How West Antarctica Could Melt If Greenhouse Emissions Continue to Rise

An international team of scientists has developed the first comprehensive, high-resolution model depicting

View Simulation
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Simulation of West Antarctic Ice Sheet retreat
how rapidly the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) could melt if greenhouse gas emissions are not brought under control. The study projects that under a high-emissions scenario, the WAIS could lose 80,000 cubic kilometers (19,000 cubic miles) of ice by 2100, increasing sea levels by 8 inches. By 2200, the WAIS could lose 48,000 cubic miles of ice, raising sea levels by a total of 23 inches, the study says. The video shows projected ice loss in the major glaciers feeding into the massive Amundsen Sea Embayment over the next three centuries. The red and orange colors depict the speed of glacial retreat in meters per year. The WAIS is only a fraction of the size of the East Antarctic ice cap, but if the entire WAIS were to melt, global sea levels would rise by roughly 16 feet.