University of South Florida, USA - Faster in the Past: New seafloor images – the highest resolution of any taken off the West Antarctic Ice Sheet – upend understanding of Thwaites Glacier retreat

Title:

Faster in the Past: New seafloor images – the highest resolution of any taken off the West Antarctic Ice Sheet – upend understanding of Thwaites Glacier retreat

 

Author:

Kristen Kusek

 

Published:

University of South Florida, 5 September 2022

https://www.usf.edu/marine-science/news/2022/faster-in-the-past-new-seafloor-images-the-highest-resolution-of-any-taken-off-the-west-antarctic-ice-sheet.aspx

 

From the news article:

The Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica – about the size of Florida – has been an elephant in the room for scientists trying to make global sea level rise predictions. This massive ice stream is already in a phase of fast retreat (a “collapse” when viewed on geological timescales) leading to widespread concern about exactly how much, or how fast, it may give up its ice to the ocean. The potential impact of Thwaites’ retreat is spine-chilling: a total loss of the glacier and surrounding icy basins could raise sea level from three to ten feet.  

 

A new study in Nature Geoscience led by marine geophysicist Alastair Graham at the University of South Florida’s College of Marine Science (USF CMS), adds cause for concern.

 

A Concerning Change Is Happening to Earth's Water Cycle, Satellite Data Reveal [Science Alert, May 2022]

Title:

A Concerning Change Is Happening to Earth's Water Cycle, Satellite Data Reveal 

 

Author:

Carly Cassella

 

Published:

Science Alert, 2 May 2022

https://www.sciencealert.com/earth-s-water-cycle-is-accelerating-and-it-s-cause-for-great-concern

 

From the article:

Climate change is throwing Earth's water cycle severely out of whack. According to new satellite data, freshwaters are growing fresher and salt waters are growing saltier at an increasingly rapid rate all around the world. If this pattern continues, it will turbocharge rainstorms.

ALSO SEE

Olmedo, E., Turiel, A., González-Gambau, V. et al. Increasing stratification as observed by satellite sea surface salinity measurements. Sci Rep 12, 6279 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-10265-1