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Title: Huge ice sheet breaks from Greenland glacier
Source:
BBC
URL Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-10900235
Published: Aug 7, 2010
Author: staff
Post Date: 2010-08-07 11:30:09 by buckeroo
Keywords: None
Views: 830
Comments: 37
A giant sheet of ice measuring 260 sq km (100 sq miles) has broken off a glacier in Greenland, according to researchers at a US university. The block of ice separated from the Petermann Glacier, on the north-west coast of Greenland. It is the largest Arctic iceberg to calve since 1962, said Prof Andreas Muenchow of the University of Delaware. The ice could become frozen in place over winter or escape into the waters between Greenland and Canada. Related stories If the iceberg moves south, it could interfere with shipping, Prof Muenchow said. Cracks in the Petermann Glacier had been observed last year and it was expected that an iceberg would calve from it soon. The glacier is 1,000 km (620 miles) south of the North Pole. Graphic A researcher at the Canadian Ice Service detected the calving from Nasa satellite images taken early on Thursday, the professor said. The images showed that Petermann Glacier lost about one-quarter of its 70km-long (43-mile) floating ice shelf. There was enough fresh water locked up in the ice island to "keep all US public tap water flowing for 120 days," said Prof Muenchow. He said it was not clear if the event was due to global warming. The first six months of 2010 have been the hottest on record globally, scientists have said. Thousands of icebergs calve off Greenland's glaciers annually, but they are seldom so large.
Poster Comment: Incredible.
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Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 11.
#4. To: buckeroo, *Agriculture-Environment* (#0)
Far from being proof of AGW, actually is more in keeping with glacier growth.
I don't agree. I think these various apparent and isolated snapshots across the world is proof about global warming phenomena. Now, the exact cause is uncertain. But, there is no question about man-made interference as one of the contributors.
glaciers calving is not from melting, that would be glacier retreating. Glaciers calve when they grow.
Whoops!
#20. To: buckeroo (#11)
(Edited)
Wow the glacier retreated since the Dalton minimum. The Yosemite valley isn't full of glaciers any more either. This again is normal and means NOTHING!
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#5. To: farmfriend (#4)
Far from being proof of AGW ...
#6. To: buckeroo (#5)
#11. To: farmfriend (#6)
glaciers calving is not from melting, that would be glacier retreating. Glaciers calve when they grow.
Jakobshavn Glacier Calving Front Recession from 1851 to 2009
Jakobshavn Isbrae is located on the west coast of Greenland at Latitude 69 N. The ice front, where the glacier calves into the sea, Between 1850 and 1964 the ice front retreated at a steady rate of about 0.3 km/yr, after which it occupied approximately the same location until 2001, when the ice front began to recede again, but far more rapidly at about 3 km/yr. As more ice moves from glaciers on land into the ocean, it causes a rise in sea level. Jakobshavn Isbrae is Greenland's largest outlet glacier, draining 6.5 percent of Greenland's ice sheet area. The ice stream's speed-up and near-doubling of the ice flow from land into the ocean has increased the rate of sea level rise by about .06 millimeters (about .002 inches) per year, or roughly 4 percent of the 20th century rate of sea level increase.
Replies to Comment # 11. receded more than 40 km between 1850 and 2006.
End Trace Mode for Comment # 11.