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China Times 2008.05.25
Huang Wenzheng / Comprehensive Report
Cracks have appeared again in the Arctic ice shelf! Military scientists accompanying the Canadian military discovered new large-scale cracks while assessing the condition of the massive ice shelf in Canada's far north, indicating that the ice shelf is disintegrating.
Scientists found numerous new cracks on the largest Ward Hunt Ice Shelf in the region, with the longest reaching 16 kilometers. The fate of these massive ice blocks is considered a significant indicator of climate change.
Dr. Muller from Trent University in Ontario, who participated in the expedition, told the BBC: "These new cracks surprised me. It means the ice shelf is disintegrating. Currently, they are held together like puzzle pieces, but they could also drift away."
Another scientist involved in the expedition, Dr. Copland from the University of Ottawa, said the new cracks align with the changing patterns in the Arctic.
He stated: "From the retreat of glaciers to the melting of sea ice, we are witnessing very dramatic changes. Last year, there was 23% less sea ice than before, and what is happening on the ice shelf now is part of the bigger picture."
When ice shelves break apart, they drift from land into the ocean, becoming "ice islands," thereby altering the entire coastline's landscape.
Last year, Dr. Muller and Dr. Copland conducted the first expedition to the Ellesmere Ice Island, which was originally about the size of Manhattan in New York. However, the island has now split into two large pieces, both located 640 kilometers south of their original position.
Source: http:/ / news. chinatimes. com/ 2……0504+112008052500251,00. html
Giant Cracks Emerge as Arctic Ice Shelf Disintegrates
Huang Wenzheng / Comprehensive Report
Cracks have appeared again in the Arctic ice shelf! Military scientists accompanying the Canadian military discovered new large-scale cracks while assessing the condition of the massive ice shelf in Canada's far north, indicating that the ice shelf is disintegrating.
Scientists found numerous new cracks on the largest Ward Hunt Ice Shelf in the region, with the longest reaching 16 kilometers. The fate of these massive ice blocks is considered a significant indicator of climate change.
Dr. Muller from Trent University in Ontario, who participated in the expedition, told the BBC: "These new cracks surprised me. It means the ice shelf is disintegrating. Currently, they are held together like puzzle pieces, but they could also drift away."
Another scientist involved in the expedition, Dr. Copland from the University of Ottawa, said the new cracks align with the changing patterns in the Arctic.
He stated: "From the retreat of glaciers to the melting of sea ice, we are witnessing very dramatic changes. Last year, there was 23% less sea ice than before, and what is happening on the ice shelf now is part of the bigger picture."
When ice shelves break apart, they drift from land into the ocean, becoming "ice islands," thereby altering the entire coastline's landscape.
Last year, Dr. Muller and Dr. Copland conducted the first expedition to the Ellesmere Ice Island, which was originally about the size of Manhattan in New York. However, the island has now split into two large pieces, both located 640 kilometers south of their original position.
Source: http:/ / news. chinatimes. com/ 2……0504+112008052500251,00. html