Scientists make concerning discovery at 'Doomsday Glacier' in Antarctica: 'Usually made stronger by passing storms'
Scientists have discovered another cause for melting glaciers, and it's one that has been overlooked before.
According to Earth.com, fast-moving winds in West Antarctica frequently blow over the Amundsen Sea; they're called low-level jets. A study by the Indian Institute of Technology and the British Antarctic Survey revealed "that the effects of low-level jets could be pivotal in shaping the future of the Thwaites and Pine Island glaciers. These are two of the fastest melting ice bodies on the planet."
The Thwaites Glacier, in particular, is so concerning that it has been nicknamed the Doomsday Glacier.
In 2014, scientists attached 22 sensor instruments to weather balloons and launched them near the coast.
"We wanted to understand how often these LLJs happen and what causes them," lead author Sai Prabala Swetha Chittella said, per Earth.com. "These processes could potentially influence the rate at which Thwaites and Pine Island glaciers melt, and thus their contribution to sea-level rise."
The data showed 11 LLJs. The researchers used a weather simulation tool to replicate eight of them.
One of them was formed by dense, cold air that moves downhill. Six were caused when these winds were intensified by cyclones over the Bellingshausen Sea.
"The most important thing we found is that LLJs happen often in this part of Antarctica and are usually made stronger by passing storms," co-author Andrew Orr of the British Antarctic Survey said, according to Earth.com.
Researchers worry that LLJs could shift sea ice, allowing warmer water to be transferred under the ice and causing it to melt.
Another phenomenon happening in West Antarctica is ice piracy, where one melting glacier steals ice from another.
These reports of melting ice are a huge problem. For example, scientists warn that about 15 million people are at risk of severe flooding from glacial lake swells and bursts.
Do you worry about air pollution in and around your home?
Yes — always
Yes — often
Yes — sometimes
No — never
Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.
While extreme weather events have always existed, the human-caused climate crisis has supercharged them, making them more frequent and more dangerous to communities and the environment.
The ice loss is also transforming coastlines, threatening homes, and disrupting food sources. Additionally, coastal cities are at risk of flooding because of the melting of ice sheets.
"We plan to continue our investigation of these extreme winds over this region of West Antarctica, including focusing on winter, when they are likely to be even stronger and more frequent," co-author Pranab Deb said, per Earth.com.
Melting glaciers are a complex problem, which is why it's vital to explore critical climate issues to better understand how to handle them.
Ultimately, environmentally harmful human activities — namely, burning dirty fuels — need to be reduced to help curb rising global temperatures. Switching to an electric vehicle, turning to native plants, and using clean energy can all help lead us to a brighter, safer future.
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
2 days ago
- CBS News
New report indicates emperor penguins are living on thin ice
Emperor penguins live in some of the most remote and environmentally pristine regions in the world. But that doesn't mean they're safe from the impacts of a warming planet. Just ask Dr. Birgitte McDonald, a researcher at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories. For 15 years, she's studied emperor penguins and how they dive, swim, and forage for food. A new report published in the journal Nature has deepened her concern about the penguins' survival. "This report wasn't too surprising but a little depressing at how fast it seems to be happening in one region," remarked McDonald. The report involved scientists from the British Antarctic Survey. For 15 years, they've monitored 16 colonies of emperor penguins via satellite imagery. These colonies represent roughly a third of all the emperor penguins on earth. Emperor penguin with chicks, Aptenodytes forsteri, Snow Hill Island, Antartic Peninsula, Antarctica Getty Images A new analysis of the satellite data has detected a higher and more dramatic decline in the birds' populations. Five years ago, the scientists found a 9.5% drop. The updated data shows a startling 22% drop. "Overall, the picture is quite poor. It's quite dire for the penguins," remarked Dr. Peter Fretwell, lead author of the new analysis. The warming of the planet is thinning and destabilizing the sea ice that is critical for the breeding and molting of the penguins. There is more competition for available food among all the creatures in the area. In addition, scientists are detecting more extreme weather in the form of more rainfall and storms. An increase in extreme weather is a hallmark of climate change. "The chicks are well insulated with their down, but the down only really works if they stay dry. And so, if there is a lot more rain, the chicks will have to spend more energy trying to stay warm," explained McDonald. "So, going out to sea for the first time at a lighter weight, and that could decrease their chance of survival." As to what we can do to slow the warming, McDonald offered some advice: fly less, try more carpooling and driving less, and eat less meat. These are all small steps, but if large enough people practice them, McDonald noted, there could be a difference. Here are more ideas on how you can reduce your carbon footprint. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Scientists make concerning discovery at 'Doomsday Glacier' in Antarctica: 'Usually made stronger by passing storms'
Scientists have discovered another cause for melting glaciers, and it's one that has been overlooked before. According to fast-moving winds in West Antarctica frequently blow over the Amundsen Sea; they're called low-level jets. A study by the Indian Institute of Technology and the British Antarctic Survey revealed "that the effects of low-level jets could be pivotal in shaping the future of the Thwaites and Pine Island glaciers. These are two of the fastest melting ice bodies on the planet." The Thwaites Glacier, in particular, is so concerning that it has been nicknamed the Doomsday Glacier. In 2014, scientists attached 22 sensor instruments to weather balloons and launched them near the coast. "We wanted to understand how often these LLJs happen and what causes them," lead author Sai Prabala Swetha Chittella said, per "These processes could potentially influence the rate at which Thwaites and Pine Island glaciers melt, and thus their contribution to sea-level rise." The data showed 11 LLJs. The researchers used a weather simulation tool to replicate eight of them. One of them was formed by dense, cold air that moves downhill. Six were caused when these winds were intensified by cyclones over the Bellingshausen Sea. "The most important thing we found is that LLJs happen often in this part of Antarctica and are usually made stronger by passing storms," co-author Andrew Orr of the British Antarctic Survey said, according to Researchers worry that LLJs could shift sea ice, allowing warmer water to be transferred under the ice and causing it to melt. Another phenomenon happening in West Antarctica is ice piracy, where one melting glacier steals ice from another. These reports of melting ice are a huge problem. For example, scientists warn that about 15 million people are at risk of severe flooding from glacial lake swells and bursts. Do you worry about air pollution in and around your home? Yes — always Yes — often Yes — sometimes No — never Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. While extreme weather events have always existed, the human-caused climate crisis has supercharged them, making them more frequent and more dangerous to communities and the environment. The ice loss is also transforming coastlines, threatening homes, and disrupting food sources. Additionally, coastal cities are at risk of flooding because of the melting of ice sheets. "We plan to continue our investigation of these extreme winds over this region of West Antarctica, including focusing on winter, when they are likely to be even stronger and more frequent," co-author Pranab Deb said, per Melting glaciers are a complex problem, which is why it's vital to explore critical climate issues to better understand how to handle them. Ultimately, environmentally harmful human activities — namely, burning dirty fuels — need to be reduced to help curb rising global temperatures. Switching to an electric vehicle, turning to native plants, and using clean energy can all help lead us to a brighter, safer future. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Yahoo
Antarctic seal numbers falling drastically due to melting sea ice, research shows
Antarctic seal populations are drastically declining as the sea ice melts around them, new research has shown. Researchers from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) have been monitoring the seal population in the sub-Antarctic since the 1970s, looking in particular at three different seal species in the sub-Antarctic on Signy Island: Weddell seals, Antarctic fur seals and southern elephant seals. Using satellite records from as far back as 1982, the research team compared annual changes in sea ice concentration with seal population counts conducted since 1977. With five decades worth of data spanning a period of long-term warming and temporary cooling between 1998 and 2014, they were able to draw a comprehensive picture of how seal populations react to changing ice conditions, something shorter-term studies would not be able to achieve. The study, published in the scientific journal Global Change Biology, found Weddell seals (leptonychotes weddellii), which rely on stable sea ice to rest, breed and feed, had declined by 54% since 1977. Similarly, Antarctic fur seals (arctocephalus gazella), which breed on land but are affected by food chain shifts, have declined by 47%. The findings challenge previous assumptions that the population in the South Orkneys had stabilised. Southern elephant seals (mirounga leonina), despite sharing similar population trends, presented 'no significant overall long-term decline'. The study serves to emphasise the 'vital importance of long-term ecological monitoring' as well as the interconnectedness between the three species of seal and sea ice conditions. Michael Dunn, lead author of the study, said: 'For once, we're not just predicting how wildlife might respond to shrinking sea ice and environmental shifts, we've had the rare opportunity to confirm it, using solid, long-term data. The emerging picture is deeply concerning.' In light of the BAS's findings, researchers have also raised concerns about how climate breakdown is affecting the Antarctic food web, relied on by all three species.
