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New study: Less sea rise expected from possible Antarctic melt

Posted by: Maven on May 22, 2009 at 8:10 am

From the Christian Science Monitor:

The ice sheet sitting atop Antarctica is so vast, up to 3 miles (5 km) thick in some places, that it pushes earth’s crust thousands of feet down. If all that ice melted, it would raise sea levels globally by an estimated 230 feet (70 meters).

No one thinks that Antarctica will thaw completely anytime soon, of course, but scientists are increasingly worried by changes observed in just one area: the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS).

Until recently, scientists estimated that if the WAIS melted, sea levels worldwide would rise by some 16 feet. Now, using more refined data, a new study in the May 15 issue of the journal Science revises that number down to an average 11-foot sea level rise.

A lot more information on this story from the Christian Science Monitor by clicking here.

May 22, 2009 · Filed Under Climate change & water supply

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