Emily's Global Climate Change Scrapbook

Changes in Global Ice

-As global temperatures increase, ice caps and glaciers are beginning to melt at a rate much faster than previously expected.

-While a few ice floes melting will not raise sea levels or cause mass destruction, melting glaciers and land ice from places such as Antarctica, Alaska, and Green could.

-Melting ice caps also create a positive feedback loop. Ice reflects sunlight back into space.

-Without it land and oceans are forced to absorb this extra heat, thus warming the atmosphere and further deepening the effects of global warming.

-This in turn goes on to melt more ice.

Global ice levels are on thin ice…

Literally

In 2002 part of the Larsen B ice shelf, a piece the size of Rhode Island, broke off and floated away. In around 35 it had broken up and was completely gone.

-The 2007 Naval Institute Proceedings reported that winter ice cover is decreasing at a rate of 3% per decade and these rates are still increasing.

-Measurements taken between the 1950s and the 1990s showed that Alaskan glaciers were decreasing in thickness by a half a yard per year.

-Measurements taken from the mid-90s to 2003 showed that glaciers were losing an average of around 2 yards per year.

-The Byrd Polar Research Center states that Andean glaciers have shrunk by up to 25%.

-Arctic island glaciers are retreating at around 492 feet per year.