climate change in antarctica. global warming study of ice cores show temperatures here have risen by...
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Climate change in Antarctica
Global WarmingStudy of ice cores show temperatures here have risen by about 2.5degrees since 1940. This has caused the melting of several ice shelves. 70% of the worlds fresh water is held as ice in Antarctica – if it all melted sea levels would rise by over 50 meters.
Global Warming
Causes: Burning fossil fuels
Deforestation
Methane from cows and rice fields
Greenhouse gases
Effects of global warming
• Sea level rise
• Extreme weather events may increase
• Global circulation patterns may alter.
The Ozone HoleHole in the Ozone layer above Antartica discovered in the 1980s. Caused by the release of CFCs. Ozone in the upper atmosphere protects us from the harmful effects of radiation.
Reflecting the suns rays
• The white continent reflects up to 90% of the suns rays.
• If the ice melts the darker seas and land will absorb much more of the runs rays and speed up the global warming process.
• Global circulation patterns cold be affected
Threat from too much tourism?