Topics

1

Policy and solutions / Water Resource Management

« on: January 19, 2019, 09:16:43 PM »

The only thread specifically about water is in "Consequences- Water Wars".
A thread about how humankind is, or is not managing water resources seems a good idea. 
Time will tell.

an example....
This study gives a really good look at the good, the bad, and the ugly sides of desalination and possibilities for the future. It also shows that we are talking big numbers.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KZxjEYk01HEdmDhsLmF4RzV5UXu-mwBd/view
The state of desalination and brine production: A global outlook

Apart from the problem of brine production (salt and other ooh-nasty trace elements being concentrated and dumped in the ocean (shown by the study to be underestimated), the study also shows that at the moment the cost limits the use of the fresh water produced to domestic and industrial use in relatively high income countries.

There is a BBC article based on this study at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-46863146 . It finishes on an optimistic note - we will see.
 
Concerns over increase in toxic brine from desalination plants

"There is an urgent need to make desalination technologies more affordable and extend them to low-income and lower-middle income countries. At the same time, though, we have to address potentially severe downsides of desalination - the harm of brine and chemical pollution to the marine environment and human health," said Dr Vladimir Smakhtin, a co-author of the paper from the UN University.

"The good news is that efforts have been made in recent years and, with continuing technology refinement and improving economic affordability, we see a positive and promising outlook."

2

Greenland and Arctic Circle / Greenland 2019 Melt Season

« on: January 13, 2019, 08:37:02 AM »

https://www.dmi.dk/en/groenland/maalinger/greenland-ice-sheet-surface-mass-budget/

2019 MELT SEASON - 2018-2019 SMB SEASON As at 12 Jan 2019

Some dry days and wet days so far this year.

And for the next 5 to 10 days it looks like,
- no melt,
- below average precipitation,
- SMB balance year to date a bit more below average.


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SMB = Surface Mass Balance, which excludes mass loss from calving that on average is greater than SMB gain in the year. i.e. usually Greenland loses mass every year.

GRACE follow-on data - where are you?
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3

Arctic background / Arctic Background Data Library

« on: February 22, 2018, 09:38:06 PM »

With considerable trepidation, I start a new topic.

A lot of stuff we post is of long-term interest that should be kept, but gets lost into history as the seasons change and so do the threads, I don't know about you, but my PC is cluttered up and old, I am losing stuff already. So I suggest we need a place to put it, or at least the links. The ASI graphs are already safely locked away but accessible.

I found a site today that many of you probably know
- http://sites.uci.edu/zlabe/arctic-temperatures/

It is the sort of data that is of long-term interest. An example is the 925hPa temperature history from 1958 to 2017, I had never come across before, which no doubt Zachary will keep going (automated already?)
http://sites.uci.edu/zlabe/files/2018/01/TAS_Arctic_NCEP_OctDec17_composite.gif

If you use it, please note the title "Arctic Background Data Library" - i.e. for data, not opinion. no "near human extinction" diatribes).

A brief description of the data and the link to it (external or internal within ASIF) might be all that is necessary. I will be posting a few tomorrow.

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