Researchers on an international ocean drilling expedition are studying the West Antarctic Ice Sheet's history to understand its role in future sea level rise. The study will help determine how changes in seawater and air temperature have affected ice gain or loss over millions of years.
The study found that the largest sustained ice loss in Greenland came from summertime melting of the southwest region, which has few glaciers. The researchers linked this to a climate cycle called the North Atlantic Oscillation. As global warming continues, the southwest region will become a major contributor to sea level rise.
The Antarctic Ice Sheet's growth and decay are linked to changes in obliquity and atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. Loss of sea ice could amplify the effects of Earth's astronomical motions on the ice sheet's stability.
Researchers found that subglacial biological activity impacts atmosphere far more than previously thought. Methane was continuously exported from beneath the ice, with at least six tons transported to a measuring site from the Greenland Ice Sheet alone.
A new model of ice friction offers crucial insight into glacier flows, revealing how cavities form during sliding and influencing ice movement. This discovery has significant implications for understanding sea level rise and climate change.
Researchers use information theory to identify complex anomalies in high-resolution ice core data, allowing for more accurate analysis of climate records. The technique enables the detection of small anomalies that could indicate significant climate events or errors in data processing.
Research shows Greenland's surface melting has increased dramatically since the mid-19th century, with a 50% increase in total ice sheet meltwater runoff versus the start of the industrial era. This study provides evidence that climate change is driving unprecedented rates of ice sheet melting, which could accelerate sea level rise.
Researchers warn that Antarctica's ice sheet, which holds 190 feet of potential sea level rise, is under stress due to increasing meltwater on its surface. This could lead to the collapse of ice shelves and increased flow of ice into the ocean, contributing to global sea level rise.
The Beaufort Gyre's speed is controlled by the Arctic ice cover, which acts as a natural governor to slow down the gyre. As the Arctic ice melts, the gyre speeds up, gathering more fresh water from the Arctic's river runoff and melting ice.
Scientists have discovered that winds blowing across Antarctica's Ross Ice Shelf cause it to vibrate, producing a near-constant set of seismic tones. The vibrations can be used to monitor changes in the ice shelf from afar and may provide insights into climate change.
A small ice-free oasis between sea ice-covered oceans and land ice sheets supported marine life for at least 5,000 years. This discovery sheds light on the vulnerability of Arctic ecosystems to rapid climate change.
Researchers found a small ice-free 'polynya' in the Arctic that sustained microscopic marine life for at least 5,000 years. This discovery provides insight into how marine ecosystems adapted to extreme climate conditions during the last Ice Age, highlighting their vulnerability and resilience.
Researchers found a centuries-long delay in West Antarctic Ice Sheet contraction after the Ross Ice Shelf collapse, adding complexity to sea level rise computer simulations. This discovery was made by analyzing sediment cores and fossilized life forms from the seafloor.
The MOSAiC project aims to improve climate prediction models by studying the marginal ice zone and seasonal ice floes. Researchers will investigate how winter ice deforms and melts in the summer, with Dr. Phil Hwang tracking ice movement using specially-designed buoys.
A new study by CU Boulder-led researchers reveals that the Vavilov Ice Cap has dramatically accelerated, losing massive amounts of ice mass and challenging scientists' assumptions. The rapid collapse raises concerns for glaciers in other polar regions.
A study suggests that parts of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet would melt if Antarctica warms by 2°C for millennia, contributing to rising global sea levels. The research found evidence from warm periods in Earth's history indicating the ice sheet had retreated during similar warming conditions.
A new study reveals that East Antarctic Ice Sheet may melt under 2°C of sustained warming, posing a threat to global sea levels and human civilization. The research found that ice loss from the EAIS likely contributed to higher sea levels in the past.
A study by University of Washington researchers has discovered a new clue to the behavior of a region in West Antarctica, where a volcano under the ice sheet is leaving an almost 6,000-year record of glacier motion. The data suggests that the current thickening trend may be short-term and not indicative of long-term changes.
Scientists have discovered an ice-binding protein that attaches to both basal and prism faces of ice crystals, affecting their growth and defying conventional classification. This finding could lead to a broader application of antifreeze proteins in food and medical industries.
A new study published in The Cryosphere estimates that the collapse of Larsen C and George VI Ice Shelves could contribute 4mm and 22mm to global sea levels, respectively. This research highlights the vulnerability of these ice shelves to rapid warming in the Antarctic Peninsula.
Researchers used reliable methods to recover Arctic Barents-Kara Sea ice extent time series and found significant decline in sea ice starting from the end of 18th century, with a short period of expansion during 1940s-1970s. The industrial revolution may be a dominant factor in this result.
Researchers at the University of Utah and University of California, San Diego discovered how antifreeze proteins function, providing a direction for future research. The study found that AFPs prevent water from freezing by surrounding and binding to small ice crystals, preventing their spread.
Researchers have discovered volcanic activity beneath the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, which could impact ice-sheet melting and sea level rise. The finding suggests that terrestrial ice on the continent may be more resilient to current carbon-dioxide levels than previously thought.
A new study reveals that the bedrock beneath West Antarctica's Ice Sheet is rising rapidly in response to ice melt, potentially stabilizing the ice sheet. This finding has significant implications for understanding and predicting sea level rise.
A new study has revealed that the bedrock below West Antarctica's ice sheet is rising at an unprecedented rate, suggesting a much more fluid Earth mantle than previously believed. This discovery could impact our understanding of climate changes in Antarctica and have significant implications for global sea levels.
Researchers at University of Kansas developed a new formula to predict ice flow in Greenland and Antarctica glaciers that reduces uncertainty in future sea-level rise predictions. The study found subglacial water pressure controls the speed of ice flow, rather than basal friction.
Research suggests that the land-based portion of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet has remained stable for the past 8 million years, with minimal retreat in response to current carbon dioxide levels. However, the team warns that increasing atmospheric emissions could destabilize the ice sheet and contribute to sea level rise.
Researchers mapped the Pine Island Glacier's seafloor and found submarine mountains holding back the ice. The glacier's tongue lost contact with the ground, leading to its abrupt retreat.
A team of scientists has discovered that warm ocean water and surface meltwater are destabilizing Antarctic ice shelves, increasing the chances of catastrophic ice loss events. This finding is concerning as ice shelves slow down ice flow into the ocean and control sea level rise.
Decades of satellite monitoring reveal Antarctic ice loss, with glaciers and ice shelves thinning due to warm ocean water, leading to increased sea level rise. The continent's ice cover has been impacted by climate variability, atmospheric, and ocean circulation changes.
A recent study found that much of East Antarctica's land-based ice sheet has remained stable over the past 8 million years, despite rising atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. This suggests that some ice on the continent could be resilient to a warming climate, but does not mean it will completely prevent sea-level rise.
Reduced sea ice coverage has triggered the catastrophic disintegration of Antarctic ice shelves, causing them to flex and break under storm-driven ocean swells. This leads to the formation of long thin 'sliver' icebergs that eventually calve from the shelf front, contributing to sea level rise.
A recent climate assessment reveals that Antarctica's ice sheet has been losing mass at an unprecedented rate, contributing to a threefold increase in global sea level rise. The continent's ice losses have risen from 53 billion tonnes per year in the 1990s to 159 billion tonnes per year since 2012.
A new study from the University of Waterloo found that warmer ocean water is destabilizing ice shelves, leading to their breakup and acceleration of sea level rise. This process, driven by dual mechanisms from below and above, poses a significant threat to coastal regions worldwide.
Scientists discovered that the West Antarctic Ice Sheet regrew in recent history due to a previously unknown mechanism involving its own shrinking and crustal uplift. The findings contradict previous assumptions and suggest that global sea levels may decrease due to ice sheet readvances.
Scientists discovered that the West Antarctic Ice Sheet rebounded by up to 400 kilometers 10,000 years ago due to isostatic rebound. However, this process is too slow to prevent ice sheet melting and sea-level rise caused by current climate change.
Scientists tracking Antarctica's ice mass loss conclude that the continent is losing an unprecedented amount of ice, resulting in a significant contribution to global sea level rise. The study reveals a threefold increase in ice loss since 2012, with West Antarctica experiencing the largest change.
Satellite monitoring reveals Antarctica's glaciers, ice shelves, and sea ice are changing due to climate warming, threatening sea levels with a potential increase of over 50 meters. The continent's ice sheet holds enough water to raise global seas by more than 50 metres.
Scientists found that the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) was smaller than it is today at some point between 14,500 and 9,000 years ago, but did not collapse. The loss of ice triggered uplift in the sea floor, leading to regrowth of the ice sheet.
New research published in Nature shows that land-based sectors of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet were mostly stable throughout the Pliocene, a period with carbon dioxide concentrations similar to today's. The terrestrial segment is more resilient at current carbon dioxide levels, but marine-based ice may still contribute to sea level rise.
A team of researchers has pinpointed a location where an entire million years of undisturbed ice might be preserved intact. The discovery aims to better understand natural climate changes and the history of the Ross Ice Shelf.
A new study finds that lead pollution in Greenland ice closely tracks known plagues, wars, social unrest and imperial expansions during European antiquity. The team's detailed analysis reveals that lead emissions rose and fell along with historical events, including the rise of the Roman Empire.
The study found that the ice stream has lost about 12% of its mass over the past 45,000 years, with losses occurring during both warm and cold periods. This suggests that NEGIS is particularly sensitive to environmental changes, which may exacerbate the impact of anthropogenic climate change.
A team of researchers has discovered that the friction on ice is driven by the high mobility of water molecules at the surface, not by a thin layer of liquid water. The study found that as temperature increases, the mobility of these molecules also rises, resulting in lower friction.
Researchers connected microscopic theories to the world's largest granular material, a glacial ice mélange, to understand its dynamics and impact on glaciers. The study provides quantitative tools for glaciologists modeling ice shelves with ice mélanges.
The Thwaites glacier, part of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, is under study due to its potential impact on sea levels. Researchers will use radar and seismic sensing to investigate the glacier's response over decades and centuries.
A new study from University of Wisconsin-Madison scientists describes a method using cloud characteristics to quantify snowfall on the Greenland Ice Sheet. The research found two distinct cloud types producing snow at Summit Station, with mixed-phase clouds accounting for 51% of snow accumulation.
Two newly discovered subglacial lakes beneath the Devon Ice Cap in the Canadian Arctic are thought to be the first isolated hypersaline lakes in the world. The lakes, containing water four to five times saltier than seawater, exist at temperatures below freezing and have the potential to support microbial life.
Glacier research suggests north-facing ice cliffs contribute significantly to melting of debris-covered glaciers in the Himalayas. Satellites show rapid mass loss, contrary to initial assumptions that debris protects the ice from direct solar radiation.
Researchers at UChicago developed a new mathematical method to accurately predict the shape and melting effects of ponds on Arctic sea ice. This technique, known as the 'void' model, could help improve climate forecasts and understanding by addressing discrepancies in previous models.
A new study reveals that algae and impurities on the Greenland ice sheet's surface are causing it to darken, leading to accelerated melting. The Dark Zone, a 400km-wide region, is found to be covered in dust and black carbon that provide nutrition for dark-colored algae.
New research reveals Arctic sea ice is entering the North Atlantic, posing a hazard to ships. Warming temperatures due to climate change are melting more ice, increasing mobility and opening channels that were normally frozen shut.
A growing network of fast-draining lakes on the Greenland ice sheet triggers a chain reaction that speeds up ice flow, posing a new risk for the ice sheet's long-term stability. The research, led by the University of Cambridge, reveals that these 'drainage events' can temporarily accelerate ice flow by as much as 400%.
A study from Uppsala University reveals a link between ice volume, sea level changes and desertification in Eurasia. The research found that as ice volume decreased and sea levels rose, summer monsoon rainfalls intensified, while sandy deserts retreated.
Researchers developed a new model to characterize ice accumulation on aircraft wings, including mixed ice forms and their effects on adhesion characteristics. The study aims to improve understanding of thermally active nanocoatings to combat ice formation.
A new study reveals that the collapse of the Laurentide Ice Sheet in North America approximately 16,000 years ago led to significant climate variations in West Antarctica and the tropical Pacific. The research suggests a previously undocumented inter-polar climate change mechanism.
IceCube, a bread loaf-sized satellite, has produced the world's first map of global atmospheric ice distribution in the 883-Gigahertz band. This achievement demonstrates submillimeter wavelength observations from space and provides critical data on cloud ice properties.
Scientists have identified eight locations on Mars with significant water ice deposits, providing insights into the planet's climate history and habitability. The ice is found to be cohesive and strong, with distinct layers that could help understand changes in Mars' climate over time.
A new study published in Nature Geoscience found that strong El Nino events cause rapid melting of Antarctic ice shelves due to increased basal melt and reduced snowfall. In contrast, La Nina events lead to an increase in surface mass gain and reduce ice loss.
Researchers directly observed microbial activity in Antarctic and Arctic snow, revealing metabolically active bacteria that remain active in compressed ice. This discovery could lower estimated CO2 levels before human impact, expanding the search for habitable planets.