Environmental Alert: The Antarctic Ice Shelf is Coming Apart

by steve468 | March 26, 2008 at 12:28 pm
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 West Antarctic Ice Shelf Breakup

West Antarctic Ice Shelf Breakup

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A section of Antarctica's largest ice shelf is disintegrating, satellite images have shown and global warming is thought to be the cause.

An iceberg measuring 41km by 2.4km broke off the southwestern front of the Wilkins ice shelf on February 28, images obtained by the University of Colorado's National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) showed.

That led to further disintegration of the shelf's interior, of which 414 square km has already disappeared.




Are you concerned about Antarctica's melting ice or mountain glaciers Disappearing?

Although the disintegration will not have an impact on sea levels, scientists are concerned because it shows that the Antarctic ice sheet is melting at a faster rate than expected.

Are you concerned about the collapse of the Antarctic ice sheet? Do you believe that our climate is changing as a result of human activity? What, if anything, can be done to limit the damage?

Post your thoughts on this very important happening.

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Barbara McPherson

The TV stations carried this news this morning but didn't have a good picture like you do.  Scientific American carried an excellent article on this subject in Feb.  We certainly are living in interesting times

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