AN ICE bridge holding a vast Antarctic ice shelf in place has collapsed
Satellite images of the Wilkins Ice Shelf, now the size of Jamaica, on the Antarctic Peninsula showed how the ice suddenly gave way.
The satellite picture, from the European Space Agency (ESA), showed that a 40km long strip of ice believed to pin the Wilkins Ice Shelf in place had splintered at its narrowest point, about 500m wide.
“It’s amazing how the ice has ruptured. Two days ago it was intact,” David Vaughan, a glaciologist with the British Antarctic Survey, told Reuters.
This is ice shelf is the size of Connecticut or Scotland or Jamaica (take your pick)
Warming finds Wilkins ice shelf's weakest link | theage.com.au
Scences from the Wilkins Ice Shelf | Grist
Ice shelf breaks up - environment | Stuff.co.nz
Ice Bridge Holding Antarctic Shelf in Place Shatters
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Oscar Namechange
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Ice Bridge Holding Antarctic Shelf in Place Shatters
mikeinie;1170608 wrote: AN ICE bridge holding a vast Antarctic ice shelf in place has collapsed
Satellite images of the Wilkins Ice Shelf, now the size of Jamaica, on the Antarctic Peninsula showed how the ice suddenly gave way.
The satellite picture, from the European Space Agency (ESA), showed that a 40km long strip of ice believed to pin the Wilkins Ice Shelf in place had splintered at its narrowest point, about 500m wide.
“It’s amazing how the ice has ruptured. Two days ago it was intact, David Vaughan, a glaciologist with the British Antarctic Survey, told Reuters.
This is ice shelf is the size of Connecticut or Scotland or Jamaica (take your pick)
Warming finds Wilkins ice shelf's weakest link | theage.com.au
Scences from the Wilkins Ice Shelf | Grist
Ice shelf breaks up - environment | Stuff.co.nz
I saw this yesterday in the papers. Quite frightening really. Will it cause a tsunami ??
Satellite images of the Wilkins Ice Shelf, now the size of Jamaica, on the Antarctic Peninsula showed how the ice suddenly gave way.
The satellite picture, from the European Space Agency (ESA), showed that a 40km long strip of ice believed to pin the Wilkins Ice Shelf in place had splintered at its narrowest point, about 500m wide.
“It’s amazing how the ice has ruptured. Two days ago it was intact, David Vaughan, a glaciologist with the British Antarctic Survey, told Reuters.
This is ice shelf is the size of Connecticut or Scotland or Jamaica (take your pick)
Warming finds Wilkins ice shelf's weakest link | theage.com.au
Scences from the Wilkins Ice Shelf | Grist
Ice shelf breaks up - environment | Stuff.co.nz
I saw this yesterday in the papers. Quite frightening really. Will it cause a tsunami ??
At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them. R.L. Binyon
Ice Bridge Holding Antarctic Shelf in Place Shatters
oscar;1170644 wrote: I saw this yesterday in the papers. Quite frightening really. Will it cause a tsunami ??
No. As this ice sheet and others like it melt, there will be a gradual rise in sea levels which could affect low-lying island nations and deltas, all of which could be swamped by higher sea levels.
A vast amount of carbon dioxide is trapped in air bubbles in the ice. The melting ice will release this additional carbon dioxide into the atmosphere which will polarise (over the poles) and further expand the holes in the ozone layer, allowing more of the suns lethal rays to penetrate our atmosphere. Gradually, very gradually, the earth will heat up until the equatorial regions are so hot that nothing will be able to live there. All living creatures will move further north or south to live in temperatures they are comfortable in. This is why mosquitoes, which were found in Africa, are now being found in Europe as the temperature there is now warm enough for them to live and breed.
It also means the polar bears are less able to visit their hunting grounds and so more will starve until they are eventually wiped out as a breed. :-1
No. As this ice sheet and others like it melt, there will be a gradual rise in sea levels which could affect low-lying island nations and deltas, all of which could be swamped by higher sea levels.
A vast amount of carbon dioxide is trapped in air bubbles in the ice. The melting ice will release this additional carbon dioxide into the atmosphere which will polarise (over the poles) and further expand the holes in the ozone layer, allowing more of the suns lethal rays to penetrate our atmosphere. Gradually, very gradually, the earth will heat up until the equatorial regions are so hot that nothing will be able to live there. All living creatures will move further north or south to live in temperatures they are comfortable in. This is why mosquitoes, which were found in Africa, are now being found in Europe as the temperature there is now warm enough for them to live and breed.
It also means the polar bears are less able to visit their hunting grounds and so more will starve until they are eventually wiped out as a breed. :-1
Ice Bridge Holding Antarctic Shelf in Place Shatters
Rapunzel;1170670 wrote: It also means the polar bears are less able to visit their hunting grounds and so more will starve until they are eventually wiped out as a breed. :-1
Oops. That was a generalisation of the effects of melting ice sheets. It doesn't apply in this instance because the ice sheet that broke away was in the Antarctic and polar bears, of course, are indigenous to the Arctic Ocean and its surrounding seas.
Oops. That was a generalisation of the effects of melting ice sheets. It doesn't apply in this instance because the ice sheet that broke away was in the Antarctic and polar bears, of course, are indigenous to the Arctic Ocean and its surrounding seas.
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Clodhopper
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Ice Bridge Holding Antarctic Shelf in Place Shatters
I posted on this a couple of days ago. So it has now completely separated?:-1
btw, Rapunzel, I'm told that since this ice was already in the sea, its melting won't affect sea levels: it will simply go from being solid to being liquid.
The sea level dangers come from the ice which is on land and not, therefore, displacing its own mass of seawater already.
btw, Rapunzel, I'm told that since this ice was already in the sea, its melting won't affect sea levels: it will simply go from being solid to being liquid.
The sea level dangers come from the ice which is on land and not, therefore, displacing its own mass of seawater already.
The crowd: "Yes! We are all individuals!"
Lone voice: "I'm not."
Lone voice: "I'm not."
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Oscar Namechange
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Ice Bridge Holding Antarctic Shelf in Place Shatters
Rapunzel;1170674 wrote: Oops. That was a generalisation of the effects of melting ice sheets. It doesn't apply in this instance because the ice sheet that broke away was in the Antarctic and polar bears, of course, are indigenous to the Arctic Ocean and its surrounding seas. :wah::wah: I didn't like to nit pick :wah:
At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them. R.L. Binyon
Ice Bridge Holding Antarctic Shelf in Place Shatters
oscar;1170753 wrote: :wah::wah: I didn't like to nit pick :wah:
Cheeky! I need a smiley that pokes another smiley in the eye with a sharp stick! :wah:
Cheeky! I need a smiley that pokes another smiley in the eye with a sharp stick! :wah:
Ice Bridge Holding Antarctic Shelf in Place Shatters
Clodhopper;1170675 wrote: I posted on this a couple of days ago. So it has now completely separated?:-1
btw, Rapunzel, I'm told that since this ice was already in the sea, its melting won't affect sea levels: it will simply go from being solid to being liquid.
The sea level dangers come from the ice which is on land and not, therefore, displacing its own mass of seawater already.
Hiya Clodhopper. *waves* I saw your post and wondered why it was posted again, but life repeats itself I guess. :rolleyes:
You're right, an ice shelf melting is like an ice cube melting in that it won't affect sea levels. But I actually said "As this ice sheet and others like it melt, there will be a gradual rise in sea levels" by which I meant that losing this ice shelf will speed up the melting of the landmass of ice, which WILL increase sea levels. Also the increase in carbon dioxide levels will heat up the planet more which will cause further global warming, so the landmass of ice will melt at an even faster rate. It's a cycle that speeds up as it goes. If we stopped, absolutely stopped, everything which contributed to global warming today, it would take over 100 years for global warming to actually cease. In fact, many scientists believe we have now gone past the point of no return. They believe global warming will never cease which means that eventually our planet will fry, it will be totally uninhabitable and all life will cease upon it! Personally, I believe that while Mother Nature can be devastating when she tries to bring the planet back into balance, I hope she can manage it somehow.
btw, Rapunzel, I'm told that since this ice was already in the sea, its melting won't affect sea levels: it will simply go from being solid to being liquid.
The sea level dangers come from the ice which is on land and not, therefore, displacing its own mass of seawater already.
Hiya Clodhopper. *waves* I saw your post and wondered why it was posted again, but life repeats itself I guess. :rolleyes:
You're right, an ice shelf melting is like an ice cube melting in that it won't affect sea levels. But I actually said "As this ice sheet and others like it melt, there will be a gradual rise in sea levels" by which I meant that losing this ice shelf will speed up the melting of the landmass of ice, which WILL increase sea levels. Also the increase in carbon dioxide levels will heat up the planet more which will cause further global warming, so the landmass of ice will melt at an even faster rate. It's a cycle that speeds up as it goes. If we stopped, absolutely stopped, everything which contributed to global warming today, it would take over 100 years for global warming to actually cease. In fact, many scientists believe we have now gone past the point of no return. They believe global warming will never cease which means that eventually our planet will fry, it will be totally uninhabitable and all life will cease upon it! Personally, I believe that while Mother Nature can be devastating when she tries to bring the planet back into balance, I hope she can manage it somehow.
Ice Bridge Holding Antarctic Shelf in Place Shatters
Clodhopper;1170675 wrote: I posted on this a couple of days ago. So it has now completely separated?:-1
btw, Rapunzel, I'm told that since this ice was already in the sea, its melting won't affect sea levels: it will simply go from being solid to being liquid.
The sea level dangers come from the ice which is on land and not, therefore, displacing its own mass of seawater already.
My fault, I did not see your thread until after I posted this.
btw, Rapunzel, I'm told that since this ice was already in the sea, its melting won't affect sea levels: it will simply go from being solid to being liquid.
The sea level dangers come from the ice which is on land and not, therefore, displacing its own mass of seawater already.
My fault, I did not see your thread until after I posted this.
Ice Bridge Holding Antarctic Shelf in Place Shatters
mikeinie;1171048 wrote: My fault, I did not see your thread until after I posted this.
Thats okay. It's made for an interesting discussion.
Give a wave in the general direction of Galway for me and shout "Hello, Mel's Mum and Dad" :wah: Cheers. :-6
Thats okay. It's made for an interesting discussion.
Give a wave in the general direction of Galway for me and shout "Hello, Mel's Mum and Dad" :wah: Cheers.
:-6Ice Bridge Holding Antarctic Shelf in Place Shatters
Rapunzel;1171050 wrote: Thats okay. It's made for an interesting discussion.
Give a wave in the general direction of Galway for me and shout "Hello, Mel's Mum and Dad" :wah: Cheers. :-6
sure, I will be heading that direction within the next week or two so I won't have to shout too loud.
Give a wave in the general direction of Galway for me and shout "Hello, Mel's Mum and Dad" :wah: Cheers.
:-6sure, I will be heading that direction within the next week or two so I won't have to shout too loud.
Ice Bridge Holding Antarctic Shelf in Place Shatters
Rapunzel;1171050 wrote: It's made for an interesting discussion.
So what shall we discuss next? I'm off for 2 weeks as it's Easter so I have some spare time to join in discussions. Shall we start on landfill and recycling? The cost of water? Actually, on recycling, we recycle food waste now. We're told that 1/3 of all landfilled rubbish is leftover food, so the council now collects it, recycles it with the grass cuttings and makes it into mulch. Interesting, huh? Well, I thought it was.
So what shall we discuss next? I'm off for 2 weeks as it's Easter so I have some spare time to join in discussions. Shall we start on landfill and recycling? The cost of water? Actually, on recycling, we recycle food waste now. We're told that 1/3 of all landfilled rubbish is leftover food, so the council now collects it, recycles it with the grass cuttings and makes it into mulch. Interesting, huh? Well, I thought it was.
Ice Bridge Holding Antarctic Shelf in Place Shatters
mikeinie;1171052 wrote: sure, I will be heading that direction within the next week or two so I won't have to shout too loud.
Yeah? Have a nice trip. If you need somewhere to stay they run a Bed and Breakfast just outside of Ballinasloe.
Yeah? Have a nice trip. If you need somewhere to stay they run a Bed and Breakfast just outside of Ballinasloe.