The Melting Antartica Icesheet

[All_Around_Brown]

The new Antarctic measurements, using data from two NASA satellites called the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE), found that the amount of water pouring annually from the ice sheet into the ocean -- equivalent to the amount of water the United States uses in three months -- is causing global sea level to rise by 0.4 millimeters a year. The continent holds 90 percent of the world's ice, and the disappearance of even its smaller West Antarctic ice sheet could raise worldwide sea levels by an estimated 20 feet.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...030201712.html

"It looks like the ice sheets are ahead of schedule" in terms of melting, Alley said. "That's a wake-up call. We better figure out what's going on."

I'm sorry if this is too much science for some.

[BelichickFan]

Originally Posted by All_Around_Brown

I'm sorry if this is too much science for some.

Sigh.

Not many of us are debating whether there's a phase of global warming, we're debating the cause of it.

[maverick4]

Has anyone ever come across a link recently that talks about the ramifications of melting ice and rising sea water?

Am very curious, thanks.

[All_Around_Brown]

Originally Posted by maverick4

Has anyone ever come across a link recently that talks about the ramifications of melting ice and rising sea water?

Am very curious, thanks.

The article points to the latest journal of Science. You should start there.

[All_Around_Brown]

Originally Posted by BelichickFan

Sigh.

Not many of us are debating whether there's a phase of global warming, we're debating the cause of it.

Clearly, you have made progress. IIRC, I remember the good ol days when you weren't even convinced of that. That said, the causes are documented with a 90% certainty: that this is anthropogenic.

Keep tuned, you'll get there eventually.

[Real World]

More doomsday. I guess I better buy a boat, or move to the mountains. I guess Shanghai really is in trouble.

From the article:

The new findings, which are being published today in the journal Science, suggest that global sea level could rise substantially over the next several centuries.

.....

Richard Alley, a Pennsylvania State University glaciologist who has studied the Antarctic ice sheet but was not involved in the new research, said more research is needed to determine if the shrinkage is a long-term trend, because the new report is based on just three years of data. "One person's trend is another person's fluctuation," he said.

.....

Velicogna acknowledged that it is hard to predict how fast the ice sheet will melt in the future but said, "I don't expect it's going to stop in the next couple of years."

Scientists have been debating whether the Antarctic ice sheet is expanding or shrinking overall, because the center of the sheet tends to gain mass through snowfall whereas the coastal regions are more vulnerable to melting.



Ok, so 20' is possible in the next several "centuries", which means that the current rate of increased temp would have to remain constant. Of course though, the data only covers a 3 year span, and the researcher in question doesn't see a reversal in "the next couple of years". Furthermore, there are still questions regarding the ice mass in Antarctica.

More dooms day stuff which I don't subscribe too. At any rate, my question is, if Global Warming is man made, then fine, we might want to discuss some course of action, but if it's not, and is a natural course our planet fluctuates through, then why the fuss? To me, niether is a...



That's why I'd love to see some honest debate, and not more fear mongering, or naysaying, like we do now.

[patsfan13]

Originally Posted by maverick4

Has anyone ever come across a link recently that talks about the ramifications of melting ice and rising sea water?

Am very curious, thanks.

According to the IPCC the scenario is 17 inches this century. This is down from their earlier prediction of 36 inches in their previous report. At the current rate we will be at 0 inches by the time of their next report.

[Pujo]

See, where we are now, is BelichickFan is admitting the Earth is warming, but not ready to blame humans.

Real World and Patsfan13 aren't even ready to accept that the Earth is warming (because if it does, for ANY reason - including sunspots, oceans will rise).

Or they're just doing what defense lawyers do. They don't have a consistent opinion, they just want to create doubt.

[patsfan13]

Pujo yuo are a liar. I have said the earth is warming. I have also said that this is a good thing, God help us when the next Ice Age happens. What I have not said is that the warming is caused by the activities of domesticated primates.

Even if you arer incapable of defending your POV please don't lie about what others say.

[BelichickFan]

Originally Posted by Pujo

See, where we are now, is BelichickFan is admitting the Earth is warming, but not ready to blame humans.

I'm not "admitting" anything - I simply acknowledge that we are in a temporary, normal phase of the temperature cycle that currently is warmer than average.