Scientists Warn Future , Sea Level Rise , May Be Worse Than Current Projections.
CNN reports that scientists have discovered that the , Antarctic ice sheet is melting , in a new, concerning way. .
According to a new study, current projections , may be significantly underestimating , future sea level rise. .
The ice sheet's "grounding line" is
the point at which ice rises from
the seabed and begins to float.
Warm ocean water is seeping beneath this
grounding line and causing accelerated melting
which could push the process to a tipping point.
The team's findings were published
in the journal 'Nature Geoscience.'.
CNN reports that a tipping point is defined
as a threshold at which small changes accumulate,
pushing a system beyond the point of no return.
The new study found that even a small
increase in ocean temperatures can have a
significant impact on the speed of melting. .
You get this kind of runaway
feedback, where you can have
a very sudden shift in
how much melting is
happening in these places, Alex Bradley, Ice dynamics researcher at BAS
and lead author of the paper, via CNN.
Alex Bradley, an ice dynamics researcher
at BAS and lead author of the paper, suggests , “our projections of sea level rise might
be significant underestimates.".
According to the study, the implications would be noticeable immediately, with higher sea levels
threatening coastal areas around the world. .
According to the study, the implications would be noticeable immediately, with higher sea levels
threatening coastal areas around the world.