Hypercane
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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]
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[edit] Physical description
Hypercanes would have wind speeds of over 800 kilometers per hour (600 miles per hour; 130 m/s), and would also have a central pressure of less than 700 hectopascals, giving them an enormous lifespan. 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 60 feet (18 m) and an eye nearly 200 miles (322 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 could also damage the earth's ozone.[4]
[edit] 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.
[edit] References
[edit] See also
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