If It All Melts, Sea Level Rises 65 cm... South Korea-UK Team Probes the Ocean Beneath Antarctica's Thwaites Glacier

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A South Korea-United Kingdom international joint research team has successfully drilled through 934 meters of ice near the grounding line of the Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica and directly observed the ocean beneath the glacier.

According to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and the Korea Polar Research Institute on February 4, the observations provided empirical confirmation that warm seawater is intruding beneath the ice shelf and causing the glacier to melt faster than previously expected. They also confirmed that the temperature and salinity distribution near the grounding line shows a sharply mixed pattern, unlike typical oceanographic observations. This is analyzed as indicating that seawater and meltwater are rapidly mixing and that active melting is underway.

The Thwaites Glacier is one of the fastest-melting glaciers in Antarctica and is called the "Doomsday Glacier" because its collapse could trigger a chain reaction of failures in other glaciers. Research indicates that if the Thwaites Glacier were to melt completely, the average global sea level would rise by about 65 centimeters. As the melting of Antarctic glaciers is directly linked to the safety of coastal regions around the world, the need for precise observation and long-term research is increasing.

The grounding line is the boundary where the underside of a glacier meets the ocean and is regarded as a vulnerable point where the glacier can melt rapidly as seawater flows in. Since 2023, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries has been tracking changes in West Antarctic glaciers, including Thwaites, through a research and development project titled "Development of prediction technology for near-future global sea-level rise due to rapid Antarctic ice sheet melting."

Schematic diagram of glacial ground. Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.

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While direct observation through drilling is essential for accurately understanding the subglacial environment, the Thwaites Glacier has until now been studied mainly through indirect methods such as satellites and underwater robots, due to deep crevasses and rugged terrain. In response, the research team led by Dr. Lee Wonsang at the Korea Polar Research Institute conducted on-site surveys using the icebreaking research vessel Araon and helicopters. After securing a safety zone on the glacier comparable in area to Gyeonggi Province, measuring 250 meters in length and 50 meters in width, the team transported 25 tons of drilling equipment by helicopter and carried out drilling operations.

On January 29, the team used a hot-water drilling method to melt through the ice to a depth of about 900 meters and successfully obtained direct measurements of basic parameters such as salinity and temperature of the seawater beneath the glacier. However, as the borehole refroze faster than expected and weather conditions deteriorated, they were unable to install moored instruments for long-term monitoring.

Building on these results, the research team plans to carry out follow-up surveys targeting major grounding lines in Antarctica in 2027. The Korea Polar Research Institute intends to continue expanding international joint research aimed at responding to the climate crisis, including tracking pathways of seawater intrusion beneath ice shelves.

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