Thwaites Glacier melting could persist for 150 years

New research from the British Antarctic Survey indicates that the Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica, often referred to as the ‘doomsday glacier,’ may continue to lose ice for the next 150 years. According to three independent computer models, this melting would persist even if the melting caused by seawater under its ice shelf were completely halted.

Scientists attribute this ongoing loss to climatic changes dating back to the 1940s, the effects of which are still being felt today. The study, published in Geophysical Research Letters, also highlights the significant influence of wind patterns and ocean currents on the glacier's stability. While a neighboring glacier, the Pine Island Glacier, has shown signs of regaining ice mass, the Thwaites Glacier responded differently in all models, showing continuous mass loss.

The total loss of the Thwaites Glacier could lead to a global sea-level rise of approximately 65 centimeters. Researchers and engineers are currently in the research and development phase of a concept to build an 80-kilometer-long underwater barrier designed to block warm seawater from reaching the glacier.