The climatic changes these days may cause many changes and instability in a major Antarctic glacier, ultimately leading to sea level rise of almost three metres according to a new study. Totten Glacier which is a significant glacier in Antarctica drains one of the largest world`s area of ice on East Antarctic Ice Sheet (EAIS).
If the climate change continues unabated the glacier which crosses a critical threshold in the next century entering an irreversible period of rapid retreat. Up to 300 kilometers the with next century critical threshold entering an irreversible period of rapid retreat.
It is thought by EAIS to be relatively stable in the face of global warming compared with the smaller ice sheet in West Antarctica. Whereas Totten glacier is bucking the trend by losing a substantial amount of ice.
Imperial College London and institutions in Australia, the US, and New Zealand shows Totten Glacier is more vulnerable than previously thought. The team has found that there is some warm water circulating underneath a floating portion of the glacier which is causing more melting than expected.
The Underlying geology of the glacier and shows if it retreats another 100-150 km, it is sitting on an unstable bed and can trigger a rapid retreat of the glaciers. This causes to withdraw about 300 km inland from its current at the coast.
“The evidence coming together is painting a picture of East Antarctica being much more vulnerable to a warming environment than we thought,” Siegert said.
“Totten Glacier is only one outlet for the ice of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet, but it could have a huge impact. The EAIS is by far the largest mass of ice on Earth, so any small changes have a big influence globally,” he said.