T/F & Facts - The Day After Tommorow Movie? ?

Question

Can global warming cause a sudden climate change as shown in the film?

Answer 1

The film has some very nice special effects and is therefore very entertaining, much like other Holywood films like Independance Day.

It is, however, pure science-fiction. The basic idea of the film is a scientific concern that says that a melt down of the north pole and Greenland ice will decrease the salinity of the water in the region and can possibly change the course of the Gulfstream. This is a possibility but, in my humble opinion, all ocean currents follow the Coriolis effect, they turn clockwise on the northern hemisphere and counter-clockwise on the southern. I don't see how the Gulfstream can suddenly divert toward the southern hemisphere.

In any case, if that happens, it would take several decades.

The film is nice, though, but ... er, hum ... very American! :-)

Answer 2

Global warming could potentially create a sudden climate change, but unlike the one demonstrated in the movie it would not be that sudden.  It would be sudden on the geological timeline of the Earth but not over a period of 7 days.  The change illustrated in the movie, was cuased by the termination of the Atlantic ocean current which drives the currents.  This is true.  The result of this shutting down is unknown to the world.  It may produce the supercyclones like the movie demonstrated.  Global warming does and has effected the carbon cycle which now has be disrupted in a way that there are extreme amounts of CO2 in the atmosphere.  This causes the rise of temperature in the oceans which may shut down the cold ocean current machine in the north atlantic.  So answer your question, yes it could, but no it would not be that sudden

Answer 3

No, not that fast.  Climate changes are a relatively slow and normal process that is going on all the time.

Answer 4

I love the movie, it was cool but that wouldn't happen.  Even the explanations of what was going wouldn't happen that way.  The circulation patterns depicted were not feasible either.

Answer 5

Yes

If a large chunk of Ice on Greenland or on Antartica were to slip off of the land into the sea massive tidal waves could instanly occur.

If the Temperature of the sea bed of a vast Ocean Bottom Plain were raised enough above the level that Frozen Methane can exist Massive levels of Methane could be released all at once.

Methane is a greenhouse gas that traps heat energy from leaving the Atmosphere.

Answer 6

no it really cannot happen in the course of a couple weeks like it happened in the movie. actually none of the events that took place are actually likely to happen. while there is proof that in fact the climate is rapidly getting warmer, storms are becoming more violent in nature ( more category 5 hurricanes occurring more than ever and more violent tornadoes with winds speeds greater than 318 miles per hour being recorded ) , the oceans are rising, the ice caps are melting.  the events in this movie are created to be used as a scare tactic to get people aware that global warming is actually occurring. the ONLY thing that is "real" in this movie is the NOAA logo.  but the real question is did we betray the planet,  or did the planet betray us?