Simulation Of Ocean Surface Temperature Around Antarctica (IMAGE)
Caption
Modern day ocean surface temperatures around Antarctic are simulated in this image by a high-resolution ocean model, with red areas warmer and blue areas colder. White around the Antarctic continent shows sea ice that forms each year during the winter, while grey shading shows the ice sheet. Rising ocean temperatures in the next 50 to 100 years might cause the West Antarctic Ice Sheet to become unstable and rapidly collapses into the ocean. Condron says that exactly how such an amount of fresh water might alter ocean circulation and global climate is almost completely unknown and needs investigation.
Credit
UMass Amherst/Anthony Coletti
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