Protecting the Doomsday Glacier: A £40 Billion Underwater Solution

The Thwaites Glacier is a significant entity, shedding approximately 50 million tonnes of ice each year and contributing to 4% of the sea level rise. Scientists estimate that its complete meltdown could increase the global sea level by up to 60 centimetres. But that's just the tip of the iceberg. Science Alert points out that the Doomsday Glacier acts as a barrier, preventing warmer waters from reaching adjacent glaciers. Should it vanish, we could witness a domino effect of melting and a sea level increase of up to 3 metres. This poses a dire risk to numerous coastal towns, the global economy, and humanity at large.

Since the year 2000, Thwaites has lost over 1 trillion tonnes of ice, and as researchers have identified, it's not the only glacier in danger. Hence, experts are exploring new technologies to shield these icy colossi. One of the recent proposals is underwater curtains. John Moore, a glaciologist and geoengineering researcher at the University of Lapland, intends to deploy vast, 100-kilometre long underwater curtains to ward off warm ocean currents from the glaciers, according to Science Alert. Nonetheless, this plan is exceedingly expensive and might cost up to £40 billion.

In theory, the underwater curtains would block warm currents from reaching Thwaites, thus preventing the glacier from melting, whilst also allowing time for the ice shelf to regenerate. Scientists are presently testing prototypes and evaluating how the curtains could be placed on the seabed of the Amundsen Sea. It's important to note, however, that this concept isn't entirely new. Science Alert reminds us that Moore suggested a similar strategy back in 2018. Initially, it wasn't about underwater curtains but constructing a massive wall. Experts eventually reasoned that curtains are a preferable idea as they can be dismantled more easily if necessary.

The technology is currently under examination by scientists at the University of Cambridge. They are assessing the performance of a smaller underwater curtain (roughly 1 metre long) in small water bodies. If it proves successful, experts will proceed with testing it in the River Cam. The subsequent phase includes testing a roughly 10-metre long underwater curtain in a Norwegian fjord.