Antarctic Ice Bridge Finally Breaks Off

GreennMann writes "An ice bridge linking a shelf of ice the size of Jamaica to two islands in Antarctica has snapped. Scientists say the collapse could mean the Wilkins Ice Shelf is on the brink of breaking away, and provides further evidence of rapid change in the region. Sited on the western side of the Antarctic Peninsula, the Wilkins shelf has been retreating since the 1990s. Researchers regarded the ice bridge as an important barrier, holding the remnant shelf structure in place. Its removal will allow ice to move more freely between Charcot and Latady islands, into the open ocean."

Comments

As I've Said Before

[Das Auge]

If you really, really wanted to save the polar ice caps, you'd create a time machine and travel back..say, 19,000 years ago. Back when the polar ice cap extended down into what is modern day Illinois.

Which predates SUVs and industrialization by around...19,000 years or so.

That is one of the global warming metrics, right? Save the shrinking polar ice cap, right? You'd need to go back to a time when you can't blame humans. Even then, you'd have to go back yet again to the previous ice age, or any of the numerous ice ages.

So...at some point 20,000 to 30,000 years from now, someone's going to say ,"We've got to save the non-ice cap areas!"

Re:Whew, no problem then

[Taikutusu]

Because it's been proven. Beyond all shadow of a doubt. Yep, all those scientists that disagree, we'll just sweep them under a rug.

And then....

[Capt James McCarthy]

More ice has melted.
And then...
More ice has melted.
And then...

I think everyone gets it by now. The ice at the poles is melting and there is little anyone can do about it. The Earth's climate changes from time to time. It has changed abruptly in the past (ice cores) and will do so in the future. "Man's" responsibility is and will be debatable. If your climate is riding a razors edge and man pushes the Earth into a warming or cooling cycle is it really man's fault? Man sure does like blaming him/herself for global cycles. I guess because we are _so_ important in the Universe. If Man has thrown the Global Climate cycle out of wack, Earth's history has proven that it will self correct. Now can Man be flexible enough to survive it? That is the better question.

Re:Not that it matters ...

[d3ac0n]

Nope.

Ice always displaces it's volume in water. Period. The shape of the ice isn't relevant. Indeed; the largest, heaviest, "most likely to displace water" portions of an irregular ice shape will always be under water, displacing water.

Little known fact: As an iceberg melts it rolls over and over, constantly putting the heaviest largest section under water. Once that section melts enough (being exposed to the melting effects of salt water) the berg rolls over, and the top becomes the bottom and vice-versa.

Re:Tabacoo science.

[ArcherB]

Again. Please don't attack the source just because you don't like their data. Until you can come up with numbers counter to icecap's and can explain why ice cap's numbers are bad, STFU.

Here, let me show you. You are about to post a bunch of articles containing NASA data. Before you start linking to NASA data, please read the following SlashDot submission. See, I just showed how the NASA data you were about to post is not accurate and provided a link explaining why. Until you can do that with IceCap's data, SHUT UP OR PUT UP, but leave the ad hominem fallacies behind.