Latest news with #DavidChandler
Daily Mail
7 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
West Antarctic Ice Sheet is on the verge of COLLAPSING - sparking 13 feet of irreversible global sea level rise, scientists warn
Containing around 750,000 cubic miles of ice – enough to fill Wembley stadium nearly 3 billion times – the West Antarctic Ice Sheet is a rich reservoir of precious frozen freshwater. Now, scientists warn that the vast natural feature is on the brink of a disastrous 'irreversible' collapse. The collapse would cause a devastating sea-level rise globally over the next few hundred years of 13 feet (4 metres), the experts say. And it could be triggered with ocean warming only slightly above the rate that we're seeing in the present day. 'As little as 0.25°C deep ocean warming above present-day can trigger the start of a collapse,' said study author David Chandler at Norwegian Research Centre (NORCE). 'With our present-day climate, the transition to the collapsed state will be slow, maybe 1,000 years, but it will likely be much faster if there is additional global warming.' In a future scenario of sea level rises, cities and towns are flooded more easily, meaning people would have to flee their homes and move further inland. Other small island nations might be gradually plunged underwater entirely, forcing inhabitants to emigrate. Ice sheets are masses of glacial ice extending more than 19,000 square miles (50,000 square kilometers). There are two ice sheets on Earth – the Greenland Ice Sheet and the Antarctic Ice Sheet – and together they contain about 99 per cent of the freshwater on Earth. As the name suggests, the West Antarctic Ice Sheet is the western segment of the latter – and is more strongly affected by climate change. And unlike its eastern counterpart, the West Antarctic Ice Sheet largely rests on the sea bed. In other words, the West Antarctic Ice Sheet is sitting in water – and today this water is getting warmer and warmer due to global warming. 'Both East and West Antarctica have really thick ice – well over 3km (2 miles), even 4.9km (3 miles) at its thickest,' Chandler told MailOnline. 'West Antarctica is important for two reasons; first, if even a small fraction of all that ice melts it will cause devastating sea-level rise. 'Second, the ice sheet itself influences climate, so if you melt some of it, that could cause climate changes even as far away as Europe.' What is an ice sheet? An ice sheet is a a layer of ice covering an extensive tract of land - more than 20,000 square miles (50,000 square kilometers). The two ice sheets on Earth today cover most of Greenland and Antarctica. During the last ice age, ice sheets also covered much of North America and Scandinavia. Together, the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets contain more than 99 per cent of the freshwater ice on Earth. Source: National Snow and Ice Data Center The research team – also including experts from academic institutions in the UK and Germany – ran model simulations through the glacial cycles over the last 800,000 years. During this period, the Earth's climate has switched several times between cold periods known as 'glacials' and warmer periods called 'interglacials'. Some of these past interglacials were likely warmer than our present-day climate and give a picture of how the vast Antarctic Ice Sheet could respond to future warming. During interglacials, warm ocean water would have melted and thinned out the floating ice shelves that surround and protect West Antarctic Ice Sheet, leaving it vulnerable. 'In the past 800,000 years, the Antarctic Ice Sheet has had two stable states that it has repeatedly tipped between,' said Chandler. 'One, with the West Antarctic Ice Sheet in place, is the state we are currently in. The other state is where the West Antarctic Ice Sheet has collapsed.' Because the heat needed to melt ice in Antarctica is supplied mostly by the ocean, the concern now is that warming waters from climate change will tip the West Antarctic Ice Sheet to the collapsed state again. Ice loss from this 'vast freshwater reservoir' could threaten coastal communities and the global economy if the ice volume decreases by just a few per cent. Once the ice sheet has tipped to the collapsed state, reversal back to the stable present-day state would need several thousands of years of relatively cool temperatures (at or below pre-industrial conditions). 'Once tipping has been triggered it is self-sustaining and seems very unlikely to be stopped before contributing to about four meters of sea-level rise – and this would be practically irreversible,' Chandler said. In 2023, experts at the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) said the West Antarctic Ice Sheet will continue to increase its rate of melting over the rest of the century, no matter how much we reduce fossil fuel use. Even if greenhouse gas emissions are controlled to achieve the best possible scenario, melting of the ice sheet will continue to accelerate this century, at a speed three times faster than during the 20th century, the BAS team found. If it melts completely, the ice sheet will release enough water to raise sea levels worldwide by 17ft (5.3 metres). However, scientists say that it is 'only' likely to make them rise by 3.2ft (one metre) by the end of the century. Antarctica's ice sheets contain 70% of world's fresh water - and sea levels would rise by 180ft if it melts Antarctica holds a huge amount of water. The three ice sheets that cover the continent contain around 70 per cent of our planet's fresh water - and these are all to warming air and oceans. If all the ice sheets were to melt due to global warming, Antarctica would raise global sea levels by at least 183ft (56m). Given their size, even small losses in the ice sheets could have global consequences. In addition to rising sea levels, meltwater would slow down the world's ocean circulation, while changing wind belts may affect the climate in the southern hemisphere. In February 2018, Nasa revealed El Niño events cause the Antarctic ice shelf to melt by up to ten inches (25 centimetres) every year. El Niño and La Niña are separate events that alter the water temperature of the Pacific ocean. The ocean periodically oscillates between warmer than average during El Niños and cooler than average during La Niñas. Using Nasa satellite imaging, researchers found that the oceanic phenomena cause Antarctic ice shelves to melt while also increasing snowfall. In March 2018, it was revealed that more of a giant France-sized glacier in Antarctica is floating on the ocean than previously thought.
Miami Herald
7 days ago
- Business
- Miami Herald
Think Power Solutions Earns Great Place to Work(R) Certification for Fifth Consecutive Year
AI Innovation, Entrepreneurial Culture, M&A Growth, and Operational Excellence Fuel 2025 Recognition PLANO, TEXAS / ACCESS Newswire / June 3, 2025 / Think Power Solutions, a leading provider of AI-enabled utility infrastructure solutions, proudly announces its fifth consecutive Great Place to Work® Certification™, highlighting its exemplary commitment to fostering a safe, entrepreneurial, and empowering work environment. "This recognition, for the fifth consecutive year, is especially meaningful because it's based entirely on feedback from our teams," said Hari Vasudevan, PE, Founder & CEO of Think Power Solutions. "At Think Power, we believe that when we take care of our people, they care for our customers and investors. As we continue to grow both organically and through targeted acquisitions, we remain focused on driving AI-powered innovation, strengthening customer relationships, and fostering a workplace culture that sets the standard for safety and excellence in the utility industry." Driving Organic Growth and M&A Strategy As part of its long-term strategy, Think Power Solutions continues to seek partnerships with entrepreneur/family-led firms specializing in utility infrastructure services that drive America's electric utility resilience, reliability, and smarter capital investment. Focus areas include: Advisory servicesEngineering servicesProject managementSpecialized field servicesSoftware solutions Through strategic M&A, the company aims to scale nationally, generate operational synergies, and accelerate industry-wide AI innovation to better serve its clients. "We couldn't be prouder of the positive response we received from our employees. This is a testament to our employee-centric culture that binds us together. We're excited to drive further growth in the utility sector and will continue to improve our workplace culture. Think Power Solutions continues to attract top talent and deliver industry-leading utility infrastructure services," said David Chandler, CHRO, Think Power Solutions. Think Power fosters a culture where employees are empowered, connected, and driven by purpose. This commitment is reflected in key survey results: nearly 90% of employees express strong pride in their work and believe customers would rate Think Power's service as "excellent." These insights reinforce the company's people-first philosophy and reputation for delivering high-performance, client-focused solutions. About Think Power Solutions Think Power Solutions is a leading provider of AI-enabled utility infrastructure solutions. The company partners with many of the nation's largest investor-owned and cooperative utilities. Known for its operational excellence, innovative technology, and industry-leading safety record, Think Power has earned a reputation as a trusted partner in the utility sector. The company actively engages in key industry organizations, including the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), and maintains a strong client-focused approach. With a culture rooted in innovation, excellence, and employee engagement, Think Power continues to attract top-tier talent and deliver solutions that support the evolving needs of the utility industry. Learn more at Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. About Great Place To Work® As the global authority on workplace culture, Great Place To Work® brings 30 years of groundbreaking research and data to help every place become a great place to work for all. Their proprietary platform and For All™ Model helps companies evaluate the experience of every employee, with exemplary workplaces becoming Great Place To Work Certified™ or receiving recognition on a coveted Best Workplaces™ List. Media Contact:Sayantan DasguptaDirector, Marketing - Brand & SOURCE: Think Power Solutions
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Fire at Jacksonville International Airport destroys several vehicles, leaves travelers in limbo
A massive fire erupted Friday in the hourly parking garage at Jacksonville International Airport, destroying dozens of vehicles and leaving many travelers uncertain about the fate of their cars. Black smoke from the fire could be seen for miles, drawing immediate concern from those flying into the airport and those with vehicles parked there. 'We saw a big fire in the distance and we said, that's probably not good,' said traveler David Chandler. According to Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan, the fire is believed to have started with one vehicle and quickly spread to others. 'About 50 cars were impacted by the fire,' she said. The scene left behind was one of significant destruction. The roof of the garage partially collapsed, with several burned-out vehicles still visible. In the wreckage, one vehicle's emergency lights continued to flash, a reminder of the chaos earlier in the day. Zach Willis, a traveler returning from Atlanta, had parked his truck on the third level of the garage earlier in the week. He found out about the fire while still out of town. 'It's just the fact that my truck was only two years from being paid off,' Willis said. 'Even with insurance, it's still not gonna cover everything. It will probably pay it off, but at the same time, I have to buy another vehicle.' >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] He also expressed uncertainty about how he would get home. 'I got the news when I was in Atlanta,' Willis added. Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Chief Keith Powers addressed concerns about potential casualties. 'We don't think so, but we can't say for sure until we get inside each and every one of those cars and checked, but I don't think so,' Powers said when asked if anyone could be trapped inside the garage. Mayor Deegan said the Jacksonville Aviation Authority (JAA) will be providing support and information to those affected. 'I do know that they said they are going to use message boards, they will have information to the airlines, and they will be providing people with information as they get the update—so when they come off the plane, they know what to do.' JAA also announced plans to launch a dedicated webpage where people who had parked in the hourly garage can submit their information. Currently, nearly 2,000 parking spaces are out of service due to the fire. The garage was last inspected in October of last year. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
