Scientists have made a significant discovery about Antarctica's Thwaites Glacier, often called the " Doomsday Glacier." Researchers found that the glacier is melting rapidly and may be on an irreversible path to collapse, which could lead to a rise in global sea levels.
According to a series of studies, this glacier's ice loss is expected to accelerate in the 21st century. Rob Larter, a marine geophysicist with the British Antarctic Survey, said, "Thwaites' retreat has significantly sped up over the last 30 years. Our findings suggest it is poised to retreat even more rapidly."
The researchers predict that Thwaites Glacier and the Antarctic Ice Sheet could collapse within the next 200 years. Thwaites alone holds enough ice to raise sea levels by over 2 feet. Its collapse could eventually trigger a sea level rise of around 10 feet, threatening coastal cities worldwide.
The International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration (ITGC) conducted a variety of experiments over six years to understand the glacier better. One crucial experiment utilized a robot called Icefin, which sent back images from the glacier’s grounding line, a critical area where ice starts to float. Kiya Riverman, a glaciologist from the University of Portland, said, "For glaciologists, this was like the moon landing."
The Icefin images displayed unexpected melting patterns, with warm ocean water flowing through deep cracks and forming "staircase" structures in the ice. Satellite and GPS data revealed that tides push seawater under the glacier more than six miles, accelerating its melting.
To understand the glacier's past, researchers examined marine sediment cores. Julia Wellner from the University of Houston led this analysis and found that the glacier began retreating rapidly in the 1940s. "These findings give us a broader understanding of ice behavior, providing more detail than what we can see from modern observations," Wellner stated.
While scientists feared the collapse of Thwaites' ice shelves might expose large ice cliffs that would quickly crumble, computer models suggest this is less likely than previously thought.
Despite this, the prognosis remains worrisome. The researchers believe that Thwaites and the Antarctic Ice Sheet could be entirely lost by the 23rd century. Even with immediate action to reduce fossil fuel use, the glacier's collapse might already be unavoidable.
As the ITGC project concludes, researchers stress the need for further study to understand this glacier better. Eric Rignot, a glaciologist at the University of California, Irvine, said, "Although we've made progress, there's still considerable uncertainty about what lies ahead. I'm deeply concerned that this region of Antarctica is already in the process of collapse."
According to a series of studies, this glacier's ice loss is expected to accelerate in the 21st century. Rob Larter, a marine geophysicist with the British Antarctic Survey, said, "Thwaites' retreat has significantly sped up over the last 30 years. Our findings suggest it is poised to retreat even more rapidly."
The researchers predict that Thwaites Glacier and the Antarctic Ice Sheet could collapse within the next 200 years. Thwaites alone holds enough ice to raise sea levels by over 2 feet. Its collapse could eventually trigger a sea level rise of around 10 feet, threatening coastal cities worldwide.
The International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration (ITGC) conducted a variety of experiments over six years to understand the glacier better. One crucial experiment utilized a robot called Icefin, which sent back images from the glacier’s grounding line, a critical area where ice starts to float. Kiya Riverman, a glaciologist from the University of Portland, said, "For glaciologists, this was like the moon landing."
The Icefin images displayed unexpected melting patterns, with warm ocean water flowing through deep cracks and forming "staircase" structures in the ice. Satellite and GPS data revealed that tides push seawater under the glacier more than six miles, accelerating its melting.
To understand the glacier's past, researchers examined marine sediment cores. Julia Wellner from the University of Houston led this analysis and found that the glacier began retreating rapidly in the 1940s. "These findings give us a broader understanding of ice behavior, providing more detail than what we can see from modern observations," Wellner stated.
While scientists feared the collapse of Thwaites' ice shelves might expose large ice cliffs that would quickly crumble, computer models suggest this is less likely than previously thought.
Despite this, the prognosis remains worrisome. The researchers believe that Thwaites and the Antarctic Ice Sheet could be entirely lost by the 23rd century. Even with immediate action to reduce fossil fuel use, the glacier's collapse might already be unavoidable.
As the ITGC project concludes, researchers stress the need for further study to understand this glacier better. Eric Rignot, a glaciologist at the University of California, Irvine, said, "Although we've made progress, there's still considerable uncertainty about what lies ahead. I'm deeply concerned that this region of Antarctica is already in the process of collapse."
You may also like
Useful thing: If you also make online payments, then know here what is the difference between IMPS and UPI
Is Beirut Next? Escalating Tensions Spark Panic in Lebanon's Capital
Jr NTR to team up with this Tamil director for his next; Devara to hit screens on Friday
Racism, Misogyny, and Harassment: Inside the Toxic Culture at Shangri-La Hotel
