Antarctic Glaciers Moving To Sea Faster
Don Beck | 07.06.2007 19:31 | Ecology
The British Antarctic Survey team studying 300
glaciers found that they are flowing into the sea
at a faster pace than scientists have ever seen.
As the glaciers melting is accelerated, the melt
water contributes to the faster movement.
glaciers found that they are flowing into the sea
at a faster pace than scientists have ever seen.
As the glaciers melting is accelerated, the melt
water contributes to the faster movement.
"We're only just now getting to grips with just how
big these dynamic processes may be. There are
still a lot of surprises out there," said David Vaughan,
a glaciologist at the British Antarctic Survey and a
co-author of the study.(1)
The sea level rise predicted by scientists must be
re-calculated but they don't know by how much yet.
South America
Scientists studying the Andeas Mountains predict
the glaciers there will be gone in 30 years, and one
will be melted away within the next two years. Areas
of the region are expectd to double in population by
2050 and there is great concern about the water
shortage that is inevitable.
Glaciologist Edson Ramirez stated "This is a process
that unfortunately is now irreversible".(2)
US Gov't. Action
These discoveries are coming at a time that the Bush
administration has drastically reduced the budget of
NASA which will greatly hamper US scientists from
learning the extent of the glaciers and ice sheets
melting. ".....they will face major gaps in data that can
be collected only from satellites about ice caps and
sheets, surface levels of seas and lakes, sizes of
glaciers, surface radiation, water vapor, snow cover
and atmospheric carbon dioxide."(3)
‘’We’re going to start being blinded in our ability to
observe the planet,’’ said Rick Piltz, whose group
provided the AP with a previously undisclosed
report. ‘’It’s criminal negligence, and the leaders in
the climate science community are ringing the alarm
bells on this crisis.’’…
********
1) In Antarctica, proof that action on climate change is more urgent than ever
http://environment.independent.co.uk/climate_change/article2617440.ece
2) Global warming melts Andean glaciers toward oblivion
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N07255128.htm
3) Key points in NASA-NOAA report to White House science office on NPOESS de-scoping
http://www.climatesciencewatch.org/index.php/csw/details/npoess_report_key_points/
big these dynamic processes may be. There are
still a lot of surprises out there," said David Vaughan,
a glaciologist at the British Antarctic Survey and a
co-author of the study.(1)
The sea level rise predicted by scientists must be
re-calculated but they don't know by how much yet.
South America
Scientists studying the Andeas Mountains predict
the glaciers there will be gone in 30 years, and one
will be melted away within the next two years. Areas
of the region are expectd to double in population by
2050 and there is great concern about the water
shortage that is inevitable.
Glaciologist Edson Ramirez stated "This is a process
that unfortunately is now irreversible".(2)
US Gov't. Action
These discoveries are coming at a time that the Bush
administration has drastically reduced the budget of
NASA which will greatly hamper US scientists from
learning the extent of the glaciers and ice sheets
melting. ".....they will face major gaps in data that can
be collected only from satellites about ice caps and
sheets, surface levels of seas and lakes, sizes of
glaciers, surface radiation, water vapor, snow cover
and atmospheric carbon dioxide."(3)
‘’We’re going to start being blinded in our ability to
observe the planet,’’ said Rick Piltz, whose group
provided the AP with a previously undisclosed
report. ‘’It’s criminal negligence, and the leaders in
the climate science community are ringing the alarm
bells on this crisis.’’…
********
1) In Antarctica, proof that action on climate change is more urgent than ever
http://environment.independent.co.uk/climate_change/article2617440.ece 2) Global warming melts Andean glaciers toward oblivion
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N07255128.htm 3) Key points in NASA-NOAA report to White House science office on NPOESS de-scoping
http://www.climatesciencewatch.org/index.php/csw/details/npoess_report_key_points/
Don Beck