Log #1

     Recently, global warming has become a big issue and it has influenced human. Sea level rise is one of the most important factor. Based on the article, there are three primary factors connecting with global warming and sea level rise.

     First is Thermal Expansion. When water heats up, it expands. About half of the past century’s rise in sea level is attributable to warmer oceans simply occupying more space.

     Second is Melting Glaciers and Polar Ice Cap. Large ice formations, like glaciers and polar ice cap, naturally melt a bit each summer. And in the winter, snows are sufficient to balance out the melting. Recently, persistently higher temperatures have diminished snowfall as well as later winters and earlier springs. This imbalance results in a significant net gain in the ratio of runoff to ocean evaporation, causing sea levels to rise.

     Third is Ice Loss from Greenland and West Antarctica. Scientists believe meltwater from above and seawater from below is seeping beneath Greenland’s and West Antarctica’s ice sheets, effectively lubricating ice streams and causing them to move more quickly into the sea.

     When sea levels rise rapidly, even a small increase can have devastating effects on coastal habitats. Higher sea levels would force hundreds of millions of people to relocate. Low-lying islands could be submerged completely. Although predicting the degree is an inexact science, if we don’t do something to reduce heat-trapping gases, the day we have no place to live, coming soon.