The Thwaites Glacier, also known as "Doomsday Glacier", is inching dangerously close to collapsing, triggering a huge rise in sea levels. A new study now hints at the time it is likely to meet its end.&nbsp;

Scientists from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) undertook a fresh study of the glacier and measured it using underwater robots. Their data suggests that the Thwaites Glacier, roughly 74.5 miles (120km) in size, could cease to exist completely by the 23rd century. Along with it, a major part of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet could also be lost, leading to sea levels rising to alarming levels across the world.&nbsp;

If it does vanish completely, global sea levels can rise by two feet (65cm), sinking huge portions of landmass, the study says.

The widest glacier on the planet is equivalent to Great Britain or Florida. At certain points, it is over 6,500ft (2,000 metres) thick. For context, this is 2.5 times the size of Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building in Dubai.&nbsp;

While it is a known fact that the glacier is in danger of melting away fully, the exact timeline is not clear. Dr Rob Larter, a marine geophysicist at BAS, says, "There is a consensus that Thwaites Glacier retreat will accelerate sometime within the next century."

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/antarctica-might-dodge-worst-case-scenario-the-question-is-752252">Antarctica ice sheet might avert dramatic collapse, but it will disappear</a>

However, he points to &nbsp;"additional processes revealed by recent studies" that "could cause retreat to accelerate sooner."

Thwaites has been losing a lot of ice lately. Previous studies suggest that the amount of water flowing from the Thwaites Glacier and other glaciers has more than doubled from the 1990s to the 2010s.&nbsp;

<h2>West Antarctic Ice Sheet collapse</h2>

The latest study indicated that a complete collapse looks imminent by the 23rd century.

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"It's concerning that the latest computer models predict continuing ice loss that will accelerate through the 22nd century and could lead to a widespread collapse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet in the 23rd,'" Dr Ted Scambos, US science coordinator of the ITGC and glaciologist at the University of Colorado, said.

Thwaites has been categorised as "exceptionally vulnerable" by researchers because "its ice rests on a bed far below sea level, which slopes downwards towards the heart of West Antarctica."

While the collapse of the Thwaites glacier could lead global sea levels to rise by two feet (65cm), the scenario for the entire West Antarctic Ice Sheet is even more scary. It the latter also vanishes completely, global sea levels will rise by a whopping 10.8ft (3.3 metres).&nbsp;

Researchers are urging for immediate action to tackle greenhouse gas emissions, a leading factor for the melting of Thwaites.

The Thwaites Glacier, also known as "Doomsday Glacier", is inching dangerously close to collapsing, triggering a huge rise in sea levels. A new study now hints at the time it is likely to meet its end.

The Thwaites Glacier, also known as "Doomsday Glacier", is inching dangerously close to collapsing, triggering a huge rise in sea levels. A new study now hints at the time it is likely to meet its end. Scientists from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) undertook a fresh study of the glacier and measured it using underwater robots. Their data suggests that the Thwaites Glacier, roughly 74.5 miles (120km) in size, could cease to exist completely by the 23rd century. Along with it, a major part of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet could also be lost, leading to sea levels rising to alarming levels across the world. If it does vanish completely, global sea levels can rise by two feet (65cm), sinking huge portions of landmass, the study says. The widest glacier on the planet is equivalent to Great Britain or Florida. At certain points, it is over 6,500ft (2,000 metres) thick. For context, this is 2.5 times the size of Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building in Dubai. While it is a known fact that the glacier is in danger of melting away fully, the exact timeline is not clear. Dr Rob Larter, a marine geophysicist at BAS, says, "There is a consensus that Thwaites Glacier retreat will accelerate sometime within the next century." Also Read: Antarctica ice sheet might avert dramatic collapse, but it will disappear However, he points to "additional processes revealed by recent studies" that "could cause retreat to accelerate sooner." Thwaites has been losing a lot of ice lately. Previous studies suggest that the amount of water flowing from the Thwaites Glacier and other glaciers has more than doubled from the 1990s to the 2010s. West Antarctic Ice Sheet collapse The latest study indicated that a complete collapse looks imminent by the 23rd century. × "It's concerning that the latest computer models predict continuing ice loss that will accelerate through the 22nd century and could lead to a widespread collapse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet in the 23rd,'" Dr Ted Scambos, US science coordinator of the ITGC and glaciologist at the University of Colorado, said. Thwaites has been categorised as "exceptionally vulnerable" by researchers because "its ice rests on a bed far below sea level, which slopes downwards towards the heart of West Antarctica." While the collapse of the Thwaites glacier could lead global sea levels to rise by two feet (65cm), the scenario for the entire West Antarctic Ice Sheet is even more scary. It the latter also vanishes completely, global sea levels will rise by a whopping 10.8ft (3.3 metres). Researchers are urging for immediate action to tackle greenhouse gas emissions, a leading factor for the melting of Thwaites.

Antarctica's 'doomsday glacier' might completely vanish by 23rd century

Scientists have discovered a hidden marine thriving 500 metres below the Antarctic ice shelf. The scientists from New Zealand found small shrimp-like creatures and discovered a river along the bottom of a cavernous space under the ice. The discovery was made hundreds of kilometres away from the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf and it’s believed that the river is an estuary from the sea.

The fascinating discovery was made by the researchers from universities in Wellington, Auckland and Otago, the National Institute of Water and Atmospherics (Niwa) and Geological and Nuclear Sciences who were investigating the role of the estuary in climate-induced ice-shelf melt.

After scientists drilled down 500 metres beneath the ice and into the river in Antarctica, their camera was swarmed by amphipods, little creatures from the same lineage as lobsters, crabs and mites.

“For a while, we thought something was wrong with the camera, but when the focus improved, we noticed a swarm of arthropods around 5mm in size,” Craig Stevens from the Niwa organisation told the Guardian.
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‘We’ve done experiments in other parts of the ice shelf and thought we had a handle on things, but this time big surprises were thrown up,” he said.

“We were jumping up and down because having all those animals swimming around our equipment means that there’s clearly an important ecosystem there,” he added.

Stevens said that they have taken some water samples to the lab to look at the DNA and other properties of the water “to see what makes it unique, as we were observing something not seen in other systems close by.”

Scientists have long believed that there might be hidden rivers and lakes under the Antarctic ice, but it has never been surveyed previously.

Antarctica is divided into East and West Antarctica, with the Transantarctic Mountain Range separating the two halves. In West Antarctica, the ice is more unstable than in the east, so melting ice and collapsing ice shelves are often observed.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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Scientists have discovered a hidden marine thriving 500 metres below the Antarctic ice shelf. The scientists from New Zealand found small shrimp-like creatures and discovered a river along the bottom of a cavernous space under the ice.

Scientists have discovered a hidden marine thriving 500 metres below the Antarctic ice shelf. The scientists from New Zealand found small shrimp-like creatures and discovered a river along the bottom of a cavernous space under the ice. The discovery was made hundreds of kilometres away from the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf and it’s believed that the river is an estuary from the sea. The fascinating discovery was made by the researchers from universities in Wellington, Auckland and Otago, the National Institute of Water and Atmospherics (Niwa) and Geological and Nuclear Sciences who were investigating the role of the estuary in climate-induced ice-shelf melt. After scientists drilled down 500 metres beneath the ice and into the river in Antarctica, their camera was swarmed by amphipods, little creatures from the same lineage as lobsters, crabs and mites. “For a while, we thought something was wrong with the camera, but when the focus improved, we noticed a swarm of arthropods around 5mm in size,” Craig Stevens from the Niwa organisation told the Guardian. ‘We’ve done experiments in other parts of the ice shelf and thought we had a handle on things, but this time big surprises were thrown up,” he said. “We were jumping up and down because having all those animals swimming around our equipment means that there’s clearly an important ecosystem there,” he added. Stevens said that they have taken some water samples to the lab to look at the DNA and other properties of the water “to see what makes it unique, as we were observing something not seen in other systems close by.” Scientists have long believed that there might be hidden rivers and lakes under the Antarctic ice, but it has never been surveyed previously. Antarctica is divided into East and West Antarctica, with the Transantarctic Mountain Range separating the two halves. In West Antarctica, the ice is more unstable than in the east, so melting ice and collapsing ice shelves are often observed. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Scientists discover hidden marine life thriving 500 metres below Antarctic ice

Limiting global warming to 1.5°C could halve how much sea levels rise due to melting ice sheets this century, according to a major new study modelling how Earth's frozen spaces will respond to ever-increasing greenhouse gas emissions.

Since 1993, melting land ice has contributed to at least half of global sea level rise and scientists have previously warned that the vast ice sheets of Antarctica were disappearing faster than worst-case scenarios.

An international team of more than 50 climate scientists combined hundreds of melt simulations of the Antarctica and Greenland ice sheets, which contain enough frozen water to raise the world's seas some 65 metres (213 feet).

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/california-sequoia-still-smoldering-after-2020-fires-383159" hreflang="en">California sequoia still smoldering after 2020 fires</a>

They also included melt modelling from Earth's more than 220,000 glaciers, which make up only one percent of ice on the planet but contribute as much as a fifth of sea level rise.

The team analysed the models to come up with probability estimates of how much melting ice would raise oceans under a variety of emissions pathways.

They found that if mankind successfully limits warming to 1.5°C -- the goal set down in the Paris climate deal -- it could halve ice's contribution to sea level rise by 2100.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/study-finds-air-pollution-spikes-may-impair-older-mens-thinking-382739" hreflang="en">Study finds air pollution spikes may impair older men’s thinking&nbsp;</a>

This is compared with the roughly 3C of warming Earth would undergo if countries' current emissions-cutting pledges played out.

"Global sea level is going to continue to rise," said lead study author Tamsin Edwards, from King's College London's department of geography.

"But we could halve that contribution from ice melting if we limit warming to 1.5°C, relative to current pledges."

Antarctic uncertainty

The study, published in the journal Nature, found that the average contribution to sea level rise from melting ice at 1.5°C was 13 centimetres (five inches) by 2100, compared to the 25 centimetres currently projected.

The analysis showed that sea level rise attributed to the Greenland ice sheet would fall 70 percent if the 1.5°C target was met, and land-based glaciers' contribution would roughly halve.

However the projections were less clear and varied widely when it came to Antarctica.

Co-author Sophie Nowicki, from the NASA Goddard Flight Center, said the uncertainty in the models was largely down to what extent increased snowfall across a warming continent would offset melting from the ice shelves.

"Greenland is really sensitive to atmospheric changes, and so in a warmer world you get more melting on the surface of the ice sheets," said Nowicki.

"In Antarctica it is very complex. A warmer world could mean more snowfall, but it could also mean more melt at the side of the icesheet."

The calculations showed a 95 percent chance that Antarctica would contribute less than 56 centimetres to sea level rise by 2100.

But under a "pessimistic scenario", the study showed, Antarctica could raise global oceans by more than that even if humanity manages to cap warming at 1.5°C.

'Irreversible' melt

A second study, also published Wednesday in Nature, found that limiting warming to 2C above industrial levels was likely to maintain the current rate of ice melt in Antarctica.

However, if current emissions-cutting pledges are not intensified by 2060, the models showed that the continent could contribute half a centimetre to sea levels every year by 2100.

Furthermore, the study warned that if emissions continue at their current levels, a tipping point will be reached around 2060 which would lead to Antarctic melt that would be "irreversible on multi-century timescales".

The research, led by a team from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, modelled how the ice shelves that keep the Antarctic ice sheet from collapsing into the sea were likely to respond to temperature changes this century.

With greater warming, the ice shelves thin and become more fragile, the models showed, risking accelerated melt from the ice sheet, as well as "calving", which is when large chunks of ice break off into the sea, as has happened already in parts of the Arctic.

"Global warming above 2C increases risk of exceeding a tipping point- where ice shelves thin or collapse, allowing a major acceleration in ice loss- and sea level rise," lead author Robert DeConto told AFP.

"Once set in motion, the ice retreat is unstoppable, because the buttressing ice shelves don't easily regrow in a warming ocean."

Limiting global warming to 1.5°C could halve how much sea levels rise due to melting ice sheets this century, according to a major new study modelling how Earth's frozen spaces will respond to ever-increasing greenhouse gas emissions.

Limiting global warming to 1.5°C could halve how much sea levels rise due to melting ice sheets this century, according to a major new study modelling how Earth's frozen spaces will respond to ever-increasing greenhouse gas emissions. Since 1993, melting land ice has contributed to at least half of global sea level rise and scientists have previously warned that the vast ice sheets of Antarctica were disappearing faster than worst-case scenarios. An international team of more than 50 climate scientists combined hundreds of melt simulations of the Antarctica and Greenland ice sheets, which contain enough frozen water to raise the world's seas some 65 metres (213 feet). Also read | California sequoia still smoldering after 2020 fires They also included melt modelling from Earth's more than 220,000 glaciers, which make up only one percent of ice on the planet but contribute as much as a fifth of sea level rise. The team analysed the models to come up with probability estimates of how much melting ice would raise oceans under a variety of emissions pathways. They found that if mankind successfully limits warming to 1.5°C -- the goal set down in the Paris climate deal -- it could halve ice's contribution to sea level rise by 2100. Also read | Study finds air pollution spikes may impair older men’s thinking This is compared with the roughly 3C of warming Earth would undergo if countries' current emissions-cutting pledges played out. "Global sea level is going to continue to rise," said lead study author Tamsin Edwards, from King's College London's department of geography. "But we could halve that contribution from ice melting if we limit warming to 1.5°C, relative to current pledges." Antarctic uncertainty The study, published in the journal Nature, found that the average contribution to sea level rise from melting ice at 1.5°C was 13 centimetres (five inches) by 2100, compared to the 25 centimetres currently projected. The analysis showed that sea level rise attributed to the Greenland ice sheet would fall 70 percent if the 1.5°C target was met, and land-based glaciers' contribution would roughly halve. However the projections were less clear and varied widely when it came to Antarctica. Co-author Sophie Nowicki, from the NASA Goddard Flight Center, said the uncertainty in the models was largely down to what extent increased snowfall across a warming continent would offset melting from the ice shelves. "Greenland is really sensitive to atmospheric changes, and so in a warmer world you get more melting on the surface of the ice sheets," said Nowicki. "In Antarctica it is very complex. A warmer world could mean more snowfall, but it could also mean more melt at the side of the icesheet." The calculations showed a 95 percent chance that Antarctica would contribute less than 56 centimetres to sea level rise by 2100. But under a "pessimistic scenario", the study showed, Antarctica could raise global oceans by more than that even if humanity manages to cap warming at 1.5°C. 'Irreversible' melt A second study, also published Wednesday in Nature, found that limiting warming to 2C above industrial levels was likely to maintain the current rate of ice melt in Antarctica. However, if current emissions-cutting pledges are not intensified by 2060, the models showed that the continent could contribute half a centimetre to sea levels every year by 2100. Furthermore, the study warned that if emissions continue at their current levels, a tipping point will be reached around 2060 which would lead to Antarctic melt that would be "irreversible on multi-century timescales". The research, led by a team from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, modelled how the ice shelves that keep the Antarctic ice sheet from collapsing into the sea were likely to respond to temperature changes this century. With greater warming, the ice shelves thin and become more fragile, the models showed, risking accelerated melt from the ice sheet, as well as "calving", which is when large chunks of ice break off into the sea, as has happened already in parts of the Arctic. "Global warming above 2C increases risk of exceeding a tipping point- where ice shelves thin or collapse, allowing a major acceleration in ice loss- and sea level rise," lead author Robert DeConto told AFP. "Once set in motion, the ice retreat is unstoppable, because the buttressing ice shelves don't easily regrow in a warming ocean."

1.5C warming cap could 'halve' sea level rise from melting ice

Climate change is triggering an unprecedented crisis as ice sheets continue to melt. Now, a new study posits that global sea levels could rise by 20 per cent by the end of this century owing to the continuous melting of West Antarctic Ice Sheet.

On multiple occasions, scientists have warned of the dangers posed by expedited melting of ice caps and sheets which could drown towns and cities across the world.&nbsp;But the potential threat of the increase in sea levels from the West Antarctic Ice Sheet was downplayed till now. This implies that the increase in sea level would be much higher than previously estimated.

The study was published in the journal “Science Advances” and was undertaken by researchers from Harvard University in the United States. They used new calculations based on what they witnessed along the ice sheet, which they’ve referred&nbsp;as a “water expulsion mechanism”.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/science/scientists-reveal-how-hot-antarctica-will-be-by-2044-due-to-climate-change-371098" hreflang="en">Scientists reveal how hot Antarctica will be by 2044 due to climate change</a>

Simply put, the mechanism happens when&nbsp;the solid base of the ice sheet begins to move upwards, decreasing the total weight of the ice sheet. In usual circumstances, the solid base or “bedrock” remains below sea level. But when it lifts itself, the water from the surrounding area is pushed into the ocean, contributing to the global increase in sea levels.

A simulation undertaken by the scientists showed that by the end of the ongoing century, a 20 per cent increase in the water expulsion mechanism could take place along the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. In case the ice sheet completely collapses, the global rise in sea levels would be amplified by an additional metre within 1,000 years.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/science/scientists-discover-life-where-it-shouldnt-exist-in-antarctica-363842" hreflang="en">Scientists discover life where it shouldn't exist in Antarctica</a>

Scientists hope that others would follow suit in including the scope of water expulsion effect in further enquiries into the potential collapse of ice sheets on the planet.

(With inputs from agencies)

Climate change is triggering an unprecedented crisis as ice sheets continue to melt. Now, a new study posits that global sea levels could rise by 20 per cent by the end of this century owing to the continuous melting of West Antarctic Ice Sheet.

Climate change is triggering an unprecedented crisis as ice sheets continue to melt. Now, a new study posits that global sea levels could rise by 20 per cent by the end of this century owing to the continuous melting of West Antarctic Ice Sheet. On multiple occasions, scientists have warned of the dangers posed by expedited melting of ice caps and sheets which could drown towns and cities across the world. But the potential threat of the increase in sea levels from the West Antarctic Ice Sheet was downplayed till now. This implies that the increase in sea level would be much higher than previously estimated. The study was published in the journal “Science Advances” and was undertaken by researchers from Harvard University in the United States. They used new calculations based on what they witnessed along the ice sheet, which they’ve referred as a “water expulsion mechanism”. Also read: Scientists reveal how hot Antarctica will be by 2044 due to climate change Simply put, the mechanism happens when the solid base of the ice sheet begins to move upwards, decreasing the total weight of the ice sheet. In usual circumstances, the solid base or “bedrock” remains below sea level. But when it lifts itself, the water from the surrounding area is pushed into the ocean, contributing to the global increase in sea levels. A simulation undertaken by the scientists showed that by the end of the ongoing century, a 20 per cent increase in the water expulsion mechanism could take place along the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. In case the ice sheet completely collapses, the global rise in sea levels would be amplified by an additional metre within 1,000 years. Also read: Scientists discover life where it shouldn't exist in Antarctica Scientists hope that others would follow suit in including the scope of water expulsion effect in further enquiries into the potential collapse of ice sheets on the planet. (With inputs from agencies)

Melting of Antarctic ice sheet could raise sea levels by 20%, new study finds

Scientists have created the first large-scale map of microscopic algae on the Antarctic peninsula. The map showed the surface turning green and&nbsp;potentially creating a source of nutrition for other species.

The team of biologists from the University of Cambridge and the British Antarctic Survey spent six years on this research. They detected and measured the green snow algae using a combination of satellite data and ground observation.

The study was published in the journal Nature Communications on Wednesday.

Describing the algae map as a missing piece of the carbon cycle jigsaw in the Antarctic, Matt Davey, one of the scientists on the team said, “It’s a community. This could potentially form new habitats. In some place, it would be the beginning of a new ecosystem.” He also explained that the&nbsp;algae have formed close bonds with small fungal spores and bacteria.&nbsp;

In some areas, these single-cell life-forms are so dense, they turn the snow bright green. these can also be spotted from the space, according to the study. This large-scale map of the algae will be used to assess the speed at which Antarctica is turning green and maybe providing sustenance to other species.

It identifies 1,679 separate blooms of green snow algae. This, together, will cover an area of 1.9 sq. km and equals 479 tonnes per year carbon sink. While this will not make much of a difference in the planet's carbon budget, Matt explained this to&nbsp;equal to emissions of about 875,000 car journeys in the UK.

Almost two-thirds of the green algal blooms were found on islands around Peninsula, but these were small islands. These have&nbsp;experienced the most intense heating in the world. The snow algae were less conspicuous in colder and&nbsp;southern regions.

This is not the first time green has been spotted. Scientists say that earlier michen and mass was spotted, however, those grow&nbsp;extremely slowly in comparison to&nbsp;algae. The scientists also plan to measure&nbsp;red and orange algae to&nbsp;calculate the effect of the&nbsp;presence of these colourful forms on&nbsp;the heat-reflecting albedo quality of the snow.

Andrew Gray, the lead author of the paper, said, “I think we will get more large blooms in the future. Before we know whether this has a significant impact on carbon budgets or bio albedo, we need to run the numbers.”

Scientists have created the first large-scale map of microscopic algae on the Antarctic peninsula. The map showed the surface turning green and potentially creating a source of nutrition for other species.

Scientists have created the first large-scale map of microscopic algae on the Antarctic peninsula. The map showed the surface turning green and potentially creating a source of nutrition for other species. The team of biologists from the University of Cambridge and the British Antarctic Survey spent six years on this research. They detected and measured the green snow algae using a combination of satellite data and ground observation. The study was published in the journal Nature Communications on Wednesday. Describing the algae map as a missing piece of the carbon cycle jigsaw in the Antarctic, Matt Davey, one of the scientists on the team said, “It’s a community. This could potentially form new habitats. In some place, it would be the beginning of a new ecosystem.” He also explained that the algae have formed close bonds with small fungal spores and bacteria. In some areas, these single-cell life-forms are so dense, they turn the snow bright green. these can also be spotted from the space, according to the study. This large-scale map of the algae will be used to assess the speed at which Antarctica is turning green and maybe providing sustenance to other species. It identifies 1,679 separate blooms of green snow algae. This, together, will cover an area of 1.9 sq. km and equals 479 tonnes per year carbon sink. While this will not make much of a difference in the planet's carbon budget, Matt explained this to equal to emissions of about 875,000 car journeys in the UK. Almost two-thirds of the green algal blooms were found on islands around Peninsula, but these were small islands. These have experienced the most intense heating in the world. The snow algae were less conspicuous in colder and southern regions. This is not the first time green has been spotted. Scientists say that earlier michen and mass was spotted, however, those grow extremely slowly in comparison to algae. The scientists also plan to measure red and orange algae to calculate the effect of the presence of these colourful forms on the heat-reflecting albedo quality of the snow. Andrew Gray, the lead author of the paper, said, “I think we will get more large blooms in the future. Before we know whether this has a significant impact on carbon budgets or bio albedo, we need to run the numbers.”

Scientists prepare a map of Antarctica turning green due to climate change

Surprising images of Antarctica without snow emerged from Chile as the southern tip of the South American country near Antarctica experiences unusually high temperatures amid concern for global warming.

This is what Antarctica looks like without snow