Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica is one of the largest glaciers in the world. It melts extremely quickly, faster than previously expected.
Antarctica/Tampa – If the ice giant continues to thaw, coastal regions could be flooded. Because, Thwaites Glacier is enormous. The glacier is located in western Antarctica and, at 192,000 square kilometers, is about the size of Florida. It has long been known that it is melting rapidly. That’s why teams of scientists are keeping a close eye on Thwaites Glacier, also known as the “doomsday glacier.”
Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica: The “doomsday glacier” is melting extremely quickly
The Antarctic glacier stores unimaginable amounts of water in its ice. If Thwaites Glacier were to melt completely, sea levels would rise by up to three meters. The consequences catastrophic. Coastal cities around the world could be flooded. According to the United Nations, about 40 percent of people live about 100 kilometers from the sea. And now there is apparently another bad news.
Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica: Ice giant is in the midst of collapse
The massive ice colossus is already in the middle of a collapse, reports an international research team. New data from the sea floor indicate that the “doomsday glacier” is already in the rapid phase of retreat. And therefore melts faster than previously assumed. For the study, published in the journal NatureGeoscience, the scientists claim to have mapped a critical area of the sea floor in front of the glacier for the first time. An underwater vehicle with sonars collected data in the Arctic Ocean at a water depth of 6,000 meters.
“Just a little kick at Thwaites could result in a big reaction.”
By looking into the past, the researchers wanted to use geological features to learn for the future, according to a statement. These results are cause for concern:
- Sometime in the past 200 years, the glacier’s face lost contact with a seafloor ridge for less than six months, retreating at a rate of more than 2.1 kilometers per year.
- Twice as fast as satellite images show between 2011 and 2019.
“Our results suggest that very rapid retreating pulses have occurred at Thwaites Glacier for the past two centuries and possibly into the mid-20th century,” said University of South Florida marine geophysicist and study leader Alastair Graham in a statement.
“Just a little kick at Thwaites could result in a big reaction.” Scientists used to think the Antarctic ice sheets were sluggish and unresponsive, but that’s just not true, Graham said, according to the release.
Experts warn: ‘Thwaites is really just holding on with his fingernails these days’
“Thwaites is really just holding on with his fingernails today. We should expect big changes on small timescales in the future – even from one year to the next – as the glacier retreats over a flat ridge in its bed,” warns co-author Robert Larter of the British Antarctic Survey.
Thwaites Glacier is an indicator of climate change. Researchers have already warned of a “doomsday” scenario if sea levels rise by 65 centimeters in 2021. In Europe, too, the glaciers will soon disappear. Austria’s glaciers can no longer be saved. (ml)
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