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Credit & Copyright: Helmut Rott
(U. Innsbruck)
Explanation:
It's all gone but the mountains.
Most of the sprawling landscape of ice that lies between the mountains
visible above has now disintegrated.
The above picture was taken in
Antarctica from the top of
Grey Nunatak, one of three Seal Nunatak mountains that border the
Larsen B Ice-Shelf.
The other two Nunataks are visible in the picture taken in 1994.
Over the past several years large chunks of the 200-meter thick
Larsen B Ice-Shelf have been
breaking off and disintegrating.
The cause is thought to be related to the local high temperatures of recent years
and, possibly,
global warming.
Over the past few years, the area that has
disintegrated is roughly the size of
Luxembourg.
As
ice-shelves break up, they unblock other
ice sheets that fall onto the ocean, raising sea levels everywhere.
Scientists are watching the much-larger
Ross Ice Shelf, which, if it collapses, could cause
global sea levels to rise five meters.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: Antarctica
Publications with words: Antarctica
See also: