[NatureNS] Global Warming

From: Christopher Majka <c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Date: Wed, 11 Jun 2008 01:33:01 -0300
References: <20080609191738.ofqz7ai5b2xw04w8@my5.dal.ca> <484F07F3.9090603@glinx.com> <C0165575-EECD-491C-924C-11054A054DE0@ns.sympatico.ca> <484F243D.4010702@glinx.com>
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"industrial strength" cli
Hi Dave,

I think one would want to see the original data on which the graph was  
based. Using the graph itself, I think your measurements are below the  
level of its resolution. Printed, the graph measures 71.5 mm and  
represents 800,000 years so each millimeter = 11,189 years. I measure  
the line width (where it is a single track and not fluctuating to  
create a wider area) as ~ 0.45 mm, in other words the line width  
itself (which is really the minimal level of resolution of the graph)  
is 5,035 years. Most of your time lags (5,200, 900, 1,700, & 2,600  
years) are at or below this resolution level so measurements below  
this threshold would only be noise in the signal. Even the largest  
"lag" is only 1.7 times the width of the line, and even that would be  
valid only in places where the line width is at its minimal. As you  
point out the line is much wider (up to ~ 1.15 mm = 12,867 years) at  
other points where there have been fluctuations over a shorter time  
interval.

Cheers!

Chris

On 10-Jun-08, at 10:02 PM, David & Alison Webster wrote:

>
>
> Christopher Majka wrote:
>
>> Hi Dave,
>>
>> On 10-Jun-08, at 8:02 PM, David & Alison Webster wrote:
>>
>>>  Figure 1a shows without doubt that temperature, CO2 & CH4 are   
>>> related but--- temperature starts to increase BEFORE  CO2 & CH4   
>>> start to increase. There may subsequently be positive feedback,  
>>> but  at least initially, higher temperatures are driving CO2 &  
>>> CH4  increase not the converse.
>>>
>>>  I suppose one could call this 'tceffe esuohneerg a' but it would   
>>> be awfully difficult to pronounce.
>>
>>
>>
>> You must have preternaturally acute vision to be able resolve this   
>> from Figure 1a. :-> I'm looking at it at the moment and, as you  
>> point  out, does show a clear historical relationship of  
>> temperature, CO2,  and CH4 but the graph, which represents 800,000  
>> years, is only 3.75"  wide on my screen. At that level of  
>> resolution, these graphs, set one  over the other, look absolutely  
>> co-incident to me. I tried printing  this out and running a  
>> vertical rule over it, but I don't see how one  could possibly  
>> discern whether temperature, carbon dioxide, or methane  are  
>> increasing before or after one another at this resolution. :->
>
> Hi Chris,            June 10, 2008
>   A larger scale graph would make it more evident but-- I printed it  
> and drew fine vertical lines to join the ticks at 600, 400 and 200  
> thousand YBP. Looking at major abrupt increases in temperature and  
> the center as opposed to either edge of ink lines (some lines are  
> wide, some narrow)--
>
> 1) Temperature starts to rise 4 mm left of the 400 line, CO2 starts  
> 3 mm left [note 1mm~ 8700 years],
> 2) Temperature starts to rise 6.5 mm right of the 400 line, CO2  
> starts 7.2 right [lag of ~ 6000],
> 3) Temperature starts to rise 6mm left of the 200 line, CO2 starts 5  
> mm [lag of ~8700 yrs],
> 4) Temperature starts to rise 3.4 left of the 200 line, CO2 starts  
> 2.8 mm [lag of 5200],
> 5) Temperature starts to rise 1.3 right of 600, CO2 starts 1.2  
> [advance of ~900],
> 6) Temperature starts to rise 7 right of 200, CO2 starts 7.2 [lag of  
> 1700],
> 7) Temperature starts to rise 1.7 left of 0, CO2 starts 1.4 [lag of  
> ~2600].
>
> Based on these 7 points the average lag [as represented in this  
> graph] of CO2 behind temperature is about 4500 years. What really  
> matters of course is the data behind the graph and the date  
> resolution of these data. But this figure reminds me a lot of one  
> that we discussed several years ago; don't have time to locate it now.
>

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