Antarctica’s Doomsday Glacier Could Melt Completely This Year

A team of scientists studying Antarctica’s Thwaites Glacier has found alarming signs of rapid melting. Thwaites, often called the “Doomsday Glacier,” is melting faster than expected, putting it on a dangerous path to collapse. This could have disastrous consequences for global sea levels, which could rise significantly. Researchers, part of the International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration (ITGC), have been working since 2018 to study the glacier and its future impact.

Rapid melting and rising sea levels

Rob Larter, a marine geophysicist with the British Antarctic Survey, told Science.org that Thwaites’ ice loss is accelerating, with predictions of further retreat and increased speed. The collapse of this glacier could raise sea levels by more than two feet. Worse, because Thwaites acts as a cork for the larger Antarctic ice sheet, its collapse could result in a rise of up to 10 feet, potentially flooding cities like Miami and London.

In a study published in the journal Advancing Earth and Space Sciences reveals that the Doomsday Glacier could be completely gone by the year 2300. This could have major consequences for the planet’s current inhabitants.

Unexpected melting mechanisms

Researchers used the underwater robot Icefin to investigate Thwaites’ grounding line. This is where the glacier meets the seafloor, a key point for its stability. Images sent back by Icefin revealed unexpected melting patterns, including warm water seeping deep into the glacier through cracks. Kiya Riverman, a glaciologist from the University of Portland, described the discovery as a significant moment for the scientific community.

The Future of the Thwaites Glacier

The team, including Julia Wellner of the University of Houston, also analyzed the glacier’s historical behavior. found That rapid retreat began in the 1940s, likely due to a strong El Niño event. While computer models suggest that certain catastrophic melting events are less likely, the outlook for Thwaites remains bleak. Eric Rignot, a glaciologist at the University of California, Irvine, warns that parts of Antarctica may already be collapsing.