Every corner of the world is being affected due to climate change. Recently, scientists have studied the changes taking place in Antarctica. He says that 12 trillion tons of ice has melted in this area since 1997. This is double the previous estimate. Due to the melting of the ice, the sea level will rise, which will have a bad effect on the whole world.
In this research, published in the journal Earth System Science Data, the researchers combined nearly 3 billion data points. This is the longest data set on the changing height of the ice sheet. Scientists have found that long-term climate change also affects the ice in Antarctica.
Much has changed in 25 years
Researchers say that the process of ice melting in Antarctica has spread from the outer part of the continent to the inner part. In the past 10 years, ice melt has nearly doubled in western Antarctica. Also, the coastline of Antarctica has changed in the last 25 years. This is due to icebergs formed due to melting glaciers.
Rapidly melting ice sheets
2,000 cubic kilometers of ice sheet grows every year in the continent of Antarctica and the same amount of ice flows into the sea when the ice melts or breaks. This creates an equilibrium. However, this research suggests that this equilibrium is now beginning to deteriorate and the ice is melting at a faster rate.
Sea warming is also causing damage
In another research published in the journal Nature, scientists have claimed that the Antarctic ice is decreasing due to the warming of the sea. It is melting from below, making the ice sheet weaker and thinner.
This study suggests that Antarctica will not be able to return to the state it was in before the year 2000 and that in the next 10-20 years there may be major ice melting events.
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