Welcome to the Anthropocene?

(Did) We Accidentally a New Geological Epoch(?)

About me

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Chrono-strati-graphy


crash course

past

now

Chronostratigraphy crash course

"golden spikes" = measurable markers between strata

Deuterium concentration

Strata also defined by fossils (biostratigraphy)

Summary: Chronostratigraphy

  • sedimentation & strata formation influenced by local factors but also by global events
  • measurable golden spikes needed to define geological time units
  • current epoch: Holocene (since last ice age)

is

shaped by biogeochemistry

not

a time of human control

The Anthropocene

[T]he present time interval, in which many geologically significant conditions and processes are profoundly altered by human activities [… which] have a decisive influence on the state, dynamics and future of the Earth system.

– quaternary.stratigraphy.org/workinggroups/anthropocene

even staged

 N, P, C cycles

species going extinct

suggestion & popular concept

– Crutzen & Stoermer, 2000

formally proposed, yet

climate change

ocean acidification

hard to separate into geological and environmental issues

Working Group on the 'Anthropocene' (AWG)

geo

strati

eco

ologists

graphers

historians

geo-chron

paleont

arche

climat

soci

ge

bio

2016

2009

Aug.: vote to prepare formalisation proposal

early-Anthropocene hypothesis

– Holocene, issue 5, 2011

0 votes

Voting on golden spikes & start dates

-4          -3          -2            -1         0°C       +1          +2          +3          +4

1961-1990
average

anthropogenic soils

– Certini & Scalenghe, 2011

?

National Archives image 208-N-43888

Stephen Pyne (2016) The fire age (Aeon.co) photo: Les Stone/Corbis

?

Plastiglomerate

nukes vs. fossil fuels

Michael Büker (31C3) What Ever Happened to Nuclear Weapons?

Stefan Rahmsdorf (25C3) Climate Change: State of the Science

samples appear younger

samples appear older

archaeology connection: radiocarbon method

Pu fallout or CO2 + fuel ash?

Rop & Frank (32C3) Ten years after
‚We Lost The War‘

10:3+2

eco

geo

…reduce GHG by 10%/y

To stop the Great Acceleration…

RCPs 2.6 - 8.5 (AR5-syr.IPCC.ch)

divest financially & operationally

educationally as well?

1950
|

… Avoid rebound effects!

1

partial

full

r e b o u n d

backfire

super- conservation

none

0

Autos mit Fettsucht (SZ, 16.Feb'16)

+

ineffective behaviour invalidates technological efficiency gains (energy, resource use, etc.)

expected savings vs. actual

?

Welcome to the Anthropocene?

(Did) We Accidentally a
New Geological Epoch(?)

Not yet!

Erm, yes.

Will be proposed.

Summary

Accidentally? No!

– Andrew Revkin, nyti.ms/2etKk5y

Welcome to the Anthropocene?

(Did) We Accidentally a
New Geological Epoch(?)

That's on us!

Not yet!

Erm, yes.

No!

Will be proposed.

Summary

References & Sources

Susan  Hassol's .org

Jeremy Davies' eco-political notes: MadeGround.com

Stories about planetary change anthropocene.stanford.edu

Michael White's ForecastPod.org about climate science & scientists

George Monbiot
.com

You just begin. You do the math.
You solve one problem, then the next.

Thanks for your attention!
Thanks to the Congress organisers, thanks to the angels!

 

Questions?

When something influences sedimentation & strata formation globally, and future geologist agree on the next 'golden spike'.

Could be millennia.

– see also nyti.ms/2eiF87e, nyti.ms/1q8Qvrq & 10.1038/nclimate2923

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