Original article from: CNN
Satellite images show that two important glaciers in the Antarctic are sustaining rapid damage at their most vulnerable points, leading to the breaking up of vital ice shelves with major consequences for global sea level rise.
The Pine Island and Thwaites glaciers, which sit side by side in West Antarctica on the Amundsen Sea, are among the fastest changing glaciers in the region, already accounting for 5% of global sea level rise. Scientists say the glaciers are highly sensitive to climate change.
A new study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on Monday, found that the glaciers are weakening at their foundations and this damage over the past few decades is speeding up their retreat and the possible future collapse of their ice shelves.
LEFT VIEWPOINTS
- The rapid rate of ice melt is clearly caused by human-induced global warming. These are unnatural changes that would not occur at the rapid rate we are witnessing if humans hadn’t altered the atmospheric CO2 concentration.
- Ice sheets melting off Antarctica will lead to significant sea-level rise. This makes Ice on Antarctica is currently trapped on the ground. When it melts, it flows into the sea, causing the sea levels to rise. In contrast, when the ice in the Arctic melts, sea level doesn’t rise because Arctic ice is already floating on the ocean.
- The melting ice sheets are likely to happen very fast, whereas ice sheets take thousands of years to form.