@DoctorKarl Energy is neither created nor destroyed.
From Earth's point of view, any energy coming to us from the Sun stays in the Earth's system, land, sea, atmosphere as heat until it re-radiates into space.
The CO₂ in the atmosphere now trapping the heat will be here 1000 years.
From Earth's point of view, any energy coming to us from the Sun stays in the Earth's system, land, sea, atmosphere as heat until it re-radiates into space.
The CO₂ in the atmosphere now trapping the heat will be here 1000 years.
@DoctorKarl Perhaps people might reasonably think the Earth will cool off like a cup of tea.
Heat goes into the ocean, so maybe the Earth cools off.
No
The system, cup of tea/Earth can only cool when its heat leaves the system.
The CO₂ is a thermos keeping the Earth warm for 1000 years.
Heat goes into the ocean, so maybe the Earth cools off.
No
The system, cup of tea/Earth can only cool when its heat leaves the system.
The CO₂ is a thermos keeping the Earth warm for 1000 years.
@DoctorKarl The CO₂ already in the atmosphere will still be trapping new heat energy as long as it is in the atmosphere, until it is removed as vegetation or shells. That is where the 1000 years comes from.
Stop adding more CO₂ & things will equilibrate somewhat warmer than they are now.
Stop adding more CO₂ & things will equilibrate somewhat warmer than they are now.
@DoctorKarl Keep adding more CO₂ & the equilibrium heat level will keep rising until we do stop. Then it will remain at that level for however many 1000 years it takes to remove it all, then it will slowly decline to the pre-industrial or pre-human levels.
@DoctorKarl @threadreaderapp unroll
