MNN.COM > Earth Matters > Climate Change

Polar ice caps melting faster than we thought

Satellite images highlight the problem.
By Katy Rank Lev
Thu, Sep 24 2009 at 8:29 AM EST
Read more: ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH, MELTING ICE, SEA LEVEL RISE

RUNAWAY MELT: Scientists use new images to chart rapid ice loss. (Photo: elisfanclub/Flickr)
MSNBC reports that polar ice caps in Greenland and Antarctica are melting much faster than scientists believed, even melting at "runaway" rates. The article summarizes the findings of a research study published in Nature, a peer-reviewed scientific journal. The study explored 50 million laser images from a NASA satellite to calculate the shrinking depth of the ice sheets, finding the edges to be particularly thin because of their proximity to the warmer water beneath.
 
The ice in these regions is, in many areas, more than a mile thick, so people have been slow to feel alarmed. However, since 2003, some places of Antarctica have lost 30 feet of thickness each year, the study found, which is twice the rate of melting from 1995 to 2003. MSNBC states that the findings, "confirm what some of the more pessimistic scientists thought: The melting along the crucial edges of the two major ice sheets is accelerating and is in a self-feeding loop. The more the ice melts, the more water surrounds and eats away at the remaining ice."
 
The article quotes study lead author Hamish Pritchard, saying the melting is more widespread than scientists thought, surprising researchers by reaching hundreds of kilometers inland. The British Antarctic Survey released a statement indicating the melting affects all latitudes of Greenland, is spreading, and has intensitifed on Antarctic coastlines. The glaciers are melting at rates faster than the precipitation can replace the ice shelves and perhaps contributing to the rise in sea levels.
 
The article indicated that scientists once thought the melting glaciers would add three feet to sea levels by the end of the century, but that the size of the ice sheets meant it would take centuries for them to melt entirely. Now, Pritchard indicates we have "underestimated" the sensitive ice sheets' response to temperature changes. He points to not only the warm water at the edges of the glaciers, but also the warm ocean currents contributing to the melt. Pritchard calls for greater understanding of the ice loss so researchers can better predict the future rise in sea levels.

 



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Posted By Dave, Re: Pondering - Sat, Dec 12 2009 at 10:42 AM EST

Here's your link:

http://www.news.com.au/antarctic-ice-is-growing-not-melting-away/story-0...

Just a couple of tastes:

"The results of ice-core drilling and sea ice monitoring indicate there is no large-scale melting of ice over most of Antarctica, although experts are concerned at ice

Posted By Netboyee - Fri, Nov 27 2009 at 11:13 AM EST

Poor misleading journalism

Yes... parts of Antarctica are melting... while parts are gaining ice quickly. The net loss/ gain since records have been kept is currently at... ZERO. I don't understand why anyone would wish this fact away. Here are just a few links to the research for you to examine (should you decide to question those bastions of truth at msnbc)

http://winteryknight.wordpress.com/2009/04/20/are-polar-ice-caps-really-...

.... More

Posted By john - Sun, Oct 25 2009 at 7:46 PM EST

Future

For reliable information on the real hope for mankind click on this link http://www.watchtower.org/e/god_and_your_future.htm

Posted By Kerri - Mon, Oct 19 2009 at 4:13 PM EST

What is the solution? Are there any ideas?

It's just scary to think that noone will do anything to reverse the problems, a lot of people are too mesmerized by 'the materialistic bug' to give much energy too this... sad, must be something we could do rather than just give up - we really should be doing more, anyone have ideas that are practical, and realistic in our hectic lives?

Posted By John - Sun, Oct 25 2009 at 7:39 PM EST

THE ONLY SOLUTION

It's not that no one will do anything about it, its more that no one is able to, no human that is. Really unless there is some sort of divine intervention this world is in big big trouble. The eco thing is just one aspect, there are the social and political aspects as well. The way we are managing this world is completely unsustainable. The good news is that there IS going to be divine intervention, The bible book of revelation states that God is going to bring to ruin those who are ruining the.... More

Posted By Dorian - Thu, Oct 29 2009 at 7:48 PM EST

Divine intervention...

How about sticking to the real world and not bringing in the fables of the bible...

Posted By jlb - Thu, Sep 24 2009 at 3:23 PM EST

What is normal climate?

What is normal with climate? For years we have been told that natural processes over time are normal and the rule. It was reported this way and is still taught this way.
It now seems that things can speed up in ways we do not understand at all. Instead of taking 15,000 years to melt the ice, it might take 200 years, or if the melt process becomes exponential, maybe 12 to 20 years to melt the ice. It might take even less time. We do not really know.
Nature does what it does no.... More

Posted By Dorian - Thu, Oct 29 2009 at 7:52 PM EST

Great peril..

Just had a friend over and we talked about this. He says that the West side of the Antarctica is melting, while the East is gaining. Apparently there is a Net Loss or Gain of Zero ice. Looked it up and some sites seem to verify this. Why this site does not mention that at all, is for us to ponder...

Posted By Travis - Thu, Nov 19 2009 at 8:19 PM EST

Pondering

Uh ya Dorian, why didn't you name those sites? Was it exxon moble, or right wing wing nut. I think that is the only thing that we are pondering. You have been missinformed, or you are just spreading lies. Please if you read this, name these sites so we can all quit pondering if you work for an oil company.

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