Scientists at the University of Bristol have studied the melting of the Pine Island Glacier in Antarctica, whose ice loss is believed to contribute significantly to sea level rise. It turned out that he changed the rate of melting. This was announced in a press release on Phys.org.
Researchers have found that the picture of glacier thinning is more complex than previously thought. They recorded that the rate of ice melting is currently fastest along the slowly moving edges of Pine Island, and in the main shaft has decreased by a factor of five since 2007.
Various model-based predictions yield conflicting results. According to some, ice loss could increase dramatically over the next decades, but others point to a slower process. Nevertheless, Pine Island is considered the most dangerous glacier due to the fact that it melts much faster than other glaciers. According to researchers, this process is irreversible.
A new study has shown that a rapid migration of the ground line, where the bottom of the glacier breaks away from the seabed, is in fact unlikely. Instead, the glacier will continue to lose mass at a rate that is not much faster than it is currently. This may sound like good news, scientists say, but the melting of the glacier will continue to accelerate.
