Antarctica without Ice Shelves Leads to Rapid Multi-Meter Sea Level Rise

Journal of Glaciology, September 14

Collapse of ice shelves neighbouring the Antarctic Ice Sheet has the potential to contribute 1 to 12 meters of sea level rise over the next 500 years, with 1.9 to 5 meters generated within 500 years by the collapse of ice shelves adjoining the West Antarctic Ice Sheet alone. Such ice shelves surround 75% of Antarctic coastlines, and are key to stabilizing the ice sheet. Researchers used 15 different ice sheet models to demonstrate the ice sheet’s reaction to ice shelf loss. Several Antarctic ice shelves already are thinning and weakening in response to a warming atmosphere and ocean, as well as changes in ocean currents.

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-glaciology/article/antarctic-ice-sheet-response-to-sudden-and-sustained-iceshelf-collapse-abumip/C08970BDF95EA737AD941D3690EBB3C5

Compiled by Amy Imdieke.