WEST ANTARCTIC ICE SHEET
Real ANTARCTICA
Although this hasn't been subject to much exposure, most of the
ice sheet over the Western Antarctic bulge is actually below sea level-
that is the mile thick ice sits on the ocean bottom. What we think of as the continent of Antarctica
doesn't exist- the Western bulge is actually
just a few islands. Rivers of ice within
this sheet are flowing to the sea at hugely
higher rates (several feet a day). If sea
water were to penetrate underneath the floor
of this sheet and melt and lubricate it,
it is conceivable that the entire thing could
catastrophically rip loose and plunge in
the ocean through the Ross Sea and Ice Shelf
(which has been breaking up). That would
raise worldwide sea levels by 16-20 feet
and flood every seaside city in the world,
after shattering them with devastating tidal waves.
Imagine if a 90 mile long 6000 ft high 1/4
mile wide chunk of ice cap snaps off into
the ocean. Though some of the Day After
Tomorrow movie is scientific gibberish (the instant
freezing)- the smashing and flooding of major
cities by water is something we may see in
our lifetimes.
Note: Map is from Nat. Geographic 1963, more modern ones show much less actual land.