Underwater Storms Speed Up Antarctic Ice Melt

Picture Credit: by The New York Times

Swirling underwater “storms” deep beneath the Antarctic surface are intensifying the melt of two of the continent’s most critical glaciers, raising fresh concerns about their potential impact on global sea level rise. A recent study published in Nature Geosciences reveals that fast-moving ocean eddies, known as submesoscales, are aggressively eroding the ice shelves of the Pine Island and Thwaites glaciers, the latter often dubbed the “Doomsday Glacier.”

Located near Antarctica’s slender peninsula pointing toward South America, the Pine Island and Thwaites glaciers have long been hotspots of rapid ice loss. While scientists have studied seasonal and annual melting trends for decades, this new research shifts the focus to short, weather-like ocean events lasting mere hours or days.

These underwater storms form when warm and cold waters collide, generating swirling eddies up to 6 miles wide. Once created, they rush beneath the ice shelves, where the rough underside of the ice and the seafloor trap and intensify their motion. This turbulence drags up warmer water from deeper ocean layers, accelerating melt rates at points where the glaciers are most vulnerable.

Using advanced computer models combined with real-world ocean measurements, scientists found that these fast-changing eddies were responsible for around 20% of the total melting observed over a nine-month period. Researchers warn that these events could become more frequent and destructive as the climate warms, potentially triggering a troubling feedback loop: increased melt releases more fresh, cold water, which enhances ocean mixing and leads to even more melting.

Picture Credit: by The Washington Post

The implications are profound. Thwaites Glacier alone contains enough ice to raise sea levels by more than 2 feet, and its collapse could ultimately unlock ice loss equivalent to about 10 feet of global sea level rise.

While uncertainties remain, particularly due to limited access to Antarctica’s remote ice shelves, scientists agree these short-term “ocean weather” processes play a far greater role than previously understood. As research advances, understanding these fine-scale interactions may prove crucial in predicting future ice loss and safeguarding coastal communities worldwide.