Articles tagged with Antarctic Ice
Researchers found minimal change in surface melt rates over the past four decades, despite rising global air temperatures. However, Antarctic ice shelf surface melt rates are expected to increase substantially in the coming decades due to climate change.
Researchers investigate the impact of oceanic warming on Antarctic ice shelves, highlighting the role of circumpolar deep water in causing melting and calving. The study emphasizes the need for improved understanding and modeling to predict future sea levels and their effects on coastal communities.
Recent research by Norwegian University of Science and Technology revealed that East Antarctica's ice sheet melted rapidly along its margins between 9,000 to 5,000 years ago. The study suggests that the less stable, rapidly flowing parts of the ice sheet were broken up more easily, leading to the ice sheet becoming much thinner within ...
Researchers found record-low Antarctic sea ice in austral summer 2022 due to stronger positive sea surface temperature anomalies and unprecedented ozone reduction. The anomalies triggered the deepening of an Amundsen Sea Low, leading to sea ice retreat via horizontal wind anomalies.
A research team led by Britney Schmidt deployed an underwater robot, Icefin, to explore the Kamb Ice Stream in Antarctica. The robot's findings reveal unprecedented views of ice, ocean, and sea floor interactions, which can improve models of sea-level rise.
New research reveals that West Antarctica's ice sheet collapse is not inevitable, with regional variations in climate and ocean circulation affecting the pace of ice loss. Changes in ocean temperature, driven by shifts in offshore wind patterns, have slowed down ice melt in vulnerable regions.
Scientists have developed AI techniques to track crevasses on the Thwaites Glacier, which could impact global sea levels by up to 60cm. The study found a complex interplay between crevasse formation and ice flow speed changes.
Researchers have found that a weak ocean gyre near the Thwaites Ice Shelf allows more warm water to access its base, causing it to melt. This process is driven by waters from nearby melting ice shelves and can impact the stability of adjacent ice shelves, contributing to global sea-level rise.
A new study finds that global warming overshoots could trigger climate tipping events, even if temperatures are limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius. The risk of triggering one or more tipping points would still be over 50 percent in such scenarios.
Researchers found that using coupled atmosphere-ocean-sea ice circulation models with observation-based datasets, they can predict Antarctic sea ice variability over decadal time scales. The initialization of subsurface ocean temperature and salinity fields significantly improves prediction skills, especially in the west Antarctic region.
A 460km-long river under the Antarctic ice sheet affects the flow and melting of ice, potentially accelerating ice loss. The discovery reveals more active water flow than previously thought, which could make it more susceptible to changes in climate.
Researchers found a remarkable record of how the East Antarctic Ice Sheet responded to changes in climate over 100,000 years, with cycles of melting and freezing driven by Southern Ocean temperatures. The study provides new insights into the sensitivity of the ice sheet to small, short-term climate fluctuations.
Researchers have created the first charts of Antarctic ocean temperatures over the past 45 million years using molecular fossils and machine learning. The study suggests that the planet is nearing a 'tipping point' where ocean warming caused by CO2 will lead to catastrophic sea level rises.
A new model suggests Antarctica's ice shelves are melting at an accelerated rate due to the Antarctic Coastal Current. Freshwater from melting ice can trap warm ocean water beneath the shelves, causing them to melt further. This mechanism could increase sea level rise predictions by up to 40%.
A new study by Durham University suggests that the East Antarctic Ice Sheet can be protected from devastating effects of global warming if temperature increases are kept below 2°C. The researchers found that staying within this limit could prevent significant ice loss and contribute less than half a metre to sea level rise by 2500.
A recent study combined elevation data of the Antarctic ice sheet from two different satellites, CryoSat-2 and Sentinel-3, to obtain a more accurate map of latest elevation changes. The results showed that the average elevation of the ice sheets had decreased at a rate of 4.3 cm/year during 2016-2019.
A University of Maine study found that two major glaciers in West Antarctica are losing ice at unprecedented rates, potentially contributing up to 3.4 meters to global sea level rise. The researchers used radiocarbon dating and relative sea-level data to determine the glaciers' stability over the past 5,000 years.
Researchers have discovered a 30-mile-long, 9-mile-wide subglacial lake in East Antarctica that may hold the key to understanding the continent's glaciation history. The sediments at the bottom of Lake Snow Eagle could provide valuable insights into climate change and the ice sheet's possible demise.
Researchers have made the first detection of groundwater beneath an Antarctic ice stream, providing new insights into the region's hydrology. The study confirms what scientists had previously suspected but couldn't verify until now, improving our understanding of how the Antarctic ice sheet might affect sea levels.
Jeanine Ash is part of a US effort to recover sediment cores from the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, which will help answer questions about sea level rise and global warming. The team aims to drill through up to 1,000 feet of ice in two places on the Ross Ice Shelf.
A new study provides evidence that long-term warming of the Amundsen Sea, a key contributor to global sea level rise, is linked to rising greenhouse gases. The research suggests that ocean temperatures in the region have been rising since before records began and are expected to continue if greenhouse gas emissions increase.
A new study reveals highly variable year-to-year changes in surface meltwater lakes around the East Antarctic Ice Sheet. Warmer seasons lead to deeper and larger lakes, potentially vulnerable ice shelves are at risk of break-up due to climate change.
A new study by University of Washington researchers explains why Antarctic sea ice retreats quickly during the summer months, finding that it follows simple rules of physics. The seasonal cycle is consistent, showing a fast retreat relative to slow growth.
A new study by MIT researchers reveals that glacier ice flow is more sensitive to stress than previously calculated, with revised estimates potentially refining predictions of sea level rise. The improved model could help glaciologists better understand the impact of Antarctic ice flow on future sea levels.
Scientists have found that the West Antarctic Ice Sheet formed 35 million years ago, with warm deep water delaying its expansion to the sea. This discovery helps improve forecasts of its future stability and ice retreat.
Scientists resolve decades-long debate on Antarctic Ice Sheet sensitivity, finding it vulnerable to small CO2 fluctuations. Research shows that large portions of the ice sheet could have disappeared under current CO2 levels.
Scientists predict that continued global warming could lead to a five-meter sea level rise by 3000 CE, making large areas uninhabitable without extensive modification. The Antarctic ice sheet's collapse, driven by West Antarctica's grounding on a bed below sea level, is the primary reason for this decay.
A new study led by Imperial College London scientists has found that the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) was larger than previously thought during colder periods in the Miocene, contributing significantly to sea-level rise events millions of years ago. This insight will help researchers predict the future of the WAIS as the world warms.
A new study suggests that the tectonic opening of Southern Ocean seaways led to a sudden cooling event 34 million years ago, contributing to the formation of Antarctic ice sheets. High-resolution simulations showed that this event caused a dramatic drop in coastal temperatures and initiated the Earth's transition into an Icehouse world.
A new data-model study suggests that the Antarctic Ice Sheet's tipping point was reached within a decade, leading to centuries of ice mass loss and potential irreversible ice retreat. The research team analyzed sediment cores and computer models to identify evidence of post-glacial tipping points in the past.
Researchers studied ozone depletion's impact on iodine concentrations in Antarctic ice cores, revealing a sharp reduction from 1975 to 2012. The decrease can be attributed to stratospheric ozone concentration loss, leading to increased UV radiation and altered geochemical cycles.
A team of researchers, led by Scott T. Salesky, will conduct field work in Antarctica to study the impact of katabatic winds on snow transport and ice sheet growth. The study aims to advance understanding of katabatic flows and their effects on regional and global atmospheric and oceanic circulations.
A new study reveals that early human activities, specifically Māori burning practices in New Zealand over 700 years ago, impacted the Earth's atmosphere more than previously known. The increase in black carbon levels in Antarctic ice cores supports this conclusion.
A new study finds that global sea levels during the last interglacial may have been as low as 1.2 meters higher than today, rather than the previously accepted 6-9 meters. This suggests that ice sheet melting was not as extensive as thought, but also raises concerns about future projections.
A new study suggests that the Antarctic ice sheet was more unstable in the past than previously thought, with fluctuations in its area causing significant changes in deep-sea temperatures. This can lead to a chain reaction of climate change, accelerating further ice loss and increasing rainfall on Antarctica.
A new study led by UMass Amherst's Rob DeConto models the impact of different warming scenarios on the Antarctic Ice Sheet, finding that exceeding Paris Agreement targets will accelerate sea-level rise. The research suggests that ambitious action to rein in warming is necessary to prevent catastrophic ice loss and sea level rise.
A new Harvard study found that the collapse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet could amplify global sea level rise estimates by an additional meter within 1,000 years. The researchers' calculations show that this effect would add 30% to the total projected sea level rise, exceeding previous forecasts.
A new study suggests that 34% of Antarctic ice shelves could disappear by the end of the century if the planet warms up by 4°C. The melting could lead to a significant rise in sea levels, threatening coastal regions worldwide.
A third of Antarctic's ice shelf area could collapse into the sea if global temperatures reach 4°C above pre-industrial levels, new research shows. Limiting temperature rise to 2°C could halve the area at risk and potentially avoid significant sea level rise.
Researchers discovered a low-altitude meteoritic touchdown event reaching the Antarctic ice sheet 430,000 years ago, leaving behind chondritic bulk major particles. The study highlights the importance of reassessing medium-sized asteroid threats and has implications for identifying similar events in deep sea sediment cores.
Researchers have found that subglacial lakes in Antarctica may be more hospitable to life than thought, thanks to geothermal heat. This heat can stimulate convection currents, allowing for dynamic flow and potentially supporting microbial life. The discovery opens up new avenues for exploring similar environments on icy moons and planets.
Scientists aim to understand the recent collapse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet to better gauge its potential risk in a warming climate. The Hercules Dome ice core will provide key evidence about past sea levels and ocean chemistry.
Researchers found that the ice masses of East Antarctica could be less stable than thought, and a rise in global sea level threatens coastal areas. The study's findings indicate that the formation of large glaciers in the northern hemisphere contributed to the ice sheet's stability.
A team of scientists found that melting ice sheets in the Northern Hemisphere caused changes in the Antarctic ice sheet, which are thousands of miles away. This study sheds light on how global warming affects ice sheet stability and provides insight into future climate instability.
Research on ice sheet weathering reveals that meltwaters from the Greenland and Antarctic Ice Sheets contain higher concentrations of key trace elements than typical rivers. This suggests long water residence times or increased weathering of minerals underlying the ice sheets, potentially affecting local marine environments.
Researchers reconstructed atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, global sea level, and ice volume for a period around 2.75 to 2.4 million years ago. The study highlights the EAIS's vulnerability to melting due to rising atmospheric CO2 levels and climate change.
A Rutgers-led team created a model that enables improved sea-level rise projections and could help address climate change threats. The 'emulator' uses artificial intelligence to mimic ice-sheet behavior, providing valuable insights into ice sheet vulnerability through 2150.
Researchers found that Antarctica's ice sheet can become unstable and melt at specific warming levels, leading to a rise in global sea levels. If global temperatures reach 4 degrees above pre-industrial levels, Antarctic melting alone could raise sea levels by over 6 meters.
The study found that three species had been genetically isolated for at least 3.52 million years, while the other three were isolated for less than 2 million years. The results suggest a correlation with large-scale changes in the West Antarctic Ice Sheet affecting arthropod dispersal and population mingling.
New study reveals Antarctica's ice sheets retreated at a rate of over 10 kilometers per year, much faster than current rates. High-resolution seafloor mapping allows researchers to uncover the complex history of glacial dynamics and provide insights into past sea-level rise.
A new international study led by UNSW Sydney reveals that the West Antarctic Ice Sheet melted rapidly during the Last Interglacial period, causing a multi-metre rise in global mean sea levels. The research suggests that the ice sheet is highly sensitive to future ocean warming, posing an urgent need to minimize warming.
A new study found that changes in high-altitude winds over the South Pacific produce fundamental effects on ocean circulation and the stability of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. The research also reveals closer atmospheric ties between mid-latitudes and the tropics, with significant implications for global climate mechanisms.
A study has mapped over 65,000 supraglacial lakes on the East Antarctic Ice Sheet, revealing a more extensive presence than previously thought. The findings suggest that East Antarctica may be more susceptible to the effects of a warming climate.
A team of researchers has digitized and archived over 400,000 km of Antarctic ice-penetrating radar data to track changes in the ice sheet's thickness and englacial features over four decades. The study suggests that the Thwaites Eastern Ice Shelf thinned by 10-33% between 1978 and 2009.
New research found that Antarctic icebergs can weaken and delay the effect of Global Warming in the Southern Hemisphere. The study suggests that icebergs persist for years, cooling ocean waters and impacting currents by lowering ocean salinity.
Large ensembles of Antarctic ice sheet simulations show increased uncertainty in sea level projections. Marine ice sheet instability amplifies and skews uncertainty in projected sea level rise.
Researchers used structured expert judgment to estimate probability distributions for future sea level rise, yielding long upper tails and a small but meaningful chance of exceeding 2m by 2100. The results suggest coastal communities should consider the possibility of 21st-century SLR in excess of 2m when developing adaptation strategies.
Researchers found that accounting for the grounding line's interaction with the solid earth reveals a delayed ice sheet collapse, slowing glacier retreat at major ice structures like Thwaites Glacier. This reduces sea level rise projections by over 25%. Fine-scale feedbacks improve predictions and guide future research.
A new satellite mission has captured precise data on the elevation of the Antarctic ice sheet, demonstrating its potential as a valuable tool for long-term monitoring efforts. The Sentinel-3 satellite's performance over ice sheets shows promise in detecting areas where the ice surface is rapidly lowering.
Researchers found that filling and draining of meltwater lakes on Antarctic ice shelves causes them to flex, which can lead to instability. The study supports the idea that recent ice shelf breakup was triggered by large amounts of surface meltwater produced in response to atmospheric warming.