Research
Seafloor clay reveals past dramatic ice loss in West Antarctica
Phys.org ·
The Brief
- Scientists found seafloor clay evidence that West Antarctica's most vulnerable ice streams, including Thwaites Glacier, repeatedly collapsed and retreated far inland.
- The retreats occurred during natural warm periods over the last 800,000 years.
- The reported evidence is described as the best yet for this past ice loss.
Why it matters
The findings show that vulnerable West Antarctic ice streams have retreated far inland during natural warm periods in the past, which helps calibrate how sensitive this region is to warming and sea-level change.
Who’s affected
- climate scientists studying ice sheets and sea-level rise
- glaciologists and marine geologists
- #antarctica
- #thwaites glacier
- #ice sheets
- #paleoclimate
- #sea level
Scientists have discovered the best evidence yet to show that West Antarctica's most vulnerable ice streams—including its giant Thwaites Glacier—repeatedly collapsed and retreated far inland during natural warm periods of the last 800,000 years.
Timeline
Earth News reported the seafloor clay study findings
Earth News - Earth Science News, Earth Science, Climate Change
Seafloor clay reveals past dramatic ice loss in West Antarctica