Climate Change, Fact Or Fiction?
Throughout the history of our planet, climate change has naturally occurred, and the
human impact upon climate still remains small. In the last 650,000 years, there have
been 7 distinct cycles of glaciers advancing and retreating. Climate change comes
from minor deviations in earth's orbit around the sun.
Major glacial (cold) and inter-glacial (warm) periods are moderated by changes in the
Earth’s orbit around the Sun, called Milankovitch cycles. These cycles occur at
different intensities on multi-millennial time scales. Orbital changes occur slowly over
time, influencing where the Earth’s surface receives solar radiation during different
seasons. By themselves, these changes in solar radiation distributions are not strong
enough to cause dramatic temperature change. They do start mechanisms that amplify
the slight warming or cooling effect caused by the Milankovitch cycle. One mechanism
is caused through changes in global surface reflectivity also known as albedo. Even
the slightest increase in solar radiation at the northern latitudes escalates ice melting.
As a result of ice loss, less sunlight is reflected from the bright white surface of the
ice, and more radiation is absorbed by Earth increasing overall warming. A second
mechanism involves atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations, such as carbon
dioxide. The slight warming begun by changes in Earth’s orbit warms oceans allowing
them to release carbon dioxide. As we’ve seen, more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
causes more warming, creating amplification. Rises in atmospheric CO2 levels may lag
warming or cooling caused by orbital changes by as much as 1000 years.
There are shorter cold-warm cycles that occur on approximately 200 to 1,500 year. The
mechanisms that cause these cycles are not understood completely but are thought to
be driven by changes in our sun. Ocean and atmospheric interactions cause climate
cycles of years to decades. One of the most well-known cycles is the El Niño-Southern
Oscillation, an interaction between ocean temperatures and atmospheric conditions
referred to as El Niño or its opposite effect, La Niña. These events occur every 3 to 7
years, bringing different weather conditions to different parts of the world. For
example, in the U.S., El Niño events can result in a flow of warm dry air into the
Northwest, but above average rainfall in the southeast. There are additional cycles
that last from 25 to 80 years.
Humans may have some small impact on our climate that perhaps contributes to these
cycles being more significant in what we would consider extreme weather. We do need
to be aware of the fact that climate change is one of the most constant events in the
history. We don’t need to follow the scare tactics being used by those that say “I
believe the science” doomsday preachers. Educate yourself on the issues, use multiple
sources of data to understand the dynamics of climate change, and it will become
apparent that there are data sets that contradict both sides. I am a firm believer that
we are being shammed by special interest groups who will skew anything just to give
the appearance of progress to impress constituents with the impression that they are
on top of voters' concerns, not unlike a snake oil salesman - to make a buck and, in
their case, garner more votes (power).
Climate Change, Fact, Hoax
Paid for by Samuel Lee Williams Jr for Congress