Vast iceberg breaks off Wilkins Ice Shelf in Antarctic
| (Question: These “icebergs” they speak of – where did they come from in the pre-warming era, when ice shelves remained intact?) |  |
The full Wilkins 6,000 square mile ice shelf is just 0.39% of the current ice sheet (just 0.1% of the extent last September). Only a small portion of it between 1/10th-1/20th of Wilkins has separated so far, like an icicle falling off a snow and ice covered house. And this winter is coming on quickly. In fact the ice is returning so fast, it is running an amazing 60% ahead (4.0 vs 2.5 million square km extent) of last year when it set a new record. The ice extent is already approaching the second highest level for extent since the measurements began by satellite in 1979 and just a few days into the Southern Hemisphere winter and 6 months ahead of the peak. Wilkins like all the others that temporarily broke up will refreeze soon. We are very likely going to exceed last year’s record. Yet the world is left with the false impression Antarctica’s ice sheet is also starting to disappear.
The iceberg that sank the Titanic 96 years ago, wasn’t an iceberg at all. It was one of those rare, gigantic floating rocks, placed there by the exquisite navigation efforts of George Bush’s great grandfather.
Isn’t “The Thing” from Antarctica?
Shouldn’t we leave those kind of “things” alone?
Kate..link no workieee…:(
Icebergs? There are no stinkin icebergs due to GW! This must be somebody’s imagination gone wild.
Oh. Looking at the pic again…it’s an ice FLOE, not a berg….sheeeeesh. Have all the MSM gone nuts? Rhetorical question.
There’s a key graph in Christopher Monckton’s graph:
http://icecap.us/images/uploads/Monckton2.jpg.
What it shows is a steadily declining CO2 inventory over the past 600 million years with a generally constant average temperature (a few large dips in the late Carboniferous and current Tertiary periods).
This decline in CO2 content should have been producing a much larger overall temperature drop. What balanced off against it was the increasing output of the sun. Today the sun is putting out about 40 per cent more energy than was the case at the beginning of the Triassic 250 million years ago. This increase has been largely balanced off by the drawdown in CO2 atmospheric inventory, leaving only a slight cooling trend in temperature.
So will doubling the atmospheric content of CO2 from 280 ppm to more than 500 ppm have any significant effect for life on this planet? Hardly. Life was far more abundant on our planet at much higher CO2 concentrations and at trivially higher temperature conditions than prevail today.
Thanks, link fixed.
Isn’t it funny, that when a ‘new ice age’ is almost about to kill a billion or two people by starving them to death, we are being forced to pay to ‘combat global warming’? I am LMAO every time I pay my utility bills that include AGW surcharge.
Here’s a direct quote from the article cited:
“… Antarctica’s ice sheet is also starting to disappear.”
How scary is that?!?!
Furthermore, if you look at the accompanying photo, you can see that the lower part of the earth looks like a giant bruise.
I’m tellin’ ya, the Earth’s hurtin’ bad.
What? You say that the environmental watermelons have been lying? They’ve been claiming firstly to be “scientists” and secondly that the ice is melting when the opposite has happened?
Gee, that’s as hard to believe as the claim that the Goracle lives in a huge, energy-burning mansion or some equally impossible to believe lie – like Dr.Fruit Fly owning two large homes.
What? They do? Well… never mind then.
Hmmm.
I guess that big ice cube will keep the ocean temperatures cool … at least the areas into which it floats over.
Sure to drive the global warming, er, climate change, settled science proponents goofier than they already.
Provable scientific fact has a way of separating the seekers of truth (true scientists) from the totalitarians (socialist international).
I don’t know if I’ve saved the link, but I’ve read relatively recently (like within the past year) that icebergs break off when they’re too heavy, not because they’re melting.
For me the key point is ” will refreeze soon.”
Does that not suggest that perhaps the currents or something else caused the initial breakaway?
Over the long, cold, snowy winter the MSM has been keeping the “global warming” hysterics toned down.
But now that Earth Hour and Earth Day are approaching, the alarmist bullcrap is being ramped up. Look for it to increase.
And don’t forget, for Earth Hour (March 29th, 8:00 PM to 9:00 PM) turn on all your lights and crank up the furnace.
I agree with JR, we should spread the word that during Earth Hour turn on every light, furnace, appliance and vehicle you got and lets see if we can flip the break on the utility plant.
I’m serious.
Ah, yes, calving icebergs from a glacier – a sure sign the end of the world is near! NOT.
Calving icebergs mean that the ice sheet is GROWING – from the centre out – pushing the ‘berg into the ocean where it breaks free when it finally becomes unsupported by a land mass. Yet the enviro wingnuts will have the sheeple believe that the end is nigh!
I haven’t used my hot tub this winter. But I think I’ll crank it up for earth hour.
Ha, go look at the Earth Hour picture on the national post link that JR mentions above. I sure hope they aren’t burning any fossil fuels to keep that balloon in the air.
With all this global warming going on we are going to need to get ice for our drinks somewhere; it’s a delicate balance. To quote the great Mr. Miyagi. “Buddha provide”
One thing for sure. The frequency of the trolls coming here to shriek at us “AGW deniers” has decreased substantially as the fraud is exposed more and more.
I have even noticed the younger set (20-30, the kids of Kingston’s “liberal” bunch) questioning the whole scam as well.
SHE’S FALLING APART AT THE SEAMS BOY !
It’s sad to see the BAS scientists have drunk the Kool-Aid. I guess the research grants depend on it.
Anyway, ice-shelves are prone to breaking off. It’s always been that way. Antarctica is justing coming off its summer season so the timing is right.
What? No pictures of a thermometer next to an air conditioning condensor to PROVE that the antarctic isn’t warming up?
This should be good for at least one more global warming conference on Bali, transport courtesy of Learjet.
“Ah, yes, calving icebergs from a glacier – a sure sign the end of the world is near! NOT. Calving icebergs mean that the ice sheet is GROWING ”
Exactly. Since The Goreacle has proven to the world that retreating glaciers are proof of AGW, then it is logical that an ADVANCING glacier, pushing its ice edge out over water, is proof of Global Cooling.
Isn’t the logic of science wonderful.
Slow down Fred. You cannot expect logic to apply to shrieking, “the sky is falling” leftards.
Earth Hour?
I want to rent a f’ing generator and one of those old-school Hollywood spotlights like they used in the original King Kong movie that you can practically see from space… When the time comes, point the damn thing right at your most obnoxious greentard neighbour.
What about those energy saving light bulbs? Now we learn they’re full of mercury. Too dangerous to throw away.
How about this? The AGW fear freaks can use them as thermometers. Stick ’em up their ass to take their temperature.
That way they can learn how their hot air is melting the ice caps, and causing that stampede of runaway ice floes.
The ice shelves are the fringes of the antarctic continent – shore ice on a big scale. Satelite radar imagery shows the ice on the landmass is growing thicker – and that would suggest previous poster Finn is correct – the fringes slough off as the centre mass grows and expands outward. Like a scab heals on your knee.
MM
Where’s Ted when everyone is waiting for him to say something… scolding?
“We predicted it would happen, but it’s happened twice as fast as we predicted.”
Which means their predictions were off by 50%.
A suggestion that would suit all of us who don’t take down Christmas lights until spring; turn ’em on to celebrate Mar. 29. Could turn into a tradition.
CTV has been pumping this ever few minutes all day today….Kate could you please send CTV your posted rebutal and tell them to quit the alarmist BS!
“One thing for sure. The frequency of the trolls coming here to shriek at us “AGW deniers” has decreased substantially as the fraud is exposed more and more.”
Maybe these trolls should be called “global cooling deniers”
I am shocked – shocked I tell you, that CTV would report such an incident without also giving you the advice about you can immediately do – reduce your carbon emissions immediately by turning off your TV.
Mother Gaia is chipping off ice cubes and tossing them into the oceans to cool down the fevered planet (and freak out scientists measuring ocean temperatures).
It should be no surprise that CTV is going apoplectic. Kevin Newman has been the Anchor and Executive Editor of Global National since its first edition on September 3rd, 2001. Kevin Newman is a raving lunatic when it comes to AGW. He has been heard numerous times on Adler ranting and raving about it like the eco-fascists Al Gore and David Suzuki. I’m surprised that Newman would put his unbelievable bias onto the public airwaves like that. Anything out of CTV related to AGW is suspect given Newmans involvement.
The Antarctic sea ice is currently refreezing. As we know, when melt water refreezes it expands. During the summer the shelf ice would have melted and ran down any cracks in the ice. Now that it is cooling, that fresh water would be freezing and expanding, causing the shelf to shatter. This will help expand the level of Antarctic sea ice even further. The level of Antarctic sea ice has been expanding for the last five years. 2008 may be the sixth year of expansion.
Just saw TV coverage of the iceberg break-off (Global TV I think); part of the report was global warming warning that Antarctic temps have risen by 3 degrees and our winter temps have risen by 4 degrees since the 1950’s.
Unfortunately, there was no video coverage of the commentator’s nose growing.
Bantered with the AGW crowd over at the Globe and Mail on their version of this ‘breaking’ news, not a lot of scientific rebuttal, just mostly ad hominem tripe, then I listened to the Dave Rutherford Show on CHED (guest hosted by the other Dave) with Dr. Roy Spencer of The University of Alabama, he wasn’t kind to the AGW crowd nor the IPCC, of which he was once a former contributor. Bad day for the warmists. Talked about the modelers and the bad drugs they have been feeding their models, seems the little seabots and the satellites aren’t cooperating with the modeler’s stories of the future. I feel a lot better though.
I seriously doubt that the threat of carbon taxes will go away, that ship has already left port, may be it’ll an ice berg. I can only hope.
Sadly, there are no politicians who are willing to stand up and say that Climate Change is a scam and that he or she will not tax the shit out of us to cool the sun or warm it or whatever the trend is at the time.
I just heard John McCaine beating about how the US must work with the rest of the idiots on planet earth to bring in a cap and trade system so we can hand down a healthy planet to our grand children.
However, we not be handing them any money since it’s going to be extorted by our betters in this scam.
I have no grand children thankfully so I will do whatever I want and spend whatever money I have and flick the bird on my death bed.
Chad. That would be one thing to call them. I have a few others.
1. killers of millions for banning DDT
2. destroyers of atmosphere for fighting nuclear power
3. filler of landfills by throwing hissy fits over incineration
4. creators of smog by having a second set of trucks picking up our garbage(recycling, what a joke…geez)
Once again, the progressive elites have been proven wrong, wrong and wrong again.
Suzuki could reduce climate change by selling one of his two mansions to a several homeless persons for $1.00.
Much of North America has suffered thru a very snowy and record breaking winter so far, with places in Eastern Canada at 500 cm of snow.
Is this a good time to ask the AGW people what they think the winters will be like when the earth’s weather cycle gets to the glacier building stage again?
Also “breaking”: Hot off my presses:
Climate Change? Forget About It: McGuinty Liberals
http://thecanadiansentinel.blogspot.com/2008/03/climate-change-forget-about-it-mcguinty.html
Almost no mention in the Ontario Budget of climate change, according to Lorrie Goldstein.
MSM doesn’t say a bloody word. Doesn’t care a whit.
You know, I predicted several times that the “progressives” would soon enough get tired of not getting their way in a hurry and forget about this latest Big Lie and move on.
This may well be the first indication. A Liberal government has abandoned its jihad against the imaginary impending catastrophe. The MSM appears to be letting them off the hook just like that. Wow! Imagine how different the reporters’ questioning would’ve been if it had been a Conservative government instead of a “progressive” Liberal one…
Guess what? Already it’s a non-story.
The Ontario Libs are well aware of where their economy is heading. Guess when the times are bad they cut and run from their GW mantras. What really picks me off is the non attention from the media.
“Frozen mammoth carcasses found in Siberia have challenged our imagination for centuries.”
(Answers)
Warmites say, too late for elephants in Auntyarctic.
But not for mammoths. ? Sorry! Correction. Too late for mammoths in lberia.
…-
“The trade, bolstered recently by global warming, which has melted the tundra and exposed more frozen remains, is not only legal but actually endorsed by conservationists.
They note somewhat grudgingly that while the survival of elephants may be in question, it is already too late for mammoths.”
Trade in mammoth ivory, helped by global thaw, flourishes in Russia
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1992161/posts
EVIL CANADIANS WIPING OUT ENTIRE HARP SEAL POPULATION!
If you liked this Times story of the fast-disappearing Antarctic icecap, you’ll love the Times story about the upcoming demise of the entire Harp Seal herd AT THE BLOOD-STAINED HANDS OF YOU EVIL CANADIANS!
The Times article is entitled “Canada defiant over annual seal pup cull” by Tom Leonard.
You’ve got to check the article’s numbers to see their somewhat hidden statistics lie. I quote a pertinent excerpt below:
“…Robbie Marsland, the UK director of the International Fund for Animal Welfare, said the quotas “will inevitably have serious consequences for the future of the harp seal population”.
He added: “Scientists predict that annual hunts at this level could reduce the population by 70 per cent in the next 15 years.”
I note that approved hunt number of 275,000 harp seals, out of a herd of more than 5.5 million works out to almost exactly 5%. WHEREAS his predicted reduction of the population by 70% over 15 years works out to about 6% a year. Even ignoring that 1% over 15 years (a substantial number in itself) that can only make sense if NO SEALS are born between now and 15 years hence AND 5% of the herd are culled each of these upcoming 15 years.
Mr. Marsland, Old Boy, some people can do arithmetic!
It’s sad to see even the once-great London Times has stooped to publishing this National Enquirer-level of pseudo-journalism.
Only those who want to push the “Great Equaliser” of socialism and make serfs out of us point to natural phenomena and cry,”Lo, for there is irrifutable proof of global warming”.
Slightly off topic, ING Insurance ran an advertisement in the January 2008 National Geopgraphic claiming that cattle were the most dangerous thing to the environment. In response to this claim I contacted ING’s media people to ask if what they were thus saying was that it was a good thing that the plains buffalo were almost wiped out; imagine what all those methane belching beasts were doing to the environment and keeping the forest growth trampled and ate down. I am still waiting for a reply.
“Frozen mammoth carcasses found in Siberia have challenged our imagination for centuries.”
Read an interesting article about the frozen mammoths and what their remains tell us about the past.
First of all it shows us that once upon a time it was much warmer in that area than it is now. Mammoths like elephants require lots of food to survive. The only food they could eat was plants. The volume of plant material required to support a mammoth can only grow in warm climate. A mammoth would starve to death if all it had to eat was what now grows on the tundra.
Secondly climate change seemingly took place very suddenly. Some of the frozen mammoths were found with grass in their mouths. They were contentedly eating supper when a huge snow fall trapped them, froze them and did not release their remains for thousands of years.
This Times article – twenty, or so, of their own commenters, all but 4 or 5 trashed the Times – laughed at the fear-mongering.
When will the media get it – cut their losses and move on – report the news without spin.
Call in Abdullah DeLancey.
He’s got a knife. He can get those harp seals.
He has stillettos too, and a nice white dress.