Deep-Ocean Heat Is Creeping Up on Antarctica, Study Reveals
A 20-year analysis of Southern Ocean data reveals that warm circumpolar deepwater is increasingly reaching Antarctica's ice shelves, confirming climate model predictions with real-world evidence. The shift, driven by changes in ocean circulation, threatens to accelerate ice melt and disrupt global ocean heat and carbon cycles. Researchers warn this 'hot bath' effect undermines a once-cold buffer that protected ice shelves. The findings underscore urgent risks to Antarctica’s stability and global sea levels.
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Scientists don’t doubt that climate change is bringing catastrophic changes to Antarctica. Surprisingly, however, researchers didn’t have enough ocean data to issue a firm verdict on certain warming trends. Well, the data they needed just hit the tables, and the signs are clearer than ever.cnx.cmd.push(function(){cnx({"playerId":"92b7b46b-43ed-4e0e-b21b-2c999302d9d7","settings":{"advertising":{"macros":{"AD_UNIT":"/23178111854/od.gizmodo.com/article","CHILD_UNIT":"article","POST_ID":"2000751710","POST_TYPE":"post","CHANNEL":"earther","SECTION":"climate-change","SUBSECTION":"","CATEGORIES":"climate-change","TAGS":"amoc,antarctica,ice-shelf,oceanography","NOP":"0"},"timeBeforeFirstAd":0}}}).render("cnx-player-main")}); According to a 20-year-long survey of ocean measurements, a warm mass of…
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