A new study led by the University of Colorado Boulder and published in Nature Geoscience details the unprecedented 2023 retreat of Antarctica’s Hektoria Glacier, comparable in size to the city of Philadelphia. Using seismic data, satellites and remote sensors, the research team surveyed the glacier, capturing its topography and retreat at different time intervals. They noted that the glacier retreated five miles in just two months, 10 times faster than any previous record. The scientists believe the glacier floated above the ice plain, exposing it to warm ocean water and tidal forces, which caused large chunks of ice to break off.

This accelerated retreat is reshaping sea-level rise predictions. The study highlights the swift destabilization of grounded glaciers, indicating that current models likely underestimate the pace of Antarctic ice loss and the resulting coastal flooding from sea level rise. This is especially concerning for larger ice sheets like Thwaites, which rivals the size of Great Britain.