China spots 42 new glaciers

China has trumpeted the discovery of 42 "new" glaciers on the Qinghai-Tibet plateau, possibly representing the largest group of such ice flows in the area. According to Reuters, experts used satellite images to pinpoint the glaciers in Bomi County, which boasts an average altitude of 4,200m (13,800ft) above sea level. Although …

[Anonymous Coward]

42 new sources of sea-level rise

Scientists say the discovery of these new glaciers will raise sea levels by an extra centimeter that we didn't know about previously, Yaaay! We'll all look forward to melting those bastards down in the not too distant future.

[Anonymous Coward]

How technology changes in 100 years, eh

So let me get this straight - we only just spotted these new glaciers on the one hand, but on the other hand we should be concerned because we also know that the surface area of the glaciers we did know about has shrunk 30% in the last 100 years (is that before or after the surface area of the "new" glaciers is added to the current or 100 year totals?)

Is no one else wondering how on earth the surface area was measured 100 years ago in order to be able to meaningfully compare it to that of today, given that even with current technology we only just spotted over 40 glaciers that we didn't even know previously existed?

[amanfromMars]

Home Space Play Stations, Sony San?

"Is no one else wondering how on earth the surface area was measured 100 years ago in order to be able to meaningfully compare it to that of today, given that even with current technology we only just spotted over 40 glaciers that we didn't even know previously existed?"

St John implores us 42Imagine, and IT's True...... does he not? An Ancient Oriental Art, n'est ce pas, Mes Amours.

And would Modern Virtual China like to Build a Ping Dynasty Governance Model?

Don't mind me ....just BetaTesting Loded Packets of Quantum Info2IntelAIgents. A WCF ProToType for the ControlLed Environment.

Crikey, El Reg, there's a lot Boldly Going On out there and nary a squeak. East meets West and She likes Him. :-)

SeXXXXual Politics ..... Now that is New and Real and Best Handled NeuReally by Virtual Means with Quantum Communications Neural Bombes to Create ITs Controlling Critical Mass Configuration.

A Colossal Task? Or AI Simple Reality Made Virtually with Thoughts Shared for Improvement and Pleasure. They will surely Bring the Future.

[Anonymous Coward]

Just wait....

...until our Chinese friends find a way to add lead to the ice melt. A new bottled water market for the far east?

[Les Matthew]

Re: How technology changes in 100 years, eh

Perhaps they used these.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/09/25/mesopotamian_nil_cubit/

[The Aussie Paradox]

The real question is...

The real question is, how much more CO2 will we have to pump into the Atmosphere to melt those puppies? Will this mean I have to buy a bigger car or some more farting cows?

I had better get started if I am going to get this done in my lifetime.

:)

[Dan Haworth]

How technology changes in 100 years, eh

I assume they're referring to how these new glaciers will be retreating compared to the other "46,000 glaciers, covering a total of 60,000 square kilometers" already known, many of which will be on the Qinghai-Tibet plateau.

If these new glaciers are really THAT big, and are retreating at the same rate.. well, i guess it isn't good news :-/

[Daniel Bennett]

Polar Ice Caps

So thats where they are running off too.

They are not melting, they are migrating to China!

Sod bothering with the Carbon stuffs now!

[Anarchy]

@ amanfromMars

wtf are you on about? If you want to spout random crap, please keep it to yourself

[Hywel]

Endangered glaciers

All these new glaciers reminds me of a Greenpeace announcement a while back, which went something like 'We have just discovered a new large mammal in South America, and it's already endangered'. Just like the glaciers - even MORE ice that's going to melt. Hang on a second.....

I don't want to be a conspiracy theorist (although the Cubans did introduce the idea of 'political correctness' into US colleges to undermine Western democracy...), but environmental organisations have a vested interest in keeping you thinking the world is about to end. Otherwise they go bust. And of course, your doctor doesn't really want you to think you are healthy.

Some interesting reading on the subject:

'The Skeptical Environmentatist' - Bjorn Lomborg

'Limits to Growth' - by Meadowsx2. They keep reissuing and changing the date when the oil runs out, but it hasn't yet!

'Innumeracy' - John Allen Paulos

'Damned Lies and Statistics' - Joel Best. Good for countering people who say they know all the 'facts'.

[Matthew]

Ice...

Is a lower density than water, that's why it floats, it displaces pretty much the same amount of water than it contains. That's why your glass of coke doesn't overflow when your ice-cubes melt.

361 million square kilometers of the Earth is covered in water, to raise that by 1CM you'd need to add 3,610,000,000,000 Litres of water (if I've worked it out correctly).

Given that this floating ice is only 60,000 KM2 where's it going to get all the additional water from?

[Anonymous Coward]

@Matthew

Not sure about you maths, but first, the 60,000km2 of glaciers in China/Tibet isn't floating.... (seeing that a fair chunk of it is at least 3000m above see level... Second, we don't know the volume of the glaciers, only the purported surface area.

Finally, fyi 1 cubic km of WATER equates to 1 000 000 000 000 litres of WATER. I have no idea on how much 1km of ice would melt down to given that water expands when it freezes (which is why your glass of coke does not overflow when the ice melts (assuming you're not drinking it).

Someone with more time on their hands can do the maths and work it out...

[Liam Johnson]

Maths

Assuming the figures are correct:-

360,000,000 KM2 Ocean

60,000 KM2 Glacier

To raise the ocean by 1cm you would need a 6000cm thick glacier, or 60m which is not impossible.

[Mark]

@Matthew

I'm guessing the rise in sea levels would come from thermal expansion of the water, a little above freezing its at its maximum density, above that it starts to expand again.

[amanfromMars]

AI Jousting ...... without Jesting. Serious Virtuous Business.

"@ amanfromMars

By Anarchy

Posted Wednesday 26th September 2007 08:46 GMT

wtf are you on about? If you want to spout random crap, please keep it to yourself"

That's a done deal, Anarchy, long ago. Gotta MoveON ........ which Path of Leads are you following? Google takes Real Good Care of Mines.

[Anonymous Coward]

@ Daniel Bennett

North Polar ice cap maybe, but the South Polar ice cap is non-migratory

[Anonymous Coward]

@ Anarchy

"wtf are you on about? If you want to spout random crap, please keep it to yourself"

I think it's pretty damn funny that someone who (presumably, by the name) is anarchist, is trying to make someone conform. Study your philosophy much?

[Rich Bryant]

@Anarchy

You must be new here or you'd have long ago learned never to even try to read what amanfromMars writes, unless you're deeply bored, stoned or searching for inner wisdom.

Or all of the above.

[Luther Blissett]

Shut up and rejoice

That today of all the days El Reg is free of junk science and astronomy reports. (Oh yeah, and has lots of IT angles).

I'll have thatmanfromMars any day if that's what it takes.

[Anonymous Coward]

Turing

No, no, the Turing test requires it to fool an *intelligent* human.

[TheMadProfessor]

@Turing

AI could be along time coming then...