""Recent changes observed in Antarctica now show that it is much more Greenland-like than earlier prognoses," wrote the authors of a recently-published paper titled "The Greenlandification of Antarctica."If your first reaction upon seeing that title is to wonder what Greenlandification means, the paper's authors have helpfully provided a definition: "he transition of a cold, stable ice mass with low or negligible surface melt to one more similar to present-day Greenland, where a warmer atmosphere and ocean drive increased surface and submarine melt and sustained calving activity.""
"The paper's authors note one key difference between Antarctica and Greenland: the role that ice shelves play surrounding much of the former region. That could result in more stability, though the authors also point out that the ice shelves are at risk of both "collapse driven by ocean driven melt on the underside" and "hydrofracturing due to the expansion and drainage of supraglacial lakes.""
""We thought it was just going to take ages for any kind of climate impacts to be seen in Antarctica," explained one of the paper's authors, Ruth Mottram, to Inside Climate News' Bob Berwyn. "And that's really not true.""
Recent observations indicate Antarctica is transitioning toward conditions resembling present-day Greenland, with warmer atmosphere and ocean driving increased surface and submarine melt and sustained calving. The transformation—termed Greenlandification—describes a shift from a cold, stable ice mass with negligible surface melt to one with pronounced melt and dynamic ice loss. Surrounding ice shelves can provide stabilization but face risks from ocean-driven basal melt and hydrofracturing caused by expanding and draining supraglacial lakes. The pace of these changes is much faster than previously expected. Increased Antarctic ice loss carries substantial implications for global sea level rise and coastal impacts.
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