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ICEWORLDS2010VERSION(SUBTITLES) REVISED:JULY26,2013
SCENE TIME SCRIPT
00:00 WelcometoIceWorlds,atouroftheicylandscapesofoursolarsystem-especiallyourhomeplanetEarth.TheInternationalPolarYearhasfocusedattentiononmeasuringchangesatthepolesofourownplanetandondeterminingwhythesechangesoccur.WewillexploretheiceonEarthandontheothericeworldsinoursolarsystemtounderstandwhyEarth'spolesarechanging,andtodeterminetherolethaticeplaysinthefutureofourworld.
TITLES OPENINGTITLES
00:30 ICEWORLDS
00:49 Earthhastwopolarcaps.Thisonecoversthenorthernpartoftheplanet,thearcticregion.Itisahugeicecoveredocean,surroundedbyland.
01:02 Submarinescaneasilytravelbeneathit.Recentstudiesindicatethatasustainedthinningandshrinkageofthisicecapisunderway.
01:17 Insummer,somecrafthavesurfacedattheNorthPoleitself.It'sevenpossiblethatbythemiddleofthecenturytherewillbenoicehereatallduringlatesummer.Majorchangesarehappeninginthearcticandscientistsarewatchingclosely.
01:35 AttheEarth'sSouthPoleavasticesheetcoversthehugecontinentofAntarcticawhichissurroundedbytheSouthernOcean.
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01:54 UnbrokenbyotherlandmassesanddrivenbypowerfulwindsthetripacrossthisoceantoAntarcticaisoneoftheroughestoceanpassagesintheworld.
02:07 AroundtheedgeofAntarcticagreaticeriversoficecalledglaciersflowouttothesea,drainingtheinlandicesheet.SomeofthelastunexploredlandonEarthliesburiedunderthisblanketofice.
02:23 Mountainsandevenvolcanoespeekthroughandhintatthediversegeologyhiddenbeneath.
02:36 Specializedinstrumentshavepenetratedthetwoandahalfkilometersoficetoallowustoglimpseapictureofthislostworld.
02:49 It'salandasbigastheUnitedStateswithmountainsandevenlakesandrivers.
03:03 InthisdryvalleyinAntarcticawindpatternsandmountainshavepreventedicefromaccumulating.Herewecansteponpristineland,walkingonasurfacethathaschangedverylittleinthousandsofyears.
03:20 WeknowthatEarthisnottheonlyplanetthatcanbelockedinacoldembrace.ThislookslikeAntarcticabutit'sactuallyMars,acolddrydesertthathasbeeninthegripofaniceageformillionsofyears.
03:40 AtitsPolestherearegreataccumulationsofwaterandcarbondioxideice.
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03:46 Extensivelayeringoftheicesuggestsregularpatternsofchangeoverextendedperiodsoftime.
03:55 In2008thePhoenixspacecraftsuccessfullylandedintheMartianArctic.Itdetectedfallingsnowaswinterapproached.ThespacecraftalsodetectedchemicalcompoundsfavorablefortheexistenceofmicrobiallifeonMars.
04:16 Thisisacomet,adustyballoficeuptoahundredandsixtykilometersacross.AsitapproachestheSuntheicevaporizes,fillingspacewithahugetrail.Scientistshavespeculatedthatcometsfurnishedtheearlyearthwithhalfitswaterandperhapsevenmorecomplexchemicals.
04:41 CometscomefrombeyondMars.HereinthecoldouterregionsoftheSolarSystemweencountersomeofthestrangesticeworlds.
04:55 Europaisaplanet-sizedmoonofJupiter.Itsicysurfaceshowssignsofrecentcrackingandrefreezingandmaybeevenfloating.
05:09 Beneaththisfrozencrusttheremaybeanoceanofliquidwater.
05:14 Futurespacecraftwilltrytoprobeitsdepths.
05:24 AnotherfrozenmoonisSaturn'sEnceladus.TheCassiniSpacecrafthasimagedfantasticfountainsofvaporshootingoutfromitssouthernpole.
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05:37 SmallerthanEuropa,itstillmightharborawateryinterior,andthefountainssuggestthatsomemechanismiskeepingitwarmenoughtovent.
05:52 VaporfromEnceladusmightbehelpingformpartofSaturn'sringsystem.Ithasbeenknownforsometimenowthatthemainringsareformedofcar-sizedchunksofwaterice.Theirageandoriginthoughremainamystery.
06:10 EvenmoremysteriousisTitan,amoonofSaturnasbigastheplanetMercury.We'redroppingthroughitsmethanecloudswiththeHuygensLander.ThisisaworldthatresemblestheearlyEarthbutinadeepfreeze.
06:28 Becauseoftheextremecold,iceactslikerockonTitan.ThereareIcemountains,volcanoes,andpossiblyevenmethanesnow.Lakesofnaturalgascovervastareasandthischemicalbrothmayharborsomeofthemostexcitingfindsforfutureexplorers.
06:48 Anothergiantmoon,TritonorbitsNeptune.Fountainingfromitsicysurfacearegiantninekilometerhighgeysers.Someunknownmechanismcausesthemtobeblownoverbyalmostninetydegrees.
07:07 NASA'sLCROSSmissionrecentlydiscoveredthatEarth'snearestneighborhasicehiddendeepinpermanentshadowsatitssouthpole.ANASAradarinstrumentonanIndianMoonprobehasalsofoundoversixhundredmillionmetrictonsofwatericeonthebottomsofcratersattheMoon'sNorthPole.
07:36 Inoursolarsystem,iceworldsgreatlyoutnumbertheactualplanets.Farfrombeingadeadcoldsubstance,iceisveryactive,andveryabundant.Someworldsevenhavevolcanoeseruptingthroughanicysurface.In2010,avolcanounderaglacierinIcelandspewedanashplumetoaheightofover10kilometers.ThejetstreamcarriedthisashovertheUnitedKingdomandnorthernEurope,groundingairtravel.Largereruptionscansendashhigherandhaveanevengreatereffectontheearth'sclimate.
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08:27 The1815eruptionoftheTamboravolcanoinIndonesiainjectedaerosolshighintotheupperatmosphere.Thisashreflectedsunlight,leadingtoadropinglobaltemperaturesandayearwithoutasummerinNorthernEurope,NortheasternCanada,andtheUnitedStates.TheeruptionofMt.PinatubointhePhilippinesin1991,madeasimilar,thoughmoremoderateimpactontheclimate.
09:05 SolarRadiationreachingaplanet'ssurfacehasadramaticeffectontemperatureandicemelt.TheSun'sbrightnesschangesslightlyfromyeartoyearinanelevenyearcycle.Thissunspotcycle,coupledwithlongertermvariationinsolaractivity,isoneoftheprocessesthatcanleadtomoderateglobaltemperaturechangesonEarthandontheotherplanets.
09:37 Earthisnottheonlyplanetwithice,butitistheonlyplanetwithliquidwater.MuchoftheSun'sheatisabsorbedbyearth'stropicaloceans,andcarriedaroundtheglobebyoceancurrentsmovingfromthehotequatortowardthepoleswithreturningcold,saltywateratgreaterdepths.EuropegetsasmuchasthirtypercentofitsheatfromsuchacurrentcalledtheGulfStream.Changesinthearcticcouldslowthisprocessorevenswitchitoff.
10:11 Earthisuniqueinhavingwateronitssurfaceinallthreestates;solidice,liquidwater,andwatervapor.Liquidoceansabsorbsolarenergywhileicecoveredpolarcapsreflectit.
10:28 Anicebergisareflector,floatingonanabsorbingocean.Watergetslessdenseasitfreezes,soicebergsandtheicecoveronpondsandoceansfloat.Seveneighthsofafloatingicebergliesbelowthewaterline.
10:45 Iceturningtowater,suchasanearlysnowmelt,meltingicecoverontheocean,oreventhenumberoficebergscalvedintoafjord,canamplifyasmalltemperatureriseintoalargerchangethatcanaffectthewholeplanet.
11:03 EveryyeartheseasonscausedramaticchangesasEarth'sicecapsalternativelygrowandshrinkwiththeicecoverincreasingononepolewhilefadingontheother.Marchisthetimeofmaximumicecoverinthenorthandminimumcoverageinthesouth.SeptemberbringstheleasticeattheNorthPoleandthemosticeintheSouth.ForbothpolesthemaximumextentoftheiceoccursastheSunreturnsafterthelongwinter.
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11:43 AttheNorthPoleinwinter,theSunneverrisesandtherearesixmonthsoftwilightanddarkness.Starsseemtocirclethehorizonastheearthspins.Sometimesgreatcurtainsoflightcalledtheauroraborealisshimmerinthelongwinter'snight.
12:05 Weseewhathappensinspringasincreasingsolarenergymeltsiceandsnow.
12:12 Tosearchforchangesbeyondthosecausedbynaturalcycles,scientistslookforicerecordsinplaceslikeAlaska'sArcticNationalWildlifeRefuge.Twohundredyearsago,thisglacierwasgrowing,butnowit'sshrinkingatinincreasingrate.TheglaciertotherightwasoncepartoftheMcCawglacierwhichismovingdownthevalleyontheleft.Bothglaciersareretreating,leavingbehindglacierdebriscalledmoraines.TheMcCawglacierdepositedtheredcoloredmorainesnearthecenterofthisscene.
12:47 Muchofthearcticispermafrostterrainwherethegroundstaysfrozenthroughthesummer.ThispermafrosttunnelinAlaskaletsscientistviewtheundersideoficewedgesthatextendoverourheads.Mammothbonesandancienttundraarevisiblethroughoutthetunnelwalls.Clearstriationsintheicewereformedoverthousandsofyears.Scientistsexplorethepermafrosttunnel,lookingforcluesaboutpastclimatesandfuturelandscapechanges.Thechangeinthisregionofthetundraismorethantwentythousandyearsold.
13:33 Scientistsextractcoresbydrillingintotheiceforothercluesaboutthechangingclimate.BylateApril,theSunsetsaround3:00amontheMcCawglacier,bringingcoolertemperaturesthatmakedrillingintoiceandextractingicecoresmucheasier.Icecoresareremovedinonemetersectionsfromthedrill'scorebarrel.Researchersextracticecoresaslongasone-hundredfiftymeters,showingovertwocenturiesofclimatechangeontheglacier.
14:14 Drillingdownthoughthisicelikethisisliketravelingbackintime.InplaceslikeAntarctica,icehasbeenlaiddownfromthesnowsofsuccessivewinterformanythousandsofyears.
14:27 Icecoresarecollected,studied,andstored.Inthisroomicecoresarepreserved.Eachlayeroficeislikeatimecapsule.Itcontainsgasesandmaterialsthatrevealthetemperatureandatmosphericcompositionwhenitwaslaiddown.Deepicecoresprovidearecordthatcanstretchhundredsofthousandsofyearsintothepast.
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15:01 Carryingrecordslikeagiganticbarcode,anicecorefromAntarcticarevealsconditionsgoingback400,000years.Herewecanreadtheamountofcarbondioxideandtemperatureacrosstheagesandcomparethesedatawithcompanionsealevelinformationfromsedimentcores.Theamountofcarbondioxidehasshotupsincetheindustrialrevolutionandcontinuestoclimb.ScientistsarerecordingdramaticevidenceofanaccelerationoficemeltinGreenlandandtheArcticOcean,notcausedbythecycleoftheiceages.
15:43 PeriodicchangesintheEarth'sorbitandtinywobblesoveraone-hundredthousandyearcyclehavebeenaccompaniedbyextremeperiodsofcoldtemperaturesonEarth:theIceAges.
15:57 Attheheightofthelastgreaticeageabout20,000yearsagoicecoveredmuchofNorthAmericaandNorthernEurope.
16:07 NearwhereNewYorkistodaytheicewasoverakilometerthick.
16:16 Duringanearliericeage,avasticesheetcoveredtwothirdsoftheBritishIsles.
16:27 ThesiteofpresentdayLondoniswheretheadvancingglacierstoppedatthepinnacleofthesecondtolasticeage.
16:36 Evenduringthemostrecenticeage,therewassomuchwaterlockedupintheicethatsealevelswerelowerthantoday.
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16:44 EnglandwasjoinedtoEurope.
16:46 Astheicemelted,sealevelsrose,andtheBritishIsleswereborn,justtenthousandyearsago.
16:54 Forcenturies,sailorstriedtopenetratetheicepackinthearcticleftbythelasticeagetodiscoverapassageconnectingtheAtlanticandPacificoceans.
17:05 NowwiththemeltingofArcticseaice,thisNorthwestpassagehasbrieflyopenedthroughCanadianislands,pastthecoastofNorthernAlaska,andintotheNorthernPacificOcean.ThisNorthwestPassagereducestheoceandistancebetweenEuropeandAsiabythousandsofkilometers.MeltingseaicemaysoonopenupmuchoftheArcticOceantotravel,shipping,andeventooff-shoredrillingforoilandnaturalgas.
17:39 FiveborderingcountriescanclaimpartsoftheArcticseafloor:Russia,Norway,Denmark(throughGreenland),Canada,andtheUnitedStates.Historicallyacountry'sboundaryhasbeen200nauticalmilesfromitscoastline,leavingthecentralArcticOceanunclaimed.However,accordingtotheLawoftheSeatreaty,countriescanextendtheirclaiminareasthatareanextensionofthatcountry'scontinentalshelf.Expertsestimatesthat22%oftheworld'sundiscoveredresources,includingoilandnaturalgas,lieoff-shoreintheextensivecontinentalshelvesoftheArctic,bringingadditionalenvironmentalriskwithoffshoredrilling.
18:24 AnundersearidgeextendsfromthecontinentalshelfthatbordersCanadaandGreenlandoverthePoletoRussia'scontinentalshelf.AllthreenationsnowclaimthisridgeandseektoextendtheirterritorytotheNorthPole.InAugust2007,twomini-submarinesplantedaRussianflagontheridgeneartheNorthPole.Ifrecognized,thisclaimwouldgiveRussiacontrolofalmosthalfoftheArcticOcean.TheColdRushhasbegun.
19:04 Townsandsettlementsinthearcticareadaptingtochangesinicecoverandtotheresultingchangestotheirwayoflife.Thisglacier,nearthetownofIlulissat,WestGreenland,isoneofnature'sgreatbulldozers.
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19:18 Inhumanhistorynothinghasdonemorethanicetoshapeourworldanddrivetheclimateofthewholeplanet.
19:29 Here,beneathamassiveglacier,weseenatureatitsmostpowerful.
19:37 Lifeneartheglacierhaschangeddramatically.Withverylittleiceonthebayoverthelastdecade,travelisverydifferentnow.Boatshavereplaceddogsleds.Thisisasmallsignofpossiblegreaterchanges,whichcouldaffectvastregionsoftheplanet.
20:01 Researchersarealsomonitoringlargepolarcreaturesthathaveadaptedtothecoldandextremeweatherchangesofthearctic.Foundonlyinthenorth,polarbearsusetheseaicecoveroftheArcticOceanasaplatformforhuntingseals.
20:19 Asseaicemeltsearliereachyear,polarbearsmustfleetoshoreweeksbeforetheyhavecaughtenoughfoodtosurvivetheperiodofscarcefoodinthelatesummerandearlyfall.Disappearingseaicewillleadtothinnerbears,lowerbirthrates,andlowersurvivalratesforyoungbears.
20:41 Whilepolarbearsareretreatingformeltingseaiceduringarcticsummer,winteriscomingtotheAntarctic.IcecoverinandaroundAntarcticapracticallydoublesinsizeasicytendrilsencroachfurtherintothesurroundingoceanduringwinter.
21:00 TheAntarcticicecapcontainstwo-thirdsofallthefreshwateronourworld.OnlynowarewebeginningtounderstandtheimportanceofthistoourplanetandtolifeintheAntarctic.
21:15 PolarscientistsaresearchingfortinylifeformsinAntarcticLakes.Heredivershavefoundlifeadaptedtothebittercold.Coloniesliveinmatsonthelakebottom,belowatleastfourmetersofice.Eventuallythesematsfloatoffthelakebottomandrisetotheiceabove.SomescientiststhinkthatEarthlifebeganintinypoolsofwatertrappedwithintheice.
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21:42 Althoughfewplantsoranimalscansurviveonthecontinentitself,orinitsicylakes,theoceanaroundAntarcticaisoneofthemostprolificspotsforlifeonEarth.PenguinsmaybethemostwellknownAntarcticanimalsbutthemostimportantandmostabundantarekrill.
22:02 TinyplantscalledalgaecovertheseaiceasspringreturnstoAntarctica.Whensummer'sheatmeltstheice,algaereleasedintothewaterfeedthetinykrill.Krillaretinycrustaceans,justafewcentimetersacross.Thebecomefoodforagreatvarietyofseals,whales,birds,andpenguins.Wherevertheyaremeasured,krillnumbershavedroppedalarminglyinrecentyears.
22:28 Antarcticaandthearcticpresentamazingandspectacularice-scapes.Themorewelearn,themorewerealizetheimportantrolethesefantasticplacesplayinmakingourworldhabitable.Thepolesofourplanetarechangingandsomeofthesechangesarerapid.Onlybyobserving,learningandtakingappropriateactioncanweensurethatEarthremainsahealthyhabitablespaceshipforusandallitsvoyagers.
CREDITS CLOSINGCREDITS
Copyright 23:02 2010,TheHoustonMuseumofNaturalScience
Narration JimBrattonCeciliaOttenweller
Photography MattNolan
Music ShaiFishman
PresentedBy Evans&SutherlandCreativeMediainassociationwiththeUniversityofNewHampshire,TheHoustonMuseumofNaturalScience,andtheNationalScienceFoundationPresentsICEWORLDS
ExecutiveProducers TerenceMurtaghKirkJohnson
Producer/Director MichaelDaut
AssociateProducer Dr.CarolynSumners
Writers TerenceMurtaghMichaelDaut
Art/AnimationDirectors KenCarlsonMartySisam
AdditionalAnimations DonDavis
Narrator EmilyWatson
NarrationRecordist DomBocher
Music AlexanderVanBubenheim
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SoundDesignandMix BobEdwards
PostProductionSoundServicesProvidedBy
SkywalkerSoundALucasfilmLtdCompanyMarinCounty,California
Post-ProductionRendering BryceBuchannan
Post-Production MichaelDaut
EngineeringSupport NealMayerJoyceRinggenbergMarkBloomenthalLynnBuchananBenBuckwalterNickHollandKarenKlamczynskiRieMatsubaraBrianMooreMelindaOrmsFredOrrellTammyPfitzerStanfordPitcherKevinScottJoshWhetstoneBoydWhitingAmyWrightKathyWright
ProjectAdministration BarbaraMcBrideChristyMoore
ProjectAccounting GregGoates
SalesSupport JeriPanerScottNiskachStevePushka
ProductionManagement NarrateoLimited
UniversityofNewHampshireScienceAdvisors
AnnetteSchlossMarkFahnestockRichardB.LammersJonathanPundsack
HoustonMuseumofNaturalScienceCrewAnimation
AdamBarnesTonyButterfield
HMNSCurriculum/Software ClaireParkerBessieDawsonNancyLlamoColinLaw
PlanetaryVisionsCrewAnimator
AndrewWayne
PlanetaryVisionsCrewDataSpecialist
TimWilkinson
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PlanetaryVisionsCrewProducer
PhilipEales
HighDefinition&VideoPhotography
TerenceMurtagh
StillPhotography NicholasHoldsworthTerenceMurtachSueWerner
ArticandAntarcticTravel AuroraExpeditions,Sydney
FacilitiesProvidedBy UniversityCollege,London
ProducedWithSupportFrom TheNationalScienceFoundatonincelebrationoftheInternationalPolarYear
LocationPhotography TheHighArcticNorthernGreenlandTheAntarcticPeninsulaTheRossSeaRegioninAntarcticaandMacquarrieIsland
SpecialThanksTo NationalAeronauticsandSpaceAdministrationEuropeanSpaceAgencyAdVoiceUK
ProducedInAssociationWith NarrateoLimited
Copyright2008 Evans&Sutherland
SupportedBy NationalScienceFoundationunderGrantNo.0712815
24:32