About 60% of Antarctica's large ice shelves could be destabilized by 2300

Rising ocean temperatures could permanently destabilize about 60 percent of Antarctica's large ice shelves by 2300, significantly increasing the risk of rising global sea levels, according to a new study published in the scientific journal Nature.

Ice shelves are giant floating bodies of ice that extend from the Antarctic continental ice sheet into the ocean, acting as natural barriers to slow the flow of continental ice into the sea.

As these ice shelves weaken or collapse, they accelerate the melting of ice from the land, which is one of the main causes of rising sea levels.

Researchers assessed the stability of ice shelves by analyzing the combined effects of atmospheric and ocean-driven melting. Instability occurs when the rate of melting and fracturing of an ice shelf consistently exceeds the rate at which ice is replenished from the continent, leading to long-term thinning and an increased risk of collapse.

Under a high emissions scenario, the study found that up to 38 of Antarctica's 64 major ice shelves could become unstable by 2300. However, the majority of the ice shelves would remain intact if global warming is limited to below 2 degrees Celsius.

If these vulnerable ice shelves collapse, the continental ice sheets they currently hold back could contribute up to 10 meters of global sea level rise.

Rapid and sustained cuts in greenhouse gas emissions are needed to protect coastal areas around the world , according to researchers.

They also cautioned that the study's predictions may still be conservative, as some ice shelves may become unstable sooner under the combined effects of warming and structural weakening./.

(TTXVN/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/khoang-60-cac-them-bang-lon-cua-nam-cuc-co-the-bi-mat-on-dinh-vao-nam-2300-post1074373.vnp