global warming and b-15

Some of you have asked questions of Global Warming and the impact on Antarctica. Tonight was the first time I have heard reference to that in an official context. This evening, the Sunday Science Lecture was on the Emporer Penguins. We watched an European-only released National Geographic called Emperors on Ice. I'd recommend the program if it was available for release to you as it depicts some of the science we support here at McMurdo Station. Watching the presentation made me very excited to be here! The following link gives you some information on the scientists and the research presented to us this evening (and is where I found the penguin picture): http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/crittercam/show_description_4.html
My interpretation here is taht global warming is pretty widely accepted here since temperatures have been seen to rise anywhere from 1-5 degrees in Antarctica over the past 20 years. This is tentatively given as an explanation for the calving of the ice shelf. No one will say with complete surity how global warming began in terms of human impact, or natural cycles of the earth, although, everyone has an opinion. I suppose that is all in how you define the term "global warming."

Regardless of the previous long description, there has been a temperature increase in Antarctica. Many of you may remember a large iceberg, the B-15, making the news when it broke off in the size of Jamaica in 2001. This iceberg actually broke into two pieces and one floated right on by the Ross Sea where McMurdo Station is located. The effect to McMurdo was that the iceberg prevented the temporary ice shelf from melting as rapidly each summer. This year, they expect the temporary ice shelf will break up faster and everyone here hopes that means we might see whales.

(Picture from: http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a000000/a003000/a003081/index.html)

When B-15 crashed into the sea ice that some of the penguin colonies were located on, it was too far for those penguins to find the water and food for their babies. Last year, one colony in particular didn't even produce any eggs. Although, other colonies are thriving in Antarctica, there are concerns about the warmer temperatures having a longterm effect on the creatures and environment here.