Icecaps and Sea Levels
You have likely seen T.V. documentaries claiming that the icecaps melting will cause sea levels to rise substantially
This myth comes from overlooking various facts such as
(1) The melting of ice that is floating in the sea will have next to no effect when it melts due to the fact that floating ice displaces almost exactly the same volume of sea water as the ice will become when it melts.
(2) The amount of non floating ice on the icecaps & glaciers, (should they melt) is insufficient to raise the oceans more than a few cms
If there is going to be a rise in sea levels, it will be due in most part to the expansion of the oceans because it has a warmer temperature. Although some extra water vapour may stay in the atomosphere as well which may lessen the rise in ocean levels.
Web sites to check out
You may be able to see the mark on the stone in this photo
This was inscribed by amatuer meteorologist Thomas Lempriere in 1841 on Tasmania`s "Isle of the Dead" at the mean tide mark. This mark is now 34 cm above today`s mean tide level (shown in the photo)
Inconclusive Glacial evidence i.e. Some glaciers receding, some (such as Franz Joseph) growing http:// www.john-daly.com/
Franz Joseph Glacier (NZ) 1964
Franz Joseph Glacier (NZ) 2000
For an alternative explanation for the global warming that seems to have occured see The Sun and Global Warming interview with Dr. Sallie Baliunas on our research and articles page.
Global Warming fears sunk by science
This article comes from the courier Mail - 18th October
Fears the Pacific's atolls are disappearing as global warming raises lea levels may soon be left high and dry.
New scientific evidence appears to dismiss the myth of the sinking isles. Previously, concerns over the forecast ecological disaster have prompted appeals for help from Pacific nations, fundraising efforts from Green peace, and a media hunt for early victims.
The atoll nation of Tuvalu earlier this year appealed to Australia to grant citizenship to more of its people, saying their homes were disappearing beneath the waves.
But, saya a scientist, the South Pacific ocean has not risen in the past decade.
"The data does not support any sea-level rise at all," said Wolfgang Scherer, the director of Australia's National Tidal Facility at Flinders University in Adelaide.
The facility, funded by Australian aid, has over the past decade installed tide gauges across the Pacific, including one at Tuvalu's denslely populated capital atoll, Funafuti.
Paani Laupepa of Tuvalu's Ministry of National Resources, told Radio Australia that authorities were palanning to evacuate its population of 10500 from its nine tiny atolls within 50 years.
Australia and NewZealand have shown reluctance to take these"environmental refugees" - prompting anger from Tuvalu officials.
But Dr. Scherer said data from Funafuti undermined the argument. "As at June 2001, based on the short term sea level rise analysis....show a rate of 0.0 mm per year, that is, no change in average sea level over the period of record," he said.
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