Quick-Melting of Ice in Antarctica Increases the Risk of Sea Level Rise
The Ice loss in the frozen continent has increased to a net 252 billion tonnes a year between the periods of 2009-17, from an average 40 billion tonnes between 1979-90, according to the study published in the US journal.
The annual ice loss in Antarctica has increased six-fold in the past 40 years and it is alarming, as this trend could push sea water level metres higher in the coming days amid manmade global warming. Researchers in a Journal also revealed, that the East Antarctic ice sheet is thawing at the fringes, which adds to the increase of water level in the sea. But in the past, the eastern sheet has resisted the melting of ice.
The Ice loss in the frozen continent has increased to a net 252 billion tonnes a year between the periods of 2009-17, from an average 40 billion tonnes between 1979-90, according to the study published in the US journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). The scientists also said that the melt of Antarctica has added water equivalent to 13.2 millimeters, which has contributed to the sea level rise in the past four decades.
Professor Eric Rignot of the University of California, who led the scientists from France, Netherlands and United States in the research said, “That's just the tip of the iceberg, so to speak. As the Antarctic ice sheet continues to melt away, we expect multi-meter sea level rise from Antarctica in the coming centuries”, with continued manmade global warming.
In the past century, the global sea levels have increased to about 20 centimeters (8 inches) and many other studies have shown a faster thaw from Greenland to Antarctica, threatening the coasts from Bangladesh to Florida and cities from London to Shanghai.
The study also estimated that Antarctica has lost 169 billion tonnes of ice between the period of 1992-2017 and above 109 billion tonnes in the same period as recorded last year by a team of international researchers. The gap is mainly because east Antarctica lost 57 billion tonnes over the period compared to a 5 billion tonne gained. The ice sheets can gain mass if snowfall exceeds losses of ice.
Co-author of the study and a professor of Polar Meteorology at Utrecht University, Michiel van den Broeke says the thaw of Wilkes Land in East Antarctica was an emerging area of science. He said, “It is therefore extremely important to find out what is happening there”.
If all the ice in Antarctica melts at a time, it can increase the global sea levels by 57 meters at a go, but for the process to happen also requires very high temperature.
