Surface meltwater is increasing in East Antarctica, raising concerns about the future of the ice sheet.

What's happening?

The University of Liverpool in a news release said this was "the first Antarctic-wide, high-resolution monthly dataset of surface meltwater using satellite images." Changes to the region's ice due to rising temperatures could cause mass loss and subsequent catastrophic sea-level rise.

The study, published in Nature Climate Change, revealed a significant increase in meltwater ponding as well as more year-to-year variability.

Using cloud computing, researchers analyzed 133,497 satellite images from 2006 to 2021. Surface meltwater covered an average of 3,732 square kilometers of the continent, and a comparison between East and West Antarctica showed that the former has a larger meltwater area. They hypothesized it's because of more low-permeability ice surfaces.

Why is this important?

"Antarctica has traditionally been considered too cold for substantial amounts of surface melting to take place," said Dr. Pete Tuckett of the University of York. "Our study shows that not only does surface meltwater exist around large parts of the Antarctic margin, the amount of surface meltwater in East Antarctica is increasing."

If it were to melt entirely, the Antarctic Ice Sheet would raise global sea levels by approximately 58 meters (190 feet).

University of Liverpool glaciology professor James Lea noted that the study highlights the importance of understanding Antarctic meltwater, its variability, and its impact on the stability of the ice sheet.

"We know meltwater ponding can cause ice shelf collapse," he said. "... The data analysis for this study is no mean feat — by analyzing literally tens of thousands of satellite images, we've been able to show in detail where and why meltwater coverage is changing across the entire Antarctic continent."

What's being done about melting ice in Antarctica?

Researchers around the world are studying the phenomena that occur around the South Pole and how they could impact humans. The cause is unquestionably the burning of dirty energy sources such as coal and oil, which release heat-trapping pollution that envelops Earth like a blanket, pushing the mercury higher and contributing to increasingly frequent and severe extreme weather.

The solution is to use clean energy sources and reduce other activities that contribute to the problem, including manufacturing, deforestation, food production, and overconsumption. That means upgrading home appliances, buying less, supporting conservation efforts, changing shopping and eating habits, and reconsidering other behaviors that overheat the planet but could be modified to cool it down.

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"It is key that this new dataset is now combined with climate models, other satellite observations, and on-the-ground measurements to better understand the underlying causes of the increased meltwater ponding in East Antarctica and its potential future impacts on ice sheet stability and sea levels," Tuckett said.

"Understanding where and why surface meltwater is changing in Antarctica is crucial for predicting the continent's future contribution to our oceans. It's a global story."

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