A group of scientists detected about eight thousand lakes on the glacier Langhovde, in eastern Antarctica. They were formed due to melting of the past 13 years caused by increased air temperature in the area.
It is suspected to be an effect of climate change that is causing human emissions of gases greenhouse effects.
the phenomenon was first documented in Greenland ice mass more vulnerable to climate change. It was also observed in the Antarctic Peninsula. But nobody thought it could be happening in East Antarctica, the largest mass of the planet and the most stable ice.
The study was led by the University of Durham (UK) and has been published by the magazine Geophysical Research Letters . For analysis used satellite images.
The formation of these lakes are a warning sign on the intensity of climate change and because the lake water flowing between glaciers and to the ocean.
in Greenland this phenomenon further weakens the structure of ice and could cause fractures.
the researchers found that the increase in air temperature is proportional to the number of lakes formed, the area add them all and its depth.
However, so far not been shown that the presence of these lakes has a great effect on the glacier, because they are not big enough.
Add the sea
If there’s ice masses on Earth begin to melt this water will cause an increase in sea level. For this reason, several coastal cities would be at risk of being flooded permanently.
Experts made estimates of how long this catastrophe could happen and if there is still time to mitigate this consequence of climate change. The melting of the East Antarctic is a clear sign that the phenomenon is accelerating.
No comments:
Post a Comment