Thwaites Glacier's vulnerability to warm water raises alarms

The new study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, draws attention to the uncertain future of the Thwaites Glacier, also known as the Doomsday Glacier. It has long been of significant interest to scientists because its loss could lead to a sea level rise of over 61 centimetres. Researchers have now determined that it is much more susceptible to the effects of warm ocean water than previously thought.

A team led by glaciologists from the University of California, Irvine, used satellite radar data to examine the impact of warm ocean water infiltrating beneath the massive ice sheet of the Thwaites Glacier. Interestingly, the experts utilized imagery collected from March to June 2023 by the Polish-Finnish company ICEYE. The study's lead author, Prof. Eric Rignot from the University of California, Irvine, emphasized in a press release: "These ICEYE data provided a long-term series of daily observations closely aligned with tidal cycles."

"In the past, we had sporadically available data, and it was challenging to understand what was happening based on just a few observations. When we compare a continuous time series with the tidal cycle, we see that seawater flows in during high tide and recedes, sometimes moving further under the glacier and becoming trapped. Thanks to ICEYE, we are witnessing the dynamics of tides for the first time," Rignot said.

Scientists have determined that warmer ocean water is infiltrating beneath the Thwaites Glacier. The water reaches nearly 6.5 kilometres deep under its surface, which concerns experts. The glacier must contend not only with rising air temperatures and melting ice cover, but the warm water getting under it in West Antarctica could significantly raise sea levels. According to experts, this new factor is increasing the Thwaites Glacier's instability.

"Thwaites is the most unstable place in Antarctica, where sea levels rise by 61 centimetres. We are worried that we are underestimating the rate of glacial changes, which would be catastrophic for coastal communities worldwide," emphasized Prof. Christine Dow from the University of Waterloo in Ontario, who also participated in the research.

Experts believe we still underestimate the rate of changes occurring with the glacier. They stress, however, that more research is still needed to fully understand the impact of warm ocean water on the condition of the Thwaites Glacier. This most expansive glacier in the world, with a diameter of nearly 129 kilometres, loses almost 50 billion tonnes of ice each year and accounts for 4% of sea level rise. It is estimated that its total melting could lead to a global sea level rise of up to 61 centimetres. This would have catastrophic consequences for many areas, so Thwaites is called the Doomsday Glacier.