Ice at North Pole could be gone by 2040-Dire news on global warming as Geophysical Union meets in SF

[Kadie]

Ice at North Pole could be gone by 2040, scientists warn
Dire news on global warming as Geophysical Union meets in S.F.
David Perlman, Chronicle Science Editor

Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Sea ice that for centuries has covered much of the High Arctic has been shrinking at a record pace due to global warming, and as winter began last month in the oceans surrounding the North Pole, larger stretches of open water remained free of ice than ever before, climate scientists reported Monday.

The extent of Arctic sea ice is a key signal of the world's warming rate, and its effects are widespread: Immensely valuable fisheries shift from the coasts of one continent to another, algae and plankton disappear in some areas and increase in others, Arctic wildlife becomes endangered, and torrents of fresh water from melting ice alter the salinity of seas far to the south.

Where only a few months ago experts were predicting that if the present rate of warming continues unchecked there could be no sea ice left in the Arctic by the end of this century, the latest climate calculations indicate the seas there could well be totally ice-free by 2040, the specialists warned.

The latest assessment of global warming and its effects came at the opening of the American Geophysical Union's annual meeting in San Francisco, where more than 15,000 scientists are gathering at Moscone Center this week to present new data from their research in topics as varied as earthquakes, weather, oceanography and space research.

The impact of global warming is felt not only at the Earth's surface, one team of scientists reported: Increased emissions of greenhouse gases from industry -- primarily carbon dioxide -- that raise temperatures at the surface will actually lower them in the outermost reaches of the atmosphere, around 200 to 300 miles above the Earth's surface where most satellites and the International Space Station fly. That region, which scientists term the "thermosphere," actually extends from 60 to 400 miles above Earth.

more...
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/12/12/MNGE5MTQ211.DTL

[havocmom]

1. So, Putin's crew will have more to worry about than critics.

They will have to start defending their northern coast. That'll keep 'em busy.

[sam sarrha]

2. ocean currents will STOP.. NE usa and europe will freeze solid 12/365.. but the good news is that it

will fix itself in 400 to 800 years if we quit burning coal and oil.. of course that will happen to keep from freezing.. the equator will heat up and create class 5 hurricanes, the southern and eastern coastal areas will become uninhabitable.. hurricane all year maybe.. devastating monsoon rains will develop.. massive famine.. maybe 1/2 the worlds population will starve in 20 years, wars will break out over food and water... ice will start depositing at the pools again,, tying up a lot of water.

we are screwed... along with everyone else

[lovuian]

3. That is 10 years earlier than was said before

We are so screwed if we don't get our act together

Guess Depopulation is In right now with the Illiminati

[leftofthedial]

4. don't worry!

a little nuclear exchange with the axis of evil could cool things right back down!

cool nukes