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Global warming and the stability of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet

Nature volume 393, pages 325–332 (1998)Cite this article

Abstract

Of today's great ice sheets, the West Antarctic Ice Sheet poses the most immediate threat of a large sea-level rise, owing to its potential instability. Complete release of its ice to the ocean would raise global mean sea level by four to six metres, causing major coastal flooding worldwide. Human-induced climate change may play a significant role in controlling the long-term stability of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet and in determining its contribution to sea-level change in the near future.

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Figure 1: The Antarctic Ice Sheet (adapted from refs 2, 6, 101, 121).
Figure 2: Cross-section of an ice stream and ice shelf of a marine ice sheet, indicating location of grounding line, bedrock rise on the ocean floor.

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Acknowledgements

I thank R. Alley, R. Bindschadler, C. Bentley, R. Hindmarsh, P.Huybrechts, S. Jacobs, A. Jenkins, C.Raymond and I. Whillans for their comments on drafts of this manuscript. R. J. Stouffer and J. F. B. Mitchell kindly provided data in advance of publication.

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Oppenheimer, M. Global warming and the stability of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. Nature 393, 325–332 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1038/30661

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