Glaciers, Methane and Permafrost
Explain:
There certainly is a wealth of information about glaciers and how almost all of them are receding around the world! Glaciers certainly have played a major role in shaping the landscape of North America. Because of that, it’s rather important to understand their processes and cycles!
The information provided about the Jakobshavn glacier is rather amazing. The TD video showing how melt water can penetrate the depth of the glacier and then lubricate its bed is very cool. This glacier flows at a simply amazing rate. Imagine the erosion and shaping of the landscape that is occurring right now under all of that ice!
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| image from sciencepoles.org |
Here is a little more information about the glacier. Jakobshavn - NewScientist
I also found the methane pockets forming in lakes to be very interesting! I did not know there were such concentrations that came out of the permafrost. I wonder if there are homes that have problems with collecting methane in them as it seeps from the ground. I know that this has happened in the area of Michigan where I grew up, but those homes were built on an old dump…interesting.
Extend:
My 7th grade students love to learn about geologic processes that occur in Alaska and also in other parts of the world. A lot of what my class does is to look at these processes and think about how they impacted history and how people have adapted as these processes changed over generations.
It is very interesting to take a look at ice and sediment cores to get an idea about temperature and precipitation in an area over a period of time. Together with archeological findings we can learn a lot about the history of that area.
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| Core from Tosina Lake (image courtesy of the following link) |
Evaluate:
Seeing the landscape change with the warming of winters, disappearing lakes and rivers and spruce beetles killing off many trees demands an explanation. Folks desperately are seeking answers to solve the problems posed by a changing world. However, looking at climate records in oral and written tradition, it doesn’t take long to discover that the world is a dynamic and changing place.
The REO Speedwagon Philosophy: "Ridin' the Storm Out" or "Rollin’ with the Changes"
As people we have a couple of options: we can try to ride the storm out, wait for the thaw out while hoping things don’t change or we can roll with the changes and adapt. Shishmaref and many other places will have to adapt or be lost to the earth’s changing landscape. Soon enough I think a lot of folks will be tired of the same old story and decide to turn some pages …hopefully the earth will be here when we’re ready to roll with the changes…
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