21 By 12-Mile Berg Calves From Pine Island Glacier, Antarctic - Pine Island Retreating, Accelerating

[hatrack]

BEIJING, Oct. 23 (Xinhuanet) -- A newborn iceberg has broken away from the Pine Island Glacier In West Antarctica and drifted out to sea, according to satellite images taken during the last year. The iceberg, which measured 21 by 12 miles (34 by 20 kilometers), was spotted breaking away from the glacier by scientists in images taken by the European Space Agency's Envisat satellite between September 2006 and October 2007.

EDIT

The Pine Island Glacier is the largest in the WAIS and transports ice from the deep interior of the ice sheet out to sea. The glacier is up to 8,200 feet (2,500 meters) thick and comprises about 10 percent of the WAIS.

Observations have shown that the flow rate of the glacier out to sea has accelerated over the past 15 years, and a study by scientists at the British Antarctic Survey and University College London showed a loss of 7.5 cubic miles (31 cubic kilometers) of ice from the interior of the WAIS between 1992 and 2001, mostly from the Pine Island Glacier.

This thinning caused the glacier to retreat three miles (five kilometers) inland — further evidence that small changes on the Antarctic coast, such as the effects of global warming, can be rapidly transmitted inland and lead to accelerating sea level rise through ice melt. This particular calving event, however, was not a significant change to the WAIS.

EDIT/END

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-10/23/content_6929489.htm

[jojo54]

1. It's Bill Clinton's fault !!!!!

:sarcasm:

[billyoc]

2. Tow it to Atlanta. n/t

[phantom power]

3. 10% of WAIS == about 18 feet rise in sea level.

[AlecBGreen]

4. another take

It contains 7 million cubic miles of ice!!! :wow:

via Wikipedia

"In January 2006, in a UK government-commissioned report, the head of the British Antarctic Survey, Chris Rapley, warned that this huge west Antarctic ice sheet may be starting to disintegrate, an event that could raise sea levels by at least 5 m (16 feet) (Estimates by others have ranged from 6 to 15 m (20 to 50 feet)). "

So if the ENTIRE West Antarctic Ice Sheet breaks up, sea level will rise 5 - 15 meters, or 16 to 50 feet.