Climate change could trigger strong sea level rise – Science Daily
Article Synopsis – About 15,000 years ago, the ocean around Antarctica saw an abrupt sea level rise of at least three meters. At that time, changes in atmospheric-oceanic circulation led to a stratification in the ocean with a cold layer at the surface and a warm layer below. Under such conditions, ice sheets melt more rapidly than when the surrounding ocean is thoroughly mixed. This is exactly what is presently happening around the Antarctic. The reason for the layering is that global warming is causing land based ice to melt, adding massive amounts of cold freshwater to the ocean surface. At the same time as the surface is cooling, the deeper ocean is warming. The question now is whether the ice sheet will react to these changing ocean conditions as rapidly as it did in the past. To read the actual article click here.