A
new study from a team of British scientists collaborating from Oxford
and Cambridge Universities has found that global warming related
changes to aspects of Antarctic glaciers known as grounding lines are
speeding ice sheet disintegration, which in is forecast to bring
significant global sea level rise.
Noting that in 2004,
Antarctica’s Pine Island Glacier was already melting 25% faster than 30
years previously, the researchers state that this glacier likely passed
a tipping point in 1996. If the same happens to neighboring Thwaite’s
Glacier, the world could easily be facing increased sea levels of 52
centimeters.
Lead author Dr. Richard Katz of Oxford
University's Department of Earth Sciences cautioned of a further
disintegration, that of the entire Western Antarctic shelf, as he
stated, “The volume of ice locked up in the West Antarctic Ice Sheet is
equivalent to a sea level rise of around 3.3 meters.
Our model
shows how instability in the grounding line, caused by gradual climatic
changes, has the potential to reach a 'tipping point' where
disintegration of the ice sheet could occur.
He concluded by
saying, “We should be concerned about tipping points in West Antarctica
and we should do a lot more work to investigate.”
Dr. Katz and
all collaborating scientists at Oxford and Cambridge Universities, we
appreciate your insights into the impact of global warming on the ice
sheets of the Antarctic. May humanity realize now the growing urgency
of our situation and adopt lifestyles that save our planet. Concerned
for the welfare of all beings,
Supreme Master Ching Hai once again
spoke of the the crisis of our warming Earth as well as the way to
avert it during an August 2008 videoconference with our Association
members in Canada.
Supreme Master Ching Hai:
The time of disappearing of the ice means also the spelling of trouble
for our planet. Of course it would be better if we already saved the
planet before the ice melted.
But as it is, we can only do the
best we can and trying to inform everybody to save themselves by being
vegan. If the ice melts quicker, then, of course, we have shorter time
to save the planet.
But nevertheless because people are joining the vegan diet, we still can manage to save the world.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100116103350.htm http://news.mongabay.com/2010/0114-hance_antglacier.html