Researchers in a new study have reported the rapid collapse of the “Doomsday Glacier”, also called the Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica, raising fears of unprecedented global sea level rise.
Two decades of satellite and GPS data, published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth’s Surface, provides a detailed account of the accelerated degradation of the Thwaites Eastern Ice Shelf (TEIS).
TEIS, the crucial part of the glacier, floats on the ocean and is partially attached to an anchorage point on the northern edge.
According to data documenting changes over a 20-year period, TEIS has experienced increasing rifting around a large zone during this period.
As a result of these fractures, the plank has experienced a weak connection to the tie-down point, leading to deterioration of the attachment.
As a result, the flow of ice upstream has accelerated, reducing the mechanical stability of the TEIS up to the pin point.
The study was led by Debangshu Banerjee, along with Dr. Karen Alley (Assistant Professor, CEOS) and Dr. David Lilien also discovered two important findings.
According to the first finding, the scientists found a positive feedback cycle in which the fractures increased the ice acceleration. In turn, these faults also caused further deterioration, accelerating the recent collapse of the shelf.
The second finding consists of four different stages of ice subsidence, along with two rupture stages. The long faults showing alignment with the ice appeared first, followed by shorter faults.
According to researchers, the four-phase structural decline could serve as a crucial signal for other Antarctic ice shelves that face the same fate of rapid decline.
If the decline continues in the future, it would make a more substantial contribution to future sea level rise of unknown nature.
