Alaskan glaciers advance one-third of a mile

[Matt-hurricanewatcher]

Alaskan glaciers advance one-third of a mile
in less than a year
.
27 Jun 07 - Until this spring, pilot Paul Claus would land a Supercub on a gravel bar in Icy Bay to give people an up-close look at a calving glacier. This year he can't land there because a glacier has rumbled over the gravel bar. The main glaciers in Icy Bay crept forward up to one-third of a mile sometime between August 2006 and June 2007.

"At least three glaciers in the same bay have advanced in one year," said Chris Larsen, a scientist at the Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, studying the ever-changing landscape of the area. "To have them advance right now is kind of weird."

Icy Bay, located just west of Malaspina Glacier on Alaska's dynamic southern coast, is like a smaller version of Glacier Bay.




Terminus of Tsaa Glacier in Icy Bay in July 2005.
Photo by Chris Larsen, Geophysical Institute, UAF

.


Terminus of Tsaa Glacier in June 2007. Note the
position of the large waterfall. The glacier advanced
about one-third of a mile sometime between August
2006 and June 2007.
Photo by Chris Larsen, Geophysical Institute, UAF


The scientists don't know whether the advance of the Icy Bay glaciers is the beginning of a long-term push, or a blip before the next retreat. For now, they've advised their colleagues flying over the glaciers to take lots of photos this summer to see if the glaciers continue to push deeper into Icy Bay.

http://www.sitnews.us/0607news/062707/0 ... ience.html

[x-y-no]

Well, I can see two possibilities here ...

Either there was substantially higher than average snowfall on the glacier pushing the terminus down ...

Or else the dynamics of the glacial flow changed (say, due to increased meltwater lubricating the base of the glacier) resulting in more rapid flow without an increase in volume.

The only way to know is to survey the glacier and compare elevations with past years (assuming they have that data).

[Ed Mahmoud]

Spring snowstorm blamed on global warming.

[x-y-no]

Spring snowstorm blamed on global warming.

First of all, ecoEnquirer is a satire site. I hope you know that.

Second, this has absolutely nothing to do with the topic of this thread.

[Ed Mahmoud]

Spring snowstorm blamed on global warming.

First of all, ecoEnquirer is a satire site. I hope you know that.

Second, this has absolutely nothing to do with the topic of this thread.

"This is exactly in line with what we have been predicting for years," explained James Fearmonger, chief climate scientist at the newly formed Global Warming Prediction Center. "With global warming we have predicted that some areas will see more precipitation, some less precipitation, some will experience warmer weather, some colder. So this event can be fully explained by global warming".

I figured out the satire part the first time I saw it.


Just trying to be funny.

[MGC]

I was just up in Alaska last summer. We took a Princess (Love Boat) cruise. When the ship cruised Glacier Bay, a park service ranger was on the ship explaining the history of the Bay. Seems since its discovery in the 1700's the ice in Glacier Bay has been retreating since the early 1800's. He did mention that a couple of galciers have begun to advance again but most are still in retreat. I was really impressed when the ship pulled up near one of the glaciers and we got to watch it calf. We could not see the glacier move but could hear it. It sounds like thunder when it moves.....MGC

[caneman]

Well the article and what MGC said would seem to certainly go against a human forcing theory. Needs to be much more research.

[x-y-no]

Well the article and what MGC said would seem to certainly go against a human forcing theory. Needs to be much more research.

Why would it "go against a human forcing theory?"

I don't see this at all.

[Extremeweatherguy]

I was just up in Alaska and had the chance to visit many glaciers. Up there, it is a well known fact that some glaciers are advancing and some are receding; It really has more to do with seasonal snowfall than with temperature. The strangest thing though is when you visit two side-by-side glaciers and one is advancing while one is receding. It doesn't make much sense, but after seeing it first hand I can tell you it is happening.

IMO, I don't think local advancing/receding glaciers are really that great of evidence for or against global warming.

[x-y-no]

IMO, I don't think local advancing/receding glaciers are really that great of evidence for or against global warming.

I agree.

[caneman]

Well the article and what MGC said would seem to certainly go against a human forcing theory. Needs to be much more research.

Why would it "go against a human forcing theory?"

I don't see this at all.

I meant in the sense the extremeweatherguy just used. As far as using glaciers as a measuring stick for GW. Jury looks to still be out on that/