Antarctic Ice Shelves are Thinning Rapidly — and the Losses are Accelerating in West Antarctica

Satellite radar data reveal the speed of flow of the Pine Island Glacier in West Antarctica between March 3 and 15, 2015. Pink indicates the fastest flow: about 100 meters (328 feet). Yesterday, I posted a story about the Halley Research Station on Antarctica's Brunt Ice Shelf. I titled it a "Winter Postcard from Antarctica," and it included photos and comments about life at the station from Tom Welsh, the wintertime manager there. Well, I was so busy putting that post together that I missed the big news yesterday about Antarctic ice shelves in general: They are thinning faster than previously thought. This is a big deal because these ice shelves act like dams that impound giant glaciers behind them, slowing their movement to the sea. So as these ice shelves erode, it allows the glaciers to flow more quickly, releasing more ice into the sea and thereby raising sea ...