What is the ‘doomsday glacier’ in Antarctica?

Though concerning, the melting of glaciers in Antarctica is not unprecedented in the age of climate change. There are numerous consequences of melting glaciers, but one glacier, in particular, can cause a ‘doomsday’ for several reasons. According to a recent study, the Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica is under tremendous stress because the rate of ice melting from its surface has raised alarm among scientists. Though the rate of ice melting remains rapid, scientists warn that it is likely to accelerate in the coming years. The Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica has been dubbed the “doomsday glacier” due to the drastic consequences of its melting ice.

Why is Thwaites Glacier called ‘doomsday glacier’?

The Thwaites Glacier has always been impressive due to its enormous size, which is nearly the size of the US state of Florida. For the past few years, the doomsday glacier has been melting at an alarming rate, which could lead to drastic climate change effects. This glacier has been dumping 50 billion tonnes of ice into the ocean for several years, but its rapid melting is expected to raise global sea levels significantly, submerging many coastal areas.

Climate change has already caused the global sea level to rise, and the British Antarctic Survey estimates that the doomsday glacier accounts for 4% of the global sea level rise. According to scientists, the massive glacier is hanging by its fingernails. The Thwaites Glacier has been eroding along its underwater base, which means the massive Spain-sized glacier is breaking off from below at an alarming rate, much faster than scientists expected.

Marine geophysicist Robert Larter said, “Thwaites is really holding on today by its fingernails, and we should expect to see big changes over small timescales in the future — even from one year to the next — once the glacier retreats beyond a shallow ridge in its bed.”

If the Thwaites Glacier separates from its base due to the rapid melting of ice, sea levels could rise dramatically, causing a “doomsday” effect for many coastal areas. Liked this post? Don’t forget to check out our other short stories in our Quick Read section