West Antarctic Ice Sheet and CO 2 greenhouse effect:a threat of disaster

• Published in: Scottish Geographical Journal
• Main Authors: Benn, Doug I, Sugden, David E.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2021
• Subjects: Ice sheet instability; Antarctica; Climate change; Antarctic; Mercer; West Antarctic Ice Sheet; Antarc*; Ice Sheet
• Online Access: https://risweb.st-andrews.ac.uk/portal/en/researchoutput/west-antarctic-ice-sheet-and-co2-greenhouse-effect(74c5443d-bc1e-4adb-8270-61c639e8ff37).html; https://doi.org/10.1080/14702541.2020.1853870; https://research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk/bitstream/10023/21690/1/Benn_2021_SGJ_WestAntarctic_CC.pdf

Over 40 years ago, the glaciologist John Mercer warned that parts of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet were at risk of collapse due to the CO 2 greenhouse effect. Mercer recognised the unique vulnerability of ice sheets resting on beds far below sea level (marine-based ice sheets), where an initial warmi...