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marmar

(77,081 posts) Mon Sep 8, 2014, 10:35 AM Sep 2014

From Pine Beetles to Disappearing Glaciers, NASA Scientists Tell of "Dramatic" Planetary Changes

From Pine Beetles to Disappearing Glaciers, NASA Scientists Tell of "Dramatic" Planetary Changes

Monday, 08 September 2014 10:31
By Dahr Jamail, Truthout | News Report

Until very recently, popular thinking assumed that anthropogenic climate disruption (ACD) was in a "slow" period. However, last year, a study published in Geophysical Research Letters showed that the planet had experienced more overall warming in the 15 years leading up to March 2013 than it had in the 15 years before that. In case there was any doubt that the planet is warming more quickly than previously thought, a study published in the August 22, 2014 issue of Science has verified this.

Another study from July addressed how regional climate systems were synchronizing, after which "the researchers detected wild variability that amplified the changes and accelerated into an abrupt warming event of several degrees within a few decades." Shortly thereafter, yet another study showed that rapid warming of the Atlantic waters, most likely due to ACD, has "turbocharged" the Pacific Equatorial trade winds. Whenever that phenomenon stops, it is highly likely we will witness very rapid changes across the globe, including a sudden acceleration of the average surface temperature of the planet.

The vast majority of the myriad studies generating our present data on ACD paint a dire picture of what our CO2 emissions, and now massive methane releases, have done to the climate of Earth.

Truthout recently spoke with several NASA-affiliated scientists about what they are seeing. .................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://truth-out.org/news/item/25994-from-pine-beetles-to-disappearing-glaciers-nasa-scientists-tell-of-dramatic-planetary-changes

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From Pine Beetles to Disappearing Glaciers, NASA Scientists Tell of "Dramatic" Planetary Changes (Original Post) marmar Sep 2014 OP

I've seen quite a change in the Black Hills newfie11 Sep 2014 #1

Keep on Frackin... marions ghost Sep 2014 #2

Agreed newfie11 Sep 2014 #3

A lot in North Dakota though.... marions ghost Sep 2014 #6

Kicked and recommended. Uncle Joe Sep 2014 #4

K&R JEB Sep 2014 #5

newfie11

(8,159 posts)

1. I've seen quite a change in the Black Hills

Reply to marmar (Original post)

Mon Sep 8, 2014, 11:22 AM

Sep 2014

We moved here in 1992. Beautiful forests ( no bug trees), winters with plenty of snow. Every July 4th I dressed in warm clothes and down cost to watch fireworks in Custer. No one had air conditioning then.

Now:

Dead trees everywhere and many burned areas. Yes there was a nasty blizzard in October but the rest of the winter was uneventful for snow. Yes it was cold at times but hey it's SD.

The weather is changing here and it's changing fast.

marions ghost

(19,841 posts)

2. Keep on Frackin...

Reply to newfie11 (Reply #1)

Mon Sep 8, 2014, 11:50 AM

Sep 2014

Air

As with any type of energy extraction, there are several areas of risk when it comes to air quality and fracking, including air pollutants such as VOCs and methane. Although fracking produces fewer carbon emissions than coal-fired power plants, it produces more methane emissions during the extraction process and methane traps 20 times more carbon dioxide than other greenhouse gases. Some environmental groups have also raised concerns that methane could be leaked during the extraction process, resulting in unnecessary pollution.[15][16] Most of this pollution occurs during the well completion phase. Fracking operations can also emit known carcinogens, which have been linked with increased rates of cancer.[17]

A 2014 report from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency found a decrease of 3.3 percent in overall greenhouse gas emissions and a 12 percent decrease in methane emissions from 2011 to 2012. Natural gas extraction is the second largest producer of methane, after cattle.[16][18]