Moderate Volcanic activity slowing global warming by 25% suggests study

Atmospheric warming has slowed over the last decade, and scientists from the University of Colorado at Boulder believe the cause of this may be all the small to medium volcanic eruptions spewing sulphur dioxide high into the atmosphere where it changes the reflectivity of the top of the atmosphere.

It is well established that major volcanic eruptions like Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines in 1991 emit millions of tons of sulphur dioxide that effectively cool the earth slightly for several years. It has also been theorised that the stagnation in global warming in the mid twentieth century was caused by the atmospheric nuclear testing carried out between 1945 and 1980. It seems that nuclear winter actually occurred, although on just a small scale. A small nuclear war would also likely cause global cooling through the amount of particulate matter thrown up into the stratosphere. But really this is not something to even contemplate happening due to the amount of death and devastation involved.

Scientists have theorised that other reasons for the slowing in the rate of atmospheric global warming over the last decade is that a greater proportion of heat is being taken up by the world's oceans; and secondly that Asia, particularly India and China, have increased their sulphur dioxide emissions from coal fired power by 60% between 2000 and 2010 which has increased the stratospheric aerosol layer of the atmosphere changing the reflectivity.

Major drop in solar activity will slow global warming minimally

Image: Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research

The latest buzz by global warming skeptics is the announcement of a Major drop in solar activity predicted at the American Astronomical Society’s Solar Physics Division conference. But the effect of a weakenng sun would hardly slow global warming according to modelling by climate scientists at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research. Their research shows global warming may be reduced by only about 0.3 degrees Celsius by 2100 by a new period of extensive solar inactivity.

You can read the best of the climate skeptic analysis and reporting of the press release and images and further analysis on Anthony Watt's Watt's Up With That blog. There is mainstream media coverage of this in National Geographic and the Sydney Morning Herald, Science Magazine or read other climate blogs on this at Climate Denial Crock of the Week and Climate Progress.

A small nuclear war would cause global cooling

NASA research physical scientist Luke Oman gave a presentation of research into the impact of a regional nuclear war on global temperatures and precipitation at the American Association for the Advancement of Science on February 18, 2011. Such a nuclear conflict, while less severe than a major nuclear conflict resulting in nuclear winter, would cause unprecedented climate change cooling the planet for up to ten years, and cause major famines and starvation from agricultural disruption.

Research from Japan has found that Atmospheric nuclear testing stagnated mid 20th century global warming.