MOAT: Multi-disciplinary Observations of Antarctic ice-shelf Thresholds

Antarctic ice shelves are key to controlling global sea-level rise. Since 1992, global sea level has risen by around 10 cm, and future rise will increasingly depend on how the Antarctic ice sheet responds to climate change. Recent Antarctic ice loss is mainly driven by thinning of ice shelves caused by warm ocean waters flowing beneath them, combined with surface melting and fracturing linked to extreme weather and ocean conditions. However, the processes that govern ice shelf weakening and collapse are still poorly quantified. The MOAT consortium addresses this gap by directly measuring basal melting, surface melting, and ice shelf strength using advanced ground-based sensors, long-term field observations, airborne surveys, and satellite data on the Roi Baudouin Ice Shelf, Antarctica.