New research into how East Antarctica’s ice shelves melt reveals future global sea-level rise predictions could be significantly underestimated.
New research into how East Antarctica’s ice shelves melt reveals future global sea-level rise predictions could be significantly underestimated.
A study published today, opens in a new window found that while ice shelves in West Antarctica melt year-round, those in East Antarctica experience summer melting spikes, when sea ice retreats and warm ocean water flows beneath – a process known as basal melting.
This seasonal dynamic is largely overlooked by climate models – but could have major implications for global sea-level rise projections.
“Basal melting is a major driver of Antarctic Ice Sheet instability and ice loss,” says the study’s lead author, Dr Fabio Boeira Dias from the ARC Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic Science, opens in a new window (ACEAS) and UNSW Sydney.
Read More: University of New South Wales
Photo Credit: AlKalenski via Pixabay
