Ice melt to cause higher sea levels
17 Feb 2016 by Evoluted New Media
If Antarctica ice melts due to warming oceans, global sea levels could rise three metres, according to UK scientists.
If Antarctica ice melts due to warming oceans, global sea levels could rise three metres, according to UK scientists.
In the first study of its kind, scientists assessed the West Antarctic ice sheet to see how increasing global temperatures would affect it and came to this conclusion.
Dr Andrew Hein, from Edinburgh University said: “Our findings narrow the margin of uncertainty around the likely impact of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet on sea level rise. This remains a troubling forecast since all signs suggest the ice from West Antarctica could disappear relatively quickly.”
By measuring changes to slopes on the Ellsworth Mountains, on the Atlantic flank of Antarctica, the researchers were able to gauge how ice levels have changed over hundreds of thousands of years. This was achieved by mapping boulders distributed by melting glaciers and using exposure dating to measure how old rocks were and how long they had been exposed to the environment.
The scientists discovered during their research parts of the West Antarctic Sheet have existed continuously for 1.4m years.Professor Woodward, Associate Dean from Northumbria said: “It is possible that the ice sheet has passed the point of no return and, if so, the big question is how much will go and how much will sea levels rise.”
Research carried out was supported by the Natural Environment Research Council and the British Antarctic Survey.
The study was published in Nature Communications.
