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Come Ice or High Water: How Will Global Warming Affect Antarctic Ice Sheets and Sea Levels?

Come ice or high water, explore the potential effects of global warming on the West Antarctic Ice Sheet and sea levels. Join Dr. David Vaughan from the British Antarctic Survey in this insightful discussion. Learn about the link between Antarctica and sea level estimates, and the implications of climate change for this pristine environment. Discover the science behind sea-level rise and its impact on coastal regions. Gain a deeper understanding of the changing trends in Antarctica's climate and ice cover. Explore the projections, challenges, and potential solutions related to rising sea levels. Stay informed about the urgent issue of climate change and its significance for the planet's future.

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Come Ice or High Water: How Will Global Warming Affect Antarctic Ice Sheets and Sea Levels?

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  1. Come Ice or High Water:How Will Global Warming AffectAntarctic Ice Sheets and Sea Levels? # 47 Dr. David Vaughan March 28, 2007 Produced by and for Hot Science - Cool Talks by the Environmental Science Institute. We request that the use of these materials include an acknowledgement of the presenter and Hot Science - Cool Talks by the Environmental Science Institute at UT Austin. We hope you find these materials educational and enjoyable.

  2. Come ice or high water?The future of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet and sea level David G. Vaughan British Antarctic Survey

  3. West Antarctic Links to Sea Level Estimation LOGOS for WALSE Sponsors Here!!!

  4. Menu • Overview of Antarctica • Human fingerprints on the last wilderness • Archive of Planet Earth • Climate change in Antarctica • Sea-level rise – life’s a beach, why worry? • Antarctica and sea-level rise • Getting out there • Science and policy – where next?

  5. Menu • Overview of Antarctica • Human fingerprints on the last wilderness • Archive of Planet Earth • Climate change in Antarctica • Sea-level rise – life’s a beach, why worry? • Antarctica and sea-level rise • Getting out there • Science and policy – where next?

  6. Tonight’s Menu • Overview of Antarctica • Human fingerprints on the last wilderness • Climate change in Antarctica • Sea-level rise – life’s a beach, why worry? • Antarctica and sea-level rise • Getting out there • Science and policy – where next?

  7. Radioactive Fallout

  8. Lead pollution Source: Wolff and Suttie

  9. Ozone Hole Source: NASA/BAS

  10. Menu • Overview of Antarctica • Human fingerprints on the last wilderness • Archive of Planet Earth • Climate change in Antarctica • Sea-level rise – life’s a beach, why worry? • Antarctica and sea-level rise • Getting out there • Science and policy – where next?

  11. The ice-core record 1994/95 Source: EPICA

  12. Menu • Overview of Antarctica • Human fingerprints on the last wilderness • Archive of Planet Earth • Climate change in Antarctica • Sea-level rise – life’s a beach, why worry? • Antarctica and sea-level rise • Getting out there • Science and policy – where next?

  13. Climate change - World perspective Source: IPCCWorking Group I, Summary for Policymakers, 2007

  14. Climate change - World perspective Trend in annual temperature Source: Hansen

  15. Climate change in Antarctica Trends in mean annual temperature Source: Vaughan et al., 2004

  16. Antarctic Peninsula Trend in annual temperature Source: King et al., BAS

  17. Trends in sea-ice duration around Antarctica and trends in mean annual temperature 1979-2000 Source: Connolley, BAS

  18. 1985/86 1994/95

  19. Glacier retreat on the Antarctic Peninsula Source: Cook et. al 2005

  20. Ice shelf retreaton the Antarctic Peninsula Source: NSIDC, BAS

  21. Menu • Overview of Antarctica • Human fingerprints on the last wilderness • Archive of Planet Earth • Climate change in Antarctica • Sea-level rise – life’s a beach, why worry? • Antarctica and sea-level rise • Getting out there • Science and policy – where next?

  22. IPCC- 2007 “The projections include a contribution due to increased ice flow from Greenland and Antarctica at the rates observed for 1993-2003, but these flow rates could increase or decrease in the future.” Source: IPCCWorking Group I, Summary for Policymakers, 2007

  23. HIGH Sea Level Asymmetry of Sea Level Change LOW WARM COLD THEN NOW Time Source: Bindschadler

  24. Impacts of sea level rise • 10 M people each year suffer from coastal flooding • 30 M by 2080 with no sea level rise • But 100 M with 44 cm sea level rise

  25. Sea-level rise – 500 years?

  26. Norfolk coast - UK 1953 300 dead, 24,000 homes flooded

  27. Sea-level rise - Impacts in the developing world

  28. Menu • Overview of Antarctica • Human fingerprints on the last wilderness • Archive of Planet Earth • Climate change in Antarctica • Sea-level rise – life’s a beach, why worry? • Antarctica and sea-level rise • Getting out there • Science and policy – where next?

  29. Antarctica and sea level Bed elevation Source: BEDMAP

  30. Antarctica and sea level Hydrostatic overburden Source: Unpublished

  31. Surface ice-thickness change 1992-2003 Source: Wingham et al., 2006

  32. Antarctica and sea level Satellite measurement of elevation change • Amundsen Sea sector • 0.043 mm / yr sea level rise (1991-2001) Source: Shepherd, Wingham and Mansley

  33. Menu • Overview of Antarctica • Human fingerprints on the last wilderness • Archive of Planet Earth • Climate change in Antarctica • Sea-level rise – life’s a beach, why worry? • Antarctica and sea-level rise • Getting out there • Science and policy – where next?

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