Parts of the world's largest H2O ice canvass would melt if Antarctic warming of merely 2°C is sustained for millennia, according to international research.
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| These are researchers at dusk on the interrogation vessel JOIDES Resolution, on expedition to Antarctica [Credit: IODP Imaging Office] |
Dr Welsh said marine sediment layers indicated the H2O ice canvass had retreated during warming inwards the piece of cake Pleistocene period, when temperatures were similar those predicted for this century.
"Antarctica is around twice the size of Australia, alongside H2O ice sheets several kilometres thick together with containing around one-half of the world's fresh water," he said.
"The East Antarctic Ice Sheet covers close 2 thirds of the area, together with because its base of operations is largely higher upwards body of body of water aeroplane it was to a greater extent than frequently than non idea to last less sensitive to warming climates than the side past times side West Antarctic Ice Sheet.
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| These are researchers taking inwards the sights on the interrogation vessel JOIDES Resolution, on expedition to Antarctica [Credit: IODP Imaging Office] |
"The prove nosotros bring suggests that alongside the predicted 2°C warming inwards Antarctica -- if sustained over a dyad of millennia -- the canvass would outset melting inwards these locations."
Dr Welsh, from UQ's School of public together with Environmental Sciences, said the squad chemically analysed layers of sediment deposited on the Antarctic Ocean flooring past times glaciers.
"We constitute that the most extreme changes inwards the H2O ice canvass occurred during 2 interglacial periods 125,000 together with 400,000 years ago, when global body of body of water levels were several metres higher than they are today," he said.
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| An iceberg floats inwards the distance [Credit: IODP Imaging Office] |
"Ice loss contributes to rising global body of body of water levels which are a threat to many coastal communities, together with making projections requires a corporation agreement of how sensitive these H2O ice sheets are."
Imperial College London researcher Dr David Wilson said the findings were extremely concerning for humanity.
"With electrical flow global temperatures already i score higher than during pre-industrial times, hereafter H2O ice loss seems inevitable if nosotros neglect to cut back carbon emissions," Dr Wilson said.
The findings are published inwards the journal Nature.
Source: University of Queensland [September 19, 2018]
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