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By Eric Ralls
In the shadow of the more widely studied West Antarctica, Stanford University researchers have brought to light a critical area of concern in East Antarctica: the Wilkes Subglacial Basin.
This vast region, roughly the size of California, harbors the potential to significantly impact global sea levels, with enough ice to cause a rise of more than 10 feet if it were to melt.
Despite its size and potential impact, this area has received less attention, leaving its vulnerability to climate change largely unexplored until now.
A closer look beneath the ice
Eliza Dawson, a Ph.D. student in geophysics at Stanford and the lead author of the study, emphasizes the novelty of their research.
Her disturbing study sheds light on a previously overlooked area that could be on the brink of a tipping point.
“There hasn’t been much analysis in this region – there’s huge volume of ice there, but it has been relatively stable,” said Dawson.
“We’re looking at the temperature at the base of the ice sheet for the first time and how close it is to potentially melting.”
To read the full article, click here:
https://www.earth.com/news/east-antarctica-once-thought-to-be-stable-is-on-the-verge-of-collapse
