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Several of the ice shelves attached to Antarctica are disintegrating because the sea water is melting them from below.

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10y ago

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How is an ice shelf different from an ice sheet?

An ice shelf is a floating ice platform attached to a coast, while an ice sheet is a vast expanse of land ice covering an area larger than 50,000 square kilometers. Ice shelves are mostly found in Antarctica and Greenland, whereas ice sheets cover large portions of Antarctica and Greenland, as well as parts of the Arctic.


What is the futuer for Antarctica?

The future of Antarctica is uncertain due to the effects of climate change. Rising temperatures are causing ice shelves to melt, which could lead to rising sea levels globally. Conservation efforts and international agreements are in place to protect Antarctica and its unique ecosystems. Continuing to address climate change is crucial for the future of Antarctica.


What is the largest piece of ice in the world and in Antarctica?

The largest piece of ice in the world is the Antarctic Ice Sheet, which covers about 14 million square kilometers. Within Antarctica, the largest single piece of ice is the Ross Ice Shelf, which is roughly the size of France.


How thick is the ice in Antarctica and what factors contribute to its thickness?

The ice in Antarctica can be up to several kilometers thick. Factors that contribute to its thickness include snowfall accumulation, compaction of snow into ice over time, and the movement of ice towards the coast.


How long will it be until antarctica melts if global warming continues at it's current rate?

Antarctica is a continent and continents do not melt. Today, the ice shelves at the edges of Antarctica are deteriorating from underneath, due to warming ocean waters. The ice sheet that covers 98% of the continent does melt and freeze seasonally. There is no exact answer to your question, but scientists have documented a trend with several options. One is that the continental ice sheet isn't melting.

Related Questions

What is the name of the two major ice shelves in antarctica?

The Ross Ice Shelf and the Ronnie Ice Shelf are the two biggest ice shelves in Antarctica.


Why do the ice shelves melt in summer in Antarctica?

Melting of Antarctica's ice shelves occurs underwater, based on warming ocean water. which melts the shelves from underneath. This phenomenon occurs all year and is not limited to summer.


Why is it important to get updated data about Antarctica's ice cover and ice shelves?

pak you XD


What is drifting ice in antarctica?

Icebergs (drifting ice) in Antarctica have broken off from the glaciers and ice shelves that stretch out over the sea at the continent's coastline.


How many ice shelves are there in antarctica?

lot's most of them brock down


How are the ice sheets of Antarctica breaking?

Your question is really about ice shelves, not the Antarctic ice sheet. The ice shelves are deteriorating because of warmer ocean waters that melt the ice shelf from below.


What is an ice shelf?

an ice shelf is a shelf of ice, which is floating on the water. There are several large ice shelves around Antarctica.


Two major ice shelves in Antarctica?

You may be thinking of the Ross Ice Shelf or the Larson Ice Shelf.


What are the names of the main ice shelves in Antarctica?

You may be thinking of the Ross Ice Shelf, and the Larson Ice Shelves.Other major ice shelves are named Ekstrom, Amery, West, Shackleton and Voyeykov.


What are the rivers of ice in antarctica called?

i think the rivers of ice in Antarctica are called glaciers.


What do the ice shelves in Antarctica form?

Ice shelves in Antarctica form barriers to continental land, but are so large as to be effectively connected to the continent permanently. Ice shelves can be extremely tall -- hundreds of feet -- above the water line and so deep -- hundreds of metres -- as to make the water under them impenetrable by current technologies.


What is covering two large bays on antarctica?

You may be thinking of the Ross Ice Shelf and the Larson Ice Shelves.