Smith Glacier Glacier melted much faster than expected

Smith Glacier - a large glacier located in the West South Pole, has been thinning 0.5 km of thickness in the past seven years, much faster than scientists have forecast.

According to research based on data collected by the US Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), during the period of 2002-2009, the Smith Glacier glacier , which empties into the Amundsen Sea, has melted to 70m per year, fast far more than the speed of scientific prediction.

The lead researcher, a scientist at NASA's Jet Engine Laboratory, Ala Khazendar, said: "If only based on the data collected from a single tool, we could not believe the speed. The ice melted so fast, thanks to both the laser altimeter and the radar system that could see through the tape, we had exactly the same results. "

The melting speed and the change from one glacier to another are still vague concepts.

Mr. Ala Khazendar said that although in 2009, the Smith Glacier glacier had reduced the rate of melting, but continued to lose a large amount.

Earlier, less precise engineering studies only predicted that the two bands considered to be the main pillars of the Smith Glacier only decreased by about 12m in thickness each year during the period of 2002-2009. However, the exact location and speed of melting glaciers is still a controversial issue. The melting speed and the change from one glacier to another are still vague concepts.

Even so, the findings still provide new evidence that warming seawater is melting the underside of some Antarctic glaciers, especially in the underground, adjacent to the ocean, speed. Melts much faster than before.

New research also shows that each of the large icebergs has different melting characteristics . For example, during 2002-2009, two glaciers Pope and Kohler, located next to Smith Glacier, have a slower "wear" speed.

Every big iceberg has a different melting characteristic.

Glaciers that are located in the same area may also have different meltings due to various factors. Even in the South Pole, there are some areas, due to increased precipitation phenomenon, large blocks of ice still fill up, but overall, the surface area of ​​the ice is still quite large.

Scientists believe that the phenomenon of melting ice is happening at a great speed and the phenomenon of precipitation is not enough to fill the melted part.