Polar Express

A recent article from the BBC has outlined the findings of a number of polar research teams, in terms of the effect of ice from Greenland and Antarctica on sea level rise. The mechanisms of these ice sheets are pretty difficult to track and measure accurately. What this combined study has found is that the contribution of melting Polar ice has been one fifth of the overall rise in sea level since 1992.

Additionally, the East Antarctic ice sheet has actually gained mass due to more snowfall, whereas the West Antarctic, Antarctic Peninsula, and Greenland ice sheets, have all lost mass. As Professor Shepherd summed up perfectly, "We would expect Greenland to melt more rapidly because the temperatures have risen…West Antarctica to flow more quickly because the ocean is warmer. And we would also expect East Antarctica to grow because there's more snowfall as a consequence of climate warming."

They concluded by saying how the ice sheets have contributed 11.1mm on average to sea level rise as a whole. The study has proved to us just how much these ice sheets have actually contributed to sea level rise thus far, and has given us one final, overall estimate for this.

The graph below (taken from the BBC article) shows the combined effects:

It’s good that they finally have collaborated all the uncertainties in terms of estimates, to give us a clearer picture of what’s really been going on. The future is still uncertain, however these new figures definitely seem to have helped, and hopefully scientists will be able to work onwards from this and find out more in the coming years about what lies ahead...

Check out the article for a short video clip, and more information: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-20543483