Melt-Rate of West Antarctic Ice Sheet Highly Sensitive to Changes in Ocean Temperatures – Phys Org
Credit: CC0 Public Domain.
Article Synopsis – According to a new report, the “melting of ice shelves in West Antarctica speeds up and slows down in response to changes in deep ocean temperature, and is far more variable than previously thought”. The evidence shows for the first time that “while mass loss from the West Antarctic Ice Sheet increased during a warm period, it steadied and in some cases decreased during cooler phases. The authors also show evidence for linking this cycle to El Nino in the tropical Pacific Ocean. These findings are important for enabling better predictions about how much glacial melt will contribute to global sea-level rise.” To read the actual article click here.