Antarctic Glaciers Shrinking More Than Thought

A study printed in the Science journal from scientists at the University of Bristol in England has shown the Antarctic glaciers shrinking and melting more than we thought. The study says that an area of the coast of Antarctica measuring around 750 kilometers long has increased its rate of melting since 2009.

The study reports that the Antarctic glaciers shrinking equal the addition of about 0.16 millimeters to the water level in the ocean, which is already rising around three millimeters a year. Scientists think that the loss of ice could be due in part to changes from global warming, thinning of the ozone layer, and ocean and wind current travel.

The whole number of the rise in the ocean levels comes from not just Antarctica, some of the increase comes from polar ice elsewhere in the world, and as the water warms up, the ice melts and sea levels go up.

Satellite Photos Show Antarctic Glaciers Shrinking

Satellite pictures were used from between 2002 and 2010, which showed the Antarctic glaciers were gaining snow and ice, but then something happened in 2009 that started the Antarctic glaciers shrinking at a faster rate as the ice makes its travel every year.
However, some other scientists from the Centre for Polar Observation and Modelling at the University of Leeds, believe that the study miscalculated the ice loss and could have overlooked snowfall shifts and ice travel. Not taking those things into consideration could make the Antarctic glaciers shrinking seem worse that it may really be, say these scientists.

Past Loss of Antarctic Glacier Ice Data

The possible Antarctic glaciers shrinking issues is not the first time that scientists have reported a major loss of glacier ice. Just last week it was documented that the Larsen C and Larsen B ice shelves were at an imminent risk of crashing into the ocean. The Larsen B ice shelf already lost most of its mass in 2002 when part of it collapsed.

Additionally, there were reports from the Southern Antarctica Peninsula that showed a large area of destabilized glaciers that were further south from the Larsen ice shelves that were also retreating due to shrinkage.

These studies show the Antarctic glaciers shrinking problems that are happening all over the area that could cause more problems with ocean levels in the future. Whether or not the estimate of the amount of sea level rise is accurate, studies continue to show the loss of Antarctic ice occurring at an accelerated rate. Studies have also shown ice loss in the Northern Hemisphere as well, and it is an alarming trend.