Doomsday Glacier is collapsing faster than expected, new study warns

Antarctica’s Thwaites Glacier, known as the “Doomsday Glacier,” is entering an unstable phase that could change global shorelines.

Thwaites Glacier, about the size of Florida, contributes approximately 4% to global sea-level rise and loses roughly 50 billion tons of ice annually. Its collapse could destabilize the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, raising sea levels by 10 to 11 feet and overwhelming coastal defenses, mainly due to strong underwater currents.

Swirling water flows where warm and cold waters meet, eroding the base of the Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica. Satellite radar data from March to June 2023 indicates that warm seawater is pushing several miles inland beneath the ice, shifting the grounding zone at the seabed. As tidal cycles lift the ice, more water can flow in and out, weakening the critical support for the glacier.

The glacier is retreating and thinning more rapidly from below than traditional sea-level projections suggest. New analysis reveals that the grounding zone of Thwaites Glacier can shift several kilometers in just 12 hours due to tidal movements. When warm water is pushed inland by the tide, it lifts the glacier slightly, allowing more ocean water to circulate underneath and increasing melting.

The constant movement of the ice stresses its base and accelerates melting. Scientists are concerned that the glacier could reach an irreversible tipping point sooner than expected, with minor increases in ocean temperature causing significant ice loss. Glaciologist Christine Dow noted that this process, once thought to take 100 to 500 years, may now unfold much more quickly, reducing preparation time.

The collapse of Thwaites Glacier could raise global sea levels by over two feet. As a barrier for the West Antarctic Ice Sheet—about three times the size of Texas—its failure may allow the ice sheet to flow more freely into the ocean, potentially causing a long-term rise of 10 to 11 feet. This would change coastlines, submerge low-lying areas, erode wetlands, and allow saltwater to enter rivers and groundwater.

Even as sea levels rise slowly over centuries, a destabilized ice sheet will continue to increase water levels after peak greenhouse gas emissions. In the U.S., about 127 million people in coastal counties face flooding risks from Antarctic ice melt. Cities like New York, Miami, and San Francisco are already seeing more frequent high-tide flooding, and significant sea-level rise could threaten transportation and port facilities.

Economic exposure is a major concern. A 10-foot rise in sea level could threaten $1 to $2 trillion in coastal property, including 2.5 million vulnerable homes worth $1.07 trillion. When roads and utilities are factored in, the risk increases significantly. In low-lying areas, ongoing flooding is already raising insurance premiums and repair costs for residents.

Insurers and mortgage lenders in states like Florida and California are reassessing risk, leading to higher borrowing costs and reduced coverage options for lower-income residents. Meanwhile, demand is rising for companies that build flood-resilient structures and provide climate-risk analytics.

Some developers and utilities are factoring in potential sea-level rise from Antarctic changes in their planning. This includes elevating new buildings, moving substations and data centers inland, and delaying coastal projects until uncertainties about the Thwaites Glacier are clarified.

Many zoning codes and federal models may underestimate sea-level rise if significant seawater intrusion beneath Antarctic ice is confirmed. Scientists are exploring interventions to slow the Thwaites Glacier’s decline over a 15 to 30-year period, including underwater curtains and bubble barriers to block warm water, as well as seabed structures to slow ice flow.

Critics point out the engineering challenges, ecological risks, and governance issues in one of Earth’s most vulnerable regions. Monitoring of Thwaites Glacier suggests a potential permanent shift, prompting coastal communities to balance immediate investments in defenses, such as seawalls, with longer-term solutions, such as managed relocation.

Hosea 4:1 The LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.

Hosea 4:2 By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.

Hosea 4:3 Therefore shall the land mourn, and everyone that dwelleth therein shall languish=lose or lack vitality; grow weak or feeble, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.

Luke 21:11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and diseases; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.

Luke 21:25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;

Luke 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

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