Estimate the rate of freshwater mass production (kg s-1) by the melting
of the North American ice sheet, assuming that its melting took 500 years. How does
this compare with the rate of deep-water formation in the North Atlantic, which is
estimated to be about 2 x 1010 kg s-1 at present?
To estimate the rate of freshwater mass production by the melting of the North American ice sheet, we need to first determine the total mass of the ice sheet and then divide it by the melting time.
1. Find the mass of the North American ice sheet:
The mass of the North American ice sheet can be obtained from scientific research or data. Let's assume the mass is 5 x 10^15 kg.
2. Calculate the rate of freshwater mass production:
Given that the melting time of the ice sheet is 500 years:
Rate of freshwater mass production = Mass of ice sheet / Melting time
Rate of freshwater mass production = (5 x 10^15 kg) / (500 years)
3. Convert the melting time to seconds:
There are 365 days in a year, and each day has 24 hours, 60 minutes, and 60 seconds. Therefore, there are 365 x 24 x 60 x 60 = 31,536,000 seconds in a year.
Melting time in seconds = Melting time (years) x 31,536,000 (seconds/year)
Melting time in seconds = 500 years x 31,536,000 seconds/year
4. Calculate the rate of freshwater mass production in kg/s:
Rate of freshwater mass production = (5 x 10^15 kg) / (500 years x 31,536,000 seconds/year)
Now let's calculate the rate.
Rate of freshwater mass production = (5 x 10^15 kg) / (500 years x 31,536,000 seconds/year)
Rate of freshwater mass production ≈ 3,170,979 kg/s (approximately)
Now, let's compare this rate with the rate of deep-water formation in the North Atlantic, which is estimated to be about 2 x 10^10 kg/s at present:
Rate of freshwater mass production from melting the North American ice sheet ≈ 3,170,979 kg/s
Rate of deep-water formation in the North Atlantic (present) ≈ 2 x 10^10 kg/s
Comparing these two rates, we can observe that the rate of deep-water formation in the North Atlantic is significantly higher than the rate of freshwater mass production from the melting of the North American ice sheet.