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Vast Ice Shelf Tumbles Into Sea

System broken, warns expert

By Matt Cantor, Newser Staff

Posted Sep 3, 2008 8:54 AM CDT

(Newser) – A 4,500-year-old, 19-square-mile Arctic ice shelf has broken off an island in Canada, Canada.com reports, making more than 75 square miles of Canadian ice shelves that have melted this summer. “These changes are irreversible under the present climate, and indicate that the environmental conditions that have kept these ice shelves in balance for thousands of years are no longer present,” said an expert.

Ellesmere Island has lost 90% of its ice sheet, which once extended more than 300 miles, over the past century. “If a natural climate cycle took these ice shelves to the top of the proverbial cliff, then we humans appear to be providing a shove at a critical time,” said the expert.

The midnight sun shines on a Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker in Canada's Arctic, where separating ice shelves warn of climate change. (AP Photo/Jonathan Hayward)

A chunk of ice is shown drifting after it separated from the Ward Hunt Ice Shelf off the north coast of Ellesmere Island in July. Another Ellesmere shelf has now broken off. (AP Photo/Sam Soja)

A Canadian flag flies from a snowmobile on Ellesmere Island last year. (AP Photo/CP, Jeff McIntosh)

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Vast Ice Shelf Tumbles Into Sea

System broken, warns expert

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Antarctic Ice Shelf Crumbles

Scientists say global warming has made huge Wilkins Ice Shelf unstable

Snapped Antarctica Ice Bridge Stokes Warming Alarm

First break for massive, retreating shelf

Huge Chunk Snaps Off Largest Arctic Ice Shelf

Arctic's biggest ice shelf is falling apart and not regenerating

Huge New Cracks Seen in Arctic Ice Shelf

Giant ice shelf is falling apart and could float away

Antarctic Ice Chunk Collapses

Sudden break fuels climate change concerns

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System broken, warns expert

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OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

climate change • global warming • Canadian Arctic • ice shelf

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Antarctic Ice Shelf Crumbles

Scientists say global warming has made huge Wilkins Ice Shelf unstable

Snapped Antarctica Ice Bridge Stokes Warming Alarm

First break for massive, retreating shelf

Huge Chunk Snaps Off Largest Arctic Ice Shelf

Arctic's biggest ice shelf is falling apart and not regenerating

Huge New Cracks Seen in Arctic Ice Shelf

Giant ice shelf is falling apart and could float away

Antarctic Ice Chunk Collapses

Sudden break fuels climate change concerns

About Us

Site

Newser By Users

Community

Site Maps

Tools

More News

What is Newser?