Pine Island Glacier

Pine Island Glacier is a large ice stream in West Antarctica that flows into the Amundsen Sea. It acts like a giant ice channel, transporting ice from the interior of the ice sheet to the ocean. The glacier is particularly important because it has been thinning and retreating due to recent warming, contributing to global sea level rise. Its ice loss occurs through melting at the base due to warm ocean water and calving—that is, ice breaking off into icebergs. Understanding Pine Island Glacier helps scientists monitor how Antarctic ice sheets respond to climate change and influence sea levels worldwide.