Melting Ice Sheets Could Trigger Unexpected Volcanic Activity

Melting ice sheets in Antarctica are changing the Earth's crust, causing warps that trigger new volcanic activity that could cause global sea-levels to rise higher than scientists have previously predicted, according to a recent study.

The study, published in Earth and Planetary Science Letters, details how the collapse of the massive Antarctic Larsen B ice sheet, which occurred back in 2002, caused noticeable deformities in the Earth's crust due to a sudden loss of billion of metric tons of ice.

According to the study, scientists led by Newcastle University in the United Kingdom used global positioning system (GPS) stations to measure changes in the Earth's mantle. They quickly found that, predictably, the Earth's surface rose after the weight of ice was lifted.

However, instead of rising by small increments only noticeable when using sensitive technologies, the Earth's crust rose by as much as five centimeters in some parts - causing significant disturbances.

The disturbances included the movement of subsurface rock and magma flows that led to changed circumstances for some once-thought stable volcanoes known to be in the Antarctic region.

This worries study author Matt King, as it remains unclear what exactly will happen if a massive volcano erupts beneath one of Antarctica's already fast-melting ice sheets.

"It's one of the big unknowns: If something starts to happen with one of those volcanoes, our estimates of what sea levels might be like in the future may have a significant revision," he told the Sydney Morning Herald, adding "fire and ice generally don't go well together."

Antarctica is already in hot water, so-to-speak, with rising sea temperatures helping to double Antarctic ice loss over the last few years.

Ironically, other recent research has shown that past volcanic activity may have actually helped slow climate warming while iron from melting ice sheets like the Larsen B ice sheet may be buffering some of climate change's more adverse effects.