Friday, 30 April 2021

Melting Point For Thwaites?

We might have less time than we thought! The Thwaites glacier has an area larger than the UK. It sits on the equally enormous West Antarctic ice sheet. This 'doomsday' glacier is the biggest unknown factor in future global sea level rise. The International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration (ITGC), formed to study it, have recently published some disturbing data (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/apr/30/antarctic-doomsday-glacier-may-be-melting-faster-than-was-thought). Anna Wahlin (University of Gothenburg), who led the ITGC study, notes an apparent increase in the amount of relatively warm water reaching Thwaites glacier. This suggests that melting is accelerating. Wahlen opines that, what happens in the next 2 to 5 years, will 'seal the fate of the West Antarctic ice sheet'. If the ice sheet collapses, the impact on global sea level rise will be catastrophic.
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1 comment:

Paul Brain said...

If Thwaites melts, it is estimated there will be a 3 foot increase in sea level across the globe.

3 May 2021 at 12:55

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