Antarctic Peninsula glaciers in major retreat

Researchers’ worst fears over the melting of Antarctica have been realised. The first comprehensive survey of glaciers on the Antarctic Peninsula shows a widespread retreat that investigators from the British Antarctic Survey believe may be further evidence of global warming.

The Antarctic Peninsula is a narrow mountain chain that stretches north from the icy continent towards South America. Its 244 glaciers all terminate by dumping their ice into the sea as icebergs.

The three-year investigation of more than 2000 aerial and satellite photographs shows 87% of the glaciers have retreated over the past 50 years, with the icebergs breaking off earlier each year.

Glacier flows and iceberg calving are influenced by many local factors. But BAS glaciologist David Vaughan says the survey reveals an unambiguous pattern of retreat in recent years. If it continues, he says, “the peninsula could end up looking like the Alps, with all the glaciers ending halfway up their valleys”.

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