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Cryospheric science

Slushy surface of Antarctic ice shelves

Surface meltwater plays a key role in ice shelf stability, and consequently, Antarctica’s sea level contributions. New satellite observations suggest there is substantially more surface meltwater than previously thought, and models are underestimating it.

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Fig. 1: Satellite image of meltwater on the Larsen C ice shelf in Antarctica.

LWM/NASA/LANDSAT / Alamy Stock Photo

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Correspondence to Luke D. Trusel.

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Trusel, L.D. Slushy surface of Antarctic ice shelves. Nat. Geosci. 17, 588–589 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-024-01445-x

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