An Antarctic Glacier Retreated 25 km in 15 Months — A New Record

This is one of the fastest retreats ever recorded for a glacier grounded on bedrock.

After the collapse of the Larsen B ice shelf in 2002, Hektoria lost the natural “plug” that had been holding it back. Once the floating tongue disappeared, the glacier became extremely unstable. Satellite images showed the ice rapidly sliding into the ocean over a relatively smooth surface.

“We observed a process in which the ice loses its support and actively calves,” the authors explain.

This retreat clearly demonstrates how quickly processes in Antarctica can develop under warming conditions. Those who still claim that “glaciers are not melting” or that “everything is within normal limits” can look at these satellite data: 25 kilometers in 15 months is an already measured fact.

Such accelerated ice loss directly affects global sea level rise. Although the Antarctic Peninsula is not the largest part of the continent, changes occur here the fastest and serve as an early warning signal.

The study was published in the journal Nature Geoscience.