Jumping Jack Flash Hypothesis.

[Atman]

http://jumpingjackflashhypothesis.blogspot.co.uk

Hypothesis:
"The seas, lakes and oceans are now pluming deadly hydrogen sulfide and suffocating methane. Hydrogen sulfide is a highly toxic water-soluble heavier-than-air gas and will accumulate in low-lying areas. Methane is slightly more buoyant than normal air and so will be all around, but will tend to contaminate our atmosphere from the top down. These gases are sickening and killing oxygen-using life all around the world, including human life, as our atmosphere is increasingly poisoned. Because both gases are highly flammable and because our entire civilization is built around fire and flammable fuels, this is leading to more fires and explosions. This is an extinction level event and will likely decimate both the biosphere and human population and it is debatable whether humankind can survive this event."

♦Being a docile creature, I usually shrug off such doom believing that it is decades away but now look at this from 1996 I think:



And another dataset:

http://cdiac.ornl.gov/pns/current_ghg.html[/img] which puts atmospheric CH4 at about 1800ppb.

Now, this probably isn't very shocking to many hardened doomers but take a look at the news stories concerning the spontaneous combustion of vehicles. The dates are all provided to give a sense of the frequency. It's not easy to make a comparison between the present number of events and compare that to the past to maybe see a significant difference, but some of the newspaper reports are very strange. Some incidences are explained as caused by arsonists yet many more go without explanation by the authorities.

[RenewableCandy]

Is that H_2S? I had no idea it was flamable. And, if it were around, wouldn't we smell it??

[JohnB]

But what effect will it have on economic growth? That's all that matters.

[Atman]

From http://cameochemicals.noaa.gov/chemical/3625 :

Air & Water Reactions
Highly flammable; a flame can very easily flash back to the source of leak. Soluble in water to a maximum of 0.4% by mass at room temperature (NIOSH, 1997).
Fire Hazard
Compound is heavier than air and may travel a considerable distance to source of ignition and flash back. It forms explosive mixtures with air over a wide range. Also reacts explosively with bromine pentafluoride, chlorine trifluoride, nitrogen triiodide, nitrogen trichloride, oxygen difluoride, and phenyl diazonium chloride. When heated to decomposition, it emits highly toxic fumes of oxides of sulfur. Incompatible with many materials including strong oxidizers, metals, strong nitric acid, bromine pentafluoride, chlorine trifluoride, nitrogen triiodide, nitrogen trichloride, oxygen difluoride and phenyl diazonium chloride. Avoid physical damage to containers; sources of ignition; storage near nitric acid, strong oxidizing materials, and corrosive liquids or gases. (EPA, 1998)
Health Hazard
Exposure to very high concentrations causes immediate death. Also death or permanent injury may occur after very short exposure to small quantities. It acts directly upon the nervous system resulting in paralysis of respiratory centers. (EPA, 1998)
Reactivity Profile
HYDROGEN SULFIDE reacts as an acid and as a reducing agent. Explodes on contact with oxygen difluoride, bromine pentafluoride, chlorine trifluoride, dichlorine oxide, silver fulminate. May ignite and explode when exposed to powdered copper in oxygen [Mertz, V. et al., Ber., 1880, 13, p. 722]. May react similarly with other powdered metals. Ignites on contact with metal oxides and peroxides (barium peroxide, chromium trioxide, copper oxide, lead dioxide, manganese dioxide, nickel oxide, silver oxide, silver dioxide, thallium trioxide, sodium peroxide, mercury oxide, calcium oxide) [Mellor, 1947, vol. 10, p. 129, 141]. Ignites with silver bromate, lead(II) hypochlorite, copper chromate, nitric acid, lead(IV) oxide and rust. May ignite if passed through rusty iron pipes [Mee, A. J., School Sci. Rev., 1940, 22(85), p. 95]. Reacts exothermically with bases. The heat of the reaction with soda lime, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, barium hydroxide may lead to ignition or explosion of the unreacted portion in the presence of air / oxygen [Mellor, 1947, vol. 10, p. 140].

As for the smell (wikipedia):

" It is a colorless gas with the characteristic foul odor of rotten eggs"

"Being heavier than air, it tends to accumulate at the bottom of poorly ventilated spaces. Although very pungent at first, it quickly deadens the sense of smell, so potential victims may be unaware of its presence until it is too late. For safe handling procedures, a hydrogen sulfide material safety data sheet (MSDS) should be consulted"

[clv101]

"...Because both gases are highly flammable and because our entire civilization is built around fire and flammable fuels, this is leading to more fires and explosions. This is an extinction level event and will likely decimate both the biosphere and human population and it is debatable whether humankind can survive this event."

This is junk. The increase in CH4 is not causing any more fires and explosions!

[Atman]

"...Because both gases are highly flammable and because our entire civilization is built around fire and flammable fuels, this is leading to more fires and explosions. This is an extinction level event and will likely decimate both the biosphere and human population and it is debatable whether humankind can survive this event."

This is junk. The increase in CH4 is not causing any more fires and explosions!

This may be correct. The NOAA information on methane states that it's reactivity is less than that of Hydrogen Sulfide.

"Reactivity Profile
METHANE is a reducing agent, it is involved in many explosions when combined with especially powerful oxidizers such as bromine pentafluoride, chlorine trifluoride, chlorine, iodine, heptafluoride, dioxygenyl tetrafluoroborate, dioxygen difluoride, trioxygen difluoride and liquid oxygen. Other violent reactions include, chlorine dioxide and nitrogen trifluoride. Liquid oxygen gives an explosive mixture when combined with liquid methane [NFPA 1991]. Contact of very cold liquefied gas with water may result in vigorous or violent boiling of the product and extremely rapid vaporization due to the large temperature differences involved. If the water is hot, there is the possibility that a liquid "superheat" explosion may occur. Pressures may build to dangerous levels if liquid gas contacts water in a closed container [Handling Chemicals Safely 1980]. "

Yet no mention of reaction with metal oxides as with Hydrogen Sulfide, which to repeat:

" Ignites on contact with metal oxides and peroxides (barium peroxide, chromium trioxide, copper oxide, lead dioxide, manganese dioxide, nickel oxide, silver oxide, silver dioxide, thallium trioxide, sodium peroxide, mercury oxide, calcium oxide) [Mellor, 1947, vol. 10, p. 129, 141]. Ignites with silver bromate, lead(II) hypochlorite, copper chromate, nitric acid, lead(IV) oxide and rust. May ignite if passed through rusty iron pipes [Mee, A. J., School Sci. Rev., 1940, 22(85), p. 95]."

So perhaps Methane isn't the cause, but in some instances Hydrogen Sulfide definitely is as it is explicity mentioned in the reports. A list of instances can be found at

http://jumpingjackflashhypothesis.blogs ... vents.html