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Antarctic sea-ice at 'mind-blowing' low alarms experts (www.bbc.com)
submitted 2 years ago by to c/worldnews@lemmy.ml
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Missing winter sea-ice signals changes in Antarctica that could be "absolute disaster for the world", scientists say.

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[–] 10 points 2 years ago (1 child)

"The collapse of Thwaites would cause seawater levels to rise by around 2 feet (65 centimeters). This could, in turn, destabilize neighboring glaciers, potentially increasing future sea levels by almost an additional 10 feet (3 meters)."

Thwaites melting would raise water levels by 0.6 meters, not 60 meters. You're off by a factor of 100x

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  • [–] 2 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    No, I don't just mean Thwaites. If the ice also runs off onto the mainland behind it, the sea level will rise by 60 meters. Thwaits is currently holding it back like a cork.

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  • [–] 5 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    As covered by my quote, the neighboring mainland glaciers melting would raise water levels by 3 more meters (3.6m total). You're still off by a factor of 20x

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  • [–] 4 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    I got my information from this article: https://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/dieser-gletscher-determin-die-zukunft-der-menschheit-496385214213 It is Swiss, very long but well worth reading. Maybe you can find a way to translate it for yourself. It also says that the melting leads to a rise of 60cm in the short term, but to 60 meters in the long term (1000 years).

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  • [–] 4 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

    Per your own source: 60 meters is for the whole Antarctica. Thwaites and and the west Antarctica (which is the part "protected" by Thwaites) is 3.5 meters over a few hundred years (up to 1.000 years).

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