Study finds marine ice cliff instability alone would not cause rapid retreat of Antarctica's Thwaites Glacier.
A new study challenges previous predictions that Antarctica's Thwaites Glacier, often referred to as the "Doomsday Glacier," could rapidly collapse due to marine ice cliff instability. Instead, the study suggest that if the entire ice shelf were to collapse today, marine ice cliff instability alone would not cause a rapid retreat inland. While the glacier is already contributing to about 4% of annual sea-level rise, the findings do not mean the glacier is stable, but rather highlight the need for continuous monitoring and research, as other processes like ice-ocean interactions and warming ocean currents also contribute to the glacier's retreat and the instability of the Antarctic ice sheet.
August 21, 2024
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