A new study has uncovered a worrying trend in East Antarctica—surface meltwater is increasing at an alarming rate. Using over 133,000 satellite images, researchers created the first continent-wide, high-resolution monthly dataset of meltwater. What they found could change everything we thought we knew about Antarctic stability.
Meltwater now covers an area twice the size of Greater London each year, signaling growing vulnerability in East Antarctica’s ice sheet. This matters because meltwater ponding can trigger ice shelf collapse, unleashing grounded ice into the ocean and accelerating global sea level rise.
With Antarctica holding enough ice to raise sea levels by up to 58 meters, this new data reveals just how urgently we need to monitor and respond to these changes. Scientists warn that due to Earth’s gravity, regions like the UK and Northern Hemisphere could face the worst impacts.
What happens in Antarctica affects us all. Don’t miss this 1-minute breakdown of a critical climate discovery. WooGlobe Ref : WGA246729 For licensing and to use this video, please email licensing@wooglobe.com
