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Ice Cores In Antarctica

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1. Jack Hall (Dennis Quaid) is a climatologist studying the effects of global warming. Why is he taking ice core samples from Antarctica? What does this have to do with global warming?
Ice cores are to ice sheets as tree rings are to trees. Just as the rings on trees provide information about trees ice cores do the same for ice sheets. Jack was taking ice core samples from Antarctica because the samples allow scientists to study the chemistry and composition of the climate from past times. Ice cores have been used to study glacial and interglacial periods. The ice and snow acts as a natural preservative for debris and chemicals. Climatologists analyze concentrations of greenhouse gasses in layers in ice cores to determine the past climates. Scientists can calculate how today amounts of carbon dioxide and methane compares to those of the past.
2. The opening scene shows the collapse of a massive ice shelf (a floating glacier) in Antarctica. Could this really happen? If so, how might it affect global sea levels?
The collapse of massive ice shelves have become more common with the changes in climate. …show more content…

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