Antarctic ice shelves show greater melt sensitivity to ocean warming
Updated
Updated · Nature.com · May 7
Antarctic ice shelves show greater melt sensitivity to ocean warming
5 articles · Updated · Nature.com · May 7
Simulations beneath East Antarctica’s Fimbulisen Ice Shelf found warm Circumpolar Deep Water trapped in basal channels can raise local melt rates by more than 10m a year.
The study says channelised topography increased area-averaged melt by 18-35%, and under warmer conditions the deep-ice region’s melt response was four times larger than with a smoothed underside.
Researchers say even modest warm-water intrusions could sustain channel growth, weaken buttressing near grounding lines and add uncertainty to Antarctic mass-loss and future sea-level-rise projections.
Hidden channels under Antarctic ice are trapping warm ocean water. What other climate surprises are lurking, accelerating global sea-level rise?
Antarctica is gaining mass from snow but losing ice to the ocean. Which force is winning, and what does this mean for our coasts?
Antarctic Ice Shelves Melting 6.5 Times Faster Due to Poleward Shift of Warm Deep Water (2025–2026)
Overview
Recent research confirms that ongoing climate change is pushing warm Circumpolar Deep Water closer to Antarctica, causing it to contact and melt ice shelves from below. This basal melting weakens the ice shelves, reducing their ability to hold back inland glaciers, which accelerates glacier flow and contributes to global sea level rise. Melting also disrupts cold-water barriers that normally block warm water, creating a feedback loop that allows even more warm water to reach the ice. Ocean processes like tides and stratification further concentrate heat beneath the ice, amplifying melt. These changes threaten key glaciers like Thwaites and have far-reaching impacts on sea levels and global ocean circulation.