I just KNEW there had to be an easy solution to this!

To see what climate effects such a regional nuclear conflict might have, scientists from NASA and other institutions modeled a war involving a hundred Hiroshima-level bombs, each packing the equivalent of 15,000 tons of TNT—just 0.03 percent of the world’s current nuclear arsenal.

The researchers predicted the resulting fires would kick up roughly five million metric tons of black carbon into the upper part of the troposphere, the lowest layer of the Earth’s atmosphere. […] The global cooling caused by these high carbon clouds wouldn’t be as catastrophic as a superpower-versus-superpower nuclear winter, but “the effects would still be regarded as leading to unprecedented climate change,” research physical scientist Luke Oman said during a press briefing Friday at a meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Washington, D.C.

Earth is currently in a long-term warming trend. After a regional nuclear war, though, average global temperatures would drop by 2.25 degrees F (1.25 degrees C) for two to three years afterward, the models suggest. At the extreme, the tropics, Europe, Asia, and Alaska would cool by 5.4 to 7.2 degrees F (3 to 4 degrees C), according to the models. Parts of the Arctic and Antarctic would actually warm a bit, due to shifted wind and ocean-circulation patterns, the researchers said. After ten years, average global temperatures would still be 0.9 degree F (0.5 degree C) lower than before the nuclear war, the models predict.




  1. bobbo, are we Men of Science, or Devo? says:

    Saw some BBC report a few days ago on AGW. Comment struck me: There are many climate models and they are all extremely complex and incomplete as the climate system has to take into account every activity on earth. So, the models are different and come to different results “except” they all show the future is going to be very difficult for us.

    You can nit pick and attack with your ignorance, or you can dance with reality.

  2. msbpodcast says:

    There is no such thing as a small nuclear war.

    You have these great big bombs exploding all over the place (as nuclear explosions do), destroying absolutely everything within a hundred mile radius.

    But I’m moving out to British Columbia to retire, so I really don’t give a shit. (As bad as Microsoft was, is and will remain until it goes bankrupt, I don’t foresee a bunch of Linux geeks using a nuke to take out Redmond WA.)

    I’m tired; I’m old and don’t give a shit anymore.

    But I don’t want to live in the Disintegrating States of America with its incredibly idiotic, dysfunctional politics … and its worse government.

    Blow up some atomic bombs. I can even suggest some targets for you. (How about North Korea? [Stick it to the Il family and regime once and for all.])

    I know that’s not very kindly of me, but who gives a fuck?

  3. EnemyOfTheState says:

    Those “models” are retreads from Wall Street circa 2006-2010.

  4. roastedpeanuts says:

    Thank god this whole global warming problem is solved.

  5. deowll says:

    #1 So you are betting everything on the long range forecasts of people who can’t get a three day forecast right? Climate has always changed. The changes that occur make some people happy and others unhappy.

    What nobody has been able to work out is how much CO2 from burning fossil fuels has impacted climate. We seriously don’t have a clue.

    In order to make good forecasts I’ve read that you need about one properly sited weather station every 50 miles. We don’t have that many. We have a lot less now than before and most of the ones we do have are in heat islands at locations from which we know the temperatures and other readings are impacted by the immediate surroundings.

    What we have done is invest billions in computer hardware and software and then feed it “adjusted” data and “estimated” data. What we have gotten by way of long range forecasts can best be described as completely inaccurate crap. We’ve had more than enough time for their near term predictions to have occurred or not and these guys are batting zero. Since the odds are great that climate predictions will become less accurate the further out you look the fact that they are so very wrong so much of the time suggests their modals are completely out of touch with the real world either because the modals are wrong or the data is wrong or both.

    When emailgate happened one of the leading British climatologist got pushed out. After the fact he admitted he hadn’t seen any evidence the Earth was warming for the last decade and a half!

    At the Copenhagen climate conference several global warming scientists noted that even if the US passed Cap and Trade it could be expected to have such a trivial impact on CO2 levels that they expected it to accomplish nothing.

    I have been forced to conclude that the people leading the man made global warming charge are doing so in order to enrich themselves and to achieve political goals that are odds with the best interests of the public at large.

  6. bobbo, are we Men of Science, or Devo? says:

    #6–do-ill==good one!

  7. TooManyPuppies says:

    Man, peeps are getting slow. I’ve been saying the solution to global warming is nuclear winter since 1991.

  8. ± says:

    Are these the same ‘scientists’ who say mankind is mostly responsible for the warming of the earth? If so, it is to be ignored.

  9. dusanmal says:

    Science please,…

    Global warming scare is based on heavily fudged data as for various time periods various measurements were used and quite a lot of liberty have been used to connect them.

    Here is last 10000 years of temperature data FROM A SINGLE source. No fudging and smoke-and-mirrors:

    http://nationalreview.com/sites/default/files/nfs/uploaded/u3177/easterbrook_fig5.png

    Greenland ice-core.

    So, there is indeed warming… but from the dead-cold period. We are in warmest years in couple of centuries but in coldest time over thousands of years… No need to stop the warming. We want warmer climate as previous great civilizations emerged during much warmer times. So, leave present warming (be it from our actions [which I do not believe from astronomical scientific data] or from other reasons [Sun?]) alone. Maybe even try to help it along.

  10. msbpodcast says:

    In #6 deowll said some irrelevancies.

    First, you’re arguing with Bobbo. Why are you wasting your bits and your time?

    Second, climate (which takes decades to develop,) is not covered by, and I quote, three day forecasts*.

    If I hear one more idiot exclaiming that “Its cold today, so much for your global warming” as if he’d said anything, I’ll introduce him to the business end of a .50 Caliber.

    Climate evolves over decades, probably longer than you’ve been around.

    So saying, you’re right: Nobody can do fuck all about it except try to make a fast buck.

    Carbon trading is a stupid idea for people, not because the math is wrong or science is wrong but because the time scales are off.

    In Fascist regimes like we have in the United States and in the United States of Europe, the corporations have a interest in carbon trading.

    The problem is that the United States blew its wad on a couple of unwinable wars and the powers that are** are taking their profits and capital out right now and screw you and the horse you rode in on.

    Between raising taxes and selling off pieces of the country, you guys are so fucked.

    The middle class was a great idea. But its going to shrink in the ‘States until it rivals the population of Canada, who will be worth more that you.***

    *) Not to be an SOB, I’m listening to Channel 7 news and their 10 day forecast is pretty accurate.

    Not to the side of the street or to the hour, but AccuWeather is not bad.

    Maybe you should switch from a station which relies on Poor Richard Almanac”.

    **) That’s about 60 or 70 families who own damn-near everything (only 10 or so of which are outright criminal,) and through which flows 80+% of the economy. (That leaves only a few trillion for the remaining 360,000,000 of us. [Do the math. That’s a paltry 500 left for each of us (screw the 9 million etimate from the GAO,) and the debt we have each is worth more than that.

    When the end comes, it will be stunning and quick.

    I’m leaving this country because I CAN… Suckers!!!

    *** Have you checked out the exchange rates lately? I’m now worth more in Canada that I am here and I didn’t do a thing…

  11. bobbo, are we Men of Science, or Devo? says:

    #11–PeePud==another good one. Surely you see the blind misplaced stupidity of your attack on me? ……Its just funny.

  12. Gary, the dangerous infidel says:

    Not only is multiple nuclear explosions an absolutely brilliant idea for reversing global warming, but I’ve even thought of the perfect day for this plan to be enacted. It should happen on December 21, 2012, according to the Maya calendar.

  13. So what says:

    Podcast if you promise not to post anymore I will pay for the gas to get you there. As a side note if you are not intending to be an SOB why do you try so hard? Jesus the people on this thread continue to surprise me with the extent of the extremism found in your posts. You guys are starting to make Alfie appear moderate.

  14. sargasso_c says:

    A super eruption at Yellow Stone would have a greater impact on GW without the fall out. The down side would be, of course, taking place closer to home.

  15. Gramm's Fairy Tales says:

    4 ReadyKilowatt
    Don’t mean to be a grammar nazi but TWO redundancies in the same sentence? “thorium LFTR reactors” translates to: “thorium liquid fluoride thorium reactor reactors”

  16. MikeN says:

    That doesn’t look like Al Gore on the missile.

  17. MikeN says:

    Michael Crichton talked ab out eugenics as the precursor to global warming, being the scientific fashion of its day, but a better comparison is nuclear winter. All sorts of science was used to predict that a nuclear blast would cool the planet into an ice age. The science was dubious, but what scientist wants to argue in favor of nuclear war? Stephen Schneider was part of that as well.

  18. Animby says:

    Somalia. Iran. N Korea. AGW.

    Four problems solved.

  19. Rick says:

    Let’s just blow up 1 or 2 dormant volcanoes with nukes, problem solved.

  20. ECA says:

    WOW,
    another way for MAN, not to ADJUST to his own planet..

    Anyone bet that with the current changes..that the Sahara MIGHT GET MORE RAIN??

  21. bobbo, providing hope to the ignorant mass says:

    #18–Lyin’ Mike==”a” nuclear blast? Never heard that one before. A nuclear “exchange” leading to a nuclear winter?

    On what scientific basis do you refute the “model” for this outcome?

    Got anything at all or just regurgitated PUKE as usual?

  22. bobbo, always hoping to be surprised says:

    #19–Animby==solving world crises in a single stroke heh? You’ve had time to think about it–still supporting dictatorial tyrants like Mubarak or regardless of where Egypt winds up in the future, are you a bit closer to supporting inalienable human rights?

    Just surprised at your inconsistent earlier position of support, (sure, compared to something worse which is always possible except for Stalin?) for Mubarak and what if anything you might be thinking now.

  23. Somebody says:

    Somebody’s First Law:

    Today’s problems are yesterday’s solutions.

    Somebody’s Second Law:

    Things are never so bad that government can’t make it worse.

  24. General Tostada says:

    Inuit folks watch their muskeg freeze back to normal. Polar bears begin hunting out on the ocean ice again.

    Hey thanks there, Slim! Good job!

  25. bobbo's law says:

    There’s always more than one law that applies to any given situation–usually at least including the very opposite law and the challenge is to weigh and compare the pro’s and con’s of the application of each law.

    Or just sell out to the highest bidder which is the most commonly applied law.

    Yes, its true.

  26. Somebody says:

    Somebody’s Third Law:

    Unintended consequences are not unintended.

  27. bobbo's law says:

    Tea Dude: I predict, with 100% certainty, you will always be an idiot. What cartoon source do you base your counterfactual musings on?

  28. Uncle Dave says:

    bobbo: In case you didn’t recognize him with his new moniker, Tax Enough is our good friend Alfred.

  29. bobbo, simply bemused by it all says:

    Uncle Dave==ha, ha. Thank you. Well, I encourage everyone here to post with as many personalities as they have. Who doesn’t? Maybe one day I will post as a PUKE and find some comfort there?

    Just so long as Tea Dude and Alfie don’t get into an argument with each other I “believe” that each new day, each new thread, each new post allows each one of us to become a better person.

    Obviously, some of us will need more than one trial.

  30. General Tostada says:

    I’ve heard name-calling can be a fairly ‘idiotic’ thing too…a kind of boring mind game for hotheads.

    Cartoons can sometimes be right on, though. Who cares if they’re factual or not.


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