Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 12/12/2011 - 14:33
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Human Impacts in Antarctica 2011

Hiim Hannah elimona ndi was wondering how long do you think it will take for the ice bergs to melt if the green house continues at this rate.

Mon, 12/12/2011 - 15:49

Michelle Brown

Wow! You two have asked a really important question that scientists are down here trying to figure out. I recently went to a lecture about the Pine Island Glacier (called PIG!), where scientists are measuring how fast it is moving. When the glaciers move, they eventually end up in the sea, where they will eventually melt. Scientists have recorded the Pine Island Glacier at moving at 30 feet per day! That is about 1.25 feet per hour! Although something moving one foot in an hour may seem slow to you, it is extremely fast and is worrying scientists. I can't tell you how long it will take for all the ice bergs to melt, but I can tell you that this is a question a lot of scientists have who are working in Antarctica as well as in the arctic to try to figure it out. It seems to me like you two should consider becoming scientists and come down here to try to help answer the question!
Sincerely,
Ms. Brown