If the global climate were to warm
significantly as a result of the greenhouse effect or
other climatic change, the Arctic ice cap would start
to melt. This ice cap contains the equivalent of some
680,000 cubic miles of water. More than 200 million
people live on land that is less than 3 feet above sea
level. In the United States several large cities have
low average elevations. Three examples are Boston
(14 feet), New Orleans (4 feet), and San Diego (13
feet). In this exercise you are to estimate the rise in
sea level if the Arctic ice cap were to melt and to
determine whether this event would have a significant
impact on people living in coastal areas.
To estimate the rise in sea level if the Arctic ice cap were to melt, we need the volume of the ice cap and divide it by the total surface area of the Earth's oceans.
1. Calculate the volume of the Arctic ice cap: The question states that the ice cap contains the equivalent of 680,000 cubic miles of water.
2. Determine the surface area of the Earth's oceans: The total surface area of the Earth's oceans is approximately 139.7 million square miles.
3. Calculate the rise in sea level: Divide the volume of the ice cap by the surface area of the Earth's oceans.
Rise in Sea Level = Volume of Arctic ice cap / Surface area of Earth's oceans
Rise in Sea Level = 680,000 cubic miles / 139.7 million square miles
Rise in Sea Level ≈ 0.00487 miles or 25.7 feet
Therefore, if the Arctic ice cap were to melt, it would result in a rise in sea level of approximately 25.7 feet.
Next, let's assess whether this event would have a significant impact on people living in coastal areas. If more than 200 million people live on land less than 3 feet above sea level, a rise in sea level of 25.7 feet could potentially submerge large areas of land and significantly impact coastal communities.
In the United States, cities like Boston (14 feet), New Orleans (4 feet), and San Diego (13 feet) have average elevations that are below the potential rise in sea level. As a result, these cities could experience severe flooding and face significant challenges in adapting to the higher sea level.
Therefore, the melting of the Arctic ice cap and the resulting rise in sea level would likely have a significant impact on people living in coastal areas worldwide, including the examples mentioned.