Antarctic Glaciers Melting Faster Than Expected, Potentially Speeding Up Sea-Level Rise

Research Indicates Hidden Meltwater Rivers Under Antarctic Glaciers Accelerating Melting Process, Potentially Adding an Extra Sixth of an Inch to Global Sea Levels by 2300

Antarctic glaciers are melting faster than expected, with hidden rivers of meltwater accelerating the process from beneath, a discovery that indicates sea levels may be rising quicker than previously believed.
The rapid melting rates are not only speeding up sea-level rise, but also altering the balance of freshwater and saltwater, potentially affecting ocean circulation and global weather in ways that are yet to be understood.
The research focused on the Denman and Scott glaciers, both of which are substantial enough to raise global sea levels by five feet if completely melted. The Denman glacier was found to be melting at rates much faster than initially anticipated.
The study predicts that if this accelerated melting begins to occur in the Scott glacier as well, it could drive global sea levels up by 15 percent more than expected, or roughly an additional sixth of an inch by the year 2300.
The study also found that the Thwaites glacier, one of the largest in Antarctica and often referred to as the 'doomsday glacier', is also melting from beneath. However, researchers maintain that the most significant factor in ice loss remains global heating from uncontrolled fossil fuel burning.