Beam me to Planet Gore !
Posted on 04/07/2010 4:44:21 PM PDT by LouAvul
Glacier National Park has lost two more of its namesake moving icefields to climate change, which is shrinking the rivers of ice until they grind to a halt, a government researcher said Wednesday. Warmer temperatures have reduced the number of named glaciers in the northwestern Montana park to 25, said Dan Fagre said, an ecologist with the U.S. Geological Survey. He warned many of the rest of the glaciers may be gone by the end of the decade. "It's continual," Fagre said. "When we're measuring glacier margins, by the time we go home the glacier is already smaller than what we've measured."
The meltoff shows the climate is changing, but does not show exactly what is causing temperatures to go up, Fagre said.
The park's glaciers have been slowly melting away since about 1850, when the centuries-long Little Ice Age ended. They once numbered as many as 150, and 37 of those glaciers eventually were named.
A glacier needs to be 25 acres to qualify for the title.
If it shrinks any smaller, it does not always stop moving right away. A smaller mass of ice on a steep slope would still continue to grind its way through the Rocky Mountains.
Glacier melting has accelerated in recent decades as global temperatures have increased. Over the past century, Glacier National Park's mean summer temperature has risen by about 3 degrees Fahrenheit.
I guess that must have been due to animal flatulence. Cause now it's due to gasoline that sells for less than $7/gal.
we’re all gonna die.
How are the penguins and polar bears doing over there?
How are the penguins and polar bears doing over there?
Fire dragons...you’re so silly....
This great news. Imagine waking up next week and seeing two NEW glaciers there...
It’s all George Bush’s fault.
10,000 years ago, Glacier National Park was one big glacier. Probably didn't even have any land about the ice. It's been melting since then.
In 10,000 more years, it will be different again.
I didn’t think that penguins and polar bears would mix — they’re on opposite poles.
How come they NEVER talk about where the ICE IS BUILDING UP in Alaska? I forget the name of the area, which by the way, is oddly OFF LIMITS to tourists.
Damn! They were there when I looked out the window only yesterday. David Copperfield, are you in Montana?
Yeah. But you gotta admit, it takes a lot of chutzpah to co-opt mother nature.
Good! Now we cn have some rocks and trees, just like parks are supposed to have for play.
“I didn’t think that penguins and polar bears would mix — they’re on opposite poles.”
.
Opposites attract...
.
Not really, I would put money on the next glaciation ice age ... doing the deed.
God’s work at hand and it pisses the leftists off via competition.
I have a cover from a small photo album which says Glacier Park. I think that it’s from my dad’s youth - a CCC adventure
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.