Question

calculating berm impact
in the previous lessons, you have been considering a design solution
for slowing the ice melt that is occurring at ilulissat glacier. this is a
site that has contributed 6.5% of the total greenland ice-sheet loss
over the past few decades.

1. make a prediction. would the design solution you have been

evaluating stop enough energy transfer to prevent all future ice
melt occurring at this glacier?
first i would need to

1. what other information do you need to be able to use the

mathematical models we developed in class to answer this question?
the information id need would be the mass

Explanation:

1) Brief Explanations:

To determine if the design solution stops all future ice melt, we analyze the context: the glacier’s ice melt is influenced by global climate factors (e.g., atmospheric temperature, ocean currents) and local factors (e.g., albedo changes from the design). A single design (like a berm) is unlikely to counter all energy transfer drivers (e.g., solar radiation, heat from the atmosphere/ocean) or long - term climate trends. So, the design likely can’t prevent all future ice melt.

Answer:

No, the design solution is unlikely to stop enough energy transfer to prevent all future ice melt. Global climate factors (e.g., atmospheric warming, ocean heat) and long - term ice - sheet dynamics mean a single design can’t counter all energy transfer or climate - driven melt processes.

2) Brief Explanations:

Mathematical models for energy transfer/ice melt need data on the berm’s properties (e.g., material, thickness, area) to calculate its energy - blocking capacity. Also, glacier - specific data (e.g., ice mass, surface area, melt rate without the berm) and environmental data (e.g., solar irradiance, air/ocean temperatures, wind speed) are needed to model energy input and melt processes accurately.