Research from the University of Leeds reveals that Kohler West glacier in Antarctica has been absorbing ice from nearby Kohler East glacier, resulting in an unusual phenomenon described as 'ice piracy.' Between 2005 and 2022, Kohler East, Pope, and Smith glaciers experienced accelerated melting, while Kohler West's melting slowed down. The findings indicate that the ice flow was redirected to Kohler East, leading to an observable shift within just 18 years, raising concerns about rising sea levels in the region.
We think that the observed slowdown on Kohler West Glacier is due to the redirection of ice flow towards its neighbor - Kohler East. This is due to the large change in Kohler West's surface slope, likely caused by the vastly different thinning rates on its neighboring glaciers.
This 'ice piracy' involves ice being redirected from one glacier to another, and the accelerating glacier is essentially 'thieving' ice from its slowing neighbor.
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