1 00:00:06,389 --> 00:00:04,789 nasa's jet propulsion laboratory 2 00:00:09,110 --> 00:00:06,399 presents 3 00:00:11,110 --> 00:00:09,120 the von carmen lecture a series of talks 4 00:00:11,830 --> 00:00:11,120 by scientists and engineers who are 5 00:00:15,190 --> 00:00:11,840 exploring 6 00:00:16,049 --> 00:00:15,200 our planet our solar system and all that 7 00:00:24,390 --> 00:00:16,059 lies beyond 8 00:00:26,710 --> 00:00:24,400 [Music] 9 00:00:27,910 --> 00:00:26,720 hello and welcome to another edition of 10 00:00:30,550 --> 00:00:27,920 the 2021 11 00:00:32,310 --> 00:00:30,560 von carmen lecture series i am nikki 12 00:00:34,310 --> 00:00:32,320 weirich from jpl's office of 13 00:00:35,990 --> 00:00:34,320 communications and education 14 00:00:38,389 --> 00:00:36,000 and i will be your host for our topic 15 00:00:42,229 --> 00:00:38,399 this evening an earth day special 16 00:00:45,270 --> 00:00:42,239 science on ice what ice says about past 17 00:00:46,910 --> 00:00:45,280 present and future climate earth's ice 18 00:00:49,750 --> 00:00:46,920 is both beautiful and 19 00:00:51,590 --> 00:00:49,760 awe-inspiring ice and the melting of 20 00:00:54,069 --> 00:00:51,600 glaciers and ice sheets 21 00:00:56,549 --> 00:00:54,079 are both a predictor and an observable 22 00:00:59,110 --> 00:00:56,559 part of earth's changing climate 23 00:01:01,349 --> 00:00:59,120 using ice cores and radar technology to 24 00:01:03,590 --> 00:01:01,359 see deep into earth's ice 25 00:01:05,270 --> 00:01:03,600 scientists can learn more about our 26 00:01:08,310 --> 00:01:05,280 planet's past 27 00:01:09,030 --> 00:01:08,320 nasa jpl and caltech are working to 28 00:01:11,590 --> 00:01:09,040 understand 29 00:01:12,230 --> 00:01:11,600 more about these changes how to protect 30 00:01:15,429 --> 00:01:12,240 our earth 31 00:01:18,070 --> 00:01:15,439 and to share it with you joining us 32 00:01:19,270 --> 00:01:18,080 as co-host this evening is jocelyn 33 00:01:21,749 --> 00:01:19,280 argeta 34 00:01:23,749 --> 00:01:21,759 jocelyn is a public outreach specialist 35 00:01:25,910 --> 00:01:23,759 for nasa's earth 36 00:01:27,030 --> 00:01:25,920 where she shares stories of how nasa 37 00:01:29,830 --> 00:01:27,040 data helps us 38 00:01:32,710 --> 00:01:29,840 learn more about our home planet hi 39 00:01:35,109 --> 00:01:32,720 jocelyn thanks for joining us 40 00:01:36,149 --> 00:01:35,119 hi nikki i'm so excited for the talk 41 00:01:37,510 --> 00:01:36,159 tonight and for 42 00:01:39,510 --> 00:01:37,520 all of the questions that are being 43 00:01:41,109 --> 00:01:39,520 submitted by our viewers at home 44 00:01:43,510 --> 00:01:41,119 so as always we'd like to remind 45 00:01:45,190 --> 00:01:43,520 everyone that this is your space program 46 00:01:46,389 --> 00:01:45,200 and we want you to be involved in the 47 00:01:48,550 --> 00:01:46,399 conversation 48 00:01:50,550 --> 00:01:48,560 so please add your questions to the chat 49 00:01:51,990 --> 00:01:50,560 and our amazing social media team will 50 00:01:53,990 --> 00:01:52,000 pass them along to us 51 00:01:55,510 --> 00:01:54,000 we'll do our best to answer as many of 52 00:01:57,350 --> 00:01:55,520 your questions as possible 53 00:01:58,550 --> 00:01:57,360 but if you don't see the chat just 54 00:02:01,749 --> 00:01:58,560 refresh the page 55 00:02:03,350 --> 00:02:01,759 and it should be there awesome thank you 56 00:02:05,590 --> 00:02:03,360 so much jocelyn 57 00:02:07,350 --> 00:02:05,600 as always if we run into any technical 58 00:02:09,190 --> 00:02:07,360 difficulties or small failures 59 00:02:11,270 --> 00:02:09,200 we ask for your patience and please 60 00:02:13,589 --> 00:02:11,280 stick with us we'll get them sorted out 61 00:02:15,910 --> 00:02:13,599 as soon as we can 62 00:02:17,910 --> 00:02:15,920 our speaker this evening is dr alex 63 00:02:20,229 --> 00:02:17,920 gardner a research scientist 64 00:02:21,990 --> 00:02:20,239 at the jet propulsion laboratory he 65 00:02:24,150 --> 00:02:22,000 earned a degree in engineering from the 66 00:02:26,550 --> 00:02:24,160 university of saskatchewan 67 00:02:28,309 --> 00:02:26,560 and a phd in earth science from the 68 00:02:29,990 --> 00:02:28,319 university of alberta 69 00:02:32,869 --> 00:02:30,000 he is a contributing author to the 70 00:02:34,949 --> 00:02:32,879 united nations intergovernmental panel 71 00:02:35,990 --> 00:02:34,959 on climate change's fifth assessment 72 00:02:38,309 --> 00:02:36,000 report 73 00:02:40,229 --> 00:02:38,319 alex is a member of the nasa c-level 74 00:02:42,869 --> 00:02:40,239 change icesat-2 75 00:02:45,110 --> 00:02:42,879 nysar and grace science teams and 76 00:02:47,830 --> 00:02:45,120 studies the earth's cryosphere 77 00:02:48,869 --> 00:02:47,840 or frozen earth with a particular focus 78 00:02:51,350 --> 00:02:48,879 on glaciers 79 00:02:52,229 --> 00:02:51,360 and ice sheets and their impacts on sea 80 00:02:55,110 --> 00:02:52,239 level rise 81 00:02:58,070 --> 00:02:55,120 and water resources hi alex thanks so 82 00:03:00,070 --> 00:02:58,080 much for joining us this evening 83 00:03:02,149 --> 00:03:00,080 hey thanks so much for having me uh this 84 00:03:04,149 --> 00:03:02,159 is great 85 00:03:06,550 --> 00:03:04,159 we're so excited to have you um can you 86 00:03:07,190 --> 00:03:06,560 tell us how did you get involved in this 87 00:03:09,110 --> 00:03:07,200 research 88 00:03:11,750 --> 00:03:09,120 and let's start with image number one 89 00:03:14,790 --> 00:03:14,390 yeah so i guess i i might not have the 90 00:03:16,790 --> 00:03:14,800 most 91 00:03:18,949 --> 00:03:16,800 direct route that people would envision 92 00:03:20,229 --> 00:03:18,959 um i actually i grew up in canada that's 93 00:03:22,309 --> 00:03:20,239 why you heard all the canadian 94 00:03:23,910 --> 00:03:22,319 universities there in the intro i grew 95 00:03:25,430 --> 00:03:23,920 up on vancouver island actually very 96 00:03:27,589 --> 00:03:25,440 beautiful place 97 00:03:29,030 --> 00:03:27,599 um but you know i i grew up with my own 98 00:03:31,030 --> 00:03:29,040 challenges uh 99 00:03:32,070 --> 00:03:31,040 i my parents divorced when i was quite 100 00:03:35,350 --> 00:03:32,080 young 101 00:03:38,309 --> 00:03:35,360 and i actually i grew up with a learning 102 00:03:42,390 --> 00:03:38,319 disability so i learned to speak late 103 00:03:44,830 --> 00:03:42,400 i learned to read late and it was a big 104 00:03:47,670 --> 00:03:44,840 challenge kind of early in my childhood 105 00:03:49,509 --> 00:03:47,680 and uh i went on and 106 00:03:51,190 --> 00:03:49,519 um you know went through high school and 107 00:03:52,869 --> 00:03:51,200 and some some stuff was 108 00:03:54,949 --> 00:03:52,879 was pretty easy for me like physics and 109 00:03:56,710 --> 00:03:54,959 math but i've always struggled with uh 110 00:04:00,070 --> 00:03:56,720 with english and 111 00:04:02,149 --> 00:04:00,080 anything that involved language and i 112 00:04:03,429 --> 00:04:02,159 i guess i i didn't really have strong 113 00:04:07,350 --> 00:04:03,439 ambitions 114 00:04:09,270 --> 00:04:07,360 uh to pursue a degree um and then 115 00:04:11,670 --> 00:04:09,280 uh decided that maybe you know 116 00:04:15,190 --> 00:04:11,680 engineering would be a good fit for me 117 00:04:17,349 --> 00:04:15,200 and uh kind of in my second year of 118 00:04:18,949 --> 00:04:17,359 of engineering i kind of i realized i 119 00:04:22,230 --> 00:04:18,959 had a talent i had a talent for 120 00:04:23,830 --> 00:04:22,240 for maths and i realized that uh it was 121 00:04:26,070 --> 00:04:23,840 it was maybe something that it was a 122 00:04:27,189 --> 00:04:26,080 skill that i could really use to to help 123 00:04:29,749 --> 00:04:27,199 the world so 124 00:04:31,189 --> 00:04:29,759 i i had thought for a while of of what 125 00:04:33,189 --> 00:04:31,199 what it was that i wanted to be my 126 00:04:36,950 --> 00:04:33,199 contribution and i wasn't too sure 127 00:04:40,950 --> 00:04:36,960 so um in my second year of university i 128 00:04:41,749 --> 00:04:40,960 i um went down to south america for a 129 00:04:44,629 --> 00:04:41,759 year with my 130 00:04:46,629 --> 00:04:44,639 with my wife and we just traveled around 131 00:04:49,670 --> 00:04:46,639 and at one point i found myself 132 00:04:50,390 --> 00:04:49,680 in the tip of south america uh in a 133 00:04:55,030 --> 00:04:50,400 place called 134 00:04:57,030 --> 00:04:55,040 uh um the the plato moreno glacier 135 00:04:59,749 --> 00:04:57,040 and i watched uh the sun come up over 136 00:05:02,070 --> 00:04:59,759 this glacier and i was just in awe 137 00:05:03,510 --> 00:05:02,080 as this thing started to break up and 138 00:05:05,029 --> 00:05:03,520 cave off into the ocean and actually 139 00:05:06,230 --> 00:05:05,039 that's the image on the right there it's 140 00:05:08,550 --> 00:05:06,240 sitting in front of that i kind of had 141 00:05:11,110 --> 00:05:08,560 this epiphany that that 142 00:05:12,150 --> 00:05:11,120 this is this is so much energy and mass 143 00:05:13,749 --> 00:05:12,160 held in 144 00:05:15,670 --> 00:05:13,759 um these systems and i kind of wondered 145 00:05:17,990 --> 00:05:15,680 if anyone had ever studied it and so 146 00:05:18,950 --> 00:05:18,000 after that i i went away and i started 147 00:05:22,550 --> 00:05:18,960 to think about 148 00:05:24,150 --> 00:05:22,560 uh pursuing a postgraduate degree a phd 149 00:05:25,830 --> 00:05:24,160 and just was wondering if there's 150 00:05:27,350 --> 00:05:25,840 anybody that studied this type of stuff 151 00:05:28,469 --> 00:05:27,360 and what the impact a future climate 152 00:05:30,070 --> 00:05:28,479 might have on it 153 00:05:32,550 --> 00:05:30,080 and lo and behold there's a lot of 154 00:05:36,150 --> 00:05:32,560 people that study this and it has a real 155 00:05:39,350 --> 00:05:36,160 importance for future climate 156 00:05:40,950 --> 00:05:39,360 and that's i'm i was just gonna say 157 00:05:42,469 --> 00:05:40,960 that's an incredible start to your 158 00:05:44,629 --> 00:05:42,479 journey tell us a little bit more about 159 00:05:48,310 --> 00:05:44,639 your secondary education let's bring up 160 00:05:51,350 --> 00:05:50,790 yeah so uh i got to go to the ends of 161 00:05:54,629 --> 00:05:51,360 the earth 162 00:05:57,350 --> 00:05:54,639 for for my phd studies and so we flew up 163 00:06:00,390 --> 00:05:57,360 to a place in far northern canada 164 00:06:01,029 --> 00:06:00,400 called the devon island ice cap and it 165 00:06:03,590 --> 00:06:01,039 was 166 00:06:05,270 --> 00:06:03,600 a flight from edmonton where the 167 00:06:07,029 --> 00:06:05,280 edmonton oilers are 168 00:06:08,950 --> 00:06:07,039 up to yellowknife which is in the far 169 00:06:11,749 --> 00:06:08,960 north where ice road truckers 170 00:06:13,590 --> 00:06:11,759 starts and then we'd fly to another 171 00:06:15,909 --> 00:06:13,600 northern community which was a 172 00:06:17,670 --> 00:06:15,919 native reserve and then we'd fly to even 173 00:06:18,629 --> 00:06:17,680 another northern community which was our 174 00:06:22,150 --> 00:06:18,639 base 175 00:06:24,390 --> 00:06:22,160 fly another four hours 176 00:06:26,230 --> 00:06:24,400 um onto the ice cap and the plane would 177 00:06:26,710 --> 00:06:26,240 have skis and it would land on the ice 178 00:06:29,670 --> 00:06:26,720 and 179 00:06:30,950 --> 00:06:29,680 it was kind of a uh dancing with wolves 180 00:06:32,790 --> 00:06:30,960 moment where all the 181 00:06:34,550 --> 00:06:32,800 equipment is pushed out of the plane and 182 00:06:37,749 --> 00:06:34,560 we're just kind of left to 183 00:06:39,270 --> 00:06:37,759 set up our camp and um do science for 184 00:06:41,189 --> 00:06:39,280 for six weeks at a time doing 185 00:06:43,510 --> 00:06:41,199 shallow ice cores validating satellite 186 00:06:44,790 --> 00:06:43,520 data making gps measurements 187 00:06:46,870 --> 00:06:44,800 um and every once in a while we'd have a 188 00:06:48,309 --> 00:06:46,880 helicopter come for support so we could 189 00:06:49,670 --> 00:06:48,319 access some of the more difficult parts 190 00:06:52,150 --> 00:06:49,680 of the glacier but 191 00:06:52,950 --> 00:06:52,160 um it was it was really eye-opening to 192 00:06:54,390 --> 00:06:52,960 see 193 00:06:56,309 --> 00:06:54,400 you know how much of our planet is 194 00:06:57,670 --> 00:06:56,319 actually covered by ice so 195 00:06:59,589 --> 00:06:57,680 most people probably have never heard of 196 00:07:02,070 --> 00:06:59,599 the devon island ice cap but it's 197 00:07:03,830 --> 00:07:02,080 it's 14 000 square kilometers and it's 198 00:07:04,550 --> 00:07:03,840 not even one of the larger ice caps we 199 00:07:07,510 --> 00:07:04,560 have 200 00:07:08,950 --> 00:07:07,520 the greenland ice sheet and the 201 00:07:12,309 --> 00:07:08,960 antarctic ice sheet 202 00:07:14,710 --> 00:07:12,319 and they lock up you know almost 90 203 00:07:16,230 --> 00:07:14,720 percent of all the world's fresh water 204 00:07:17,350 --> 00:07:16,240 it's huge amounts of water stored in 205 00:07:17,749 --> 00:07:17,360 these things but we don't live near them 206 00:07:19,110 --> 00:07:17,759 so 207 00:07:21,830 --> 00:07:19,120 we don't think about them that often and 208 00:07:25,830 --> 00:07:23,589 i think we can all see from the 209 00:07:26,309 --> 00:07:25,840 beautiful images that you have displayed 210 00:07:28,390 --> 00:07:26,319 just 211 00:07:30,469 --> 00:07:28,400 how beautiful ice is and how you got 212 00:07:32,550 --> 00:07:30,479 attached to studying this but 213 00:07:33,749 --> 00:07:32,560 can you tell me why is it important to 214 00:07:37,189 --> 00:07:33,759 study ice and 215 00:07:39,909 --> 00:07:37,199 what's the motivation really to study it 216 00:07:41,270 --> 00:07:39,919 yeah so i i think for me it started off 217 00:07:44,550 --> 00:07:41,280 as a bit of a nostalgia 218 00:07:47,589 --> 00:07:44,560 and as i became more and more involved 219 00:07:49,029 --> 00:07:47,599 um and really took it on in the phd you 220 00:07:51,430 --> 00:07:49,039 realize its importance 221 00:07:52,230 --> 00:07:51,440 so uh the world has been covered by 222 00:07:53,670 --> 00:07:52,240 large 223 00:07:55,270 --> 00:07:53,680 amounts of ice in the past that have 224 00:07:57,430 --> 00:07:55,280 waxed and waned 225 00:07:58,950 --> 00:07:57,440 so much so that that when it was um 226 00:07:59,990 --> 00:07:58,960 about four degrees colder in north 227 00:08:01,510 --> 00:08:00,000 america 228 00:08:03,510 --> 00:08:01,520 uh we had what was called the laurent 229 00:08:05,189 --> 00:08:03,520 haidaishi 20 000 years ago and that ice 230 00:08:06,230 --> 00:08:05,199 sheet was so massive that it came all 231 00:08:08,869 --> 00:08:06,240 the way down 232 00:08:10,629 --> 00:08:08,879 and covered uh boston and chicago with 233 00:08:12,469 --> 00:08:10,639 about a mile of ice 234 00:08:13,990 --> 00:08:12,479 and it created cape cod and then as the 235 00:08:16,869 --> 00:08:14,000 climate warmed uh 236 00:08:18,150 --> 00:08:16,879 that that ice mass retreated and that 237 00:08:19,430 --> 00:08:18,160 actually created a land bridge at the 238 00:08:21,110 --> 00:08:19,440 time because sea levels 239 00:08:22,629 --> 00:08:21,120 had had dropped so much because there 240 00:08:24,550 --> 00:08:22,639 was so much land on ice 241 00:08:26,309 --> 00:08:24,560 and people were able to move across the 242 00:08:29,589 --> 00:08:26,319 land bridge from asia 243 00:08:30,550 --> 00:08:29,599 into north america and it impacted the 244 00:08:32,709 --> 00:08:30,560 climate 245 00:08:34,310 --> 00:08:32,719 it impacted the sea levels and it even 246 00:08:36,149 --> 00:08:34,320 impacts the rotation of the earth so 247 00:08:37,909 --> 00:08:36,159 believe it or not when you have more ice 248 00:08:39,670 --> 00:08:37,919 caps 249 00:08:41,190 --> 00:08:39,680 there's more ice at the poles you put 250 00:08:42,790 --> 00:08:41,200 more mass at the poles 251 00:08:44,630 --> 00:08:42,800 which actually causes the earth to spin 252 00:08:46,550 --> 00:08:44,640 a little faster um 253 00:08:48,310 --> 00:08:46,560 and when you lose that ice it actually 254 00:08:49,110 --> 00:08:48,320 goes kind of sloshes down towards the 255 00:08:51,509 --> 00:08:49,120 equator 256 00:08:53,509 --> 00:08:51,519 and it's kind of like a ballerina 257 00:08:54,949 --> 00:08:53,519 putting her arms out when she's spinning 258 00:08:56,870 --> 00:08:54,959 if she wants if she puts her arms out 259 00:08:58,870 --> 00:08:56,880 she puts her arms out to slow down 260 00:09:00,949 --> 00:08:58,880 and so as the ice melt it actually slows 261 00:09:03,910 --> 00:09:00,959 the rotation of the planet 262 00:09:05,590 --> 00:09:03,920 um it's shaped a lot of the landscapes 263 00:09:07,750 --> 00:09:05,600 that we see 264 00:09:09,030 --> 00:09:07,760 it's responsible for all sorts of uh 265 00:09:11,670 --> 00:09:09,040 really interesting things 266 00:09:13,350 --> 00:09:11,680 and it's one of the most vulnerable to a 267 00:09:16,070 --> 00:09:13,360 changing climate and that's because 268 00:09:17,430 --> 00:09:16,080 ice on earth resides very close to zero 269 00:09:18,949 --> 00:09:17,440 degrees celsius so 270 00:09:20,630 --> 00:09:18,959 right near the melting point so you turn 271 00:09:22,790 --> 00:09:20,640 up the thermostat just a little bit 272 00:09:24,310 --> 00:09:22,800 and a lot of things change not only that 273 00:09:26,710 --> 00:09:24,320 but they've got these amazing 274 00:09:27,750 --> 00:09:26,720 what we call feedbacks where if you push 275 00:09:30,230 --> 00:09:27,760 it a lit a lot 276 00:09:32,150 --> 00:09:30,240 it starts to run away and it has some of 277 00:09:33,990 --> 00:09:32,160 the largest feedbacks uh in the earth 278 00:09:35,350 --> 00:09:34,000 system and they're fascinating as a 279 00:09:37,030 --> 00:09:35,360 researcher to study 280 00:09:38,630 --> 00:09:37,040 and highly important in terms of what 281 00:09:41,990 --> 00:09:38,640 the societal consequences of those 282 00:09:46,150 --> 00:09:44,389 it's good to understand that uh the ice 283 00:09:47,350 --> 00:09:46,160 is important i know you wanted to walk 284 00:09:49,509 --> 00:09:47,360 us through 285 00:09:50,949 --> 00:09:49,519 video 11 so let's go ahead and pull that 286 00:09:53,030 --> 00:09:50,959 up now and you can explain a little bit 287 00:09:56,230 --> 00:09:53,040 about what's going on there 288 00:09:57,590 --> 00:09:56,240 yeah so that 289 00:10:00,230 --> 00:09:57,600 let me let me give a little bit of an 290 00:10:03,269 --> 00:10:00,240 intro before we go to to image 11 here 291 00:10:04,230 --> 00:10:03,279 um so so the ice sheets are always 292 00:10:06,550 --> 00:10:04,240 gaining mass 293 00:10:07,269 --> 00:10:06,560 and always losing mass so so since the 294 00:10:09,110 --> 00:10:07,279 dawn of time 295 00:10:11,269 --> 00:10:09,120 an ice sheet has always had snow falling 296 00:10:12,150 --> 00:10:11,279 on it and it's always had water running 297 00:10:17,670 --> 00:10:12,160 off 298 00:10:22,870 --> 00:10:20,949 when the the climate is in equilibrium 299 00:10:24,870 --> 00:10:22,880 there's always as much coming in as 300 00:10:26,550 --> 00:10:24,880 there is going out and so the geometry 301 00:10:28,069 --> 00:10:26,560 of the ice sheet stays the same and so 302 00:10:29,670 --> 00:10:28,079 it's this amazing thing 303 00:10:31,269 --> 00:10:29,680 where uh the ice sheets always in 304 00:10:32,150 --> 00:10:31,279 balance it's always putting ice into the 305 00:10:34,389 --> 00:10:32,160 ocean 306 00:10:35,910 --> 00:10:34,399 and it's always getting uh snow from 307 00:10:38,230 --> 00:10:35,920 accumulation 308 00:10:39,750 --> 00:10:38,240 but as you turn up the thermostat you 309 00:10:41,430 --> 00:10:39,760 start to move things out of equilibrium 310 00:10:43,110 --> 00:10:41,440 and two things happen so first of all 311 00:10:44,069 --> 00:10:43,120 you get what you would normally expect 312 00:10:45,990 --> 00:10:44,079 and that is 313 00:10:47,190 --> 00:10:46,000 that the water runs off into the ocean 314 00:10:48,550 --> 00:10:47,200 so you melt the surface 315 00:10:50,550 --> 00:10:48,560 the surface melts and all that water 316 00:10:51,829 --> 00:10:50,560 runs off to the ocean but the thing we 317 00:10:54,630 --> 00:10:51,839 think about a little bit less 318 00:10:56,949 --> 00:10:54,640 is the ice is moving it's dynamic and so 319 00:10:58,389 --> 00:10:56,959 the image that you see here which is 320 00:11:00,150 --> 00:10:58,399 or sorry the movie that you see here is 321 00:11:02,150 --> 00:11:00,160 absolutely spectacular 322 00:11:04,069 --> 00:11:02,160 um this is just a single calving event 323 00:11:05,750 --> 00:11:04,079 and a calving event is is that ice in 324 00:11:09,350 --> 00:11:05,760 the background that you see 325 00:11:11,110 --> 00:11:09,360 it's flowing down slowly into the ocean 326 00:11:12,470 --> 00:11:11,120 and when we talk about future sea level 327 00:11:13,430 --> 00:11:12,480 rise and future sea level rise 328 00:11:15,350 --> 00:11:13,440 uncertainty 329 00:11:16,550 --> 00:11:15,360 it's this part that we're interested in 330 00:11:17,269 --> 00:11:16,560 this part that we're most concerned 331 00:11:19,670 --> 00:11:17,279 about because 332 00:11:21,430 --> 00:11:19,680 that ice can start to slip and so in 333 00:11:23,910 --> 00:11:21,440 this image what you see is this 334 00:11:25,750 --> 00:11:23,920 massive piece of ice cave off in the 335 00:11:27,350 --> 00:11:25,760 background and that person in the tent 336 00:11:28,870 --> 00:11:27,360 they've been waiting there for days to 337 00:11:30,470 --> 00:11:28,880 capture this calving event 338 00:11:32,310 --> 00:11:30,480 and you see him come out of the tent 339 00:11:33,509 --> 00:11:32,320 just before the calving event occurs 340 00:11:34,790 --> 00:11:33,519 he's coming out because he hears the 341 00:11:36,470 --> 00:11:34,800 cracking and he's wondering what's going 342 00:11:37,829 --> 00:11:36,480 on but he doesn't see anything yet 343 00:11:39,670 --> 00:11:37,839 and then runs out with his camera to 344 00:11:41,430 --> 00:11:39,680 take pictures and that 345 00:11:43,829 --> 00:11:41,440 that's a single iceberg this happens 346 00:11:46,470 --> 00:11:43,839 quite frequently that iceberg would be 347 00:11:47,670 --> 00:11:46,480 uh almost a mile thick and probably 348 00:11:50,230 --> 00:11:47,680 about a mile and a half 349 00:11:52,389 --> 00:11:50,240 wide and when that thing caps off it 350 00:11:55,430 --> 00:11:52,399 releases so much energy 351 00:11:56,069 --> 00:11:55,440 that the seismometers in in continental 352 00:11:57,590 --> 00:11:56,079 united states 353 00:11:59,430 --> 00:11:57,600 can pick up those events so you can 354 00:12:01,430 --> 00:11:59,440 actually see the earthquakes 355 00:12:02,470 --> 00:12:01,440 that this thing generates when when that 356 00:12:05,190 --> 00:12:02,480 big calving event 357 00:12:07,269 --> 00:12:05,200 rotates off and so it's just it shows 358 00:12:11,110 --> 00:12:07,279 you how much power and mass these 359 00:12:13,750 --> 00:12:11,120 um these ice sheets are moving around 360 00:12:14,949 --> 00:12:13,760 and so i i just say one more thing and 361 00:12:16,949 --> 00:12:14,959 that is is that 362 00:12:18,230 --> 00:12:16,959 that when we see the ice sheets change 363 00:12:20,949 --> 00:12:18,240 when when that when the 364 00:12:22,310 --> 00:12:20,959 topography or the elevation or when we 365 00:12:23,829 --> 00:12:22,320 start to see changes 366 00:12:26,150 --> 00:12:23,839 what that tells us is is that the 367 00:12:28,230 --> 00:12:26,160 climate that they exist in is no longer 368 00:12:29,829 --> 00:12:28,240 in balance with them and so the ice 369 00:12:30,710 --> 00:12:29,839 sheets have to respond they have no 370 00:12:33,269 --> 00:12:30,720 choice 371 00:12:34,069 --> 00:12:33,279 and so this is where nasa comes in and 372 00:12:37,829 --> 00:12:34,079 brings in a 373 00:12:39,509 --> 00:12:37,839 large suite of tools so tell us about 374 00:12:42,949 --> 00:12:39,519 those tools what are nasa scientists 375 00:12:45,670 --> 00:12:42,959 doing to study icing climate 376 00:12:46,710 --> 00:12:45,680 yeah so nasa's doing all sorts of really 377 00:12:49,350 --> 00:12:46,720 amazing things 378 00:12:51,910 --> 00:12:49,360 um maybe we could bring up uh the first 379 00:12:54,790 --> 00:12:51,920 image of the icesat-2 380 00:12:56,389 --> 00:12:54,800 and i'll talk about that satellite so 381 00:12:56,790 --> 00:12:56,399 i'm i'm just going to nerd out here for 382 00:12:59,829 --> 00:12:56,800 a bit 383 00:13:02,389 --> 00:12:59,839 i i am not a closet nerd i am totally 384 00:13:05,269 --> 00:13:02,399 out of the closet i am 100 nerd and i 385 00:13:06,069 --> 00:13:05,279 i love this stuff and this is some of 386 00:13:09,110 --> 00:13:06,079 the coolest 387 00:13:10,790 --> 00:13:09,120 engineering uh that you know we can 388 00:13:12,310 --> 00:13:10,800 imagine so 389 00:13:14,629 --> 00:13:12,320 this instrument that you're looking at 390 00:13:17,990 --> 00:13:14,639 here is called a laser altimeter 391 00:13:19,750 --> 00:13:18,000 now it is no different than that thing 392 00:13:21,590 --> 00:13:19,760 you go by at the hardware store to tell 393 00:13:23,110 --> 00:13:21,600 you how far you are from one wall you 394 00:13:23,509 --> 00:13:23,120 know it shoots out the little infrared 395 00:13:26,550 --> 00:13:23,519 beam 396 00:13:28,629 --> 00:13:26,560 and you can measure the distance 397 00:13:30,230 --> 00:13:28,639 well this is a much more sophisticated 398 00:13:32,710 --> 00:13:30,240 version of that and so 399 00:13:33,269 --> 00:13:32,720 it has a it has a laser that laser goes 400 00:13:35,430 --> 00:13:33,279 out 401 00:13:36,949 --> 00:13:35,440 and it splits into six different beams 402 00:13:39,910 --> 00:13:36,959 when it goes through a special lens and 403 00:13:43,030 --> 00:13:39,920 those three beams land on the earth 404 00:13:45,350 --> 00:13:43,040 and it releases trillions of photons 405 00:13:49,509 --> 00:13:45,360 trillions of photons with each shot 406 00:13:52,310 --> 00:13:49,519 and it takes 10 000 shots per second 407 00:13:53,990 --> 00:13:52,320 so it's operating incredibly fast and 408 00:13:55,990 --> 00:13:54,000 each one of those shots 409 00:13:58,069 --> 00:13:56,000 lands on the surface of the earth and 410 00:14:01,189 --> 00:13:58,079 those trillions of photons scatter 411 00:14:03,910 --> 00:14:01,199 all over the place and only 412 00:14:05,509 --> 00:14:03,920 six to 12 of those photons end up 413 00:14:08,550 --> 00:14:05,519 reaching the telescope back 414 00:14:11,509 --> 00:14:08,560 on the on the spacecraft and 415 00:14:13,910 --> 00:14:11,519 it can measure it can time take each 416 00:14:14,949 --> 00:14:13,920 individual photon so the smallest quanti 417 00:14:16,949 --> 00:14:14,959 of energy 418 00:14:18,230 --> 00:14:16,959 we can now measure it bouncing off the 419 00:14:20,310 --> 00:14:18,240 surface of the earth 420 00:14:21,269 --> 00:14:20,320 and we can make incredibly precise 421 00:14:22,870 --> 00:14:21,279 measurements 422 00:14:24,710 --> 00:14:22,880 of how the surface of the earth is 423 00:14:28,230 --> 00:14:24,720 changing so for an example i'm in los 424 00:14:31,590 --> 00:14:28,240 angeles and if you were on 425 00:14:33,110 --> 00:14:31,600 standing on the sidewalk in um san diego 426 00:14:34,629 --> 00:14:33,120 which is all the way down at the mexican 427 00:14:36,230 --> 00:14:34,639 border 428 00:14:38,069 --> 00:14:36,240 i could measure whether you stepped off 429 00:14:40,990 --> 00:14:38,079 the curb or not um 430 00:14:43,110 --> 00:14:41,000 that's how powerful this thing is um 431 00:14:46,150 --> 00:14:43,120 [Music] 432 00:14:48,310 --> 00:14:46,160 so that instrument what it allows us to 433 00:14:50,150 --> 00:14:48,320 do is it allows us to see 434 00:14:52,629 --> 00:14:50,160 the shape of the ice sheet as it 435 00:14:53,990 --> 00:14:52,639 responds so we might see it growing we 436 00:14:56,550 --> 00:14:54,000 might see it shrinking 437 00:14:58,310 --> 00:14:56,560 um in response to either a warming ocean 438 00:15:00,310 --> 00:14:58,320 changes in precipitation 439 00:15:01,990 --> 00:15:00,320 or changes in warming from the 440 00:15:04,870 --> 00:15:02,000 atmosphere and so it tells us 441 00:15:06,310 --> 00:15:04,880 a huge amount about what the ice sheets 442 00:15:08,710 --> 00:15:06,320 are doing in response to 443 00:15:10,790 --> 00:15:08,720 current changes in climate and the other 444 00:15:16,069 --> 00:15:10,800 satellite i wanted to talk about 445 00:15:20,069 --> 00:15:18,310 and this one's just as fascinating this 446 00:15:22,150 --> 00:15:20,079 is a follow-on satellite meaning we've 447 00:15:25,030 --> 00:15:22,160 we've done this once before but 448 00:15:25,990 --> 00:15:25,040 um i i used to be a professor in 449 00:15:28,790 --> 00:15:26,000 massachusetts 450 00:15:31,110 --> 00:15:28,800 and i taught remote sensing which is 451 00:15:33,590 --> 00:15:31,120 basically satellite observations 452 00:15:34,949 --> 00:15:33,600 and the start of all of those textbooks 453 00:15:37,030 --> 00:15:34,959 says you know 454 00:15:39,030 --> 00:15:37,040 satellites measure some spectrum of the 455 00:15:42,310 --> 00:15:39,040 electromagnetic spectrum 456 00:15:44,629 --> 00:15:42,320 and that was true until we put up grace 457 00:15:46,710 --> 00:15:44,639 so grace is is actually measuring 458 00:15:47,990 --> 00:15:46,720 changes in the earth's gravity and so 459 00:15:50,389 --> 00:15:48,000 you know you probably learned in school 460 00:15:53,670 --> 00:15:50,399 that gravity is 9.14 461 00:15:55,269 --> 00:15:53,680 um meters per second squared well it 462 00:15:56,710 --> 00:15:55,279 actually has slight variations 463 00:15:59,269 --> 00:15:56,720 everywhere on earth 464 00:16:00,069 --> 00:15:59,279 and where there's more mass like a large 465 00:16:02,150 --> 00:16:00,079 mountain 466 00:16:03,749 --> 00:16:02,160 you know the gravitational pull is ever 467 00:16:05,910 --> 00:16:03,759 so slightly higher 468 00:16:06,790 --> 00:16:05,920 and so these satellites orbit the earth 469 00:16:08,870 --> 00:16:06,800 and as they do 470 00:16:10,710 --> 00:16:08,880 they they very precisely measure the 471 00:16:12,870 --> 00:16:10,720 distance between themselves 472 00:16:14,790 --> 00:16:12,880 down to the fraction of the thickness of 473 00:16:15,990 --> 00:16:14,800 a human hair in distance between those 474 00:16:17,670 --> 00:16:16,000 satellites 475 00:16:19,110 --> 00:16:17,680 and it goes around and it repeats these 476 00:16:20,470 --> 00:16:19,120 measurements and so we can actually see 477 00:16:22,629 --> 00:16:20,480 where the gravity is stronger and where 478 00:16:23,509 --> 00:16:22,639 the gravity is weaker but even more 479 00:16:25,590 --> 00:16:23,519 amazing 480 00:16:28,069 --> 00:16:25,600 is it can see the changes over time and 481 00:16:30,230 --> 00:16:28,079 so when it rains in california 482 00:16:31,749 --> 00:16:30,240 we can see california get heavier 483 00:16:32,949 --> 00:16:31,759 because there's all this water sitting 484 00:16:35,829 --> 00:16:32,959 on the surface 485 00:16:37,749 --> 00:16:35,839 but the biggest changes that we see are 486 00:16:39,670 --> 00:16:37,759 the ice sheets the ice sheets are 487 00:16:42,310 --> 00:16:39,680 rapidly losing mass into the oceans and 488 00:16:43,990 --> 00:16:42,320 so we can see that in incredible detail 489 00:16:45,430 --> 00:16:44,000 on a monthly resolution so we can 490 00:16:47,829 --> 00:16:45,440 actually see these things gain 491 00:16:50,230 --> 00:16:47,839 mass in the winter and then lose a whole 492 00:16:53,030 --> 00:16:50,240 lot of ice in the summer 493 00:16:53,350 --> 00:16:53,040 and um it's it's just it's fascinating 494 00:16:56,790 --> 00:16:53,360 the 495 00:17:01,509 --> 00:16:56,800 don't think 496 00:17:05,429 --> 00:17:03,590 it really is a miracle of engineering 497 00:17:06,949 --> 00:17:05,439 and you know nasa's studying these 498 00:17:08,549 --> 00:17:06,959 things not just from space like you've 499 00:17:09,909 --> 00:17:08,559 talked about we're studying ice from 500 00:17:12,789 --> 00:17:09,919 using planes 501 00:17:14,789 --> 00:17:12,799 from the ground with ice cores but what 502 00:17:17,510 --> 00:17:14,799 have we learned from all this great 503 00:17:19,990 --> 00:17:17,520 engineering 504 00:17:20,630 --> 00:17:20,000 yeah that's that's a great question so 505 00:17:22,150 --> 00:17:20,640 um 506 00:17:23,429 --> 00:17:22,160 let me just start with the satellites 507 00:17:25,350 --> 00:17:23,439 and then i'm going to put the satellites 508 00:17:27,750 --> 00:17:25,360 into a bit of a broader perspective 509 00:17:29,110 --> 00:17:27,760 so um the satellites have really 510 00:17:31,669 --> 00:17:29,120 revealed a lot of things 511 00:17:32,150 --> 00:17:31,679 um they've revealed some concerning 512 00:17:34,630 --> 00:17:32,160 things 513 00:17:37,029 --> 00:17:34,640 in the antarctic uh there's there's very 514 00:17:39,830 --> 00:17:37,039 uh vulnerable places in the antarctic 515 00:17:42,789 --> 00:17:39,840 um specifically it's it's pine island 516 00:17:45,590 --> 00:17:42,799 and thwaites glaciers there's these two 517 00:17:45,990 --> 00:17:45,600 larger than you can imagine um streams 518 00:17:47,990 --> 00:17:46,000 of ice 519 00:17:49,909 --> 00:17:48,000 that pour ice from the interior of the 520 00:17:52,150 --> 00:17:49,919 ice sheets into the ocean 521 00:17:53,430 --> 00:17:52,160 and those two systems are particularly 522 00:17:55,430 --> 00:17:53,440 vulnerable to 523 00:17:57,430 --> 00:17:55,440 what we call the marine ice sheet 524 00:18:00,070 --> 00:17:57,440 instability and that is where you 525 00:18:01,270 --> 00:18:00,080 start melting uh you start putting the 526 00:18:03,270 --> 00:18:01,280 ice flows faster 527 00:18:04,870 --> 00:18:03,280 it puts more ice into the ocean that 528 00:18:06,310 --> 00:18:04,880 causes it to melt faster 529 00:18:08,230 --> 00:18:06,320 and there's this feedback loop and you 530 00:18:11,270 --> 00:18:08,240 can get these runaway effects where 531 00:18:12,630 --> 00:18:11,280 where the ice sheet collapses and we 532 00:18:14,230 --> 00:18:12,640 don't know if that's happening 533 00:18:15,669 --> 00:18:14,240 there's some speculation that is 534 00:18:17,190 --> 00:18:15,679 happening um 535 00:18:19,270 --> 00:18:17,200 and i i don't even know if we have a 536 00:18:20,070 --> 00:18:19,280 consensus on that but the satellites 537 00:18:23,110 --> 00:18:20,080 reveal that it 538 00:18:24,630 --> 00:18:23,120 is changing now and so it's an area that 539 00:18:25,110 --> 00:18:24,640 we're looking at a lot it's revealed 540 00:18:26,870 --> 00:18:25,120 that the 541 00:18:28,549 --> 00:18:26,880 the east antarctic is gaining a little 542 00:18:30,870 --> 00:18:28,559 bit of mass and then 543 00:18:32,150 --> 00:18:30,880 it's also revealed that the that since 544 00:18:34,390 --> 00:18:32,160 about 2000 545 00:18:36,230 --> 00:18:34,400 the greenland ice sheet has been rapidly 546 00:18:37,990 --> 00:18:36,240 losing mass as we've had much warmer 547 00:18:40,390 --> 00:18:38,000 arctic summers 548 00:18:42,150 --> 00:18:40,400 but you know we've unfortunately only 549 00:18:44,230 --> 00:18:42,160 had a really short record from from 550 00:18:45,430 --> 00:18:44,240 space and so there have been people with 551 00:18:47,270 --> 00:18:45,440 boots on the ground that have been 552 00:18:48,630 --> 00:18:47,280 taking all sorts of measurements 553 00:18:51,270 --> 00:18:48,640 and probably one of the most valuable 554 00:18:52,789 --> 00:18:51,280 measurements that we have is ice cores 555 00:18:54,549 --> 00:18:52,799 and so this is where they take a 556 00:18:56,070 --> 00:18:54,559 drilling rig and 557 00:18:58,470 --> 00:18:56,080 they bring it to the ice sheet and it's 558 00:19:00,470 --> 00:18:58,480 a huge huge operation 559 00:19:02,150 --> 00:19:00,480 and they spend years drilling these 560 00:19:05,190 --> 00:19:02,160 these long cores of ice 561 00:19:06,390 --> 00:19:05,200 and trapped within the ice are tiny 562 00:19:08,070 --> 00:19:06,400 little bubbles that were actually 563 00:19:09,990 --> 00:19:08,080 trapped from the atmosphere 564 00:19:12,070 --> 00:19:10,000 all the way up to a million years ago 565 00:19:14,150 --> 00:19:12,080 and so you can take that ice 566 00:19:15,510 --> 00:19:14,160 and you can bring it yeah seal it up and 567 00:19:16,549 --> 00:19:15,520 bring it back to a lab and you can 568 00:19:18,870 --> 00:19:16,559 actually extract 569 00:19:20,789 --> 00:19:18,880 the air that's in those bubbles and so 570 00:19:22,070 --> 00:19:20,799 we can see what the past concentration 571 00:19:22,870 --> 00:19:22,080 of greenhouse gases was in the 572 00:19:24,390 --> 00:19:22,880 atmosphere 573 00:19:26,549 --> 00:19:24,400 in incredible detail for the last 574 00:19:27,270 --> 00:19:26,559 million years so i'm going to bring up a 575 00:19:30,549 --> 00:19:27,280 figure here 576 00:19:32,230 --> 00:19:30,559 figure 17 and this is just a great 577 00:19:34,310 --> 00:19:32,240 example 578 00:19:35,430 --> 00:19:34,320 so here's a record from from one of the 579 00:19:37,430 --> 00:19:35,440 ice cores 580 00:19:39,190 --> 00:19:37,440 um and it goes back almost a million 581 00:19:41,510 --> 00:19:39,200 years so i'm showing 800 582 00:19:43,669 --> 00:19:41,520 000 years and to put that into 583 00:19:45,350 --> 00:19:43,679 perspective of how long that is 584 00:19:47,909 --> 00:19:45,360 i've marked on this figure where the 585 00:19:48,789 --> 00:19:47,919 birth of modern man was about 200 000 586 00:19:51,830 --> 00:19:48,799 years ago 587 00:19:52,710 --> 00:19:51,840 so modern man has existed for a climate 588 00:19:54,310 --> 00:19:52,720 that's kind of 589 00:19:56,070 --> 00:19:54,320 been within these wiggles ever since 590 00:19:58,150 --> 00:19:56,080 modern man was on earth 591 00:19:59,270 --> 00:19:58,160 and it's just incredible the information 592 00:20:01,590 --> 00:19:59,280 we can get so 593 00:20:02,870 --> 00:20:01,600 the red one that we see that is a proxy 594 00:20:06,310 --> 00:20:02,880 for temperature that's a 595 00:20:07,430 --> 00:20:06,320 it's a fraction between delta uh 018 and 596 00:20:09,990 --> 00:20:07,440 o16 597 00:20:11,029 --> 00:20:10,000 but what it tells us is is it tells us 598 00:20:12,549 --> 00:20:11,039 how much energy 599 00:20:14,549 --> 00:20:12,559 or what the temperature was of the 600 00:20:17,110 --> 00:20:14,559 atmosphere all the way to 100 601 00:20:18,630 --> 00:20:17,120 or sorry 800 000 years ago and then the 602 00:20:20,710 --> 00:20:18,640 other thing we can measure directly 603 00:20:21,669 --> 00:20:20,720 is the amount of co2 contained in those 604 00:20:23,270 --> 00:20:21,679 air samples 605 00:20:25,110 --> 00:20:23,280 and as you can see in this figure you 606 00:20:27,110 --> 00:20:25,120 know as the co2 goes up 607 00:20:29,029 --> 00:20:27,120 so does the temperature and when the co2 608 00:20:31,190 --> 00:20:29,039 goes down so does the temperature and so 609 00:20:32,789 --> 00:20:31,200 they follow each other incredibly well 610 00:20:34,230 --> 00:20:32,799 and there's all these complex feedbacks 611 00:20:38,230 --> 00:20:34,240 that we understand 612 00:20:39,669 --> 00:20:38,240 that are you know very difficult to 613 00:20:41,990 --> 00:20:39,679 anyway there's a lot of processes 614 00:20:42,710 --> 00:20:42,000 involved but the only thing that matters 615 00:20:45,110 --> 00:20:42,720 is is that 616 00:20:47,590 --> 00:20:45,120 you know the temperature of the planet 617 00:20:48,870 --> 00:20:47,600 is incredibly closely tied to the amount 618 00:20:52,070 --> 00:20:48,880 of greenhouse gases 619 00:20:53,830 --> 00:20:52,080 and in this case co2 in the atmosphere 620 00:20:55,350 --> 00:20:53,840 and i've plotted two other things on the 621 00:20:55,909 --> 00:20:55,360 right hand side of that figure you can 622 00:20:58,390 --> 00:20:55,919 see 623 00:20:59,110 --> 00:20:58,400 the concentrations of co2 in the 624 00:21:00,950 --> 00:20:59,120 atmosphere 625 00:21:02,470 --> 00:21:00,960 in 1940 so we call that the 626 00:21:04,950 --> 00:21:02,480 pre-industrial 627 00:21:06,230 --> 00:21:04,960 level of co2 and then i've also marked 628 00:21:07,510 --> 00:21:06,240 to scale on there 629 00:21:09,270 --> 00:21:07,520 what the measurements were from 630 00:21:12,149 --> 00:21:09,280 satellites um 631 00:21:13,510 --> 00:21:12,159 from uh 2017 and we know that those 632 00:21:14,390 --> 00:21:13,520 satellite measurements are really 633 00:21:16,149 --> 00:21:14,400 accurate because 634 00:21:17,909 --> 00:21:16,159 we validate them with all sorts of of 635 00:21:20,630 --> 00:21:17,919 measurements from the ground 636 00:21:22,470 --> 00:21:20,640 and this is this has taught us a lot and 637 00:21:24,630 --> 00:21:22,480 it's been fascinating to study as a 638 00:21:27,750 --> 00:21:24,640 glaciologist 639 00:21:30,230 --> 00:21:27,760 but it's it's also kind of terrifying um 640 00:21:31,510 --> 00:21:30,240 and i say that in the most sincere way 641 00:21:35,029 --> 00:21:31,520 because 642 00:21:36,630 --> 00:21:35,039 um i started my career in in glaciology 643 00:21:39,510 --> 00:21:36,640 in 2005 644 00:21:40,950 --> 00:21:39,520 and there wasn't a lot happening to the 645 00:21:42,390 --> 00:21:40,960 ice then 646 00:21:44,950 --> 00:21:42,400 and usually when we would think of 647 00:21:47,909 --> 00:21:44,960 glaciers we would think of glaciers as 648 00:21:49,430 --> 00:21:47,919 responding really slow to something 649 00:21:51,110 --> 00:21:49,440 and we used to say it happened at 650 00:21:52,950 --> 00:21:51,120 glacier time scales which meant it 651 00:21:57,110 --> 00:21:52,960 happened really slowly 652 00:21:59,190 --> 00:21:57,120 and even 10 15 20 years ago 653 00:22:00,710 --> 00:21:59,200 people kind of thought that it would 654 00:22:03,430 --> 00:22:00,720 take a while for the ice sheets to 655 00:22:05,029 --> 00:22:03,440 respond once the climate changed 656 00:22:06,789 --> 00:22:05,039 but what we started to learn is there 657 00:22:07,510 --> 00:22:06,799 were some processes that we didn't 658 00:22:10,710 --> 00:22:07,520 understand 659 00:22:13,669 --> 00:22:10,720 fully and the ice sheets are responding 660 00:22:14,310 --> 00:22:13,679 really fast and so just over this short 661 00:22:16,149 --> 00:22:14,320 period 662 00:22:17,909 --> 00:22:16,159 we've seen really rapid changes in the 663 00:22:18,789 --> 00:22:17,919 ice sheet we see the green land wasting 664 00:22:22,230 --> 00:22:18,799 away 665 00:22:23,350 --> 00:22:22,240 putting almost 250 cubic kilometers of 666 00:22:26,390 --> 00:22:23,360 water into the ocean 667 00:22:29,750 --> 00:22:26,400 every year causing measurable amounts of 668 00:22:32,230 --> 00:22:29,760 of change in sea levels and the glaciers 669 00:22:33,190 --> 00:22:32,240 every glacier region on earth is losing 670 00:22:36,549 --> 00:22:33,200 mass so 671 00:22:40,070 --> 00:22:36,559 the ocean so alaska 672 00:22:43,430 --> 00:22:40,080 patagonia high mountain asia um 673 00:22:47,110 --> 00:22:43,440 the the alps uh new zealand 674 00:22:49,190 --> 00:22:47,120 um all of the arctic islands everywhere 675 00:22:51,110 --> 00:22:49,200 there's ice it's all being wasted away 676 00:22:53,270 --> 00:22:51,120 which tells us that the ice is out of 677 00:22:56,710 --> 00:22:53,280 equilibrium with the climate 678 00:22:59,750 --> 00:22:56,720 and that's that's a lot to digest 679 00:23:01,590 --> 00:22:59,760 and we're we've learned a lot more about 680 00:23:03,430 --> 00:23:01,600 the systems but 681 00:23:05,590 --> 00:23:03,440 what what makes it what brings it all 682 00:23:08,870 --> 00:23:05,600 into perspective is this next slide 683 00:23:12,149 --> 00:23:08,880 um this next slide shows 684 00:23:13,830 --> 00:23:12,159 where we're expected to be at by 685 00:23:15,990 --> 00:23:13,840 uh the end of the century so that's only 686 00:23:19,270 --> 00:23:16,000 80 years from now so there's people 687 00:23:20,149 --> 00:23:19,280 that are um in cribs right now or 688 00:23:22,870 --> 00:23:20,159 possibly in 689 00:23:24,310 --> 00:23:22,880 in kindergarten that will still be alive 690 00:23:27,270 --> 00:23:24,320 when we hit these numbers 691 00:23:28,549 --> 00:23:27,280 and i've shown three dots on that graph 692 00:23:32,310 --> 00:23:28,559 and this is to scale 693 00:23:34,950 --> 00:23:32,320 um and it takes a minute to digest but 694 00:23:36,310 --> 00:23:34,960 um the the one best estimate there the 695 00:23:39,350 --> 00:23:36,320 the blue dot there 696 00:23:42,549 --> 00:23:39,360 uh that says peak emissions in um 697 00:23:47,350 --> 00:23:42,559 in in 2030 698 00:23:50,230 --> 00:23:47,360 um that is a probably over optimistic 699 00:23:51,909 --> 00:23:50,240 scenario i mean that right there sorry 700 00:23:54,070 --> 00:23:51,919 2040 not 2030. 701 00:23:55,110 --> 00:23:54,080 that right there is if we really got our 702 00:23:58,789 --> 00:23:55,120 act together 703 00:24:02,070 --> 00:23:58,799 as a as a people on this planet 704 00:24:03,110 --> 00:24:02,080 and we were able to stop or to to have 705 00:24:05,909 --> 00:24:03,120 peak emissions 706 00:24:07,510 --> 00:24:05,919 by 2040 we would have a three degrees 707 00:24:09,269 --> 00:24:07,520 fahrenheit rise in temperature and 708 00:24:12,070 --> 00:24:09,279 concentrations of co2 would be 709 00:24:13,590 --> 00:24:12,080 as indicated on that graph if we have p 710 00:24:15,350 --> 00:24:13,600 commissions in 2060 711 00:24:17,430 --> 00:24:15,360 which is still considered overly 712 00:24:18,870 --> 00:24:17,440 ambitious at this point considering 713 00:24:21,350 --> 00:24:18,880 the progress that we've been able to 714 00:24:23,590 --> 00:24:21,360 make so far we would have a four degrees 715 00:24:25,990 --> 00:24:23,600 rise in temperature 716 00:24:27,909 --> 00:24:26,000 and if we just kind of operate like 717 00:24:31,750 --> 00:24:27,919 we're operating right now 718 00:24:33,990 --> 00:24:31,760 and since this study came out in 2005 719 00:24:35,350 --> 00:24:34,000 all indications report that we are on 720 00:24:38,390 --> 00:24:35,360 this higher track 721 00:24:39,990 --> 00:24:38,400 it is the best uh prediction of of what 722 00:24:41,590 --> 00:24:40,000 track we're on right now 723 00:24:44,149 --> 00:24:41,600 and this is what we call the business as 724 00:24:45,909 --> 00:24:44,159 usual so if we start to account for 725 00:24:48,230 --> 00:24:45,919 improvements in technology that will 726 00:24:50,870 --> 00:24:48,240 slowly bring down the emissions you know 727 00:24:52,470 --> 00:24:50,880 improvements in in fuel economy if we 728 00:24:54,470 --> 00:24:52,480 assume that that the 729 00:24:56,549 --> 00:24:54,480 the poor countries will will want to 730 00:24:58,870 --> 00:24:56,559 have lifestyles more similar to 731 00:25:00,070 --> 00:24:58,880 to developed western nations um first 732 00:25:02,149 --> 00:25:00,080 world nations 733 00:25:04,470 --> 00:25:02,159 um you know if we account for these 734 00:25:06,950 --> 00:25:04,480 things then we also account for the 735 00:25:07,990 --> 00:25:06,960 the plateauing of of population growth 736 00:25:10,549 --> 00:25:08,000 as we expect that 737 00:25:12,310 --> 00:25:10,559 population growth will will peak um 738 00:25:15,350 --> 00:25:12,320 during this century 739 00:25:18,070 --> 00:25:15,360 this is where we'll be at and again 740 00:25:19,430 --> 00:25:18,080 that small figure at the bottom that is 741 00:25:22,549 --> 00:25:19,440 the variability 742 00:25:24,390 --> 00:25:22,559 over the last 800 000 years and 743 00:25:25,750 --> 00:25:24,400 what i'm showing to scale is the 744 00:25:27,190 --> 00:25:25,760 different scenarios of where we're 745 00:25:29,990 --> 00:25:27,200 headed and so 746 00:25:31,830 --> 00:25:30,000 when i do the science i'm doing i'm only 747 00:25:32,870 --> 00:25:31,840 studying the very bottom part of that 748 00:25:34,789 --> 00:25:32,880 graph 749 00:25:36,470 --> 00:25:34,799 and when we look at the models to tell 750 00:25:38,710 --> 00:25:36,480 us what does it mean when we look at 751 00:25:40,070 --> 00:25:38,720 these future scenarios 752 00:25:41,669 --> 00:25:40,080 they tell us that there's a lot of 753 00:25:43,190 --> 00:25:41,679 negative consequences coming down the 754 00:25:45,029 --> 00:25:43,200 pipeline they tell us that 755 00:25:46,710 --> 00:25:45,039 the ice is going to continue to melt 756 00:25:49,430 --> 00:25:46,720 that's a guarantee 757 00:25:51,029 --> 00:25:49,440 and they tell us that the wetter regions 758 00:25:52,710 --> 00:25:51,039 of earth will likely get wetter 759 00:25:55,430 --> 00:25:52,720 the drier regions of earth will likely 760 00:25:56,950 --> 00:25:55,440 get drier the frequency of storms and 761 00:25:58,630 --> 00:25:56,960 droughts will increase 762 00:26:00,149 --> 00:25:58,640 um and then there's some other impacts 763 00:26:03,430 --> 00:26:00,159 as well um 764 00:26:04,870 --> 00:26:03,440 rising rising oceans will start to cause 765 00:26:07,110 --> 00:26:04,880 problems for coastal communities where 766 00:26:10,149 --> 00:26:07,120 we've built a lot of our infrastructure 767 00:26:12,710 --> 00:26:10,159 and so i i don't want to be a a complete 768 00:26:13,590 --> 00:26:12,720 doomsday person i mean there are things 769 00:26:16,070 --> 00:26:13,600 we can do 770 00:26:17,990 --> 00:26:16,080 to mitigate this um and the best thing 771 00:26:21,029 --> 00:26:18,000 that we can do to mitigate this 772 00:26:22,470 --> 00:26:21,039 is really to focus on on the emissions 773 00:26:25,110 --> 00:26:22,480 and so really 774 00:26:26,950 --> 00:26:25,120 uh we're going to have to stop emitting 775 00:26:28,230 --> 00:26:26,960 greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and 776 00:26:30,950 --> 00:26:28,240 whatever we can do 777 00:26:32,230 --> 00:26:30,960 to get towards that path is positive but 778 00:26:33,430 --> 00:26:32,240 whatever it is it's going to have to be 779 00:26:35,590 --> 00:26:33,440 collective action 780 00:26:37,029 --> 00:26:35,600 and so we're kind of we're far beyond 781 00:26:38,470 --> 00:26:37,039 the point now of being able to do 782 00:26:39,990 --> 00:26:38,480 individual action 783 00:26:42,390 --> 00:26:40,000 to have a meaningful impact on the 784 00:26:44,230 --> 00:26:42,400 situation it is it is very serious 785 00:26:45,830 --> 00:26:44,240 uh and it is something that we need to 786 00:26:48,950 --> 00:26:45,840 to tackle uh 787 00:26:50,470 --> 00:26:48,960 starting now um and we're also gonna 788 00:26:53,350 --> 00:26:50,480 have to think about mitigation now we're 789 00:26:55,110 --> 00:26:53,360 not just talking about avoiding any harm 790 00:26:56,470 --> 00:26:55,120 some harm is already going to happen we 791 00:26:57,430 --> 00:26:56,480 already have enough co2 in the 792 00:26:58,870 --> 00:26:57,440 atmosphere 793 00:27:00,549 --> 00:26:58,880 that we're going to have to think about 794 00:27:01,750 --> 00:27:00,559 mitigation and so that is 795 00:27:03,110 --> 00:27:01,760 you know thinking about our coastal 796 00:27:04,230 --> 00:27:03,120 infrastructure and in which 797 00:27:06,070 --> 00:27:04,240 infrastructure we 798 00:27:07,669 --> 00:27:06,080 we would like to shore up and defend 799 00:27:09,750 --> 00:27:07,679 against a rising ocean 800 00:27:11,430 --> 00:27:09,760 which infrastructure uh it probably 801 00:27:13,269 --> 00:27:11,440 isn't cost effective to do that 802 00:27:15,029 --> 00:27:13,279 and what that means is that we have to 803 00:27:16,710 --> 00:27:15,039 spend taxpayer dollars 804 00:27:19,269 --> 00:27:16,720 on mitigating this and the most 805 00:27:21,269 --> 00:27:19,279 effective use of pac taxpayer dollars 806 00:27:22,549 --> 00:27:21,279 is really to prevent it going from going 807 00:27:23,110 --> 00:27:22,559 in the atmosphere in the first place 808 00:27:24,230 --> 00:27:23,120 because 809 00:27:26,389 --> 00:27:24,240 once you start trying to kind of 810 00:27:27,750 --> 00:27:26,399 mitigating all the the compounding 811 00:27:30,710 --> 00:27:27,760 consequences afterwards 812 00:27:32,470 --> 00:27:30,720 it gets really expensive and i'm sure 813 00:27:33,269 --> 00:27:32,480 we'd rather spend our tax dollars on 814 00:27:34,870 --> 00:27:33,279 healthcare 815 00:27:36,630 --> 00:27:34,880 or any of the other number of things or 816 00:27:37,990 --> 00:27:36,640 just keep it in our pockets 817 00:27:40,470 --> 00:27:38,000 than spending it on mitigating the 818 00:27:43,909 --> 00:27:40,480 damage we've done um 819 00:27:46,070 --> 00:27:43,919 yeah so i i listened to a very prominent 820 00:27:48,950 --> 00:27:46,080 science this scientist this morning 821 00:27:50,789 --> 00:27:48,960 and he said uh let's be the generation 822 00:27:52,389 --> 00:27:50,799 that rose to the challenge not the 823 00:27:54,710 --> 00:27:52,399 the generation that failed to rise to 824 00:27:57,750 --> 00:27:54,720 the challenge 825 00:27:59,269 --> 00:27:57,760 that's a great way to put it alex and i 826 00:28:01,990 --> 00:27:59,279 we've talked about the consequences 827 00:28:03,590 --> 00:28:02,000 we've talked about moving forward but 828 00:28:05,269 --> 00:28:03,600 i think the audience is really engaged 829 00:28:06,549 --> 00:28:05,279 so i want to give jocelyn a chance to 830 00:28:07,110 --> 00:28:06,559 ask some of those questions for our 831 00:28:10,230 --> 00:28:07,120 viewers 832 00:28:12,070 --> 00:28:10,240 jocelyn how's it looking out there lots 833 00:28:14,230 --> 00:28:12,080 of great questions coming across 834 00:28:16,789 --> 00:28:14,240 all of our social media platforms we 835 00:28:19,190 --> 00:28:16,799 have paychow on facebook that asks 836 00:28:20,389 --> 00:28:19,200 is there a relationship between ice and 837 00:28:22,870 --> 00:28:20,399 extreme weather 838 00:28:25,669 --> 00:28:22,880 and how will extreme climate affect the 839 00:28:30,070 --> 00:28:28,310 wow that is a great question and yes 840 00:28:33,029 --> 00:28:30,080 there are very strong links 841 00:28:34,870 --> 00:28:33,039 um there is an interesting thing that 842 00:28:35,510 --> 00:28:34,880 they believe happened in the past and 843 00:28:38,789 --> 00:28:35,520 that was 844 00:28:42,310 --> 00:28:38,799 is that there was so much water that 845 00:28:45,350 --> 00:28:42,320 poured off of the laurentide ice sheet 846 00:28:47,590 --> 00:28:45,360 that it actually put a freshwater cap um 847 00:28:49,430 --> 00:28:47,600 in the north atlantic and that 848 00:28:51,190 --> 00:28:49,440 freshwater cap 849 00:28:53,110 --> 00:28:51,200 prevented what we call the thermal 850 00:28:55,190 --> 00:28:53,120 haline circulation which is 851 00:28:56,549 --> 00:28:55,200 how the oceans move how the oceans 852 00:28:58,389 --> 00:28:56,559 circulate water 853 00:29:01,110 --> 00:28:58,399 and at the time it actually prevented it 854 00:29:03,909 --> 00:29:01,120 and it caught us a very cold europe 855 00:29:05,269 --> 00:29:03,919 and people are studying this in a lot of 856 00:29:09,190 --> 00:29:05,279 detail 857 00:29:10,710 --> 00:29:09,200 uh and there is a real risk that that 858 00:29:11,190 --> 00:29:10,720 could happen i think the risk of it 859 00:29:14,870 --> 00:29:11,200 happening 860 00:29:16,310 --> 00:29:14,880 is unlikely um but there is a risk that 861 00:29:18,389 --> 00:29:16,320 it could happen 862 00:29:19,990 --> 00:29:18,399 but most of the extreme comes from 863 00:29:23,750 --> 00:29:20,000 changes in precipitation 864 00:29:24,630 --> 00:29:23,760 so uh we have uh a stronger gradient 865 00:29:27,669 --> 00:29:24,640 between 866 00:29:28,710 --> 00:29:27,679 the polar regions and uh the lower 867 00:29:31,669 --> 00:29:28,720 latitudes and that 868 00:29:32,710 --> 00:29:31,679 that drives a much more uh vigorous 869 00:29:34,789 --> 00:29:32,720 climate 870 00:29:35,750 --> 00:29:34,799 and so that's that's where we expect a 871 00:29:38,950 --> 00:29:35,760 lot of the extreme 872 00:29:42,950 --> 00:29:38,960 drought and extreme um uh precipitation 873 00:29:46,789 --> 00:29:44,549 let's go with another question from the 874 00:29:49,110 --> 00:29:46,799 audience jocelyn 875 00:29:50,389 --> 00:29:49,120 yes corey on linkedin asks has the 876 00:29:52,830 --> 00:29:50,399 quality 877 00:29:54,870 --> 00:29:52,840 images changed over the duration of your 878 00:29:58,149 --> 00:29:54,880 career 879 00:30:02,549 --> 00:29:58,159 oh it's incredible um the the 880 00:30:06,070 --> 00:30:02,559 engineering advances are phenomenal so 881 00:30:09,830 --> 00:30:06,080 i was born in 1980 882 00:30:12,870 --> 00:30:09,840 uh so the first 883 00:30:13,510 --> 00:30:12,880 kind of earth satellite was launched 884 00:30:17,190 --> 00:30:13,520 really 885 00:30:19,350 --> 00:30:17,200 uh was was the landsat uh landsat first 886 00:30:22,630 --> 00:30:19,360 landsat satellite kind of in the 19 mid 887 00:30:25,830 --> 00:30:22,640 1970s so not much before i came around 888 00:30:27,269 --> 00:30:25,840 um and in the 1970s the military was 889 00:30:29,510 --> 00:30:27,279 flying planes 890 00:30:30,950 --> 00:30:29,520 sorry flying satellites flying 891 00:30:34,710 --> 00:30:30,960 satellites is part of the 892 00:30:37,909 --> 00:30:34,720 the hexagon missions in the 70s 893 00:30:40,230 --> 00:30:37,919 they were taking pictures with film and 894 00:30:41,029 --> 00:30:40,240 ejecting those deorbiting the canisters 895 00:30:43,590 --> 00:30:41,039 of film 896 00:30:44,789 --> 00:30:43,600 and then picking those up with planes 897 00:30:47,590 --> 00:30:44,799 and 898 00:30:48,070 --> 00:30:47,600 so the quality has changed immensely i 899 00:30:49,669 --> 00:30:48,080 mean i 900 00:30:51,029 --> 00:30:49,679 so i bring up that data because i use 901 00:30:52,549 --> 00:30:51,039 that data in my research because it's 902 00:30:53,990 --> 00:30:52,559 the only record we have it's the one 903 00:30:56,310 --> 00:30:54,000 that goes furthest back is 904 00:30:57,590 --> 00:30:56,320 is this military record from the 70s and 905 00:30:59,509 --> 00:30:57,600 you could imagine they were 906 00:31:00,630 --> 00:30:59,519 catching this stuff with planes and then 907 00:31:03,509 --> 00:31:00,640 developing it 908 00:31:04,870 --> 00:31:03,519 on earth in a in a dark room um and so 909 00:31:07,190 --> 00:31:04,880 we've just seen a rapid 910 00:31:10,789 --> 00:31:07,200 advancement in our ability to to observe 911 00:31:14,470 --> 00:31:12,149 it's great to hear that we've had that 912 00:31:16,310 --> 00:31:14,480 advancement i'm sure there's lots more 913 00:31:19,029 --> 00:31:16,320 questions jocelyn what else are they 914 00:31:20,630 --> 00:31:19,039 asking for alex 915 00:31:23,190 --> 00:31:20,640 you know you mentioned earlier how we 916 00:31:23,590 --> 00:31:23,200 use ice to look into the past and tim on 917 00:31:26,070 --> 00:31:23,600 youtube 918 00:31:29,029 --> 00:31:26,080 asks what is the date of the oldest ice 919 00:31:32,230 --> 00:31:29,039 that's being studied 920 00:31:34,710 --> 00:31:32,240 wow that that's a great question um so 921 00:31:35,509 --> 00:31:34,720 we have that very detailed record all 922 00:31:38,630 --> 00:31:35,519 the way back 923 00:31:40,389 --> 00:31:38,640 800 000 years but they're going back 924 00:31:42,630 --> 00:31:40,399 millions of years in some of the ice 925 00:31:45,110 --> 00:31:42,640 cores but the problem is is that ice is 926 00:31:47,190 --> 00:31:45,120 so old and it's so deep that it's all 927 00:31:48,710 --> 00:31:47,200 been squished and squashed right at the 928 00:31:51,830 --> 00:31:48,720 bottom of the ice sheet 929 00:31:54,710 --> 00:31:51,840 and so it's a real challenge to 930 00:31:56,389 --> 00:31:54,720 to get the data out of there and so they 931 00:31:57,909 --> 00:31:56,399 actually have other ways they look even 932 00:31:59,590 --> 00:31:57,919 further back in time 933 00:32:02,230 --> 00:31:59,600 and so one of the ways they look further 934 00:32:05,430 --> 00:32:02,240 back in time is you can imagine that 935 00:32:07,830 --> 00:32:05,440 um when the earth is drier 936 00:32:08,950 --> 00:32:07,840 uh there can be more dust storms and 937 00:32:12,470 --> 00:32:08,960 that dust 938 00:32:14,070 --> 00:32:12,480 can can deposit over lakes and so we can 939 00:32:16,149 --> 00:32:14,080 actually go and take these lake 940 00:32:18,310 --> 00:32:16,159 cores and we can see back millions of 941 00:32:21,350 --> 00:32:18,320 years and we can see records of 942 00:32:23,430 --> 00:32:21,360 drought and flooding we can see um 943 00:32:25,110 --> 00:32:23,440 we can look at the isotopic record we 944 00:32:27,350 --> 00:32:25,120 can even go into the deep ocean 945 00:32:28,230 --> 00:32:27,360 and take uh mud cores from the bottom of 946 00:32:30,070 --> 00:32:28,240 the ocean 947 00:32:31,750 --> 00:32:30,080 we can look at what we these tiny little 948 00:32:33,990 --> 00:32:31,760 creatures called diatoms 949 00:32:35,350 --> 00:32:34,000 and they tell us the the concentrations 950 00:32:37,110 --> 00:32:35,360 of different gases and what the 951 00:32:38,630 --> 00:32:37,120 environment was like back in the day 952 00:32:41,509 --> 00:32:38,640 and we can also see sediment records 953 00:32:44,070 --> 00:32:41,519 from when the greenland ice sheet uh 954 00:32:45,190 --> 00:32:44,080 was last uh gone and so we can see a gap 955 00:32:46,549 --> 00:32:45,200 in the record where 956 00:32:48,630 --> 00:32:46,559 there there's stopped being any of the 957 00:32:49,909 --> 00:32:48,640 glacial deposits being put out by the 958 00:32:51,909 --> 00:32:49,919 glaciers so there's all these different 959 00:32:57,110 --> 00:32:51,919 ways we can look back in time 960 00:32:58,389 --> 00:32:57,120 to understand the past climate 961 00:32:59,990 --> 00:32:58,399 i'm so glad we've had so many 962 00:33:01,430 --> 00:33:00,000 advancements jocelyn go ahead i'm sure 963 00:33:03,029 --> 00:33:01,440 they're itching out there to ask alex 964 00:33:04,630 --> 00:33:03,039 some more questions 965 00:33:06,549 --> 00:33:04,640 they are you've mentioned a lot of 966 00:33:08,549 --> 00:33:06,559 really interesting data and kayla 967 00:33:10,310 --> 00:33:08,559 schneider on facebook asks 968 00:33:13,830 --> 00:33:10,320 what does this mean as far as being 969 00:33:16,149 --> 00:33:13,840 helpful how can this data help 970 00:33:17,750 --> 00:33:16,159 so that's a great question and it's one 971 00:33:21,029 --> 00:33:17,760 i struggle with myself 972 00:33:23,110 --> 00:33:21,039 um this this data is incredibly helpful 973 00:33:24,549 --> 00:33:23,120 it tells us what the earth system is 974 00:33:26,549 --> 00:33:24,559 doing 975 00:33:28,549 --> 00:33:26,559 it tells us all of the complexities 976 00:33:29,350 --> 00:33:28,559 about how all of these different parts 977 00:33:31,350 --> 00:33:29,360 interact 978 00:33:32,710 --> 00:33:31,360 when you raise co2 you warm the ocean 979 00:33:34,310 --> 00:33:32,720 when you warm the ocean 980 00:33:35,590 --> 00:33:34,320 you increase the melting of ice around 981 00:33:37,669 --> 00:33:35,600 the antarctic when you increase the 982 00:33:41,190 --> 00:33:37,679 melting of ice around the antarctic 983 00:33:42,630 --> 00:33:41,200 you cause less ice to resist the flow of 984 00:33:43,990 --> 00:33:42,640 ice into the ocean and so you actually 985 00:33:47,669 --> 00:33:44,000 see the ice speed up 986 00:33:49,669 --> 00:33:47,679 you actually see the gravity change 987 00:33:51,110 --> 00:33:49,679 when the gravity changes you can see the 988 00:33:52,789 --> 00:33:51,120 ice going into the ocean and then you 989 00:33:54,070 --> 00:33:52,799 can see the sea levels rise 990 00:33:55,669 --> 00:33:54,080 and then you can see where the sea 991 00:33:57,750 --> 00:33:55,679 levels are rising as the gravity 992 00:33:59,990 --> 00:33:57,760 redistributes that ice around the world 993 00:34:02,230 --> 00:34:00,000 you can it's these observations from 994 00:34:03,190 --> 00:34:02,240 space that are the only way we can see 995 00:34:05,750 --> 00:34:03,200 the earth 996 00:34:07,269 --> 00:34:05,760 as a complete system right it is really 997 00:34:10,069 --> 00:34:07,279 a self-contained 998 00:34:11,510 --> 00:34:10,079 small ecosystem a marble in space and 999 00:34:13,510 --> 00:34:11,520 the only way we can understand 1000 00:34:15,750 --> 00:34:13,520 all of the interconnectivity is through 1001 00:34:17,909 --> 00:34:15,760 these satellite observations 1002 00:34:20,790 --> 00:34:17,919 but i preface that with i struggle and 1003 00:34:23,109 --> 00:34:20,800 the reason i struggle is because 1004 00:34:25,270 --> 00:34:23,119 it's only useful if we can take the 1005 00:34:27,669 --> 00:34:25,280 science and we can learn from it 1006 00:34:29,510 --> 00:34:27,679 and the science has clearly shown over 1007 00:34:32,310 --> 00:34:29,520 the last two decades 1008 00:34:34,069 --> 00:34:32,320 that the ice is incredibly sensitive to 1009 00:34:36,629 --> 00:34:34,079 changes in temperature 1010 00:34:37,829 --> 00:34:36,639 and it is responding now and we know 1011 00:34:39,829 --> 00:34:37,839 that it's going to keep 1012 00:34:41,270 --> 00:34:39,839 increasing sea levels into the future 1013 00:34:42,310 --> 00:34:41,280 and we know a bunch of other things that 1014 00:34:43,109 --> 00:34:42,320 are going to change in the climate 1015 00:34:45,430 --> 00:34:43,119 system 1016 00:34:46,629 --> 00:34:45,440 most of which the vast majority of which 1017 00:34:49,109 --> 00:34:46,639 are are going to be negative 1018 00:34:50,950 --> 00:34:49,119 for for most societies there are some 1019 00:34:51,430 --> 00:34:50,960 countries that will benefit in the short 1020 00:34:53,430 --> 00:34:51,440 term 1021 00:34:55,589 --> 00:34:53,440 so places like canada will will have 1022 00:34:57,510 --> 00:34:55,599 increased agricultural productivity 1023 00:34:59,030 --> 00:34:57,520 that's a benefit to them but they'll 1024 00:34:59,829 --> 00:34:59,040 also have to deal with the increased 1025 00:35:02,230 --> 00:34:59,839 stresses of 1026 00:35:04,630 --> 00:35:02,240 other countries having less and so 1027 00:35:06,150 --> 00:35:04,640 increased global food insecurity 1028 00:35:08,470 --> 00:35:06,160 is going to be one of the biggest future 1029 00:35:09,670 --> 00:35:08,480 consequences and so the data is really 1030 00:35:11,670 --> 00:35:09,680 only useful 1031 00:35:13,829 --> 00:35:11,680 if we use it if we listen to the 1032 00:35:15,990 --> 00:35:13,839 scientists that interpret the data 1033 00:35:17,510 --> 00:35:16,000 we listen to the modelers that project 1034 00:35:18,470 --> 00:35:17,520 the future and then we take that 1035 00:35:20,310 --> 00:35:18,480 information 1036 00:35:22,230 --> 00:35:20,320 and we start to think deeply as a 1037 00:35:23,589 --> 00:35:22,240 society what are the decisions that we 1038 00:35:27,030 --> 00:35:23,599 would like to make 1039 00:35:27,589 --> 00:35:27,040 to include the information that we get 1040 00:35:29,589 --> 00:35:27,599 from this 1041 00:35:32,870 --> 00:35:29,599 incredible sensor array that we have in 1042 00:35:36,630 --> 00:35:34,310 i think we've got time for about two 1043 00:35:38,150 --> 00:35:36,640 more questions 1044 00:35:39,990 --> 00:35:38,160 we have a really interesting question 1045 00:35:41,510 --> 00:35:40,000 from curtis on facebook who wants to 1046 00:35:43,589 --> 00:35:41,520 know are there any risks for 1047 00:35:45,030 --> 00:35:43,599 substantial methane release from 1048 00:35:47,190 --> 00:35:45,040 undersea storage 1049 00:35:50,950 --> 00:35:47,200 as it gets warmer and has this view 1050 00:35:55,510 --> 00:35:53,109 yeah that's a that's a that's a big 1051 00:35:57,190 --> 00:35:55,520 question um this is obviously a very 1052 00:36:01,190 --> 00:35:57,200 well-educated uh 1053 00:36:04,069 --> 00:36:01,200 um listener um yeah it's it's not 1054 00:36:04,790 --> 00:36:04,079 it's a real thing so there's this uh ice 1055 00:36:08,630 --> 00:36:04,800 that's trap 1056 00:36:11,270 --> 00:36:08,640 the arctic and it's trapped 1057 00:36:11,990 --> 00:36:11,280 it's encased and frozen in permafrost 1058 00:36:13,829 --> 00:36:12,000 and the fear 1059 00:36:16,150 --> 00:36:13,839 is that it's it's mostly under the 1060 00:36:17,589 --> 00:36:16,160 arctic ocean that if the arctic ocean 1061 00:36:19,349 --> 00:36:17,599 warms enough 1062 00:36:21,190 --> 00:36:19,359 that the layer that's trapping all of 1063 00:36:23,030 --> 00:36:21,200 that methane um 1064 00:36:25,109 --> 00:36:23,040 would thaw and give access of the 1065 00:36:26,310 --> 00:36:25,119 methane to the atmosphere and that would 1066 00:36:28,870 --> 00:36:26,320 cause a huge 1067 00:36:30,069 --> 00:36:28,880 belch into the atmosphere of methane and 1068 00:36:33,190 --> 00:36:30,079 now methane is a different 1069 00:36:34,550 --> 00:36:33,200 beast than co2 co2 has a resident 1070 00:36:36,470 --> 00:36:34,560 residence time in the atmosphere of 1071 00:36:39,190 --> 00:36:36,480 about 2000 years so 1072 00:36:40,150 --> 00:36:39,200 if you drive your car and it emits co2 1073 00:36:41,990 --> 00:36:40,160 into the atmosphere 1074 00:36:43,270 --> 00:36:42,000 it's going to last for about 2 000 years 1075 00:36:44,310 --> 00:36:43,280 until it starts to come out of the 1076 00:36:45,829 --> 00:36:44,320 atmosphere 1077 00:36:48,950 --> 00:36:45,839 methane is much shorter lived in the 1078 00:36:50,390 --> 00:36:48,960 atmosphere but it's much more potent 1079 00:36:52,230 --> 00:36:50,400 if i remember correctly i think it's on 1080 00:36:53,109 --> 00:36:52,240 the order of about 10 000 times more 1081 00:36:55,270 --> 00:36:53,119 potent 1082 00:36:57,109 --> 00:36:55,280 as a greenhouse gas and so if that 1083 00:36:58,950 --> 00:36:57,119 methane leaks into the atmosphere 1084 00:37:01,190 --> 00:36:58,960 um it would accept it would cause a 1085 00:37:03,109 --> 00:37:01,200 short-term acceleration 1086 00:37:04,230 --> 00:37:03,119 to climate which then could ignite some 1087 00:37:07,270 --> 00:37:04,240 other feedbacks 1088 00:37:10,390 --> 00:37:07,280 but i think the probability is low 1089 00:37:12,790 --> 00:37:10,400 but we people are uh 1090 00:37:14,390 --> 00:37:12,800 studying it in a lot of detail so it's 1091 00:37:15,750 --> 00:37:14,400 it's a concern to scientists 1092 00:37:19,829 --> 00:37:15,760 i think they think the probability is 1093 00:37:24,470 --> 00:37:22,150 and we've got time for one last question 1094 00:37:26,710 --> 00:37:24,480 this evening 1095 00:37:29,190 --> 00:37:26,720 michelle on facebook wants to know how 1096 00:37:30,870 --> 00:37:29,200 quickly does this information come in 1097 00:37:34,870 --> 00:37:30,880 that we're getting and in relation to 1098 00:37:38,630 --> 00:37:37,430 that that's a that's a great question so 1099 00:37:40,470 --> 00:37:38,640 um we have some 1100 00:37:42,390 --> 00:37:40,480 satellites that are are designed for 1101 00:37:44,950 --> 00:37:42,400 disaster response 1102 00:37:46,470 --> 00:37:44,960 and um noaa has satellites that are 1103 00:37:48,230 --> 00:37:46,480 designed for weather 1104 00:37:49,829 --> 00:37:48,240 those types of satellites the data has 1105 00:37:51,510 --> 00:37:49,839 to come back really quick has to get 1106 00:37:52,790 --> 00:37:51,520 analyzed has to go through all the super 1107 00:37:55,030 --> 00:37:52,800 computers to turn the 1108 00:37:56,230 --> 00:37:55,040 raw measurements into data that people 1109 00:37:59,670 --> 00:37:56,240 can interpret 1110 00:38:01,670 --> 00:37:59,680 and that can go out within hours um 1111 00:38:03,430 --> 00:38:01,680 a lot of the data we work with it has to 1112 00:38:05,829 --> 00:38:03,440 be incredibly precise 1113 00:38:06,950 --> 00:38:05,839 and so the first satellite i showed was 1114 00:38:09,430 --> 00:38:06,960 that icesat-2 1115 00:38:11,670 --> 00:38:09,440 satellite and we're talking about you 1116 00:38:13,190 --> 00:38:11,680 know centimeter precision on the 1117 00:38:14,230 --> 00:38:13,200 all of these different things and you 1118 00:38:15,109 --> 00:38:14,240 need to know the position of the 1119 00:38:16,950 --> 00:38:15,119 satellite 1120 00:38:18,710 --> 00:38:16,960 so there's a lot of complex things that 1121 00:38:20,550 --> 00:38:18,720 need to be known from other satellites 1122 00:38:22,310 --> 00:38:20,560 as well from the gps network and 1123 00:38:23,910 --> 00:38:22,320 a bunch of other stuff and it's a lot of 1124 00:38:25,990 --> 00:38:23,920 computation that has to be done 1125 00:38:27,910 --> 00:38:26,000 and so typically we see that data you 1126 00:38:32,870 --> 00:38:27,920 know within two to three months 1127 00:38:33,910 --> 00:38:32,880 um it's it's on my desk as a scientist 1128 00:38:36,390 --> 00:38:33,920 it's good that you can get the 1129 00:38:38,069 --> 00:38:36,400 information out alex um 1130 00:38:39,430 --> 00:38:38,079 that was all the time we had for 1131 00:38:40,310 --> 00:38:39,440 questions this evening although they 1132 00:38:41,750 --> 00:38:40,320 have been great 1133 00:38:43,349 --> 00:38:41,760 questions thank you for all of those 1134 00:38:44,950 --> 00:38:43,359 that are watching this evening 1135 00:38:47,190 --> 00:38:44,960 i do want to give our speaker alex a 1136 00:38:52,390 --> 00:38:47,200 chance for one last final word 1137 00:38:55,829 --> 00:38:54,630 yeah so so thank you so much for taking 1138 00:38:57,670 --> 00:38:55,839 the time and listening 1139 00:38:58,950 --> 00:38:57,680 and you know i really hope that that 1140 00:39:00,870 --> 00:38:58,960 you're able to relate 1141 00:39:02,310 --> 00:39:00,880 kind of to what what we're doing here 1142 00:39:04,069 --> 00:39:02,320 and you know kind of the career path 1143 00:39:06,230 --> 00:39:04,079 that got me to where i am 1144 00:39:07,109 --> 00:39:06,240 um i did not ever think i would be 1145 00:39:09,910 --> 00:39:07,119 sitting 1146 00:39:11,270 --> 00:39:09,920 at a desk at nasa or in my home during a 1147 00:39:14,790 --> 00:39:11,280 pandemic either 1148 00:39:18,470 --> 00:39:14,800 um and i just want to say 1149 00:39:20,550 --> 00:39:18,480 that uh sometimes i get quite apathetic 1150 00:39:23,510 --> 00:39:20,560 about the research and that's because 1151 00:39:24,710 --> 00:39:23,520 the research is only useful if we can 1152 00:39:26,950 --> 00:39:24,720 act on it and 1153 00:39:28,550 --> 00:39:26,960 we don't need any more research to know 1154 00:39:30,230 --> 00:39:28,560 the actions that we should take and the 1155 00:39:30,950 --> 00:39:30,240 action is is simply that we need to 1156 00:39:33,510 --> 00:39:30,960 start 1157 00:39:35,270 --> 00:39:33,520 taking climate change very seriously uh 1158 00:39:37,750 --> 00:39:35,280 and we need to start acting now 1159 00:39:38,390 --> 00:39:37,760 uh and we need to act collectively and 1160 00:39:40,470 --> 00:39:38,400 so 1161 00:39:42,150 --> 00:39:40,480 it's these kiddos in the picture here my 1162 00:39:45,190 --> 00:39:42,160 lovely daughter 1163 00:39:47,109 --> 00:39:45,200 and my wonderful son that 1164 00:39:48,950 --> 00:39:47,119 when i have their picture on my desk i 1165 00:39:51,670 --> 00:39:48,960 just think that 1166 00:39:52,870 --> 00:39:51,680 we really need to focus our attention on 1167 00:39:54,950 --> 00:39:52,880 making right by them 1168 00:39:56,870 --> 00:39:54,960 and rising to the occasion we've done it 1169 00:39:58,390 --> 00:39:56,880 before we've put a man on the moon 1170 00:40:01,670 --> 00:39:58,400 there's no reason we can arise to this 1171 00:40:06,069 --> 00:40:03,750 incredible sentiment to leave us on so 1172 00:40:08,230 --> 00:40:06,079 that's all the time we have for today 1173 00:40:10,069 --> 00:40:08,240 join us next month for our lecture 1174 00:40:12,150 --> 00:40:10,079 entitled space cameras a 1175 00:40:14,470 --> 00:40:12,160 sharper image i want to thank our 1176 00:40:16,630 --> 00:40:14,480 speaker alex gardner for joining us 1177 00:40:17,670 --> 00:40:16,640 and discussing this very urgent topic 1178 00:40:21,030 --> 00:40:17,680 thank you 1179 00:40:23,510 --> 00:40:21,040 questions co-host jocelyn 1180 00:40:25,589 --> 00:40:23,520 arketta and everyone working behind the 1181 00:40:27,109 --> 00:40:25,599 scenes to make this all possible 1182 00:40:28,790 --> 00:40:27,119 to all of you watching thank you for 1183 00:40:29,750 --> 00:40:28,800 taking the time to join us each and 1184 00:40:31,190 --> 00:40:29,760 every month 1185 00:40:33,270 --> 00:40:31,200 if you've missed one or would like to 1186 00:40:34,550 --> 00:40:33,280 revisit any of our von carmen talks from 1187 00:40:37,670 --> 00:40:34,560 the past five years 1188 00:40:39,829 --> 00:40:37,680 they are available on jpl's youtube page 1189 00:40:52,670 --> 00:40:39,839 be well have a wonderful evening and 1190 00:41:08,710 --> 00:40:52,680 we'll see you in may