A team of nearly 40 researchers has launched from New Zealand to study Thwaites Glacier, nicknamed the "Doomsday Glacier," to better understand its rapid melting and global consequences. The glacier could raise sea levels by more than two feet if it melts, and a wider West Antarctic collapse might add up to 15 feet over centuries. The expedition will use airborne radar to probe the ice, attach sensors to seals to collect oceanographic data, and operate under multiple contingency plans.
Scientists Sail to Study Antarctica's 'Doomsday Glacier' — Close‑Up Mission to Thwaites
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A multinational team of nearly 40 scientists has set sail from New Zealand on a research vessel to study Thwaites Glacier — the so‑called "Doomsday Glacier" — up close. The expedition aims to resolve critical questions about how quickly the glacier is melting and what that melt could mean for global sea levels.
Why Thwaites Matters
The enormous Thwaites Glacier, roughly the size of Florida, holds enough ice to raise global sea levels by more than two feet if it were to melt completely. Scientists also warn that continued loss at Thwaites could destabilize the broader West Antarctic ice sheet; in a worst‑case scenario that collapse could add as much as 15 feet of sea‑level rise over several centuries.
The Expedition And Methods
Nearly 40 researchers departed from a New Zealand port on Saturday, bringing a range of instruments and contingency plans. Teams plan to use airborne radar to effectively 'X‑ray' the glacier's internal structure, deploy oceanographic sensors, and carry out other experiments designed to capture how warm water and tides interact with the ice.
'There will be a Plan A through F,' said Chris Pierce, a glaciologist at Montana State University, describing the expedition's robust contingency approach.
In an innovative twist, researchers will also attach satellite‑linked sensors to Weddell and other local seals. The tagged seals collect temperature and salinity data while hunting — often taking them to regions where oceanographic processes are most active.
'The seals go where the food is,' said Lars Boehme, an ecologist at the University of St. Andrews. 'Very often, that’s a place where, in terms of the environment and oceanography, things are happening.'
What Recent Research Shows
Recent studies indicate Thwaites is more vulnerable to warming than previously thought. Portions of the glacier's underside that were assumed to be sheltered by the seafloor are being lifted by tides and exposed to warm seawater, producing what scientists call 'vigorous melting.' As Doug Benn, a glaciologist at the University of St. Andrews, put it: 'Thwaites has really broken up in front of our eyes.'
Risks, Uncertainties, And Urgency
While a total collapse of the West Antarctic ice sheet is a worst‑case outcome and would unfold over centuries, its potential impacts are globally significant and justify urgent, careful study. The new data from this expedition — including radar profiles, oceanographic measurements and animal‑borne sensors — should help refine projections of future sea‑level rise and improve the models policy makers rely on.
Sources: Reporting and quotes informed by The New York Times.
