Climate fear as giant ice sheets break off ..
From Times OnlineJuly 30, 2008
Climate fear as giant ice sheets break off Arctic shelf
(Sam Soja/The Canadian Press/AP)
Scientists say the break-up of the Ward Hunt shelf is consistent with climate change theories
Giant sheets of ice measuring over seven square miles have broken off the largest remaining ice shelf in the Canadian Arctic, in a development consistent with climate change predictions.
Officials said that the chunks of ice split off the Ward Hunt Ice Shelf off Ellesmere Island last week, forming two floating islands of 1.9 and 5.4 square miles. More could follow later this year, they warned.
It was the largest fracture of its kind since the nearby Ayles ice shelf - roughly the size of Manhattan at 25 square miles - broke away in 2005.
Scientists had already identified deep cracks in the Ward Hunt shelf, which measures around 155 square miles. The shelf is one of five along Ellesmere Island in the northern Arctic.
Asked to be more specific, she said: “More could be a piece as large as the Ayles ice shelf.”
Some experts stressed that the event should not be totally attributed to climate change.
“The break-off is consistent with other changes we’ve seen in the area, such as the reduction in the amount of sea ice, the retreat of the glaciers and the break-up of other ice shelves,” Ms Wohlleben said. However the trigger for the final break-off was likely a strong wind from the south, she added.
Derek Mueller, an Arctic ice shelf specialist at Trent University in Ontario, said that rising temperatures meant shelves were not being reinforced.
“We’re in a different climate now,” he said. “It’s not conducive to regrowing them. It’s a one-way process.”
He said he was concerned by the rapidity of changes in the High Arctic over the last few years.
“It’s a bit of a wake-up call for those people who aren’t yet affected by climate change that there are places on earth that are, and the same could be true for them (these people) if you fast-forward a decade or two or three,” he said.
The shelf, which measures 170 square miles - larger than the Antarctic shelf which collapsed earlier this year - began to form over 4000 years ago, scientists believe. A crack was first spotted in 2002 and last spring a patrol of Canadian Rangers found the weakness had spread into an extensive network of cracks, some 40 metres wide and 11 miles long. The fracture-ridden section of ice was like a jigsaw puzzle, with the pieces held in place only by each other.
Formed by accumulating snow and freezing meltwater, ice shelves are large platforms of thick, ancient sea ice that float on the ocean’s surface. Ellesmere Island was onceentirely ringed
Just watch Kevin Costner's Waterworld, that's all.
"Everything in this book may be wrong." Illusions: The Adventures of The Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach
But I think we can survive. Let's start learning scuba diving and adapt ourselves to marine life. Ladies can convert to mermaids, but what about us? :(((((((((
===================================== http://www.qatarliving.com/node/58409
or lets end the thursday night with some smiles due to global warming...
~~~ There is no substitute for victory yet there is risks of too much oversight... ~~~
ok... ok...
so lets divert this thread to the emotional effect of global warming..
~~~ There is no substitute for victory yet there is risks of too much oversight... ~~~
"Everything in this book may be wrong." Illusions: The Adventures of The Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach
apparent effects of global warming now happens...
~~~ There is no substitute for victory yet there is risks of too much oversight... ~~~
So why aren't coastal areas in the northern hemisphere reporting an increase in land being swallowed into the ocean?
They call it the American dream because you have to be asleep to see it... --George Carlin
last 2 items from your room! :)
Then there really IS hope for the future after all!
"Everything in this book may be wrong." Illusions: The Adventures of The Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach
lol, brandylady, that one is funnier...
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flanusto- big wrong, lol.
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After the game, the KiNG and the PAwN go into the same box.
-Italian Proverb
vukpop, where do you find this stuff!?
that was brilliant!!!!
you're not that much of a bitch mallrat lol
my av's really the opposite of me superficially.. lmao..
just kidding..
visit my site:
http://tetchua.atheista.net
my daughter bought me a cup once that said on it "I can reach 0 to bitch in 0.3 seconds"
then she said I can do it quicker than that!!!!
One more.....
Global warming is very serious problem
mother in law?
this reminds me of a fellow qler with signature that has picture of a woman, and the text goes like this, " if you think i'm a bitch, wait 'till you meet my mom.
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After the game, the KiNG and the PAwN go into the same box.
-Italian Proverb
I would use lol :)
mother in law would be scared if she saw your av!!!
change it to a cute cuddly bunny and then try ;)
hahaha, i'm just on my first beer now...be warned!
if the end is near, we need to do the things we haven't done yet.. i want to have a mother in law asap.. LOL
visit my site:
http://tetchua.atheista.net
lots to drink but amongst friends and I am not looking for a bf but sure you will find someone lol :)
i need a gf that drinks then.........and lots of it!
Alice Cooper!!!!
Try again ;)
what about my face brandylady?
you might get more takers if your av was a little more attractive lol :)
visit my site:
http://tetchua.atheista.net
I agree with you somewhat.. Governments are using the green card to eke out extra taxes...
Check out this website..http://www.climateaudit.com/
THAT is the start of the end of the world.
Meh.
"Everything in this book may be wrong." Illusions: The Adventures of The Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach
Honesty i thinks is just a Coincidence, and this has happened since the Ice Age.
Do you know that the Glaciers in Northern Europe has increased in size the last 3 years ?
( Maybe we are going towards a new Ice Age :) )
I think that the Environmentalists are mis-informing a lot, creating fear in the population-. With this I do not say that we should not do our best to save the environment...
I hope not... So many things still to do... Angelina Jolie still hasn't answered my letters , but the Bank Manager get in touch on a regular basis...
of the end??? :(