In the rhythm of the tides, the Thwaites Glacier (Antarctica) is attacked by warm sea water. It is now melting “strong”Researchers say. Its collapse would be dramatic for coastal communities around the world. Hence its famous nickname, “The Glacier at the End of the World.”
Antarctica has a glacier that is completely different from other glaciers. Thwaites Glacier, nicknamed the “End of the World Glacier” or “Glacier of the End of the World”. Because he MeltingMelting It has the potential to raise global sea levels significantly. It actually acts as a natural dam that prevents the surrounding ice from sliding towards the ocean. Ha CollapsesCollapses That would cause ocean water levels to rise by more than three metres!
The tides cause the Thwaites Glacier to melt dramatically
Researchers have known that Thwaites Glacier has been melting rapidly since the 1980s, and today, high-speed radar measurements have been made. AccuracyAccuracy Results collected between March and June 2023 reveal that “warm” sea water is on the rise pressurepressure Infiltrating its base is enough to cause the glacier to melt at the end of the world “strong” than glaciologists have imagined so far.
in Proceedings of the National Academy of SciencesResearchers from the University of California, Irvine (USA) say that images they took from the Finnish Iceeye satellite show that TidesTides Every day, warm sea water is sent several kilometers into the Thwaites Glacier. It is enough to melt the ice from below and return fresh water to the ocean.
How long until the end of the world's glacier collapses?
“Until now, it has been impossible to observe some of nature's most dynamic processes in sufficient detail or repeatability to allow us to understand them.”“, notes Michael Wollersheim, Director of Analytics at Iceeye, in an article Press release from the University of California. Thanks to centimeter accuracy and daily repeatability, researchers now know more about the melting glacier at the end of the world. But it's not enough yet to estimate how much time remains before seawater intrusion becomes irreversible and causes the Thwaites Glacier to collapse. A collapse that would be devastating to coastal communities around the world.
