WABI interviews Bromley about Antarctic, climate change research
University of Maine geologist Gordon Bromley spoke with WABI (Channel 5) about his upcoming research expedition to Antarctica. Bromley will study how Earth’s largest ice sheet — the East Antarctic Ice Sheet — has responded during past times of global warming to learn about how it may respond in the future to human-caused climate change. If the sheet melts, sea level around the planet could rise about 180 feet (55 meters), displacing millions of people and dramatically changing coastlines. “If this ice sheet were to collapse, if it were to begin melting, if sea level were to rise by even a fraction of that 55 meters, then our coastline will change,” Bromley said. “It’s already changing, and we want to be better prepared to see how much should we expect, how fast we should expect it. If this ice sheet went, it would mean the redrawing of Maine’s coastline.” The National Science Foundation awarded Bromley $291,563 for the study.