Live data from Hacker News

Climate change has turned permafrost into a carbon emitter

cbc.ca

11–20 of 88 posts

Re: Climate change has turned permafrost into a carbon emitter

#12
post #7

I'm really curious about marine cloudseeding as a potential mitigator to permafrost melt. Essentially, high-efficiency saltwater aerosolization to create nuclei for cloud formation... Here is a 2019 paper on the critical role of clouds in arctic cooling https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-44155-w#Sec7

Here's an article on cloudseeding: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2019/09/10/solar-geo...

Re: Climate change has turned permafrost into a carbon emitter

#14
post #3

I believe this same dynamic will apply to the oceans as they warm. They're like a can of Coke. Heat it up and the carbonation goes away. It's a horrifying positive feedback loop of global warming.

And then the whole melting of sea ice thing. Sea ice is pretty much the whitest/most reflective surface on the planet. It then melts into the darkest/most absorbent surface on the planet. Are there any stabilizing forces we know about? I only ever hear about these types of positive feedback loops, and it scares the hell out of me.

This website is great at explaining tipping points and feedbacks and what we currently know: https://climatetippingpoints.info/

Re: Climate change has turned permafrost into a carbon emitter

#16
post #4

Why on earth is there methane trapped in the permafrost?

Insane amounts of carbon in the frozen soil. Once thawed, soil microbes transform it into carbon dioxide and methane.

Hydrocarbons, not carbon. Basically plants when they rot emit methane AKA natural gas.

Re: Climate change has turned permafrost into a carbon emitter

#17
post #11

Tropical forests are also now a carbon emitter: https://www.carbonbrief.org/tropical-forests-no-longer-carbo...

And I read this morning that some expect the Amazon to stop being a rainforest pretty soon, which would hugely accelerate tree loss.

Re: Climate change has turned permafrost into a carbon emitter

#18
post #9
post #3

I believe this same dynamic will apply to the oceans as they warm. They're like a can of Coke. Heat it up and the carbonation goes away. It's a horrifying positive feedback loop of global warming.

Yup, it's a dangerous runaway train rolling down a parabolic slop

Yet the rich keep buying waterfront properties.

Re: Climate change has turned permafrost into a carbon emitter

#19
post #3

I believe this same dynamic will apply to the oceans as they warm. They're like a can of Coke. Heat it up and the carbonation goes away. It's a horrifying positive feedback loop of global warming.

And then the whole melting of sea ice thing. Sea ice is pretty much the whitest/most reflective surface on the planet. It then melts into the darkest/most absorbent surface on the planet. Are there any stabilizing forces we know about? I only ever hear about these types of positive feedback loops, and it scares the hell out of me.

The primary negative feedback loop is increased photosynthesis. As CO2 concentrations rise, there's more carbon in the air that can support plant life. There also tends to be both more sunlight (warmer air can support more water vapor before it precipitates into clouds) and more water (in absolute terms, from increased evaporation).

Note that in the near term, the negative feedback of photosynthesis may be overwhelmed by changes in ecosystems: if the climate changes rapidly, whole forests may find themselves in a different biome, ocean circulation patterns may change, more freshwater may enter estuaries, etc. Plants evolve quickly, though, and most of their carbon sequestration is through algae and seaweed with short lifespans.

Re: Climate change has turned permafrost into a carbon emitter

#20
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yup, it's a dangerous runaway train rolling down a parabolic slop

Yet the rich keep buying waterfront properties.

Didn't Obama just spend 15million for an on-beach estate?

(EDIT: Apparently sale is not finalized)

Post reply on HN