Overview of the various models for ice ages in the recent past (3 MYBP to present) - Ice Ages and Interglacials: Measurements, Interpretation, and Models - page 229

''It may well be that the ocean is carrying as little as 10% of the net poleward
heat transport at the mid-latitudes. But 10% of 5 PW is 0.5 PW whose
redistribution or change would correspond to a large climate shift. The area
of the Earth's surface poleward of 40 is 5.6 10 13 m 2 . A shift in the oceanic
heat transport, removing 0.5 PW, would correspond to an atmospheric radiative
forcing change of about 9W/m 2 , larger than what is expected from doubled
atmospheric CO 2 .''

Thus, the fact that the oceans carry a comparatively small percentage of
the total heat flux does not imply that this is not a large absolute quantity.
Furthermore, the reason that the atmosphere carries such a high heat flux is
because it transports water vapor that provides the high heat needed by condensa-
tion for it to precipitate. However, the oceans provide a supply of water vapor
and, therefore, as Wunsch (2005) said: much of the heat flux commonly

assigned to the atmosphere is actually in a combined mode of both systems.''
Wunsch (2006) emphasized the difference between the placid Holocene and the
violently variable period that preceded it. The main difference between the two
eras was the presence of gigantic ice sheets in the earlier period. He therefore
suggested that it was the disappearance of the Laurentide and Fennoscandian ice
sheets that brought the era of D-O events to an end. During the glacial period,
changes in the wind field were suggested as the prime mover in abrupt climate
change.
The most recent paper on abrupt climate change is the very long review
written by Alley (2007). In some respects this is a polemic in favor of the
widespread belief that the cause of the sudden (e.g., D-O) events can be traced
back to major changes (extending to shutdown) of the North Atlantic MOC and
perhaps even failure of the Gulf Stream (as previously mentioned). In other
respects it is a tribute to Wally Broecker, who championed this concept in the
mid-1980s.
Alley (2007) mentioned that:

'' ...

scientific skeptics do still remain (most notably Wunsch), providing
important impetus for additional research, but Broecker's North Atlantic/
conveyor paradigm has gained widespread acceptance. For example, the
Broecker papers listed above have been cited more than 2000 times as indexed
by ISI, and a brief perusal indicates that at least most of those citations are in
general agreement.''

'' ...

But good science is not a matter of voting, and there are many examples of
scientific beliefs that are widely accepted (e.g., the so-called ''hockey stick'' model
of Earth temperatures over the past 2,000 years) that are clearly wrong (Rapp,
2008). Amazingly, despite the length of Alley's article (34 pages and many refer-
ences) he did not respond directly to some of Wunsch's major points, nor does
''ERBE'' appear in his document. While it is true that Wally Broecker is a giant