26 May 2024 , 08:22
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Antarctica's ‘Doomsday Glacier’ is melting at an alarming rate beyond what scientists had predicted – as warm ocean water continues to penetrate several miles underneath it.
A new study has found that the Thwaites Glacier - nicknamed the ‘Doomsday Glacier’ for its power to hugely increase sea levels - has seen high-pressure seawater filtering through its base. It means the vulnerable glacier could have a much more severe risk of melting than scientists initially thought.
The Thwaites Glacier is roughly the size of Florida and sits in West Antarctica. Earlier research into the site found it had been rapidly melting since the 80s, contributing to a 4% rise in global sea levels, along with the loss of hundreds of billions of tons of ice. If the Thwaites Glacier was to melt completely, sea levels could rise by as much as 2 feet (60 centimetres).
A 3D view of the tidal motion of Thwaites Glacier (ERIC RIGNOT / UC IRVINE)But the structure of the glacier also proves an even greater issue when it comes to rising sea levels. Since it acts as a natural dam, which prevents surrounding ice from West Antarctica from sliding into the ocean, its collapse could see sea levels rise by up to 10 feet (3 metres). Scientists have struggled to predict the exact rate of its melting, partly because of the challenging task of reaching beneath the thick ice.
Now, new radar data has found that warm, high-pressure seawater is making its way through to the base of the glacier, meaning the risk of melting is much higher. Researchers published their findings on Monday, May 20, in the journal PNAS. Study co-author Christine Dow, professor of glaciology at the University of Waterloo, Ontario, said: "The worry is that we are underestimating the speed that the glacier is changing, which would be devastating for coastal communities around the world"
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To get a clearer picture of what’s going on beneath the surface, researchers took a high-resolution X-ray scan using satellite radar data collected between March and June 2023. It shows the glacier's surface rises and falls by several centimetres as the seawater filters in and out below. Warm seawater is then sent deep inside the glacier for several miles, progressively melting Thwaites from the underside – and producing fresh water that is sent out into the ocean as the tide retreats.
Researchers say the "vigorous melting" could contribute to significant sea level rise, and may result in the glacier fully collapsing. But exact levels of these rises, and when the timing of when the collapse is expected, requires more research.
Dow added: "At the moment we don't have enough information to say one way or the other how much time there is before the ocean water intrusion is irreversible. By improving the models and focusing our research on these critical glaciers, we will try to get these numbers at least pinned down for decades versus centuries."