There could be an irreversible retreat of parts of the ice sheets, raising sea levels much faster than currently planned.
Articles on Thwaites glacier
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Antarctica’s riskiest glacier is a disaster in slow motion, a polar scientist writes. But in a rare bit of good news, the worst-case scenario may be off the table.
If and when the Thwaites Glacier melts, it will result in nearly 0.6 metres of sea level rise, but it holds back another three metres of sea level rise lurking within the Antarctic continent. Listen to The Conversation Weekly podcast.
Thwaites Glacier’s ice shelf appears to be splintering, and scientists fear it could give way in the next few years. A polar scientist takes us on a tour under the ice to explain the forces at work.
Researchers have surveyed an Antarctic under-ice river for the first time directly, and their observations support the idea that such sub-glacial rivers form estuaries as they flow into the ocean.
Top contributors
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Senior Research Scientist, CIRES, University of Colorado Boulder
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Assistant Professor in Physical Geography and Environmental Science, Northumbria University, Newcastle
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Associate Science Editor & Co-Host of The Conversation Weekly Podcast, The Conversation
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Research Scientist, ETH Zurich
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Professor in Ocean Physics, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau; Earth Sciences New Zealand
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PhD Candidate in Oceanography, School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia
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Ocean and Ice Scientist, British Antarctic Survey
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Host, The Conversation Weekly Podcast, The Conversation
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Professor of Earth Sciences, Dartmouth College