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What's wrong with underwater ice melting? Ice density is lower than waters, so water level should actually decrease from that.
by pyankoff 9y ago
What's wrong with underwater ice melting? Ice density is lower than waters, so water level should actually decrease from that.
- misja111 9y agoIt's not the only flaw in the article. Also it chooses to ignore the fact that unlike the Arctic, the Antartic does actually not have any net ice loss at all; in some parts the ice is melting, but this loss is offset by other parts which are gaining in volume. https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/nasa-study-mass-gains-of-antarctic-ice-sheet-greater-than-losses https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/nasa-study-mass-gains-o...
- doikor 9y agoThere is a difference between ice and sea ice. Basically Antartica has been losing land ice while sea ice has been growing. https://www.skepticalscience.com/antarctica-gaining-ice-intermediate.htm https://www.skepticalscience.com/antarctica-gaining-ice-inte... The important bit about sea vs land ice. > when land ice melts and flows into the oceans global sea levels rise on average; when sea ice melts sea levels do not change measurably but other parts of the climate system are affected, like increased absorbtion of solar energy by the darker oceans.
- misja111 9y ago> Basically Antartica has been losing land ice while sea ice has been growing. The Nasa article says the reverse, land ice is growing and sea ice melting. Also the NYT article states that it is especially the Antarctic sea ice that is vulnerable because of the rising ocean water temperature. But I've read your link and learned that the Nasa article is controversial. Well what do I know ..
- ykler 9y agoThe article is about ice on land melting. But actually when floating ice melts it increases sea levels a little bit as well, as explained here: https://www.quora.com/If-water-is-denser-than-ice-why-do-sea-levels-rise-when-the-ice-caps-melt https://www.quora.com/If-water-is-denser-than-ice-why-do-sea... Note, especially the first answer, which says that the effect from melting floating ice is quite small and that the primary drivers of rising sea levels from global warming are melting ice on land and thermal expansion of sea water.
- Xylakant 9y agoit's not "underwater ice", it's "ice sitting on soil that is below sea level". The ice sheet is thick enough to be significantly above water level, but it's especially vulnerable to temperature increases in the ocean, since ocean water can start flowing under the ice and melt it from below.
- pyankoff 9y agoThank you, now that makes sense.
- flukus 9y agoAmomgst other things, that ice is acting like a plug for a lot of ice on land.
- danieltillett 9y agoI hope you understand that an iceberg floating in water displaces the same volume as ice as water [1]. 1. I am ignoring the complexity of freshwater and saltwater mixing.