Global Warming

Antarctic's massive Totten Glacier nearing 'tipping point'

Global warming is threatening to trigger the catastrophic collapse of East Antarctica's massive Totten Glacier and in turn raise sea levels to dangerous new heights, a new study warns.

East Antarctica is the world's largest area of ice. Until recently, it was considered to be far more stable than the smaller, West Antarctic ice sheet, where scientists had originally focused fears and warnings.

Now, troubling research reveals that melting Totten would make global warming reach a "tipping point" and likely collapse with just a few degrees increase in warming, warned scientist Alan Aitken of the University of Western Australia, who heads a team of researchers from the US, UK, New Zealand and Australia.

Totten's huge floating shelf of ice is 90 miles (145km) by 22 miles (35km) in area. It functions as a kind of giant plug holding back a far larger a mass of Antarctic ice. The entire region, or what scientists call a catchment - which could someday flow into the sea in the surrounding area if Totten collapses - represents an area bigger than California, notes the Washington Post. In some areas the ice is also 2.5 miles (4.0km) thick. The melted ice could then raise the world's sea level by more than 11 feet (3.5m).

The Totten Glacier catchment (blue outline) is a collection basin for ice and snow that flows through the glacier. It's estimated to contain enough material to raise sea levels by at least 11 feet.