Melting of polar ice deforming earth's crust, shifting sea levels: Study

New research on climate change has revealed that the melting of polar ice caps are proving to be more devastating as it is causing a change in the Earth apart from just causing a change in water levels of the oceans. According to a report by The Harvard Gazette, the melting of glaciers in the southern and northern poles is warping the earth’s crust, thus causing it to deform. According to a study published in Geophysical Research Letters, Sophie Coulson, PhD from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, along with her colleagues, detected the deformity by analysing satellite data on ice melting from 2003 to 2018 said The Harvard Gazette’s report. The study revealed that the warping of the earth’s crust beneath the landmasses of glaciers in Greenland, Antarctica, and the Arctic Islands created detectable impacts from thousands of kilometres away.

Coulson and her colleagues were reportedly able to measure the horizontal shift in the earth's crust by studying the crust from the data collected over 15 years. The research which presents new ways to monitor changes in the ice mass reportedly pointed out that the crust was shifting horizontally more than it was lifting in specific locations near the icy landmasses. In an interview with Herald Gazette, Coulson said that although the scientists have extensively studied ice sheets, glaciers and the landmasses beneath them, it came as a surprise that the effect would be on a global scale.

How does ice melting affect the crust?

As per Coulson, the effects can be clearly understood if perceived on a smaller scale. She explained that melting ice blocks is like pressing a wooden board floating above the water surface, which in turn pushes the water beneath it. In contrast, when the board is lifted, water moves vertically to fill in the vacancy. She stated that the rebounding crust, like the one in Antarctica, is causing a change in the bedrock slope under the ice sheet, disrupting the ice dynamics. 

Coulson further said that understanding the crust's movement and the factors causing it is essential as it would aid the study regarding a wide range of Earth science problems. Besides, she was also reported saying that these data will also assist in tracking tectonic motions and earthquake activity. 

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