At 11:10 AM 2/1/5, Jones Beene wrote: >--- Horace Heffner <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >> If that happens, the only thing likely to save us is >out of our control ... namely sudden changes in the >ocean currents bringing on a glacial age. > >Yes. If the statistical projections of rising CO2 >continue to hold over the next few years, and nothing >new comes on the "alternative-energy" scene, capable >of reversing the trend -- then at some high level, >perhaps the UN, they might have to actually consider >altering the Gulf Stream in order to "Re-Freeze" the >Siberian Permaforst which is apparently the largest >methane repository.
Well, sub-permafrost methane appears to be at greatest immediate peril, certainly the highest *measured* peril, but there is definitiely more offshore methane, by a large factor, than onshore. >Even now, wooly mammoths have >started thawing out from the time period when all >those gigatons of methane got frozen into place. At one time I considered trying to obtain some view property near the Matanuska glacier, but, looking back at photos I had taken of the glacier in 1976, I could see that it won't last long "in the view". Many favorite local glaciers are disappearing. It is really upsetting to see major geological features change so quickly. As for altering the gulf stream, assuming that were technologically feasible, I think there might be some objections from Canada and northern Europe and northern Asia, since they could end up under glaciers. A massive relocation would have to occur. People of this world are just too petty to handle that. We can't even seem to peacefully handle ownership issues over comparatively tiny pieces of land, like Israel, Tibet, or Taiwan. It sometimes seems to me that an international statute of limitations on land claims, though unfair to many at its initiation, would ultimately be a great boon to world peace if combined with a powerful world military force to be used against any territorial invaders. This, however, woud not help achieve a great migration of entire countries from one part of the globe to another. More is required. An alternative to altering ocean currents, or even a means of altering ocean currents, might be to fill space above the equator and into the temperate zones with a partial sun sheild. This might be accomplished by dispersing a reflective powder. This would deny everyone use of the (launch) space above the equator, and might have a significant effect on communications, but it could be much better than the alternatives. The longevity of such a reflective band could be established by choice of altitude for the dispersal. Such a band might significantly reduce the energy expended for night lighting. A collosal heavy earth to orbit capability would clearly be required to get all the materials into space before the day of dispersal. There might only be one chance to get it right. Regards, Horace Heffner
