ps418

Another interesting geologic system with regards to global storminess is the south Asian monsoon system. During the winter monsoon, wind rushes off of asia into the Indian Ocean. This is because the air cools more quickly over the continents, making it more dense, so it flows out into the ocean. The air flow has several effects. One, it carries dust off of the continent and out to sea, where it ends up as a component of deep-sea sediments. The mass accumulation rate (MAR) as well as the grain size of this dust in the deep sea record is a proxy record for the intensity of the winter monsoon winds. Another effect is the cooling of the surface waters for a few months. This results in a brief proliferation of foraminifera that are normally restricted to a more northerly range. There is also an upwelling effect, as surface water is cooled and sinks, and is replaced by more nutrient-rich deeper water. This causes an increase in overall productivity with the winter monsoon. Both the temp changes and the upwelling effect also result in stable isotope ratio changes, which are record in the calcite shells of foraminifers.

At any rate, the point is that you can reconstruct the history and intensity of the monsoon system over time using the proxy records preserved in oceanic sediment cores. These records show that a strong monsoon system has been in place for millions of years. More interesting is that variations in the internsity of the monsoon climate system over time can be linked to changes in earth orbital geometry, the Milankovitch frquencies.

Refs

Dettman et al, 2001. Seasonal stable isotope evidence for a strong Asian monsoon throughout the past 10.7 m.y. Geology 29, pp. 31–34.

Gupta and Ellen, 2003. Initiation of Northern Hemisphere glaciation and strengthening of the northeast Indian monsoon: Ocean Drilling Program Site 758, eastern equatorial Indian Ocean. Geology 31, pp. 47–50.

Rousseau et al, 1997. A new molluscan record of the monsoon variability over the past 130 000 yr in the Luochuan loess sequence, China. Geology 25, pp. 275–278.

hedonist ogre

Thanks for the info ps418. I found the program on the ICR website here (March 8). The bit about the Liu and Fearn paper starts around 7:15. I listened to it again and they claim that when they talked to the researcher (it must have been Liu, if at all, since they use "he"), he said something about there being a period of flooding around that time. Who would have thought ICR would make up data?!

RufusAtticus

j0

Doubting Didymus

What the hell does that mean?

RufusAtticus

Speak L33T?

Edited, because it's "j0" not "j00."

Spaz

h4h4, r00f|_|5 15 73h 1337 4/\/|) |)|) 15 73h 5|_|c|<. There, I think I settled that. Is ICR really that desperate as to claim something so incredibly stupid as proof for the flood? (I think I'm gonna answer that myself: Yes)

Doubting Didymus

I heard that!

Albion

Well, how about this for starters? You'll be glad to know that it's been checked for scientific accuracy by Ken Ham, who recommends it as a wonderful gift for your unsaved friends.