Antarctica's ice shelves are melting faster than previously expected due to hidden "basal channels" that significantly amplify their sensitivity to warming oceans.

Axar.az reports, according to a study published in the journal Nature Communications, these long troughs carved into the underside of the ice act as traps for intruding warm Circumpolar Deep Water.

Using high-resolution simulations, researchers discovered that interactions between ocean circulation and this channelized topography create localized overturning, which concentrates heat and accelerates ice melt by as much as an order of magnitude within the channels.

These findings carry serious implications for the stability of the Antarctic ice sheet, particularly in regions once considered relatively secure. The study suggests that even modest temperature increases can trigger rapid thinning in these sub-ice channels, promoting further channel growth and undermining the structural integrity of deeper ice sections. This mechanism reveals that even "cold-water" ice shelves in East Antarctica are more vulnerable to ocean-driven mass loss and climate change than scientists previously believed.