Scientists have begun drilling a deep hole through the Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica to study the warm ocean currents that are accelerating its melt. This research is crucial because Thwaites is one of the largest and fastest-shrinking glaciers on the continent, and its collapse could significantly raise global sea levels.
The Challenge of Studying Thwaites
The glacier’s massive size prevents the use of standard underwater robots to reach the deepest parts of the ocean beneath it. Therefore, researchers are using a hot-water drilling technique to create a narrow shaft through the 800-meter (half-mile) thick ice. This will allow them to deploy instruments directly onto the seafloor and collect detailed data on water temperature, salinity, and currents.
Why Thwaites Matters
Thwaites Glacier is often called the “Doomsday Glacier” because of its potential to destabilize the entire West Antarctic ice sheet. As the glacier’s floating ice shelf erodes from below, the remaining land-based ice could slide rapidly into the ocean, contributing to accelerated sea-level rise. This process is driven by warming ocean water that is circulating beneath the glacier, melting it from below.
“We’re just kind of curious to see more of what’s beneath our feet,” says Keith Makinson, an oceanographer with the British Antarctic Survey, underscoring the exploratory nature of the mission. But the implications are far-reaching: understanding how warm water interacts with Thwaites is vital for predicting future sea-level rise and mitigating its impacts.
The data collected from this drilling operation will help scientists refine climate models and better forecast how quickly Thwaites—and other vulnerable glaciers—will melt in the coming decades. The findings will be essential for informing coastal planning and adaptation strategies worldwide.
