Posted on 08/01/2019 6:14:58 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
The media is abuzz over the first icy “casualty” of climate change: a small glacier in Iceland named Okjökull, also known as “OK.”
The claim, made in a press release from Rice University, is OK became the first glacier in Iceland to lose its glacial status because of global warming. According to the press release, “This will be the first monument to a glacier lost to climate change anywhere in the world.”
Of course, the fearmongers do not say why the glacier has stopped growing. Instead, they simply invoke the new universal boogeyman of “climate change” as the reason. And then they tell us about the movie, website, and hiking opportunities to witness the death of a glacier.
For the record, OK is still around, even though it hasn’t grown since roughly 2003. But here comes the interesting part. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, “Ok is a lava shield volcano in west-central Iceland, to the west of Langjökull.”
As the U.S. Geological Survey noted, OK is actually an icecap on top of a volcano -- located on a volcanically active Iceland. Yes, OK is slowly disappearing, but it is completely disingenuous to say climate change is without any doubt the main reason for OK’s demise.
Even if we assume there’s no heat from the volcano, what else could be causing OK’s ice loss? To answer that question, you need to understand how glaciers work. According to the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC):
“A glacier forms when snow accumulates over time, turns to ice, and begins to flow outwards and downwards under the pressure of its own weight… Glacier retreat, melt, and ablation result from increasing temperature, evaporation, and wind scouring.
(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...
The new phrase to classify this as, is “hysterical science”.
The C210n family explored this area this past Spring. Quite the sights, heartily recommend it if you have not been there yet. The area around Okjökull was full of incredible waterfalls, geysers and sulfur vents.
Amazing trip, including a snow-mobile trip into Mýrdalsjökull - a raging semi-permanent snowstorm on top.
The funny thing is, after a week stay and anxiously anticipating the Northern Lights, found not a single good-weather opportunity to do so. Oh well, gotta get back there sometime...
Are they also mourning the loss of the mile-thick glaciers that once covered half of North America?
hysterical science.
I like it!
My house sits on land that was under two miles of ice 10 kYa. I look out on a beautiful lake that was carved out of the rocky soil when that gigantic glacier was "lost to climate change".
OK in Iceland isn't the first. Not even close.
And, besides, what's the point? Do they want the glaciers to come back?
When (not if) they do come back, it's going to suck, big time.
Nope. Too late. Going to have to call it “Goreland” now.
*ping*
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.