Hidden melt under Antarctica’s ice shelves could raise global sea levels
Antarctica’s ice shelves are melting from below as warming ocean water erodes their bases, a process that could accelerate inland ice loss and raise sea levels by metres. Nine-model synthesis estimates basal melting at about 843 billion tonnes per year, but data gaps leave large uncertainties about rate and regional impact, including potential effects on major ocean currents—emissions choices will largely determine future sea level rise.