Antarctic Ice Shelf Faces Increased Melting Due to Ocean Warming

Data from a trapped underwater robot reveals a significant rise in ocean temperatures under the Ross Ice Shelf over the past four decades.

An autonomous underwater vehicle named Marlin accidentally got stuck under the Ross Ice Shelf, providing unexpected data on ocean temperatures.
Researchers from the University of East Anglia found a 164-foot-thick layer of warmer water under the ice shelf, with temperatures between -1.9°C and -1.7°C.
The study indicates that the heat entering the ice shelf cavity has increased over 45 years, likely due to climate change and rising temperatures in the Ross Sea.
Ekman currents, wind-driven surface flows, are transporting more heat into the ice shelf cavity, increasing the potential for ice melting.
Melting ice shelves do not directly raise sea levels but destabilize the Antarctic ice sheet, potentially accelerating global sea-level rise.