A new study by NASA concentrates the general global concern on rising sea level and pinpoints it on a new revelation—the melting of specific glaciers affect the sea level of certain cities. It is a known fact that if a large glacier—like the ones in Antarctica and Greenland—were to melt, it would contribute to the Earth’s rising sea level. However, the new study has shown that various glaciers around the world can affect different coastal cities, even if they’re not geographically close to them. If the glaciers in Greenland were to collapse, it would affect New York’s sea level, and the melting of glaciers in Antarctica would do the same to Sydney. When a large ice mass melts, it loses its mass—causing the gravitational pull on the ocean to decrease and move the ice mass away from nearby coastal cities. Cities that are close to melting ice masses do not need to worry about glaciers collapsing, because the event decreases their local sea level. On the other hand, cities that are further away are threatened by a rise in sea level instead. NASA’s study released an online feature where the effect of a the collapse of a certain glacier can be measured on each coastal city around the world. Using the feature, it can be predicted that the melting of Greenland’s glaciers can raise NY’s local sea level by an average of 2 inches, and Rio de Janeiro by about 5 inches. The further a city is to a glacier’s collapse, the greater its sea level rise is likely to be.

This study helps scientists in completing risk assessments by concentrating the source of the rise in sea level in a particular part of the world. It turns a different direction from the process of sea level “fingerprinting,” which measured the global effect of a glacier’s collapse. As scientists are now able to measure how big of an impact a certain glacier has on a specific city, they are better able to take counter protective measures against the damage it might cause. These findings of a direct effect on glaciers and cities that are located far away from them is the opposite of public opinion, so it helps each coastal city be prepared for a rise in their local sea level. It also shows just how dramatic the effect of human productivity on the Earth can be.

 

 Mooney, Chris. “These Are the Melting Glaciers That Might Someday Drown Your City, According to NASA.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 15 Nov. 2017, www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2017/11/15/these-are-the-melting-glaciers-that-might-someday-drown-your-city-according-to-nasa/?utm_term=.33b17cb25d55.