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The Thwaites Glacier, which gets its doomsday nickname due to its impact on sea level rise is not only losing ice rapidly from climate change. Scientists have found it is being hit with heat from the Earth’s crust, as it is only 10 to 15 miles deep below West Antarctica, compared to around 25 miles in East Antarctica. Since the Eighties, has lost almost 600 billion tonnes of ice, single-handedly contributing four percent to the annual global sea-level rise during that time.
The glacier’s rate of ice loss has accelerated substantially in the past three decades, which is said to be mainly due to a number of mysterious rivers of warm water slicing across the glacier’s underbelly.
Now, a new study published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment suggests that the heat of the Earth itself may also be playing a huge part in West Antarctica.
Researchers analysed geomagnetic field data from West Antarctica to create new maps of geothermal heat flow in the region.
Lead study author Ricarda Dziadez said: “Our measurements show that where the Earth’s crust is only 17 to 25 kilometres thick, geothermal heat flow of up to 150 milliwatts per square meter can occur beneath Thwaites Glacier.”
Scientists had long suspected that West Antarctica was absorbing more heat from the planet’s upper mantle as it sits in an oceanic trench.
The new study quantifies the difference for the first time.
Co-author Dr Karsten Gohl added: “The temperature on the underside of the glacier is dependent on a number of factors – for example whether the ground consists of compact, solid rock, or of meters of water-saturated sediment.
“Water conducts the rising heat very efficiently. But it can also transport heat energy away before it can reach the bottom of the glacier.”
Experts have previously warned that if Thwaites collapses into the ocean, global sea levels would rise by about 25 inches devastating coastline communities around the world.
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They said the maps “should be regarded as screening tools to identify places that may require deeper investigation of risk”.
The group added: “Our approach makes it easy to map any scenario quickly and reflects threats from permanent future sea-level rise well.
“However, the accuracy of these maps drops when assessing risks from extreme flood events.”
The forecasts do not account for other risk factors such as coastal erosion, inland flooding or rainfall.
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