Aerosol Pollution - What part in Ice-cap Meltdown?

Our polar icecap meltdown is accelerating.

Satellite images displayed at the National Snow and Ice Data Centre in March 2008 of the Wilkins Ice-sheet [part of the West Antarctic Ice-shelf - WAIS] melting, have me worried:

Antarctic Ice Shelf Disintegration Underscores a Warming World via kwout

The report by the US National Snow and Ice Data Center discusses the latest images in context of other large ice-melt events.

"The Wilkins is one of a string of ice shelves that have collapsed in the West Antarctic Peninsula in the past thirty years. The Larsen B became the most well-known of these, disappearing in just over thirty days in 2002. The Prince Gustav Channel, Larsen Inlet, Larsen A, Wordie, Muller, and the Jones Ice Shelf collapses also underscore the unprecedented warming in this region of Antarctica."

See the British Antarctic Survey [BAS] PDF report - British Antarctic Survey's version of this joint release.

The NSIDC have reported on other disturbing breakups on the Wilkins Ice Shelf and the Larsen B collapse.

Nyrstar Lead Smelter at Port Pirie notified

Senior staff of the Nyrstar Lead Smelter in Port Pirie given copies of the Thermal Desalination proposal in early March 2008.
Port Pirie is close to the Mining Operations at Roxby Downs and Olympic Dam -- they may require additional water to further develop their mining resources, given the current boom in the mining sector.

Onesteel Whyalla sent papers on Thermal Desalination

Contacted Onesteel Whyalla management -- passed on the Desal proposal to them. Their blast furnace process generates temperatures of 2,000 deg C - they already capture part of this heat for use in other parts of the steelmaking process. Hopefully they can also use some for thermal desalination.

Water for South Australia

Visited Adelaide - many gardens dead - very dusty - high level of water restrictions in place - La Nina event produced floods in QLD, no respite for SA.

Adelaide also just experienced a 1 in 3,000 year event of continuous hot days [15 days over 38 deg C].
Now there is more stress on the Murray River and Groundwater resources - as per the fourfold increase of salinity levels in the Coorong, extremely low water levels in Lake Alexandrina etc. Some of the groundwater resources failed on a couple of occasions in the past.

Action: Desalination Proposal sent to:
* SA Members of Parliament -- including the Premier, Mike Rann; MP, Andrew Evans; Federal Senator-Elect, Nick Xenophon.
* Private industry - staff members at the Nyrstar Lead Smelter at Port Pirie.
The concept may also be used by the Onesteel Facility at Whyalla.

Rationale: Original paper with Heat Capture/Heat Exchanger process focusses on the Aluminium Smelter at Portland VIC, but it can be used in any Heavy Industry process producing large amounts of heat as a byproduct.

With the Federal Govt have still not able to reach agreement over a comprehensive Murray River Strategy [VIC are still holding out] it looks like the Murray Basin will not get any new water recharge action anytime soon.

Conclusion: By sending this material directly to the South Australians, they may be able to go ahead themselves in a joint venture with SA Heavy Industry to build 2 small [20 M/litre day] Low Temperature Distillation Desal Plants at Port Pirie and Whyalla.
If successful, the plants may be extended/expanded to make South Australia more drought-proof.

AS Leopards Unsuitable for Conversion

Bad news - the original concept was to demilitarise and convert the Australian [AS model A3] Leopard Fleet into a Firefighting Role - unfortunately this plan is unworkable - these tanks are too old for conversion.

Good news - New Leopards [A4 models] are currently available from the US and Germany already specifically designed and configured for firefighting.

The original paper NEW RECRUITS FOR OUR ASHES TEAM, will be revised soon.

Big Trouble in West Antarctica - Ice Shelves Rapidly Melting

In an article by Leigh Dayton in The Australian on 15th January, 2008 -- Scientists are alarmed about an estimated 200 billion tonnes of ice that melted from the West Antarctic Ice Shelf [WAIS] in 2006.

Antarctic ice cap melting faster than first thought | NEWS.com.au via kwout

Hobart based glaciologist, Ian Allison, with the Australian Antarctic Division and the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Co-operative Research Centre, comments"

"This work suggests that the ice flow is accelerating," Dr Allison said.

"It's worrying because ... the changes are happening due to processes we don't understand."

I spoke in March, 2008 with another scientist, Dr Ross Edwards, from the Desert Research Institute in the US, who is conducting further research into these 'unknown processes', as stated by Ian Allison.

German Airmatic Firefighting tank

Here is a video from Youtube about the latest German designed firefighting tanks - note that this vehicle is easily traversing along the bitument roads in this town without "ripping up" or damaging the road surface.

Fighting Bushfires with Tanks

This paper outlines a demilitarisation plan for the Australian Leopard Tanks which are currently being replaced by the Abrams M1A1 tank.

A German manufacturer is providing equipment that enables conversion of Leopards into a firefighting role. These vehicles will then be capable of providing the maximum amount of protection for crews and also the maximum in 'bushfire knockdown capability' of any ground based vehicle on the fireground.