The Kyoto treaty and meaning what you say!

[Ned]

CyberGnu, I could use a little more explanation as to why increased water circulation, transfering heat to colder regions I suppose, would cause the circumpolar vortexes to expand. Expansion means the polar areas are cooler, not warmer.

[CyberGnu]

Ahh, sorry, I forgot that I have access to Science through Caltech. I can't reprint the article for copyright reasons, but I can send you a pdf if you want.

The basic idea seems to be that the freshwater pulse restarted the North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW) formation, which is part of the thermohaline cycle, I believe.

[Dinner]

By Thermohaline cycle you are basically refering to changes in the temperature and salinity of sea water?

[CyberGnu]

CyberGnu, I could use a little more explanation as to why increased water circulation, transfering heat to colder regions I suppose, would cause the circumpolar vortexes to expand. Expansion means the polar areas are cooler, not warmer.

Ned, I quite frankly don't know... This is the point where I just take the oceanographs word for it... They seem to understand the actual process, although there is some debate on the effects.

[CyberGnu]

Oerdin, well, sort of. Just like Ned pointed out in his previous post, the Gulf Stream transports warm water with somewhat higher salinity (and less density) to the polar regions. After it cools down the salinity and density increases and the water sinks, to be replaced with fresh warm water.

[CyberGnu]

Ned, just to clarify: I'm not saying that a freshwater pulse will lead to catastrophic global warming, it is just an example to show how even a fairly innocous change in the environment can have a huge effect... Usually referred to as "synergy".

[Ned]

CyberGnu, a pdf would be appreciated. Here is the part of the abstract that does not make sense on its face:

" the strength of North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW) formation increases, thereby warming the North Atlantic region "

The authors state that the NADW is strenghtened, not started. But I do not understand how fresh water could possibly strenghten the effect, which depends on the relatively higher salt content to work.

[CyberGnu]

Can I send an attachment through the PM system? I'll try