Activity 2.2 – Cyrosphere: Muir Glacier

Muir Glacier from 1880 to 2019

(G.D. Hazard, 1880)

(USGS, 2011)
(Google Earth, 2019)

This is the Muir Glacier in Alaska. It is a part of Glacier Bay National Park. This park used to have about 80 glaciers a long time ago, but now only 26 remain, including Muir. Muir Glacier was first explored in 1879 by John Muir who it was named after. Since its discovery, it has retreated about 60 miles and is nearly completely gone. This glacier used to thrive all throughout Alaska's waters, but it now has receded far back onto the land. It will continue to retreat and is expected to be gone by 2030 along with the rest of Glacier Bay National Park's glaciers. 

Problem: 
    Glaciers are melting at an alarming and rapid rate. This is affecting both human life and animal life drastically. Our glaciers are vital to keeping our planet healthy. They have a high albedo, so they keep the earth’s temperature cool. They also act as freshwater reservoirs as they store water in the winter by replenishing it with snowfall and releasing it in the summer. There are also several towns that depend heavily on them because they fill up lakes so that they can function. Anthropogenic activities are causing our glaciers to diminish very quickly. The albedo is decreasing as the glaciers are melting which is playing a significant role in climate change along with an increase in greenhouse gas emissions.  

Explanation:
    Many human activities, such as deforestation and fossil fuel burning, contribute to the increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. As a result of this, atmospheric temperatures have been increasing significantly. The albedo in glaciers is naturally high due to their color reflecting solar radiation. The ocean's color does the opposite; it absorbs solar radiation. Due to the melting of glaciers, there is a reduction in the albedo of the land, which means less solar radiation reflects off the surface than it used to. This is another major reason the earth’s temperature is getting warmer causing glaciers to continue this melting. Food chains are also beginning to be majorly affected as phytoplankton populations decrease. The melting glaciers create freshwater rivers that flow into the sea that are impending phytoplankton-rich sea water circulation. A lack of phytoplankton will result in a rise in CO2 levels, leading to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere.  

References:

Hansen, K. (n.d.). Inlet’s Iceberg Maker Is Nearly Gone. Nasa. Retrieved September 14, 2023, from https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/147171/inlets-iceberg-maker-is-nearly-gone#:~:text=By%20the%20time%20naturalist%20John,glacier%20now%20terminate%20on%20land.

Molnia, B. (n.d.). Repeat Photography: Capturing Change. Nps. Retrieved September 14, 2023, from https://www.nps.gov/glba/learn/nature/time-lapse-sliders.htm

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