Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 01/08/2008 - 10:52
Forums
Human Impacts in Antarctica

If global warming still is happening in 1,000 years, what degrees will it be in Antarctica?

Mrs. Green's 6th Grade Social Studies

2nd Period

Kirbyville, TX

Tue, 01/08/2008 - 17:08

Ann Linsley

 Dear Mrs. Green's class,
 
Last winter was one of the coldest in decades and the sea ice grew further then it had in awhile.  Since we do not know if we have reached a peak in the heating cycle of the planet its not entirely possible to predict if the planet will still be in a warming period or glacial period.  Climatologists differ on the length and the intensity of the current warming period.  We are overdue for a minor cooling period, which tends to happen every 700 years.  Since it is not possible to predict how long this current warming period will last, predicting what temperature any area of the earth will reach is not going to have any accuracy over that length of a time period.   We do know that when the continental plates were in the formation known as Gondwanaland, Antarctica was further north, did not have ice on it and was a semi-tropical to tropical environment with vegetation and dinosaurs. 
 
Thanks for the question,
Ann Linsley
 
 
Ann Linsley