Scientists Initiate Drilling into Thwaites Glacier to Investigate Subsurface Melting

A collaborative team of researchers from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) and the Korea Polar Research Institute (KOPRI) has reached the remote Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica to investigate subsurface melting caused by warm ocean waters.

Thwaites Glacier, approximately the size of Great Britain, is one of the largest and fastest-changing glaciers globally. Its potential collapse could lead to a global sea-level rise of about 65 centimeters.

The team plans to use a hot water drill to bore through approximately 1,000 meters of ice near the glacier's grounding line—the point where the glacier transitions from resting on the seabed to floating. This area is particularly vulnerable to melting from warm ocean currents.

Upon completing the drilling, instruments will be deployed to collect real-time data on ocean temperature and currents beneath the ice. Additionally, sediment and water samples will be gathered to enhance understanding of the glacier's past and present behaviors.

Dr. Won Sang Lee, expedition leader from KOPRI, emphasized the challenges of the mission: > "This is polar science in the extreme. We made this epic journey with no guarantee we'd even be able to make it onto the ice, so to be on the glacier and getting ready to deploy these instruments is testament to the skills and expertise of everyone involved from KOPRI and BAS."

The research is part of the International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration, a joint UK-US initiative aiming to improve understanding of ice sheet stability and predict future sea-level rise contributions from Thwaites Glacier.