New cause of melting Antarctic ice shelves discovered

The Thwaites Ice Shelf is one of the main contributors to rising sea levels and could be melting rapidly, scientists warn

The Thwaites Ice Shelf in Antarctica (Karen Alley)

Researchers have identified a process that may indicate ice shelves melting at an accelerating rate in the Antarctic.

A study led by the University of East Anglia discovered that the instability of one ice shelf might affect other surrounding ice shelves, pushing it downstream.

They also identified that a small ocean gyre - a system of circulating ocean currents - next to the Thwaites Ice Shelf can impact the amount of glacial meltwater flowing beneath it.