The Uncertain Future of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet – Eos
Article Synopsis – A recently published article, accumulating decades of research, assessed how global warming could affect the stability of the Ross Sea Embayment in West Antarctica. The West Antarctic Ice Sheet is important because it is inherently unstable. The current hypothesis of how the warming climate will affect the West Antarctic Ice sheet is: 1) The sea ice surrounding Antarctica will melt 2) This will increase iceberg calving from the ice shelf fronts 3) This will increase the discharge of ice from East Antarctic glaciers 4) Increased ice discharge by West Antarctic ice streams 5) Downslope movement of the Ross Ice Shelf across West Antarctica as increased ice discharge lowers the ice-sheet surface 6) opening a new seaway across West Antarctica as the lowering ice sheet becomes a floating ice shelf, which eventually may melt completely. To read the actual article click here.