What could happen when the North Pole melts?

Question

I read on Yahoo that the Arctic sea ice could break apart completely at the North Pole this year.

And I'm wondering, what could happen to the world because of it?

I'm sure things will change, but I hope its nothing crazy like The Day After Tomorrow.

thanks!

Answer 1

It won't be anything like that. It will refreeze again next winter. Most of the ice that is there now is young ice which is melted easier. If we take steps to control global warming we can stop this from happening repeatedly.

Answer 2

if the north pole actually melted it would cause flooding across the globe killing lots of people and destroying homes and it would mess up the flow of the water killing fish because all the fresh water mixed with salt water does that

Answer 3

guess we will have to wait and see!

Answer 4

First, melting the north pole ice cap (and nothing else) will not raise the sea level.  When floating ice melts the water level stays the same.  (Prove it to yourself.  Fill a glass 1/2 full of water and float an ice cube in it. Let it melt.    However, in the same glass, put in enough ice cubes so that the ice touches the bottom and some ice is above the water, that is the ice is supported, then when it melts the water level will go up.)

The world will have a quick run of increasing temperatures.  The ice cap reflects a lot of light.  Dark sea water absorbs it.

The circulation will change.  The polar air masses will be warmer for longer, affecting the weather, and encouraging glacial ice  to melt.  The melting of this supported ice will raise the sea levels.  It is thought that this effect once started is self feeding.

Some scientists believe the full melting of the ice cap will be the point of no return.The earth will keep heating until a new and unpredictable equilibrium is established.  Many others think  the change will cause dislocation but eventually stabilize without too much real damage.  These complacent jerks are wrong.

As more than 1/2 the planets population will be displaced in just a few years you can expect violence at every level, tribal to continental.  Even the U.S. intelligence putzes are starting to recognize this.

It will be a mess for a long time.

Answer 5

The melting down of the North Pole isn't worrying for mankind. It's like a glass of Coca-Cola with ice floating on it. If it melts, you'll only get a soggy cola but the volume wouldn't change.

Now the most worrying factor is the ice in Greenland. If it begins to melt too, then there will be tremendous repercussions worldwide.

First of all, there will be a severe decrease in sea water salinity, which will certainly undermine the north Atlantic current, which is a persistent event that cools down hot waters coming from the equator and sends them back southwards, thus creating a mild weather in Europe and in the eastern shores of North America. If this current collapses, despite the rising global temperatures we associate to global warming, there just might occur a new ice age in the North Atlantic region, affecting both continents.

Furthermore, the ice in Greenland is not floating ice like the one existing in the North Pole.  It consists in ice and glaciers existing on solid ground. Imagine a glass filled with ice to the top but only half filled with Coke ... when the submerged ice and the floating ice start to melt, you'll have no change in volume. Now, when the ice standing on top of this sunken and floating ice starts to melt, then the liquid volume of the glass increases dramatically. If this happens with Greenland, then we might have an increase of sea level up to a meter or more.  If this happens, most island nations will become the new 21st century Atlantis, disappearing under the water, and the shores of several nations worldwide will also disappear, submerging cities as large as Shanghai or Miami and countries as big as The Netherlands.

Answer 6

if the north pole melts, the water level will rise and will cause all the cities and lands to flood. it could also be dangerous for other animals such as polar bers coz they need ice to live coz its their home