Iceberg Water: An Assessment (Invited paper)

ABSTRACT. Calving from the floating termini of outlet glaciers and ice shelves is just the beginning of an interesting chain of events that can subsequently have important impacts on human life and property. Immediately after calving, many icebergs capsize (roll over by 90 • • ) due to the instability of their initial geometry. As icebergs melt and respond to the cumulative effects of ocean swell, they can also reorient their mass distribution by further capsize and fragmentation. These processes release gravitational potential energy and can produce impulsive large-amplitude surface-gravity waves known as tsunamis (a term derived from the Japanese language). Iceberg-capsize tsunamis in Greenland fjords can be of sufficient amplitude to threaten human life and cause destruction of property in settlements. Iceberg-capsize tsunamis may also have a role in determining why some ice shelves along the Antarctic Peninsula disintegrate 'explosively' in response to general environmental warming. To quantify iceberg tsunami hazards we investigate iceberg-capsize energetics, and develop a rule relating tsunami height to iceberg thickness. This rule suggests that the open-water tsunami height (located far from the iceberg and from shorelines where the height can be amplified) has an upper limit of 0.01H where H is the initial vertical dimension of the iceberg.

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“…Allaire, 1972; Lewis and Bennett, 1984) and from past consideration of icebergs as a freshwater source (e.g. Bass, 1980; Weeks, 1980).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Iceberg-capsize tsunamigenesis

MacAyeal¹,

Abbot²,

Sergienko

2011

Ann. Glaciol.

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“…However, the presence of the ice changes the atmospheric conditions (cf. the fogs evocatively described by Weeks (1980)), which makes calculating the melt rate difficult. Nevertheless, it seems reasonable to suppose that the melt rate at the upper surface will still be small compared to that at the bottom and the sides, which will now be in contact with relatively warm water.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Physical Processes involved in the Melting of Icebergs (Invited paper)

Huppert

1980

Ann. Glaciol.

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The causes of iceberg deterioration can be discussed under three broad headings: wave-induced melting at the water line; breaking; and melting at the top, bottom, and sides. A short summary of current understanding under the first two headings is presented. It is then argued, under the third heading, that the melt rate at the sides of a tabular Antarctic iceberg is likely to exceed that at the top and bottom. The behaviour of the entraining plume which forms at the side of an iceberg when it melts in water of uniform salinity is outlined. Another form of convection, occurring when the ambient water is stratified, is then described; in this case the melt water spreads out in a series of almost horizontal layers. Finally, field observations on iceberg melting are discussed.

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“…This desperation led to exploring unconventional solutions, such as towing icebergs from Antarctica to the Saudi Arabian coasts as a potential source of freshwater during the 1970s. However, the plan was eventually deemed impractical due to its high cost and logistical challenges [48]. The country is characterized by arid and semi-arid regions, with an average annual rainfall of about 100 mm.…”

Section: Current Water Resources In Ksamentioning

confidence: 99%

Towards Sustainable Water Resources Management Considering Climate Change in the Case of Saudi Arabia

Alodah

2023

Sustainability

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Saudi Arabia is one of the most water-scarce nations in the world, with a huge demand-supply gap, and the situation is expected to worsen due to climate change. Conventional surface water resources are limited, while nonrenewable groundwater sources are depleted. To build a more resilient and sustainable water sector, the production of non-conventional water resources, specifically desalinated seawater and treated domestic wastewater, has steadily increased in recent years. As the country lacks perennial water resources, such as rivers or water bodies, it relies mainly on nonrenewable groundwater and desalinated water to meet its daily requirements. Although the government is attempting to regulate the agricultural sector, water consumption in agriculture remains relatively high. It presents an environmental challenge due to its heavy reliance on non-renewable groundwater resources. The anticipated increase in temperature and highly uncertain changes in the rainfall patterns in Saudi Arabia could lead to greater uncertainty when attempting to develop effective water resource management plans. In this work, we review the status of the present and future of water resources and the challenges local authorities face in managing water resources amidst a changing climate in Saudi Arabia. This study employed a narrative research methodology, utilizing various databases, including Scopus, Web of Science, and Science Direct, to extract relevant articles within the subject area. This study proposes a number of recommendations and conclusions aimed at improving decision-makers’ ability to adapt to and mitigate the anticipated adverse impacts of climate change to manage scarce water resources sustainably.

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Iceberg Water: An Assessment (Invited paper)

Cited by 7 publications

References 23 publications

Iceberg-capsize tsunamigenesis

Iceberg-capsize tsunamigenesis

The Physical Processes involved in the Melting of Icebergs (Invited paper)

Towards Sustainable Water Resources Management Considering Climate Change in the Case of Saudi Arabia

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