Advances in ocean modeling are revealing how ice shelves interact with ocean water, helping scientists to estimate the rate at which Antarctic ice sheets are melting, Physics Today reported.

What's happening?

Scientists have known for decades that polar ice caps melt as the planet warms. However, they have had a harder time untangling the complex variables that govern how fast ice melts and, consequently, how fast sea levels rise.

The frozen continent of Antarctica is buttressed by huge ice shelves, which act like walls holding the inland ice sheets back from sliding into the ocean. As ocean water heats up, it warms ice shelves from below, causing them to melt and triggering changes in how heat and salt flow beneath the continent.

Scientists have used underwater robots to map the topography of the ice beneath the ice shelves. They have also designed scientific models and laboratory experiments to begin accounting for ice-melt patterns.

These advances could help experts predict the rate of Antarctic ice melt, with major implications for global climate.

Why are melting ice shelves concerning?

Rising sea levels are among the most concerning results of Antarctic ice melt.

If you were to plop an ice cube in a glass of water that was already full to the brim, the cup would overflow. Sea level rise works similarly. Much of the Antarctic ice is frozen above the ocean, so when it melts, it adds to the ocean's volume and causes sea levels to rise.

Rising sea levels can supercharge storms by introducing more water into the environment, increasing the risk of flooding and widespread power outages. They can also inundate coastal communities, leading some island nations to fear for their long-term survival. These changes in weather patterns can have a massive impact on communities, even making it impossible for people to insure their homes.

What's being done about sea level rise?

Understanding ice melt patterns through scientific modeling will help experts gauge the rate of sea level rise, but the only way to stop ice melt in its tracks is to stop burning fossil fuels that contribute to the warming of the planet.

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