Antarctic Ice Sheet Gains Mass After Decades of Steady Loss

For decades, the Antarctic Ice Sheet (AIS) has been shrinking, contributing significantly to rising sea levels, especially in West Antarctica and certain parts of East Antarctica. However, researchers say that from 2021 to 2023, an unusual increase in precipitation led to a massive gain in ice mass across key glacier systems like Totten, Moscow, Denman, and Vincennes Bay. These changes have been tracked using satellite gravimetry, revealing both the fragility and variability of Antarctica’s glaciers.

The AIS is a crucial driver of global sea level changes. Since 2002, the GRACE and GRACE-FO satellite missions have supplied essential data on how ice mass has evolved over time, enabling scientists to monitor shifts with great precision.

Previous research has consistently pointed to sustained ice loss, particularly in West Antarctica and the Antarctic Peninsula, while glaciers in East Antarctica seemed more stable. But a new study by Dr. Wang and Prof. Shen from Tongji University has revealed a dramatic change: between 2021 and 2023, the AIS actually saw a historic increase in ice mass.

Climate change researchers have, for decades, pointed to melting ice glaciers as evidence of global warming and have warned of catastrophic sea level increases that could wipe out entire cities.

In a surprising turn, the 2021–2023 phase saw the AIS helping to *
reduce sea level rise by 0.30±0.21 mm/year due to the newfound mass gain.