Antarctica’s ice shelves are vulnerable to melting from below – knowing how far ocean heat reaches is crucial
- Written by Craig Stevens, Professor in Ocean Physics, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau; Earth Sciences New Zealand
A rare dataset collected by instruments at the point where Antarctica’s largest ice shelf begins to float reveals ocean processes that drive melting at this critical part of the continent.
During a 2019 expedition to the Kamb Ice Stream, a river of ice which feeds the Ross Ice Shelf, we were able to deploy a string of...





