This story amazes me. It is all about Greenland.
We all know that Greenland is the world’s largest island but it is mostly ice. Only the coastal ranges are generally livable.
In the interior of Greenland, there is a weather station on the thick ice cap, it is called Summit, Greenland. Late this morning (CST) it was 39 below zero there and is expected to be 63 below zero by about Monday.
Now, the amazing part: Near the center of Greenland the solid ice cap sometimes reaches a thickness of more than 11,000 feet. That is more than two miles thick!
We all know that ice is very heavy. It takes only a small block of ice to weigh 50 pounds. Remember the ice-truck delivery before refrigerators?
The tremendous weight of the Greenland ice sheet has depressed the surface of the earth underneath to nearly 12,000 feet below sea leval!
Now, my burning question. I don’t know the answer but I am sure some of you do. Suppose all that ice could melt overnight. Would the depressed earth try to bounce back like a rubber ball with such quickness that it would result in the world’s largest earthquake or volcano?
Interesting thought.
Remember, some of the smaller islands that formed around Iceland were the result of volcanic activity.
Another strange fact.
Iceland is warmer than Greenland by a long shot and is more populated. Greenland implies greenery but it is almost ice.
I do not lose sleep over questions like these but they interest me…
