posted June 07, 2007 01:04 AM            

Hundreds Of Antarctic Peninsula Glaciers Accelerating As Climate Warms

Science Daily — Hundreds of glaciers on the Antarctic Peninsula are flowing faster, further adding to sea level rise according to new research published this week in the Journal of Geophysical Research. Climate warming, that is already causing Antarctic Peninsula increased summer snow melt and ice shelf retreat, is the most likely cause.

Using radar images acquired by European ERS-1 and -2 satellites, scientists from British Antarctic Survey (BAS) tracked the flow rate of over 300 previously unstudied glaciers. They found a 12% increase in glacier speed from 1993 to 2003. These observations - that echo recent findings from coastal Greenland - indicate that the cause is melting of the lower glaciers, which flow directly into the sea. As they thin, the buoyancy of the ice can lift the glaciers off their rock beds, allowing them to slide faster.

In February this year, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reported that they could not provide an upper limit on the rate of sea-level rise from Antarctica in coming centuries because of a lack of understanding of the behaviour of the large ice sheets. These new results give scientists a clearer picture about the way that climate warming can affect glaciers both in the Arctic and Antarctic. Furthermore, they pave the way for more reliable projections of future sea level rise, and provide a better basis for policy decisions.

Lead author Dr Hamish Pritchard says, “The Antarctic Peninsula has experienced some of the fastest warming on Earth, nearly 3°C over the last half-century. Eighty-seven percent of its glaciers have been retreating during this period and now we see these glaciers are also speeding up. It’s important that we use tools such as satellite technology that allow us to monitor changes in remote and inaccessible glaciers on a regional scale. Understanding what’s happening now gives us our best chance of predicting what’s likely to happen in the future.”

posted June 08, 2007 02:51 PM            

and yet we reciprocate *nothing*. We just take and take and give absolutely nothing back. How harsh a species to inhabit such a beautiful place. We're like parasites, if you think about it.

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"I eat success for breakfast-- with skim milk!"

posted June 14, 2007 11:50 PM            

Whether humans are causing it or not, global warming is not a good thing. Have you heard the a lot of Eskimos are drowning to death because their traditional hunting grounds are melting?

I for one am trying to decrease my carbon footprint. Even though it's hard to prove that humans are directly causing global warming, I believe there is enough evidence to warrant conserving energy and recycling!

posted June 15, 2007 12:20 AM            

quote:

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Whether humans are causing it or not, global warming is not a good thing. Have you heard the a lot of Eskimos are drowning to death because their traditional hunting grounds are melting?

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I also read Fayte's thread on flood in IRAN of all places. Scary. And I also heard that in Africa, there have been instances of malaria spreading to the mountains where there are usually winter conditions but the caps are heating up.

posted June 15, 2007 11:56 AM            

God, some people will believe anything....like the Algore created myth of drowning Polar Bears adrift on ice floes.

Of course, it never occurs to those who believe in man made global warming that there have been periods in Earth's history when there were no ice caps at the poles at all. Some people will believe anything...and it IS a lot easier than actually thinking.

For those who actually think....the seas are heating in northern climes where the ice actually is...melting and thinning the ice that extends into the warmer water until it breaks off.

The oceans are gigantic heat sinks which absorb the solar energy from the sun...which is and has been for some time...putting off more radiant energy. In fact, it's now or was very recently at the peak of it's radiant cycle.

Of course, the man made global warming nuts want to blame man made CO2 which represents only about 4/10's of one percent of the CO2 in Earth's atmosphere.

Their real target is the United States. Shutting down American industrial capacity and transportation is the mission. A secondary mission is to turn over all energy consumption to an unelected bunch of utterly corrupt, bungling, incompetent boobs at the UN.

In the meantime, we find global warming Messiah Algore flying all over the world in private jets burning thousands of tons of jet fuel to harangue the rest of us about restricting our energy use. Not to mention all his kooky friends. Throw in Algore's home which consumes 20 times the energy as the average American home, the Breck Girl's 25,000 square foot home which uses gobs of energy and Puffington's 50,000 square foot home and the picture begins to clear up.

posted June 16, 2007 12:57 AM            

What it can be is accelerated. The issue is not "Hey let's blame man!"...It's "Hey, look how many people don't give a crap about the only thing keeping their ***** alive!!"

That's the only thing that gets to me. How so many people turn their head and fight over whether or not we're causing it. I think we need to stop pointing fingers and making excuses, and actually start giving half a crap about the only thing we've got.

You only get one Earth.

posted June 16, 2007 10:33 AM            

quote:

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Well, isn't the heating of the earth eventual? It's a phenomenon that occurs regardless of human activity. It cannot be "man-made".
What it can be is accelerated. The issue is not "Hey let's blame man!"...It's "Hey, look how many people don't give a crap about the only thing keeping their ***** alive!!"

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jwhop is (apparently ) correct about the thermal expansion of the oceans. See http://science.howstuffworks.com/question473.htm
I would like to see the source of the "humans contribute only .4%" comment however.....

posted June 16, 2007 11:48 AM            

The annoying scientist who wrote my text says:

******edited to say that although reading his writing is annoying I do think he knows what he is talking about, it is just a difficult subject for me to learn and I like to whine about it***********

"Opinions differ about when or if increased warming will happen and about what the consequences will be if it does happen. Some believe an average temperature increase will melt some of the polar ice cap, flooding coastal cities and changing the global climate patterns. Others believe that increased carbon dioxide and warmer climate patterns would produce lush vegetation, therefore benefitting humans through increased agricultural production. Still other scientists have the opinion that no predictions can be made because of the number of other variables involved. Increased water vapor and dust in the atmosphere, for example, could reflect more and more sunlight. This could cancel any warming from the greenhouse effect or, in fact, could lead to an overall cooling trend."

~Bill W. Tillery from Physcial Science 6th ed

It goes on to say that scientist do all agree that human activity has reached the point that pollution has become an "influencing part of the atmosphere". The article/message board entry I am posting below has some information that explains what I'm thinking about this subject. I came here to see all sides of the issue and as many facts as possible.

*********************************************
Ok, here is the Fox news article snips (with my explanation for class message board) I read on Global Warming that is kicking Al Gore's butt that caused me to ask for more info. The Kyoto stuff is from me looking it up on Wikipedia because I am completely ignorant on the subject, which is why I am here with those who know what is going on. My little teenage/young adult community college kid classmates don't care and say the craziest things that prove they aren't even reading the assignments or links.

*******************************************
The information I read began with this introduction:

"As tallied up at JunkScience.com courtesy of the global warmers’ own
data, Kyoto is estimated to have cost about $150 billion so far, while
only hypothetically reducing the average global temperature by 0.0015
degrees Centigrade.

At that rate, it would take 667 years and cost $100 trillion to
hypothetically avert just 1 degree Centigrade of global warming.

But such infinitesimal estimates of averted global warming would only
apply, of course, if Kyoto’s signatories actually complied with its
provisions. They are finding it virtually impossible to even do that."

and went on to explain that Al Gore claimed to understand this
information and when asked if he thought Kyoto

****(The Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change is an amendment to the international treaty on climate
change, assigning mandatory emission limitations for the reduction of
greenhouse gas emissions to the signatory nations.

The objective is the "stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in
the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic
interference with the climate system.")**** so sayeth Wikipedia

would actually make a difference and Al Gore replied, "Hell no!" The
article went on to explain that he supported spending the trillions of
dollars (or maybe it was just one trillion so far and the trillIONS
comes into effect over the 6 hundred and some years to reduce one
degree... "to demonstrate that international support could be mustered
for action on the environment" which the article scoffs at as "quite an
expensive political exercise."

This information has caused me to consider the hidden (most likely
political) agenda to both sides of the Global Warming issue. I haven't
seen the Gore movie yet but I am glad that this information will help me
to view it more objectively when I do see it. I mean initially
everyone's thoughts are, "What could be wrong with taking action to save
our world from global warming!? " But realistically, trillions of
dollars could be spent in other ways, teaching people to slow down and
consume less which is really the only thing that will have any real
effect on the pollution in our world. However, if Kyoto really cracked
down and imposed regulations that would change our way of life, and
actually made a difference, the people would rebel, especially in
America, home of the "greedy capitolistic pigs" as my high school
government teacher lovingly referred to us.
********************************************

That is what I posted to one of the message board assignments. The link to "Junk Science" was given to us by the professor and it seems to have a lot of links to Fox.News stories so I just wondered why he chose the link. www.junkscience.com

We also got three other links and he just added 3 links on vaccines and the vaccine scare that I also looked at, along with 3 chapters from a college text and homework assignments for each chapter all due in one week of summer class (yay) so although I am interested and would love to have a great class discussion, the kiddos aren't reading the links. I figured a lot of people here in Global would have already educated themselves on these issues so I came for the real deal.
*****************************************

You can probably see (above) why we are having a joke on Al Gore and the general practice of duping people to advance one's political agenda. You have to do a LOT of reading and research to NOT be duped, and most people don't have the time or energy so they believe whatever is presented most dramatically... and scientists are anything but dramatic. If you were reading my boring text you would completely understand.

posted June 16, 2007 12:00 PM            

quote:

---

Well, isn't the heating of the earth eventual? It's a phenomenon that occurs regardless of human activity. It cannot be "man-made".
What it can be is accelerated. The issue is not "Hey let's blame man!"...It's "Hey, look how many people don't give a crap about the only thing keeping their ***** alive!!"

That's the only thing that gets to me. How so many people turn their head and fight over whether or not we're causing it. I think we need to stop pointing fingers and making excuses, and actually start giving half a crap about the only thing we've got.

You only get one Earth.

---

I agree with this as well. Instead of being concerned about whether or not what we are doing now is good for the only place that can support us, some are too busy playing the blame game while others are more concerned about whether or not this is really a blanketed attack on their nation.

quote:

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I mean, do you really have to drive one child to school in your Ford Expedition or Hummer??

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posted June 16, 2007 12:47 PM            

quote:

---

Their real target is the United States. Shutting down American industrial capacity and transportation is the mission. A secondary mission is to turn over all energy consumption to an unelected bunch of utterly corrupt, bungling, incompetent boobs at the UN.

---