Scientists will test Antarctic Peninsula ice shelf to better forecast sea level rise

(Photo of Antarctic Peninsula from Flickr and photographer mschutt/Matt S)

News Update: The British Antarctic Survey, including participate from the University of Edinburgh, will send a group to Larson C ice shelf, on the Antarctic peninsula (closest to South America) to try to determine when and if it will break off. Larson A plunged into the sea in 1995 and Larson B in 2002. Larson C, the size of Scotland, is considered vulnerable. The group will drill and use radar in their exploration. While the ice shelf already sits in the sea and will not cause water levels to rise if it breaks off, glaciers on land behind it would likely slide faster into the ocean, and that would cause sea levels to rise, something of great concern to coastal communities. (Source: PlanetArk)