According to new research by the U.S. Geological Survey, more than 99% of Alaska’s 2000 glaciers are now retreating or stagnating, and Alaska’s glaciers now contribute more water to raising sea level than Antarctica and other polar areas.This glacial retreat involves a newly recognized process known as "disarticulation" at more than a dozen large, retreating Alaskan glaciers. This process, first observed at Bering Glacier, is the passive, rapid separation of large pieces of ice from the terminus of a thinning glacier, resulting in its rapid retreat. It occurs when a thinning glacier termini reaches a state of buoyancy and separates from its bed. Dozens of very large tabular icebergs have been observed separating in a single event. The results of disarticulation are very similar to those of the collapses observed at several Antarctic ice shelves.
1 comment:
To the rising water level, we can add runaway increases in atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations as wide areas of tundra and arctic desert become biologically active after millions of years keeping their carbon locke up in permafrost. The "hockey stick" was contorversial enough but few models built around it or even models that reproduce it took into account these, possibly huge, positive feedback connections between global warming and greenhouse gasses. We're screwed. We're gonna be stewed.
My house is at 220 ft above sea level. I didn't pay for beachfront property, I hope they don't raise my taxes
Yep, yet another unfunded tax liability is coming to us by the back door way of stupid govt policy: increased need for services due to displaced shoreline residents, the bill will come to those who have no friends in high places and can't get out of the way: property owners who located above the new high tide line. These property tax payers are the neighbors of what bids to be a much larger class of environmental refugees than just New Orleans residents. I can just imagine the in-ground heating oil tanks in every south boston side yard popping to the surface as the water table creeps up. Well I may have to much imagination but that is no worse than not enough.
Post a Comment