Threat to Titanic alert

[rich p]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8538060.stm

An iceberg the size of Luxembourg ( ) has broken off the Antarctic!

 

[trustysteed]

it gives me a sinking feeling

 

[longers]

If it gives us colder winters here in the N Atlantic then maybe studded tyres will see more use

I had to convert Luxembourgs to Wales as a unit of measurement. It's about 1/8th of a Wales by my reckoning.

 

[ianrauk]

Looking at a world map on the wall behind me. A lump of ice the size of Luxembourg against the size of the Antarctic seems very insignificant.

 

[just jim]

Isn't it usually Belgium used as size comparison? Rainforest, radioactive fallout etc.

 

[Over The Hill]

I had to convert Luxembourgs to Wales as a unit of measurement. It's about 1/8th of a Wales by my reckoning.

Which is about 34,890 football pitches.

It looks about as high as four double decker buses.

Of course the double decker bus can be a unit of height as well as length. But I do not know what they do in countries that don't have double decker buses.

We converted to the Luxembourg system when we joined the EEC but some die hard euro sceptics are still sticking to the Wales unit. I think as long as you also quote it in Luxembourgs you are OK.

 

[rich p]

Is it still the same rate of exchange though?

You're right Longers. 8 Lux = 1 Wales

1 Belgium = 1.5 Wales

 

[Over The Hill]

I just read the article. What crap! It is amazing that every single event that is happening (as it has been happening for millions of years) somehow has some impact on global warming. This lump of ice was knocked off by another lose bit that broke off 23 years ago. So rather than it floating off up the Thames or whatever I think we can assume it will stay roughly where it is. So what difference is there in a lump of ice that is attached to antarctica and the same lump of ice that is floating next to antarctica? Is it not going to cool the sea in exactly the same way? I love the tongue that is hanging like a lose tooth bit! Interesting that if you read the 2005 link slow extraction it gives the reason for the break off as totally down to the ice structure itself but by the time you get to the Jan 2009 new evidence bit, the break off of the lump of ice is woven into a warming temperature story even though they stated previously that the two issues are not linked.

 

[Davidc]

So what difference is there in a lump of ice that is attached to antarctica and the same lump of ice that is floating next to antarctica? Is it not going to cool the sea in exactly the same way?

If the thing was already floating or in a position where most of it was displacing sea water it'll have no effect.

If it had been supported by land and is now floating it'll have displaced its own mass of water and made sea levels rise a little.

(Courtesy of Archimides, a few centuries BC)

Forget cooling. The quantity of heat needed to melt it is very small compared to the thermal capacity of the oceans.

Can we have some sensible units on here please?

Volumes should be quoted in olympic sized swimming pools.
Heights and lengths should be in double decker busses or football pitches.
Weights (and therefore masses) can be in either elephants or moons.
Distances have various approved measures, for most purposes 'times round the earth' will do.
Large areas as above in Waleses, Luxumburgs and Belgiums. Very large ones are best in Frances, and smaller ones in Isle of Wights.

 

[Davidc]

Why don't the Australians put a sail on this iceberg, take it to Sydney or Melbourne, and melt it to provide water during their continuing drought?

 

[Fnaar]

Is there any way we can blame the French for this?

 

[trustysteed]

Is there any way we can blame the French for this?

francophiley no

 

[Fnaar]

francophiley no

Quel dommage!

 

[rich p]

Could we lay claim to it and drag it round the world's seas to wherever the oil is, like a moveable Falklands?

 

[rh100]

If the thing was already floating or in a position where most of it was displacing sea water it'll have no effect.

If it had been supported by land and is now floating it'll have displaced its own mass of water and made sea levels rise a little.

(Courtesy of Archimides, a few centuries BC)

Forget cooling. The quantity of heat needed to melt it is very small compared to the thermal capacity of the oceans.

Can we have some sensible units on here please?

Volumes should be quoted in olympic sized swimming pools.
Heights and lengths should be in double decker busses or football pitches.
Weights (and therefore masses) can be in either elephants or moons.
Distances have various approved measures, for most purposes 'times round the earth' will do.
Large areas as above in Waleses, Luxumburgs and Belgiums. Very large ones are best in Frances, and smaller ones in Isle of Wights.

can we add 'to the moon and back' to that list?