Antarctica gains ice for first time in decades, reversing trend of mass loss
a year ago
- #Climate Change
- #Ice Sheet
- #Antarctica
- Antarctica's ice sheet has started growing again after decades of mass loss, reversing the trend of contributing to rising sea levels.
- A study published in Science China Earth Sciences found a record-breaking mass gain in the Antarctic Ice Sheet (AIS) between 2021 and 2023, largely due to increased precipitation.
- Satellite data from GRACE and GRACE-FO missions showed the AIS gained approximately 108 gigatons of ice per year during 2021-2023, offsetting global sea level rise by about 0.3 mm per year.
- East Antarctica's glacier basins, including Totten, Denman, Moscow University, and Vincennes Bay, showed the most dramatic recovery after previous destabilization.
- Scientists caution that this growth may be temporary and linked to unusual precipitation patterns, not indicative of the end of the climate crisis.
- The Antarctic Ice Sheet holds over half of the world's fresh water and remains a critical factor in long-term sea level rise predictions.