New Zealand-led research on ice shelves in Antarctica will provide international scientists important information about future sea level rises, says National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa).
Niwa oceanographer Craig Stevens has just returned from Antarctica where he led a team of international and New Zealand scientists who measured the effect ocean flows had on the stability of ice shelves.
The research, which used hi-tech sensors including an underwater robot, was carried out at the face of Erebus Glacier Tongue in McMurdo Sound, off Ross Island and would give the scientific community greater understanding about the impact climate change would have on ice shelves.
Scientists predict a sea-level rise of between 50cm and 80cm by the end of this century, but there was uncertainty about the role the ocean plays in warming the underside of ice shelves, Dr Stevens said.
"We think ice shelf stability may play a big part in sea-level rise. A future warmer ocean will melt the underside of an ice shelf more quickly," he said.
He said the research was some of the first of its kind.
"The data we have just captured are unique - it is very rare to see such strong vertical flows in the ocean," he said.
The flow of water looked very similar to time lapse photography of clouds going over mountain ridges.
"The same thing happens in the ocean where it flows over or under a ridge."
The research was funded by the Royal Society of New Zealand's Marsden Fund and Dr Stevens hoped to present the results to the international science community as soon as possible.
Source: 3news Co [April 11, 2011]
 |
| Scientists predict a sea-level rise of between 50cm and 80cm by the end of this century [Credit: Reuters] |
The research, which used hi-tech sensors including an underwater robot, was carried out at the face of Erebus Glacier Tongue in McMurdo Sound, off Ross Island and would give the scientific community greater understanding about the impact climate change would have on ice shelves.
Scientists predict a sea-level rise of between 50cm and 80cm by the end of this century, but there was uncertainty about the role the ocean plays in warming the underside of ice shelves, Dr Stevens said.
"We think ice shelf stability may play a big part in sea-level rise. A future warmer ocean will melt the underside of an ice shelf more quickly," he said.
He said the research was some of the first of its kind.
"The data we have just captured are unique - it is very rare to see such strong vertical flows in the ocean," he said.
The flow of water looked very similar to time lapse photography of clouds going over mountain ridges.
"The same thing happens in the ocean where it flows over or under a ridge."
The research was funded by the Royal Society of New Zealand's Marsden Fund and Dr Stevens hoped to present the results to the international science community as soon as possible.
Source: 3news Co [April 11, 2011]