Global Warming

Antarctica's Underwater Ice Is Retreating 5 Times Faster Than It Should Be

When you imagine an Antarctic glacier melting, you probably envision great walls of ice avalanching into the ocean in jagged, splashing chunks. — but it's only half the story.

At the same time, hundreds of feet inland and deep underwater where even remote-controlled submersibles cannot venture, the warming ocean is also chipping away huge swaths of Antarctica's frosty underbelly. According to a new study published April 2 , ice is receding deep below eight of Antarctica's largest glaciers at an alarming rate — roughly five times faster than it should be. If this marine ice recession continues, it could lead to an increase in therate of sea level rise..

This retreat has had a huge impact on inland glaciers, because releasing them from the sea bed removes friction, causing them to speed up and contribute more to global sea level rise.