In Antarctica, Scientists Focusing On Wilkins, King George VI Ice Shelves For Next Possible Collapse

[hatrack]

And there is evidence that melting is occurring in Antarctica. In 2002 the big Larsen B ice shelf collapsed within the space of a month, an event which Antarctic researchers have attributed to climate change. Researchers are now looking at the Wilkins and the King George VI ice shelves which, they believe, will be the next ones to go.

"We need to find out how much they are melting now," says Brandon. "One thing we can be certain of is that atmospheric temperatures are going to continue to rise over the next 50 to 100 years, whatever we do. After the Larsen B ice shelf collapsed, the satellites showed us that all the glaciers that previously fed into that ice shelf suddenly speeded up, a bit like taking a cork out of a bottle. That is adding to the sea-level rise."

The research is timely because the extent of world sea level rise likely to be caused by climate change is subject to debate. A report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), published earlier this year, estimated that sea level rises up to 2100 could be in the range of 18 to 59cm, less than previously thought. But Brandon warns these figures do not take into account the contribution of ice in Greenland and Antarctica melting. "This could easily add 10 to 20cm to the prediction, and it could be a lot more.

"I can see why the IPCC has ignored the data on ice shelves. We don't know much about them and the IPCC wanted to be as accurate as possible, because the more precise you can be, the more you can tie down countries that might deny there is an issue." Brandon and his team see their research as vital to enable the IPCC to take ice shelves seriously. "We know from satellite data that this is an important region, but nobody has done this kind of research before." The work, carried out in temperatures around -20C, involves making very precise measurements of the temperature and salinity of water flowing under ice shelves. Scientists work from onboard an icebreaker, the British Antarctic Survey's Royal Research Ship James Clark Ross, using high-tech and highly expensive instruments.

EDIT

http://news.independent.co.uk/education/higher/article3132505.ece

[Systematic Chaos]

1. 59cm my ass.

:(

[kestrel91316]

2. More like 590, IMHO.

[riverdeep]

3. The IPCC was basically neutered.

If that organization ever told the world what was really going on, and what to expect, people would crap in their pants, and industry would be none too pleased.