7. Overview of the Various Models for Ice Ages

Actually, as Fig. 7.5 shows, the atmosphere transports a great deal more heat than the oceans do, particularly at higher latitudes. Thus, the claim that “Oceans are the single greatest influence on the distribution of heat over the surface of the earth” does not seem to be correct.

However, according to C. Wunsch (personal communication, December 2008), “the ocean circulation does not provide warm moist air—the atmosphere does.”

However, according to C. Wunsch (personal communication, December 2008), “The sinking of high latitude water does not sustain the Gulf Stream. The Stream is a wind-driven feature and a result of the torque exerted on the ocean by the wind. It would exist even in a constant density fluid with zero convection.”

I am reminded of an event that occurred in the 1970s. At that time, there was some controversy regarding the altitude where the Earth’s ionosphere transitioned from mainly O⁺ to H⁺. This was dependent on the rate of the reaction O⁺ + H ⇒ O + H⁺. On the first day of a national meeting, a leading expert, Alec Dalgarno made a presentation on this topic. At the end of his talk, someone asked him what the rate of the charge exchange reaction was. He said he didn’t know. They pressed him to make a guess. So he guessed. Three days later at the meeting wrap-up, Dalgarno was asked to present a summary. In doing this, he used the aforesaid reaction rate. Someone asked him where he obtained that figure. He replied: “I don’t know. Someone provided it on the first day of the meeting!”

Lowell Stott, personal communication, November 2008.