* . *
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact
Friday, September 12, 2025
Earth-News
  • Home
  • Business
  • Entertainment
    Behind the turntables: DJ Johnny Kage’s story of perseverance – yahoo.com

    Behind the Turntables: DJ Johnny Kage’s Inspiring Journey of Perseverance

    The other WWE star James Gunn wanted for Peacemaker instead of John Cena – yahoo.com

    The WWE Star James Gunn Originally Wanted for Peacemaker Instead of John Cena

    Quinta Brunson, John Stamos Join Entertainment and Technology Summit – Variety

    Quinta Brunson and John Stamos to Headline Thrilling Entertainment and Technology Summit

    ‘Breaking Bad’ star arrested for incident with neighbor. Here’s the latest – PennLive.com

    Breaking Bad’ Star Arrested Following Neighbor Dispute: Latest Updates

    Palmetto Sports & Entertainment to air Columbia Fireflies playoff games – WIS News 10

    Catch Every Thrilling Moment: Palmetto Sports & Entertainment to Broadcast Columbia Fireflies Playoff Games!

    Jobs roundup: September 2025 | Blizzard Entertainment appoints Walter Kong SVP of live games/mobile development – GamesIndustry.biz

    Blizzard Entertainment Names Walter Kong as SVP of Live Games and Mobile Development in September 2025 Jobs Update

  • General
  • Health
  • News

    Cracking the Code: Why China’s Economic Challenges Aren’t Shaking Markets, Unlike America’s” – Bloomberg

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Trending Tags

    • Trump Inauguration
    • United Stated
    • White House
    • Market Stories
    • Election Results
  • Science
  • Sports
  • Technology
    Aston Martin to integrate Pirelli’s cyber tyre technology in future models – Just Auto

    Aston Martin to Revolutionize Future Models with Pirelli’s Cutting-Edge Cyber Tyre Technology

    Figure Technology’s stock sizzles after IPO, as investors stay hungry for crypto deals – MarketWatch

    Figure Technology’s Stock Skyrockets After IPO Amid Surging Crypto Investor Excitement

    AI is the ‘most transformational technology’ in our lifetime, AMD CEO argues – Fox Business

    AMD CEO Declares AI the Most Transformative Technology of Our Era

    PAR Technology (PAR) Unveils AI-Powered Assistant Enhancing Restaurant Operations and Customer Engagement – simplywall.st

    PAR Technology Unveils AI-Powered Assistant to Revolutionize Restaurant Operations and Boost Customer Engagement

    Lincoln Laboratory technologies win seven R&D 100 Awards for 2025 – MIT News

    Lincoln Laboratory Technologies Secure Seven Prestigious R&D 100 Awards for 2025

    ASE Technology (ASX) Hits Record High on AI Fuel – uk.finance.yahoo.com

    ASE Technology Rockets to New Heights Driven by Game-Changing AI Breakthroughs

    Trending Tags

    • Nintendo Switch
    • CES 2017
    • Playstation 4 Pro
    • Mark Zuckerberg
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Business
  • Entertainment
    Behind the turntables: DJ Johnny Kage’s story of perseverance – yahoo.com

    Behind the Turntables: DJ Johnny Kage’s Inspiring Journey of Perseverance

    The other WWE star James Gunn wanted for Peacemaker instead of John Cena – yahoo.com

    The WWE Star James Gunn Originally Wanted for Peacemaker Instead of John Cena

    Quinta Brunson, John Stamos Join Entertainment and Technology Summit – Variety

    Quinta Brunson and John Stamos to Headline Thrilling Entertainment and Technology Summit

    ‘Breaking Bad’ star arrested for incident with neighbor. Here’s the latest – PennLive.com

    Breaking Bad’ Star Arrested Following Neighbor Dispute: Latest Updates

    Palmetto Sports & Entertainment to air Columbia Fireflies playoff games – WIS News 10

    Catch Every Thrilling Moment: Palmetto Sports & Entertainment to Broadcast Columbia Fireflies Playoff Games!

    Jobs roundup: September 2025 | Blizzard Entertainment appoints Walter Kong SVP of live games/mobile development – GamesIndustry.biz

    Blizzard Entertainment Names Walter Kong as SVP of Live Games and Mobile Development in September 2025 Jobs Update

  • General
  • Health
  • News

    Cracking the Code: Why China’s Economic Challenges Aren’t Shaking Markets, Unlike America’s” – Bloomberg

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Trending Tags

    • Trump Inauguration
    • United Stated
    • White House
    • Market Stories
    • Election Results
  • Science
  • Sports
  • Technology
    Aston Martin to integrate Pirelli’s cyber tyre technology in future models – Just Auto

    Aston Martin to Revolutionize Future Models with Pirelli’s Cutting-Edge Cyber Tyre Technology

    Figure Technology’s stock sizzles after IPO, as investors stay hungry for crypto deals – MarketWatch

    Figure Technology’s Stock Skyrockets After IPO Amid Surging Crypto Investor Excitement

    AI is the ‘most transformational technology’ in our lifetime, AMD CEO argues – Fox Business

    AMD CEO Declares AI the Most Transformative Technology of Our Era

    PAR Technology (PAR) Unveils AI-Powered Assistant Enhancing Restaurant Operations and Customer Engagement – simplywall.st

    PAR Technology Unveils AI-Powered Assistant to Revolutionize Restaurant Operations and Boost Customer Engagement

    Lincoln Laboratory technologies win seven R&D 100 Awards for 2025 – MIT News

    Lincoln Laboratory Technologies Secure Seven Prestigious R&D 100 Awards for 2025

    ASE Technology (ASX) Hits Record High on AI Fuel – uk.finance.yahoo.com

    ASE Technology Rockets to New Heights Driven by Game-Changing AI Breakthroughs

    Trending Tags

    • Nintendo Switch
    • CES 2017
    • Playstation 4 Pro
    • Mark Zuckerberg
No Result
View All Result
Earth-News
No Result
View All Result
Home Science

In Depth: The Unsettling Findings Beneath Antarctica’s Thinning Ice Sheets

October 24, 2023
in Science
In Depth: The Unsettling Findings Beneath Antarctica’s Thinning Ice Sheets
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Satellite Images of Shrinking Glaciers Along Western Antarctica

Before and After: Satellite images of shrinking glaciers along western Antarctica, from February 18, 1975 (top) to March 2, 2015 (below). Credit: NASA Earth Observatory

A recent theory illustrates the mechanism by which water underneath glaciers may surge — creating a dangerous feedback cycle.

Two Georgia Tech researchers, Alex Robel and Shi Joyce Sim, have collaborated on a new model for how water moves under glaciers. The new theory shows that the volume of water flowing beneath these ice masses into the ocean could be double previous estimates. This significant increase in subglacial water discharge might accelerate the melting of glaciers, contribute to rising sea levels, and prompt ecological disruptions.

Their research was recently published in the journal Science Advances.

While there are pre-existing methods to understand subglacial flow, these techniques involve time-consuming computations. In contrast, Robel and Sim developed a simple equation, which can predict how fast exfiltration, the discharge of groundwater from aquifers under ice sheets, using satellite measurements of Antarctica from the last two decades.

“In mathematical parlance, you would say we have a closed-form solution,” explains Robel, an assistant professor in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. “Previously, people would run a hydromechanical model, which would have to be applied at every point under Antarctica, and then run forward over a long time period.” Since the researchers’ new theory is a mathematically simple equation, rather than a model, “the entirety of our prediction can be done in a fraction of a second on a laptop,” Robel says.

Alex Robel

Alex Robel is an assistant professor in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at Georgia Tech. Credit: Georgia Tech (Allison Carter)

Robel adds that while there is precedence for developing these kinds of theories for similar kinds of models, this theory is specific in that it is for the particular boundary conditions and other conditions that exist underneath ice sheets. “This is, to our knowledge, the first mathematically simple theory which describes the exfiltration and infiltration underneath ice sheets.”

“It’s really nice whenever you can get a very simple model to describe a process — and then be able to predict what might happen, especially using the rich data that we have today. It’s incredible” adds Sim, a research scientist in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. “Seeing the results was pretty surprising.”

One of the main arguments in the paper underscores the potentially large source of subglacial water — possibly up to double the amount previously thought — that could be affecting how quickly glacial ice flows and how quickly the ice melts at its base. Robel and Sim hope that the predictions made possible by this theory can be incorporated into ice sheet models that scientists use to predict future ice sheet change and sea level rise.

A dangerous feedback cycle

Aquifers are underground areas of porous rock or sediment rich in groundwater. “If you take the weight off aquifers like there are under large parts of Antarctica, water will start flowing out of the sediment,” Robel explains, referencing a diagram Sim created. While this process, known as exfiltration, has been studied previously, focus has been on the long time scales of interglacial cycles, which cover tens of thousands of years.

There has been less work on modern ice sheets, especially on how quickly exfiltration might be occurring under the thinning parts of the current-day Antarctic ice sheet. However, using recent satellite data and their new theory, the team has been able to predict what exfiltration might look like under those modern ice sheets.

“There’s a wide range of possible predictions,” Robel explains. “But within that range of predictions, there is the very real possibility that groundwater may be flowing out of the aquifer at a speed that would make it a majority, or close to a majority of the water that is underneath the ice sheet.”

Shi Joyce Sim

Shi Joyce Sim is a research scientist in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at Georgia Tech. Credit: Georgia Tech (Shi Joyce Sim)

If those parameters are correct, that would mean there’s twice as much water coming into the subglacial interface than previous estimates assumed.

Ice sheets act like a blanket, sitting over the warm earth and trapping heat on the bottom, away from Antarctica’s cold atmosphere — and this means that the warmest place in the Antarctic ice sheet is at the bottom of a sheet, not on the surface. As an ice sheet thins, the warmer underground water can exfiltrate more readily, and this heat gradient can accelerate the melting that an ice sheet experiences.

“When the atmosphere warms up, it takes tens of thousands of years for that signal to diffuse through an ice sheet of the size of the thickness of the Antarctic ice sheet,” Robel explains. “But this process of exfiltration is a response to the already-ongoing thinning of the ice sheet, and it’s an immediate response right now.”

Broad implications

Beyond sea level rise, this additional exfiltration and melt has other implications. Some of the places of richest marine productivity in the world occur off the coast of Antarctica, and being able to better predict exfiltration and melt could help marine biologists better understand where marine productivity is occurring, and how it might change in the future.

Robel also hopes this work will open the doorway to more collaborations with groundwater hydrologists who may be able to apply their expertise to ice sheet dynamics, while Sim underscores the need for more fieldwork.

“Getting the experimentalists and observationalists interested in trying to help us better constrain some of the properties of these water-laden sediments — that would be very helpful,” Sim says. “That’s our largest unknown at this point, and it heavily influences the results.”

“It’s really interesting how there’s a potential to draw heat from deeper in the system,” she adds. “There’s quite a lot of water that could be drawing more heat out, and I think that there’s a heat budget there that could be interesting to look at.”

Moving forward, collaboration will continue to be key. “I really enjoyed talking to Joyce (Sim) about these problems,” Rober says, “because Joyce is an expert on heat flow and porous flow in the Earth’s interior, and those are problems that I had not worked on before. That was kind of a nice aspect of this collaboration. We were able to bridge these two areas that she works on and that I work on.”

Reference: “Contemporary ice sheet thinning drives subglacial groundwater exfiltration with potential feedbacks on glacier flow” by Alexander A. Robel, Shi J. Sim, Colin Meyer, Matthew R. Siegfried and Chloe D. Gustafson, 18 August 2023, Science Advances.
DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adh3693

The study was funded by NASA headquarters.

>>> Read full article>>>
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source : SciTechDaily – https://scitechdaily.com/in-depth-the-unsettling-findings-beneath-antarcticas-thinning-ice-sheets/

Tags: DepthscienceUnsettling
Previous Post

Busting Myths: Scientists Settle a Long-Standing Debate About Cicadas

Next Post

Voyager probes get virtual tune-up to keep decades-long missions going and going

Direct mortality due to humans threatens migratory shorebirds – Nature

Human Impact Pushes Migratory Shorebirds Toward Grave Threats

September 12, 2025
Scientists celebrate a decade of listening to black holes – NPR

Scientists celebrate a decade of listening to black holes – NPR

September 12, 2025
Lori Falce: Finding a solution to political violence is science fiction – TribLIVE.com

Lori Falce Explores Why Ending Political Violence Feels Like Science Fiction

September 12, 2025
Pharmacologic Advances and Lifestyle Foundations in MASH Care, With Allysa Saggese, NP – HCPLive

Revolutionary Drug Developments and Vital Lifestyle Strategies in MASH Care with Allysa Saggese, NP

September 12, 2025
Aston Martin to integrate Pirelli’s cyber tyre technology in future models – Just Auto

Aston Martin to Revolutionize Future Models with Pirelli’s Cutting-Edge Cyber Tyre Technology

September 12, 2025
Six Olympians on U.S. Men’s Roster for 2025 World Championship – USA Volleyball

Six Olympians Lead U.S. Men’s Roster for 2025 World Championship

September 12, 2025
Behind the turntables: DJ Johnny Kage’s story of perseverance – yahoo.com

Behind the Turntables: DJ Johnny Kage’s Inspiring Journey of Perseverance

September 12, 2025
AdvaMed in Action: Building Alliances That Redefine Health Care at The MedTech Conference 2025 – AdvaMed® – Advanced Medical Technology Association®

Building Powerful Alliances That Are Transforming Health Care at The MedTech Conference 2025

September 12, 2025
Political experts weigh in on rising violence in the digital age – WSLS

Political experts weigh in on rising violence in the digital age – WSLS

September 12, 2025
From Marx’s Ecology to China’s Vision of Socialist Eco-Civilization

From Marx’s Ecology to China’s Vision of Socialist Eco-Civilization

September 11, 2025

Categories

Archives

September 2025
MTWTFSS
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
2930 
« Aug    
Earth-News.info

The Earth News is an independent English-language daily published Website from all around the World News

Browse by Category

  • Business (20,132)
  • Ecology (818)
  • Economy (836)
  • Entertainment (21,714)
  • General (16,996)
  • Health (9,879)
  • Lifestyle (851)
  • News (22,149)
  • People (840)
  • Politics (844)
  • Science (16,046)
  • Sports (21,336)
  • Technology (15,818)
  • World (819)

Recent News

Direct mortality due to humans threatens migratory shorebirds – Nature

Human Impact Pushes Migratory Shorebirds Toward Grave Threats

September 12, 2025
Scientists celebrate a decade of listening to black holes – NPR

Scientists celebrate a decade of listening to black holes – NPR

September 12, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact

© 2023 earth-news.info

No Result
View All Result

© 2023 earth-news.info

No Result
View All Result

© 2023 earth-news.info

Go to mobile version