methane ice) on the ocean floor it releases methane. As a greenhouse gass, methane is much better at traping heat then carbon dioxide. So the ocean temperature rises and even more methane is released. The oxygen content of the air may drop. It is a run away condition. It would be global.
See Clathrate gun hypothesis
Hero999 said:...
However, what temperature do these crystals melt at?
Is there a real chance that the sea temperature will rise to the critical level before the next ice age?
What temperature are they at the moment?3v0 said:I think it was 18 C under pressure, I assume they were talking about the pressure at the level at which they were found.
Hero999 said:What temperature are they at the moment?
Probably near freezing?
Somehow I don't think it's going to happen and if it does it'll be something like a volcanoe rather than the climate changing.
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