Bottom melting of ice shelves and the mass balance of Antarctica
THE world sea level is estimated1,2 to be rising by approximately 1 mm yr−1. Attempted explanations3,4 have considered heating of the oceans, release of juvenile water, a reduction in atmospheric humidity and melting of the polar ice sheets. Existing evidence5 does not indicate any pronounced warming of the deep ocean waters, and most of the rise in sea level probably results from wastage of glaciers.