The West Antarctic and Greenland Ice Sheets are vulnerable to even little amounts of global warming . The East Antarctic Ice Sheet , on the other hand , appear more stable . This is golden , because East Antarctica bind three - quarters of Earth ’s frosting . Its melting would leave the satellite unrecognisable . Although there is little danger of this happening soon , new inquiry suggests a 2ºC ( 3.6ºF ) rise in world temperature could melt more than a million satisfying kilometers ( 386,000 square mile ) of ice if the temperatures are sustain long enough .
The East Antarctic Ice Sheet ( EAIS ) is built on a different scurf from the rest of the world ’s rooted water . “ everlasting melting of the shipboard soldier - based West Antarctic Ice Sheet ( WAIS ) would lead 3 - 5 meters [ 10 - 16 feet ] to global mean ocean degree , whereas the EAIS contains a sea level combining weight of approximately 53 m [ 170 feet ] , ” a newspaper publisher inNaturenotes . It ’s the divergence between saving many coastal metropolis , albeit behind sea rampart , and most of the cosmos ’s population losing their homes .
Numerous studies have found that the WAIS isalready thaw , and maylargely disappearif the ocean around Antarctica lovesome modestly ( although some othersoffer unexpected Leslie Townes Hope ) . But the portion of the EAIS is much less absolved . The newspaper publisher is a result of an investigation of the floor of the Southern Ocean . The ratio of neodymium isotopes in aqueous layers suggest rates of corrosion from nearby land mass , which in turn reveal if the chicken feed was static or contracting at the time .
Co - authorDr Kevin Welshof the University of Queensland reports substantial change can be detect in the Wilkes Subglacial Basin , a subdivision of the EAIS that lies below ocean level . “ We found that the most extreme change in the ice sheet occurred during two interglacial stop 125,000 and 400,000 years ago , when global ocean levels were several meters higher than they are today , ” Welsh said in astatement .
temperature in these eras were only around 2ºC ( 3.6ºF ) warmer than pre - industrial levels . If , asseems likely , the world fails to converge the Paris agreement goal by even a small amount , things will soon be at least this warm again .
Welsh told IFLScience this study lacked the “ secular resolution ” to tell what would chance to East Antarctica if global temperature equalize those in old interglacials , but does so for briefer times while we find manner to cool down the Earth again . Similarly , Welsh said that “ other parts of East Antarctica continue to be assessed , ” and was reluctant to draw conclusions as to what past thaw of Wilkes Land says about the quietus of the EAIS , in particular those area above sea degree . However , with John Wilkes hold back more than one-half WAIS ’s ice , it could do muckle of damage on its own .
