Thwaites Glacier Faces Accelerated Melting, Rising Sea-Level Risks
A new study published this week in Nature Communications found that the massive glacier is losing ice at an accelerated rate as warm ocean water penetrates several kilometers beneath it, melting the ice from below.
Researchers project that Thwaites could raise global sea levels by as much as 30 millimeters (1.2 inches) by 2100, even if temperatures and ocean conditions do not become warmer than recent levels.
Earlier conventional ice-sheet models had estimated that the glacier would contribute approximately 15 millimeters (0.6 inches) to sea-level rise over the same period.
Known as the “Doomsday Glacier” because of the potentially serious consequences of its collapse, Thwaites spans approximately 192,000 square kilometers (74,000 square miles) in West Antarctica. Its area is comparable to that of Senegal and exceeds the size of the US state of Florida.
The glacier is part of the wider West Antarctic Ice Sheet. Alongside other glaciers, including Pine Island, it helps restrain enormous amounts of ice farther inland, making its stability an important factor in future sea-level changes.
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