Climate change in the Antarctic: Glacier of gigantic size is melting - researchers now know the cause

The Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica is one of the largest in the world.

But it melts extremely quickly.

Scientists now found out why.

• One of the largest glaciers on earth is melting faster and faster.

• The Thwaites in western Antarctica is as big as Florida.

• Researchers have now found out what is the reason for the rapid thawing apart from climate change.

Antarctica

- For years, researchers

around the world have been concerned about

the rapid melting of

.

One of the largest specimens is in the west of

.

The

, with its 190,000 square kilometers roughly the size of

or

.

It also serves as a yardstick for

.

It has long been known that he too is steadily losing mass.

So far, however, it was not known what exactly caused the melting.

Scientists now discovered the reason.

Melting Thwaites Glacier could cause sea levels to rise enormously

Should the

completely and should the enormous water masses stored in it flood the oceans, that would be catastrophic for many coastal cities and settlements, writes

The thawing of the

almost doubled

in the past 30 years

.

Four percent of the

already be attributed to him.

Should it ever disappear completely, it would

mean

that the

would

by 65 centimeters.

Climate change is melting the glaciers in West Antarctica. Under Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica, a huge cavity is growing 10 kilometers long and 350 meters high, a process that cannot be stopped.

📸Maria A. Martin pic.twitter.com/1uYeJW5bjv

- meereisportal.de (@meereisportal) June 23, 2019

Such an increase would have fatal consequences, especially for the poorer countries of the world.

said in an interview with the

: “Many countries in 

or 

, unlike the industrialized countries, often do not have the means to adapt.

Since the vulnerability of the population is larger, as decided half a meter more or less then actually

or

. "

Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica: Reason for the rapid melting now known

Researchers from the

(ITGC) have now discovered what causes the ice sheet to lose volume.

Under the ice masses there are said to be large

into which warmer seawater flows.

That means the

melting from below.

This is particularly problematic because humans cannot do something about it directly.

The

are located at a depth of up to 800 meters.

In addition, the

scientists

not say exactly how much the

in the

as a result.

Aerogeophysicist Tom Jordan told

, "There are so many unknown factors in understanding

and

how

respond

over time."

+

Aerial view of the Thwaites Glacier in western Antarctica.

© dpa / Jeremy Harbeck

Even if humans cannot block these channels "at such a remote location," says Jordan, something can still be done about the

. The simplest solution would be to "

stop

" said the scientist. Further studies on the

should also help politicians to better clarify the consequences of the meltdown.

Scientists recently discovered a large methane leak in Antarctica.

The dangerous gas escapes from a hole in the sea floor.

The researchers are also concerned about a heat wave in Siberia.

In addition, severe forest fires are raging there.

List of rubric lists: © dpa / Johann Klages