Posted on 04/02/2002 10:24:30 AM PST by blam
That sinking feeling could be the moon
April 02 2002 at 11:33AM
Canberra - Mysterious pools of water on the tiny Pacific island nation of Tuvalu are more likely caused by long-term lunar cycles than by rising sea levels due to global warming, Australian scientists said on Tuesday.
Lying halfway between Australia and Hawaii, Tuvalu's nine low-lying coral atolls boast a highest point of just under 5m, making it the first nation likely to be swamped by rising sea levels.
Last month at a meeting of international leaders in Australia, Tuvalu Prime Minister Koloa Talake said he feared his nation was sinking due to global warming. "What will happen to my 12 000 people?" he said.
Bill Mitchell, head of research at Australia's National Tidal Facility (NTF), said the fears are prompted by pools of water that percolate up through the inland areas on some atolls, causing minor, shallow flooding.
"It's not as a result of global warning, but it looks like it's a physical characteristic of the atolls which is probably related to unusual tidal movements," Mitchell said.
The NTF said the ocean level on Tuvalu's main island of Funafuti has been rising just 0.9 millimeters a year for the past 20 years, well below many predictions.
Mitchell said it would not be possible to make a definitive statement on rising ocean levels until 40 years worth of data are available, but that a trip to Tuvalu by NTF director Wolfgang Scherer over the past two weeks led to the tidal theory. -Sapa-AP
Yes, but it's just Western developed nations. I don't think Japan and China are included.
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