Crack in the Earth: Greenland glacier loses ice island twice the size of Manhattan

Watts up with That? ^ | July 17, 2012 | Anthony Watts

[Marine_Uncle]

I took your advice and had a drink. Actually had a few tulip glasses of wine signed off. Fired up Microsoft Flight Simulator. Loaded a mission to take off from carrier Nimitz off the Virginian Coast at Oceania NAS, flew a shorty flight plan to Willow Grove NAS in NE Philly. Landed, parked, then went to bed. Sure beats the madness on FR. :)

[thackney]

Can you even imagine the amount of shaved ice for martinis one could obtain from that hunk of ice.

If you ever tasted glacier ice, you would never consider it for consumption again.

Thousands of years of capturing bird poop, dust, etc along with the snow needed to form glacier ice makes a very nasty tasting ice/water. Sadly, I know this from direct experience. My mouth is puckering up now just remembering the experience from years ago.

[Marine_Uncle]

Yo Thack. Good points. Well taken.

[thackney]

I remember rafting just downstream of the Matanuska Glacier in Alaska. There were so many minerals in the water that it was liquid at 28°F. Glacier fed rivers are gray compared to the clear streams that join them. A glacier is one of the least pure natural sources of water.

[thackney]

[Marine_Uncle]

RE: "A glacier is one of the least pure natural sources of water."
Understand. Nice picture as well. I have never been to the great state of Alaska.

[thackney]

I just though of something. The “taste” may be worse in Alaska. Glaciers in an area with active volcanoes are going to capture ash in that compacted snow.

If you ever get to see the front edge of a glacier on land, you might be surprised how filthy it is. Those that calve into water are not so bad, but if it completely melts down on land, the gravel, etc that was accumulated is concentrated down as much of the ice melts away. Lighter stuff was already carried away with the melting, but the leading edge is full of stuff that is harder for water to carry.

[Marine_Uncle]

Sulfur compounds, as well. I have witnessed similar scenes in eastern states in mountainous, ski areas, where clear streams where turned to milk white, which normally where very clear say free stoners. Especially during spring melts.

[bkepley]

Rope that calve and take it to Texas.

[OneVike]

“The Greenland ice sheet as a whole is shrinking, melting and reducing in size as the result of responding to globally LOCALLY changing air and ocean temperatures and associated changes in circulation patterns in both the ocean and atmosphere,” he notes.

In other words, the planet is doing what it has always done, replenish itself through a cyclical process that has been going on from the beginning of time when God created it.

The lack of historical perspective that is presented to the readers in articles written about earthly common events like this always brings to mind the phrase, "Some people are educated beyond their intelligence"

These ignoramuses truly lack wisdom. Without it, they will never be able to understand that which is as plain as the nose on their face.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

I went to bed and the next day when I got on the internet ...FR wasn't responding....so I worked on my puter...

But got to leave again....be back much later.

[presently no screen name]

.....>But got to leave again....be back much later.<

You like the beach more than you like us!! :)

Here’s something to make the day complete with some laughs!

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2908410/posts

[presently no screen name]

the planet is doing what it has always done, replenish itself through a cyclical process that has been going on from the beginning of time when God created it.

Exactly! And GREAT POST!