Canadian ice sheet drove ancient sea-level rise
New study reveals Canadian ice sheet was key driver of sea-level rise after last ice age.
Why it matters
- Study published in Nature Geoscience challenges assumptions about Antarctic ice melt.
- Provides insights into past climate changes and ice sheet dynamics.
- Helps understand the role of freshwater forcing in climate events.
By the numbers
- North American ice sheets contributed ~14 meters to sea-level rise (9,000–7,000 years ago).
- Previous estimates were 4–10 meters lower.
- Contribution was at least three times greater than Antarctica's.
The big picture
- Understanding past ice sheet collapse helps predict future sea-level rise.
- Sheds light on abrupt climate events like the cooling ~8,200 years ago.
- Highlights AMOC sensitivity to freshwater inputs from melting ice.
What they're saying
- Some find the results unsurprising due to extensive northern ice sheets.
Caveats
- Study relies on modeling and historical data, which have uncertainties.
What’s next
- Further research to refine ice sheet melt estimates and climate models.