Thwaites glacier in West Antarctica are enormous in size and often referred to as the most dangerous glacier on Earth. Thwaites is the size of the U.S. state of Florida. Thwaites glacier is larger the England and could drive global sea levels up by two feet (60cm) if it were to totally collapse. 5 Channels carrying warm water along the Antarctic sea bed are thought to be the killer factor driving the glacier's dramatic demise, new maps show. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. "These channels had not been mapped before in this kind of detail," Dr Kelly Hogan from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) told BBC News. Deep channels discovered under the Antarctic's so-called "Doomsday glacier" may be allowing warm ocean water to melt the underside of ice, according to … It dumps 80billions of tonnes of ice into the ocean every year, heavily contributing to global sea level rises. One group mapped the ice sheet from the air, while another used an icebreaker vessel equipped with an echo-locator. News Corp is a network of leading companies in the worlds of diversified media, news, education, and information services. 'Doomsday Glacier' found to contain deep channels that could melt it from below. The glacier, roughly the size of Britain or Florida, already contributes four percent a year to global sea level rise. "What we've discovered is that they're actually much bigger than anyone thought - up to 600m deep. The collapse of the 74,000-square-mile Thwaites — which some scientists see as the most vulnerable and significant glacier in the world when it comes to sea-level-rise — could release a … Scientists think we could see a total collapse of the glacier within the next century, and are scrambling to better understand how to save it. He added that the channels "also melt the base of the ice shelf, which if you weaken will make the ice further upstream in the glacier flow faster.". As part of two new studies into the glacier, teams of US and UK scientists scanned Thwaites from above and below. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. The glacier in western Antarctica which is roughly the size of Great Britain is estimated to be retreating by about half a mile (800 metres) a year, and is on course to shed all of its ice in between 200 and 600 years. Thwaites is a massive glacier – roughly the size of Britain. Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica is 74,000 square miles, the size of Great Britain, and is thought to be particularly susceptible to climate change.. A GLACIER bigger than Britain and known as the 'Doomsday Glacier' is melting much faster than scientists had anticipated, and scientists now know why. ", She added: "Because they are so deep, and so wide - this allows a lot more water to get at, and melt, Thwaites' floating front as well as its ice that rests on the seabed.". Nicknamed the “doomsday glacier”, the Thwaites glacier in western Antarctica has the potential to devastate the globe. An Antarctic glacier, the size of Great Britain, is melting at an alarming rate, according to new research. The cavity was about 300 feet high and just over nine miles long. "The connected channels that we've mapped are the potential pathways for deep-ocean warm water to get in and do damage," BAS's Dr Tom Jordan said. "As more heat and water get under the glacier, it melts faster." Often called the "Doomsday Glacier," it is considered the most important glacier in the world. Climate change: What Antarctica's 'doomsday glacier' means for the planet 19 Jul, 2020 02:22 AM 11 minutes to read Antarctica hold crucial clues about the future of the planet. He added that the channels "also melt the base of the ice shelf, which if you weaken will make the ice further upstream in the glacier flow faster.". It's been described as the "Doomsday" glacier because of the deadly impact its melting could have on our planet. Glaciologists have described Thwaites as the "most important" glacier in the world, the "riskiest" glacier, even the "doomsday" glacier. I realize it's not flat and has depth, it's ju. It's been described as the "Doomsday" glacier because of the deadly impact its melting could have on our planet. By … An Antarctic glacier, the size of Great Britain, is melting at an alarming rate, according to new research. Scientists will use the new data to create models that can help them to better predict the glacier's behaviour in future. October 14, 2020. View our online Press Pack. The two studies provide the best view yet of the underside of the glacier. The 'doomsday' glacier. View our online Press Pack. Their maps reveal a series of channels deep beneath the ice shelf that join up to form a major cavity. Researchers gauge the glacier will lose the entirety of its ice in around 200 to 600 years. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. That is somewhat on the grounds that the Thwaites, a Britain-sized glacier in western Antarctica, is liquefying at a disturbing rate. ... Jeff Goodell wrote a long-form piece for Rolling Stone about the instability of the Thwaites Glacier (a chunk of ice the size … It's thought that a sea level rise of two feet would swamp coastal towns and cities, turfing millions across the globe from their homes. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. 's hard for me to fathom that a glacier the size of the UK could raise sea levels that much. Weakness in doomsday glacier the size of BRITAIN could send sea levels soaring by two feet By Brinkwire on September 10, 2020 SCIENTISTS have laid bare the vulnerability of an enormous glacier in Antarctica that scientists say is teetering on the edge of collapse. Now researchers think they've unearthed the "critical link" between the ocean and the base of the melting glacier. Researchers at New York University and the British Antarctic Survey drilled through nearly 2,000 feet of ice in the Thwaites glacier in West Antarctica, to measure … "These channels had not been mapped before in this kind of detail," Dr Kelly Hogan from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) told BBC News. Thwaites glacier in West Antarctica are enormous in size and often referred to as the most dangerous glacier on Earth. Nick-named the Doomsday glacier, Thwaites glacier flows off the west of the Antarctic and is dumping billions of tonnes of ice into the ocean, pushing up global sea-levels. The so-called Thwaites 'doomsday glacier' in Western Antarctica is the size of Britain and is known to be melting at an alarming rate. Thwaites, which flows into Antarctica's Pine Island Bay, is already losing eight times as much ice a year as it was in the late 1990s. Its surface speeds exceed 2 kilometres per year (1.2 miles per year) near its grounding line. The melt has increased from 10 billion tonnes of ice a year in the 1990s, to 80 billion tonnes a year today. That's partly because the Thwaites, a Britain-sized glacier in western Antarctica, is melting at an alarming rate: It's retreating by about half a mile (2,625 feet) per year. Journey to the 'doomsday' glacier. It's thought that rapidly warming temperatures caused by climate change are responsible for the vulnerable glacier's troubles. UK is 242.495 km² All seas and oceans are 510,082,000 km² (2107 times more). Thwaites glacier is larger the England and could drive global sea levels up by two feet (60cm) if it were to totally collapse. Harry Pettit, Senior Digital Technology and Science Reporter; Sep 9 2020, 8:08 ET; SCIENTISTS have laid bare the vulnerability of an enormous glacier in Antarctica that … One group mapped the ice sheet from the air, while another used an icebreaker vessel equipped with an echo-locator. 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Email us at tech@the-sun.co.uk, Kate and William take George, Charlotte and Louis to Christmas panto, Viewers praise Dolly Parton as 'absolute queen' on Late Late country special, Viewers 'ridiculously delighted' about Late Late country special as opening stuns, Madonna's still trying to shock at 62 but Lourdes is stealing her thunder, EastEnders' Patsy Palmer bursts into tears as she remembers Barbara Windsor, ©News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. Weakness in doomsday glacier the size of BRITAIN could send sea levels soaring by two feet Harry Pettit , Senior Digital Technology and Science Reporter 9 Sep 2020, 13:08 In the 1990s it was losing just over 10 billion tonnes of ice a year. It is equivalent to a continent the size of Europe, covered in a blanket of ice 2km thick. A huge chunk of ice twice the size of Washington, D.C., just broke off of Antarctica's Pine Island glacier, continuing a troubling trend that could signify glacial collapse. And, experts think melting Antarctic ice could cause areas of the ocean to turn a "deep green" colour by 2100. While it has been shrinking since the early 1990s, ice loss has almost doubled over the past 20 years. 'Doomsday Glacier' melting quickly from the inside, British Antarctic Survey shows ... Thwaites glacier, which is roughly the size of Great Britain, … Thwaites glacier is larger the England and could drive global sea levels up by two feet (60cm) if it were to totally collapse. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. In other news, the first full map of the hidden continent below Antarctica has been revealed. An Antarctic glacier, the size of Great Britain, is melting at an alarming rate, according to new research. The glacier in western Antarctica which is roughly the size of Great Britain is estimated to be retreating by about half a mile (800 metres) a year, and is on course to shed all of its ice in between 200 and 600 years. A study by British and American scientists revealed that a massive sheet of ice known as the "doomsday glacier" is melting faster than experts previously believed—edging the world closer to a possible sea level rise of more than 10 feet. ", She added: "Because they are so deep, and so wide - this allows a lot more water to get at, and melt, Thwaites' floating front as well as its ice that rests on the seabed.". This vast glacier is about the size of Great Britain. Their maps reveal a series of channels deep beneath the ice shelf that join up to form a major cavity. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. The Doomsday Glacier In the farthest reaches of Antarctica, a nightmare scenario of crumbling ice – and rapidly rising seas – could spell disaster for a warming planet. The melt has increased from 10 billion tonnes of ice a year in the 1990s, to 80 billion tonnes a year today. A risky expedition to study the ‘doomsday glacier’ ... About the size of Florida, it is vanishing at an alarming rate, retreating about a half-mile and thinning as much as 15 feet every year. News Corp is a network of leading companies in the worlds of diversified media, news, education, and information services. Do you have a story for The Sun Online Tech & Science team? As part of two new studies into the glacier, teams of US and UK scientists scanned Thwaites from above and below. An underwater drone called Icefin took a video under Antarctica's Thwaites Glacier, which is roughly the size of Florida. The glacier, roughly the size of Britain or Florida, already contributes four percent a year to global sea level rise. Today, it's more like 80 billion tonnes. For other inquiries Contact Us. Teams of scientists are drilling into a huge glacier – described as the “doomsday glacier” – to find out if it’s about to collapse. Let us know in the comments! It’s withdrawing by about a large portion of a mile (2,625 feet) every year. Thwaites: 'Doomsday Glacier' vulnerability seen in new maps. It's thought that rapidly warming temperatures caused by climate change are responsible for the vulnerable glacier's troubles. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. The glacier is 74,000 square miles, the size of Great Britain, and thought to be particularly susceptible to climate change. The Thwaites Glacier has been called the "doomsday" glacier and the "most important" glacier in the world, BBC News explained. Nicknamed the “doomsday glacier”, the Thwaites glacier in western Antarctica has the potential to devastate the globe. The Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica is the size of Britain. "[The size of] a cavity under a glacier plays an important role in melting," said Nasa scientist Dr Pietro Milillo. By … Thwaites Glacier (75°30′S 106°45′W / 75.500°S 106.750°W ), sometimes referred to as the Doomsday Glacier, is an unusually broad and vast Antarctic glacier flowing into the Pine Island Bay, part of the Amundsen Sea, east of Mount Murphy, on the Walgreen Coast of Marie Byrd Land. Thwaites, which flows into Antarctica's Pine Island Bay, is already losing eight times as much ice a year as it was in the late 1990s. Nick-named the Doomsday glacier, Thwaites glacier flows off the west of the Antarctic and is dumping billions of tonnes of ice into the ocean, pushing up global sea-levels. While it has been shrinking since the early 1990s, ice loss has almost doubled over the past 20 years. This vast glacier is about the size of Great Britain. Antarctica is being melted from below by warm underground rivers, panicked scientists have warned. The melting of the Thwaites Glacier, sometimes referred to as the Doomsday Glacier, which is the size of Great Britain, already accounts for four per cent of the rise in global sea levels. If the glacier melts entirely, it could trigger a 10-foot rise in sea levels. Are you worried about climate change? In other news, the first full map of the hidden continent below Antarctica has been revealed. Scientists have detected unusually warm water underneath Antarctica's "doomsday glacier." NASA has warned a “doomsday glacier” is on the verge of disintegration, triggering an apocalyptic sea level rise in the process. Think of six football pitches back to back. Think of six football pitches back to back. the doomsday glacier. "What we've discovered is that they're actually much bigger than anyone thought - up to 600m deep. Scientists think this cavity is a major cause of the ice loss seen at the glacier. We pay for your stories! Weakness in doomsday glacier the size of BRITAIN could send sea levels soaring by two feet. If the glacier were to melt, it would drain a mass of water the size of Great Britain. Thwaites Glacier), sometimes referred to as the Doomsday Glacier, is an unusually broad and vast Antarctic glacier flowing into the Pine Island Bay, part of the Amundsen Sea, east of Mount Murphy, on the Walgreen Coast of Marie Byrd Land Its surface speeds exceed 2 kilometres per year (1.2 miles per year) near its grounding line. "The connected channels that we've mapped are the potential pathways for deep-ocean warm water to get in and do damage," BAS's Dr Tom Jordan said. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. And, experts think melting Antarctic ice could cause areas of the ocean to turn a "deep green" colour by 2100. Last year, scientists found a huge cavity under the Thwaites Glacier. Scientists will use the new data to create models that can help them to better predict the glacier's behaviour in future. Its melting will contribute three feet to sea level rise. It already accounts for 4% of world sea level rise each year – a huge figure for a single glacier – and satellite data show that it is melting increasingly rapidly. But satellite monitoring indicates this glacier is melting at an accelerating rate. The large rift across the glacier eventually spawned Iceberg B-22 in 2002. Deep channels discovered under the Antarctic's so-called "Doomsday glacier" may be allowing warm ocean water to melt the underside of ice, according to … Its fastest flowing grounded ice is centred between 50 and 100 kilometres (31 and 62 mi) east of Mount Murphy. Scientists think we could see a total collapse of the glacier within the next century, and are scrambling to better understand how to save it. We pay for your stories! Even now, ice draining from Thwaites into the Amundsen Sea accounts for about 4% of global sea-level rise. It dumps 80billions of tonnes of ice into the ocean every year, heavily contributing to global sea level rises. The melt has increased from 10 billion tonnes of ice a year in the 1990s, to 80 billion tonnes a year today. Scientists estimate the glacier will lose all of its ice in about 200 to 600 years. The two studies provide the best view yet of the underside of the glacier. Surveys carried out by British and US researchers show that warm water melting the glacier from below gets there via ocean channels. Scientists say Antarctica’s so-called “doomsday glacier” is “teetering at the edge.” Here’s what may be in store. Scientists think this cavity is a major cause of the ice loss seen at the glacier. That broken ice spread almost 160km wide with hundreds of billions of tonnes of melt water is pouring into the sea. Scientists have detected unusually warm water underneath Antarctica's "doomsday glacier." Now researchers think they've unearthed the "critical link" between the ocean and the base of the melting glacier. But it’s receding by about half a mile per year. By Jonathan Amos BBC Science Correspondent. Do you have a story for The Sun Online Tech & Science team? However, behind it is the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. It's thought that a sea level rise of two feet would swamp coastal towns and cities, turfing millions across the globe from their homes. Channels carrying warm water along the Antarctic sea bed are thought to be the killer factor driving the glacier's dramatic demise, new maps show. The Doomsday Glacier In the farthest reaches of Antarctica, a nightmare scenario of crumbling ice – and rapidly rising seas – could spell disaster for a warming planet. It was named by the Ad… A file photo of the Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica, known as the 'Doomsday Glacier'. The ‘Doomsday’ Glacier Is Melting, And Could Raise Sea Levels Over 3 Feet By Matthew Russell The Thwaites glacier is a mass of ice about the size of Great Britain, locked within the … For other inquiries, Contact Us. The Thwaites Glacier has been called the "doomsday" glacier and the "most important" glacier in the world, BBC News explained. Scientists fear recent findings are a sign of a future glacier eruption. Nick-named the Doomsday glacier, Thwaites glacier flows off the west of the Antarctic and is dumping billions of tonnes of ice into the ocean, pushing up global sea-levels. Thwaites acts as a plug, preventing that ice from entering the sea. The ice melt draining from Thwaites into the Amundsen Sea already accounts for 4 … Glaciologists have described Thwaites Glacier as the "most important" glacier in the world, the "riskiest" glacier, even the "doomsday" glacier. In the past ten years, the tongue has continued to fracture and separate from the Thwaites Eastern Ice Shelf. Are you worried about climate change? Thwaites Glacier, roughly the size of Florida, is melting at an increasingly fast rate. Researchers consider it the Doomsday glacier. Notice the size of the glacier’s main ice tongue in 2001, when the glacier was advancing by about 4 kilometers per year. It is massive - roughly the size of Britain. The 'doomsday' glacier Glaciologists have described Thwaites as the "most important" glacier in the world, the "riskiest" glacier, even the "doomsday" glacier. Weakness in doomsday glacier the size of BRITAIN could send sea levels soaring by two feet Harry Pettit , Senior Digital Technology and Science Reporter 9 Sep 2020, 12:58 Read more: Under the “Doomsday Glacier” a 9-kilometer-long cave was found - the ice melted in … 3 months ago. The Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica is the size of Britain. Surveys carried out by British and US researchers show that warm water melting the glacier from below gets there via ocean channels. In total, the icebergs measure about twice the size of Washington, D.C., in area (more than 130 square miles, or 350 square kilometers), according to The Washington Post. (NASA) "I think this is a big step towards helping understand that," he added. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. Antarctica is being melted from below by warm underground rivers, panicked scientists have warned. Scientists call it the doomsday glacier. A GLACIER bigger than Britain and known as the 'Doomsday Glacier' is melting much faster than scientists had anticipated, and scientists now know why. SCIENTISTS have laid bare the vulnerability of an enormous glacier in Antarctica that scientists say is teetering on the edge of collapse. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Comments are subject to our community guidelines, which can be viewed, , Senior Digital Technology and Science Reporter, New maps reveal that channels carrying warm water along the Antarctic sea bed are the likely culprits for the gradual collapse of the Thwaites glacier, Thwaites glacier is said to be 'the most vulnerable place in Antarctica', Scientists mapped channels that carry warm water to the underside of Thwaites glacier, Two recent studies mapped above and below the huge glacier, Dramatic footage shows 120ft 'tower block' of ice splitting off from Antarctic glacier, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Scientists have lots of evidence to show that the Earth’s climate is rapidly changing due to human activity, Climate change will result in problems like global warming, greater risk of flooding, droughts and regular heatwaves, Each of the last three decades have been hotter than the previous one and 17 of the 18 warmest years on record have happened during the 21, The Earth only needs to increase by a few degrees for it to spell disaster, The oceans are already warming, polar ice and glaciers are melting, sea levels are rising and we’re seeing more extreme weather events, In 2015, almost all of the world's nations signed a deal called the Paris Agreement which set out ways in which they could tackle climate change and try to keep temperatures below 2C. 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