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By Yasha Husain, posted January 31, 2010
Debate #3: Elusive Water Vapor: High Altitude Hydrogen Jets, and the Delicate Stratosphere
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Thank you.
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Received January 11, 2010 6:02 p.m.
Good to know you are working this issue.
Yes, it is my understanding also that water vapor is the most important green house component.
Water vapor also plays an essential role in moderating climate and weather around the globe.
I did not see Willie Soon etal., in the rundown.
Please take a look at what he has to say about CO2. I don't agree with it all, but some observations there to ponder, perhaps ?
It is also my view that science does not yet have a handle, both in terms of complex mechanics or in terms of the necessary technology nor tools needed, to grapple this issue of global warming or climate change.
Yes, we're getting there, but not quite. Am reminded of Francis Bacon's pointer in Novum Organum ?...new tools are needed to glean new knowledge...or something like that.
Climate science is in its infancy, out tools are hopelessly inadequate, but super computers and widely dispersed intelligent nano-sensors might make a dent in all this, hopefully sooner than later ?
It is not so much about prediction anymore, it seems it is more about response.
Prediction models(based on the logic of Socrates ?) may or may not help us, but by honing extremely fast response systems, we can start to tackle complexity, in her own terms, I think.
What do you think ?
Our ability to glean "real-time" information and apply it in "real-time" and effectively in a complex, dynamic system, such as global climate change or weather, is in its infancy.
I am hearing that China has had some good results with environmental modification technology...they are able to alter precipitation patterns and such.
Please look up Fleming's work on environmental modification too, if you get a chance.
Also, I believe we tend to not fully appreciate the scale of energies(heat and mass transfer) which are being continually shifted as the Earth spins, balanced by nature, 24/7, in response to both Earth's natural internal dynamics and forces imposed by the Sun.
While IPCC / Gore etal., have done an excellent job, making us all aware and sensitive to changes, we have a lot to learn about the complex nature of this phenomenon.
I also think we must make better use of energy, pollute less, and become much more frugal and efficient in our use of materials and energy......not because of global warming or climate change, but because conservation is the first pillar of a clean and sustainable economy.
I also think we need to harvest solar energy and other renewables, but most importantly, we must quickly commission 4th gen nuclear reactors.(Europe has an edge in this ?)
Effect of stratospheric water vapor ? generated by vehicles ?.....well, overkill, in my opinion !
I like this......
"No. Water vapor is the most abundant greenhouse gas, but it is the consensus of the international community that human activity has a very small effect on its concentration in the atmosphere, and therefore EIA does not estimate emissions of water vapor."
So, ponder !
Madhu
Madhu Thangavelu is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Southern California where he teaches the SPACE EXPLORATION ARCHITECTURES CONCEPT SYNTHESIS STUDIO. He is also the Director of Space Exploration Projects at the California Institute of Earth Art and Architecture (Cal-Earth).
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