Escalating Ice Loss Found In Antarctica - WaPo

[WillyT]

Escalating ice loss found in Antarctica
Sheets melting in an area once thought to be unaffected by global warming



<snip>

WASHINGTON - Climatic changes appear to be destabilizing vast ice sheets of western Antarctica that had previously seemed relatively protected from global warming, researchers reported yesterday, raising the prospect of faster sea-level rise than current estimates.

While the overall loss is a tiny fraction of the miles-deep ice that covers much of Antarctica, scientists said the new finding is important because the continent holds about 90 percent of Earth's ice, and until now, large-scale ice loss there had been limited to the peninsula that juts out toward the tip of South America. In addition, researchers found that the rate of ice loss in the affected areas has accelerated over the past 10 years -- as it has on most glaciers and ice sheets around the world.

"Without doubt, Antarctica as a whole is now losing ice yearly, and each year it's losing more," said Eric Rignot, lead author of a paper published online in the journal Nature Geoscience.

The Antarctic ice sheet is shrinking despite land temperatures for the continent remaining essentially unchanged, except for the fast-warming peninsula.

<snip>

Link: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22643132/

And the hits just keep on comin...

:shrug:

[hatrack]

1. Oops! We'll be back with more on this important story, after we discuss Hillary's tears AGAIN . . .

Could it be that that Antarctic is, in fact, losing ice "faster than expected"?

Just thought I'd ask . . .

[cloudythescribbler]

4. And we'll be back after another SWARM of Obama-bashing posts on DU ...

with MANY of the worst collecting FIVE or more recommendations

[Stuart G]

6. the answer is yes...and we are all fucked if we do not do something..

Your kids and you if you expect to live 20 years or more, are up shits creek...We need someone who will deal with this one. I wonder who that will be??????????????

[kelligesq]

10. Thinking not much can be done - maybe tipping point was reached in the past

prolly most of you dont know or remember...but during Carter's administration
there was a giant boom out of the sky one day - scared the hell out of everyone -

they finally figured it was caused by a giant tear in the ozone layer that kept growing and growing

the ozone layer protected us from the sun

been gettting warmer and warmer since then

just connecting the dots

maybe its just been accelerated warming for the past 37 years because of the heat coming through the tear...

I dont think it'll take 20 years for the ocean to rise over the populated shore areas at the rate this is going.

I live 5 miles from the shore. Thinking of getting one of those blow up boats.

[depakid]

2. Perhaps someone should forward this to John Tierney of the NY Times

Since he apparently believes that the loss of ice at the northern pole is being offset by gains in the south, but that they're not being reported in the media.

No kidding.

[hatrack]

3. If you shoved John Tierney's brain up a gnat's ass, it would look like a bb in a boxcar

What a hack.

[hatrack]

5. Kicking to report Britney a no-show at a court-ordered custody hearing!

Video coming soon!

:puke:

[AZBlue]

7. K&R

[cooolandrew]

8. Only so much can be done till 09 fingers crfossed tight till then.

[lonestarnot]

9. We be (graphic)

fucked w/o a kiss.