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Post by bellevillewxguy on Sept 10, 2014 10:42:23 GMT -6
Strong hypothetical and likely never to happen in our lifetime, but what would Earth be like if the average global temperature reached to 45.3*C. Don't ask me why I picked that precise number, but what would conditions be like and would all life on the planet roast to death or adapt. How hot is too hot? Lastly would it even be possible for Climate Change or Global Warming push temps that far. Has it happened before since the formation of the planet that we can detect?
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Post by csnavywx on Dec 26, 2014 15:29:36 GMT -6
Highest average global temp that we know of was during the end Permian at about 22-24C (45C would basically be a sterile planet), or about 8-10C hotter than pre-industrial temps (7-9C hotter than today). It wasn't a pleasant place to live if you were a warm-blooded animal. Average temps near the equator were hostile to life, and little in the way of fossils (or coal beds) can be found from that time. Successive waves of extinction occurred over a 6 million year time frame and it took 30 million years for life (and the temperature) to recover. Sea surface temperatures were in the 36-40C range in the tropics during that period based on isotope analysis.
Only if we are foolish enough to burn most of the fossil fuel in the ground will we get temperatures that high. However, it only takes 4-5C worth of warming to transition the climate into a "hothouse" state, with quite unpleasant side effects. With a climate sensitivity of 3C, 750ppm CO2e might do it (current is 480).
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