RE: Only nuclear power can now halt global warming

[Susan Gawarecki <loc@icx.net>]

Finally a topic that I have some expertise in!



The glacier ice on Greenland (as well as other glaciers around the 

world) got there as snow over thousands of years.  The weight of the 

snow compacts the lower layers into ice.  Given enough weight, the 

entire mass begins to flow like thick pancake batter.  If a glacier 

stays more or less in place, it means that the rate of flow into the 

zone where it is melting is balanced with the rate at which 

precipitation is adding weight to the source area.  So, what happens 

when temperatures rise, is that melting increases; and barring an 

increase in snow precipitation, the glacier retreats (becomes smaller).  

The water runs off into the ocean eventually.



Greenland's ice sheet is the big concern, but there are measurable 

retreats of glaciers around the world, and each of these can contribute 

to sea level changes.  If the Antarctic ice shelves break up due to 

thinning and subsequent structural weaknesses, the theory is that the 

ice cap can fail catastrophically (geologically speaking) due to loss of 

the damming effect of the ice shelf.



Regarding initiation of the glacial cycles, these may have multiple and 

interacting causes (solar, orbital, tectonic, disruption of ocean 

currents, atmospheric changes, etc) and there is good evidence for 

feedback cycles that strengthen and maintain a glacial or interglacial 

state--until something tips the balance.  There is geological evidence 

for glacial cycles long before the formation of the Himalayas, when you 

wouldn't recognize the continents on Earth.



To give you an idea of the effect of warming on sea level, at the height 

of the last interglacial warm period, the sea level was some 300 feet 

higher.  Now get out your topographic maps and look at Florida and the 

eastern seaboard.  NO MATTER WHAT THE CAUSE, if global warming causes 

substantial sea level rise; the US and other countries with extensive 

coastlines will be in deep trouble.



If nuclear power is to have a significant role in preventing global 

warming, then we really need to be smart about it.  How about lobbying 

for a return to reprocessing--can it be done safely and economically 

without the serious releases to the environment?  What about nuclear 

fusion--is there real potential or are the engineering hurdles and 

proliferation concerns overwhelming?



As a geologist, I'll just sit back and watch the sea level rise (I live 

inland) and the oil reserves fall.



Susan Gawarecki



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