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Is Antarctica gaining land ice?

iceberg

An iceberg calved from Antarctica's Brunt Ice Shelf.

Gallo Images/Getty Images
Sue Park
By Sue ParkMay 21, 2024
Sue Park
Sue Bin Park, Skeptical Science is a contributor for The Fulcrum, a nonpartisan publication dedicated to strengthening democracy by fostering informed civic engagement and elevating diverse perspectives.
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This fact brief was originally published by Skeptical Science. Read the original here. Fact briefs are published by newsrooms in the Gigafact network, and republished by The Fulcrum. Visit Gigafact to learn more.

Is Antarctica gaining land ice?

No.

While Antarctic sea ice varies seasonally, the continent's land ice has continued to melt at an increasing pace.

Sea ice forms during the Antarctic winter and retreats during the warmer months. Such freeze-thaw cycles have no impact on sea levels since they happen within the ocean. However, Antarctic land ice has seen a net decrease, resulting in a significant increase in fresh water flowing into the sea. That does affect global sea levels.

The behavior of Antarctic land ice varies from region to region. In particular, the West Antarctic Peninsula has seen drastic ice retreat. On the other hand, East Antarctica's land ice has remained relatively stable to date. But if global warming crosses a specific threshold, serious loss is expected to occur. The planet has already moved a third of the way towards that threshold and will pass it within a century, if fossil fuel burning continues unabated.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.

Sources

Nature Mass balance of the Antarctic Ice Sheet from 1992 to 2017

My NASA Data Sea and Land Ice Melt

NASA Ice Sheets


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