Marine Ice Sheet Instability

Marine Ice Sheet Instability is a process where ice sheets grounded on a bedrock below sea level can become unstable and accelerate their melting and retreat. If the ice sheet starts to thin and retreat past a point called a grounding line, warm ocean water can cause it to melt from below further inland. This creates a feedback loop: retreat leads to more exposure to warm water, causing more melting, which leads to further retreat. This instability can contribute to rapid ice loss and sea-level rise, especially in areas like West Antarctica.