Looking at global temperature maps I can't help noticing what appears to be a persistent if variable area of heat production in the South Pacific. It manifests itself as the Southern Oscillation producing an area of warm water that moves from west to east on a regular basis having a substantial effect on the world's climate. It reminds me of a central heating system and we all know how effective such systems can be. Hot water is a very effective way of warming air. I am not convinced that the heat involved comes from the sun and atmosphere. It seems more likely to me that the source is an undiscovered area of volcanic activity or a warm area of the earth's crust beneath the Southern Pacific. At the very least the weight of water in that area would depress stretch and thin the crust beneath it letting more heat from the earth seep into the water. Bear in mind that the heat generated in the earth's core does not decrease with time. It is constantly being renewed by movement inside the earth caused by external gravitational forces. Such an area would produce a persistent plume of warm water that would rise to the surface but due to the rotation of the earth the location at which it reaches the surface would vary. If such a heat source were present it would dwarf all other variables by a huge margin and would be the main controlling factor for the atmospheric temperature. On that basis increased CO2 would be a consequence of enhanced biological activity encouraged by a warming trend rather than the cause of any warming trend. Has the Southern Pacific sea floor been thoroughly investigated? Has anyone ever checked whether increased CO2 comes before or after increases in global temperature? If found to be correct or at least a relevant variable the theory can be taken further. The heat generated by external gravitation moving the earth’s interior must be removed somehow. The options appear to be sudden venting through volcanoes or radiation through the thinnest areas of crust that would normally be under the oceans. During periods of enhanced volcano activity heat and pressure below the crust would decline relatively quickly so undersea heating would be declining at the same time as volcanic aerosols reduced sunlight reaching the surface. Global cooling or an ice age would ensue. During periods of reduced volcanic activity the main heat outlet would be radiation through the oceans while more sunlight reached the surface. Global warming would then prevail. In the light of such huge processes the effect of more CO2 would be irrelevant. Indeed the main source of increasing CO2 would be enhanced biological activity on the continents as a result of the general warming. Comparing Earth with Mars the latter shows what happens where radiation of heat is greater than heat generated inside the planet. Comparing Earth with Venus we see what happens where radiation of heat is less than that generated internally. Earth is more or less in balance where the oceans remain liquid with occasional glaciations. A Theory of Planetary Thermal Balance?