Activity 2.2 – Cryosphere: Engabreen Glacier, Norway
Activity 2.2 – Cryosphere: Engabreen Glacier, Norway
Original Photo 1889 byAxel Lindahl
Second Photo 2010
Google Maps View 2020
Engabreen Glacier, near Halsa, Norway 1889-2010
Problem:
As you can see in the photos above, the Engabreen Glacier in the last 120 years has retreated and melted. It has now retreated so much that where ice once used to be is now trees and vegetation. The Svartisvatnet lake has gotten bigger in size also. The summers are getting hotter and this changes a lot to the environment. After 100 years you can definitely speculate that ice would melt but how much-melted ice is too much? Is this part of climate change? Is this actually a bad thing? How important are glaciers to our world?
As you can see in the photos above, the Engabreen Glacier in the last 120 years has retreated and melted. It has now retreated so much that where ice once used to be is now trees and vegetation. The Svartisvatnet lake has gotten bigger in size also. The summers are getting hotter and this changes a lot to the environment. After 100 years you can definitely speculate that ice would melt but how much-melted ice is too much? Is this part of climate change? Is this actually a bad thing? How important are glaciers to our world?
Explanation:
To answer these questions, let's take it from the beginning on why glaciers are melting. From the website of the "National Park Service" they express that, "the glaciers are melting as long term average temperatures increase." As of today, temperatures are increasing due to too much CO2 in our atmosphere trapping in the sun's rays. The natural process of the sun rays being re-radiated from the atmosphere is increasingly coming to a halt from the many greenhouses stuck in our ozone layer not allowing any radiation to go back into space. The reason for that is anthropogenic forcing meaning us humans are causing this. Before the 1990s the glaciers in Norway were actually becoming to be more fuller with the increase in snowfall in those winters. As of now, the glaciers are retreating "as a result of less winter precipitation and more summer melting." (Climate Change Post). It is also said by the "Climate Change Post" website that "overall glacier area, as well as volume, may be reduced by about one third by 2100." Without glaciers in our environment, we are looking at a very very hot Earth. Our glaciers reflect back some percentage of radiation from the sun. Glaciers hold in freshwater and at this moment there is barely any freshwater on our planet, to begin with. Depending on where the glacier is located, if it is near an ocean all the freshwater can melt into the ocean which causes the water to rise and create problems for aquatic life. Although, yes a new ecosystem of trees, shrubs, and plants are now taking over this could lead to problems with wildlife that depend on the glaciers.
To answer these questions, let's take it from the beginning on why glaciers are melting. From the website of the "National Park Service" they express that, "the glaciers are melting as long term average temperatures increase." As of today, temperatures are increasing due to too much CO2 in our atmosphere trapping in the sun's rays. The natural process of the sun rays being re-radiated from the atmosphere is increasingly coming to a halt from the many greenhouses stuck in our ozone layer not allowing any radiation to go back into space. The reason for that is anthropogenic forcing meaning us humans are causing this. Before the 1990s the glaciers in Norway were actually becoming to be more fuller with the increase in snowfall in those winters. As of now, the glaciers are retreating "as a result of less winter precipitation and more summer melting." (Climate Change Post). It is also said by the "Climate Change Post" website that "overall glacier area, as well as volume, may be reduced by about one third by 2100." Without glaciers in our environment, we are looking at a very very hot Earth. Our glaciers reflect back some percentage of radiation from the sun. Glaciers hold in freshwater and at this moment there is barely any freshwater on our planet, to begin with. Depending on where the glacier is located, if it is near an ocean all the freshwater can melt into the ocean which causes the water to rise and create problems for aquatic life. Although, yes a new ecosystem of trees, shrubs, and plants are now taking over this could lead to problems with wildlife that depend on the glaciers.
Work Cited:
"Melting Glaciers" National Parks Service https://www.nps.gov/glac/learn/nature/melting-glaciers.htm Accessed 12 Feb. 2020
"Glacier" National Geographic Society. 9 Oct. 2012
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/glacier/ Accessed 12 Feb. 2020
"Climate Change In Norway" Climatechangepost.com
https://www.climatechangepost.com/norway/climate-change/ Accessed 12 Feb. 2020
Photo References
"Progress (or regress?) of Engabreen Glacier, Norway between 1889 and 2010 (Trigger Warning: Climate Change)" Reddit.com u/Soesoe.
https://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/88phpl/progress_or_regress_of_engabreen_glacier_norway/ Accessed 12 Feb. 2020
* This is the only photo I could get everything else was as a GIF this is where I originally found the photos https://www.boredpanda.com/then-and-now-pictures-changing-world-rephotos/
Google Maps. (2020) Engabreen Glacier. https://goo.gl/maps/iLxis7LFpzhWUY4Q6
Comments
Post a Comment