Early Earth haze likely provided ultraviolet shield for planet, says CU-Boulder study. See press release here.
Earth’s thick organic haze 3 billion years ago likely similar to haze hovering over Saturn moon Titan today
A new study shows a thick organic haze that enshrouded early Earth several billion years ago may have been similar to the haze now hovering above Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, and would have protected primordial life on the planet from the damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation.
The University of Colorado at Boulder scientists believe the haze was made up primarily of methane and nitrogen chemical byproducts created by reactions with light, said CU-Boulder doctoral student Eric Wolf, lead study author. Not only would the haze have shielded early Earth from UV light, it would have allowed gases like ammonia to build up, causing greenhouse warming and perhaps helped to prevent the planet from freezing over.
The researchers determined the haze of hydrocarbon aerosols was probably made up of fluffy, microscopic particles shaped somewhat like cottonwood tree seeds that would have blocked UV but allowed visible light through to Earth’s surface, Wolf said.
Prior to the new study, the prevailing scientific view was that the atmosphere of Earth some 3 billion years ago was primarily made up of nitrogen gas with lesser amounts of carbon dioxide, methane, hydrogen and water vapor, said Wolf. “Since climate models show early Earth could not have been warmed by atmospheric carbon dioxide alone because of its low levels, other greenhouse gases must have been involved. We think the most logical explanation is methane, which may have been pumped into the atmosphere by early life that was metabolizing it.”
A paper on the subject by Wolf and CU-Boulder Professor Brian Toon of the atmospheric and oceanic sciences department is being published in the June 4 issue of Science. NASA’s Planetary Atmosphere Program funded the study.
The output of the sun during the Archean period some 3.8 billion to 2.5 billion years ago is thought to have been 20 percent to 30 percent fainter than today, said Wolf. But previous work by other scientists produced geological and biological evidence that indicates Earth’s surface temperatures were as warm or warmer than today.
As part of the early Earth study, Wolf and Toon used a climate model from the National Center for Atmospheric Research and concepts from lab studies by another CU group led by chemistry and biochemistry Professor Margaret Tolbert that help explain the odd haze of Titan, the second largest moon in the solar system and the largest moon of Saturn. Titan came under intense study following the arrival of the Cassini spacecraft at Saturn in 2004, allowing scientists to determine it was the only moon in the solar system with both a dense atmosphere and liquid on its surface.
Previous modeling efforts of early Earth haze by other scientists assumed that aerosol particulates making up the haze were spherical, said Wolf. But the spherical shape does not adequately account for the optical properties of the haze that blanketed the planet.
Lab simulations helped researchers conclude that the Earth haze likely was made up of irregular “chains” of aggregate particles with greater geometrical sizes than spheres, similar to the shape of aerosols believed to populate Titan’s thick atmosphere. Wolf said the aggregate aerosol particulates are believed to be fragmented geometric shapes known as fractals that can be split into parts.
During the Archean period there was no ozone layer in Earth’s atmosphere to protect life on the planet, said Wolf. “The UV shielding methane haze over early Earth we are suggesting not only would have protected Earth’s surface, it would have protected the atmospheric gases below it — including the powerful greenhouse gas, ammonia — that would have played a significant role in keeping the early Earth warm.”
CU-Boulder researchers estimated there were roughly 100 million tons of haze produced annually in the atmosphere of early Earth during the Archean. “If this was the case, an early Earth atmosphere literally would have been dripping organic material into the oceans, providing manna from heaven for the earliest life to sustain itself,” Toon said.
“Methane is the key to make this climate model run, so one of our goals now is to pin down where and how it originated,” said Toon. If Earth’s earliest organisms didn’t produce the methane, it may have been generated by the release of gasses during volcanic eruptions either before or after life first arose — a hypothesis that will requires further study, he said.
The new CU-Boulder study will likely re-ignite interest in a controversial experiment by scientists Stanley Miller and Harold Urey in the 1950s in which methane, ammonia, nitrogen and water were combined in a test tube. After Miller and Urey ran an electrical current through the mixture to simulate the effects of lightning or powerful UV radiation, the result was the creation of a small pool of amino acids — the building blocks of life.
Toon said the theory of early Earth being shrouded by a gaseous blanket containing methane and ammonia first arose in the 1960s and was subsequently discarded by scientists. In the 1970s and 1980s some scientists suggested the early Earth atmosphere was similar to those on Mars and Venus with lots of carbon dioxide, another theory that eventually went by the wayside. Since CO2-rich atmospheres do not produce organic molecules easily, scientists began looking in deep-sea volcanic vents and at wayward asteroids to explain early Earth life.
A 1997 paper by the late Carl Sagan of Cornell University and Christopher Chyba, then at the University of Arizona, proposed that an organic aerosol shield in early Earth’s atmosphere would have protected the ammonia wafting beneath it, allowing heating to occur at Earth’s surface. But the authors proposed the haze particles were spherical rather than irregular aggregate particles Wolf and Toon suggest and did not consider methane to be the driver of the system, eventually sinking that theory.
“We still have a lot of research to do in order to refine our new view of early Earth,” said Wolf. “But we think this paper solves a number of problems associated with the haze that existed over early Earth and likely played a role in triggering or at least supporting the earliest life on the planet.”
From space, early Earth probably looked much like Titan looks today, said Toon. “It would have been shrouded by a reddish haze that would have been difficult to see through, and the ocean probably was a greenish color caused by dissolved iron in the oceans. It wasn’t a blue planet by any means.”
Discover more from Watts Up With That?
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Same problem seen under a different paradigm:
We predict that NASA will never find the elusive methane rains on Titan, because the weather cycle that planetary scientists conjured is not occurring. (Thornhill offers another testable claim about “rain” and “storms” in his treatment of “Electric Weather”)
Thornhill emphasizes that the water molecule, unlike the methane molecule, is electrically polarized.
“The oxygen (blue) side of the water molecule is more negative than the hydrogen side (red), forming an electric dipole. In an electric field, the water molecule will rotate to line up with the field. When it condenses in a cloud the average electric dipole moment of a water molecule in a raindrop is 40 percent greater than that of a single water vapor molecule. This enhancement results from the large polarization caused by the electric field induced by surrounding water molecules.”
Thornhill relates the polarization of water molecules to the seemingly inexplicable “anti-gravity” effect of water droplets in clouds, where “millions of tons of water can be suspended kilometers above the ground, when cloud droplets are about 1,000 times denser than the surrounding air.”
http://www.thunderbolts.info/tpod/2006/arch06/060804titansmethane.htm
Surprising that the study of palaeo atmosphere is in such disarray. I find it hard to believe that they are still making vague guesses at the archaean atmosphere – swayed by current political requirements as to what they must find. Decade-to-decade swings as to which gas is fashionable for the archaean atmosphere.
Is there no evidence out there? What about voids within rocks – abundant rocks exist from these periods. What do such voids contain? What happened to palaeo-chemistry?
In all probability this is another case of a science that was well established 30 years ago, but has been ripped up and air-brushed over by modern politically driven media-controlled pseudo-scientists. Like climate, palaeo-climate, radiation biology, epidemiology and several others – any science area with a connection to a contentious political subject.
To find the best summary of knowledge in these subject areas such as palaeo atmosphere, its probably advisable to find a review article or book written no later than 1980.
Purple haze all in my brain
Lately things just don’t seem the same
Actin’ funny, but I don’t know why
‘Scuse me while I kiss the sky
Purple haze all around
Don’t know if I’m comin’ up or down
Am I happy or in misery?
Whatever it is, that girl put a spell on me
Help me help me
Oh no no… no
More lyrics: http://www.lyricsfreak.com/j/jimi+hendrix/#share
“We think the most logical explanation is methane, which may have been pumped into the atmosphere by early life that was metabolizing it.”
It seems they’ve put the cart before the horse here, as usual. The methane couldn’t possibly have been there first, now, could it?
I am asked to believe that life could blossom while UV light is shielded out. Maybe, but I sure hope that that UV shield doesn’t come back while I’m still around.
This would seem to conflict with this earleir article that claimed a non-greenhouse resolution of the FYSP:
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2010/04/07/faint-sun-paradox-explained-by-stanford-greenhouse-effect-not-involved/
Frankly I think I have some idea of what they fed into their model and the methane levels that are called for are totally unrealistic. The geological evidence also strongly constrains CO2 to levels insufficient to resolve the paradox. Lindzen and Rondanelli speculate that the Iris Hypothesis could provide a solution, however.
Toon says “and the ocean probably was a greenish color caused by dissolved iron in the oceans. It wasn’t a blue planet by any means.”
This statement seems to suggest Earth is often referred to as the ‘blue planet’ because of all the ocean that is wrongly thought to be blue. However, visible light from directly overhead will mostly pass into the ocean leaving it looking black. The ‘blue planet’ notion occurs because of the atmosphere, not the ocean:
http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/sage/meteorology/lesson1/images/atmosphere&moon.jpg
Compare with the lower right of this image:
http://susty.com/image/greece-forest-fires-view-from-space-smoke-plumes-over-ocean-mediterranean-sea-satellite-image-nasa-earth-observatory-greek-greece-coastline-country-shape-ocean-photo.jpg
1. Colorado!
2. “purple mountain majesty..”
3. “Deep Purple Haze – the orginal sunscreen”
Ipso facto!
One little thing leads to another.
I have a feeling they’re on to something here, but please don’t tell Fat Albert or anyone else.
sandyinderby says: June 4, 2010 at 1:56 am Does anyone know how these low levels of CO2 compare with the dangerously high life threatening levels we have now?
Sandy, this chart doesn’t go back 3 billion years, but it is easy to see that today’s levels of CO2 are actually very low historically, and hardly “dangerously high life threatening levels”. The plant life would like CO2 at about 3X, or 1000ppm, and will grow about 40% more at that level. Greenhouses often increase CO2 for faster, bigger plant growth.
http://i46.tinypic.com/2582sg6.jpg
Or maybe it was a water canopy of ice crystals and vapor would shield the earth from harmful solar x-rays and provide a greenhouse environment ideal for maximum plant and animal growth. There is evidence in samples of ancient amber that the atmosphere contained twice as much oxygen is it does today and that the atmospheric pressure was much greater.
This would explain how an 80-foot-long dinosaur could get enough oxygen for his huge body through nostrils no bigger than those of a horse.
This greenhouse effect would have provided nearly uniform atmospheric conditions all over the globe. Temperature variations between the equator and the poles would vary by only forty or fifty degrees.
This would explain the redwood forests found encased in ice near the south pole. Also, the palm leaves and petrified oak trees in the arctic.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4411939541419360515#
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-9055834128024247330#
more studies that contradict even more studies…
And at the same time, people have confidence in this ‘science’
But the take home message is still the same, we can’t control any of it.
Rising temperatures release more, falling temperatures release less, and we’re just along for the ride.
“Greenhouse effect” is a fiction. The whole bulk atmosphere, composed of nitrogen and oxygen, radiate IR, since its temperature is above zero, warmed by convection and conduction. How can one distinguish this radiation from the tiny amount, which is theoretically captured and radiated back by methane, CO2 or even water vapor?
Atmosphere radiates, because it stores sun heat. Earth is not warm, because the atmosphere radiates, it is warm because the atmosphere (=99% nitrogen and oxygen) creates a warm blanket.
Mars got 15x more CO2 than Earth and its theoretical and practical temperature is the same – 210K. But Mars has no bulk atmosphere and therefore no “greenhouse effect”, which does not care about 6,000 ppm of CO2. This obsession by “greenhouse” effect and “greenhouse” gases, all based on theoretical models is ridiculous. It is like attributing warming from spring to summer to wearing short sleeves.
CU-Boulder researchers estimated there were roughly 100 million tons of haze produced annually in the atmosphere of early Earth during the Archean.
Archean period some 3.8 billion to 2.5 billion years ago
This is 1.3E17 tons. Where is it all? He never said how it went away.
What a joke, I’m tired of being told how things supposedly were so long ago. I read these things as essentially being fact when I was a kid, and even got into an argument with a teacher in Jr. High because she said the Big Bang was just a theory and I told her it was a fact. Oh how deluded I was!
This kind of speculation (I would call them “just so” stories) isn’t wrong to do in principle, but when it’s sold as scientific fact it’s disgusting. In reality, we don’t even know that much about Earth from just a few hundred years ago (thus, Mann and co-workers could get away with erasing the likely LIA/MWP), so how in the world can we speculate on things from 3 billion years ago? 3 billions years is 7 orders of magnitude longer ago than 300 years, so that’s the equivalent of knowing what it’s like to spend a dime versus knowing what it’s like to spend a million dollars. By the time you get to something that old, the number of assumptions going into things is so absurd as to make it meaningless.
Grrr,
-Scott
Mike McMillan says:
June 4, 2010 at 4:20 am
Archonix says:June 4, 2010 at 12:53 am
. . . Question for those in the know: has Titan ever demonstrated any form of lightning?
Obviously not, otherwise it would have ignited all that methane and blown the planet up. 😉
It’s nice that scientists can send their papers here for review. WUWT has an impressive depth of competence in just about every discipline a climate or weather paper might touch upon, a much more comprehensive understanding than any single PhD peer-reviewer could possibly have. A researcher may find out in a matter of days where
he’s full of baloneyhis weak points are.Well even this PhD peer-reviewer would have spotted the obvious gaff of ‘liquid methane igniting in the absence of oxygen’. 😉
The Huygens probe apparently detected discharges on Titan that may have been lightning.
Veddy interesting! Scientists vs Fantasists. Boys and Girls vs Men and Women. I can offer them low rates on a psychoanalysis so they can explore their absolutely (individual) unrealistic unconscious (“psychotic states of mind”) and their failure to grow up.
Mike McMillan 4:20 am — “The learned journals ought to require a pass through WUWT before submission for review.”
Steve in SC 4:28 am — “Based on what I read so far, I don’t believe I would give that boy his phd”
The real science is now being communicated by blogs such as WUWT.
Thanks, Anthony and “associates”.
“Methane is the key to make this climate model run, so one of our goals now is to pin down where and how it originated,”
A new study shows a thick organic haze that enshrouded early Earth several billion years ago may have been similar to the haze now hovering above Saturn’s largest…..
“Since climate models show early Earth could not have been warmed by atmospheric carbon dioxide alone because of its low levels, other greenhouse gases must have been involved. We think the most logical explanation is methane, ….
As part of the early Earth study, Wolf and Toon used a climate model from the National Center for Atmospheric Research and concepts from lab studies by another CU group led by chemistry and biochemistry Professor Margaret Tolbert that help explain the odd haze of Titan, …
Lab simulations helped researchers conclude that the Earth haze likely was made up of irregular “chains” of aggregate particles with greater geometrical sizes than spheres, similar to the shape of aerosols believed to populate Titan’s thick atmosphere. Wolf said the aggregate aerosol particulates are believed to be fragmented geometric shapes known as fractals that can be split into parts….
“The UV shielding methane haze over early Earth we are suggesting not only would have protected Earth’s surface, it would have protected the atmospheric gases below it — including the powerful greenhouse gas, ammonia — that would have played a significant role in keeping the early Earth warm.”
Lab simulations are those actual laboratory experiments or computer simulations????
This is not a “theory” it is science fiction!
Mike McMillan says:
June 4, 2010 at 4:20 am
It’s nice that scientists can send their papers here for review. WUWT has an impressive depth of competence in just about every discipline a climate or weather paper might touch upon, a much more comprehensive understanding than any single PhD peer-reviewer could possibly have. A researcher may find out in a matter of days where he’s full of baloney his weak points are.
The learned journals ought to require a pass through WUWT before submission for review.
__________________________________________________________________________
It sure would wipe out most of an editor’s slush pile.
While I do find myself having an inexplicable urge to kiss the sky, there are a few observations here. First, everyone knows that purple haze comes from yellow submarines. Second, everyone knows that if you want to understand the Earth, you must look at moons orbiting gas giants.
Third, if a theory is pretty much universally “discarded by scientists”, chances are there is a good reason. Dusting it off and bringing it back would have to involve some pretty convincing new information.
Fourth, Pop Science or Science by Sound Bite, or Science by Pretty Colors is going to completely destroy the rest of Science…
“….would have protected primordial life on the planet from the damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation….”
Say What?!? Where are our biologists and geneticists?
Isn’t “the damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation” what is supposed to cause mutation and rapid formation of new species???? Isn’t “the damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation” what caused the explosion of life forms???
Espen says:
Interesting article, but as usual they don’t say much about the role of water vapor as a GHG – at least not in this press release.
On Earth water needs help from other GHGs to produce sufficient vapor pressure to contribute as a GHG itself.
Enneagram says:
June 4, 2010 at 5:34 am
“The oxygen (blue) side of the water molecule is more negative than the hydrogen side (red), forming an electric dipole. In an electric field, the water molecule will rotate to line up with the field. When it condenses in a cloud the average electric dipole moment of a water molecule in a raindrop is 40 percent greater than that of a single water vapor molecule. This enhancement results from the large polarization caused by the electric field induced by surrounding water molecules.”
Thornhill relates the polarization of water molecules to the seemingly inexplicable “anti-gravity” effect of water droplets in clouds, where “millions of tons of water can be suspended kilometers above the ground, when cloud droplets are about 1,000 times denser than the surrounding air.”
As far as I can tell Thornhill thinks that molecular polarization is necessary for the formation of charged droplets which is certainly not true (as the existence of electrostatic fuel atomizers proves). Also any pilot who encountered updrafts, particularly in the vicinity of thunderstorms, will realize that convection is quite capable of suspending water droplets aloft (or even gliders for that matter).
Haven’t people been speculating about early conditions on earth for decades? It will take a lot more time to settle on how many plausible scenarios there are and which are most plausible.
I wonder what variety of model it is that they are referring to? One dimesional?
Mike McMillan says:
June 4, 2010 at 4:20 am
The learned journals ought to require a pass through WUWT before submission for review.
—————————————————————————————————-
I think Mike was being facetious. But then again it is really hard to tell on this forum. It makes this blog so entertaining trying to discern the serious comments from those tossing in the outlandish for the fun of it.
Gail Combs-Good point. UV has long been thought to have been an important catalyst of genetic change in the evolution of early life. Without it, the mutations necessary to bring about growth in biodiversity would take much longer, I would imagine.
phlogiston says:
June 4, 2010 at 5:40 am
“they are still making vague guesses…”
You are right. Guessing is like wishful thinking, it proves nothing. Any leader would order: Try it!, Prove it, I wanna see it!
Beliefs count for nothing here. In real life, say in a war, you guess you die buddy!