More on Melting Glaciers
In response to my post on the disappearing glaciers in the eponymous national park, family friend Shawn Price (pictured with his adorable daughter Annie) writes:
It does seem odd that a glacier that has been around for 10,000 years suddenly disappears within a 100 year time-frame. This notion should not be rejected by these politicians who are dismantling the EPA.
In 2012, (my wife) Amy and I were in Glacier National Park for 7 days. This place is sacred to me and by far the most beautiful landscapes I’ve even seen. It is extremely sad what humans are doing to our planet.
Thanks for this touching note, Shawn.
Yes, it’s a tragedy, but it’s also an opportunity for us all to prove that the human race is ultimately a powerfully intelligent and kind species, and come to the rescue before it’s too late.
Thanks for being on the right side of this incredibly important issue, and please tell Amy (and Annie) I say hi.
Craig,
Glaciers are fascinating. but despite a great deal study by a lot of really smart people, more there’s still more ignorance misunderstanding about glaciers than understanding.
For years glaciers have been the benchmark of studies supporting Global warming/climate change. Advocates and the media have promoted a lot of alarmist reports full of inaccurate, but sensationalist misinformation .
Although climate change would appear to be the most plausible explanation for changes in glacial behaviour, it may nor be a complete or sole explanation.
Glaciers are curious phenomenon, while some are definitely retreating, others are advancing ! Why ? A plausible expansion could lie withing the earths crust. The earth’s crust is even less understood than glaciers.
The earth’s crust appears to be get hotter (but not evenly) , and affects ocean currents, which in turn affects the atmosphere.
Last year I attended a scientific conference at which two papers were presented proposing further studies concerning the first real scientific material gathered from deep drilling technology.
Outside were angry demonstrators (including academics) demanding the conference be cancelled,the organizers ‘prosecuted’ and all such studies banned and cease.
The reason for these draconian demands was the activist’s claim e such information was a deliberate ploy by oil companies to deny global warming caused by human activity, and erode public faith in global warning,.
In fact the conference was nothing of the sort, it was largely about showcasing new deep drilling technology and materials.
One of the myths about glaciers is they’re all the same. In fact there are many types of glaciers. Nor do glaciers necessarily remain the same for thousands of years.
In the northern hemisphere’s mini-ice age, many glaciers received a ‘top up’ ! Many which had almost retreated completely completely grew enormously.
Glacial lakes can also mysteriously ‘disappear’ with no real explanation as to where the water went. New lakes can suddenly reappear. Why ? Theories abound, but no one really knows for sure.
Professor Ian Pliny speculated an explanation could be the result of naturally occurring ‘hot spots’ of decaying radio active matter, which is prone to ‘roaming about”.
Too little is known about the behavior of this phenomenon to accurately assess the value of this sort of hypothesis, but as more data becomes available it will add to a more accurate analysis.
As I write,I realize I’m sitting in a very picturesque valley carve out in ancient times by gigantic glacier. I’m sure I, and my animals, prefer the valley without several hundred metres of ice!:)