The Earth Rises to Meet the Sea

Under white weight,
ancient Earthbones
grind and groan –
shifting in their sleep
to age
and shrug
and sigh.
Restless beast-land
arches lift
their frozen cloak
against the ocean’s
tiresome claim.
Distant shores await,
whispered tales
in glacier-creak
to heave the ground
and etch the tide
against the face of
future seas.

This poem is inspired by recent research, which has studied how the rising earth in Antarctica will impact future sea level rise.

Predicting how much sea levels will rise in the future is tricky, and one of the biggest uncertainties comes from how the Antarctic Ice Sheet (AIS) will respond to climate change. This complexity stems from the fact that the Earth’s structure beneath the ice sheet is not uniform, which affects how the ice reacts to warming. Essentially, the land beneath the ice can either help slow down or speed up the ice melting process, making it important to understand these details for accurate predictions.

Recent research tackled this issue by using a special model that combines the 3D structure of the Earth with how the ice sheet moves and changes. The study discovered that when the 3D structure is considered, certain parts of Antarctica can rise up quickly, which helps reduce ice loss, especially if greenhouse gas emissions stay low. This could lower Antarctica’s contribution to sea level rise by up to 40% in the next few centuries. However, if emissions are high, the ice will melt faster than the land can rise, causing more water to be pushed into the ocean and increasing sea levels. This research is crucial as it helps scientists make better predictions about sea level rise, which is important for planning and protecting coastal areas.