New paper: Interglacials, Milankovitch Cycles and Carbon Dioxide

The latest submission to arXiv:physics.ao-ph by Gerald E. Marsh

Summary:

It has been shown above that low altitude cloud cover closely follows cosmic ray flux; that the galactic cosmic ray flux has the periodicities of the glacial/interglacial cycles; that a decrease in galactic cosmic ray flux was coincident with Termination II [the warming that initiated the Eemian, the last interglacial] ; and that the most likely initiator for Termination II was a consequent decrease in Earth’s albedo.
The temperature of past interglacials was higher than today most likely as a consequence of a lower global albedo due to a decrease in galactic cosmic ray flux reaching the Earth’s atmosphere. In addition, the galactic cosmic ray intensity exhibits a 100 kyr periodicity over the last 200 kyr that is in phase with the glacial terminations of this period. Carbon dioxide appears to play a very limited role in setting interglacial temperature.

Download Paper Here

Comments

[Brian H]

Is "a very limited role" scientific jargon for "diddley squat"?

[denis]

Diddley Squat may in fact be more consideration than CO2 (or the IPCC) deserves!

[Robert Circle]

1. What drives the 100Kyr/12Kyr cosmic ray cycle?

2.Is there any comparison between the cosmic ray level during the glacial periods and present cosmic ray level?
3. There was an article in Sky and Telescope, August, I think, of 2009. It concerned an asteroid whacking the northern hemisphere about 12,900 years ago. The asertion was made that the last glacial period was coming to an end maybe 1000 years before the impact. The impact caused the earth to go back into the deep freeze (younger Dryas) for another 1000 years or so.

What I take from this is, since asteroid impact are an irregular event, we are a couple K years further into the present inter glacial period than any one has figured and, conversly, a couple K years closer to the next glacial period.

[WiseGuy]

Robert Circle, the Sun drives the cosmic ray cycle. Increased solar activity creates increased solar wind, which blocks cosmic radiation, which decreases cloud formation and increases solar irradiance.

The upshot of this is that global climate is not determined by silly local events that happen down here, but rather by the behaviour of the Sun.

Since we can't control the Sun yet, we should stop fretting over over climate.

[major]

CO2's benefits far outway the negligible greenhouse effect it possesses. Oh by the way its essential for life and its a very small percentage of the atmosphere.

Any idea of sequestering CO2 is complete and total insanity (meaning AL Gore).

Because of climate's very complex feedback mechanisms which humans have only minimal understanding of, any further tampering with it such as Sequestering could have unintended tipping effects.

While its true man has introduced additional combustion pollutants over time into the atmosphere, just one major volcanic eruption can exceed that by orders of magnitude.....and the Earth has not self destructed.

Remember, Al Gore is not stupid, but he is a fork-tongued lying A-hole.

[lif.strand@gmail.com]

Major: Love your description of Gore

[Maxbert]

Robert Circle--- The level of cosmic rays reaching Earth is determined by two factors:
1) The solar system's position relative to the spiral arms of our Milky Way galaxy, which effects the level of cosmic rays entering the solar system; and 2) Fluctuations in the solar wind that partially shields the solar system from cosmic rays

[Robert Circle]

Wiseguy
I'm familiar with the theory of solar wind/magnetic field modulating the cosmic rays as described in Henrick Svensmark book, and it all seems reasonable to me. But do you really think that this variation in the sun is the driver for the 100/12k yr cycles for the glacial periods?

Robert Circle