Katrina and Rita in perspective...
#1
09-26-2005, 01:46 PM
Katrina and Rita in perspective...
One of the reasons that this hurricane season has been so violent is that the average Gulf of Mexico water temperature has been 2_F warmer.
2_F warmer, isn't that a miniscule amount?
Well... some math will clarify the question. 2_F amounts to 1.1_C (it is easier to do the math in metric units, but the astonishing results are the same).
Now, the Gulf of Mexico has a surface area of 1,500,000 km2.
To simplify calculations, let's assume that the topmost 100 meters are the only ones to warm up, as the sun cannot reach the ocean depths.
Therefore, there are 150,000 cubic km of warmer water.
Now, there are 1,000,000,000,000 liters in each cubic km. We need to use scientific notation from here on.
Therefore the Gulf holds something like 1.5E17 liters of warmer water.
Since each liter of water holds one calorie per each degree C, it then amounts that this tiny 1.1_C is actually 1.65E17 extra calories held by the Gulf.
To put this number in perspective;
1 ton of TNT is equal to 9.993E8 calories.
The largest deliverable thermonuclear bombs had a yield of 20 Megatonnes. This means that the bomb produces 1.9986E16 calories.
If we divide the former number by the latter, it means that this tiny water temperature rise equals the energy of OVER 8 OF THE LARGEST atomic bombs!
This in addition to the energy that was already there.
Surprising? You bet
2_F warmer, isn't that a miniscule amount?
Well... some math will clarify the question. 2_F amounts to 1.1_C (it is easier to do the math in metric units, but the astonishing results are the same).
Now, the Gulf of Mexico has a surface area of 1,500,000 km2.
To simplify calculations, let's assume that the topmost 100 meters are the only ones to warm up, as the sun cannot reach the ocean depths.
Therefore, there are 150,000 cubic km of warmer water.
Now, there are 1,000,000,000,000 liters in each cubic km. We need to use scientific notation from here on.
Therefore the Gulf holds something like 1.5E17 liters of warmer water.
Since each liter of water holds one calorie per each degree C, it then amounts that this tiny 1.1_C is actually 1.65E17 extra calories held by the Gulf.
To put this number in perspective;
1 ton of TNT is equal to 9.993E8 calories.
The largest deliverable thermonuclear bombs had a yield of 20 Megatonnes. This means that the bomb produces 1.9986E16 calories.
If we divide the former number by the latter, it means that this tiny water temperature rise equals the energy of OVER 8 OF THE LARGEST atomic bombs!
This in addition to the energy that was already there.
Surprising? You bet
#2
09-26-2005, 01:59 PM
Re: Katrina and Rita in perspective...
Well the sun provides something like 1000 watts of power per square meter, so if you start dividing that over some defined depth and use whatever calculation tells you how much power is needed to raise the temperature of a given volume of water 2 degrees, you should be able to determine how much more sun the warm water got than the cooler water, right?
WoW, reading that just made my head hurt.
#4
09-26-2005, 02:29 PM
Re: Katrina and Rita in perspective...
I moved this from:
Hybrid Topics
Non-specific discussions concerning hybrid electric vehicles.
General Forum
to:
Miscellaneous Forums
Life is about more than just cars. Sometimes.
Anything Goes
It is easy to get confused by the "general" sub-title however the main title is "hybrid topics" so this thread fits better in "anything goes".
Hybrid Topics
Non-specific discussions concerning hybrid electric vehicles.
General Forum
to:
Miscellaneous Forums
Life is about more than just cars. Sometimes.
Anything Goes
It is easy to get confused by the "general" sub-title however the main title is "hybrid topics" so this thread fits better in "anything goes".
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