Deep in Antarctica, a hidden threat lurks beneath the surface as warm ocean waters silently erode a massive glacier, weakening its base with each passing day.
According to Theodore Scambos, a glaciologist at the University of Colorado Boulder, this relentless assault is poised to hasten the glacier’s retreat in certain areas, posing a significant risk to the ice sheet.
Thwaites Glacier, located within the vast expanse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, faces a constant barrage of challenges. The icy behemoth, comparable in size to Alaska, is situated in a basin-like ocean environment where it is vulnerable to the relentless advance of warm, salty ocean currents that chip away at its edges like invading forces.
This ongoing thermal onslaught is most severe along the coastline where Thwaites Glacier, a swiftly moving ice stream spanning 120 kilometers, meets the ocean. Currently shedding 75 billion tons of ice annually, Thwaites accounts for nearly half of Antarctica’s total ice loss.
Date: 2024-05-30 10:30:00
Source: Read more at Science News