--- title: "World’s Biggest Ice Sheet in Antarctica in Serious Trouble Due to Global Warming" description: "An ice sheet the size of the United States is under threat of melting as warmer waters are driven towards it, new research finds." date: "2022-08-05" modified: "2022-08-05" authors: - name: "Frank Landymore" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/flandymore" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/worlds-biggest-ice-sheet-antarctica-trouble" categories: - "Environment" - "Global Warming" - "Science & Energy" tags: - "climate change" - "ice sheet" - "sea levels" - "the digest" --- # World’s Biggest Ice Sheet in Antarctica in Serious Trouble Due to Global Warming ![An ice sheet the size of the United States is under threat of melting as warmer waters are driven towards it, new research finds.]() *\Image: Getty Images\* ## Breaking the Ice The [East Antarctic ice sheet]() is the biggest in the world at around the size of the United States. But changing ocean currents, which are in large part driven by climate change, are forcing warmer waters its way and could cause the ice sheet to destabilize and melt, according to shocking new research [published in *Nature Climate Change*]() this week. Until now, not a lot was known about the East Antarctic ice sheet’s role in climate change compared to the neighboring West Antarctic ice sheet, the researchers claim [in a piece for *The Conversation*](). Scientists have long suspected that the West Antarctic sheet [is]()[ melting]() and significantly contributing to rising sea levels. But according to the latest study, its eastern counterpart may become a big contributing factor as well. ## Chilling News The team focused on a specific part of the East Antarctic ice sheet known as the Aurora Subglacial Basin in the Indian ocean, which, until now, scientists believed to be protected by a layer of cold water known as dense shelf water. So when the team discovered there was "unequivocal" warming in the ocean surrounding the East Antarctic ice sheet at a rate of up to 5.4 degrees Fahrenheit since 1930, alarm bells went off. That’s a change of up to 0.7 degrees Fahrenheit per decade on average, a rate which, since the 1990s, has been as high as 1.62 degrees. ## Climate Driver Those rates are being driven by a strong belt of westerly winds known as the Southern Annular Mode. Thanks to an increase of greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change, the winds are moving further south towards Antarctica, bringing warmer waters with them. If those waters cause the Aurora Subglacial Basin to melt, global sea levels could rise [by over 16 feet](). The researchers also challenge the assumption that ocean warming begins at its surface, and believe their findings indicate that it actually starts in deeper water — which, if confirmed, could seriously harm marine life ecosystems. These are some pretty harrowing implications for global climates. Sea levels are already [rising at rapid rates]() — and having a significant chunk of Antarctica melt would only serve to drastically exacerbate the issue. **More on climate change:** [*Scientists Warn of Devastating Mass Extinction Event Caused by Climate Change*]() ## Author At Futurism, my work has often centered on bringing a sense of clarity and insight to complex topics ranging from the regulation of emerging technologies to the esoteric ideologies of Silicon Valley executives, while striving not to lose the poetic sense of awe inspired by often-obscure fields like astrophysics and quantum computing. I broke the story of CNET using AI to produce articles that turned out to be riddled with factual errors and plagiarism — a dam-breaking inflection point, as I've reported, that's inspired copycats and endless discourse while beguiling stakeholders ranging from tech giants to purveyors of spam around the web. My work at Futurism has been cited by publications including CBS News, the Los Angeles Times, Vice, Gizmodo, Engadget, the Verge, and Vanity Fair. I grew up in locales ranging from India to China, and now live in the exotic suburbs of Virginia. In my free time, I'm an avid reader of weird sci-fi literature, an aficionado of East Asian cinema, and, regrettably, a relapsed gamer. Allegedly, I’m working on a debut novel, currently untitled. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()