To hell with Archimedes! Melting iceberg to cause sea-level rise
The sheer scientific illiteracy of the story below is hard to beat. Ever since Archimedes we have known that melting ice does NOT raise the water level. And note that the breakoff is part of an Antarctic ice EXPANSION
NASA has reported an iceberg bigger than Chicago breaking into the ocean off Antarctica. Known as B31, it is one of the biggest on the planet at 255 square miles (660 sq km) and up to 500 metres thick.
NASA has been monitoring Antarctica's Pine Island Glacier by satellite since a crack was spotted in 2011.
It is feared it could adversely contribute to rising sea levels with the potential to increase water levels by 1.5 metres.
NASA glaciologist Kelly Brunt said: "It's one that's large enough that it warrants monitoring."
While the enormous iceberg is not located in a busy shipping area at the moment. Dr Bethan Davies, a research scientist at the University of Reading, said it could head into areas with more ships.
"It's floating off into the sea and will get caught up in the current and flow around the Antarctica continent where there are ships," she told Sky News.
In a statement released by NASA, Grant Bigg, from the University of Sheffield said: "The iceberg is now well out of Pine Island Bay and will soon join the more general flow in the Southern Ocean.
"We are doing some research on local ocean currents to try to explain the motion properly. It has been surprising how there have been periods of almost no motion, interspersed with rapid flow."
SOURCE
WHOOPS! I read that a bit hastily. The sea level rise was attributed to the glacier, not the iceberg. Some headlines did however say: "A TITANTIC iceberg that broke off a glacier last year is floating out of control in the Southern Ocean, threatening shipping lanes and raising sea levels." That was the front page introduction to this report. So there was indeed journalistic illiteracy at work in the matter
HMMM! The Pine Island glacier appears to be partly land-based and partly afloat on Pine Island bay. So when Warmists talk of it breaking off, it is presumably the floating part they are referring to. And in that case my initial scorn is fully warranted. The broken off Pine Island glacier would NOT cause a water rise -- as it is already afloat.
Posted by John J. Ray (M.A.; Ph.D.).
3 comments:
After many trips to the Antarctic in the 60's, I am amazed at the ignorance that persists.Icebergs, like ships displace water, they do not cause a rise in water levels..It all evens out globally..A berg that big is so easily seen and reported upon, it could not possibly pose a hazard to shipping..Sorry no more Titanics..
The thing about icebergs, is that in some strange weather situations, they can't be seen. It has been proposed that, due to mirage, the captain and crew might not have been able to visually spot the berg. I'm not sure if the... inversion or such... would also affect radar or other gear. And, remember, they were warned, the crew of the Titanic.
It could happen, it's just... beside the point. Men's hubris is only equaled by the fury of a scorned woman. Yum, tasty thought, that. Well, to me anyway.
What? Ice won't raise the sea level? Especially as it breaks off while expanding? Inconceivable! Yeah, but can it chill beer. That's all I wanna know, for sure. Especially if it has salt in it. That's all. /snark
Doom; I love your posts..Icebergs in the Antarctic rarely cause shipping any concerns..They have been known to make it as far North as New Zealand in the Pacific and sometimes to extreme South America in the Atlantic..Btw I HAVE drank cold beer at McMurdo Station..Made sure the metal can did not touch our lips..lol
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