Hypercane
A hypercane is a hypothetical class of tropical cyclone that could form if ocean temperatures reached around 50° Celsius (122° Fahrenheit)—15° higher than the warmest ocean temperature ever recorded[1]—which could in turn be caused by a large asteroid or comet impact, a large volcanic or supervolcanic eruption, or very extensive global warming.[2] There is some speculation that some dinosaurs might have been killed off by a series of hypercanes, resulting from an asteroid or comet crashing into Earth.[3] The term was originally coined by atmospheric scientist Kerry Emanuel in 1994, at MIT. .[4][5]
Physical description
Hypercanes would have wind speeds of over 800 kilometers per hour (500-600+ miles per hour; 130 m/s), and would also have a central pressure of less than 700 hectopascals, giving them an enormous lifespan.[4] The extreme conditions needed to create such a storm could conceivably produce a system up to the size of North America, creating storm surges of Template:Ft to m and an eye nearly Template:Mi to km across. The waters could remain hot enough for weeks, allowing more hypercanes to be formed. A hypercane's clouds would reach 20 miles into the stratosphere. A hypercane would also damage the earth's ozone.[4]
Hypercanes in fiction
The anime Tactical Roar uses a fictional hypercane in the Pacific Ocean as a pretext to showcase naval battles, which are the series' focus.
See also
References
External links
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