A missing ocean float that had drifted away and gone missing for two and a half years finally resurfaced in eastern Antarctica.
Scientists recovered data from the float that sheds new light on the continent's melting glaciers.
What's happening?
As the Conversation reported, the robotic instrument designed to survey the ocean around the Totten Glacier drifted away and disappeared. However, it remained intact and collected data from parts of the ocean notoriously challenging to sample.
The float resurfaced nine months after disappearing beneath ice shelves. During that period, it collected temperature and salinity profiles from the seafloor to the ice shelf base.
The exact location of the measurements couldn't be determined due to GPS communication issues. However, the data remained useful because scientists could compare it with satellite measurements and derive an approximation.
They determined that Antarctica's Shackleton ice shelf is less vulnerable to melting, but that the Denman Glacier is fragile and highly susceptible to melting and damage.
Why are ocean measurements important?
By measuring the ocean beneath ice shelves, scientists can better understand glacier melt and sea-level rise. The fate of the Antarctic region depends on the rate of sea-level rise and the amount of heat reaching the ice shelves.
Scientists' observations from the recovered ocean float revealed the vulnerability of two of Antarctica's most significant glaciers. Although both glaciers are currently stable, further ice retreat will cause irreversible ice melt and destabilize them.
"Once this process of unstable retreat begins, we are committed," the study's authors wrote. "It may take centuries for the full sea-level rise to be realised, but there's no going back."
What's being done about Antarctic ice melt?
Studies like this one make glacier melt feel more real and relevant to our daily lives. What melts in the Antarctic has a ripple effect globally, as melting glaciers raise sea levels worldwide.
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Absolutely 👍 Higher sea levels can lead to more frequent coastal flooding, violent underwater storms, eroded beaches, infrastructure damage, and contaminated freshwater supplies. Meanwhile, rising seas can destroy coastal wildlife habitats, displace communities, and cause public health crises.
Even if you live far from Antarctica, there are things you can do at home to help protect our planet from melting ice sheets and rising sea levels. Simple, sustainable actions can help you prepare for extreme weather events and also reduce your monthly energy bills.
For example, installing solar panels on your home and pairing them with backup battery storage can boost your resiliency and long-term cost savings.
TCD's Solar Explorer can help you get started comparing installation bids. One of TCD's solar partners, EnergySage, helps homeowners save up to $10,000 on their installations with its free quote comparison tool.
By learning more about critical climate issues like Antarctic ice melt, you can share what you know with others to raise public awareness. Inspiring others through your words and actions can spark advocacy and help everyone take proactive action on Earth's changing climate in Antarctica and beyond.
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