Dec 11, 2018 6:00 AM

Anatomy of a Meltdown

Bryan Christie Design
01
__ANATOMY OF A MELTDOWN__: In one of the largest scientific collaborations in Antarctic history, a team of British and American researchers is scrutinizing Thwaites Glacier from every side—air, ice, and sea.
Bryan Christie Design
02
__Grounding Line__: For the time being, Thwaites is held in place by a bump in the seafloor. Once it pulls off this so-called grounding line, it’ll begin to collapse more quickly.

Bryan Christie Design
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__Ghost Ridge__: Glaciologists have identified a second bump about 45 miles behind the current one. They call it the Ghost Ridge, and there’s hope it could significantly slow Thwaites’ decline.
Bryan Christie Design
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__Explosive Charges__: Seismologists study the area under the glacier by setting off small explosive charges in the ice and listening for the reverberations.

Bryan Christie Design
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__Ice Shelf__: A floating ice shelf defends Thwaites from the assaults of ocean currents. As it disintegrates, more and more of the glacier becomes vulnerable, and more icebergs end up in the sea.

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