Polarimetric radar advances enable scientists to measure orientations of crystals, bubbles, and other properties that affect the flow of glaciers and ice sheets—and their contributions to sea level.
glaciers & ice sheets
Posted inNews
The Forensics of a Skyscraper-Sized Tsunami
A landslide in Tracy Arm Fjord in Alaska created the second-largest tsunami on record. A new analysis links this abrupt event to the retreat of a glacier and, ultimately, to climate change.
Posted inNews
Widening Channels and Westerly Winds Together Formed Earth’s Strongest Current
The Antarctic Circumpolar Current could only develop once wind patterns aligned with new ocean passages 34 million years ago, a new study suggests.
Posted inEditors' Highlights
Choice of Glen’s n Leads to Differing Projections of Ice Sheet Mass Loss
Glen’s Law describes the simple physics of ice flow that underpins ice sheet models, but parameter choices substantially influence the outcome of model projections.
Posted inScience Updates
Melting Glaciers Make the Coastal Ocean More Sensitive
Fresh water from retreating ice does more than raise sea levels. It affects how the ocean responds to acidification and other environmental changes.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Glaciers May Flow into the Ocean More Quickly Than We Think
New research found that adjusting a key model variable may give more accurate predictions of glacial retreat.
Posted inEditors' Highlights
An Ancient Landscape Beneath the East Antarctic Ice Sheet
Geophysical observations of the subglacial topography of Coats Land reveal a landscape formed by tectonics and fluvial erosion that influenced the formation of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet.
Posted inNews
As Ice Recedes and Land Rebounds, Antarctica’s Mineral Resources Come into Focus
Melting ice, rebounding land, and rising seas will change what resources are available in Antarctica, a new analysis finds.
Posted inNews
Shrinking Sea Ice Is Ruffling Emperor Penguins’ Feathers
A scientist stumbled upon evidence of penguin molting sites in satellite data, but the sea ice these birds rely on is disappearing.
Posted inNews
Earth’s Climate Records Are Melting
An ice core from the Weißseespitze Glacier collected in 2019 gave researchers a peek into the history of Earth’s wildfires, volcanic eruptions, and anthropogenic activity. In the years since, much of the glacier has disappeared.