Sea level rise is about to hit a rate of 2.5 mm a month (proof is coming soon).
96% caused by basal melting below both ice sheets:
4°-6°C warmer at 100m!
Antarctic surface melt is only responsible for 2% of SLR.
Oceans are increasing their contribution (thermal expansion)!
#AR7
Basal melting:
Warmer & saltier ocean water flowing through channels, fjords, troughs & subglacial lakes is responsible for the rapid warm-up of the Antarctic ice sheet (lower part).
Surface melt:
Draining of supraglacial lakes is causing a destabilization of the upper part.
Pine Island glacier & Thwaites glacier are facing a rapid warm-up & a rapid salinization of the entire water column in front of their calving field.
Also Cook, Ninnis, Mertz, Frost, Totten, Vanderford, Scott & Denman glacier are facing extreme warm underflows (& Amery Ice Shelf).
Or a short simpler summary:
The major tipping point of latent heat is taking over the balance of cooling & warming in the Southern Ocean.
A new & much warmer equilibrium is very near (current, temp & salt)
Antarctic sea ice volume is about to become very close to zero (mid Jan).
Large amounts of methane are coming out of the edges of big subglacial basins like Byrd, Aurora, Wilkes & Vincennes Subglacial Basin.
This suggests the soil underneath the ice sheet is reaching crucial thawing points caused by intrusion of ocean warmth.
pulse.ghgsat.com/?lat=-72.03&ln…
Compared to the latest El-Niño year (2015) we do see a large shift towards a warmer Weddell Sea, more warmth above the Wilkes Subglacial Basin & above the Byrd Subglacial Basin.
pulse.ghgsat.com/?lat=-75.63&ln…
pulse.ghgsat.com/?lat=-82.73&ln…
pulse.ghgsat.com/?lat=-76.22&ln…
Even worse compared to 2020!!
2015 was an El-Niño year.
2021 was a La-Niña year.
That's the most shocking part.
We observe large clusters of anomalous warmth near the main entrance of the Aurora/Vincennes/Wilkes Subglacial System.
Fast retreat & rapid thinning of Cook, Ninnis & Mertz Glacier is opening the gate & thaws the subglacial permafrost. Even with an ice cap of -25°C on top of it.
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