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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ftpotsdamik:oai:publications.pik-potsdam.de:item_20428 2023-10-29T02:31:24+01:00 Delaying future sea-level rise by storing water in Antarctica Frieler, K. Mengel, M. Levermann, A. 2016 application/pdf https://publications.pik-potsdam.de/pubman/item/item_20428 https://publications.pik-potsdam.de/pubman/item/item_20428_2/component/file_20429/6930oa.pdf unknown info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.5194/esd-7-203-2016 https://publications.pik-potsdam.de/pubman/item/item_20428 https://publications.pik-potsdam.de/pubman/item/item_20428_2/component/file_20429/6930oa.pdf info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Earth System Dynamics info:eu-repo/semantics/article 2016 ftpotsdamik https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-7-203-2016 2023-09-30T17:59:47Z 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 Publication Database PIK (Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research) Earth System Dynamics 7 1 203 210 |
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Open Polar |
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Publication Database PIK (Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research) |
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ftpotsdamik |
language |
unknown |
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 |
Frieler, K. Mengel, M. Levermann, A. |
spellingShingle |
Frieler, K. Mengel, M. Levermann, A. Delaying future sea-level rise by storing water in Antarctica |
author_facet |
Frieler, K. Mengel, M. Levermann, A. |
author_sort |
Frieler, K. |
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 |
publishDate |
2016 |
url |
https://publications.pik-potsdam.de/pubman/item/item_20428 https://publications.pik-potsdam.de/pubman/item/item_20428_2/component/file_20429/6930oa.pdf |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Ice Sheet |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Ice Sheet |
op_source |
Earth System Dynamics |
op_relation |
info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.5194/esd-7-203-2016 https://publications.pik-potsdam.de/pubman/item/item_20428 https://publications.pik-potsdam.de/pubman/item/item_20428_2/component/file_20429/6930oa.pdf |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ |
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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1781069807668428800 |