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The Himalayas and Nearby Peaks Have Lost No Ice In Past 10 Years, Study Shows
DesScorp writes "A story from UK's Guardian reports on a study of ice levels from the Himalayas area, and finds that no significant melting has occurred, despite earlier predictions of losses of up to 50 billion tons of ice. 'The very unexpected result was the negligible mass loss from high mountain Asia, which is not significantly different from zero,' said Professor Jonathan Bamber, who also warns that 8 years simply isn't enough time to draw conclusions. 'It is awfully dangerous to take an eight-year record and predict even the next eight years, let alone the next century,' he said." Readers have sent in a few other stories today relating to melting (or persisting) ice around the globe; read on for more.
bonch writes "New research from the University of Colorado concludes that the polar ice caps are melting less than previously thought. Almost 230 billion tons of ice annually melt into the ocean, 30% less than past predictions. The new data comes from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment satellite, which provides more accurate estimates than previous methods."
The earth being a complex thing, though, note that these observations don't mean an end to predictions of elevated sea level.
Finally, an anonymous reader writes with another ice story: "NASA's Terra satellite saw a huge crack in the Pine Island Glacier in Antarctica and it is all set to give rise to an iceberg the size of Manhattan! The huge gash in the snow is 30 kilometers (or 19 miles) long and nearly 100 meters wide, and is widening every passing minute. This is expected to create an iceberg more than 900 square kilometer in area, as compared to the 785 square kilometer area of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Staten Island and Bronx combined, said NASA."
The earth being a complex thing, though, note that these observations don't mean an end to predictions of elevated sea level.
Finally, an anonymous reader writes with another ice story: "NASA's Terra satellite saw a huge crack in the Pine Island Glacier in Antarctica and it is all set to give rise to an iceberg the size of Manhattan! The huge gash in the snow is 30 kilometers (or 19 miles) long and nearly 100 meters wide, and is widening every passing minute. This is expected to create an iceberg more than 900 square kilometer in area, as compared to the 785 square kilometer area of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Staten Island and Bronx combined, said NASA."
It's 'healthy' to follow the data and not make any assumptions before you analyze it.
That's what skepticism is.
In related news from last year, global sea levels dropped 6mm over 2010.
For example, do you remember how polar bears drowning in the Arctic sea due to global warming were cited as a reason to classify them as an endangered species, and how they were used as a symbol of climate change in Al Gore's movie? The lead scientist was actually placed on administrative leave, and several questions were raised about how the bears actually died and how the corpses were observed from 1,500 up in a helicopter rather than examined to actually determine their cause of death. Whether or not they were really drowning, there just wasn't enough data to come to the conclusion that was presented to the public with the level of certainty that was conveyed.
The Charles Monnett (polar bear scientist) investigation was likely politically motivated since nothing has come of it, but either way, the agency is on-record saying that his temporary administrative leave was unrelated to his polar bear research. He is back to work as of last August. This entire climate debate is so politically charged that a "rational "healthily skeptical" position" probably doesn't exist.
Director Bromwich:
" I can assure you that the decision had nothing to do with his scientific work, or anything relating to a five-year old journal article, as advocacy groups and the news media have incorrectly speculated. Nor is this a "witch hunt" to suppress the work of our many scientists and discourage them from speaking the truth. Quite the contrary. In this case, it was the result of new information on a separate subject brought to our attention very recently."
http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/boemre-director-says-offshore-oil-agency-not-witch-hunt
and understand why? HINT, it's not because of cooling or creating more ice.
It's because of more rain fall over land.
The Kruger Dunning explains most post on
You might have nailed it. If you remove the mass from the top of the Himalayas in the form of water, the reduced weight will cause the mountains to rebound upward from the pressure from underneath.
Effectively, missing water mass is replaced by mineral mass, in what might be an almost perfect balance.
The term for this is isostacy, there's a wikipedia article on it.
--PM
In fairness to Dr. Monnett's reputation, if you cite the story that he was suspended in July, you should also note that the suspension was lifted several weeks later. Also in the name of fairness you should note that the reason he could not substantiate his observations to the IG's investigators (as reported in the article) is that they'd seized his papers. When those papers were returned the interview notes and other supporting evidence was found in them.
To all appearances this investigation is petering out, if it is not dead already. But let us grant that this is not necessarily the case. If so, *we don't know* the ultimate outcome. But should the investigation ultimately *exonerate* Dr. Monnett and Mr. Gleason, should their work be completely *vindicated*, the damage to their reputation is already done, and through means from which they could not possibly have defended themselves.
You cannot hold up an investigation, especially one with such political implications, as prima facie evidence of guilt. That's just commons sense. It *used* to be called "common decency". Even if the accusations that have been floated are proved true -- an event that seems increasingly unlikely -- the reckless use of the existence of an investigation to sully these men's reputations is repugnant to me. *Anybody* can manufacture an accusation. And any accusation of serious wrongdoing should be investigated. But it is that very necessity which makes the abuse of an investigation's mere *existence* for political ends an intolerable threat to individual liberty.
Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.
Whoever modded this insightful is retarded. In no point in recorded history, or in the estimation of past CO2 levels, has the level of CO2 ever been 10 times the current amount.
Be careful who you call retarded. You're gonna feel really stupid when someone comes along and proves you wrong.
OOH! OOH! Let me!
HERE ya go!
Did that not work? Try this one:
Present atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations are not unprecedented in geological history. Throughout the Phanerozoic spanning the past 600 million years, carbon dioxide concentrations have been sporadically falling from well above 6000ppm (Berner, 2001). Carbon dioxide has risen before, only to be sequestered in its unstoppable decline to an all time low of 200ppm - in the midst of human history.
To put that in perspective, the current levels are around 339ppm. If you are not good at math, 6000 is more than 10 x 339.
Need more? Click HERE
Glad I could help.
There is no "I disagree" mod for a reason. Flamebait, Troll, and Overrated are not substitutes.