CLIMATE CHANGE
ALTERNATIVE THEORY

SOLVING GREATEST PUZZLES BY JOSEPH OTIENO ORUOCH

Climate change alternative theory endeavours to provide logical explanations for climate change and other natural occurrences that are not adequately understood. Such explanations must be based on scientific facts and must account for facts of experience clearly without the need to hide facts and or/falsify figures. Such explanations must provide satisfactory answers as to why certain natural occurrences happen and illustrate clearly how they happen. This information is important if we are to develop appropriate adaptive and mitigatory measures to natural occurrences most of which are disastrous.

Climate change alternative theory takes the perspective that planet earth operates in a simple mechanical manner with varying consequences some of which can be and have been devastating to life. A broad and comprehensive perspective is advanced based on the two heat sources relationship between planet earth and the sun. Explanations are also being provided for specific natural occurrences to ensure clear and consistent understanding of reality for purposes of developing relevant and appropriate responses.

The contention here is that responses are based on perception of causes of phenomena and misconceptions would only result in irrelevant mitigatory measures.
Incorrect understanding of causes of climate change would result in irrelevant policy measures and actions like planting trees or seeking to reduce greenhouse gases as means of controlling climate change without success. Another tragedy is that of paying a lot of attention to space while ignoring the fact of great amounts of heat inside the planet which is responsible for many of the challenges on the surface.

What causes climate change?

Climate change is caused by variation in the amount of heat diffusing through the crust on to the earth’s surface. A significant amount of heat is generated and accumulated inside the globe. Such heat varies from time to time and from one place to another. More heat onto the surface causes global warming while reduced heat allows global cooling. High altitude zones experience less intense heating and are much cooler while low altitude zones experience intense heating and are generally warmer.

The planet has three main layers namely crust, mantle and core with crust being the outermost and core being the innermost. The crust acts as a cover for the inner contents but when subjected to more pressure than it can hold, it gives in through volcanic eruptions or by cracking and splitting open to create continents and oceans and/or seas. In the process substantial amounts of heat and pressure are discharged into the atmosphere. When the planet discharges its heat rapidly into the open atmosphere through eruptions, such heat is easily lost in open space resulting in global cooling.

CORE CONCEPT

The Earth- A Dynamic Thermal System

Earth is a complex system driven by energy. While solar influences our climate, internal heat from within the earth plays a fundamental role in shaping geological activity and long-term climate patterns.

Key Points To Consider

Sun Stability

Sun's direct heating effect on earth is negligible, is not responsible for climate change and doesn't fluctuate

Ice Cycles

Earth has experienced ice ages and temperate conditions meaning climate change is a natural process.

Volcano Cooling

Only volcanic eruptions have been observed to cause global cooling. It has not been demonstrated or observed that reducing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere can result in global cooling.

Pollution Divide

Climate change and environmental pollution of any kind are distinct and completely unrelated. Air pollution, water pollution and soil pollution do not have anything to do with climate change.

Human Impact

Humans and human activities have not caused climate change though humans have caused environmental pollution.

Altitude Zones

High altitude zones like highlands and mountain tops experience less intense heating while low altitude zones experience more intense heating as is the case with hot deserts

Earth Heat

Temperatures deep inside earth far from any human reach or influence do fluctuate over time.

The origin of greenhouse gases confusion

Greenhouse gases (Ghgs) are discharged from inner earth under pressure into the atmosphere. Inside the planet is extremely hot and so are its contents such as lava. In open environments the Ghgs are quickly and easily diluted and cooled down by atmospheric air. In an enclosure like a green house, the rate and process of dilution of emitted gases is slow. Because the gases are emitted warm or hot, they contribute to rapid warming of the surrounding air.

Myths and misconceptions

Climate change is caused by humans

The argument that climate change is caused by humans is not factual. Climate change has characterised earth’s existence long before humans came into existence. Planet earth has existed for at least 5.8 billion years according to the oldest rock ever measured. Our planet has experienced several ice ages including both major and minor ones.

The movement from one ice age through temperate conditions to the next ice age is a complete climate change cycle. Increased momentum of global warming only implies the process is approaching its peak or turning point and not necessarily an external factor unless demonstrated.

Global warming is caused by greenhouse gases especially carbon dioxide (CO₂) and methane (CH₄).

That Ghgs are responsible for climate change in general and global warming in particular is probably the most popular myth about climate change. The technology for predicting possibility of volcanic eruptions is premised on measurements of CO2 emissions around volcanic mountains with higher emissions indicating greater possibility and vice versa. This indicates CO2 is a symptom not a cause.

The argument that Ghgs contribute to global warming by trapping sun’s heat is to suggest that gases can act like valves allowing heat to move in one direction and not another. This is a serious allegation that needs to be demonstrated by explaining how their molecular structures allow this to happen. Mere statistical measurements of rising temperatures amid increasing Ghgs quantity in the atmosphere do not establish causal effect relationship.

Vegetation determines climatic patterns.

The argument that trees bring rain is a case of thinking in parody. It is the climatic condition of a region which determines its vegetation cover and not the other way around. No hot desert has been rehabilitated to cooler climate by means of planting trees.

Climate change is a linear process which is global warming ad infinitum.

Climate change is presented as a linear process of global warming which will keep rising ad infinitum yet historical evidence indicate strongly that climate change is a circular process moving from ice ages to temperate conditions repeatedly. Global warming is also presented as the greatest danger of climate change yet the most devastating aspect is an ice age.

Rainfall/Snowfall Drivers

Rainfall is the most critical aspect of precipitation even though snowfall is another aspect. Rainfall supports life by supplying vegetation with water and providing water for drinking and other uses while its absence implies droughts and famine. Rainfall and snowfall drivers are those factors which determine or affect possibility of rain or snow falling in any region over time. These factors can be classified as either primary of secondary. Primary factors are those that directly determine precipitation while secondary factors affect the primary factors. Primary factors are two while secondary factors are at least five.

The Primary factors are:

Secondary factors are:

Water vapour

Presence of water vapour in the atmosphere is the first primary factor and most important for any precipitation to occur. Vaporisation is facilitated by warm temperatures. When there is sufficient vapour in the atmosphere, then the likelihood of rain or snow falling is higher. The amount of vapour in the atmosphere also determines whether rainfall or snowfall will be light or heavy. Cold deserts remain so because there is little vapour in the atmosphere to be condensed into rainfall.

Conducive atmospheric temperatures

This is the second primary factor and also second most important condition for any precipitation to occur. There must be sufficiently cool temperatures in the atmosphere to allow water vapour condense into rainfall or snowfall. High temperatures inhibit condensation and do not allow precipitation even when there is sufficient vapour in the atmosphere. Hot deserts remain so because of the inability to condense any vapour into rainfall.

The Sun and Latitudes

Research has shown that the sun’s heat reaching earth’s surface is insignificant and has no role in climate change. But the sun factor is critical in how it heats upper atmospheric air resulting in more or less cold air falling over earth. When the sun is above Tropic of Cancer, less cold air falls over the northern hemisphere thereby allowing earth’s radiation to manifest more in terms of warmer global surface temperatures.

Similarly when the sun is above the Tropic of Capricorn, then there is less cold air falling over the southern hemisphere resulting in warmer temperatures as a result of manifestation of earth’s radiation. Depending on specific circumstances, the shifting position of the sun along the latitudes determines whether certain regions will experience snowfall or rainfall.

Altitude

Altitude is simply the height above sea level but from another perspective largely indicates varying crustal thickness across different regions. Regions with low altitude implying thinner crust, have closer proximity to inner earth and as such experience higher surface temperatures. High altitude areas like highlands and mountainous regions where the crust is thicker experience cooler temperatures due to their increased distance from heat source.
Clouds form easily at lower levels above high altitude zones resulting in more rain or snow in contrast to low altitude zones which emit higher temperatures therefore hindering cloud formation even at higher heigts and reducing possibility of rainfall.

Volcanic eruptions

Volcanic eruptions provide the breathers through which the planet looses and reduces its inner heat. Empirical evidence has shown that global temperatures fall after volcanic eruptions. Such fall in temperatures have been observed particularly after high magnitude volcanic eruptions like that of Mt. Tambora and Mt. Pinatubo among others. Historical evidence also suggests that volcanic eruptions preceded ice ages.

Cumulative smaller volcanic eruptions have also resulted in cooler temperatures with implications on rainfall and snowfall patterns and amounts. Limited volcanic activities on the other hand result in global warming as is happening today with record breaking warm temperatures.

Wind

Wind plays a critical role in both rainfall and snowfall formation. Wind serves to transport and distribute water vapour from main sources which are seas and oceans to inland regions. This makes it possible even for regions with no reliable nearby water vapour sources to receive precipitation.

But wind is also known to lower temperatures by blowing away or spreading heat thereby not allowing heat to focus its intensity on any particular spot or area. By its action of reducing atmospheric temperatures, wind creates temperatures favourable for the condensation of vapour into rainfall or snowfall.

Oceans and seas

Over 70% of earth’s surface is covered in water bodies mainly seas and oceans. The whole process of precipitation is part of natural water cycle system which serves to distribute and redistribute water from major sources to other regions of the world. So the seas and oceans are the primary sources of water vapour.

Water also has a higher cooling capacity than land. Water allows heat to spread through it more or less uniformly thereby allowing cooler atmospheric temperatures even at lower altitudes than land. Storms and hurricanes always originate from oceans and seas.