Why Didn't Early Earth Freeze? The Mystery Deepens

[Sunsettommy]

Science

by Phil Berardelli on March 31

EXCERPT:

Dial back the clock nearly 4 billion years, to a time called the Archean, and the sun would appear about 30% dimmer than it is now. That's a problem: It couldn't have warmed Earth enough to keep the seas from becoming permanent ice sheets. Yet overwhelming geological evidence indicates that liquid water has existed on our planet since the seas formed more than 4 billion years ago, even during the deepest ice ages. What could have provided the added warmth?

LINK

[Richard111]

Quote:It's difficult to account for the warmth using just the mechanisms suggested in this paper, Kasting says. "So, I think there is still a need for additional greenhouse gases."

So, what is new in the world today?

[Mike Davis]

No additional warmth was needed! Additional warmth creates additional restrictions that control the temperature. Ice ages were not possible until there were land masses in the required locations that allowed ice to accumulate. This goes back to the Green house theory where the GHGs restrict both gain and loss of warmth / energy. With a cooler sun the earth would have less restriction on the incoming solar energy but enough restriction on the outgoing energy to maintain an above freezing water temperature. While CO2 may have played a part it even then could not compare to water vapor.
Elevation changes due to land masses that block / redirect atmosphere and ocean circulation are underlying factors in weather patterns because without the land the weather would be sort of dull.