Thwaites Glacier

Why in news?

• Recently, a new study has detected the presence of warm water at a vital point beneath the Thwaites glacier as the cause of its melting.

About Thwaites Glacier:

• Thwaites Glacier is 120 km wide, fast-moving glacier located in Antarctica.
• Because of its size (1.9 lakh square km), it contains enough water to raise the world sea level by more than half a metre.
• Its melting already contributes 4% to global sea-level rise each year. It is estimated that it would collapse into the sea in 200-900 years.
• Studies have found the amount of ice flowing out of it has nearly doubled over the past 30 years.

Add ons:

• Because of the risk it faces — and poses — Thwaites is often called the Doomsday Glacier.

PRACTICE QUESTION:

Thwaites Glacier, recently seen in news, is located in:

(a) Himalayas

(b) Arctic

(c) Antarctica

(d) Andes

Answer