Wilkes Basin, an ice sheet the size of California in East Antarctica could raise sea levels by 3 meters if it melts
A giant ice sheet thought to be stable may be on the brink of collapse, a fact that was not realized until now, a new study has revealed.
Wilkes Basin, an ice sheet the size of California in East Antarctica could raise sea levels by 3 meters if it melts.
The discovery was made by scientists using radar surveys by planes flying over the area to check the ice. If small temperature increases continue to build up under the ice, the leading edge can peel off and collapse. The researchers published their findings Jan. 19 in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.
Not much analysis has been done in this area – there’s a huge amount of ice there, but it’s been relatively stable.”, said first author Eliza Dawson, a doctoral student in geophysics at Stanford University. “We’re looking at the temperature at the base of the ice sheet for the first time and how close it is to melting.”
The Wilkes Subglacial Basin is a broad, sloping basin that extends 1,400 km inland and contains 3 km thick ice.
Scientists have long assumed that East Antarctic ice is relatively and had instead focused on studying the glaciers of West Antarctica.
Source: Skai
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