Why did a 7 square mile ice sheet break off of Canada?

Question

I thought the earth was in a cooling trend. I guess they forgot to tell the north pole.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080730/ap_on_sc/canada_arctic_ice_shelf

Answer 1

It's because it's summer. Ice breaks up every summer, not just as a result of the heat, but because the glacier grows on the other side, pushing off the old. It's a process that's been going on for millions of years. Good luck trying to stop that.

The only thing warming is the ocean, and that's due to the sun and underwater volcanoes. And that actually brings about an ice age in the long run (increased precipitation at the poles, advancing snowpack promotes cooling).

And also, I should point out that the Greenland Ice Cap is thicker than it's ever been before.

Answer 2

Well that is all of the evidence I need to change my mind about global warming.  A chunk of ice breaking off in the middle of summer has NEVER happened before.  Typical alarmist tactic, everything that happens is the effect of global warming.

You lost credibility by claiming the ice sheet was 3,000 years old and the article never stated that.  How do you know?  Have you been monitoring it since its creation?  The scientist claims it has been declining since the 30's, but the warming trend didn't start until the 80's.  Twist the information, then use an overwhelming amount of propaganda.  The drones will follow.  

EDIT-well then, maybe you should have posted that link first :-)  Also, the scientist didn't blame it on global warming.  It even states that in the article.

Answer 3

Well, as temperatures are not increasing, and this year is unusually cold and the next 10 years may be colder, the only remotely alamists news is that somewhere in the world ice is melting.

AGW believers take it on faith that this wouldn't be happening if it weren't for the elevated levels of atmospheric CO2.

Answer 4

The earth has been warming off and on for about 15,000 years.

Why did melting ice form a kettle pond about 2 miles south of Fenway Park, known as Jamaica Pond?

3000 years old should tell you something though - sounds like an ice sheet that formed after the end of the Holocene Maximum.

Answer 5

It's a predicted result of abrupt climate change,due to AGW.

When confronted with facts,the 'deniers' cannot accept the realization that AGW is real, and happening!

Answer 6

Ice sheets have always broken off this here isn't new thing that has never happened before

Answer 7

7 square miles ! all of 7 square miles! REALLY-- 7 square miles!

We have farms in Texas bigger than that! Actually if you do a search on Google for this event you will find BUNCHES of articles-- you are correct; the internet media picks up anything supporting GW and publishes it EVERYWHERE! INSTANTLY!

Propaganda at it's BEST!

Answer 8

It's July, almost August.  Last time I checked, even Canada gets summer.  Ice doesn't do real well in the summer.

Answer 9

Dramatic changes are now occurring in the Arctic region and the area is experiencing rapid ice retreat.

The reason why the ice is rapidly retreating seems pretty obvious me to: global warming.

Answer 10

Because I told the ice to go away.

Answer 11

Ellesmere Island doesn't have snow and Ice on it year round. That's where most of the Arctic animals live. And those animals are pretty darn cool, since their coats change with the seasons.

Edit: If you don't believe me google Pictures of Ellesmere Island.

Edit: No where in that article does it say the ice sheet was 3000 years old. That article also makes it clear that this has happened before. What you need to do is dig deeper and show more than this news article if you want to claim this as being caused by the latest warming trend. Also anything can cause a fissure to occur, which is the other thing I see in the article you provided us, so to assume a fissure in the ice would only be caused due to warmer air temperatures would be in accurate.

Edit: To claim it's a one way process is also a false statement, since it's the Northern Hemisphere that is effected by the Glaciation periods. And since the last Glaciation period ended over 10,000 years ago (give or take a few years) I'd say that if it formed 3,000 years ago it had to have been warmer than this prior to it forming and it also was colder than it to have either melted or broken up before it reformed 3,000 years ago.

Answer 12

Heat and gravity.

Answer 13

Same reason the edges of Antarctica are melting.

On the whole the oceans are getting warmer, although there are some localized exceptions due to changing ocean currents.  Ice on the edges of land masses is melting pretty fast.

Answer 14

This happens every summer, it refreezes again in the winter.

Since man made global warming is more of a political doctrine than a scientific one, its believers will jump on any event it can use as propaganda, and are not concerned whether it has any scientific merit, or not.

Answer 15

It wanted to minimise its carbon footprint!

(It wants to go to Florida for the winter but didn't want to fly...)

Oh, this isn't in the jokes and riddles section?

By itself, this isn't that significant an event. Taken with all the other events (especially break up off antarctic ice sheets) and accelerated melting, it is part of a  disturbing trend.

And Matthew... where do you get that cr*p about the Greenland ice cap [sic] being thicker? The link you provide (which is just a self-promotion for a book) doesn't even mention Greenland...

Answer 16

to get to the otherside