Antarctica's ice melt has been accelerating in the last two decades
Ice floating along the coast of Antarctica has been melting more quickly over the past two decades, according to a study published today. The findings provide a more comprehensive perspective on how warming oceans have reduced ice volume, though it’s difficult to say how soon sea levels could rise as a result.
The study, published in the journal Science, measures the thickness of Antarctica’s ice shelves — floating sheets of ice that extend from glaciers out into the ocean. Using satellite radar data collected from 1994 to 2012, the authors found that ice shelves melted steadily in West Antarctica over the 18-year period, with losses accelerating by 70 percent after 2003. That’s significant because ice shelves play an important role in…
Source:: The Verge
