In what amounts to dissension from National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) climate change policy, a series of just-released studies by working-level scientists prove that geological and not atmospheric forces are responsible for melting of Earth’s polar ice sheets.
A review of these studies and their significance relative to what force or forces control the climate and climate-related events of Earth’s polar regions is as follows.
NASA Antarctica Study October 30, 2015
This research study authored by NASA Glaciologist Jay Zwally concluded that Antarctica is gaining, not losing, ice mass and thereby challenging the conclusions of many previous studies, most importantly the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) 2013 report (see the quote from the study below).
“A new NASA study says that an increase in Antarctic snow accumulation that began 10,000 years ago is currently adding enough ice to the continent to outweigh the increased losses from its thinning glaciers.
“The research challenges the conclusions of other studies, including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) 2013 report, which says that Antarctica is overall losing land ice.
The conclusions of this NASA study were immediately challenged by numerous climate activist groups and biased media outlets (see here). These challenges have since been proven incorrect for several reasons.
Statements by NASA Glaciologist Jay Zwally concerning his soon-to-be-published Antarctic follow-up study reconfirm that Antarctica is gaining, not losing ice.
The results of this follow-up study are bolstered by two other NASA research studies.
The first, dated January 1, 2018, shows that East Antarctica has for many years been accumulating huge amounts of snow that compact into ice and increasing overall ice mass (see here).
The second NASA study released on July 19, 2018, showed that the atmosphere above the Antarctic Continent has been continuously cooling and not warming for many years (see here).
Obviously, it’s impossible to melt Antarctica’s glaciers via atmospheric warming when the atmosphere is not warming.
Lastly, a NASA study dated Feb. 20, 2018, concludes that outflow of East Antarctic glaciers into the ocean is stable and not increasing (see here). This is proof that East Antarctica’s ice mass is not being diminished by glacial outflow into adjacent oceans.
Bottom line, research by NASA scientists clearly shows that the well-documented ice loss in West Antarctica is more than accommodated by ice gains in East Antarctica. Contrary to hundreds of pro-melting articles, Antarctica’s ice mass is increasing!
NASA Antarctica Study November 7, 2017
This research study entitled “Hot News from the Antarctic Underground“ investigated West Antarctica’s subglacial geology.
It substantiates many previous research studies that have documented this region’s subglacial high-bedrock heat-flow, active faulting, and prevalent volcanism.
Recent research by the University of Rhode Island scientists confirms the premises of a previous Climate Change Dispatch article that subglacial, volcanic heat-flow is melting West Antarctica’s Pine Island Glacier (see here).
Many previous Climate Change Dispatch articles have reviewed West Antarctica’s subglacial mantle plume and the world-class fault system that is acting to bottom-melt this region’s glacial land sea ice (see here, here, and here).
NASA Greenland Study August 1, 2018
The results of this research study illustrated in Figure 2 confirm the very high geothermal bedrock heat-flow from Greenland’s massive subglacial Mantle Plume, which was originally documented in four previous research studies (see here, here, here, and here).
A geothermal heat-flow cause for the melting of Greenland’s ice sheet has been the focus of numerous Climate Change Dispatch articles (see here, here, here, and here).
In summary, the NASA studies mentioned in this article have accelerated the ongoing demise of the once one-hundred-percent-settled-science status of global warming theory.
It is now abundantly clear that even respected mainstream NASA geologists and glaciologists are advocating that formerly underappreciated geological forces working in concert with atmospheric forces are responsible for polar ice cap melting.
Here we note that in many cases these geological forces are dominant and, in some cases, the complete cause of modern-day and ancient polar ice cap melting
Knowing this brings into question other aspects of supposedly 100 percent settled climate dogma.
Specifically, that man-made global warming is the root cause of other supposedly unnatural polar ice cap events such as alteration of marine and land animal migration patterns, anomalous plankton blooms, chemical alteration of adjacent ocean waters, alteration of polar area ocean currents, and changes in meteorological patterns.
Many of these events are more likely the result of, or strongly influenced by, geologically induced heat and chemically charged heated fluid flow at the base of polar ice sheets or in adjacent oceans.
Lastly, there is a quiet revolution occurring within NASA that will play out within the next year or two ending in the complete reconstruction of global warming theory.
The remodeled version will reflect the now proven and significant climate influence of geological forces as per the 2014 Plate Climatology Theory.
James Edward Kamis is a retired professional Geologist with 42 years of experience, a B.S. in Geology from Northern Illinois University (1973), an M.S. in geology from Idaho State University (1977), and a longtime member of AAPG who has always been fascinated by the connection between Geology and Climate. More than 14 years of research/observation have convinced him that the Earth’s Heat Flow Engine, which drives the outer crustal plates, is an important driver of the Earth’s climate as per his Plate Climatology Theory.
One correction to my above comments. i obvuiosly meant to say “rate of volume change” not just “rate”.
Mr Kassel,
Thank you for your comments concerning my latest article. You may want to refer to NASA’s Antarctica Skin Temperature Map 1982 – 2004 (https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/6502, and one of my previous CCD articles (http://www.plateclimatology.com/geologic-forces-fueling-west-antarcticas-larsen-ice-shelf-cracks/) both of which will address some of your comments.
These two sources will help show the following:
1.) Current best estimates indicate that for many years West Antarctica has indeed been losing ice volume, however the exact rate of ice volume change is in debate due in large part to the uncertainty of total West Antarctic ice volume. Rate is dependent on volume. Discovery of new West Antarctic giant canyons and mountains has made rate of ice volume loss difficult to estimate. Additionally, the same is true of East Antarctica, rate of ice volume gain is difficult to nail down with certainty. Therefore, when or if the Antarctic Continent will begin losing ice volume is difficult to model.
Rate of Ice mass loss or gain is another even more difficult estimate.
Confidence in estimating rate of volume ice loss or gain 30 years out is difficult at best. To date climate models and estimations of future climate performance have failed miserably. This is especially understandable if, as I believe, that hard to predict / ever changing geological heat flow is involved.
2.) Most climate scientists now acknowledge that it is difficult to directly and totally attribute West Antarctic ice loses to atmospheric warming, instead opting for a complex mixture of ocean warming and other unknown natural forces. The NASA Skin Temperature Map, which measures surface not atmospheric temperatures, helps clarify the discussion of what force or forces are the root cause of West Antarctic ice loss and East Antarctica ice gain.
This map clearly shows that the oceans adjacent to West Antarctica have been anomalously warming for years. It is important to note that this warming does not extend far out into the ocean, instead reverting to normal temperature in a relatively short distance. This strongly indicates that this local ocean warming is related to heat flow from West Antarctic sub-ocean or sub-glacial geological features and not long-distance transport of other heat flow.
Ocean waters adjacent to East Antarctic are normal. If Global Warming was at work on this Continent it would be expressed as more uniform warming of oceans and land masses, and not distinctly different areas in relation to know geological features.
3.) The geological heat flow nature of surface temperatures in Antarctica are also demonstrated in Dr. Eric Steig’s 50-year average surface temperature map (https://climatechangedispatch.com/how-major-oceanic-and-continental-fault-boundaries-act-to-control-much-of-earths-climate/). The map has been confirmed by two subsequent studies.
Finally, so far as sea level rise is concerned it is a highly debatable subject.
First, of course sea level is rising earth is coming out of a glacial period. Temperatures should be elevating, ice should be melting, and sea level should be rising. This is not in debate. What is in debate is again rate of change. Depending on the accuracy of modern and past sea level estimates numerous cases can be made, however it is now very apparent that sea level rises are far below past computer climate model predictions.
Best estimates show that global sea level has risen 7.4 Inches from 1950 to 2015 a rate of 0.11 inches per year. This is not out of range with normal post glacial period rates especially knowing that rates of change are not linear.
Dang those nasty volcanos messing up a perfectly good climate fraud .
Is there still time to become an Antarctic condo flipper ?
The correct response to a changing climate is to adapt, always was. Preaching against our sinful appetite for fossil fuels won’t stop the inevitable.
The Anthropocene? We’re mere ants .Dust to dust.
The NASA study cited from 2015 also states:
“But it might only take a few decades for Antarctica’s growth to reverse, according to Zwally. “If the losses of the Antarctic Peninsula and parts of West Antarctica continue to increase at the same rate they’ve been increasing for the last two decades, the losses will catch up with the long-term gain in East Antarctica in 20 or 30 years — I don’t think there will be enough snowfall increase to offset these losses.”
The citation of an upcoming report by Zwally is not the actual report, but only what appears to be an interview with Zwally about the report. The latest from NASA about the polar ice sheet and sea level rises can be found at https://climate.nasa.gov/news/2749/ramp-up-in-antarctic-ice-loss-speeds-sea-level-rise/
From that report of 13 June 2018:
“Ice losses from Antarctica have tripled since 2012, increasing global sea levels by 0.12 inch (3 millimeters) in that timeframe alone, according to a major new international climate assessment funded by NASA and ESA (European Space Agency).
According to the study, ice losses from Antarctica are causing sea levels to rise faster today than at any time in the past 25 years. Results of the Ice Sheet Mass Balance Inter-comparison Exercise (IMBIE) were published Wednesday in the journal Nature.” (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-018-0179-y)
It seems to me that NASA is now reporting the truth in order keep there jobs…
At least trending in that direction…….
The answer is simple just like using a oven it has two settings BROIL and BAKE and in baking the heat comes from below and bakes a cake or pie Brail comes from above and used for some meat dishes preheat is both but used to heat a oven before a cake is put in GLOBAL WARMING/CLIMATE CHANGE is the usial source of HOT AIR comin g from the Greens Liberal Politicians and Liberal Celeberties