Dr. Jeff Masters' WunderBlog

Field Notes from a Catastrophe book review

Posted by: Dr. Jeff Masters, 12:43 PM GMT on July 14, 2006

Elizabeth Kolbert is a writer for the New Yorker magazine. A three-part series she wrote for the magazine in 2005 has been converted into a short, well-researched, and very readable book on climate change called, "Field Notes from a Catastrophe" ($15 from amazon.com). The science presented is excellent, and I couldn't find any errors. Kolbert visits leading climate change scientists in the field, spending time in the Arctic, Greenland, Dr. James Hansen's laboratory, and in United Nations climate change meetings. We get to see the science the way these scientists see it, which is a very powerful way to emphasize the major climate changes that are already underway on our planet.

Kolbert delivers a memorable description of a visit to Alaska, where record temperatures have begun melting permafrost that formed at the beginning of the last ice age, 120,000 years ago. She visits the remote island of Sarichef, five miles off the coast of the Seward Peninsula. A subsistence hunting village has existed there for centuries. However, the entire population of 591 must be relocated to the mainland because the island is eroding away. The problem? Lack of the customary sea ice in the fall has allowed storm surges from the powerful storms that hit during that season to push far inland. Kolbert talks to an Inuit hunter named John Keogak, who lives in Canada's Northwest Territories, 500 miles north of the Arctic circle. He and his fellow hunters started seeing robins for the first time a few years ago. The Inuits have no word for the bird in their language. Kolbert travels to "drunken forests" where the trees lean at crazy angles due to the collapse of the permafrost beneath. In one of many of the odd and amusing observations the book is sprinkled with, she writes:

A few blocks beyond the drunken forest, we came to a house where the front yard showed clear signs of ice wedge melt-off. The owner, trying to make the best of things, had turned the yard into a miniature golf course.

As the title implies, this is not a cheerful book, and Kolbert paints a gloomy picture of the how climate change is affecting the planet. I highly recommend the book for those interested in reading about climate change. Three and a half stars.

Jeff Masters

Permafrost Collapse (akalaska)

Climate change is causing rapid coastal erosion in the Arctic. As the permafrost melts, the land falls into the ocean. (Elson Lagoon, Barrow, Alaska)

Coastal Erosion (akalaska)

A scientist is taking high-precision GPS measurements of coastal erosion in the Arctic, due to melting permafrost. The coast is eroding at the rate of 3-12 feet per year.

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702. StormThug 6:53 AM GMT on July 15, 2006
wow nice too see the tropics quiet Member Since: June 15, 2006 Posts: 9 Comments: 480

703. Skyepony (Mod) 6:58 AM GMT on July 15, 2006
Michael~ I dug up the surface currents on the nowcast for comparasion (the other I posted was temps at 100m~ maybe the heat got carried left). Your right though the navy is to the right of nowcast. Navy doesn't look like it's right at the surface (dry ocean areas in the shallows, but it's not 200m, which is the next decending nowcast current). Even at the 200m depth the current is still left. I noticed the other day about the navy not totally detached yet too. I standby the nowcast since it is the cutting edge. Maybe we can get Randrel to take a boat & gps out there for some current measuring.lol Or better yet DR Master's opinion on which is the more accurate one. Til Tommarrow Member Since: August 10, 2005 Posts: 144 Comments: 29370

708. Skyepony (Mod) 7:11 AM GMT on July 15, 2006
oh one last thought ~ perhaps the edge of one of those currents could be verified by buoy? Member Since: August 10, 2005 Posts: 144 Comments: 29370

710. Skyepony (Mod) 7:17 AM GMT on July 15, 2006
good point, I shouldn't look at everything in 3-D..hmmm still looks different. I'll check back for ya'lls results in the morning or the article of a WU blogger in the GOM.lol Member Since: August 10, 2005 Posts: 144 Comments: 29370

713. Fshhead 7:25 AM GMT on July 15, 2006
Randrewl I think you live here...LOL Member Since: November 19, 2005 Posts: 9 Comments: 9960

714. Fshhead 7:26 AM GMT on July 15, 2006
Whats up ya'll Member Since: November 19, 2005 Posts: 9 Comments: 9960

715. Fshhead 7:28 AM GMT on July 15, 2006
man this site acting weird lately.... Member Since: November 19, 2005 Posts: 9 Comments: 9960

717. Fshhead 7:40 AM GMT on July 15, 2006
cool cool just razzin ya... Member Since: November 19, 2005 Posts: 9 Comments: 9960

718. Fshhead 7:41 AM GMT on July 15, 2006
saw some comments from the boys about your blog. Member Since: November 19, 2005 Posts: 9 Comments: 9960

721. Fshhead 7:44 AM GMT on July 15, 2006
ahhhhh I don't think they bought the dismissal of the warming LMAO!!! Member Since: November 19, 2005 Posts: 9 Comments: 9960

722. Fshhead 7:45 AM GMT on July 15, 2006
Posted By: snowboy at 6:22 AM GMT on July 15, 2006. Randrewl, the link provides a nefarious mix of fact and fiction (all from the perspective of the "doubter" side of the debate - given its length, I'm not going to try to debunk it all. Member Since: November 19, 2005 Posts: 9 Comments: 9960

723. Fshhead 7:46 AM GMT on July 15, 2006
I will read it though, as I have said all along I want to hear both sides.. Member Since: November 19, 2005 Posts: 9 Comments: 9960

726. Fshhead 7:50 AM GMT on July 15, 2006
yup words top live by!!!! Member Since: November 19, 2005 Posts: 9 Comments: 9960

728. Fshhead 7:52 AM GMT on July 15, 2006
told ya I will check it out for sure.. Member Since: November 19, 2005 Posts: 9 Comments: 9960

730. Fshhead 7:57 AM GMT on July 15, 2006
hmmmmm tell you what that is a tough one. SO many variables at play here. Don't think for a second N. Korea is not closely watchin' all this.Tell this much I got a co-worker thats born again Christian, mmmm not pretty scenario according to bible "prophecy" Member Since: November 19, 2005 Posts: 9 Comments: 9960

731. Fshhead 7:59 AM GMT on July 15, 2006
oops adressing the situation & not the aggression. Mmmmmm well, they do have the right to defend BUT, BUT, they better tread carfully. Member Since: November 19, 2005 Posts: 9 Comments: 9960

732. Fshhead 8:00 AM GMT on July 15, 2006
They go overboard & it can be WW 3. Very easily. Member Since: November 19, 2005 Posts: 9 Comments: 9960

733. Fshhead 8:02 AM GMT on July 15, 2006
Wooooof, we are going to be paying at the pump for this also. More reason to switch to alt. energy!!!!! Member Since: November 19, 2005 Posts: 9 Comments: 9960

735. Fshhead 8:03 AM GMT on July 15, 2006
yea this site really actin' weird for sure. Member Since: November 19, 2005 Posts: 9 Comments: 9960

737. Fshhead 8:06 AM GMT on July 15, 2006
thats one of the many variables here. Iran can get into this very easily. The Israeli's are trigger happy right now. When I heard that Israel thinks alot of the rocket attacks were Iran shooting them I thought here we go!!!!! Member Since: November 19, 2005 Posts: 9 Comments: 9960

738. Fshhead 8:07 AM GMT on July 15, 2006
One thing is for sure, Israel does not f* around. Member Since: November 19, 2005 Posts: 9 Comments:** 9960

740. Fshhead 8:10 AM GMT on July 15, 2006
yea got ya there. Tellin ya I don't think many people realize the severity of this situation. This is not just the palestanians they are messing with. Like I said so many variables. Member Since: November 19, 2005 Posts: 9 Comments: 9960

741. Fshhead 8:12 AM GMT on July 15, 2006
I've been saying for the last couple of days that why couldn't the U.S. & Britain put the Jewish people in like ahhhhh lets say Australia or Iceland. Of all freakin' places to put them. LOL Member Since: November 19, 2005 Posts: 9 Comments: 9960

743. Fshhead 8:15 AM GMT on July 15, 2006
Hey Randrewl Let me ask you this(political). What do you think of our governor as a presidential candidate??? Member Since: November 19, 2005 Posts: 9 Comments: 9960

745. Fshhead 8:17 AM GMT on July 15, 2006
Yea & I will say this, the one thing that bothers me a bit is Israel would not have all this firepower if itwere not for us... Member Since: November 19, 2005 Posts: 9 Comments: 9960

747. Fshhead 8:20 AM GMT on July 15, 2006
Hmmmm well as much as the bush name makes my blood curdle LOL Jeb has done pretty good job as Gov. & he tends to buck the family a bit. He had real good article in the Miami Herald about going to ethanol With alot of latin & carribean countries. I kinda like his thinkin' One things for sure when they messed up here with the storms he took FULL blame. He said we were terrible & we need to fix this... Member Since: November 19, 2005 Posts: 9 Comments: 9960

748. Fshhead 8:22 AM GMT on July 15, 2006
LMAO!!!! When I tell my brother this he really really gets mad.(bush name makes his blood curdle more than mine) Member Since: November 19, 2005 Posts: 9 Comments: 9960

749. Fshhead 8:23 AM GMT on July 15, 2006
So.... when you think we are going to start the hurricane drills???? I think late August Member Since: November 19, 2005 Posts: 9 Comments: 9960

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