Polar caps are melting

They say that the ice in Greenland and in Antarctica is melting and raising the sea level.

Question: Isn't most of the ice in say an iceberg underwater. Like 9/10

Doesn't water expand as it freezes?

Seeing as how a lot of Antarctica is an ice shelf and that is what is breaking off. How does this raise the sea level?

The sea level has risen 11 millimeters since 1992 that is a combined raise from both Greenland and Antarctica. So they say.

I live in Alaska. I know Ice. What it does to things when it freezes and thaws.

Curious minds want to know.

sd

Thermal expansion would be the bulk of any sea level rise, not increased water from land based ice melt.

That is what I thought.
So why wory if the ice sheets melt.

Sd

Because the water that is frozen above the level of the sea will now be water that is liquid and in the sea. While you are correct about a free-floating iceberg the ice shelves and such are not necessarily floating but can extend all the way to the bottom and sit there. So there can be far more "out of the water" than there would be if it was free-floating. So when it melts that extra water ends up in the sea.

However I think it will take more than the arctic ice cap and the antarctic ice shelves to melt away to raise the sea level significantly. If warming starts Antarctica itself, which is an ice-covered continent not a big ice shelf, to melting all that land-supported ice and snow will end up in the ocean thus adding to it.

Anyone tracking the movement of the magnetic poles?

The melting of floating ice shelves and icebergs doesn't raise sea level. Think of your cool summertime drink loaded with ice cubes...it doesn't overflow when the ice cubes melt.

Greenland, however, has over 660,000 square miles of landlocked ice that's on average 1.25 miles thick. Might take a while to melt it all, but if it did, it'd raise sea levels by 23 feet.

Funny thing is, the earth has been oscillating between warm periods and ice ages for millions of years. I don't know how warming could kick start an ice age, but shutting off the Greenland currents and the Gulf Stream might just do the trick.

Human beings biggest flaw? Thinking they can manage natural systems they do not fully comprehend.

My house won't be effected if Greenland's icecap melts, but hundreds of millions will be, along with major cities, and a heck of a lot of agricultural land.

"They say that the ice in Greenland and in Antarctica is melting and raising the sea level."


"They" are at best half right.

Antarctica not melting , the ice is actually getting thicker , tho big chunks do brake off as usual

The Arctic is mostly a weather problem , it is no where as cold (-40) as Antarctica, so a very few degrees will change the ice cover .

Most folks consider this to be good as with the NW passage open to normal shipping goods will travel the world at a lower cost.

It will be interesting to see when the weather cycle gets colder again if the world will go to the expense of breaking the channel open.

If The sea level rises then The ICW in Georiga will finally be passable at low tide

Greetings,
Mr. ElSea. From the latest information I have been able to source, Poles are mostly attracted to Great Britain and Ireland.
The new wave of polish migration after EU enlargement - current state, determinants and outlook - Munich Personal RePEc Archive

Meanwhile we are selfishly hoping that it warms enough to make the northern route an option for us to get to the east coast. So far it's looking good.

"it warms enough to make the northern route an option for us to get to the east coast"

Youre probably still going to need more fuel for heat than for propulsion.

An interesting concept might be a bit of ca$h to a boat captain , if you can be towed at what ever thee big guys will cruise at.

WHAT! , Me worry?