Glaciers are defined as a persistent body of extremely dense ice that forms over millions of years in result of very cold temperatures that occurred on Earth during the Ice Age. The formation of Glaciers results when an abundance of snow exceeds its melting and sublimation point over many centuries. However, the introduction of global warming to the Earth is causing an adverse effect on all glaciers around the world, thus riding the world of the essential necessities glaciers have provided us for multiple centuries. Glaciers hold the largest amount of surface freshwater on Earth and make up 10% if land area. Places that hold the majority of glacier bodies are Antarctica, Greenland and the Canadian Arctic. In Figure 6.3 of “Elemental Geosystems”
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This process has begun to heat and change the Earth’s climate drastically over the past few decades. The adverse effect discussed in this paper is glacial melting. Although as explained earlier glacier melting is a natural process that occurs over multiple years at a time, glaciers are now melting at an accelerated rate. “The climate in Northern Hemisphere glacier areas became warmer and more humid during the last decades, especially since a climatic shift around 1977. This appears to be an unusual change, possibly of anthropogenic origin” (Dyurgerov & Meier, 2000). Anthropogenic activities are tipping the delicate balance of the world’s …show more content…
This is having drastic effects. The era we are in now is one of the first experiences the Earth is having with human activity affecting its natural processes. Majority of what is occurring is not natural and can have major potential drawbacks.
We have stated that global warming has the potential to delay the next Ice Age however, there is also the possibility of the early onset of the next Ice Age. in the article “crippled Atlantic currents triggered ice age climate change” it is discussed how in the last glacial period the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation had begun to slow down right before periods of sudden climate change (Hand, 2016). As well today there is evidence of the AMOC currently “known to be in decline”. (Hand, 2016)
This delay or early onset of the next ice age is human made, with this in mind we need to take action before it is too late to reverse the impacts we are inflicting upon the Earth. As well, whichever study or scientist is right it is hard to determine however it is clear that global climate change is a real problem in regards to the fate of generations of the world. We may not be able to see future impacts of global warming as we speak but, we do know the implications that will result from its
This process has begun to heat and change the Earth’s climate drastically over the past few decades. The adverse effect discussed in this paper is glacial melting. Although as explained earlier glacier melting is a natural process that occurs over multiple years at a time, glaciers are now melting at an accelerated rate. “The climate in Northern Hemisphere glacier areas became warmer and more humid during the last decades, especially since a climatic shift around 1977. This appears to be an unusual change, possibly of anthropogenic origin” (Dyurgerov & Meier, 2000). Anthropogenic activities are tipping the delicate balance of the world’s …show more content…
This is having drastic effects. The era we are in now is one of the first experiences the Earth is having with human activity affecting its natural processes. Majority of what is occurring is not natural and can have major potential drawbacks.
We have stated that global warming has the potential to delay the next Ice Age however, there is also the possibility of the early onset of the next Ice Age. in the article “crippled Atlantic currents triggered ice age climate change” it is discussed how in the last glacial period the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation had begun to slow down right before periods of sudden climate change (Hand, 2016). As well today there is evidence of the AMOC currently “known to be in decline”. (Hand, 2016)
This delay or early onset of the next ice age is human made, with this in mind we need to take action before it is too late to reverse the impacts we are inflicting upon the Earth. As well, whichever study or scientist is right it is hard to determine however it is clear that global climate change is a real problem in regards to the fate of generations of the world. We may not be able to see future impacts of global warming as we speak but, we do know the implications that will result from its