Re: [asa] Rush Limbaugh Science Lesson

Hi Rich,

This historical perspective on the global warming issue is fascinating
stuff - particularly as the impression often given in the media is that
global warming was first discovered about six minutes after tea-time
last Tuesday. It appears that the full story isn't getting the exposure
it deserves.

A few questions on the historical data, though:

(1) how are we able to determine historical CO2 levels? [my guess:
ice-coring?]

(2) how far back are we able to make reasonable assessments of CO2 levels?

(3) what explanation is given to account for the previous historical
high 80k years ago?

and

(4) does the data give any support to the argument that the current
increase is just part of a cycle? [my guess: it's the level of current
CO2 emissions which is the critical consideration as it swamps any
historical trend from the pre-industrial period]

Thanks, by the way, for a very interesting contribution.

Blessings,
Murray Hogg
Pastor, East Camberwell Baptist Church, Victoria, Australia
Post-Grad Student (MTh), Australian College of Theology

Rich Blinne wrote:
> Times up. Pencils down. The relationship between CO2 and temperature was
> discovered by Svante Arrenhius via his computer models. :-) If you don't
> get the joke note that his was in 1896!! It's known as a climate
> sensitivity. For Earth, the equilibrium climate sensitivity is 3 degrees
> C when CO2 is doubled. CO2 levels are over 30% more than what they were
> in the mid-19th Century and are at their highest level in at least
> 800000 years.
<snip>

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Received on Thu May 29 14:12:40 2008