Climate forcing of the Antarctic Ice Sheet

The polar ice sheets are losing mass and contributing to sea level rise. In Greenland the reason for this is relatively straightforward: the air is getting warmer, melting the ice from above. In Antarctica, the ice is melting from below, from ocean heat delivery to the underside of floating ice shelves. How much heat is delivered depends on the complex interplay among winds, sea ice, and ocean currents. It is not yet clear whether increased melt in Antarctica can be linked to anthropogenic climate change. This talk will review our current understanding of this question, with an emphasis on the role that records from ice and sediment cores have played in advancing our knowledge.

Speaker: Eric Steig, Stanford University

Attend in person or watch online

Room 350/372