Latest news with #AntarcticIceSheet
Yahoo
a day ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists stunned after detecting unexpected shift in Antarctic Ice Sheet: 'A historic turnaround'
Scientists have observed an encouraging trend in growth in the Antarctic Ice Sheet but remain cautious about the climate's future. A study published in Science China Earth Sciences found that the AIS had a record-breaking gain in mass between 2021 and 2023, most likely due to a pattern of unusual precipitation, per a report from KTVU. "[The study] found that between 2011 and 2020, the AIS was losing ice at a rate of 142 gigatons per year," the outlet stated. "But between 2021 and 2023, the trend reversed, with the ice sheet gaining approximately 108 gigatons per year — a historic turnaround." According to the KTVU report, the most notable gains for the AIS were in the East Antarctica's Wilkes Land and Queen Mary Land regions, including the Totten, Denman, Moscow University, and Vincennes Bay glacier basins, which had been losing mass at an accelerating rate from 2011 to 2020 but appear to now have at least partially recovered. That growth also helped temporarily offset rising global sea levels by 0.3 millimeters per year during that two-year span. The AIS holds 90% of the freshwater on the planet, and if it was to melt, it would increase sea levels around the world — devastating coastlines, displacing people, and causing untold environmental alterations, according to the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition. While the news about the AIS gains is positive, KTVU explained that scientists stressed that the climate crisis is far from over and that the gains could likely be attributed to unusual precipitation patterns, something that is also a sign of rising temperatures. As the EPA explained, warmer oceans increase the amount of water that evaporates into the air, which leads to more intense rain and snowfall when the moisture-laden air converges with a storm system. In May 2025, scientists warned that current projections may underestimate the impact of subglacial water, which forms when the base of the ice sheet melts due to either ice movement or geothermal heat from bedrock. They predicted the effects of subglacial water could contribute 2.2 meters (about 7.2 feet) to sea-level rise by 2300. How often do you feel hopeful about the future of the planet when you read news stories or watch entertainment content? Often Sometimes Rarely Never Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. 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.
News.com.au
10-05-2025
- Science
- News.com.au
World reacts to shock development in Antarctica: ‘Oh my god!'
Social media has erupted into debate after stunning findings revealed that the Antarctic Ice Sheet had gone through record-breaking growth after decades of loss. In what seems like music to the ears of climate sceptics who have long derided doom-and-gloom predictions, a study published in Science China Earth Sciences found that between 2021 and 2023 the Antarctic Ice Sheet (AIS) grew by an unprecedented amount. The report says that between 2021 and 2023, the ice sheet grew by almost 108 gigatons (or 108 billion metric tons) of ice per year. The reason for the rise is reportedly due to an unusual increase in precipitation, particularly in East Antarctica, leading to an accumulation of snow and ice. To put it in perspective, between 2002 and 2010, the AIS lost mass at a rate of almost 74 gigatons a year, resulting in a 0.2mm per year global sea-level rise. Between 2011 and 2020, that rose to more than 142 gigatons a year, a sea-level rise of 0.39mm per year. But the recent increase in ice has seen a 0.30mm offset between 2021-2023. In the Wilkes Land–Queen Mary Land region of Antarctica, four major glaciers — Totten, Moscow University, Denman and Vincennes Bay — had been losing the most mass. Cosmos reported that Vincennes Bay and Denham had suffered 'intense' losses, suffering about 72.5 per cent surface melt and 27.5 per cent ice loss according Dr Wei Wang of Shanghai's Tonji University. But between 2021 and 2023, this area had received the most mass gain. This is important considering those glaciers are among the most vulnerable on the continent and that Antarctica holds around half of the freshwater on Earth. However, for those believing it may be the end of global warming, scientist warn that this may not signal a long-term trend. Internet runs wild with finding: 'Oh my god' Despite there being a bit more to the story, the promising headline was enough for the internet to run with the findings. X user Collin Rugg, who has 1.8m followers on the platform, shared the news on his account, writing that it was 'crazy'. He also included a line tempering the findings, saying: 'Scientists say much of the gains are linked to precipitation patterns, which could be temporary.' But his comments quickly went nuts. Self-described 'populist Republican' and founder of The Loud Majority podcast Kevin Smith replied: 'So Al Gore was wrong again??? Is climate change over?' Canadian-American venture capitalist Chamath Palihapitiya commented: 'Oh my god! All the protests and virtue signalling worked!!!' January 6 rioter Derrick Evans added: 'Poor Greta will have to come up with a new scam.' Founder and Executive Director of Power The Future Daniel Turner claimed the story was proof you should 'never believe a climate alarmist'. And this is just the tip of the metaphorical iceberg. There were plenty more who hit out at the news, but others put it in context. Crypto journalist Laura Shin suggested: 'Wouldn't it be because of Covid? People were flying and driving less, so emissions were down?' Others pointed out that it was a 'temporary' and 'anomalous' precipitation accumulation and that it had been trending down for over 20 years. Professor at the University of Ottawa Ryan Katz-Rosene, PhD also tried to put it in context, showing a graph of how the ice sheet had fared since the 1980s. Yes, there was a record -breaking mass gain for the Antarctic ice sheet from 2021 to 2023, thanks to increased precipitation in East Antarctica. This is what it looks like in contextðŸ'‡ (h/t @Marcusgibson) — Ryan Katz-Rosene, PhD (@ryankatzrosene) May 5, 2025 Two-thirds of the world's freshwater is held between Antarctica and Greenland, with NASA finding that Greenland is declining at twice the rate of Antarctica — and there was no bounce back Greenland, which has been losing ice at a reasonably steady rate since 2002. This data is from NASA's GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) mission — which ended in June 2017 — and GRACE Follow-On mission — which began in June 2018. Both missions have flown spacecraft around the Earth to study changes to the planet's waters, ice sheets and solid Earth. On average between 2002 and now, the Antarctic has lost an average of 136 gigatons per year, while Greenland is losing approximately 267 gigatons per year. Thanks to the growth between 2021-2023, current levels in 2025 are not as low as they were in January 2021, but also not by much.
New York Post
05-05-2025
- Science
- New York Post
Antarctic ice has made a surprising rebound in mass, scientists say
The Antarctic Ice Sheet (AIS) has shown signs of record-breaking growth after decades of contributing to global sea-level rise — but experts warn this doesn't mean the climate-change crisis is over. A study published in Science China Earth Sciences revealed that between 2021 and 2023, the AIS gained mass at a rate of 108 gigatons per year — a remarkable reversal from the rapid loss seen in previous years. This graph shows the shift in ice mass between 2021 and 2023. Science China Press The researchers analyzed data from the GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) and GRACE-FO (GRACE Follow-On) missions, which measure changes in Earth's gravity field to track ice mass fluctuations. They found that the AIS had been losing ice at a rate of 142 gigatons per year from 2011 to 2020. That accelerated mass loss was mainly driven by the destabilization of glaciers in West Antarctica and the Wilkes Land–Queen Mary Land (WL-QML) region of East Antarctica. However, the recent period from 2021 to 2023 saw a dramatic shift, with ice mass in East Antarctica particularly showing signs of recovery. Notably, four major glacier basins in the WL-QML region — Totten, Moscow University, Denman and Vincennes Bay — had been losing the most mass, with ice discharge and surface melting responsible for much of the loss. But between 2021 and 2023, those glaciers experienced significant mass gain, reversing the accelerated loss they had undergone. Icebergs are shown at the Larsen B Ice Shelf, located in the Weddell Sea, Antarctica. VWPics via AP Images The researchers attribute this rebound to unusual increases in precipitation, which led to an accumulation of snow and ice. This unexpected mass gain temporarily offset global sea level rise by about 0.3 millimeters per year — a small but notable increase. While this development is a glimmer of hope, scientists caution that it may not signal a long-term trend. The Antarctic Ice Sheet, which holds more than half of the world's freshwater, plays a crucial role in global sea-level rise. Its rapid melting has been one of the largest contributors to rising oceans, alongside Greenland's ice loss and thermal expansion of warming seas.
Hindustan Times
05-05-2025
- Science
- Hindustan Times
Good news! Surprising recovery seen in these East Antarctic glaciers after years of melting: What to know
In a surprising turn of events, Antarctica reportedly saw a net gain of 107.79 gigatons of ice per year between 2021 and 2023. This was a rare occurrence, as data from NASA's GRACE and GRACE-FO missions have been telling a grim tale for almost two decades. The data, which have been significant in tracking the Antarctic Ice Sheet's mass changes over the years, showed that from 2002 to 2010, Antarctica lost ice at a rate of 73.79 gigatons per year. The figure then rose to 142.06 gigatons annually between 2011 and 2020, most of the loss coming from West Antarctica and the Wilkes Land-Queen Mary Land (WL-QML) region in East Antarctica, as reported by Business Today. The gain between 2021 and 2023 was especially pronounced in four East Antarctic glacier basins — Totten, Moscow, Denman and Vincennes Bay. Previously, these areas were losing mass due to reduced surface accumulation and faster ice discharge. These glaciers have now begun accumulating ice again. There have been significant implications for sea-level rise. The AIS added that approximately 0.20 mm per year to global sea levels between 2002 and 2010, a number that surged to 0.39 mm per year from 2011 to 2020. However, Antarctica's mass gain helped offset sea-level rise by 0.30 mm per year in 2021-2023. Researchers believe this anomaly can be majorly linked to an increase in snowfall over the continent. However, the four glaciers that recently rebounded are actually among the most unstable glaciers of Antarctica, and hence the gains may just be temporary. In fact, sea levels can rise up by more than 7 meters, should there be a total collapse. Researchers from Tongji University, led by Dr. Wei Wang and Professor Yunzhong Shen, found that accelerated mass loss stems from two main factors – reduced surface mass balance (contributing 72.53% of the intensification) and increased ice discharge into the ocean (responsible for 27.47%). 'This accelerated mass loss was primarily driven by two factors: surface mass reduction (contributing 72.53%) and increased ice discharge (27.47%),' the researchers said, according to
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Antarctica gains ice for first time in decades, reversing trend of mass loss, study finds
The Brief The Antarctic Ice Sheet gained mass between 2021 and 2023, a dramatic reversal from decades of loss. Four key glacier basins in East Antarctica showed significant growth due to increased snowfall. The mass gain briefly contributed to a decrease in global sea level rise, according to satellite data. A surprising shift is underway at the bottom of the world. After decades of contributing to rising sea levels, Antarctica's massive ice sheet has started growing again — at least for now. A study published this week in Science China Earth Sciences finds that the Antarctic Ice Sheet (AIS) experienced a record-breaking mass gain between 2021 and 2023, largely due to anomalous increases in precipitation. The rebound is especially significant in East Antarctica, where four major glacier basins had previously shown signs of destabilization. Big picture view Researchers from Tongji University and other institutions analyzed satellite gravimetry data from the GRACE and GRACE-FO missions, which measure variations in Earth's gravity to detect changes in ice mass. They found that between 2011 and 2020, the AIS was losing ice at a rate of 142 gigatons per year. But between 2021 and 2023, the trend reversed, with the ice sheet gaining approximately 108 gigatons per year — a historic turnaround. That growth was enough to temporarily offset global sea level rise by about 0.3 millimeters per year during the same period. The most notable gains were in East Antarctica's Wilkes Land and Queen Mary Land region, including the Totten, Denman, Moscow University, and Vincennes Bay glacier basins. These glaciers had been losing mass at an accelerating rate from 2011 to 2020 — driven by surface melting and faster ice discharge into the ocean — but now appear to have partially recovered. Scientists warn, however, that this shift doesn't mean the climate crisis is over. The gains were linked to unusual precipitation patterns, which may be temporary. What's next The Antarctic Ice Sheet holds more than half of the world's fresh water. For decades, it's been one of the largest contributors to sea level rise, alongside Greenland's melting ice and thermal expansion of warming oceans. This new period of growth is both a surprise and a reminder of how dynamic and sensitive polar regions are to climate shifts. If similar conditions persist, they could reshape near-term sea level predictions. But most scientists stress the rebound is likely temporary unless supported by larger climatic trends. The Source This story is based on the peer-reviewed study "Spatiotemporal mass change rate analysis from 2002 to 2023 over the Antarctic Ice Sheet and four glacier basins in Wilkes-Queen Mary Land" published March 19, 2025, in Science China Earth Sciences. This story was reported from Los Angeles.
