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| NASA: Earth Is Losing Half A Trillion Tons Of Ice A Year | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Feb 23 2012, 04:35 AM (361 Views) | |
| Brewster | Feb 23 2012, 04:35 AM Post #1 |
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Fire & Ice Senior Diplomat
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Global Ice Loss from 2003-2010 Could Cover the Entire US in One and Half Feet of WaterLINK Polar ice sheet mass loss is speeding up, on pace for 1 foot sea level rise by 2050. It'll get much worse after that. We'll soon have a choice - we can boil ourselves near the rising sea, or bake ourselves at drought-ridden inland points like Texas. |
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| Chris | Feb 23 2012, 04:58 AM Post #2 |
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"Global Ice Loss from 2003-2010 Could Cover the Entire US in One and Half Feet of Water" "The total global ice mass lost from Greenland, Antarctica and Earth's glaciers and ice caps during the study period was about 4.3 trillion tons (1,000 cubic miles), adding about 0.5 inches (12 millimeters) to global sea level. That's enough ice to cover the United States 1.5 feet (0.5 meters) deep." Sounded like the entire planet. Is that 1.5 meters higher than the highest point? What data for the previous millenia do we have to compare with? Do we have data? Or mainly estimates based on inference from small amounts of data. |
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| Pat | Feb 23 2012, 05:44 AM Post #3 |
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Interesting study, but I don't see where it has been peer reviewed nor are any base points shown is proof given in the article to base any value in. How deep was the ice at the points where the measurements were taken? What method was used to derive at the figure? How much of the melted ice is trapped in the atmosphere? Since the United States accounts for 3% of the planets surface, in reality, the ice loss, or should I say any undetermined amount would be negligible. |
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| Brewster | Feb 23 2012, 06:10 AM Post #4 |
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So now you don't believe NASA? They have enough scientists internally for peer review, although I'm sure it will appear in many periodicals shortly. As the article states, the measurements were taken by the GRACE satellite. The last pararaph gives a rough idea of how it works. You could look online for more details if you want. They agree in general with other studies, although GRACE is far more sensitive than any previous methods, so there is not a lot of external checking that can be done. Doing a better job of measuring is a bad thing? And what would the percent of the surface covered by the US have to do with anything? GRACE measures the entire Earth. They simply used the "Cover the US" metaphore to stimulate your imagination. Apparently it didn't work. Stick with the line that the melting ice has raised sea levels half an inch. and consider what will happen to all the ice on the shores of Greenland and Antarctica if it lifts even that little bit off the underlying rock. Think "accelerating slide". Edited by Brewster, Feb 23 2012, 06:20 AM.
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| Deleted User | Feb 23 2012, 07:42 AM Post #5 |
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The only variable is how much of that ice is on land. Any ice on the ocean should not contribute to sea level rise. |
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| Pat | Feb 23 2012, 07:44 AM Post #6 |
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Fire & Ice Senior Diplomat
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The reason I question the study Brew is based in my suspicion and skepticism concerning government studies. And NASA is a government agency that answers to the power and philosophy of the current administration. Find a problem, present a study and theory, followed by regulations and laws designed to fit the solution advocated by those in power. And given Barry and his penchant for green activism, I'm highly suspicious of the studies involving climate questions. |
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| Brewster | Feb 23 2012, 08:09 AM Post #7 |
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Well Obama has shown very little activism that I've seen, but I don't know why that should matter. NASA launched the GRACE satellites in 2002 under George Bush, and as far as I know has had the same program running ever since. Telco, this particular study is entirely about ice that was on land. |
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| Deleted User | Feb 23 2012, 09:07 AM Post #8 |
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I try to maintain skepticism, but if this is 50% true, it is alarming. |
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| Brewster | Feb 23 2012, 09:15 AM Post #9 |
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Wait 'til the Pine Island Glacier lifts on that extra half inch of water, as it will in the next 6-10 months... Then we'll see alarming! Of course, then the Deniers will claim that the Penguins are in on the plot. |
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| Chris | Feb 23 2012, 09:15 AM Post #10 |
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telco, compared to what?
Edited by Chris, Feb 23 2012, 09:15 AM.
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