Warm Surface Water Temperatures Are Driving Melting on the World’s Largest Ice Shelf

The newly identified rapidly melting zone is at the front of the Ross Ice Shelf, where it juts out into a naturally ice-free part of the Southern Ocean, formed as the result of polar wind patterns. The area is a critical part of the shelf that helps to stabilise the flow of ice behind it. If the Ross Ice Shelf collapses, it could raise global sea levels by an estimated 5 meters.