Could a Prehistoric Meltdown Explain North America's Big Freeze?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers on the hypothesis that a significant meltdown of polar ice around 8,200 years ago may have caused a dramatic climate shift, leading to a prolonged cold period in North America. Participants explore the mechanisms behind this event, including the role of freshwater influx into the Gulf Stream and the implications for ocean circulation and climate recovery.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • A professor from the University of Illinois at Chicago suggests that a massive polar ice meltdown led to a significant temperature drop in North America due to a flood of freshwater into the Gulf Stream.
  • One participant inquires about the evidence for the rate of climate warming following the event, noting the potential challenges in re-establishing normal ocean circulation.
  • Another participant references the Clathrate gun hypothesis, citing a significant release of methane from clathrates during the same period, which may have contributed to climate changes.
  • A critique is raised regarding the assumptions made about the flooding source, specifically questioning the timeline of Lake Agassiz's drainage and its implications for the flooding mechanism proposed in the initial claim.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the mechanisms and implications of the proposed climate event, with some supporting the initial hypothesis while others challenge the assumptions and evidence presented. The discussion remains unresolved with multiple competing perspectives.

Contextual Notes

There are unresolved questions regarding the timing and mechanisms of the flooding from Lake Agassiz, as well as the implications for ocean circulation and climate recovery. Participants highlight the need for further research to clarify these aspects.

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Meltdown blamed for big freeze
December 13, 2004
BY GARY WISBY Environment Reporter

Talk about a climate change: A University of Illinois at Chicago professor says he has found new evidence that a massive meltdown of polar ice 8,200 years ago put North America into a deep freeze for a century.

The "most dramatic climate change in the last 10,000 years" followed a flood of fresh water from a glacial reservoir into the salty water of the Gulf Stream, which controls our continent's weather. That led to a 43-degree temperature drop, said UIC's Torbjorn Tornqvist. [continued]
http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-flood13.html
 
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Interesting.
Tell me, has much evidence been left of the rate at which the climate warmed again after the event? Last I heard, it was hypothesised that the amount of energy required to re establish normal ocean circulation would be huge, and would take a very long time before the north atlantic drift could re establish itself. If it hasn't already, this could provide a good oppertunity to study the re establishment of the gulf stream after such an event. Any link to the research for this would be appreciated.
 
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No, it was the heaviest Clathrate gun event that was ever recorded.

Storegga, Norwegian margin 8150 years BP A estimated 3500 kubic kilometres of Clathrate was converted to 160 time that space in Methane gas. It is reported by Jansen et al. (1987), Evans et al. (1996), Bouriak et al. (2000), Bryn et al. (2003)

And this is the source: table on page 2 (54)
http://www.geog.ucl.ac.uk/~mmaslin/publications/Maslin1.pdf
 
Reading that article again. I'm not impressed. There are a few strange things going on.

For instance:

Scientists believe the flood's source was a glacial reservoir called Lake Agassiz, holding twice the volume of the Caspian Sea in Eurasia, the world's largest inland sea.

According to this theory, all that fresh water gushed into the North Atlantic. There it mixed with the salty waters of the Gulf Stream.

The flooding mechanism is not mentioned in the article but for Lake Agasiz it is assumed failure of ice dams.

http://www.eos.ubc.ca/research/glaciology/Research/IceDam.html
And:

A University of Illinois at Chicago professor says he has found new evidence that a massive meltdown of polar ice 8,200 years ago put North America into a deep freeze for a century.

There is a huge problem however:

http://www.winona.msus.edu/geology/MRW/lecture12.html

By 9,000 yrs. b.p. Lake Agassiz was drained.

An empty lake flooded the Atlantic?
 
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