Iceshelf hanging by thread!

[prashamk]

PARIS (AFP) — New evidence has emerged that a large plate of floating ice shelf attached to Antarctica is breaking up, in a troubling sign of global warming, the European Space Agency (ESA) said on Thursday.

Images taken by its Envisat remote-sensing satellite show that Wilkins Ice Shelf is "hanging by its last thread" to Charcot Island, one of the plate's key anchors to the Antarctic peninsula, ESA said in a press release.

"Since the connection to the island... helps stabilise the ice shelf, it is likely the breakup of the bridge will put the remainder of the ice shelf at risk," it said.

Wilkins Ice Shelf had been stable for most of the last century, covering around 16,000 square kilometres (6,000 square miles), or about the size of Northern Ireland, before it began to retreat in the 1990s.

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[SwitchBlade]

Originally Posted by prashamk

[b]PARIS (AFP) —
"Since the connection to the island... helps stabilise the ice shelf, it is likely the breakup of the bridge will put the remainder of the ice shelf at risk," it said.

Wilkins Ice Shelf had been stable for most of the last century, [b]covering around 16,000 square kilometres (6,000 square miles), or about the size of Northern Ireland, before it began to retreat in the 1990s.

And exactly why is this ice shelf so important? And why is it so important that it stay attached to the continent?

Some country short on fresh water will get the opportunity to tow a large chunk of it up for a water source.

[prashamk]

Originally Posted by SwitchBlade

And exactly why is this ice shelf so important? And why is it so important that it stay attached to the continent?

Some country short on fresh water will get the opportunity to tow a large chunk of it up for a water source.

What a great idea! Instead of using up only this one, why not distribute glaciers of entire world say arctic, antarctic, greenland and others. I would solve the edible water problem and also sea water levels wont increase immediately

[SwitchBlade]

Originally Posted by prashamk

What a great idea! Instead of using up only this one, why not distribute glaciers of entire world say arctic, antarctic, greenland and others. I would solve the edible water problem and also sea water levels wont increase immediately

I don't know how you would tow a glacier any distance unless its one that runs into the ocean and breaks off. That eliminates most of Greenland, all of Switzerland and California, plus some others. However, much of that glacier water is used when it melts at lower levels and runs into streams and rivers.

[prashamk]

Originally Posted by SwitchBlade

I don't know how you would tow a glacier any distance unless its one that runs into the ocean and breaks off. That eliminates most of Greenland, all of Switzerland and California, plus some others. However, much of that glacier water is used when it melts at lower levels and runs into streams and rivers.

Can we use a submarine kind of stuff to tow it

[SwitchBlade]

From what I've read, towing isn't the problem - there are plenty of ocean going tugs available. The issues are:

1. Hooking up to it. Put it in a giant baggy or just attach a tow cable (or more than one if necessary).
a. If you put it in a large baggy - it conserves water that melts on the way to the destination, but necessitates a large bag or enclosure of some sort that must be strong enough to tow with the weight (mass) and allow for rolling of the ice burg (see #2).
b. If you attach one or more cables, they must be attached in such a manner as to not pull out or otherwise slip off (see #2).

2. Since ice burgs are floating with approx 90% of their weight under water; depending on the shape, how fast it melts (density), and how long it is in water and air above zero C, the ice burg will roll or tumble as it looses mass (melts).

3. If it can be put in a bag of some sort, and the salt water pumped out before or during the tow, the problem of recovery is fairly simple. You just park it and pump the water to a receiving station. If its towed without a bag, its obviously more difficult, and a method has to be worked out for recovery.