Prolonged droughts, record-breaking heat, wildfires, and frequent cyclonic storms are a direct result of the increased addition of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. A new study by MIT reveals that in the coming years, the global temperature will become even more volatile.
The study examines the paleoclimate record of the last 66 million years after the Cenozoic era. The Cenozoic era is the period that began shortly after the extinction of the dinosaurs. The team of researchers observed that during this period, the distribution of global temperatures was lopsided and that the warm events were more extreme than the cooling events. This led to faster melting of icebergs in the poles and a rise in sea level.
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The researchers say a possible explanation for this warming bias may lie in a ‘multiplier effect.’ This effect indicates a condition wherein a modest degree of warming naturally speeds up certain biological and chemical processes, leading to further warming. For instance, volcanoes releasing carbon dioxide or a wildfire caused due to excessive heat multiply the global heat levels and shrink the ice sheets.
Daniel Rothman, professor of geophysics at MIT concluded that it is fair to say that the Earth's temperature will continue to become more volatile, with an increased inclination towards warmer climatic conditions.
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