Wilkins Ice Shelf under threat

Rifts formed in the wilkins ice shelf will lead to the opening of a ice bridge supporting it and allow it to drift it into the ocean.

Recent satellite images show new rifts have developed on the Wilkins Ice Shelf which could possibly lead to the opening of the ice bridge that has been preventing the shelf from disintegrating and breaking away from the Antarctic Peninsula. The ice bridge connects the Wilkins Ice Shelf to two islands, Charcot and Latady.

Here's a image showing the melting of ice.



And here's a animated image,



Now, for the causes of the wide scale impact,

In February 2008 an area of about 400 km² broke off from the ice shelf, narrowing the ice bridge down to a 6 km strip. At the end of May 2008 an area of about 160 km² broke off, reducing the ice bridge to just 2.7 km. Between 30 May and 9 July 2008, the ice shelf experienced further disintegration and lost about 1350 km².

The causes for this,

The Wilkins Ice Shelf, a broad plate of floating ice south of South America on the Antarctic Peninsula, had been stable for most of the last century before it began retreating in the 1990s. The peninsula has been experiencing extraordinary warming in the past 50 years of 2.5°C.In the past 20 years, seven ice shelves along the Antarctic Peninsula have retreated or disintegrated, including the most spectacular break-up of the Larsen B Ice Shelf in 2002, which Envisat captured within days of its launch.

The most important:

If the ice shelf breaks away from the peninsula, it will not cause a rise in sea level since it is already floating. However, ice shelves on the Antarctic Peninsula are sandwiched by extraordinarily raising surface air temperatures and a warming ocean, making them important indicators for on-going climate change.

The damage of the sea level rise has already been done, now, this serves as a excellent evidence of global warming, seven ice shelves disintegrated in twenty years, and combined with the rise of temperature, is the ultimate & undeniable evidence of global warming.

Links:

www.universetoday.com...

www.esa.int...

Come on guys, this is a serious issue, the water level of the sea has already risen due to this and more such ice sheets are prone to breaking up and the water level of the seas bound to rise, we must act now.

S+F from me good Op.

Peacejet People as a whole are hypnotised and don't care,

They have been told by lobby groups, and basic science that its all spin that its getting warmer, from any CO2 which is scientifically untrue, when you look at mix data, i.e. Water, Land and Air Temp rises, and they don't want to pay tax's to stop it.

Greed and also apathy, you will probably like the links and information I put on this thread proving the OCEAN is raising in temp and where most of the extra heat and Co2 is going,:
Tibetan Glaciers Melting at an Alarming Rate

Which also shows now with your thread, and links on that thread therein that this is happening quickly at both sea level and also on the highest place on earth.

What I cant understand too from the almost moronic it's not happening consensus, is that even with the photo's and evidence people are still deny it, its like the flat Earthers, in Gallileo's time really is.

Maybe because I have watched so little TV over the last 10-15 yrs it has not got to me, and I always read both apposing and proposed research I am not yet in the matrix of denial as such.

Also in addition GW or not, what the issue many people don't think about is the fact WE STILL HAVE MASSIVE OZONE holes at the polar regions which lets in much more ultraviolet light, we are warned to limit our UV exposure because this causes our skin to burn and spark of skin cancer, but people don't put two and two together and realise it also has an effect on the melting of the ice there.

Having said that the type of light allowed by the missing Ozone layer is not to predisposed to the reflective index of Ice and its qualities as opposed to say skin, but it is still significant...

I have the journal with the report here but have not it yet, its late so I will now before bed, and try and add to this thread tomorrow and the above one too, with some solid replies.

Elf.

[edit on 30-11-2008 by MischeviousElf]

What I cant understand too from the almost moronic it's not happening consensus is that even with the photo's and evidence people are still deny it, its like the flat Earthers, in Gallileo's time really is. Maybe because I have watched so little TV over the last 10-15 yrs it has not got to me, and I always read both apposing and proposed research I am not yet in the matrix of denial as such.

I accept your opinion that most people deny it, because, they state the natural cycle of heating and cooling of the earth, but most fail to understand that the natural process takes thousands of years to occur and this warming has taken place in just a matter of few decades and in the time scale, the amount of CO2 has risen so much that it is endangering our planet to the brink of extinction.

And in my personal opinion, I dont think that measures against global warming will be impemented in the near future, considering the current economic crisis.

[edit on 30/11/08 by peacejet]

Ice sheets formed on the ocean will not increase the ocean level, only ice sheets that are on land will increase the ocean level if they slide off.

Originally posted by mel1962
Ice sheets formed on the ocean will not increase the ocean level, only ice sheets that are on land will increase the ocean level if they slide off.

For some information, antarctica is a land mass which has pushed deep down due to the weight of the ice shelf over it, and so, what you see as ice melting off is actually from the land, and we cant see it as I mentioned earlier because it is deep inside, and all the melting ice is floating on the sea and so increases the sea level.

Here's a image for your reference.



Link:
en.wikipedia.org...:AntarcticBedrock.jpg

[edit on 30/11/08 by peacejet]

[edit on 30/11/08 by peacejet]

The real reason the ice sheets are breaking off is the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake.
The Tsunami from this earthquake caused breaks in the ice sheets that are now coming lose.
You will note that the ice sheets are breaking off where the ice meets the water, not from the edge back.
The long period waves from the 2004 Tsunami caused the floating part of the ice to break where it comes off the land and starts to float.

A normal tsunami breaks when it hits shallow water.
with a ice sheet in the way it went under the ice sheet and broke the ice sheet instead of building a wave.

en.wikipedia.org...

reply to post by peacejet


Does it mean the ocean is not displaced by this ice sheet? If the land is below sea level, than the ocean is still displaced by the ice sheet and therefore would not cause a rise in sea level. Very good graphics by the way and I wondering if this process will be reversed by our recent spell of cold weather and lack of sunspot activity!

Edit -Peacejet beat me to it well done lol!

Originally posted by mel1962
Ice sheets formed on the ocean will not increase the ocean level, only ice sheets that are on land will increase the ocean level if they slide off.

Quite Correct and last time I checked the ANTARTIC is actually a CONTINENT covered by Ice, that is solid rock underneath which this ICESHELF is sitting on top of.....

This is very different to the north Pole my friend...What's the issue is that these ice shelves hold back, and stop most of the ice sliding down into the sea....

To get an idea of the enormity of the ANTARTIC and the ice on top of it, not in the sea but on land look at a good atlas....

A good visual display of it is below, see how it is a land mass covered in ice nearly as big as south America in size?




Do the Math, worried?

Still Hypnotised by the dumbing down in schools over the last 20 years?

Elf

[edit on 30-11-2008 by MischeviousElf]

reply to post by ANNED


But, the 2004 tsunami didnt reach the antarctic region, it went only as far as the west coast of africa and the same distance southwards, before it lost strength, and even if it caused the breaking of ice sheets, the ice sheets should have broken at that instant itself and not over a long duration of time.



[edit on 30/11/08 by peacejet]

Originally posted by mel1962
reply to post by peacejet

 

Does it mean the ocean is not displaced by this ice sheet? If the land is below sea level, than the ocean is still displaced by the ice sheet and therefore would not cause a rise in sea level. Very good graphics by the way and I wondering if this process will be reversed by our recent spell of cold weather and lack of sunspot activity!

You must think in terms of the water locked inside the ice sheet, once it hits the water from its stable resting point, it causes increase in sea level, due to the additional weight in the water, and and you should not think that as the land is deep down, you must think of the ice sheets as land as it is on the 'land'.

And for the process reversal by cold weather and sunspot activity, you must understand that the cold weather in one region and hot weather in other region is the actual effect of the global warming, which causes heavy rain in regions which generally do not recieve much rain and less rainfall in the reigons of heavy rain, and the sun actually cycles in a 11 year season of maximum and minimum activity which directly corresponds to sun spots and this can be taken as "calm before the storm".

Wasting billions of dollars to "fix" a problem that isn't broke isn't the answer.

There have been much higher levels of CO2 in the past, there have been higher temperatures in the past, and there were much higher sea levels in the past; there was no human industry in the past that is the basis for the claims made now.

As for the claims that change occurred over thousands of years, there are more than a few scientist, that are just as credentialed as the environmental whack jobs, that make the argument of change can happen in a few decades.

A super volcano eruption would put change in the scope of days, so would a large meteor or comet impact. This has occurred in the past, without the help of mankind.

There have been several major extinction events in the past, without the help of mankind's industry.

Change on the planet happens, sometimes quicker than expected. This is just part of a much larger, but misunderstood, cycle.

reply to post by peacejet


Thanks for the education on this matter with the Wilkens Ice Shelf. However, I will disagree on global warming, I believe the Sun has more of an impact on the earth's climate than man, although man does have an impact and influence that is mixed in with the natural cycles of sunspots, valcones, etc. IMHO!

Originally posted by peacejet
reply to post by ANNED

 

But, the 2004 tsunami didnt reach the antarctic region, it went only as far as the west coast of africa and the same distance southwards, before it lost strength, and even if it caused the breaking of ice sheets, the ice sheets should have broken at that instant itself and not over a long duration of time.

Nope it did get there Peacejet

The tsunami also reached Antarctica, where tidal gauges at Japan's Showa Base recorded oscillations of up to a metre, with disturbances lasting a couple of days.

ANNED Link

And may have contributed to some breaking up, or added energy to an already unstable icemass/shelf.... So good point ANNED, but the contribution is small, and certainly not a prime reason or driver.

But this has been going on for long before the tsunami Even and as mentioned in an earlier post look at my links in the Tibetan Glacier thread.

The worlds ocean's are getting warmer full stop, and it is of more concern than any rise in our Atmospheric system, both in terms of weather effects, as the oceans generally create most of the energy that drives the atmosphere and weather, and certainly in melting sea level ice such as this.

Also be aware ALL and research the effects of adding freshwater such as this ice to the Oceans, on salinity and its effects in other systems within the ocean's which also drive weather further!!!

This is as I have been banging on about on ATS for years all interconnected and feedback.

Elf.

reply to post by hinky


I will never deny that there a high carbon di oxide level in the past, but the point to be noted is the same point I am telling, either it occured over a large amount of time, or due to a super volcanic explosion, but in the current time, there has not been any volcanic explosions coming under this category and also the CO2 is harmful to life on earth, and this CO2 along with other green house gases are released into the atmosphere by the increased human industrial activity and this is endangering our life and this can be prevented if we take necessary actions.

[edit on 30/11/08 by peacejet]

reply to post by MischeviousElf


Thanks elf for that info, I didnt know that earlier.

Second line.

Originally posted by peacejet
Come on guys, this is a serious issue, the water level of the sea has already risen due to this and more such ice sheets are prone to breaking up and the water level of the seas bound to rise, we must act now.

I think your answer lies in this search of ATS.

Click on this link.

We are suffering from Global Warming burnout and disappointment in people like Gore as he flies around in his private jet, lounges in his pool at his estate and enjoys the 100 million he made off the movie and investment in companies that sell the carbon credits he is pushing.

It is also hard for me since we in Alaska just had our third coldest summer on record. It also does not help that the Slope Workers I know tell me the Polar Bears are so overpopulated on the Slope they have to post armed guards to even work. It also does not help that the Salmon Runs have been huge and the Biologists who predicted their demise have gone into hiding and have no comment. How do we now trust them when they say we should destroy our economy on their say so?

I also find it interesting that nothing much is said about the giant brown cloud over China produced by plants built in the last few years. Why are they not being taken to task?

Originally posted by Blaine91555

Originally posted by peacejet
Come on guys, this is a serious issue, the water level of the sea has already risen due to this and more such ice sheets are prone to breaking up and the water level of the seas bound to rise, we must act now.

I think your answer lies in this search of ATS.

Click on this link.

We are suffering from Global Warming burnout and disappointment in people like Gore as he flies around in his private jet, lounges in his pool at his estate and enjoys the 100 million he made off the movie and investment in companies that sell the carbon credits he is pushing.

To right but people should remember that Gore is a new Kid on the Block to the GW issue think HOW LONG AGO Kyoto was and the research before that.

Gore is not source of the truth on this issue.

It is also hard for me since we in Alaska just had our third coldest summer on record. It also does not help that the Slope Workers I know tell me the Polar Bears are so overpopulated on the Slope they have to post armed guards to even work. It also does not help that the Salmon Runs have been huge and the Biologists who predicted their demise have gone into hiding and have no comment. How do we now trust them when they say we should destroy our economy on their say so?

This is also misunderstood within the general consensus of climate change and adding CO2 to the atmosphere.

Conversely by creating GW we also do affect the weather patterns around the world, making some places colder, part of extreme weather etc.

The real thing people should focus on is that the OCEAN's ARE warming.... there is no absolutely no refusal of that within the current readings...

Blaine are not the Polar Bears coming to you, that is urbanised areas, as the ice flows they normally live on further North nearly gone over recent years. In addition if you look at my Link above re the Tibetan glacier it is without a doubt, known that the Ecosystem further north from you actually on and more importantly below the north pole area is under serious threat and decimation. HUge amounts of Photoplankton and other single celled animals have traditionally been in this extremely rich area of wildlife, under the ice....


And yes the Solar Minimum we are experiencing affecting our clmate, but what happens when it reaches maximum again?

Have you also considered the Bears are looking for food as a population per se in wider area, and therefore having to resort to approaching human settlements more?

Kind Regards,

Elf

One thing for which I never saw any study is how much the land would rise if the ice covering it is removed.

If Antarctica's ice melts we all know that all that ice converted in water will make the oceans rise, but removing the weight of the ice from the land will make the land itself rise, so my doubt is if that rise would make a smaller ocean bed, and how much that would affect the oceans' levels.

Can anyone enlightened me about this? Thanks.

The natural processes of Nature, ice has been melting since the ice age anded, what we are seeing now is the end of this process, it's been happening for thousands and thousands of years, all that has happened is someone discovered a way to make money from it.

People scream about the end of the World, but that isn't even close to correct, the World will still be here, it is Humans who will be gone, the World will go on just fine without us, we should have tried to live with Nature, just like we did thousands of years ago.

Instead we got it into our small minds, that we are better than Nature and tried to stop her in the name of progress, if Nature does not want something she will remove it, as she has shown time and time again.

Its time we started thinking what we can do to adapt, rather than what can we do to stop the forces of the Natural world, because we can never win.

We now live in a time were we are expected to pay for the damage caused by our consumerism, is that right or are we paying so the owners of these co2 pumping stations can walk away from their responsibility, I have never heard so much insanity until I heard about the carbon tax, what a load of BS, its just s way for them to make money because they know their days of making it from pollution are numbered.

Sorry to say this, but to be honest, the Human race needs to be taught a lesson, sadly its going to be the biggest lesson imaginable, and IMO the low tech living with Nature is the only way to survive.