Increasing CO2 could take us back to scorching Paleogene period, say scientists
科學家表示節節高升的CO2濃度可能會將地球帶回炎熱的古代氣候
Heatwave temperatures similar to those that set the UK sizzling this summer could become normal by the end of the century if carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere continue to rise, say scientists.
科學家表示，如果在大氣中二氧化碳的濃度持續攀升，像現在英國所面臨的酷暑及高溫，到了本世紀結束前就會成為每天都有的常態氣候。
A new study predicts that without action to curb greenhouse gas emissions the climate of Western Europe could revert back to what it was 50 million years ago.
一項新的研究顯示，在沒有採取任何行動來抑制溫室氣體排放的情況下，西歐的氣候可能會變回五千萬年前的樣貌。
At that time, during the Paleogene period, average annual land temperatures soared to between 23C and 29C.
在五千萬年前的古近紀，全球陸地的平均溫度是上升到攝氏23至29度之間。
Weather conditions were hot, steamy and tropical.
當時的氣候狀況是炎熱，蒸氣繚繞，以及熱帶性的。
Professor Rich Pancost, one of the researchers from the University of Bristol, said: “Our work adds to the evidence for a very hot climate under potential end-of-century carbon dioxide levels.
Rich Pancost教授是布里斯托大學的其中一位研究人員，他表示，「我們所做的研究更加證明在本世紀末的潛在二氧化碳濃度影響下，有更高的可能性會出現極端炎熱氣候。」
“Importantly, we also study how the Earth system responded to that warmth. For example, this and other hot time periods were associated with evidence for arid conditions and extreme rainfall events.”
「而我們研究地球會如何因應這般炎熱氣候的預測也是同等地重要。舉例來說，這一些炎熱的期間，也有證據指向它們與乾旱或暴雨狀況的連結。」
The scientists studied fossil microbes in ancient peat to estimate land temperature 50 million years ago.
這些科學家們也研究了在在古代泥炭化石中的微生物來估測五千萬年前的陸地氣溫。
They found that annual land temperatures in Western Europe, as well as New Zealand, were significantly higher than previously thought.
結果他們發現在西歐，還有紐西蘭，在古代的陸地均溫比之前所想像的要高出很多。
Study leader Dr. David Naafs, from the University of Bristol’s School of Earth Sciences, said: “We know that the early Paleogene was characterized by a greenhouse climate with elevated carbon dioxide levels.
首席研究員，來自布里斯托大學地球科學院的David Naafs博士，指出「我們現在知道早期的古近紀是因為升高的二氧化碳濃度而產生了顯著的溫室氣體氣候。」
“Most of the existing estimates of temperatures from this period are from the ocean, not the land. What this study attempts to answer is exactly how warm it got on land during this period.”
「大部分在現存對於古近紀的溫度推估都是來自於海洋而非陸地區域。我們現在的研究就是企圖要找出這個時期陸地究竟可以有多溫暖的答案。」
The findings appear in the journal Nature Geoscience.
這些研究的結果登載於《自然地球科學》期刊上。
Next the researchers want to investigate the effect of Paleogene heat in the tropics.
接下來研究人員們想要調查古近紀時期的熱能在熱帶地區的影響力。
Dr. Naafs said: “Did the tropics, for example, become ecological dead zones because temperatures in excess of 40C were too high for most forms of life to survive?
Dr. Naafs表示，「因為在當時該區域中超過攝氏40度的高溫對大多數的生物來說都難以存活，所以在古近紀時的熱帶地區，是否可稱為生態滅絕的區域呢？」
“Some climate models suggest this, but we currently lack critical data.”
他繼續指出，「有些氣候模型有暗示這樣的情況，不過目前我們還缺乏決定性的資料來佐證。」
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