World's Largest Ice Shelf Melting Faster: Study

摘要

The world's largest ice shelf is melting 10 times faster than expected due to solar heating of the surrounding Antarctic Ocean,scientists have warned.The Ross Ice Shelf covers an area roughly the size of France and is several hundred metres thick,with 90 per cent of the ice below sea level.A study by an international team of scientists,carried out over four years,collected data on how the northwest portion of the ice shelf interacts with the ocean beneath it.It found the ice is melting much more rapidly than previously thought,due to inflowing warm water.