Quote:
Originally Posted by headpunter
and most of it is still below the water's surface.....
even if it floats it is a net Loss in volume.... |
no shit that most is below the surface, but when you look at the ammount of ice stored in the polar caps, it is not a loss.
especially when you consider the fact that 80-90% of ice is underwater... and water does expand 9% of its size when it freezes.... then add that to the fact that frozen freshwater (which is what the polar cap is) is floating in SALTWATER which has a higher buoyancy than freshwater, means that a larger percentage of the ice is above water than normal.
so 9% expansion when it freezes.....
20% above water.......
when it melts, thats still 10+% extra water that has to go somewhere.
not to mention, we wouldn't even have to worry about the flooding, as if the northern cap were to melt, it would shut down the atlantic current which would trigger a massive freeze over