Ice Shelf Collapse East Antarctica: Where Is The Conger Ice Shelf? What Would Happen If The East Antarctic Ice Sheet Melted?

The Conger Ice Shelf is located in East Antarctica and is about the size of Manhattan.

The Conger ice shelf, which had an approximate surface area of 1,200 square km, collapsed around March 15, scientists confirmed today.

East Antarctica saw unusually high temperatures last week, with Concordia station hitting a record temperature of -11.8C on March 18, more than 40C warmer than seasonal norms.

The record temperatures were the result of an atmospheric river that trapped heat over the continent.

Atmospheric rivers are a natural phenomenon and are not unprecedented events, but they are becoming more common at the poles. Prior to that, it had been undergoing some moderate amount of retreat since at least January 2020.

What Would Happen If The East Antarctic Ice Sheet Melted?
If the East Antarctic Ice Sheet were to melt, sea level would actually fall in the vicinity of the ice sheet.

This is because ocean water moves away from the ice sheet coast and adds to sea level in other areas.