Doomsday Glacier Melt Threatens Faster Sea-Level Rise by 2100
A new study shows warm ocean water penetrating beneath West Antarctica's Thwaites Glacier, doubling projected sea-level contributions to 3 centimeters by 2100.
A new study reveals that relatively warm ocean water is penetrating kilometers beneath the Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica, known as the "Doomsday Glacier," accelerating its melt. According to a model developed by researchers from the University of California, Irvine and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the glacier could contribute about 3 centimeters to global sea-level rise by 2100. This is double the average of previous projections, even without additional warming.
The Threat from Below
Published in the journal Nature Communications, the research focuses on the grounding zone where the glacier transitions from resting on the seabed to floating. While many models treat this as a sharp boundary, satellite observations indicate a dynamic, wide region where seawater intrudes with tidal cycles, melting the ice from underneath.
The Stabilizing Ridge
Another critical focus is the Muginot Ridge, an underwater formation currently helping to stabilize the central part of the glacier. Simulations show a 60% probability that the glacier will retreat beyond this ridge by the end of the century. Professor Eric Rignot warned that these findings indicate a higher-than-expected risk of coastal flooding in the coming decades.
