FROM THE ARTICLE “A New Map is the Best View Yet of How Fast Antarctica is Shedding Ice” by Maria Temming for Science News (August 5, 2019): “A new map based on satellite radar data reveals the velocity of ice flow across Antarctica from areas of high elevation to the coasts. Inland ice moves incredibly slowly—much of it plods along at fewer than 10 meters per year. Closer to the ocean, ice can travel hundreds to thousands of meters per year.”
“Ice melting off the continent is already known to be a driver of global sea-level rise,” notes Temming.“In 2021, NASA and the Indian Space Research Organization plan to launch a satellite that will gather enough data to update this map every few months, allowing scientists to better monitor how ice flow across Antarctica changes as the climate changes.”
A map that reveals the velocity of ice flow across Antarctica is included in the article.
To read the complete article, click HERE.
Inland ice moves plods along at fewer than 10 meters per year. Closer to the ocean, ice can travel hundreds to thousands of meters per year! Click To TweetCartoon by David Horsey for the Hearst Newspapers.