Potential glacier collapse would fuel major sea level rise
(CNS): The potential collapse of the Thwaites Glacier, also known as the “doomsday glacier”, could cause the sea to rise by as much as ten feet, scientists are warning. The glacier, which is the size of Florida, could wreak havoc if it falls into the ocean and researchers now say it is hanging on by its fingernails. As the world continues to warm, the rapid pace of melting around this glacier has alarmed scientists because of the global implications of so much more water pouring into the sea.
A new study in Nature Geoscience, led by marine geophysicist Alastair Graham at the University of South Florida’s College of Marine Science (USF CMS), said the potential impact of Thwaites’ retreat “is spine-chilling.”
While a sea level increase at the higher end of the prediction relating to this glacier has worldwide implications, even at the lowest estimate, an increase of some three feet, would have catastrophic consequences for Cayman. On average, Grand Cayman is only around seven feet above sea level, with a significant number of homes located less than four feet above the ocean.
According to a press release about the work, for the first time, scientists mapped in high-resolution a critical area of the seafloor in front of the glacier that gives them a window into how fast Thwaites has retreated and moved in the past. The imagery shows geologic features that are new to science, and also provides a kind of crystal ball to see into Thwaites’ future and the melting driven by climate change.
The enormous frozen mass is retreating twice as fast as it was 30 years ago and is losing around 50 billion tons of ice annually. It is held in place by jagged points on the seafloor that slow the glacier’s slide into the water.
Robert Larter, from the British Antarctic Survey and co-author of the research, said, “Thwaites is really holding on today by its fingernails, and we should expect to see big changes over small timescales in the future – even from one year to the next – once the glacier retreats beyond a shallow ridge in its bed.”
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Category: Climate Change, Marine Environment, Science & Nature
FYI:
Revelations 16:20: “And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.”
Same prophecy mentioned perhaps another 3 or 4 times throughout the Bible… most Bible interpreters suggest this refers to an impending flooding by either wave or sea level rise – we shall sea I suppose.
Can someone comment on this link. Where are the facts coming from? If it’s true it’s an issue, if its fear mongering, then I think this should be deleted.
https://thwaitesglacier.org/about/facts
CNS: The new study (see here) published this month has updated information. This fact sheet was last updated in June 2020. This is a good article on the matter: What will actually happen when the so-called ‘Doomsday Glacier’ disintegrates?
The website https://thwaitesglacier.org/ doesn’t seem to have been updated since this study was published. It will be interesting to see what they say about it.
So if the sea rises will we all perish? We lose some beach sand, but we could dredge like Dubai. It might have to be done every so often but it will create jobs. We could build sea walls on the beach. Hundreds of feet out to sea and backfill with sand so you all can walk from West Bay to George Town.
The city of New Orleans is below sea level. If you go there you can see it for yourself. Go down to the port and look up to see the ships tie to the docks.
We are making a mountain of a moehill. If neanderthals were able to live with no technology I think we will also. Hurrah for the human race.
The sky is falling, the sky is falling, the sky is falling
Came hear to see some ignorant loudmouth braggadocio. Not disappointed.
don’t look up, don’t look up
then nothing will happen
We ought to be very worried if the sea level rises 10 feet.
No it won’t.
Sounds like it’s too late for politicians to do anything. Oh well. Least my vote was put to go use…
Ain’t worried – fill a glass with ice water to the brim and set it on the counter and watch it melt.
It will not overflow the glass – why? Because water expands when frozen. That is why ice, or icebergs float. So, as it melts the volume will contract. The volume in the glass will remain constant.
Umm water contracts when frozen
You are both wrong. The ice in question is NOT floating. It is grounded. Water expands when it freezes. Our only hope for the longer term is healthy reefs and healthy mangroves.
all them buildings on the beach on 7 mile and the northsides will be buffers
No it doesn’t dumbass!
Other way Bobo, expansion. Put a sealed soda can in your freezer and get back to us on that.
What an idiotic comment. Do you realize that this ice is not in the “glass” that you refer to?
Try dropping a bunch of ice into your already full “glass” and see what happens.
Might cause a bit of a mess?
Dear god. OK GCSE physics time. seawater is denser than fresh water icebergs so a melted iceberg will take up more space than the salt water it displaces and sea level will rise. All of which entirely misses the point which is that it’s the icebergs held up by the seafloor and land which are causing an order of magnitude greater sea level rise in addition to thermal expansion.
@3:15:
Yes, The rise in sea levels caused by melting floating ice consisting of water of lesser density than that of seawater is negligible.
In a paper titled “The Melting of Floating Ice will Raise the Ocean Level” submitted to Geophysical Journal International, Noerdlinger demonstrates that melt water from sea ice and floating ice shelves could add 2.6% more water to the ocean than the water displaced by the ice, or the equivalent of approximately 4 centimeters (1.57 inches) of sea-level rise.
However, as the science concludes, melting Antarctic ice that is sitting on that continental land mass will cause a catastrophic rise if the net melt-off continues unabated.
Go back to school….. most glaciers are land based and do not float, there goes your dumb ass theory!
Glacier’s not on CXC syllabus. Seemingly not relevant to the woke peoples of the Caribbean. Nature will learn them.
It’s Einstein!!… Marty Einstein.
@8:56:
That illustration applies to the arctic ice caps but not the antarctic ice sheets.
The ice caps are already floating on the ocean beneath. They are not resting on any land. So when they melt the sea does not rise. However, the antarctic ice sheets are resting on the CONTINENT of Antarctica, a land mass. Therefore, when the sheets melt or they flow off into the sea, the sea level rises much like when you add ice cubes to a glass.
You are not worried because you are ignorant of the science involved. Study the contributions of Archimedes as a start to ending your ignorance on that subject.
Next up: Your ignorance of the behaviour of water transitioning from the liquid to the solid state. Fill a glass bottle to the brim with tap water, cap it tightly and put it in the freezer. Come back and tell us what you find the next day.
The reality in Cayman is our politicians don’t care. As long they get their pockets lined and statues made of them, they will continue to destroy more and more mangroves which are the only protection we have of storm surges and run offs.
Now they have ruined SMB and they now want to destroy the central mangrove system for a highway. Truth is people will get to Hurley’s round about at the same time and face with the same traffic woes when bottled necked. How stupid can stupid be?
Does anyone remembers the Pedro Gully? When will the government and their core of engineers fixed the issue with the salt water coming over during a storm
Not to worry, Cayman has spent many decades diligently constructing a mammoth wall of ignorance that encircles and protects our islands from any and all sea level rise.
Not only Cayman
Err, The US Republicans would like a word.
@7:59:
Why is it that some morons feel compelled to interject bullshit about American politics into just about every conversation?
I will tell you what I tell every idiot who feels so compelled when in an otherwise non-political discussion. Here is the reality: if either major U.S political party was worth even half a bloody damn, America would not be turning into a putrid cesspool.
I am not worried. I live on the Brac Bluff
very little can be done at this stage. population growth in china/india means we are way past the tipping point.
miami has been actively developing contingency plans for the past 40 years…..in cayman our mla’s just stick their heads in the sand. welcome to wonderland.
Soon it’ll be welcome to underwater wonderland.
Perhaps if the 8 billion humans weren’t also watering and feeding 50 billion animals a year for food, we might have a shot. Meat and dairy contributes more GHG than the entire fossil fuel transport sector. UN IPCC’s 2022 AR6 mentions plant-based diets >240 times as an actionable mitigation that everyone in the first world must adopt by 2030. There’s also a chapter on why these subsidizing governments won’t tell their people to change their diets. Before and certainly after 2030 we should expect heavy taxation of meat and dairy and possibly reintroduction of household rations. Or you can just quit now and skip the heart attack.
yes…. stupidity of meat production is the biggest scandal on earth today…
Yawn
Why did we not know this was all about #UN2030?
Perhaps they should tow a glacier off the US west coast, melt it under controlled conditions and pump it to California and other stares experiencing drought.
Sorry, I’ll go back to sleep.
it’s the size of Florida….. how could that be remotely possible?
well they did say “A” glacier, not necessarily this one. Maybe easier to build a pipeline from someplace like say, Niagara Falls an just consume their water.
Meh, maybe I need a little sleep also.
You are a fool
But I realise that it’s only tongue in cheek
My hope is the first wave flows right into through the front door of these Global warming deniers and ignoramus political dingbats but first their million dollar trucks and cars need to be swept away and flooded to the steering wheel.
You seem a kind soul. I imagine if you also wish all people to die who were unable to or chose to not take the vaccine.
Try not to follow the pack. Do your own research, and while you are at it, try to push for conservation of resources. think for yourself. It doesn’t hurt a bit.
The rising tide of hatred by so many humans like you is already causing more problems than the rising water might. My hope is that we find our collective way back to loving our lives.