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However, both have been losing ice at the coast at increasing rates in recent years.
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This is because of increased snowfall, which even though it may seem counterintuitive, is actually expected under warmer conditions. WALT: It is true that both Greenland and Antarctica have gained mass, but only at the high elevations in their interior.
#An inconvenient truth (2006) movie
The movie talks about the shrinking Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets, but I heard somewhere that scientists have found that the ice is actually gaining mass. We recently set up a new study to learn how ice shelves melt and collapse. As Gore mentions in the movie, ice shelves can act almost like a cork in a bottle, holding back the ice behind them. TED: NSIDC studied the collapse of the Larson B Ice Shelf extensively. To view the animation of the Larson B collapse and to read more about the breakup, see What happened to the Larsen Ice Shelf? This warming contributed to the collapse of the Larson B Ice Shelf in 2002. There already have been some changes noted in the timing of when the sea ice forms and melts around the Antarctic Peninsula, which has shown significant warming. Sea ice is also key to biology in the region, which is one of the most productive marine environments in the world. However, sea ice around Antarctica plays a key role in ocean circulation by producing dense cold water that sinks to the ocean floor and helps drive the ocean’s "conveyor belt" circulation. And, unlike the sea ice in the Arctic, much of which stays around the entire year, most of the sea ice in the Antarctic already melts away during the summer so any summer warming would not have as much of an impact. So, global warming effects have not yet been pronounced there. First, the circulation of the atmosphere and oceans isolates the ice-covered ocean around Antarctica, keeping things colder. WALT: The Antarctic sea ice is not showing the dramatic downward trend that we are seeing in the Arctic. Why doesn't the movie mention anything about the sea ice in Antarctica? To learn more about sea ice, its role in climate, and the animals and people that depend on it for survival, see All About Sea Ice. To learn more about the recent, record-breaking disappearance of sea ice, see NSIDC’s Sea Ice Decline Intensifies press release. As the sea ice disappears, dark ocean water is exposed to the sun’s energy, and the Arctic’s ability to cool our planet also disappears. Sea ice helps regulate climate because it acts like a mirror, deflecting incoming solar energy and helping to balance the Earth’s temperatures. WALT: Arctic sea ice is something NSIDC watches carefully, especially because of its effect on global climate. The movie discusses decreasing sea ice in the Arctic and how it will affect climate and wildlife. It’s true that every glacierized region on Earth is experiencing retreat and thinning. Gore's characterization of recent dynamic events in Arctic glaciers does rest firmly on observational evidence from a variety of sources, not just on glacier pair photos like those mentioned above. See an example of a glacier photograph pair. Some glaciers have retreated so far that they no longer reach the water and are no longer considered tidewater glaciers. However, in recent years, almost all glaciers are in retreat and losing mass. If things are in equilibrium, there is no loss of ice because what is calved off is replaced by snowfall further up the glacier. They are always calving ice into water these chunks are one source of icebergs. WALT: Yes, glaciers and ice streams that terminate over water are called tidewater glaciers. But don't glaciers always calve into the water when they end there? The movie shows glaciers calving into the water as Gore discusses the effects of warming on the glaciers.
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But we thought we could clarify a few things about the information concerning snow, ice, and the poles. I think Gore has the basic message right. TED: I think An Inconvenient Truth does an excellent job of outlining the science behind global warming and the challenges society faces in the coming century because of it. NSIDC scientists Walt Meier and Ted Scambos answered some Frequently Asked Questions about the snow and ice science presented in the movie.Īs a scientist who studies the climate, what do you think of the movie? We know that a lot of people wonder if the science presented in An Inconvenient Truth is correct.