Antarctica is the largest reservoir of ice on Earth – but new research by the University of South Australia suggests it could be at greater risk of melting than previously thought.
Antarctica is the largest reservoir of ice on Earth – but new research by the University of South Australia suggests it could be at greater risk of melting than previously thought.
Heat from the landmass beneath the Antarctic ice sheet is a major contributor to the way that glaciers melt and flow – and their impact on potential sea level rise. Hotter conditions allow meltwater to lubricate the base of the glacier, accelerating its movement and the rate of ice loss.
However, because of the environmental, logistical and financial challenges of accessing bedrock through ice up to several kilometres thick, drillcore samples have never been taken to directly measure the temperature conditions at the base of the ice sheet. Scientists therefore assume a fixed value for the amount of heat generated by the Earth’s crust in Antarctica – as if the bedrock was uniform when in fact it’s highly variable.
Research by UniSA is challenging these assumptions and suggests scientists may have underestimated the heat generated by the bedrock in East Antarctica.
Read more at University of South Australia
Photo Credit: Free-Photos via Pixabay
