Little Ice Age Essay

Global Warming is a weather phenomenon characterized by an increase in average temperature of the Earth. The process has intensified over the last 150 years, with its main reason the industrial revolution, the expansion of car fleet and environmental degradation. Many scientists believe that global warming is caused by anthropogenic. The global warming phenomenon consists in: the earth receives radiation emitted by the sun and returns part of heat radiation to space, however the pollutants accumulated in the atmosphere make heat retained in earth, raising the temperature of the planet. This increase in temperature on Earth has been observed by weather stations since 1860. This phenomenon intensifies extreme weather conditions

In the last millennium two important temperature variation periods occurred: a warm period known as the Medieval Warm Period and a cold known as the Little Ice Age. The temperature range of these periods has similar magnitude to the current heating and is believed to have been caused by internal and external factors only. The Little Ice Age is attributed to the reduction of solar activity and some scientists agree that the earth's warming observed since 1860 is a natural reversal of the Little Ice. However large amounts of gases have been emitted into the atmosphere since the industrial revolution began, from 1750 carbon dioxide emissions have increased 31%, methane 151%, nitrogen oxide by 17% and tropospheric ozone 36%. Most of these gases are produced from burning fossil fuels. Scientists think that the reduction in tropical forest areas has contributed, as well as ancient forests, to the increase of carbon. However new forests in the United States and Russia contribute to absorb carbon dioxide and since 1990 the quantity of carbon absorbed is greater than the amount released in the deforestation. Not all carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere accumulates in it, half is absorbed by the seas and forests. The real importance of each proposed cause can only be determined by precise quantification of each factor involved. Internal and external factors can be quantified by analyzing simulations based on the best climate