Conditions at the Thwaites and Pine Island glaciers in West Antarctica appear to be rapidly deteriorating. Satellite imagery shared by Kris Van Steenbergen and Chris Cartwright on Twitter shows massive cracks and iceberg calving along with the breakup of sea ice that has accelerated since Iceberg B22A lifted off its sea mount and entered the open ocean.
The oceans are now the hottest they have ever been. Ever!
The predicted fracturing of the marine extensions of the two enormous marine-terminating ice streams reported last year that will occur in three to five years is now happening. Faster than expected.
All pinning points are simultaneously collapsing. We are in unchartered territory.
Antarctica is not waiting for us to get our shit together. Where is the media?
Stay tuned. Twenty-three more days remain until the melt season ends, though all damage occurs under the ice in the Amundsen Sea.
A build-up of sea ice would be most welcome now.
Media has reported on an iceberg calving from the Brunt Ice Shelf; that is sexy, but not the story in Antarctica.
The British Antarctic Survey emphasized that the Brunt iceberg, A81, is a natural occurrence unrelated to climate change.
The British Antarctica Survey research station had no choice but to relocate its Hally V1 Station due to cracking a few years ago. Fascinating and hypnotic video.