(WKRC) – Scientists have identified more than 360 previously undetected earthquakes beneath Antarctica’s Thwaites Glacier between 2010 and 2023, offering new insight into the instability of one of the world’s most closely watched ice formations.
The findings come from a reanalysis of seismic data by Thanh-Son Pham and researchers at Australian National University. The team found the quakes produced low-frequency vibrations that were missed by standard detection methods.
Often called the “Doomsday Glacier,” Thwaites spans an area roughly the size of Florida. Scientists say its collapse could raise global sea levels by as much as 10 feet.
Most of the earthquakes occurred near where the glacier meets the Amundsen Sea, an area where massive icebergs regularly break away. The most intense seismic activity was recorded between 2018 and 2020, a period that coincided with accelerated glacier movement.
Researchers said the quakes are linked to mechanical failures within the ice and melting at the glacier’s base caused by warm ocean water. Thwaites, along with the nearby Pine Island Glacier, helps anchor the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, which contains enough ice to raise sea levels by several meters.
A 10-foot rise in sea levels could inundate about 28,800 square miles of U.S. coastal land and affect an estimated 12.3 million people, according to scientists. Major coastal cities, including New York, Miami, and New Orleans, would face significant impacts.
While scientists continue to debate how quickly a collapse could occur, the newly identified seismic activity points to increasing instability. International research teams are expanding monitoring efforts, deploying additional instruments and combining seismic data with satellite imagery and ice-flow models to better predict future changes.
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The findings underscore both the growing urgency and uncertainty surrounding the risks Thwaites Glacier poses to global coastlines.