Isostatic Rebound
| Isostatic Rebound20-10-2015 01:11 | |
trafn ★★★☆☆(779) |
One of the great concerns about M2C2 (man-made climate change) is that it could drastically change our world into a new and unfamiliar territory. One area of particular concern is the possibility of isostatic rebound occurring in both Greenland and Antarctica, if a majority or all of their ice caps are melted. For example, the continent of Antarctica is currently estimated to lie approximately 2,000 farther below the surface of the Southern Ocean than it would be if it were not due to the sheer weight of all the ice and snow which is piled upon it. Remove all that frozen water, and the entire continent will begin to shift upward. This is isostatic rebound: movement to restore balance after a weight has been lifted. In this case, the weight is all that ice and snow, and as it melts, the entire continent of Antarctica will move upward to restore balance between it and the other tectonic plates which surround it. Now here comes the scary part. Usually, we talk about earthquakes in terms of tectonic plate movement, with tectonic plates moving at approximately one inch per year. But what happens when the fifth largest tectonic plate shifts some 2,000 feet? Of course, the obvious answer is that it depends on the time frame. If that shift occurs over some 24,000 years (a rate of approximately one inch per year), then nothing out of the ordinary will happen. But if that shift occurs over a shorter period of time - 10,000 years, 1,000 years, 100 years, or less - what then? We don't currently have a scale to measure earthquakes which coincide with tectonic plate movement measured in feet or yards per year. Should M2C2 cause Antarctica to rise at an unheard of rate, then the consequences will be beyond even Hollywood's imagination. The destruction would not just be limited to the southernmost continent, as the ripple effect would lead to additional compensatory shifts in all the plates encompassing the globe. In addition to initiating earthquakes of unprecedented magnitudes, there would also be an associated increase in volcanic activity, possibly even super volcanic activity. Sadly, we lack the capacity to accurately predict either earthquakes or volcanoes with our present day technology. As M2C2 progresses and the planet's major land ice masses continue to deteriorate, we will likely find ourselves in a new world where we are not only incapable or predicting these events, but are also incapable of understanding them any longer. Thoughts? The 2015 M2C2 (Global 9/11) Denialist Troll Awards
1st Place - Jep Branner - Our Stupid Administrator! 2nd Place - IBdaMann - Science IS cherry picking! 3rd Place - Into the Night - Mr. Nonsense numbers! 4th Place - Tim the plumber - The Drivel Queen! Edited on 20-10-2015 01:13 |
| 22-10-2015 03:17 | |
| trafn★★★☆☆ (779) |
@climate scientist, Ceist and Tototo only - the possibility of large scale tectonic plate movement occurring as M2C2 advances is a real concern. What are your thoughts? The 2015 M2C2 (Global 9/11) Denialist Troll Awards 1st Place - Jep Branner - Our Stupid Administrator! 2nd Place - IBdaMann - Science IS cherry picking! 3rd Place - Into the Night - Mr. Nonsense numbers! 4th Place - Tim the plumber - The Drivel Queen! |
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