West Antarctic glaciers speed up

Apparently theres been a dramatic increase in the glacier melting speed in the past 10 years. Ice detorration has increased 25% more in the past 10 years compared to data ranging back 30 years.


news.bbc.co.uk...



Bob Thomas, who is attached to the US space agency's (Nasa) Wallops Flight Facility and one of the authors on the Science report, cautions that the observed changes apply to only a short time period.

It is too early, he says, to tell if the accelerated thinning is part of a natural cycle or is a sign of a longer-term change. "Continued observation is important," he added.


Stress fractures in the ice (CECS/Nasa Antarctic Project)
Amundsen Sea glaciers are fracturing as they race along

And Eric Rignot, a study participant from Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, said: "The rates of glacier change remain relatively small at present... But the potential exists for these glaciers to increase global sea level by more than one metre.

Related News Links:
news.bbc.co.uk - Ice collapse speeds up glaciers
news.bbc.co.uk - Arctic's big melt challenged
news.bbc.co.uk - Antarctic ice shelf breaks apart



[edit on 24-9-2004 by QuietSoul]

[edit on 24-9-2004 by QuietSoul]

[edit on 25-9-2004 by John bull 1]

Didn't see anywhere in the article where it was attributed to global warming. Was there other information about this?


If they sped up alittle more, we could have a new sport.....Ice Surfing!!!!

Correct, I took out the part about global warming causing it.. lil premature ;-)

Well regardless of wether its Global Warming or the Earth naturally setting up for a pre-Ice Age it concerns me.