There are side effects to the melting of our glaciers and our permanent ice sheets. It causes an irreversible rise in the worlds sea levels and an ultimate threat to the well being of global populations located in coastal cities.
Scientists study and collect data monitoring the rises in greenhouse gases by core drilling in the Arctic and Antarctic. They take the core samples and calculate the composition of the bubbles stored with in the sample. These bubbles capture the air at the time of the freeze, scientists release this air and measure it to determine what greenhouse gases are trapped within.
These samples are a record of past climate changes, It's like a DNA for the atmosphere.
Once the ice sheets melt, the perma frost beneath becomes exposed to the suns heat and it begins to decompose, introducing methane and other gases into the atmosphere.
When large volumes of ice cannot reform, the volume of liquid increases in our oceans, causing the level of the seas to rise.
Rising sea levels and subsequent storms, winds and changing water currents can and will have devastating effects to countries that are not proactive in identifying, managing, planning and assessing the risks that the rising sea level will place on their cities and the well being of their people.
Scientists study and collect data monitoring the rises in greenhouse gases by core drilling in the Arctic and Antarctic. They take the core samples and calculate the composition of the bubbles stored with in the sample. These bubbles capture the air at the time of the freeze, scientists release this air and measure it to determine what greenhouse gases are trapped within.
These samples are a record of past climate changes, It's like a DNA for the atmosphere.
Once the ice sheets melt, the perma frost beneath becomes exposed to the suns heat and it begins to decompose, introducing methane and other gases into the atmosphere.
When large volumes of ice cannot reform, the volume of liquid increases in our oceans, causing the level of the seas to rise.
Rising sea levels and subsequent storms, winds and changing water currents can and will have devastating effects to countries that are not proactive in identifying, managing, planning and assessing the risks that the rising sea level will place on their cities and the well being of their people.
References:
1. Climate State. 2013. Geologic methane seeps along boundaries of Arctic permafrost thaw and melting glaciers.Viewed 3 August 2015 < http://climatestate.com/2013/06/18/geologic-methane-seeps-along-boundaries-of-arctic-permafrost-thaw-and-melting-glaciers/>
2. Prof:Kevin Schaefer-National Snow ans Ice Data Centre. 2015. Methane and Frozen Ground. Viewed 223 August 2015 <https://nsidc.org/cryosphere/frozenground/methane.html.>
1. Climate State. 2013. Geologic methane seeps along boundaries of Arctic permafrost thaw and melting glaciers.Viewed 3 August 2015 < http://climatestate.com/2013/06/18/geologic-methane-seeps-along-boundaries-of-arctic-permafrost-thaw-and-melting-glaciers/>
2. Prof:Kevin Schaefer-National Snow ans Ice Data Centre. 2015. Methane and Frozen Ground. Viewed 223 August 2015 <https://nsidc.org/cryosphere/frozenground/methane.html.>