Climate Models Fail Again! Scientists 'Startled' to Discover 50% of Ozone Destroyed in Lower Atmosphere
0Z0NB
Posted by Paul
Large amounts of ozone -- around 50% more than predicted by the world's
state-of-the-art climate models -- are being destroyed in the lower
atmosphere over the tropical Atlantic Ocean.
This startling discovery was made by a team of scientists from the UK's
National Centre for Atmospheric Science and Universities of York and
Leeds. It has particular significance because ozone in the lower
atmosphere acts as a greenhouse gas and its destruction also leads to
the removal of the third most abundant greenhouse gas; methane.
Professor Alastair Lewis, Director of Atmospheric Composition at the
National Centre for Atmospheric Science and a lead scientist in this
study, said: "At the moment this is a good news story -- more ozone and
methane being destroyed than we previously thought - but the tropical
Atlantic cannot be taken for granted as a permanent 'sink' for ozone.
Professor John Plane, University of Leeds said: "This study provides a
sharp reminder that to understand how the atmosphere really works,
measurement and experiment are irreplaceable. The production of iodine
and bromine mid-ocean implies that destruction of ozone over the oceans
could be global".
Reference:
Katie A. Read, Anoop S. Mahajan, Lucy J. Carpenter, Mathew J. Evans,
Bruno V. E. Faria, Dwayne E. Heard, James R. Hopkins, James D. Lee,
Sarah J. Moller, Alastair C. Lewis, Luis Mendes, James B. McQuaid, Hilke
Oetjen, Alfonso Saiz-Lopez, Michael J. Pilling, John M.C. Plane.
Extensive halogen-mediated ozone destruction over the tropical Atlantic
Ocean. Nature, 453, 1232-1235 (26 June 2008) DOI: 10.1038/nature07035
http://www.jennifermarohasy.com/blog/archives/003203.html
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Warmest Regards
Bonzo
"Every year they recalibrate their computer model and put in the
observed temperature. So, as they go along, the curve that trails behind
is perfect. It's like predicting the morning's weather at six-o'clock in
the evening.." Dr. Don J. Easterbrook, Professor Emeritus Geology,
Western Washington University