Scientists have detected a surprising shift in the Antarctic Ice Sheet’s behavior, revealing a record-breaking increase in overall mass between 2021 and 2023. This development has significant implications for global sea-level rise. The East Antarctica region, once thought to be relatively stable, now shows signs of accelerated growth, contrary to previous studies that indicated increased mass loss.
The research, led by Dr. Wang and Prof. Shen at Tongji University, used satellite gravimetry data from the GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) mission and its successor, GRACE-FO. The study found a notable reversal in the mass gain trend of four major glaciers in the Wilkes Land-Queen Mary Land region of East Antarctica.
The results show that between 2021 and 2023, these glaciers experienced significant mass gain, driven by anomalous precipitation accumulation. This shift has important consequences for global sea-level rise, as it suggests that East Antarctica’s contribution to sea-level rise was reduced during this period.
The researchers also noted that the four key glacier basins in the region exhibited accelerated mass loss intensification between 2011-2020 compared to previous periods. However, their ablation patterns are now being closely monitored due to concerns about potential instability and global mean sea level rise exceeding 7 meters.
This new finding highlights the complexities of climate change and the need for further research on Antarctic ice sheet dynamics. It also underscores the importance of considering alternative explanations for long-term trends in ice coverage, such as episodic forcing from submarine volcanoes or spreading centers associated with the Pacific Ring of Fire.
Reference: “Spatiotemporal mass change rate analysis from 2003 to 2022”
Source: https://scitechdaily.com/antarcticas-astonishing-rebound-ice-sheet-grows-for-the-first-time-in-decades