Accelerated Melting Confirmed by Satellite Data
New satellite data reveals that Antarctica’s Hektoria Glacier is melting at an accelerated rate, raising concerns about its potential contribution to global sea level rise.
According to a CNN report published on November 3, 2025, scientists have observed a dramatic retreat of the Hektoria Glacier in the Antarctic Peninsula, with ice loss occurring at a pace far exceeding previous estimates. Once considered relatively stable, the glacier has now become a focal point in climate research due to its rapid deterioration.
Grounded Ice Collapse and Structural Shifts
“We’re seeing a collapse of ice that was previously grounded and stable,” said Dr. Frazer Christie, a glaciologist at the University of Cambridge. His team used satellite imagery and radar data to track changes in the glacier’s structure over the past two decades.
Between 2002 and 2024, the glacier lost nearly 40% of its ice volume, a shift attributed to warming ocean waters and atmospheric temperatures.
Connection to Larsen B and Inland Glacier Acceleration
The Hektoria Glacier is part of a larger system of ice flows feeding into the Larsen B embayment, a region that has experienced significant ice shelf disintegration since the early 2000s. Researchers warn that the loss of grounded ice, ice that rests on bedrock rather than floating, can accelerate the flow of inland glaciers toward the sea, compounding the effects of melting.“This isn’t just surface melting. It’s structural collapse,” Christie emphasized. His team’s findings suggest that the glacier’s grounding line has retreated by more than 6 kilometers, exposing deeper ice to oceanic erosion.
