In the past few decades, Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica has become known as ‘the Doomsday Glacier’. This ice mass has been the focus of many scholars as it threatens to add up to 65 centimeters to the level of the oceans were it to completely thaw, that does not take into account the potential to release up to 3 more meters worth of sea level from other warming ice sheets.
ITGC
In light of the above, in 2018, ITCG was established through the partnership of the United States and United Kingdom in a bid to tackle the problem of the Thwaites glacier. One of the most ambitious projects had 100 scientists working with the glacier. Fieldwork, submersibles, remote sensing along with computer modeling were among the methods used.
“These are the results that affected the conclusions of sixty-seven missions that were handed over to the National Science Foundation.” As the eighth and concluding phase of the ITGC nears completion in a year, its members convened at British Antarctic Survey (BAS) HQ in Cambridge, UK, for presentation of research outcomes. What happened next? It appears that the “Doomsday Glacier” is not going to melt away within the next few decades, or to be more precise – within the next twenty decades.
Key Findings
- Steady Retreat, Not Collapse: Building on Thomas ’s earlier work, the preliminary modeling suggests that Thwaites will gradually retreat over the next decades. The likelihood of a total collapse of the glacier in this century remains, however, low. By 2100 the glacier is expected to raise sea level with 6 centimeters more than otherwise.
- Complex Bedrock Topography: The results of the seismic studies have shown that it is a quite mixture of hard bed rock, sediments, and lakes under the glacier. This type of terrain makes it hard to model the groruder-thwaites-operations-how-long-will-it-take-once-the-thwaites-glacier-retreats-ice with while thin mergers forms.
- Ice Shelf Stability: In contrast to earlier assumptions radar measurements have determined that within the last few years, the thickness of the floating ice shelf has not shown remarkable changes. It appears that the retreat rate of the glacier is more affected by cracking rather than melting.
- Long-term Concerns: This is good news especially in light of the previous views short term effects are worse than this. The long term over the next few centuries predictions do not offer good outlook either. In the worst emission scenario, the Thwaite and neighboring ice sheets may complete collapse by the year 2300, distracting sea levels by adding over 4 meters.
- Historical Context: There are paleoclimate suggestions that Thwaites has experienced quite history in the movements of the glaciers. Studies show that it was a couple thousand years ago that the rate of the glacier was at least thirty-five vertical meters yes thinner than it is at present thus it has room for alterations and adjustments.
Conclusion and Suggestions for Further Investigation
These results emphasize the multi-faceted nature of the ability to forecast the behavior of glaciers and the need for further studies. Although it appears that the risk of collapse in the near future is less likely, the concern of the Thwaites glacier in the future still remains prevalent.
The ITSGC’s approach to scientific endorsement is noteworthy and has addressed many issues, although some still remain unanswered. Data limitations particularly on the western trunk, which is the most energetic part of the glacier, and the sub ice bed and the material underneath the ice shelf, create a barrier in the actual projections of the glacier.
As we approach threats emanating from global warming and the likes, appreciating the dynamics of key environmental resources such as the Thwaites Glacier becomes more significant. While the “Doomsday glacier” may not be living up to its nickname any soon, it remains important for investigation as its effects on global sea levels continues to be relevant to glaciologists.
