Thin Glaciers Get Thinner in Antarctica

Reuters ^ | 9/24/2004 | Maggie Fox

[TChris]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Some of Antarctica's glaciers are melting faster than snow can replace them, enough to raise sea levels measurably, scientists reported on Friday.

Measurements of glaciers flowing into the Amundsen Sea, on the Pacific Ocean side of Antarctica, show they are melting much faster than in recent years and could break up.

And they contain more ice than was previously estimated, meaning they could raise sea level by more than predicted, the international team of researchers writes in the journal Science.

"The ... Amundsen Sea glaciers contain enough ice to raise sea level by 1.3 meters (4 feet)," the researchers wrote in their report.

"Our measurements show them collectively to be 60 percent out of balance, sufficient to raise sea level by 0.24 mm (nearly 0.01 inch) per year," they added.

[Orlando]

Update on Antarctica's Glaciers melt down(April 21, 2005):

"...200 Coastal Glaciers in Antarctica are in retreat because of higher temperatures...."

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=14click_id=143&art_id=qw1114060140529B253

Here's another update from down under(Australia):

"GLACIERS along the Antarctic Peninsula are retreating at an increasingly rapid pace and ALMOST 90 per cent have melted significantly in the past 50 years..."

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,15057664%5E2702,00.html


FYI...

[dirtboy]

If anything, it will decrease because water takes up more volume when it is frozen.

Net impact would be zero, because the ice displaces its fluid weight in water.

However, if the glaciers are partially supported by land, then they could raise sea level.

[bmwcyle]

I always wanted to live closer to the beach.

[F.J. Mitchell]

"Thin glaciers get thinner in Antartica."

That's the best news I've heard in a long time. Who would ever have dreamed that Antartica would one day be the bread basket of the world, after it becomes too hot to raise food anywhere else on earth, due to global Warming?

Go south young farm boys and girls, go way, way,way, south!

[Orlando]

It's not only Antarctica, but Greenland and Canada Glaciers and ice caps are now melting away too. Here's a April 4th, 2005 report from recent research conducted by NASA scientists.

http://www.blackanthem.com/scitech/2005040402.html

Here's some more data on post 51-54 ? about Antarctic Glaciers & maps.

"Earthquakes in Antarctica"

http://www.freerepublic.com/f-news/1349516/posts?q=1&&page=1

[polymuser]

Gee, I wonder what all might be warming things up...

[Toddsterpatriot]

I once had a scotch with some dihydrogen monoxide. It was terrible. I barely survived.

[polymuser]

Dewer's & dihydrogen monoxide...hmmm...OK!