More snow over northern Antarctic Peninsula won’t slow glacial melt

International scientists find that more snow won’t slow or stop northern Antarctic Peninsula glaciers’ rapid melting, according to a University of Royal Holloway London release. Warmer temperatures have resulted in increased snowfall, shrinking glaciers and rising sea levels.

Previously, some experts thought the additional snow would help the glaciers, but new research suggests these glaciers may disappear in two centuries. Researchers studied glacier activity on James Ross Island,using a blend of tests to mark a glacier’s changes over the last 10,000 years. The scientists believe their work can help clarify the glaciers’ reaction to variation in temperature and snowfall levels over time.

Image: The Larsen Ice Shelf in the Antarctic Peninsula (Credit: Jim Yungel/NASA)