Hypercane: Difference between revisions
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==Physical description== | ==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. | 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. | ||
In addition | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
Revision as of 15:01, 26 August 2008
A hypercane is a hypothetical class of extreme tropical cyclone that could form if ocean temperatures reached around Template:Convert/°C —15° higher than the warmest ocean temperature ever recorded[1]— which could in turn be caused by a large asteroid or comet impact, a large volcanic or supervolcanic eruption, or very extensive global warming.[2] There is some speculation that some dinosaurs might have been killed off by a series of hypercanes, resulting from an asteroid or comet crashing into Earth.[3] The term was coined by atmospheric scientist Kerry Emanuel in 1994, at MIT.[4][5]
Physical description
Hypercanes would have wind speeds of over Template:Convert/km/h, and would also have a central pressure of less than Template:Convert/hPa, giving them an enormous lifespan.[4] The extreme conditions needed to create such a storm could conceivably produce a system up to the size of North America, creating storm surges of 18 metres ({{rnd/cTemplate:Rnd/b|59|(1−1)|0}} ft) and an eye nearly 300 kilometres ({{rnd/cTemplate:Rnd/b|190|(1−2)|0}} mi) across. The waters could remain hot enough for weeks, allowing more hypercanes to be formed. A hypercane's clouds would reach 30 kilometres ({{rnd/cTemplate:Rnd/b|19|(1−1)|0}} mi) into the stratosphere. A hypercane would also damage the earth's ozone.[4] 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.
In addition
References
- ↑ "Temperature of Ocean Water". Windows to the Universe. University Corporation for Atmospheric Research. 2001-08-31. http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/earth/Water/temp.html&edu=high. Retrieved on 2008-07-24.
- ↑ Leahy, Stephen (2005-09-16). "The Dawn of the Hypercane?". Inter Press Service. http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=30308. Retrieved on 2008-07-24.
- ↑ Hecht, Jeff (1995-02-04). "Did storms land the dinosaurs in hot water?". New Scientist (1963): p. 16. http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg14519632.600-did-storms-land-the-dinosaurs-in-hot-water.html. Retrieved on 2008-07-24.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Emanuel, Kerry (1996-09-16). "Limits on Hurricane Intensity". Center for Meteorology and Physical Oceanography , MIT. http://wind.mit.edu/~emanuel/holem/holem.html. Retrieved on 2008-07-24.
- ↑ Emanuel, Kerry; Kevin Speer, Richard Rotunno, Ramesh Srivastava, Mario Molina (1998-03-22). "Hypercanes: A Possible Link to Global Extinction Scenarios". Journal of Geophysical Research 100 (D7): pp. 13755–13765. http://www.agu.org/pubs/crossref/1995/95JD01368.shtml. Retrieved on 2008-07-24.