Delaying future sea-level rise by storing water in Antarctica
Even if greenhouse gas emissions were stopped today, sea level would continue to rise for centuries, with the long-term sea-level commitment of a 2 °C warmer world significantly exceeding 2 m. In view of the potential implications for coastal populations and ecosystems worldwide, we investigate, fro...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:c26a40c6b4054beba0d935333bc7249d 2023-05-15T13:51:23+02:00 Delaying future sea-level rise by storing water in Antarctica K. Frieler M. Mengel A. Levermann 2016-03-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-7-203-2016 https://doaj.org/article/c26a40c6b4054beba0d935333bc7249d EN eng Copernicus Publications http://www.earth-syst-dynam.net/7/203/2016/esd-7-203-2016.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/2190-4979 https://doaj.org/toc/2190-4987 2190-4979 2190-4987 doi:10.5194/esd-7-203-2016 https://doaj.org/article/c26a40c6b4054beba0d935333bc7249d Earth System Dynamics, Vol 7, Iss 1, Pp 203-210 (2016) Science Q Geology QE1-996.5 Dynamic and structural geology QE500-639.5 article 2016 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-7-203-2016 2022-12-31T13:20:25Z Even if greenhouse gas emissions were stopped today, sea level would continue to rise for centuries, with the long-term sea-level commitment of a 2 °C warmer world significantly exceeding 2 m. In view of the potential implications for coastal populations and ecosystems worldwide, we investigate, from an ice-dynamic perspective, the possibility of delaying sea-level rise by pumping ocean water onto the surface of the Antarctic ice sheet. We find that due to wave propagation ice is discharged much faster back into the ocean than would be expected from a pure advection with surface velocities. The delay time depends strongly on the distance from the coastline at which the additional mass is placed and less strongly on the rate of sea-level rise that is mitigated. A millennium-scale storage of at least 80 % of the additional ice requires placing it at a distance of at least 700 km from the coastline. The pumping energy required to elevate the potential energy of ocean water to mitigate the currently observed 3 mm yr −1 will exceed 7 % of the current global primary energy supply. At the same time, the approach offers a comprehensive protection for entire coastlines particularly including regions that cannot be protected by dikes. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Ice Sheet Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Antarctic The Antarctic Earth System Dynamics 7 1 203 210 |
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Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Science Q Geology QE1-996.5 Dynamic and structural geology QE500-639.5 |
spellingShingle |
Science Q Geology QE1-996.5 Dynamic and structural geology QE500-639.5 K. Frieler M. Mengel A. Levermann Delaying future sea-level rise by storing water in Antarctica |
topic_facet |
Science Q Geology QE1-996.5 Dynamic and structural geology QE500-639.5 |
description |
Even if greenhouse gas emissions were stopped today, sea level would continue to rise for centuries, with the long-term sea-level commitment of a 2 °C warmer world significantly exceeding 2 m. In view of the potential implications for coastal populations and ecosystems worldwide, we investigate, from an ice-dynamic perspective, the possibility of delaying sea-level rise by pumping ocean water onto the surface of the Antarctic ice sheet. We find that due to wave propagation ice is discharged much faster back into the ocean than would be expected from a pure advection with surface velocities. The delay time depends strongly on the distance from the coastline at which the additional mass is placed and less strongly on the rate of sea-level rise that is mitigated. A millennium-scale storage of at least 80 % of the additional ice requires placing it at a distance of at least 700 km from the coastline. The pumping energy required to elevate the potential energy of ocean water to mitigate the currently observed 3 mm yr −1 will exceed 7 % of the current global primary energy supply. At the same time, the approach offers a comprehensive protection for entire coastlines particularly including regions that cannot be protected by dikes. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
K. Frieler M. Mengel A. Levermann |
author_facet |
K. Frieler M. Mengel A. Levermann |
author_sort |
K. Frieler |
title |
Delaying future sea-level rise by storing water in Antarctica |
title_short |
Delaying future sea-level rise by storing water in Antarctica |
title_full |
Delaying future sea-level rise by storing water in Antarctica |
title_fullStr |
Delaying future sea-level rise by storing water in Antarctica |
title_full_unstemmed |
Delaying future sea-level rise by storing water in Antarctica |
title_sort |
delaying future sea-level rise by storing water in antarctica |
publisher |
Copernicus Publications |
publishDate |
2016 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-7-203-2016 https://doaj.org/article/c26a40c6b4054beba0d935333bc7249d |
geographic |
Antarctic The Antarctic |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic The Antarctic |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Ice Sheet |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Ice Sheet |
op_source |
Earth System Dynamics, Vol 7, Iss 1, Pp 203-210 (2016) |
op_relation |
http://www.earth-syst-dynam.net/7/203/2016/esd-7-203-2016.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/2190-4979 https://doaj.org/toc/2190-4987 2190-4979 2190-4987 doi:10.5194/esd-7-203-2016 https://doaj.org/article/c26a40c6b4054beba0d935333bc7249d |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-7-203-2016 |
container_title |
Earth System Dynamics |
container_volume |
7 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
203 |
op_container_end_page |
210 |
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1766255229185032192 |