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Expert: - 11/18/2007


Question
Has anyone studied the possibility that the weight we are taking off of the earth everyday by burning up more than 100,000 barrels of oil may be affecting the Earth orbit thus causing climate change? I estimate approximately 40 billion pounds a day!

Answer
Hello,

NO one to my knowledge has studied this at all, but it is hard to see why they would.

While the consumption of immense quantities of oil would indeed create and engender climate change - there is no evidence it could cause orbital variations.

If you are considering the mass lost by the burning affecting the mass of Earth, you also have to factor in the *mass gained* each day by meteorites impacting the planet. On the order of 1 million tons per day.

So it probably balances out. I am not sure about your "40 billion pounds a day" figure- but would like to see exactly how you estimated it! (Given there are ~ 42 gallons to the barrel and the density of oil is LESS than that of water)

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Philip A. Stahl

Expertise

I specialize in stellar and solar astrophysics. Can answer any questions pertaining to these areas, the spectroscopic analysis of stars – as well as the magneto-hydrodynamics of sunspots and solar flares. Sorry – No homework problems done or research projects! I will provide hints on solutions.

Experience

Have published papers on the relationship between sunspot morphology and solar flares; discovery of SID flares related to this, constructed computerized stellar models; MHD research.

Organizations
American Astronomical Society (Solar physics and Dynamical astronomy divisions), American Geophysical Union, American Mathematical Society, Intertel.

Publications
Solar Physics, Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, Journal of the Barbados Astronomical Society, Meudon Solar Flare Proceedings (Meudon, France). Books: 'Selected Analyses in Solar Flare Plasma Dynamics', 'Physics Notes for Advanced Level'.

Education/Credentials
B.A. degree in Astronomy; M.Phil. degree in Physics - specializing in solar physics.

Awards and Honors
Postgraduate research award- Barbados government; Studentship Award in Solar Physics - American Astronomical Society

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