REMINDER: SHOW UNITS AND YOUR WORK IN ALL PROBLEMS!! 14) Maximum sea level rise
ID: 3167049 • Letter: R
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REMINDER: SHOW UNITS AND YOUR WORK IN ALL PROBLEMS!! 14) Maximum sea level rise The present-day sea level reflects a balance between water stored in oceans and on land, mostly in ice sheets. If Earth's climate continues to warm, then the volume of present-day ice sheets will decrease and, as a result, sea level will rise. The two largest ice sheets are on Antarctica and Greenland. Other ice sheets in Alaska, Iceland, and mountainous areas contain only a small fraction of the total stored water on land. In this exercise, you will use simple geographic information (provided below) to calculate the maximum rise of sea level due to melting of all present-day ice sheets. Geographic information Earth's surface area 510,000,000 km2 Land covered area 150,000,000 km2 (29%) Ocean covered area 360,000,000 km2 (71%) Antarctica Area: 14,000,000 km2 Average height of ice cap: 2.1 knm Greenland Area: 2,000,000 km2 Average height of ice cap: 1.3 km Other ice sheets Area: 5,000,000 km2Explanation / Answer
14) Climate change is affecting the Earth. Change in climate is warming the Earth, resulting in the decrease of present-day ice sheets and rise in sea level. Antarctica and Greenland are the largest ice sheets of the world. Small fraction of total stored water on land are enclosed in Iceland, Alaska, and certain mountain regions.
a) Volume of water stored in each region: volume = area X height
Area of Antarctica = 14,000,000 km2 = 14 x 106 km2,
Average height of ice cap = 2.1 km.
Therefore, volume of water stored in Antarctica = 14 x 106 X 2.1 = 29.4 x 106 km3.
Area of Greenland = 2,000,000 km2 = 2 x 106 km2,
Average height of ice cap = 1.3 km.
Therefore, volume of water stored in Antarctica = 2 x 106 X 1.3 = 2.6 x 106 km3.
Area of other ice sheets = 5,000,000 km2 = 5 x 106 km2,
Average height of ice cap = 0.1 km.
Therefore, volume of water stored in Antarctica = 5 x 106 X 0.1 = 0.5 x 106 km3.
Total volume stored in Antarctica, Greenland, and other ice sheets
Volume = 29.4 x 106 + 2.6 x 106 + 0.5 x 106
= 29.4 + 2.6 + 0.5 (106) = 32.5 x 106 km3.
(b) If the ice sheets melt and flow to the ocean, rise in sea level
Height = volume/ocean area
We have calculated the volume of ice sheets, which is 32.5 x 106 km3.
The total area of the Earth is approximately 510 x 106 km2. Oceans cover about 71% of the Earth’s surface, which is about 360 x 106 km2
Hence, ocean area = 360 x 106 km2
Rise in sea level = volume/ocean area
= (32.5 x 106 km3)/ (360 x 106 km2) = 0.090 km.
We know that 1 km = 1000 m
So, 0.090 km = 0.090 x 1000 = 90 m.
Thus, rise in sea level = 90 m.
(c) On more realistic calculation, 1/5th of the current land mass will also be covered by ocean, which means the actual sea-level rise will be lower than what we calculated. Same volume of melted ice will need to be divided by a larger area in order to calculate the rise in sea level which gives a lower volume than what was calculated.
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