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Re: population growth & physics ed



Dewey,

The idea that particulates in the atmosphere can increase albedo and,
consequently, decrease surface temperature was not new in the article
of Sagan et al. What was new in their article (which was accepted by
a respectable journal, not "Parade") turns out to be wrong. As I have
pointed out, that is not unusual; most articles which make surprising
leaps are wrong (remember, I'm an astrophysicist).

Why do you say that their arguments have been corroborated by evidence
on Mars and on Earth?

Leigh

Leigh,
I have not been making a distinction between what features used by Sagan,
et al. had been stated before and ones that were new with Sagan, et al.
Generally, as I understand it, the idea is if you change the constituents
of the atmosphere, it affects the temperature at the surface; somethings
resulting in a temperature increase and some in a decrease. As I
understand it, this is what was observed on Mars and is what has been seen
in connection with volcanic eruptions on Earth.

Isn't it the case that regardless of the sign and magnitude of a
temperature change, enough particulate material would be distributed in the
atmosphere to have serious effect on plant growth and to distribute enough
biologically damaging residual radioactive materials to compound this
problem? Such a disruption at the basal level of the food chain seems to
indicate major consequences for the human population of the Earth. Isn't
this the point, regardless of the specifics of the model?

What exactly is it that was new in the Sagan, et al., 'Nuclear Winter'
article which turns out to be wrong?

Dewey

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Dewey I. Dykstra, Jr. Phone: (208)385-3105
Professor of Physics Dept: (208)385-3775
Department of Physics/SN318 Fax: (208)385-4330
Boise State University dykstrad@varney.idbsu.edu
1910 University Drive Boise Highlanders
Boise, ID 83725-1570 novice piper
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