Why is the Thwaites Glacier nicknamed the 'Doomsday Glacier'?

It is nicknamed the 'Doomsday Glacier' because its collapse could cause global sea levels to rise by 2.1 feet, potentially submerging coastal communities worldwide.

What is the main goal of the current scientific mission at Thwaites Glacier?

The primary goal is to drill into inaccessible areas of the glacier to understand the ocean processes melting it from below and to collect data for sea level rise predictions.

How are scientists drilling into the Thwaites Glacier?

Scientists are using hot water, heated to approximately 90°C and pumped at high pressure, to melt through the ice and create boreholes for deploying instruments.

Home / Science / Doomsday Glacier: Scientists Drill into Antarctic Mystery

Doomsday Glacier: Scientists Drill into Antarctic Mystery

29 Jan

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Summary

Thwaites Glacier, size of Great Britain, is melting rapidly.
A collapse could raise global sea levels by 2.1ft.
Scientists are drilling to understand sub-ice ocean processes.

Doomsday Glacier: Scientists Drill into Antarctic Mystery

Scientists have embarked on a critical mission to drill into the most inaccessible parts of the Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica. This immense ice formation, roughly the size of Great Britain, is one of the world's fastest-changing glaciers. Its potential collapse poses a grave threat, with predictions of a 2.1ft rise in global sea levels.

The expedition, undertaken by researchers from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), aims to understand the poorly understood ocean processes melting the glacier from below. Using hot water to bore through the ice, they are deploying instruments near the grounding line, where the glacier lifts off the seabed. This challenging undertaking is vital for predicting future sea level rise.

Data collected from beneath the ice shelf will offer near real-time insights into how warm ocean water affects the ice. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for improving global sea level rise predictions, allowing governments and communities more time to prepare for potential impacts. The mission also involves collecting sediment and water samples to reconstruct past glacial events.