Ocean warming, not a rise in air temperature, is the main reason for the retreat of glaciers on the Western Antarctic Peninsula, propose scientists. Researchers from Swansea University and the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) investigated the Peninsula as it is one of the largest current contributors to sea-level rise. Around 90% of the 674 glaciers in this region have retreated since 1940, when records began. The scientists studied ocean temperature measurements around the Peninsula as well as photography and satellite data of the 674 glaciers. A north-south gradient showing increasing glacier retreat was observed, with colder water in the north-west which becomes warmer further south. Researchers also realised that the warm water at mid-depths in the southern region has been warming since the 1990’s which is when widespread acceleration of glacier retreat began. http://www.labnews.co.uk/news/ocean-warming-definitive-cause-antarctic-glacier-melt-01-08-2016/?
