Adjusted ice-sheet models more closely match historical records

Ars Technica : Historical records of sea levels during the past several million years show periods during which they were as much as 20 m higher than they are currently. However, when fed climate details from the periods of highest sea levels, current computer models do not match the historical record. To attempt to correct the models, David Pollard and Richard Alley of the Pennsylvania State University and Robert DeConto of the University of Massachussetts Amherst added two physical processes not currently included in the models—hydrofracturing and cliff failures. Hydrofracturing occurs when water fills crevasses in ice sheets to such depth that the pressure from the water breaks the ice sheet even further. Cliff failures occur when a cliff of ice becomes so tall that it collapses under its own weight. Both processes can increase the calving of icebergs from ice sheets. When that occurs near the grounding line , it can accelerate the loss of a glacier trapped behind the sheet. The adjusted model predicted a much quicker and more severe loss of ice sheets, which could account for much of the historical sea-level rise.