Antarctica’s Doomsday Glacier May Melt Completely This Year

A team of scientists studying Antarctica’s Thwaites Glacier has discovered alarming signs of rapid melting. Thwaites is often called the “Doomsday Glacier” because it is melting faster than expected, putting it at risk of collapse. This could have catastrophic consequences for global sea levels, which could rise significantly. Researchers from the International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration (ITGC) have been investigating the glacier and its future impacts since 2018.

Rapid melting and rising sea levels

Rob Larter, a marine geophysicist at the British Antarctic Survey, told Science.org that ice loss at Thwaites is accelerating, with forecasts pointing to further and faster ice loss. The glacier’s collapse could raise sea levels by more than two feet. Worse, because the Thwaites Ice Sheet acts as a cork for the much larger Antarctic ice sheet, its rupture could cause a rise of 10 feet, potentially flooding cities like Miami and London.

A study published in the journal Advancing Earth and Space Science suggests that doomsday glaciers could disappear completely by the year 2300. This could have significant consequences for Earth’s current inhabitants.

Unexpected melting mechanism

Researchers used the underwater robot Icefin to explore Thwaites’ grounding lines. This is where the glacier meets the ocean floor, a key point for its stability. Images sent back by Icefin show unexpected melt patterns, including warm water deep into the glacier through fissures. Kiya Riverman, a glaciologist at the University of Portland, described the discovery as an important moment in science.

The future of Thwaites Glacier

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