Sara S
01-31-2015, 07:06 AM
Iceland is rising. Or, more precisely, the island’s “ice” part is shrinking, causing the “land” part to rebound from the Earth’s crust—a process that’s happening at a pace much faster than scientists had previously realized. In fact, its glaciers are melting so swiftly that parts of Iceland are rising as much as 1.4 inches (35mm) a year.
That’s according to research just published (paywall) by a team led by scientists from the University of Arizona. The study is the first to directly link the Earth’s accelerating uplift with quickening pace of glacial thaw. As this process intensifies, the scientists warn, it risks upping the frequency of volcanic eruptions.
What’s new here isn’t the science itself, exactly. Glaciers are so heavy that they weigh down the earth that they cover. A while back, geologists discovered that where huge chunks of ice are thinning, the earth beneath them starts rebounding. And evidence suggests that higher latitudes are warming faster than the global average.
https://qz.com/336517/iceland-is-melting-so-fast-its-literally-popping-off-the-planet/
That’s according to research just published (paywall) by a team led by scientists from the University of Arizona. The study is the first to directly link the Earth’s accelerating uplift with quickening pace of glacial thaw. As this process intensifies, the scientists warn, it risks upping the frequency of volcanic eruptions.
What’s new here isn’t the science itself, exactly. Glaciers are so heavy that they weigh down the earth that they cover. A while back, geologists discovered that where huge chunks of ice are thinning, the earth beneath them starts rebounding. And evidence suggests that higher latitudes are warming faster than the global average.
https://qz.com/336517/iceland-is-melting-so-fast-its-literally-popping-off-the-planet/