Hypercane

2008-08-26T15:18:07Z

71.179.21.179:

A '''hypercane''' is a hypothetical class of extreme [[tropical cyclone]] that could form if ocean temperatures reached around {{convert|50|°C|°F}} —15° higher than the warmest ocean temperature ever recorded<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/earth/Water/temp.html&edu=high |title=Temperature of Ocean Water |publisher=[[University Corporation for Atmospheric Research]] |work=Windows to the Universe |date=2001-08-31 |accessdate=2008-07-24}}</ref>— which could in turn be caused by a large [[asteroid]] or [[comet]] impact, a large [[volcano|volcanic]] or [[supervolcano|supervolcanic]] eruption, or very extensive [[global warming]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=30308 |title=The Dawn of the Hypercane? |first=Stephen |last=Leahy |publisher=[[Inter Press Service]] |date=2005-09-16 |accessdate=2008-07-24}}</ref> There is some speculation that some [[dinosaur]]s might have been killed off by a series of hypercanes, resulting from an asteroid or comet crashing into [[Earth]].<ref>{{cite journal |title=Did storms land the dinosaurs in hot water? |first=Jeff |last=Hecht |journal=[[New Scientist]] |date=1995-02-04 |url=http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg14519632.600-did-storms-land-the-dinosaurs-in-hot-water.html |issue=1963 |pages=p. 16 |accessdate=2008-07-24 }}</ref> The term was coined by atmospheric scientist [[Kerry Emanuel]] in 1994, at [[MIT]].<ref name="MIT">{{cite web |url=http://wind.mit.edu/~emanuel/holem/holem.html |title=Limits on Hurricane Intensity |first=Kerry |last=Emanuel |publisher=[[Center for Meteorology and Physical Oceanography ]], [[MIT]] |date=1996-09-16 |accessdate=2008-07-24 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |title=Hypercanes: A Possible Link to Global Extinction Scenarios |first=Kerry |last=Emanuel |coauthors=Kevin Speer, Richard Rotunno, Ramesh Srivastava, Mario Molina |journal= |date=1998-03-22 |volume=100 |issue=D7 |pages=pp. 13755–13765 |journal=[[Journal of Geophysical Research]] |url=http://www.agu.org/pubs/crossref/1995/95JD01368.shtml |accessdate=2008-07-24 }}</ref>

==Physical description==
Hypercanes would have wind speeds of over {{convert|800|km/h|mph}}, and would also have a central pressure of less than {{convert|700|hPa|inHg|abbr=off|lk=on}}, giving them an enormous lifespan.<ref name="MIT" /> The extreme conditions needed to create such a storm could conceivably produce a system up to the size of [[North America]], creating [[storm surge]]s of {{convert|18|m|ft|abbr=off|lk=off}} and an eye nearly {{convert|300|km|mi|abbr=off|lk=off}} across. The waters could remain hot enough for weeks, allowing more hypercanes to be formed. A hypercane's clouds would reach {{convert|30|km|mi}} into the [[stratosphere]]. A hypercane would also damage the earth's [[ozone]].<ref name="MIT" /> The reason for this is the water molecules sent up into the [[ozone]] layer merge with the [[ultraviolet light]] repelling particles and disintegrate the particles, creating a hole in the vicinity. Other scientists have theorized that the system, compared to a normal [[hurricane]], would be considerably smaller, about 10 miles in diameter. This would more comparable to a [[tornado]], which can top out to about a mile and a half in diameter.

==Controversy==
As many theories circulate about the demise of the [[dinosaurs]], only one holds true. The most popular, however, is that a meteor, spanning the size of [[North America]], struck mid land pre continental drift. The impact drove debris and dust particles into the atmosphere, causing a blackout. The lack of sun lead to the decay of most, if not all, of the earth’s [[biomass]]. Any prehistoric beings that had not died during the initial impact, soon gave way to starvation, and [[lung cancer]].

The discovery of [[meteorites]] off the coast of [[Africa]] disputes this. With the newly found evidence, it is now believed that the meteor instead struck the [[ocean]]. The dramatic rise in temperature set forth optimal conditions for the creation of the only known hypercane in existence. As the hypercane tore through the continents, the debris it pulled into the atmosphere caused a blackout effect. Most of the worlds biomass, and living inhabitants fell [[prey]] to the hypercane itself, and not the ensuing [[ice age]], which prevented life from inhabiting our planet for quite some time.

==References==
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[[Category:Tropical cyclone meteorology]]

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Hypercane