A recent study reveals a previously unseen phenomenon in Antarctica: 'ice piracy.' A glacier is rapidly redirecting ice flow from a neighboring glacier, altering ice mass flux and potentially accelerating sea-level rise.
Researchers from the University of Leeds observed this dramatic shift over less than 18 years, a timeframe unprecedented in glacial behavior. The study, published in The Cryosphere, highlights the acceleration of ice streams, with some increasing speed by up to 87%.
The 'ice piracy' involves one glacier 'stealing' ice from its slower-moving neighbor, a process altering the ice mass flux into the Dotson and Crosson Ice Shelves. This discovery underscores the need to understand these dynamic changes for accurate projections of future ice-sheet behavior and sea-level rise, with over 410 million people at risk by 2100.