U.S. Polar Vortex

[Gare]

We're in the single digits here (Fahrenheit) and our weather prediction is that it will continue through the end of this month.

We're in central New York a 90 minute drive up to Niagara Falls, BTW. With the Wind Chill figured in, it's getting down to -22° F. at night.

Watertown, N.Y. received the dubious distinction of being the coldest town in America last night, -60° or something with Wind Chill accounted for.

This is the third year in a row we've had freakish season weather, and I defy anyone to tell us that the carbon we've been putting in the air hasn't changed something. It's been super-cold and also super-warm, and that means that we're putting energy into weather systems, hot or cold, with emissions.

On the other hand, none of the people who like skiing are complaining.

-g

[wizard509]

As much as I like the space program, I can't help but wonder if all that exhaust from the rockets make a mighty contribute. I'll have to check.

[Gare]

I'm sad to report, Larry, that several sources, including aerospace.com, say that the current fuel does contribute to the Greenhouse Effect, and if we really get into space travel in the next 50 years, it will present a significant threat to our atmosphere. Of course, we could switch from carbone to Dilitium crystals, but...

Emissions of black carbon (soot) from increased rocket launches could contribute to global climate change. Black carbon particles efficiently absorb the sun’s visible light and so can increase solar heating in the atmosphere, similar to the way carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases increase heating by absorbing Earth’s infrared light. Additional thermal energy from particles heated by the sun can change the overall circulation of the atmosphere as well.
—Aerospace.com

[wizard509]

I think it is the solid fuel boosters that are the main problem, the liquid fuel not so much emitting mostly water vapor. Aircraft of the other hand in particular commercial aircraft at least to my mind are the more serious contributors at the moment. Automobiles certainly fit in there also but I wish to limit my remarks to spacecraft and aircraft, mostly spacecraft.

[Gare]

Okay, Larry, as far as greenhouse goes, I will not limit my remarks!

It's a close call, cars versus airplanes. Today's cars comfortably fit four people, but studies show that a car that averages 25-30 mph emits the same carrying one as carrying 4 people. You don't drive a car all day, either.

There are far fewer planes than cars, and they can carry hundreds of passengers, and no one is really prepared to make airlines fuel-efficient, not Boeing, not Marietta, no one.

A 300 mile trip, like Philly to Boston? Four people in a car would produce 104Kg of CO2, while a plane with four people aboard would emit more than 700Kg of CO2.

Can't say I've found anything on solid fuel rockets, but you know Branson is going to send people to Mars using a piggyback shuttle-on-a-plane launch, which is something to think about. What sort of fuel, what altitude is separation and the shuttle starts powering, that sort of think.

The bottom line is that people manufacture and disperse C02 into our atmosphere an order of magnitude greater than Nature does over any measured amount of time these days.

We could practice holding our breath, or put corks in cows...

-g

[Rik]

...We could practice holding our breath, or put corks in cows...
-g

Doesn't that make cows explode?!

[Gare]

Doesn't that make cows explode?!

Yeah. It's sort of fun to watch on Independence Day or Guy Fawkes Day.

You bring the kids, a picnic dinner, you hold the buns over your head and before you know it...


-g-

[wizard509]

Doesn't that make cows explode?!

Yeah, I can see the newspaper headlines now "onlookers hold breath as cork kills cow"