“Greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide, absorb infrared energy and help warm the planet. So they're absolutely crucial. The problem is that their concentration in the atmosphere needs to be regulated as the sun slowly brightens. Otherwise, the Earth would not be able to stabilize its surface temperature, which would be disastrous. Plate tectonics cycles fragments of the Earth's crust -- including limestone, which is made up of calcium, carbon dioxide, and oxygen atoms -- down into the mantle. There, the planet's internal heat releases the carbon dioxide, which is then continually vented to the atmosphere through volcanoes. It's quite an elaborate process, but the end result is a kind of thermostat that keeps the greenhouse gases in balance and our surface temperature under control. --Guillermo Gonzalez, Ph.D. (astronomer & physicist)” Global WarmingPlanet EarthVolcanoesCarbon DioxideGreenhouse GasesLimestonePlate TectonicsNatural ThermostatInfrared EnergySurface Temperature Book:The Case for a Creator: A Journalist Investigates Scientific Evidence That Points Toward God Source: The Case for a Creator: A Journalist Investigates Scientific Evidence That Points Toward God
“Plate tectonics helps regulate global temperatures by balancing greenhouse gases. There's also another natural thermostat, called the Earth's albedo. Albedo refers to the proportion of sunlight a planet reflects. The Earth has an especially rich variety of albedo sources -- oceans, polar ice caps, continental interiors, including deserts -- which is good for regulating the climate. Whatever light isn't reflected by Earth is absorbed, which means the surface gets heated. This is self-regulated through one of the Earth's natural feedback mechanisms. To give you an example, some marine algae produce dimethyl sulfide. This helps to build cloud condensation nuclei, or CCN, which are small particles in the atmosphere around which water can condense to form cloud droplets. If the ocean gets too warm, then this algae reproduce more quickly and release more dimethyl sulfide, which leads to a greater concentration of CCN and a higher albedo for the marine stratus clouds. Higher cloud albedo, in turn, cools the ocean below, which then reduces the rate at which the algae reproduce. So this provides a natural thermostat. -- Guillermo Gonzalez, Ph.D. (astronomer & physicist)” Global WarmingGreenhouse GasesNatural ThermostatClimate ControlCloud Condensation NucleiDimethyl SulfideEarth AlbedoMarine AlgaeReflected SunlightSelf Regulating Temperature Book:The Case for a Creator: A Journalist Investigates Scientific Evidence That Points Toward God Source: The Case for a Creator: A Journalist Investigates Scientific Evidence That Points Toward God