I just got back from spring break, so I'm catching up on e-mail. My comment refers to the thread on ocean level changes. I won't add my ignorance to calculations as to how sea level will change with the melting of ice, but I will add this to the thread. The surface of the ocean is not level. The actual sea level relates to the amount of mass in the crust below that region of the sea. Areas with dense crust pull the ocean surface down and the converse is true. The radar imaging of the earth a few years ago showed this phenomenon to be true with the ocean surface having a variable topography (although not to the same vertical extent as the land). Likewise, there is a difference between ocean heights on the different sides of oceans. For example, the Caribbean sea level is higher than that of the Pacific coast of Central America. That was one of the big problems associated with the idea of a "sea-level" canal some years back.
Thus, it would seem a bit more complex to determine the effects of melting ice on sea level. Just a few more thoughts to stir the pot. Cheers, Larry -- Larry T. Spencer, Professor Emeritus of Biology Plymouth State University ---------------------------------------------------------------- This message was sent using IMP, the Internet Messaging Program.
