Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica, which covers about 70,000 square miles and is also known as Doomsday Glacier, has been one of the worst affected by climate change and global warming. Its melting may be a contributing factor to a severe rise in the sea level, which will threaten coastal areas that may submerge and cause flooding in various low-lying areas. The glacier, which is about the size of the state of Florida, might cause the sea level to rise if it melts.
In a study published in a journal, Nature Geoscience states, "This rapid retreat of the glacier may raise global sea levels by 3-10 feet and put coastal communities at risk."
Scientists have found evidence of the glacier's base being uprooted from the ocean floor and melting at a rate of 1.3 miles (2.1 kilometres) year.
"The analysis revealed that Thwaites is retreating at over 2.1 kilometers per year, which is "twice the rate observed by satellite at the fastest retreating part of the grounding zone between 2011 and 2019."
Alastair Graham, the USF marine geophysicist who led the study, said, "Just a small kick to Thwaites could end up leading to a big response."
Location map of Thwaites Glacier | Nature Geoscience
"Thwaites is really holding on today by its fingernails, and we should expect to see big changes over small timescales in the future," marine geophysicist Robert Larter, one of the study’s co-authors, states.
