WORLD NEWS
March 24, 2006
Polar Ice Melting
Increasing temperatures at the Earth's polar ice caps threaten to raise sea levels
 Scientists say the ice sheet that covers much of Greenland is thinning because of global warming. |
As spring arrives in the Arctic, new research suggests average temperatures are rising and ice caps are quickly melting. The melting ice threatens to shrink glaciers. The shrinking could raise sea levels around the world.
Rising Waters
The new research on the polar ice caps in the Arctic and Antarctic is outlined in the latest issue of the journal Science. What happens at the polar ice caps could affect the entire globe, said Bette Otto-Bleisner of the National Center for Atmospheric Research.
A large amount of polluting gases are produced when people burn fossil fuels such as coal and oil to produce power for cities, factories and cars and to heat homes.
According to the studies, an increase in the release of these gases could raise Arctic temperatures by 5 to 8 degrees within the next 100 years. That warmth could melt ice caps. The melting ice could then raise sea levels one to three feet over the next 100 to 150 years.
Melting Glaciers
Another study reports an increase in earthquakes caused by melting glaciers. The number of glacial earthquakes in Greenland�s polar region has more than doubled since 2002.
"People often think of glaciers as ... slow moving, but in fact then can also move rather quickly," researcher Goeran Ekstroem of Harvard University said.
Some glaciers are as large as Manhattan, New York, and as tall as the Empire State Building! How do warming temperatures contribute to earthquakes? As glaciers melt, flowing water eases their path. This can cause sudden movement, which makes the ground shake.
