Antarctica: Ice is breaking down from below

Scientists are closely monitoring the phenomenon of massive Antarctic ice sheets that are breaking and melting.

Scientific studies have noted that glaciers in the western region of Antarctica are melting from below due to the impact of warm currents flowing through.

Antarctic glaciers are slowly melting in the sea.(Source: Washington Post).

Researchers pay special attention to the West Antarctic region and new research published in their journal Nature Geoscience shows that melting ice is a consequence of the infiltration of warm water.

In their study, scientists at the University of Colorado (USA) noted that warm seawater is destroying the West Antarctic ice region from below and weakening the ice shelves there, causing ice to break down. out. Ice shelves are usually hundreds of meters thick, but they float on the water. Therefore, warm seawater is gnawing slowly below the ice shelves, creating slots and caves from 50 to 250m vertically.The reason is that warm water flows like an upside down river, instead of flowing down low, warm water flows upwards, due to warm water being milder than cold water.

These warm water slots are very large, although hidden beneath a very thick ice block, they can still be detected from above, because they put pressure on the surface of the ice block. These slots were discovered in many parts of Antarctica, but the team said the West Antarctic region had the highest density of cracks.

Currently, the Antarctic region is getting warmer and scientists will have to keep a close watch on this phenomenon in the coming years.