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Water properties

Global warming

Global warming - sea level rise

Ice, averaging 1.6 miles deep, covers 97.6 percent of Antarctica, giving it 90 percent of the world’s ice and 70 percent of the globe’s fresh water – in the form of ice. If all this ice melted, sea level would rise about 200 feet. Melting of Greenland ice would raise sea level 20 ft.

The thermal coefficient of expansion for water is 2x10^-4/^oK. Average ocean depth is 12,200 feet. Therefore a 1^oK temperature rise will raise sea level about 30in. Both melting ice and increasing water temperature will contribute to sea level rise. Melting sea ice won't contribute to sea level rise. Sea ice is, however, a heat buffer and its loss will increase the rate of ocean warming.

Of most concern is that melting rates will accelerate. As ice disappears, Earth darkens and absorbs more heat.

In the long term, global warming should create a market for snorkels in the Maldives.