A major \u00c2\u00a34 million EU-funded study to investigate how changes in \nAntarctica\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s ice sheets and shelves may lead to a large and irreversible\n rise in global sea level over the coming decades is about to begin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Experts\n from the UK, Norway, Germany and France will work together to \ninvestigate the likelihood of abrupt changes in the movement of ice in \nthe Antarctic region over the next 100 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Northumbria \nUniversity is the only UK partner in the consortium and receives the \nlargest part of the total funding, worth \u00c2\u00a31.2 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While some\n parts of the environment may respond gradually to changes in climate, \nothers may potentially undergo large and sudden irreversible step \nchanges with global implications \u00e2\u20ac\u201c which is known as a tipping point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The\n researchers will investigate the possibility that climate change may \ndrive the Antarctic Ice Sheet and the Southern Ocean towards such a \ntipping point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Theoretical and numerical studies already suggest \nthat this is possible. However, it is unclear how close the Antarctic \nclimate system is to a tipping point, and how likely it is that global \nwarming may cause abrupt and large-scale changes to the Antarctic Ice \nSheet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Antarctica\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s ice is based both on land \u00e2\u20ac\u201c known as the ice sheet \u00e2\u20ac\u201c and on sea, where it forms floating ice shelves bordering the land. The point where the ice sheets and ice shelves meet is called the grounding line. The ice shelves act as a safety band holding the land-based ice sheet in place. Read more<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A major \u00c2\u00a34 million EU-funded study to investigate how changes in Antarctica\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s ice sheets and shelves may lead to a large and irreversible rise in global sea level over the coming decades is about to begin. Experts from the UK, Norway, Germany and France will work together to investigate the likelihood of abrupt changes in … <\/p>\n